Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Suzuki Reno problems

Owners filed 32 complaints about the 2005 Suzuki Reno with NHTSA between Sep 2005 and Sep 2019. The most-cited component is air bags (18).

Complaints
32
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
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. Air bags18
  2. Exterior lighting5
  3. Power train4
  4. Tires3
  5. Electrical system2
  6. Engine and engine cooling2
  7. Structure2
  8. Fuel system, gasoline2
  9. Engine1
  10. Equipment1
  11. Latches/locks/linkages1
  12. Vehicle speed control1

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
20052
20062
20071
20081
20092
20105
20113
20127
20133
20142
20152
20160
20171
20180
20191

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

Air bags

18 reports1 crash
“DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON. NOT SURE AIRBAG WOULD INFLATE IF I WAS IN A ACCIDENT OR IF IT MIGHT INFLATE ON ITS OWN WHILE I AM DRIVING AND CAUSE A ACCIDENT. I ALSO CANNOT FIND A SUZUKI DEALERSHIP ANYMORE THAT COULD DO A RECALL REPAIR IF THERE IS ONE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 6, 2019Air bagsODI 11253588

Exterior lighting

5 reports1 fire2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUZUKI RENO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V452000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AND SINCE THE REPAIR, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 141,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 3, 2012Exterior lightingODI 10487199

Power train

4 reports
“FROM DAY ONE, MY ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON AND I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH DIFFERENT ISSUES IE, IT'S THE GAS CAP, THE MAN WHO SOLD ME THE CAR, (THE DEALER) TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED,SO MUCH, THEN HE TOOK OFF, AND LEFT MASSACHUSETTS AFTER SELLING ME A LEMON. ETC. HOW MANY GAS CAPS DO I HAVE TO BUY? NOW AT YEAR 2014, THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED, THE ENGINE BELT SNAPPED, THE TRANSMISSION IS ACTING UP, (IN JULY OF 2010), AND THE SENSOR HAS GONE COMPLETELY WILD, IE, COMES ON AND GOES OFF STEADILY, HAD THAT REPAIRED, AND WHEN I DRIVE THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMES ON AND GOES OFF, OFF, AND ON, AND NOW THE AIR BAG LIGHT STEADILY DOES THE SAME, AFTER HAVING IT REPAIRED TWICE. THE WEBSITE WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/CITY/FLORENCE/AL HAS HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON ALL OF THE SUZUKI VEHICLES FROM 2005-2012. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE IN ORDER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE SUZUKI VEHICLES? I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE KIND OF REPAIRS, STILL MAKING CAR NOTES, ON THIS CAR, AND I HAVE TO HAVE TOP NOTCH INSURANCE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO DO ABOUT THESE VEHICLES. I AM HOPING IT DOESN'T HAVE TO TAKE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 17, 2014Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 10598776

Tires

3 reports
“I WOKE UP TO FIND MY TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO. THE PROBLEM ACCORDING TO THE AUTO SHOP WAS A BAD VALVE STEM, WHICH I HAD TO GET REPLACED. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD ALL OF THE OTHER TIRES ON MY CAR LEAK AIR TO THE POINT WHERE THEY HAD LESS THAN 5 POUNDS OF AIR LEFT IN THEM. I WENT BACK TO THE SAME AUTO SHOP AND HAD TO REPLACE THE LAST 3 VALVE STEMS ON MY REMAINING THREE TIRES. THE TIME FRAME INVOLVED HERE WAS 4 VALVE STEMS REPLACED, ONE FOR EACH OF MY TIRES IN A TOTAL OF A 2 MONTH PERIOD. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 9, 2009TiresODI 10273267

Electrical system

2 reports1 related recall
“I WAS DRIVING EARLY IN THE EVENING AND DRIVING IN A WELL LIT 15 MPH ZONE JUST AFTER DUSK. PEOPLE ON THE SIDEWALK STARTED POINTING AT MY CAR. WHEN I TURNED UP THE SIDE STREET I REALIZED I HAD NO HEADLIGHTS! I FOUND OUT THAT MY HIGH BEAMS STILL WORKED AND I DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE WITH THE HIGH BEAMS. I HAD THE CAR CHECKED FOR FUSES, RELAYS, AND BULBS BY MY MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD IT WAS IN THE WIRING. I CAME HOME AND CHECKED THE COMPUTER AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM WHICH I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A POTENTIAL CRASH! THE AMERICAN SUZUKI COMPANY WILL NOT HONOR THIS RECALL. THIS CAR WAS NOT SOLD IN HAWAII, BUT WAS SHIPPED HERE FROM CALIFORNIA FROM THE PERSON I BOUGHT IT FROM IN 2005. NOW THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR IT, AND I HAVE TO FIND MY OWN ASE MECHANIC THAT IS WILLING TO HAVE INSTRUCTIONS FAXED TO THEM IF THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.. ON TOP OF THAT, THEY ARE ONLY WILLING TO PAY $68.00....WHICH I AM SURE WILL NOT COVER THE LABOR FOR THIS PROCEDURE. I AM ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR.. WHAT DO I DO NEXT? I NEED MY HEADLIGHTS FIXED! PLEASE HELP! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 5, 2012Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10457545

Engine and engine cooling

2 reports
“THERE IS A FUME THAT SMELLS TOXIC. I HAVE HAD A NEW VALVE COVER GASKET AND A CABIN FILTER PUT ON THIS CAR BUT THE FUMES PERSIST. I THINK THEY ARE BAD FOR MY HEALTH BECAUSE THE EFFECTS STAYS WITH ME LONG AFTER I'M OUT OF THE CAR, MY BREATHING/CHEST JUST DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I'VE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND THE CLAIM THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING. HOWEVER I KNOW I SMELLED THEM BEFORE HAVING THE ABOVE MENTIONED WORK PERFORMED AND I STILL DO. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT I CAN/SHOULD DO. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2014Engine and engine coolingODI 10593906
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.