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2002 problems

FaultScore report

2002 Suzuki Aerio problems

Owners have filed 19 complaints about the 2002 Suzuki Aerio with NHTSA between 2003 and 2017. The largest single group is the suspension. Across this model's run it ranks 5 of 5 worst.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Suzuki Aerio All 2002 cars

FaultScore 46/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Suzuki Aerio.

How this is worked out

The numbers

Complaints

Crashes reported

Fires reported

Injuries reported

40,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

38%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.

Complaint volume — 34: Against the median year of the Suzuki Aerio. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 54: 10.5% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 66: 38% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 2002 compares with every other Suzuki Aerio

Click any bar to open that year's report.

19 42 21 26 33 4

02 03 04 05 06 07

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2002 Suzuki Aerio

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Suspension 5 26.3%

2 crashes, 0 fires · median 42,500 mi

Body & Structure 3 15.8%

Median failure at 40,000 miles

Brakes 3 15.8%

Median failure at 8,002 miles

Doors, Latches & Locks 2 10.5%

Median failure at 40,000 miles

Engine & Cooling 2 10.5%

Median failure at 10,000 miles

Tires 1 5.3%

Median failure at 27,000 miles

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 1 5.3%

Electrical System 1 5.3%

Median failure at 40,000 miles

Transmission & Drivetrain 1 5.3%

Median failure at 164,663 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

1,000 – 9,999 miles 2 15.4%

10,000 – 24,999 miles 2 15.4%

25,000 – 49,999 miles 7 53.8%

50,000 – 74,999 miles 1 7.7%

150,000+ miles 1 7.7%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Aug 2003 peak 5 Feb 2017

Recalls on the 2002 Suzuki Aerio

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 2007233 12 Jul 2007 5,130 units in Canada

Powertrain

On certain vehicles, the retaining clip that secures the gear shift cable to the shift lever can contact the lever housing if excessive lateral force is applied when shifting to first gear. Repeated shifting in this manner can eventually cause the retaining clip to break. Should this happen, the shift cable can become disconnected from the lever, resulting in loss of the ability to change transmission gears. This can result in a crash without prior warning. Correction: Dealers will replace the gear shift cable retaining clip with a clip that has a different shape.

Recall 2003155 16 Jun 2003 867 units in Canada

Other

On certain vehicles, the windshield may not be properly secured to the vehicle body due to insufficient adhesion between paint applied during the second-stage painting process and paint applied during final-stage painting. If the windshield is not properly secured to the vehicle body, it may separate from the vehicle during a collision resulting in ejection of unbelted occupants and severe injury or death. Correction: Dealers will affect repairs.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Filed 22 Feb 2005 at 19,000 miles Fresno, CA Crash

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

WHILE TURNING RIGHT AT 45 MPH THE LOWER CONTROL ARM SNAPPED. CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL AND HIT A POLE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AS DESIGNED. UPDATED 02/09/06.

NHTSA complaint #10112844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 13 Jan 2004 at 42,500 miles Baltimore, MD Crash

SUSPENSION:FRONT

HAD WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED ON VEHICLE AT 12,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 30,000 MILES. AT 42,000 MILES AXLE BROKE AT THE WHEEL. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH AND CAUSE $4,400.00 IN DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END.

NHTSA complaint #10053089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Filed 6 Feb 2017 at 164,663 miles Dallas, TX

POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUZUKI AERIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS IN TRAFFIC, A LOUD GRINDING NOISE EMITTED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER BECAME STUCK. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PLACE THE GEAR INTO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,663.

NHTSA complaint #10949707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 21 Dec 2007 Tallahassee, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

QUITE A FEW OF THE SCREWS OR GROMMETS THAT HOLD THE BODY PARTS ONTO MY CAR HAVE FELL OUT. MY FRONT BUMPER WAS BARELY BUMPED AND IT BROKE ONE OF THE CLIPS ON THE BUMPER AND IS NOW TIED UP WITH A SHOE STRING. MY A/C COMPRESSOR HAS ALREADY HAD TO BE REPLACED AND FOR SOME REASON THE COOLING FANS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE STRUCTURE ON THIS CAR IS POOR. THE LOCK TO THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOW JUST SPINS NOW, SO IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE TRUNKS LOCK DUE TO SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH ALSO DUE TO KEY NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. CLIPS FROM BOTH BUMPERS HAVE FALLEN OFF FOR NO REASON. I EXPECTED MORE FROM A SUZUKI CAR. I BELILEVE THIS WILL BE MY LAST PURCHASE FROM THEM.

NHTSA complaint #10212483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 21 Dec 2007 Tallahassee, FL

STRUCTURE

NHTSA complaint #10212483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 19 Apr 2007 at 40,000 miles Apache Junction, AZ

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

1. THE SCREWS THAT HOLD THE DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY SIMPLY FELL OUT OF THE DOOR 2. PASSENGER FRONT DOOR ONLY OPENS WHEN IT WANTS, LOCK STICKS 3. BODY PART SCREWS HAVE FALLEN OFF OF THE CAR CAUSING BODY PARTS TO FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING. 4. SCREWS HOLDING FRONT BUMPER ON FELL OUT AND BUMPER FELL OFF. 5. TRUNK LOCK SIMPLY TURNS IN CIRCULAR MOTION WHEN TRYING TO OPEN WITH A KEY 6. PASSENGER FRONT DOOR SOMETIMES WILL NOT STAY CLOSED DUE TO LOCK ASSEMBLY NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY 7. CAR WILL NOT GO INTO 4TH GEAR WITHOUT WARMING UP, YET ALL SYSTEMS CHECK OK WHEN TESTED AT MECHANIC SHOPS. NO ONE WILL DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE I BOUGHT IT USED FORM A DEALER. THEY SAY THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO.