26 of the
1,360 complaints filed about the Suzuki Forenza
are about the steering —
2% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2005.
VEHICLE HAS ODOR OF SMOKE OR UNKNOWN SMELL ADVISED SUZUKI WHO REFERRED ME TO SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT HANDLE REPAIRS. I ADVISED THEM I WORK FOR AN AUTO BODY WHO STATES VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE- PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT IS ALSO ON. RECALL NOTICE ADVISES OF SIGNIFICANT RISK OF FIRE. STEERING COLUMN LOOKS TO BE WARPED AND IGNITION SWITCH IS NOT WORKING.
NHTSA complaint #11039311 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER STEERING REPLACED, MANY TIRES REPLACED CONSTANTLY, TRANSMISSION REPLACED, TIMING BELT REPLACED, SEAT BELTS REPLACED, AIR BAGS ARE IN RECALL AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, HANDLES REPLACED, BAD PAINT CLIPPINGS ON OUTER HANDLES, CO2 SENSOR REPLACED, HEADLIGHT SWITCH RECALLED AND REPLACED, RANGE MOD SENSOR REPLACED TWICE, HEAD GASKET BROKEN.
NHTSA complaint #10991538 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I OWN A 2004 SUZUKI FORENZA AND THIS CAR IS A CONSTANT PROBLEM. IT OVER HEATS EVERYONE I DRIVE IT WHICH IS DAILY. IT STARTS ONLY WHEN THE MOTOR IS SOMEWHAT COOL. THIS CAT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED MANY TIMES. LIKE AT THE MOMENT THE CAR HAS OVER HEATED AND I'M PULLED OFF THE SIDE OF HWY 26 HEADING TO PORTLAND. I HAVE TAKEN THIS CAT TO MY MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES AND UPON ITS RETURN WITHIN DAYS THE CAR IS DOING THE SAME THING. THE STEERING IS A MESS. THE CAR IS ALL OVER THE ROAD I'VE TAKEN IT TO LESSCHWAB 4 TIMES GOTTEN TWO ALIGNMENTS WITHIN A 2 MONTH PERIOD AND STILL CAR DOESN'T DRIVE RIGHT. I'VE REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET,,STARTER,BATTERY,TIRES, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. THIS IS NOT AD DEPENDABLE CAR. I'M 60 MILES FROM HOME AND WONDERING HOW I'M GONNA GET BACK HOME. THANK YOU SUZUKI
NHTSA complaint #10954448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI FORENZA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. IMMEDIATELY, SOMEONE SCREAMED OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AND ALERTED THE CONTACT TO EXIT THE VEHICLE QUICKLY. WHEN THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE, SMOKE AND FLAMES SHOT OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO HAPPENED TO BE IN THE AREA, ADVISED TO OPEN THE HOOD SO THE BATTERY COULD BE DISCONNECTED. WHILE THE TECHNICIAN WAS DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND ASSISTED THE TECHNICIAN TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE OF THE CONTACT'S FRIEND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REQUESTED COPIES OF THE FIRE PICTURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 128,000.
NHTSA complaint #10914807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,448.
NHTSA complaint #10777684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUZUKI FORENZA. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #10713517 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE STRUTS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOSE AND LETTING THE HANDLE UNSAFELY. THE LOCAL DEALER REPLACED THEM UNDER WARRANTY AND THE CAR DROVE BETTER. FAST FORWARD TO MARCH 2015, I CARRIED THE CAR IN FOR A DIFFERENT WARRANTY REPAIR BUT WASN'T TOLD THAT THE STRUTS WERE LOOSE AGAIN. I FOUND THIS OUT FROM MY OWN MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY. I CONTACTED CORPORATE SUZUKI AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL. MY MECHANIC TALKED TO ANOTHER SUZUKI DEALER & WAS TOLD THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND THAT A KIT HAS TO BE INSTALLED TO CORRECT IT. I HAD TO PAY MY MECHANIC TO FIX IT. SHOULDN'T THERE BE A RECALL FOR THIS BECAUSE I HAD ONLY PUT 19,000 MILES ON SINCE THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WHICH APPARENTLY WAS DONE WITHOUT THE KIT? THE STRUTS WERE MOVING A QUARTER OF AN INCH. DOES THIS NOT POSE A SAFETY ISSUE?
