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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Exterior lighting16
  2. Electrical system10
  3. Engine and engine cooling10
  4. Air bags6
  5. Power train6
  6. Vehicle speed control5
  7. Structure5
  8. Engine4
  9. Wheels3
  10. Suspension2
  11. Latches/locks/linkages2
  12. Tires2
  13. Fuel system, gasoline2
  14. 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
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
200412
200511
20064
20075
20086
20094
20101
20111
20122
20131
20149
20154
20162
20171

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

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 14, 2015Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (esc)Fire reportedODI 10681255

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 14, 2016Electrical systemODI 10884836

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…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 19, 2008Engine and engine coolingODI 10228171

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 4, 2014Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10630873

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 16, 2014Power train, Electrical systemODI 10560279

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 18, 2016Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10927035
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.