10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 45,167 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.
The contact owns a 2005 Suzuki Forenza. The contact was driving approximately 45-50 mph when the vehicle stalled and abruptly came to a stop. The contact received whiplash from the jerking motion. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where they advised him that the engine bearings had seized and the idle pulley failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure and the current mileage was approximately 89,000.
- Riviera Beach, FL, USA
I bought a 2005 Suzuki Forenza in the winter of 2006. The car was sold to me with no rear defroster system so that winter I had to go through the snow with a completely blind rear view and was inconvenienced into returning it for repair. The beginning of 2008 is when the check engine light came on a week before my state inspection and I had to get an oxygen sensor replaced. Two weeks later, the tread came off my front tires (2 years old mind you) and I had to replace those. In may of 2008, the battery in the car died and that had to be replaced. In August of 2008, the headlights in the Suzuki died and had to be replaced. I have all the receipts and documents to back this up as well. On April 30, 2009, my car started to buck back and forth wildly threatening to stall. Two weeks later on May 13, they tell me that the car is covered under the power warranty and they will replace the head gasket. On Friday May 15, they say its not just the head gasket but an emission hose needs to be replaced. They do not have the part in stock and have ordered it for Monday, May 18 in which the car should be ready. I return my rental car ready to pick up my car when I get a call that Monday morning stating that when the car's engine was put back together, the check engine light still came on and they disassembled the engine again and discovered a hole in the cylinder head which had compromised the coolant system. Now, this is not under warranty and I would have to provide proof that I had changed the coolant in the system. Of course, I can not locate that receipt, but its amazing to me that its taken nearly a month to come up with this diagnosis and now I'm being asked to pay for this lemon with only 3 years on it and 35,000 miles. I took a 4 year finance loan deal on this and I still have to pay $5000 on a car that has needed work on multiple location. Whatever happened to standing by your work? thomas Suzuki of port jefferson NY is a disgrace.
- Nesconset, NY, USA
This is a rough draft of the letter I will be sending to Suzuki: I bought my Suzuki Forenza in February of 2005. I have taken my car three times to Suzuki of West broward for an oil leak. The first time they told me that I had an aftermarket oil filter (from meineke). I had my doubts that this was the problem. I authorized that they change the oil filter. When I brought my car home it was still leaking. I was charged $28.04 for the service that didn't solve the problem. I brought the car back and it was diagnosed as having a porous oil pan. I was not refunded (nor offered to be refunded) my $28.04 for the oil change and filter change. The parts were not in stock and I was told that they would arrive the same week. They arrived the following Tuesday afternoon. The oil pan was replaced. The car was still leaking oil. I took it a third time and they could not determine the cause. They said there was a recall on the vehicle. Besides the oil leak, the power steering has been making a humming sound when I would turn the steering wheel. This problem I took to bill seidles Suzuki in miami. I was told that the rack and pinion was dirty. This seemed to work for some time but now there is still a lower hum. Before these two setbacks, there were minor problems that arose after the 36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty was expired. A bulb went out in the dash and the fog-light bulbs would continuously burn out. I believe this is a grounding problem in the car that produces interference on the radio directly related to my acceleration of the car. After the first year of owning this car, it has been problem after problem. I have noticed that the service centers for Suzuki in South Florida are of the poorest quality. There is no attention and it seems that parts are never available at the facilities for repairs. I am extremely disappointed with the performance of Suzuki and the customer service of the company.
- Miami, FL, USA
2005 Suzuki Forenza stalled without warning. Consumer would like it replaced under lemon law. The consumer stated the vehicle would shift back and fourth while driving. The dealer found internal transmission failure. While driving, the engine would loose power. The dealer found the brake light sticking from the switch.
- Sacramento, CA, USA
While driving the car I noticed the car started making a loud noise. I asked the opinion of a mechanic who stated that the noise was coming from the motor, and he was more likely sure that it was something called "lifter." The next day I took the car to the car dealer and left the car there so they can find the problem. A whole week passed by and they still didn't know what was wrong with the car. When I finally got in touch with the parts department they stated that they needed to bring a technician to diagnose the problem. Finally after 3 days I still didn't receive a call to inform me what was going on I called myself. I called the service manager and he stated that the car needed a certain liquid to clean the motor. Another week passed by and I still hadn't received a call from them. So once again I called them, this time he stated that the car needed a motor due to lack of maintenance in other words no oil changes. I brought out to his attention that on my windshield there was the sticker showing the last time I changed the oil and when was the next time it needed a oil change. I also stated that in the locked compartment he should find receipts of past oil changes. He stated that the motor expense has to come out of my pocket even though the car is under warranty. At this point I don't know what to do, I am missing hours of work due to no transportation, I have to walk and catch the bus when I have no need being that my car is under warranty and the problem it has should be covered. I feel I am not treated fair. I have heard about many similar problems regarding this vehicle from other customers. They too have been lied to and not helped what so ever.
- Houston, TX, USA
- Chapin, SC, USA