NHTSA complaint #10704065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. WHILE TRAVELING 15 MPH, THE STEERING AND THE IGNITION SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE STEERING AND IGNITION TO RELEASE, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.
NHTSA complaint #10694899 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND FLAMES EMERGED FROM UNDER THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THE FLAMES SPREAD THROUGH THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FIRE COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A WIRING MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.
NHTSA complaint #10611032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, SHE HEARD A LOUD GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AREA. THE BRAKE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LIGHTS THEN ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT STOPPED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ENGINE SERPENTINE BELT WAS FRACTURED AND PULLING THE BRAKE LINE OUT OF THE FIRE WALL, SPINNING IT AROUND THE BRAKE LINE, THE ALTERNATOR PULLEY, AND THE STEERING ROD. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HARNESS WAS ALSO FRACTURED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BRAKE LINE AND THE ENGINE DRIVE BELT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,380.
NHTSA complaint #10536723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #10494623 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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!
NHTSA complaint #10489508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY AND I WAS DOING 65 MPH AND MY CAR STARTED STALLING AS I PRESSED THE GAS THEN I FLOORED THE GAS BECAUSE MY CAR WAS STARTING TO REVERSE DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR FROZE AND MY COMPUTER ON MY DASH HAD ALL THE LETTERS SCRAMBLED FOR DRIVE, REVERSE, PARK ETC AND HAD A LINE THROUGH IT I WAS SOOOO SCARED I HAD A BIG TRUCK BEHIND ME.
NHTSA complaint #10458847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER I PLACED THE CAR IN REVERSE, IT GAVE A BIG "THUNK" SOUND. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET A DIAGNOSIS AND THEY SAID IT WAS A TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR GONE BAD! $250 TO REPLACE. AS YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE BUT NO RECALL. I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE BRAKE LIGHT SENSOR REPLACED EARLIER THIS YEAR AND A POWER STEERING PUMP! NOT LIKING SUZUKI RIGHT NOW!
NHTSA complaint #10441361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I OWN A 2006 SUZUKI FORENZA AND HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. SINCE PURCHASING NEW IN 2006, I HAVE HAD THE GAS GAUGE, GAS TANK, RADIO, CENTER CONSOLE, FRONT DOOR HANDLES & CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED. THE FACTORY TIRES WENT BAD WITHIN A YEAR, AND BECAUSE IT IS AN ODD TIRE SIZE COST OVER $400 TO REPLACE. CURRENTLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON STATING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH WAS JUST REPLACED ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO. I LEFT THE CAR OVERNIGHT AT THE DEALER & GOT A RENTAL CAR (WHICH COST $75) AND THE DEALER AND SUZUKI TECH SUPPORT CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ERROR CONTINUES TO SHOW UP. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT IS ALSO ON & I WAS TOLD THAT IT REQUIRES A SENSOR - NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY - THAT WILL COST OVER $300. I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE JERKING AND SLIPPING GEARS ON ACCELERATION. IT WOULD ALSO STICK IN NEUTRAL OR NOT CHANGE GEARS AND HESITATE TO THE POINT OF MOVING VERY SLOWLY. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS AN OXYGEN SENSOR WHICH COST ME OVER $300 TO REPLACE. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM ONCE SINCE. THE STRUTS - FRONT AND BACK - ALSO NEED TO BE REPLACED WHICH IS A $1200 REPAIR BECAUSE THEY ARE LEAKING. CURRENTLY BOTH FRONT DOOR HANDLES ARE BROKEN CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO OPEN THE WINDOWS TO OPEN THE DOORS. I HAVE HAD THEM REPLACED ONCE BEFORE UNDER RECALL, BUT NOW IT WILL COST OVER $200 A PIECE TO REPLACE. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THERE WAS A LIGHT TO INDICATE THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WERE WORKING UNTIL IT JUST APPEARED ONE DAY. THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS INDICATOR WON'T STAY ON - IT COMES ON, THEN GOES BACK OFF. I THINK SUZUKI NEEDS TO MAKE GOOD ON THESE CARS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #10392415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELT RANDOMLY UNBUCKLES WHILE DRIVING ALL INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES HAVE BROKEN OD DURING HE FIRST OF OWNERSHIP TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN AND OUT GEAR CONSTANTLY.
