Research · Compact Cars

2010 Suzuki SX4Recalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 21 owner complaints for the 2010 Suzuki SX4. Most complaints involve air bags (7) and vehicle speed control (4). The EPA rates it 25–28 mpg combined.

Combined MPG
25–28mpg
EPA · 8 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
5campaigns
Latest Dec 2014
Owner complaints
21
Top: air bags
Fuel cost / yr
$2,200est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

5 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Power train: gear position indication (prndl)

Free remedy

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 SX4 vehicles manufactured July 16, 2009, to November 1, 2012, and 2010-2013 Kizashi vehicles manufactured October 13, 2009, to October 31, 2012. The shift selector can be moved out of the "Park" position without depressing the brake pedal.

Power trainReported Dec 22, 2014NHTSA 14V811000

Air bags

Free remedy

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 SX4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, over time, the OCS sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat may fail due to repeated flexing of the mat from use of the seat. As a result, during a crash necessitating deployment, the air bag will deploy regardless of whether the front seat occupant is an adult or a child.

Air bagsReported Sep 6, 2013NHTSA 13V405000

Electrical system: alternator

Free remedy

SUZUKI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA MULTIPURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4-CYLINDER ENGINES; MODEL YEAR 2011 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA MULTIPURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES PRODUCED PRIOR TO OCTOBER 17, 2010; MODEL YEAR 2010 SUZUKI SX4 PASSENGER VEHICLES; AND 2011 SUZUKI SX4 PASSENGER VEHICLES PRODUCED PRIOR TO OCTOBER 14, 2010. THE TENSION ADJUSTER PULLEY FOR THE DRIVE BELT THAT OPERATES THE ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP, AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND POWER STEERING PUMP, HAS AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED INTERNAL SPRING THAT CAN BREAK DUE TO REPEATED STRESS. IF THE SPRING BREAKS, THE DRIVE BELT WILL NOT BE ADJUSTED PROPERLY AND CAN SLIP, CAUSING A SQUEAKING NOISE. OR THE DRIVE BELT COULD COME OFF CAUSING THE DRIVER TO INCREASE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THIS CAN ALSO CAUSE THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE INDICATION TO RISE, WHICH CAN LEAD TO THE ENGINE OVERHEATING, OR CAN CAUSE THE CHARGING LIGHT TO COME ON, WHICH CAN LEAD TO BATTERY DISCHARGE AND ENGINE STALL.

Electrical systemReported Jan 27, 2011NHTSA 11V055000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

21 complaints filed with NHTSA · Apr 2010 – Dec 2020
  1. Air bags7
  2. Vehicle speed control4
  3. Electrical system4
  4. Steering2
  5. Structure2
  6. Tires2
  7. Power train1
  8. Seats1
  9. Engine1

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

By model year

Complaints for each SX4 model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
200773
2008101
200948
201021
201113
201240
201315
Crashes reported
5
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
8
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Air bags

7 reports3 crashes
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUZUKI SX4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 13V405000 (AIR BAGS) AND 11V055000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 5, 2016Electrical system, Air bagsODI 10913972

Vehicle speed control

4 reports2 crashes
“AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP SIGN, I SLOWLY TURNED THE CORNER TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO A HIGH SPEED ON THE CITY STREET. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE HITTING A PARKED CAR. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED - MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED AND THE CAR WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. IN RESEARCHING THE CAUSE, I SEE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SUZUKI SX4 AND ITS "SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" PROBLEM ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE, REPAIRPAL, AND CNN. AT THIS POINT, THE DAMAGE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED THOUGH IT IS LIKELY TO BE $4,000-$5,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 8, 2018Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11118577

Electrical system

4 reports
“I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND I HEARD A THUMP. I THEN REALIZED THAT THE BATTERY LIGHT WAS ON, AND I HAD LOST POWER STEERING. THE ENGINE STARTED HEATING UP SHORTLY THERE AFTER. I FEEL THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I'M VERY THANKFUL I WAS CLOSE TO HOME AND NOT ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, OTHERWISE THIS MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. THE BELT TENSIONER IN THIS VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPLACED AS PART OF A RECALL. UPON CONSULTING THE MECHANIC, THAT WAS AGAIN THE PROBLEM. A BELT TENSION SHOULD LAST MORE THAN A COUPLE OF YEARS. THIS VEHICLE IS DRIVEN VERY LIGHTLY, MOSTLY AROUND TOWN. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE REPLACEMENT BELT TENSIONER WAS NO LESS FAULTY THAN THE ONE REPLACED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL. BECAUSE MY WARRANTY HAD LAPSED, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET, EVEN THOUGH IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 17, 2014Steering, Electrical systemODI 10564650
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

8 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Compact Cars, Small Station Wagons
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Manual 6-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 10, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
SX4 Sedan
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
253228$2,200317
SX4
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
233026$2,400342
SX4 Sedan
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
233326$2,400342
SX4 Sport
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
233026$2,400342
SX4 Sport
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
233226$2,400342
SX4
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
223025$2,500355
SX4 AWD
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · All-Wheel Drive
232925$2,500355
SX4 AWD
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L · All-Wheel Drive
223025$2,500355
  • SX4 Sedan
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    25 city · 32 hwy · $2,200/yr
    28
    mpg comb.
  • SX4
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    23 city · 30 hwy · $2,400/yr
    26
    mpg comb.
  • SX4 Sedan
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    23 city · 33 hwy · $2,400/yr
    26
    mpg comb.
  • SX4 Sport
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    23 city · 30 hwy · $2,400/yr
    26
    mpg comb.
  • SX4 Sport
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    23 city · 32 hwy · $2,400/yr
    26
    mpg comb.
  • SX4
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    22 city · 30 hwy · $2,500/yr
    25
    mpg comb.
  • SX4 AWD
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    23 city · 29 hwy · $2,500/yr
    25
    mpg comb.
  • SX4 AWD
    Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    22 city · 30 hwy · $2,500/yr
    25
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 10, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2010 Suzuki SX4 as of Nov 10, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 10, 2026Vehicle 5827Vehicle 5826
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2010 SX4 questions

How many recalls does the 2010 Suzuki SX4 have?

5 safety recalls as of Nov 10, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2010 Suzuki SX4 problems?

Owners filed 21 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (7), vehicle speed control (4), electrical system (4). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2010 Suzuki SX4 get?

The EPA rates the 2010 Suzuki SX4 at 25–28 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (8 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 10, 2026