2008 Suzuki Forenza

Routine

Owners filed 152 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train. It has been recalled 1 time.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
60,000 milesMedian miles at failure

129 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 40,00050,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train55
210
Air Bags22
402
Electrical System16
050
Engine14
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission7
000
Vehicle Speed Control6
400
Air Bags › Frontal5
306
Exterior Lighting4
020
Engine and Engine Cooling4
000
Tires2
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting › Headlights14V262000
Filed May 19, 2014184,244 vehiclesSuzuki Motor Of America, Inc.

Defect. Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Forenza vehicles, and 2005-2008 Reno vehicles manufactured from September 1, 2003, through July 30, 2008. In the affected vehicles, heat may be generated in the headlamp switch or daytime running light (DRL) module which could melt the headlamp switch or the DRL module.

Risk. If the heat generated within the headlamp switch or DRL module located on the left side of the steering column melts the headlamp switch or DRL module, there is an increased risk of a fire.

Remedy. Suzuki will replace the signal switch and add a jumper relay kit and will replace the DRL Module in teh instrument panel harness. Suzuki distributed to owners an interim letter on July 30, 2014. The recall began October 29, 2014. Owners may contact Suzuki at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's number for this recall is XA.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Sep 25, 2022PA

Every neutral safety switch made for this vehicle is faulty be driving down the road it'll switch from drive to neutral or any other gear I've had it go into reverse while going 50 mph down the road I've replaced this part five times still have same problem part works for about a month then goes out. Other times transmission won't even go into drive have to screw with shifter to get it to go into gear May last for about a mile and jumps back out of gear. Next problem computer tells me throttle positioning sensor is out car works fine at first then starts to rev around 5-6k or it to rev to half a grand and stall while driving down the road.

Engine
Filed May 20, 201995,566 milesNC

I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A DEALERSHIP MCCANN CAR LOT IN SPARTA NC MCCANN TOLD ME IT WAS THE BEST CAR ON THE LOT HE DROVE ME THROUGH TOWN TELLING ME THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR THEN LET ME DRIVE IT A SHORT DISTANCE INSURED ME THE CAR WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION WHEN I DROVE THE CAR HOME AFTER WE WENT TO GET INSPECTED WHICH NOTHING WAS CHECKED JUNIOR MCCANN TOLD THEM NOTHING WAS WRONG THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT MELTED THE COVER NOW CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THE HEATER SMELLS SO BAD I GOT SICK FROM INHALED THE ODOR I REPORTED THIS TO JUNIOR MCCANN HIS REPLY WAS I WAS SMELLING SOMETHING HE DIDN'T SMELL MY HUSBAND ALSO SMELLED THE ODOR AND GOT BAD HEADACHE HE NEVER ONCE SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS CAR

Exterior LightingFire
Filed Jul 24, 201880,121 milesCO

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING OUT THE DASHBOARD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. AN UNKNOWN DEALER STATED THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT MODULE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE CONTACT THOUGHT OTHERWISE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,121. THE VINE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Engine
Filed Jun 14, 2018129,000 milesTN

"TAKATA RECALL" GEAR SHIFT KEEPS SLIPPING AND MAYBE THE CAUSE OF NEEDING A NEW TRANSMISSION. HAD TO TURN CAR OFF IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC BECAUSE GEAR SLIPPED. WHEN CAR WAS IN DRIVE A SYMBOL POPPED UP WITH A D WITH A LINE THOUGH IT! TOOK IT TO O'REILLY AND PUT IT ON MACHINE ABOUT 3WEEKS AFTER THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED AND IT READ SOME CODES ABOUT GEAR AND TRANSMISSION AND AN EMPLOYEE THERE SAID GEAR SLIPPING COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF ALL THE OTHER PROBLEMS!

