Problems · NHTSA complaints
2008 Suzuki Reno problems
Owners filed 23 complaints about the 2008 Suzuki Reno with NHTSA between Jan 2008 and Nov 2017. The most-cited component is power train (12).
Complaints
23
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Power train12
- Vehicle speed control6
- Engine5
- Electrical system4
- Air bags3
- Visibility/wiper1
- Exterior lighting1
- Steering1
- Seat belts1
- 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 Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
0
1
2
4
5
5
1
2
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 2 |
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
Power train
12 reports
“I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY AS WELL AS THE TRANSISSION RANGE SENSOR AND THE TRANS AXLE CONTROL MODULE. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE ARMS ON THE WINDSHIELD AS WELL FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAUSE THEY HAD CAME OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS CAR HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME MY LIFE MULTIPLE TIMES AND IM SO SICK OF NO ONE TRYING TO FIX WHAT IS GOING ON WITH IT. I KNOW THAT THEY DONT MAKE THIS MODEL ANYMORE BUT THIS CARE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE AND NOT EVERYONE CAN BUY A NEW CAR AT THIS TIME SO WE ARE LEFT TO FIX THE MISTAKES OF THE MAKER.”
Vehicle speed control
6 reports1 crash
“CAR IS HAVING TROUBLE WHEN SWITCHING INTO GEAR AS WELL AS REVERSE AND DRIVING IS VERY SLOW AND RESTRAINED. THE PROBLEM IS SO OFTEN ON FORUMS, IT IS STRANGE THIS HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. EXPENSIVE TO FIX AND SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING FAULT/CHEAP PART. AUTO SCANNER SAID PART IS THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR. *TR”
Engine
5 reports
“A COUPLE DAYS AGO THE TIMING BELT BROKE ON MY GM-DAEWOO 2008 SUZUKI RENO. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS JUST UNDER 130,000 THOUSAND AND HAS BEEN VARY WELL MAINTAINED. THE BELT HAD BEEN REPLACED BEFORE WITH A GATES TIMING BELT AT ABOUT 100,000 I BELIEVE. THEREFORE MEANING THE BELT BROKE WITH JUST UNDER 30,000 THOUSAND MILES ON IT, WHICH IS WAY BEFORE THE MANUFACTURE OEM CHANGE INTERVAL IN THE SERVICE GUIDE. I UNDERSTAND THE ENGINE IS A GM FAMILY 2 SERIES ENGINE 2.0 D-TEC 4CYLNDER DOHC I THINK THE ENGINE CODENAME IN THESE ENGINES IS A U20SED/ L34. AS FOR THE BELT, IT JUST SNAPPED BESIDES FOR WHERE IT HAD SNAPPED AND BROKE ITS IN GOOD SHAPE, NO RIPS, TEARS ETC.. JUST WONDERING IF GM IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, I NOT TRYING TO COMPLAIN BUT HONESTLY I FEEL THAT SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG HAD HAPPENED TO MY CAR AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND OUT ABOUT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE FORUM PAGES ONLINE, YOUTUBE VIDEOS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I HAD GONE THROUGH ALL THE RECALLS AND SERVICE BULLETINS AND THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAVING TO DO WITH WHAT HAD HAPPENED(THE BELT BROKE ON MY CAR AS WELL AS MANY OTHER RENO AND FORENZA VEHICLES. MAYBE THE TIMING SYSTEM WAS POORLY…”
Electrical system
4 reports1 fire
“MY CAR SUZUKI RENO 2008 WAS PARKING AT MY DRIVEWAY AND IT CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE DRIVER STEERING COLUMN. THE DAY AFTER I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO SUZUKI MOTORS CORP AND THREE DAYS AFTER I RECEIVED IN THE MAIL A SAFETY RECALL "XA". I TOOK MY VE *TRHICLE TO A SUZUKI DEALER IN MIAMI BUT I WAS TOLD BY SUZUKI THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESULTING FIRE. *TR”
Air bags
3 reports
“I TOOK MY CAR IN TO FIND OUT WHY THE AIRBAG LIGHT FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ON BY THE CLOCK AND ON MY DASH. COME TO FIND OUT THE PART THAT I NEED TO FIX IT IS HARD TO FIND AND THAT THE PART IS ALSO BAD. IN ORDER TO FIX MY PROBLEM IT WILL COST ME $2500 TO FIX IT. SO I THINK I WILL WAIT TILL IT GETS RECALLED ALONG WITH THE AIRBAGS. SO NOW NO ONE CAN SIT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT!!”
Visibility/wiper
1 report
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.