One problem related to engine belts and pulleys has been reported for the 1999 Suzuki Vitara. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
From day one, the belt on the car made a chirping noise. The car had gone back to the dealer on 4 different occassions-and as of right now, the belt has been changed three different times, but the noise continues. When it rains, it gets a very loud squeaky noise. Additionally, the check engine light came on right after purchase. I took the car back to the delaer at least twice, and I was told it was the sensor, because the engine was fine. However, the check engine light continued to come on occassionally off and on. I had consistent oil changes and scheduled maintenance done, but last week, engine check light starting flashing. Come to find out, the #3 cylinder going into the engine was gone. I was told this had to be and on-going problem-it did not happen over night. Evidently, there was a problem exactly all the times the light came on. As a result, I had to pay over $2000 to get the car fixed.