10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 4
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 52,931 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
I'm having trouble with the eletrical wiring. I've noticed a shortness in my radio, according breaks and pressure for the car over heating when stopping. Had my radiator and fans replaced. But still having issues with car over heating. And ac and heat not working when turned on. If close the door or go over a bump in road will work. Just like my radio. I only had this car since last Feb and its becoming worrisome. Brake lights sometimes doesn't work has a shortness also. And low head beam on driver side keep going out... have to drive on high beam all the time at night
- Marianna, FL, USA
Not sure if you can tell us what to do but we bout a 2005 Suzuki Forenza last April for our 18 year old for graduation and we only bout it for $1200 and was never told about a recall at all. Long story short my son was about to leave one night and within a matter of minutes of him leaving he runs in the house yelling his car is on fire so we ran out put the fire out and then looked it up and found a recall on the part that caught fire. Headlamp switch drl module. Thanks god he was not driving down the street or the other cars or house caught fire. So after I put in the ven number and find this info within a week we received a recall letter from Suzuki. Now my question is will this get paid for like the wiring that got burnt up and who pays to get it to another town to get fixed? if someone could lead me in the right direction that would be great I just really think we got screwed and my son really wants his car fixed
- Topeka, KS, USA
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- Greensboro, NC, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Suzuki Forenza. While the vehicle was parked, the contact was unable to remove the key from the ignition as it remained in the off position. In addition, the air bag warning light illuminated. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,000. The VIN was unavailable.
- Oakland, CA, USA
Fuse for engine cooling system blew and caused the radiator to blow into pieces. Replaced radiator, replaced both cooling system fans, checked relays, 3 different mechanics have looked at it and cannot figure it out. It has gotten so bad that now it blows the cooling system fuse as soon as you turn the key to start the car.
- Rotonda West, FL, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Suzuki Forenza. The contact stated that after the vehicle was being serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 14V262000 (exterior lighting), the daytime running lights began to flicker. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
- Magna, UT, USA
Some wires inside the signal switch were melting a plastic piece inside steering wheel. It began to smoke and the lights are not working properly.
- Fort Myers, FL, USA
Dear NHTSA - I really appreciate your Agency in the us and world. You do great work for the value of safety! so, I received safety recall notice in the mail from Suzuki and I called the Suzuki headquarters to find out where/how to get it fixed. They told me to call this 1 dealer in oahu since I am on oahu to get the recall repair done. When I called that specific dealer, the dealer refused to fix it stating that they didn't have all the equipment and tools or some other reason. All they could do was put my name on a list. Then, when I called Suzuki headquarters to confirm this inability to fix my recall, Suzuki repeated the dealer info and phone number and told me that my problem was something else. They didn't believe me when I told them the dealer wasn't fixing it! I told them that their process was not accurate and Suzuki headquarters stated that there was nothing they could do. The customer service agent at headquarters did not allow me to be transferred to higher management. The agent misheard me and put down wrong information in her notes. She ended by saying that they only fix headlamps. The recall notice said they are supposed to fix: Headlamp switch, drl module, subharness, and circuit control at no charge! that's all I want changed - nothing more! no one on oahu or at Suzuki headquarters has given me any help fixing this recall. I don't wanna just junk the vehicle because this is a federal recall and it is federal mandate to fix the vehicle immediately (since this is my only vehicle). Help
- Honolulu, HI, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Suzuki Forenza. The contact stated that there were exposed wires near the steering wheel and the dashboard was not secured. In addition, the contact stated that the interior trunk light remained illuminated. As a result, the battery was replaced by the contact on more than two occasions. The contact stated that the failures occurred after the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 14V262000 (exterior lighting). The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 111,125.
- Frankford, KY, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Suzuki Forenza. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine stalled without warning. The contact also stated that there was a foul odor emitting through the vents. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
- Chicago, IL, USA
Gears started shifting on their own, and at times did not shift at all...thank god I was already arriving home when it suddenly jumped into park, bringing the car to a screeching halt, at this point I was already slowing down to get into the driveway. This happened after I had a 1hrs drive on a highway, it would have been a huge accident if this would have happened while on the road. Since this happened, I did my research online and found out this is a very common problem with this vehicle. The bad part is the transmission range sensor. I since then had the car inspected by a mechanic and read the codes P0700 and P0705 that is for that part.
- Miami, FL, USA
My car loses power while car in motion, also, ac will not power on, but after some time it will power on. Malfunction light stays on at times, and will go off at times, but for now it is on, and has began to blink. Car has burning smell at times as well, like plastic is burning or something.
