Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Suzuki SX4 problems

Owners filed 101 complaints about the 2008 Suzuki SX4 with NHTSA between Apr 2008 and Nov 2022. The most-cited component is air bags (74).

Complaints
101
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags74
  2. Electrical system12
  3. Seat belts10
  4. Seats6
  5. Engine5
  6. Visibility4
  7. Power train3
  8. Structure3
  9. Steering2
  10. Suspension2
  11. Exterior lighting2
  12. Wheels2
  13. Fuel system, gasoline2
  14. Service brakes, hydraulic2

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 9, 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
20081
20093
20109
201125
201226
20138
201412
20158
20164
20172
20180
20191
20201
20210
20221

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

74 reports10 crashes1 related recall
“THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS CONSISTENTLY ON AND WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT IT'S THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT IS CAUSING THE LIGHT TO BE ACTIVATED. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY $2000.00 TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT? SUZUKI SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE IF SOMEONE IS HURT OR POSSIBLY KILLED IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAG ISN'T ACTIVATED, BECAUSE OF A SEAT MAT THAT THEY PLACED IN THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT SEEMS THAT OTHER DRIVER'S OF SUZUKI SX4 CARS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 10, 2017Air bags, SeatsODI 10944068

Electrical system

12 reports1 crash1 fire
“RADIO CHANGED OUT 2X AFTER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, LIGHT FOR AIR BAG HAS BEEN ON FOR 3 YRS. BRAKES HAVE HAD TO GET WORKED ON 2X BEFORE IT HIT 50,000, CLIP ON DRIVERSIDE MAT BROKE AFTER 2 MONTHS OF HAVING CAR, DOOR PANELS ON BOTH FRONT AND BACK PASSANGER SIDE KEPT FALLING OFF AND KEPT TAKING CAR BACK TO FIX TILL THEY HAD NO REPLACEMENT PARTS THIS CAR SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD THERE ARE MANY SAFETY ISSUES BLIND SPOTS BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN, AND ALL THE LITTLE ISSUES FROM 2 BATTERIES REPLACED TO 2 SETS OF BRAKE JOBS TO ELECTRICALS TO 3 SETS OF TIRES, AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 80,OOO MILES OR LESS. I'VE HAD IT 9 YRS MOSTLY AS A SECOND CAR AND ALWAYS PROBLEMS INCLUDING PAINT. BUT THE SAFETY ISSUES AND THE CRAP CAR WE WERE SOLD KEPT IT CAUSE NOBODY IN THERE RIGHT MIND WANTS IT I AM 1ST YR OWNER THIS CAR SUCKS FFFFFFF IS WHAT IT SHOULD RATE THE CAR DEALERS WONT FIX IT THEY MAKE YOU COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT THE PARTS HAVE TO BE FOUND BECAUSE THE PLANT GOT WASHED AWAY AND THE PARTS WITH IT. AND THAT COMPANY WONT LET THEM HOLD PARTS IN THERE SHOPS SO HURRY UP AND WAIT IT IS THE TRAINSHAF IS CRACKED BUT HEY ITS A SECOND CAR THAT COST TOO MUCH AND GIVES TOO LITTLE JUST FOUND…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 17, 2016Electrical system, Air bags, Service brakesODI 10836761

Seat belts

10 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI SX4. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG AND THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 8, 2014Seat beltsODI 10643252

Seats

6 reports
“I HAVE A YELLOW LIGHT AND AND RED AIRBAG LIGHT ON I ALREADY TOKE TO THE DEALER AND IT'S STILL THE SAME AND NOW THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AND THE DEALER IN OUR AREA MOVE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND WHAT CAN I DO OR WHERE CAN I TAKE IT TO GET CHECK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 26, 2016Air bags, Seats, EngineODI 10861617

Engine

5 reports1 fire
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI SX4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO INTERNAL DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ON A SECOND OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 3, 2015EngineODI 10691860

Visibility

4 reports1 related recall
“REAR WINDOW WIPER FAILURE, DOES NOT WORK. PASSENGER AIR BAG NONE FUNCTIONING, LIGHT COMES ON DASH INDICATING PASSENGER AIR BAG IS OFF! REMOTE TRUNK ENTRY FAILURE, REMOTE LATCH IS NOT FUNCTIONING AND THERE IS NO KEY ENTRY LOCK. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2011Electrical system, Visibility, Air bagsODI 10425035
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

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