2008 Suzuki Forenza Owner Complaints

Every neutral safety switch made for this vehicle is faulty be driving down the road it'll switch from drive to neutral or any other gear I've had it go into reverse while going 50 mph down the road I've replaced this part five times still have same problem part works for about a month then goes out. Other times transmission won't even go into drive have to screw with shifter to get it to go into gear May last for about a mile and jumps back out of gear. Next problem computer tells me throttle positioning sensor is out car works fine at first then starts to rev around 5-6k or it to rev to half a grand and stall while driving down the road.

NHTSA ID

11486246

Incident

Jan 5, 2022

I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A DEALERSHIP MCCANN CAR LOT IN SPARTA NC MCCANN TOLD ME IT WAS THE BEST CAR ON THE LOT HE DROVE ME THROUGH TOWN TELLING ME THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR THEN LET ME DRIVE IT A SHORT DISTANCE INSURED ME THE CAR WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION WHEN I DROVE THE CAR HOME AFTER WE WENT TO GET INSPECTED WHICH NOTHING WAS CHECKED JUNIOR MCCANN TOLD THEM NOTHING WAS WRONG THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT MELTED THE COVER NOW CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THE HEATER SMELLS SO BAD I GOT SICK FROM INHALED THE ODOR I REPORTED THIS TO JUNIOR MCCANN HIS REPLY WAS I WAS SMELLING SOMETHING HE DIDN'T SMELL MY HUSBAND ALSO SMELLED THE ODOR AND GOT BAD HEADACHE HE NEVER ONCE SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS CAR

NHTSA ID

11208565

Incident

May 1, 2019

Mileage

95,566 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING OUT THE DASHBOARD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. AN UNKNOWN DEALER STATED THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT MODULE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE CONTACT THOUGHT OTHERWISE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,121. THE VINE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11113326

Incident

Jun 17, 2018

Mileage

80,121 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" GEAR SHIFT KEEPS SLIPPING AND MAYBE THE CAUSE OF NEEDING A NEW TRANSMISSION. HAD TO TURN CAR OFF IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC BECAUSE GEAR SLIPPED. WHEN CAR WAS IN DRIVE A SYMBOL POPPED UP WITH A D WITH A LINE THOUGH IT! TOOK IT TO O'REILLY AND PUT IT ON MACHINE ABOUT 3WEEKS AFTER THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED AND IT READ SOME CODES ABOUT GEAR AND TRANSMISSION AND AN EMPLOYEE THERE SAID GEAR SLIPPING COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF ALL THE OTHER PROBLEMS!

NHTSA ID

11101843

Incident

May 14, 2018

Mileage

129,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND SMOKE STARTING TO COME INSIDE THE CAR FROM THE DRIVER SIDE VENTS. I PULLED OVER AND LET THE SMOKE AIR OUT AS I CALLED A TOW TRUCK. ON THE TOW TRUCK AT THE POOLER PARKWAY EXIT OFF OF I-16, THE CAR ALARM WAS GOING OFF, THE LIGHTS WERE FLASHING, AND THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY FILLED WITH SMOKE. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER PULLED OVER, RAN TO THE CAR ON THE TOW TRUCK BED, OPENED THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND SAW FLAMES ENGULFING THE PANEL UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. HE GRABBED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE FIRE AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. DURING THIS TIME, I WAS IN THE CAB OF THE TOW TRUCK. CAR WAS THEN CONSIDERED A LIABILITY, THEREFOR WAS NOT ALLOWED AT THE TOW TRUCK YARD OR MY APARTMENT COMPLEX. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOWED THE CAR TO DAN VADEN CHEVROLET, WHERE I HAD BEEN CONTACTING THEM FOR TWO WEEKS REGARDING THE PART I GOT A NOTICE ON ABOUT THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11025101

Incident

Sep 20, 2017

Mileage

120,000 mi

THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. IT SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE, BURNING THE ENTIRE DASH ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING AT THE TIME AND HAD BEEN SITTING UNOCCUPIED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. THE SMOKE FROM THE ELECTRICAL FIRE BLACKENED THE WINDOWS ON THE ENTIRE CAR. THE SPEEDOMETER AND ALL OTHER GUAGES ON THE DASH WERE COMPLETELY MELTED AND THE DASH BURNED ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE FIREWALL. IT APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED IN OR RIGHT AT THE STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA ID

