SOMETIMES THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT COMES UNBUCKLED WHILE I AM DRIVING EVEN THOUGH I CLEARLY HEARD A CLICK WHEN BUCKLING IT. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS TO COME UNBUCKLED ALMOST EVERY DAY AND THEN IT STOPS FOR A WHILE. THE OCCURRENCE IS RANDOM BUT CONTINUOUS, IT HAS NOT STOPPED. *JS
2008 Suzuki Forenza
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 Suzuki Forenza do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 156.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Forenza years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
129 reports with mileage · 23 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 79 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
152 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A BENCH FOLLOWED BY A GARAGE WALL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE DEALER AN…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A BENCH FOLLOWED BY A GARAGE WALL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,000. UPDATED 04/29/14*LJ THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT, THIRD PARTY ENGINEERING COMPANY, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED, AND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE ACCELERATION OR BRAKING SYSTEM WERE FOUND. UPDATED 05/13/14
THE DOOR LOCKS KEEP MAKING A CLICKING NOISE EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS NOT STARTED. HAVE TO TURN THEM OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES TO MAKE IT STOP BUT A FEW DAYS LATER IT HAPPENS AGAIN. I HAVE 4 BRAND NEW TIRES AND THE TIRE SENSOR LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. THE FRONT DRIVER TIRE KEEPS LOSING AIR. HAVE HAD IT CHECKED AND THERE IS NO LEAKS …
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THE DOOR LOCKS KEEP MAKING A CLICKING NOISE EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS NOT STARTED. HAVE TO TURN THEM OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES TO MAKE IT STOP BUT A FEW DAYS LATER IT HAPPENS AGAIN. I HAVE 4 BRAND NEW TIRES AND THE TIRE SENSOR LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. THE FRONT DRIVER TIRE KEEPS LOSING AIR. HAVE HAD IT CHECKED AND THERE IS NO LEAKS ANYWHERE. THEY PUT AIR IN AND TIRE SENSOR LIGHT GOES OFF BUT WITHIN 30 MINUTES THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON. *TR
DRIVER AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUALLY STAYS ON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HE SHIFTED GEARS HE HEARD A NOISE AND THE GEAR SHIFTER COULD NOT BE RELEASED FROM SECOND OR THIRD GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HE SHIFTED GEARS HE HEARD A NOISE AND THE GEAR SHIFTER COULD NOT BE RELEASED FROM SECOND OR THIRD GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,884. *TR
MY AIRBAG LITE DOES NOT COME OUT AND THIS BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS. EVERY TIME I TOCK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY FIXED IT FOR COUPLE OF DAYS AND THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SWITCH WAS REPLACED, REMEDYING THE DEFECT. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SWITCH WAS REPLACED, REMEDYING THE DEFECT. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, HOWEVER THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC NUMEROUS TIMES. THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR, HEAD GASKET…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, HOWEVER THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC NUMEROUS TIMES. THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR, HEAD GASKET AND TRANSMISSION WERE REPLACED AT DIFFERENT TIMES. IN ADDITION, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND COIL PACK WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
I TURNED ON THE CAR, WHEN I PUT INTO REVERSE IT CLUNKED AND THE SCREEN THAT USUALLY SAYS R JUST HAD SCRAMBLED LETTERS GOING THEN WHEN I PUT IT INTO DRIVE IT CLUNKED AGAIN AND WHEN I DRIVE IT LIKE THAT IT STARTS IN 2ND SO I HAVE TO PUT A LOT OF GAS ONTO IT THEN IT WON'T SWITCH INTO 3RD GEAR, AND EVERY TIME I TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC…
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I TURNED ON THE CAR, WHEN I PUT INTO REVERSE IT CLUNKED AND THE SCREEN THAT USUALLY SAYS R JUST HAD SCRAMBLED LETTERS GOING THEN WHEN I PUT IT INTO DRIVE IT CLUNKED AGAIN AND WHEN I DRIVE IT LIKE THAT IT STARTS IN 2ND SO I HAVE TO PUT A LOT OF GAS ONTO IT THEN IT WON'T SWITCH INTO 3RD GEAR, AND EVERY TIME I TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES OFF AND IT WORKS FINE. *TR
I HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR IN MY 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA 3 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. ONCE AT 95,000 MILES, ANOTHER AT 101,000 MILES, AND NOW AGAIN AT 109,000. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT SUZUKI TO NO AVAIL. THE SECOND TIME THE SENSOR WENT OUT, I WAS MERGING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WAS NEARLY HIT BY A SEMI TRUCK AND TRAIL…
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I HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR IN MY 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA 3 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. ONCE AT 95,000 MILES, ANOTHER AT 101,000 MILES, AND NOW AGAIN AT 109,000. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT SUZUKI TO NO AVAIL. THE SECOND TIME THE SENSOR WENT OUT, I WAS MERGING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WAS NEARLY HIT BY A SEMI TRUCK AND TRAILER BECAUSE I COULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THE 3RD INCIDENT WAS YESTERDAY 10/16/2013, I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ONTO A MAIN ROAD, WHEN THE SENSOR DECIDED TO SLIP, IT MOVED THE TRANSMISSION INTO A HIGH GEAR, CAUSING ME TO INCH OUT OF WHERE I WAS AT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. LUCKILY, I WAS NOT HIT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SUZUKI ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. IT APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT MULTIPLE PEOPLE ARE HAVING ONLINE. *TR
Official recalls
114V262000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
May 19, 2014
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Forenza vehicles, and 2005-2008 Reno vehicles manufactured from September 1, 2003, through July 30, 2008. In the affected vehicles, heat may be generated in the headlamp switch or daytime running light (DRL) module which could melt the headlamp switch or the DRL module.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the heat generated within the headlamp switch or DRL module located on the left side of the steering column melts the headlamp switch or DRL module, there is an increased risk of a fire.
Remedy: Suzuki will replace the signal switch and add a jumper relay kit and will replace the DRL Module in teh instrument panel harness. Suzuki distributed to owners an interim letter on July 30, 2014. The recall began October 29, 2014. Owners may contact Suzuki at 1-800-934-0934. Suzuki's number for this recall is XA.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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