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Sep 22, 2017120,000 milesFL

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND SMOKE STARTING TO COME INSIDE THE CAR FROM THE DRIVER SIDE VENTS. I PULLED OVER AND LET THE SMOKE AIR OUT AS I CALLED A TOW TRUCK. ON THE TOW TRUCK AT THE POOLER PARKWAY EXIT OFF OF I-16, THE CAR ALARM WAS GOING OFF, THE LIGHTS WERE FLASHING, AND THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY FILLED WITH SMOKE. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER PULLED OVER, RAN TO THE CAR ON THE TOW TRUCK BED, OPENED THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND SAW FLAMES ENGULFING THE PANEL UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. HE GRABBED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE FIRE AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. DURING THIS TIME, I WAS IN THE CAB OF THE TOW TRUCK. CAR WAS THEN CONSIDERED A LIABILITY, THEREFOR WAS NOT ALLOWED AT THE TOW TRUCK YARD OR MY APARTMENT COMPLEX. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOWED THE CAR TO DAN VADEN CHEVROLET, WHERE I HAD BEEN CONTACTING THEM FOR TWO WEEKS REGARDING THE PART I GOT A NOTICE ON ABOUT THE RECALL.

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jul 30, 2017TX

THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. IT SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE, BURNING THE ENTIRE DASH ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING AT THE TIME AND HAD BEEN SITTING UNOCCUPIED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. THE SMOKE FROM THE ELECTRICAL FIRE BLACKENED THE WINDOWS ON THE ENTIRE CAR. THE SPEEDOMETER AND ALL OTHER GUAGES ON THE DASH WERE COMPLETELY MELTED AND THE DASH BURNED ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE FIREWALL. IT APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED IN OR RIGHT AT THE STEERING WHEEL.

Air Bags
Filed Jul 17, 2017VA

THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR HAS GONE OUT ON THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY OTHER OWNERS SUZUKI VEHICLES AND THEY TO ARE HAVING TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSORS. DEALER SERVICE CENTERS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS PART BREAKS OFTEN AND THEY KEEP EXTRA IN STOCK. THIS ISSUE WILL BEGIN WITH CAUSING VEHICLES TO SHIFT ROUGH AND END WITH VEHICLES NOT BEING ABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF OR INTO PARK. THE AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS THE CUSHION SENSOR AND WILL COST $1500 TO REPLACE. AGAIN, AFTER SPEAKING WITH OTHER SUZUKI CAR OWNERS, THEY TOO HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE. SUZUKI ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE FOR SOME VEHICLES BUT NOT VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND OWNERS ARE BEING CHARGED TO REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE PART. SUZUKI HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THESE ISSUES BY OTHER OWNERS AND HAVE COVERED REPAIR COSTS FOR A FEW, BUT HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 11, 2017113,448 milesTX

MY CAR START AND DRIVE WHEN I DROVE AND THEN STOP HARD BY ITSELF LIKE BRAKE. I COULD NOT KEEP PRESS GAS WHEN ITSELF STOP HARD. ON ROAD.

Power Train
Filed Dec 8, 201653,000 milesIL

TRANSMISSION REGULATION SENSOR - CAR JUMPING OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. DANGEROUS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Oct 20, 2016FL

ELECTRICAL DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING, DOORS WILL NOT REMAIN LOCKED, HAS CONSTANT CLICKING AND UNLOCKING ALL DOORS WHEN I LOCK THE CAR.

Engine
Filed Sep 30, 201665,000 milesPA

THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR ON SUZUKI FORENZAS AND OTHER MODELS HAS BEEN SHODDY AT BEST. MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS 65000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE REPLACED THE TRS 3 TIMES GETTING READY TO BE A 4TH. THIS IS NOT A SENSOR THAT SHOULD NEED REPLACED REGULARLY. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SLIP OUT OF GEAR AT SPEED DUE TO THIS AND CAN NEVER ACCELERATE WHEN I NEED TO. IM AFRAID THAT IF I NEED TO ACCELERATE TO AVOID A COLLISION I WONT BE ABLE TO. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND NHTSA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE. THEY HAVE MORE THEN ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO SEE THIS IS AN ISSUE AND THEY NEED TO ACT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.

Power Train
Filed Sep 28, 201682,000 milesWV

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE TRANSMISSION ICON ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 82,000.

