Problems · NHTSA complaints

2006 Suzuki Forenza problems

Owners filed 280 complaints about the 2006 Suzuki Forenza with NHTSA between Nov 2005 and Mar 2019. The most-cited component is power train (116).

Complaints
280
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
19
Reported by owners
Fires
8
Reported by owners
Injuries
30
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train116
  2. Electrical system57
  3. Air bags56
  4. Vehicle speed control29
  5. Engine and engine cooling27
  6. Exterior lighting21
  7. Engine15
  8. Suspension14
  9. Latches/locks/linkages12
  10. Seat belts11
  11. Structure10
  12. Steering6
  13. Fuel/propulsion system5
  14. Service brakes, hydraulic5

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 13, 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
20051
200622
200721
200814
200920
201040
201148
201232
201329
201418
201514
201612
20175
20182
20192

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

Power train

116 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BANGING NOISE THAT EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WOULD ALSO BE AN 'X' ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEXT TO THE 'D' FOR DRIVE ON THE SHIFT SELECTOR. THE CONTACT WAS AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RANGE TRANSMISSION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 18, 2015Power trainODI 10794712

Electrical system

57 reports1 crash4 fires1 related recall
“IBA EN MI VEHICULO ANDANDO DE NOCHE CON LAS LUCES PRENDIDAS Y DERREPENTE SE PRENDIERON LAS LUCES ALTAS SIN QUE YO HCIERA NADA DESDE ESE MOMENTO PARECIERA QUE HICIERA UN CORTO LA LUZ Y SE PONEN ALTAS Y VUELVEN NORMAL MIENTRAS VOY CONDUCIENDO ADICIONAL LA PARTE DEL TABLERO SE ESTA RECALENTANDO MUCHO NO SE SI ES POR LA MISMA RAZON”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 10, 2019Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11176099

Air bags

56 reports14 crashes2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING TO THE RIGHT ARM THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION DUE TO THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 113,164.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2017Air bagsODI 10956021

Vehicle speed control

29 reports1 crash
“WHILE DRIVING THE CARS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL SHOW UP. I LOSE ALL CONTROL OF SPEED EVEN WHILE PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL IN. THE ONLY WAY TO REGAIN CONTROL IS TO CYCLE THE KEY MULTIPLE TIMES AND LET IT IDLE IN NEUTRAL FOR FIVE MINUTES. AFTER I REGAIN CONTROL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON, AND THE CAR WILL JUMP REVOLUTIONS RANDOMLY. THIS WILL OCCUR ON BOTH CITY AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IT DOESN'T ACT UP UNLESS I'M IN MOTION DRIVING. IT WILL REV I'N REVOLUTIONS WHILE I'M DRIVING OR AT A STOP.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 20, 2018Vehicle speed controlODI 11096941

Engine and engine cooling

27 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO ADVISED HER THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 71,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 18, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10436323

Exterior lighting

21 reports1 fire2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI FORENZA. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 14, 2018Exterior lighting, Electrical systemODI 11151485
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 13, 2026

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