Power Train. Review the 116 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

19 crash reports8 fire reports20 injury reports

Power Train complaints

116 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2007

Electrical SystemPower Train

2006 SUZUKI FORENZA WITH TROUBLE CRANKING. CUSTOMER STATES THAT HIS VEHICLE HAS TROUBLE STARTING AND FEELS A BIG NUDGE IN THE REAR WHEN CHANGING GEARS FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE OR DRIVE TO REVERSE. *KB *JB

NHTSA ODI #10203825

45 miles · Mar 3, 2007

Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingLatches/locks/linkages

Read full complaint

WHEN I FIRST BROUGHT THE CAR ON 1/30/2006, IT STARTED GIVING ME PROBLEMS,SUCH AS NOT STARTING UP, THE ENGINE LIGHT ON AND OFF ALL THE TIME. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT ON CONSTANTLY. THE POWER WINDOWS ROLLING UP AND DOWN BY THEMSELVES. THE POWER LOCKS STOP WORKING AND THEN WORK OVER AND OVER AGAIN. WHEN I'M DRIVING, THE CAR JERKS AND PULLS ALL THE TIME. (THE PULLING IS COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION). I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF TWO AND I FEEL REAL BAD ABOUT GETTING STUCK WITH A LEMON. AFTER I GET OUT OF SCHOOL I TAKE CLASSES AT NIGHT AND MY KIDS GO TO THE DAYCARE ON CAMPUS WHEN I PICKED THEM UP AFTER CLASS, GOT IN THE CAR, STARTED IT UP, AND THE FRONT TWO WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN BY THEMSELVES, AND WOULD NOT ROLL UP AND IT WAS SNOWING AND WE HAD TO RIDE ALL THE WAY HOME LIKE THAT. THE DEALERSHIP DOESN'T CARE. AS FAR AS THEY ARE CONCERNED, IT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. IT IS A MESSED UP WORLD WE LIVE IN WHERE SOMEONE KNOWS THAT YOU REALLY NEED A CAR AND THEY SCREW YOU WITH A LEMON. UNTIL THIS PRESENT DAY, ALL THESE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED STILL EXIST BUT SO DO ME AND MY SON-3 AND MY DAUGHTER-6 IF ANYBODY CAN HELP, IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10184112

1,836 miles · Jan 22, 2007

Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainSteering

Read full complaint

2006 SUZUKI FORENZA WITH SAFETY ISSUES REGARDING LOSS CONTROL AND STICKING AND ENGINE STALLING**CC THE CONSUMER STATED THE GEARS WOULD STICK AND SHE HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL STEERING COMPONENT FAILURES. TO THIS DATE THE STEERING PROBLEM STILL HAD NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD NOT START, THE CONSUMER HAD TO WAIT 2 MINUTES BEFORE TRYING AGAIN. THE CONSUMER COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO REVERSE. THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER STATED THEY LUBRICATED THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS. THE NOISE EVENTUALLY RETURNED. THE DEALER THEN STATED THAT THEY OVER-LUBRICATED THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10179579

1,836 miles · Jan 11, 2007

Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainSteeringCrashInjury

STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTION - LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND DROVE OFF THE ROAD MANUFACTURER AND CAR DEALERSHIP DID NOT HELP MULTIPLE OTHER DEFECTS, INCLUDING ENGINE STALLING/GEARS "STICKING" - PLEASE REFER DETAILS IN LETTER TO BE SENT TO YOUR OFFICE BY MAIL. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10178450

2,500 miles · Oct 16, 2006

Power Train

Read full complaint

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY SHIFTED FROM OVERDRIVE TO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE RPM'S ON THE SPEEDOMETER INCREASED DRASTICALLY, AND THE CONTACT LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWED DOWN TO 25 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE MAIN PROCESSOR HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AFTER THE PROCESSOR WAS REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER 6 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS NOT A SAFETY DEFECT, BUT GAVE THE CONTACT A RENTAL CAR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED.

NHTSA ODI #10170935

12,000 miles · Jul 28, 2006

Power Train

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WAS GRABBING AND WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IT FELT AS IF IT WAS JERKING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE COMPUTER IN THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI #10163800

Official recalls

14V262000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

May 19, 2014

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

12V397000 · Electrical System:wiring:interior/under Dash; Exterior Lighting:headlights

Aug 14, 2012

Suzuki is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 Forenza and model year 2005-2006 Reno vehicles manufactured from September 23, 2003, through March 7, 2006. Increased resistance due to poor contact between the terminals of certain wires can generate heat that can melt the splice pack used to connect the power circuit wires for the headlamps. This can result in intermittent or total loss of low/high beam headlamp function.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the headlamps fail to function, this will lead to reduced driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners, and Suzuki dealers will reconnect the affected wires with two heat-shrink crimps, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 25, 2012. Owners may contact Suzuki at 1-877-697-8985.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Exterior Lighting:headlights

Consequence: If the headlamps fail to function, this will lead to reduced driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners, and Suzuki dealers will reconnect the affected wires with two heat-shrink crimps, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 25, 2012. Owners may contact Suzuki at 1-877-697-8985.

Electrical System:wiring:interior/under Dash

Consequence: If the headlamps fail to function, this will lead to reduced driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

07V452000 · Exterior Lighting

Sep 25, 2007

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, HEADLAMP LOW BEAM OR DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT (DRL) FUNCTION MAY BE INOPERATIVE DUE TO A MELTED SPLICE PACK ON THE WIRING HARNESS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: INAPPROPRIATE LIGHTING COULD REDUCE VISIBILITY OF VEHICLES AND INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL SPLICE THE POWER CIRCUIT WIRES FOR THE LOW-BEAM HEADLAMPS AND DRL FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL WILL BE MAILED IN THREE PHASES, STARTING AT THE END OF OCTOBER 2007 AND CONCLUDING BY THE END OF JANUARY 2008;. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.

07V315000 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

Jul 24, 2007

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FRONT SEAT BELT TONGUE WILL NOT LATCH INTO THE BUCKLE AND, IN RARE CASES, EVEN THE LOCKED TONGUE WILL POP OUT BY LOW STRETCHING FORCE. IF THE BUCKLE DOES NOT LATCH COMPLETELY, THE BUCKLE COULD RELEASE WITHOUT PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THESE BUCKLE MALFUNCTIONS, WHICH COULD PREVENT A PERSON FROM USING THE SEAT BELT OR COULD CAUSE THE SEAT BELT TO FAIL TO FUNCTION AS DESIGNED, CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLES WITH THE IMPROVED PART FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 31, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.