NHTSA complaint #10356258 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
COMING FROM RAMP HEADING ON TO FREEWAY. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. I APPLIED BRAKE PRIOR TO ENTERING FREEWAY. CAR SLID HEAD-ON INTO CONCRETE BARRIER AND FLIPPED OVER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, LANDED RIGHT SIDE UP. CAR WAS TOTALLED.
NHTSA complaint #10326950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI FORENZA. TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE SEAT BELTS. THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED, BUT AFTERWARDS THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LATCH FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH. AT 7,000 MILES, THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL BECAME INOPERABLE. AT 22,000 MILES, THE DRIVER'S SIDE PASSENGER DOOR LATCH CRACKED AT THE BASE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE REAR IN ORDER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN PULLING TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 40-70 MPH. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TIRE HAD A HOLE IN IT AND WOULD BE PATCHED. ALSO, THE VEHICLE NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE SPECIFICATIONS CHECKED WHEN THE ALIGNMENT DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23,450.
NHTSA complaint #10238149 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED IN APRIL OF 2006 AS A BRAND NEW CAR WITH ONLY 77 MILES ON IT, SINCE THAT TIME IT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SERVICE DEPT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE FIRST TIME BEING, LAST YEAR WHEN THERE WAS OIL LEAKING ALL OUT FROM THE BOTTOM, ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPT, IT WAS THE SEAL, A BRAND NEW CAR AND THE SEAL JUST SUDDENLY STARTS LEAKING OIL EVERYWHERE? THE LAST SEVERAL INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN WITHIN THE LAST FEW MONTHS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN, NOISES FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKE PEDAL, VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL, NOISES AND RUBBING WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND THE STEERING RACK, SO WE WERE PUT IN A RENTAL AND WAITED FOR THE CAR TO BE FIXED, BEFORE MY HUSBAND EVEN PULLED OUT OF THE LOT WITH IT AFTER BEING FIXED, IT WAS STILL DOING THE SAME THING, SO BACK IT WENT, WE GET IT BACK, DRIVE IT A FEW DAYS, STILL THE SAME THING, SO HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH ANOTHER RENTAL, GET THE CAR BACK, SAME THING AGAIN, AND YET ANOTHER RENTAL, NOW WHILE WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR SOMETHING, OUR CAR GETS HIT WHILE AT THE SERVICE DEPT BY SOMEONE STEALING ANOTHER VEHICLE, OF WHICH NO ONE CALLED AND TOLD US, WE FOUND OUT WHEN WE CALLED TO SEE WHAT WAS UP WITH OUR CAR, SO NOW IS IT NOT ONLY STILL AT THE SERVICE DEPT BUT NOW IT IS IN THE BODY SHOP, THIS IS RIDICULOUS, THIS CAR IS OBVIOUSLY A "LEMON" AND NEEDS TO BE PULLED FROM THE MARKET AND ANYONE WHO HAD THE MISFORTUNE OF BUYING ONE SHOULD BE COMPENSATED OR GIVEN ANOTHER VEHICLE EQUIVALENT TO OR BETTER THEN THIS ONE.
NHTSA complaint #10204267 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.