1996 Suzuki Sidekick Service and Repair Manual

The Sidekick Sport arrived for 1996, a four-door with a longer nose, fender flares, 16-inch tires and a new 1.8L DOHC four making 120 horsepower. JX Sport and JLX Sport joined the regular JS and JX convertibles and four-doors, which kept the 1.6L SOHC four, and dual airbags became standard with four-wheel anti-lock brakes optional. Two engines and new safety systems make year-exact data important, and this factory service and repair manual gives 1996 procedures, specifications, torque values, wiring diagrams, diagnostics and maintenance schedules.

Engines covered

• 1.6L inline-four — SOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline
• 1.8L inline-four — DOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline

Body styles covered

• 4-door sport utility
• 2-door convertible

Trims covered

• JLX Sport
• JS
• JX
• JX Sport

Known issues on the 1996 Sidekick. Two recalls are on federal record. In one, the upper mounting base of the front struts may lack strength, so the bolts holding the struts to the body can break. In another, a fuel tank flange reinforcement can puncture the tank in a rear-end collision, a failure of FMVSS 301. Owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train and the suspension. Front strut mount and fuel tank procedures in this manual cover the parts involved in both campaigns.