Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Suzuki Aerio problems

Owners filed 14 complaints about the 2004 Suzuki Aerio with NHTSA between May 2005 and Jan 2026. The most-cited component is tires (6).

Complaints
14
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Tires6
  2. Suspension3
  3. Power train2
  4. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  5. Equipment1
  6. Electrical system1
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  8. Exterior lighting1
  9. Visibility1
  10. Seat belts1
  11. Vehicle speed control1
  12. Other / unknown1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20053
20062
20074
20080
20091
20100
20110
20120
20130
20140
20150
20160
20170
20182
20191
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
20261

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Tires

6 reports2 crashes
“I OWN A 2004 SUZUKI AERIO AWD. THE CAR SEEMED ON THE BRINK OF HYDROPLANING AT LOW RATES OF SPEED. AT 14,000 MILES THE REAR TIRES WERE COMPLETELY BALD AND I PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES. THE DEALERSHIP ATTRIBUTED THIS TO LACK OF ROTATION. LOCAL TIRE SHOPS STATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR. A FULL ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED AND REGULAR ROTATION RECOMMENDED. I HAD THE CAR ALIGNED AND TIRES ROTATED EVERY 5,00 MILES. AGAIN, I PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES AT 42,000 MILES AFTER SLIDING OFF THE ROAD AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED (LESS THAN 10 MPH) AND INTO A CURB. THE CONDITIONS WERE SLIPPERY AND SNOWY. AT 50,000 MILES, I HAD MY CAR INSPECTED AND A TIRE IS STARTING TO WEAR ON THE OUTSIDE RIM AT AN UNUSUAL RATE. THIS COMPROMISES THE BELT AND TRACTION OF THE TIRES. THIS CAR IS A MAJOR HAZARD BECAUSE IT MAY NOT EVEN ABLE TO GO 12 MONTHS BETWEEN INSPECTIONS OR 3 MONTHS BETWEEN OIL CHANGES WITHOUT TIRES GOING BALD OR BLOWING OUT. THERE HAS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW CAUSING THE TIRES TO WEAR AT UNUSUALLY HIGH RATES: EITHER THE TIRE SIZE OR SURROUNDING STRUCTURES. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION. I WOULD HAVE PURCHASED A SAFER CAR BUT CANNOT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 2, 2007TiresCrash reportedODI 10201707

Suspension

3 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUZUKI AERIO. THE CONTACT PLACED BRAND NEW REAR TIRES ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE ALIGNMENT FAILED AT 14,000 MILES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE FACTORY IMPROPERLY ALIGNING THE VEHICLE'S REAR END. CURRENTLY, THE CONTACT NEEDS TO HAVE THE FRONT TIRES AND BUSHINGS REPLACED FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 18,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED COPIES OF THE REPAIR INVOICES. THE DEALER STATED THE VEHICLE PASSENGER AND DRIVER MIRRORS ARE LOOSE, TAIL LIGHT HAS MOISTURE, WINDSHIELDS LEAK, TIRES ARE KNOTTED AND CLICK, PASSENGER HAS TO HOLD SEATBELT, AND POPPING NOISE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. UPDATED 06/15/07 *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 14, 2007Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulic, Exterior lighting, Visibility, Seat belts, TiresODI 10190671

Power train

2 reports1 crash1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2004 Suzuki Aerio. The contact stated that the gear shifter was loose. The gear shifter was shifted, but the vehicle failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 220,886.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 22, 2026Power trainODI 11712653

Electronic stability control (esc)

1 report
“TAKATA RECALL GEAR SHIFT CABLE IMPROPER SHAPE OF THE CLIP. RECALL AUG,13,2007”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 5, 2018Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11109578

Equipment

1 report
“MY 2004 SUZUKI AERIO SX'S GAS PEDAL WILL BECOME TRAPPED UNDER THE FLOORMAT IF IT'S PRESSED TO THE FLOOR. I'VE HAD THIS LOOKED AT BY MY DEALER AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS FIXED. NOPE, STILL DOES IT. THE PROBLEM IS THE RETAINING PIN FOR THE DRIVERS FLOOR MAT IS POORLY MADE AND DOESN'T KEEP THE FLOORMAT IN PLACE ALLOWING IT TO SLIDE FORWARD AND JAM THE PEDAL DOWN. VERY EXCITING.*TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 25, 2009EquipmentODI 10293545

Electrical system

1 report
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUZUKI AERIO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE WAL-MART MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BATTERY EXPANDED AND COULD EXPLODE. HE TESTED THE BATTERY AND STATED THAT IT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BATTERY AND STATED THAT THE CRANKS TESTED AT 300, BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 750. THE ENGINE LIGHT NO LONGER ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT PAID $76 FOR THE REPLACEMENT AND STATED THAT THE BATTERY SHOULD LAST SEVEN YEARS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 27, 2007Electrical systemODI 10210544
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.