- Charlotte, NC, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Suzuki Forenza. The contact received a notification of NHTSA campaign: 14V262000 (electrical system) and stated that the part needed was unavailable to service the vehicle under the recall. The dealer was uncertain of when the part would become available. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
- King Street, SC, USA
The air bag sensor turned on and wouldn't turn off. There was no accident or reason for the sensor to turn on. Took it to the dealership and had to have the sensor system replaced. Contacted the Suzuki customer service and was not given any information why the sensor would suddenly fail other than that it was no longer under warranty and so they were not responsible. The car was recalled in 2012 for electrical issues due to the headlights.
- Lake Oswego, OR, USA
When I had bought this car in 2010 I was having problems with the headlights turning off at night and had to drive with my high beams on. So I took it into the dealership and they told me that the recall for my car had already been repaired. Received another notice in 2012 regarding the recalled splice pack. Took vehicle in to dealer a second time to have part fixed on 11/12/12 part 99963-85zsc was repaired after fixed I began having issues with the speakers, stock radio as well as the trunk light blinking and check engine light staying on. On July 1, 2013 I had parked my Suzuki Forenza at a coffee house and when I came out to vehicle the inside of cab was full of smoke. I had inspected vehicle to make sure there wasn't a fire. Smoke was coming from dashboard left of the steering column. We had disassembled the plastic around the steering wheel to discover that the wiring that controlled the lights, headlights, and blinker had been melted into the connector causing the lights to stay on when vehicles ignition was off. Took it to the dealership to be diagnosed. Description was; "vehicle suffered internal failure within mult ifunction switch that has caused a thermal melting of the connectors at the back of the multi function switch and wiring harness" part SM37420-85Z10 switch assembly and SM36620-85Z70 harness assembly. Estimated repairs $1,570.. I believe that all this is caused by improper repair of recalled spice pack due to the components that melted are connected to it. Please look into this issue my car is still at the Suzuki dealership. And has taken almost two weeks for them to repair. Said vehicle wont be done until Friday July 13, 2013 due to not having the parts in stock.
- Blythe, CA, USA
Car accelerates very slowly. It will stall out if the gas pedal is floored. The check engine light will blink until the car is turned off. The check engine light will stay on for sometimes a few days at a time and then turn off. Others have complained about the transmission range sensor going up many times.
- Pasadena, MD, USA
Back in Nov 2012 I took my 2005 Suzuki Forenza in for a recall repair as suggested the recall was on the wiring harness that put the headlights on and off (I had been having trouble with my headlights popping on and off at random times) so after I obeyed the recall I noticed that the problem was fixed so in Jan 12 2013 my car was sitting at a local applebees parking lot completely turned off nothing plugged in no lighters in the car just sitting there when someone ran into the restaurant and shouted "whose gold Suzuki is that? its on fire" needless to say when I ran out the dashboard was completely in flames the fire dept came to rescue and at my request a fire investigator investigated the incident and concluded that the fire started as a result of a electrical short in the wiring harness...(yes the "recalled'' "fixed" part) the actually dealership that "fixed" the recalled part has already stated that they arent taking responsibility for it & I am waiting to Suzuki corporate to conclude their findings I truly hope Suzuki does the right thing in this unfortunate matter if not I am prepared to take legal action but im praying they will do the right thing and take responsibility.
- Panama City, FL, USA
After first purchasing the car, there were problems accelerating and then car failed. Power steering had to be fixed, timing belt replaced. A few months later speakers started to go in and out, radio lights come on and off, etc. In 2010 headlights failed. Being a broke college student I rode with my brights for almost a year until I looked up the recall online and got that fixed at the dealership. 2011 replaced speakers, still don't work on entire right side of car and back of driver side. One speaker works, very weak and sometimes goes out completely. Interior lights go in and out. Started to leak oil, had to have head gasket replaced under warranty, then had to have radiator hose replaced. 2012 timing belt pops, engine damaged costing almost $2000. Today December 2012, radiator cracks all the way open in the middle of holiday traffic. Terrible horrible car to be a 2005. Seems like I can't go a month without something else going wrong. Feels unsafe at all times!
- Chapin, SC, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Suzuki Forenza. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign id number: 07V452000 (exterior lighting) and took the vehicle to the dealer where recall repairs were performed. After the repairs, the wiring for the headlights became burned, causing the head lights, air bags and the radio to fail. The contact took the vehicle back to the dealer and was advised that the recall repairs caused a small fire in the wiring under the dashboard. The dealer performed a second repair at no cost to the contact however, the failure recurred. The contact later received notification of NHTSA campaign id number:12V397000(electrical system:wiring;interior/under dash) for the wiring harness but was told by the manufacturer that even though the dealer had stated that the previous recall repair caused the wiring failure, they would only cover the exact component that was listed in the recall and the contact would be liable for any additional repairs. The vehicle was not further repaired. The failure mileage was unavailable and the current mileage was 126,000.
- Logan, WV, USA
- East Troy, WI, USA