11011569

Incident

Jul 27, 2017

THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR HAS GONE OUT ON THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY OTHER OWNERS SUZUKI VEHICLES AND THEY TO ARE HAVING TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSORS. DEALER SERVICE CENTERS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS PART BREAKS OFTEN AND THEY KEEP EXTRA IN STOCK. THIS ISSUE WILL BEGIN WITH CAUSING VEHICLES TO SHIFT ROUGH AND END WITH VEHICLES NOT BEING ABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF OR INTO PARK. THE AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS THE CUSHION SENSOR AND WILL COST $1500 TO REPLACE. AGAIN, AFTER SPEAKING WITH OTHER SUZUKI CAR OWNERS, THEY TOO HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE. SUZUKI ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE FOR SOME VEHICLES BUT NOT VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND OWNERS ARE BEING CHARGED TO REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE PART. SUZUKI HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THESE ISSUES BY OTHER OWNERS AND HAVE COVERED REPAIR COSTS FOR A FEW, BUT HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID

11006019

Incident

May 26, 2017

MY CAR START AND DRIVE WHEN I DROVE AND THEN STOP HARD BY ITSELF LIKE BRAKE. I COULD NOT KEEP PRESS GAS WHEN ITSELF STOP HARD. ON ROAD.

NHTSA ID

11004239

Incident

Jul 11, 2017

Mileage

113,448 mi

TRANSMISSION REGULATION SENSOR - CAR JUMPING OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. DANGEROUS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10933912

Incident

Nov 18, 2016

Mileage

53,000 mi

ELECTRICAL DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING, DOORS WILL NOT REMAIN LOCKED, HAS CONSTANT CLICKING AND UNLOCKING ALL DOORS WHEN I LOCK THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

10917477

Incident

Aug 1, 2016

THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR ON SUZUKI FORENZAS AND OTHER MODELS HAS BEEN SHODDY AT BEST. MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS 65000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE REPLACED THE TRS 3 TIMES GETTING READY TO BE A 4TH. THIS IS NOT A SENSOR THAT SHOULD NEED REPLACED REGULARLY. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SLIP OUT OF GEAR AT SPEED DUE TO THIS AND CAN NEVER ACCELERATE WHEN I NEED TO. IM AFRAID THAT IF I NEED TO ACCELERATE TO AVOID A COLLISION I WONT BE ABLE TO. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND NHTSA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE. THEY HAVE MORE THEN ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO SEE THIS IS AN ISSUE AND THEY NEED TO ACT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.

NHTSA ID

10910877

Incident

Sep 29, 2016

Mileage

65,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE TRANSMISSION ICON ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 82,000.

NHTSA ID

10910180

Incident

Sep 22, 2016

Mileage

82,000 mi

I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR ONCE IN OCTOBER OF 2014 AND IT IS ACTING UP AGAIN NOW. WHEN I AM DRIVING THE CAR JERKS WHEN IT IS SHIFTING GEARS AND ON A COUPLE OCCASIONS IT HAS JUST SWITCHED INTO NEUTRAL FOR NO REASON WHILE THE CAR IS STILL IN MOTION. THE MOST RECENT TIME WAS ON MY HOME FROM WORK ON 8/22/16. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND STOP AND START MY CAR A FEW TIMES TO RESET THE PROBLEM. THE PART SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY COUPLE YEARS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY SUZUKI.

NHTSA ID

10898681

Incident

Aug 22, 2016

Mileage

63,350 mi

CAR HEADLIGHT SHUT OF ON ME WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD ALONG WITH AIR CONDITIONING AND WINDOWS THEY ALL SHUT OFF ON ME WHILE DRIVING WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO DOWN AND I HAD TO PULL OVER NEAR THE NEAREST STORE AND CUT CAR OFF THANKS I TURNED IT BACK ON AND THEY ALL SRARTED WORKING ACCEPT THE AIR THAT DIDNT START WORKING AGAIN TILL ABOUT THIRTY MINS LATER CAR ALSO JUMPS WHEN PULLING OUT OF PARK IN TO DRIVE OR REVERSE REALLY HARD JUMP THE CAR HEADLIGHTS ALSO FLICKER WHEN PRESSING WINDOWS BUTTONS TO GO DOWN TIRE SENSOR LIGHT WONT GO OUT CAR ALSO HAS A HARD TIME ACCELERATING GOING UPHILL U HAVE PRESS DOWN ALL THE WAY ON GAS FOR IT TO GO

NHTSA ID

10893886

Incident

Jun 8, 2016

Mileage

91,000 mi

ABOUT EVERY 3 TO 4 MONTHS THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES OFF. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER 4 YEARS. THE WIRING UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT HAS TO BE REDONE AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT RESET. IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS AT THIS POINT WHO KNOWS IF THE AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

10863313

Incident

May 1, 2016

Mileage

107,000 mi

I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR REPLACED ON MY 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA TWICE ALREADY AND IT HAS MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONS, MY CAR JERKS HEAVILY WHEN CHANGING GEARS, AND IT IS AN AUTOMATIC ENGINE. THE RPMS WILL NOT EXCEED 3000, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, AND "HOLD" FLASHES IN THE DASH. THE CAR ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY SHUDDERS ABOVE 50 MPH. THE SPEEDOMETER HAS DROPPED TO ZERO WHILE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, SO I CANNOT TELL HOW FAST I AM GOING.