Power Train
Filed Aug 26, 201663,350 milesIL

I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR ONCE IN OCTOBER OF 2014 AND IT IS ACTING UP AGAIN NOW. WHEN I AM DRIVING THE CAR JERKS WHEN IT IS SHIFTING GEARS AND ON A COUPLE OCCASIONS IT HAS JUST SWITCHED INTO NEUTRAL FOR NO REASON WHILE THE CAR IS STILL IN MOTION. THE MOST RECENT TIME WAS ON MY HOME FROM WORK ON 8/22/16. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND STOP AND START MY CAR A FEW TIMES TO RESET THE PROBLEM. THE PART SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY COUPLE YEARS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY SUZUKI.

Electrical System
Filed Aug 8, 201691,000 milesNJ

CAR HEADLIGHT SHUT OF ON ME WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD ALONG WITH AIR CONDITIONING AND WINDOWS THEY ALL SHUT OFF ON ME WHILE DRIVING WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO DOWN AND I HAD TO PULL OVER NEAR THE NEAREST STORE AND CUT CAR OFF THANKS I TURNED IT BACK ON AND THEY ALL SRARTED WORKING ACCEPT THE AIR THAT DIDNT START WORKING AGAIN TILL ABOUT THIRTY MINS LATER CAR ALSO JUMPS WHEN PULLING OUT OF PARK IN TO DRIVE OR REVERSE REALLY HARD JUMP THE CAR HEADLIGHTS ALSO FLICKER WHEN PRESSING WINDOWS BUTTONS TO GO DOWN TIRE SENSOR LIGHT WONT GO OUT CAR ALSO HAS A HARD TIME ACCELERATING GOING UPHILL U HAVE PRESS DOWN ALL THE WAY ON GAS FOR IT TO GO

Air Bags
Filed May 5, 2016107,000 milesNC

ABOUT EVERY 3 TO 4 MONTHS THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES OFF. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER 4 YEARS. THE WIRING UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT HAS TO BE REDONE AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT RESET. IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS AT THIS POINT WHO KNOWS IF THE AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT.

Service Brakes
Filed Mar 16, 2016108,000 milesSC

I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR REPLACED ON MY 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA TWICE ALREADY AND IT HAS MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONS, MY CAR JERKS HEAVILY WHEN CHANGING GEARS, AND IT IS AN AUTOMATIC ENGINE. THE RPMS WILL NOT EXCEED 3000, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, AND "HOLD" FLASHES IN THE DASH. THE CAR ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY SHUDDERS ABOVE 50 MPH. THE SPEEDOMETER HAS DROPPED TO ZERO WHILE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, SO I CANNOT TELL HOW FAST I AM GOING.

Air Bags
Filed Mar 15, 201661,000 milesGA

WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND THEN IT STAY ON ITS BEEN ON NOW FOR THREE DAYS NOW

Electrical System
Filed Feb 5, 201687,000 milesNV

TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR FAILURE.

Power Train
Filed Jan 26, 201682,500 milesFL

THE "TRANS RANGE SWITCH" IS CAUSING MY CAR TO JUMP TO 2 GEAR RANDOMLY. THE CAR SEEMS TO RUN FINE AFTER O START IT. AND OUT OF NO WERE THE ENGINE JUMPS AND THE "ENGINE LIGHT" COMES ON THE CAR ACTS LIKES ITS NOT IN 1ST GEAR. IT CAN'T GET IT TO GO INTO GEAR (DRIVE OR REVERSE) WITHOUT IT JUMPING. THEN AFTER THE CAR SITS FOR A DAY IT ACTS FINE FOR THE FIRST TRIP AND THEN IT STARTS THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AFTERWARDS. I CAN'T GO UPHILL EITHER WITHOUT IT REAVING HIGH LIKE ITS IN NEUTRAL. I THINK THIS IS THE "TRANS RANGE SWITCH" GOING BAD.

Air Bags
Filed Dec 23, 201578,125 milesGA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,125.

20 of 152 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2006
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
2008 — this page1521100Routine
20072562250High concern
2006280480Above average
2005156370Routine
200463550Routine

Compare every Forenza year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 19, 2014. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.