Problems · NHTSA complaints
2004 Suzuki Forenza problems
Owners filed 63 complaints about the 2004 Suzuki Forenza with NHTSA between Jul 2004 and Feb 2017. The most-cited component is exterior lighting (16).
Complaints
63
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Exterior lighting16
- Electrical system10
- Engine and engine cooling10
- Air bags6
- Power train6
- Vehicle speed control5
- Structure5
- Engine4
- Wheels3
- Suspension2
- Latches/locks/linkages2
- Tires2
- Fuel system, gasoline2
- Equipment2
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 Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
12
11
4
5
6
4
1
1
2
1
9
4
2
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Exterior lighting
16 reports1 crash4 fires3 related recalls
“DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. CHECKED CALLED MECHANIC. DROVE INTO HIS GARAGE. CALLED AROUND FOR PARTS. COULDN'T FIND ANY FOUND SWITCH IN CA. TOOK TIME. NO CAR. REPLACED COMBINATION SWITCH, HEAD LIGHT MODULE. LABOR AND INSTALLED HEAD LIGHT MODULE, COMBINATION SWITCH AND REPAIRED MELTED WIRES. 6 HRS. FOR LABOR $70. HR. TOTAL AMOUNT W/ TAXES $452.03 THIS WAS BEFORE RECALL NOTICE. AND KNOW PARTS TO BE FOUND. MOTHER-IN-LAW SENDING OUT THE INFO. RECEIVED FROM SUZUKI $89.26. NOT WHAT WE WERE HOPING FOR.”
Electrical system
10 reports2 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE STARTER, BATTERY, AND INSPECTED THE ALTERNATOR; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. ....UPDATED 09/19/16 *BF UPDATED 04/12/17 LJ THE CONSUMER REQUESTED AN UPDATE.*JS *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
10 reports
“I PURCHASED A NEW 2004 SUZUKI FORENZA IN JULY OF 2004. I MUST SAY IT'S BEEN OK. IN APRIL OF 2008, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. I TOOK IT TO HAVE IT SERVICED AT JIFFY LUBE, AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC WITH A COMPUTER TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM AS IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF THINGS. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC SHOP, WAS TOLD THE COOLANT WAS LOW, AND THEY SAW A SPOT ON THE ENGINE AND MAYBE THE ENGINE WAS SUCKING UP THE COOLANT, TO BRING IT BACK IN 2 WEEKS AND THEY WOULD CHECK THIS. IN THE MEANTIME I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND TOOK IT TO A SUZUKI DEALER AFTER I HEARD THE WORDS COULD BE AN ENGINE PROBLEM. THE SUZUKI REPAIR SHOP INITIALLY SAID, THE CAR NEEDED A COMPUTER UPDATE, AND THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SAME DAY, I PICKED THE CAR UP, AND IT WAS DRIVING WORSE THAN BEFORE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND CAR WAS NOT STARTING IN THE MORNING . I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN, THE NEXT WEEK, PAID $244.00 FOR A $20.00 PART, THEY KEPT THE CAR 3 DAYS, (WAITING THE $20.00 PART TO COME IN SUPPOSEDLY), PICKED THE CAR UP ON FRIDAY 5/16, SUNDAY 5/18, SAME PROBLEM BACK AGAIN, CALLED SUZUKI DEALERSHIP, WAS TOLD TO BRING CAR BACK IN AND…”
Air bags
6 reports5 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. PAM”
Power train
6 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER PROVIDED AN INACCURATE READING OF ZERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER RESET INDEPENDENTLY BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MAINTAIN SPEEDS OF OVER 70 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.”
Vehicle speed control
5 reports1 crash
“WHILE DRIVING MY SUZUKI FORENZA 2004 IT DOESN'T ACCELERATE AND ALL IN A QUICK SUDDEN COMES TO A QUICK STOP AS THOUGH SOMEONE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKES,WHILE ON A MAJOR ROAD WAY. DANGEROUS IM SCARED TO DRIVE THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION I HAVE”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.