NHTSA ID

10850096

Incident

Mar 15, 2016

Mileage

108,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND THEN IT STAY ON ITS BEEN ON NOW FOR THREE DAYS NOW

NHTSA ID

10849829

Incident

Mar 12, 2016

Mileage

61,000 mi

TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10824572

Incident

Jun 20, 2009

Mileage

87,000 mi

THE "TRANS RANGE SWITCH" IS CAUSING MY CAR TO JUMP TO 2 GEAR RANDOMLY. THE CAR SEEMS TO RUN FINE AFTER O START IT. AND OUT OF NO WERE THE ENGINE JUMPS AND THE "ENGINE LIGHT" COMES ON THE CAR ACTS LIKES ITS NOT IN 1ST GEAR. IT CAN'T GET IT TO GO INTO GEAR (DRIVE OR REVERSE) WITHOUT IT JUMPING. THEN AFTER THE CAR SITS FOR A DAY IT ACTS FINE FOR THE FIRST TRIP AND THEN IT STARTS THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AFTERWARDS. I CAN'T GO UPHILL EITHER WITHOUT IT REAVING HIGH LIKE ITS IN NEUTRAL. I THINK THIS IS THE "TRANS RANGE SWITCH" GOING BAD.

NHTSA ID

10822260

Incident

Nov 17, 2015

Mileage

82,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,125.

NHTSA ID

10811878

Incident

Dec 9, 2015

Mileage

78,125 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IN THE SEAT INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED CAUSING SIGNIFICANT INJURY TO THE CONTACTS EARDRUM AND THE SEAT WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10808923

Incident

Dec 7, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE "TRANS RANGE SWITCH" IS CAUSING MY CAR TO JUMP TO 2 GEAR RANDOMLY. THE CAR SEEMS TO RUN FINE AFTER O START IT. AND OUT OF NO WERE THE ENGINE JUMPS AND THE "ENGINE LIGHT" COMES ON THE CAR ACTS LIKES ITS NOT IN 1ST GEAR. IT CAN'T GET IT TO GO INTO GEAR (DRIVE OR REVERSE) WITHOUT IT JUMPING. THEN AFTER THE CAR SITS FOR A DAY IT ACTS FINE FOR THE FIRST TRIP AND THEN IT STARTS THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AFTERWARDS. I CAN'T GO UPHILL EITHER WITHOUT IT REAVING HIGH LIKE ITS IN NEUTRAL. I THINK THIS IS THE "TRANS RANGE SWITCH" GOING BAD.

NHTSA ID

10807292

Incident

Sep 15, 2015

Mileage

94,477 mi

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. I HAD BEEN TRAVELING HOME AS NORMAL, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STARTED JERKING. LOOK DOWN AT MY GEAR SELECTION VIEWER AND IT WAS SCRAMBLED SHOWING A D AND A R OVERLAPPING EACH OTHER FLASHING. THIS HAPPENS PERIODICALLY CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO HAVE THE PROBLEM WITH THIS SPECIFIC MODEL OF CAR. THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED ARE VERY DANGEROUS FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY AND WHOMEVER ELSE THIS IS AFFECTING.

NHTSA ID

10785776

Incident

Oct 22, 2015

Mileage

139,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI FORENZA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,448.

NHTSA ID

10777684

Incident

Sep 17, 2015

Mileage

99,448 mi

THE DRL STAYED ON EVEN AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED AND OFF. I JUST CAME HOME WITH MY SON AND NEWBORN THANK GOD WE WERE NOT IN THE CAR. THE CAR STARTED SMOKING WHICH CAUSED A FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT, INVESTIGATED AND LOOKED UP RECALLS AND MY CAR WAS ON THE LIST THE SAME THING HAPPENED, ON THE LEFT SIDE. NOW MY CAR IS RUINED! I HOPE SUZUKI WILL BE REPLACING MY CAR!

NHTSA ID

10758611

Incident

Aug 21, 2015