RoadVitals

2008 Suzuki Reno

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
23
Latest Nov 27, 2017
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest May 19, 2014
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
3
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 23 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2008 Suzuki Reno, most frequently naming the powertrain (other), driver assistance and engine categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 10 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Powertrain (other)1234.3%
  • Driver assistance617.1%
  • Engine514.3%
  • Electrical411.4%
  • Airbags38.6%
  • Exterior lighting12.9%
  • Seat belts12.9%
  • Steering12.9%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
14V262000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

May 19, 2014
184,244 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: 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.
The 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.
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.Manufacturer number XAView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 23
Filed Nov 27, 2017

I'M HAVING ISSUES WITH THE RANGE SENSOR ON MY 2008 SUZUKI RENO. I REPLACED IT LAST YEAR WITH A NEW ONE AND FAILED JULY 2016. I REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE. NOW ITS LATE NOVEMBER AND AGAIN PROBLEMS WITH THE RANGE SENSOR AGAIN!!!!!!!!! AFTER RELACING IT WITH A NEW ONE IN JULY 2017 THAT'S 4 MONTHS AFTER AND I NEED TO REPLACE AGAIN??? WHAT IS GOING ON HERE LOOKED THIS UP AND THERE ARE ALOT OF ISSUES WITH RANGE SENSOR ON THE RENO'S. I'M UNEMPLOYED AND NOT GETTING ANY BENEFITS CAN'T BE RELPACING THIS PART OVER AND OVER AGAIN!!!!! THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS!!!!!!!!!! THIS HAPPENS WHEN I TURN MY CAR ON AS I GO INTO DRIVE MODE I FEEL A JOLT/TUG AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I COULD BE DRIVING THEN I FEEL A TUG AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT UP. ALSO WHEN I TRY TO SPEED UP IT FEELS SLUGGISH IT DOES NOT PICK UP LIKE IT NORMALLY DOES. JUST YESTERDAY I WAS BRAKING AS I CAME OFF THE EXPRESSWAY AND I FELT THAT TUG AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT POPS UP AND MY STOPPED!!!! WTH IF I HAD A CAR IN BACK OF ME THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT!!!!!!!! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?? WHEN I REPLACE THE RANGE SENSOR THE TEETH ON THE SENSOR ARE ALL SCUFFED!!! THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON AND OFF. NORMALLY I TURN MY CAR OFF WAIT A WHILE START IT BACK UP AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IF OFF.

NHTSA ID
11048799
Incident
Nov 27, 2017
Mileage
24,500 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 17, 2017

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 DESIGNED, MANUFACTURING DEFECT ? I'M NOT SURE, BUT I DO THNK THE TENSIONER MAY HAVE FAILED. I KNOW THIS IS AN INTERFERENCE ENGINE IT HAS ZERO COMPRESSION AND SO IT LIKELY HAS SOME BENT VALVES WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO HAVE THIS TAKEN CARE OF? ALSO THERE'S ONLY ONE SUZUKI SERVICE DEALER THAT'S STILL OPEN IN MY AREA, AS FOR THE RECALL IT HAS I AM PLANNING TO GET IT REPLACED, I CONTACTED THAT DEALER A WHILE BACK AND I AM PLANNING TO GET THAT FIXED VERY SOON. THE VIN FOR THE VEHICLE IS [XXX] I AM IN THE UNITED STATES, I LIVE ACROSS THE WATER FROM SEATTLE BUT IN CANADA I BELIEVE THESE WERE SOLD AS THE CHEVY OPTRA 5 THANKS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10978974
Incident
Apr 10, 2017
Mileage
129,905 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 8, 2016

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!!

NHTSA ID
10883702
Incident
Jun 21, 2016
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)Visibility
Filed Mar 20, 2016

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.

NHTSA ID
10850665
Incident
Mar 17, 2016
Mileage
79,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 14, 2015

THIS REALLY SHOULD BE ENFORCED AS A RECALL. OBD2 CODES ARE P0705 AND P0705P (TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR FAILURES). WHEN SHIFTING TO D OR R, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON, YOU HEAR A LOUD VOICE AND THE CAR SHAKES, IT'S SCARY. THE FAILURE STARTS SOON AFTER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY EXPIRATION DATE. I REALIZED THIS HAPPENS TO A LOT OF OWNERS OF SUZUKI CARS, SHARING THE EXACT SAME EXPERIENCES. IT'S A SHAME SUZUKI CHARGES $500 TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS TO VIRTUALLY EVERYONE. ON THE INTERNET EVERYONE COMPLAINS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS ONLY 20,550 MILES. IT REALLY SHOULD BE MANDATED AS A RECALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

NHTSA ID
10790371
Incident
Sep 18, 2015
Mileage
20,550 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 19, 2014

TRANSMISSION HAS TROUBLE SWITCHING GEARS, ODOMETER SCRAMBLES WHEN SWITCHING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, ODOMETER READS AS BEING IN REVERSE WHEN IT'S IN PARK, AND WHEN IT SWITCHES GEARS IT SWITCHES HARD AND STRUGGLES TO ACCELERATE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10648656
Incident
Oct 19, 2014
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 4, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUZUKI RENO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE HEAD LIGHTS SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND STOPPED OPERATING. THE CONTACT INDICATED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ONLY THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS WOULD OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

NHTSA ID
10630785
Incident
Aug 7, 2014
Mileage
104,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 19, 2014
Fire reported

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

NHTSA ID
10626352
Incident
Jul 28, 2014
Mileage
65,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

SUZ_016008

STRUCTURE; SUSPENSION

Reminder of the importance to conduct safety inspections for rust damage to suspension and related parts that could be caused by road salt or other chemicals applied to the roadway.

N-Q-G-045

EQUIPMENT; SUSPENSION

This Service Bulletin was sent by Suzuki Motor Corporation to its authorized Suzuki automobile distributors in the U.S., explaining the importance of proper inspection and maintenance of suspension lower arm ball joints to prevent the ball stud from becoming separated from the suspension lower arm.

SUZ_013175

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; SEATS

THIS SERVICE BULLETIN UPDATES A BULLETIN ORIGINALLY ISSUED ON MAY 18, 2016, CONCERNING A SPECIAL WARRANTY EXTENSION (ZH) FOR 2005-2008 SUZUKI FORENZA AND SUZUKI RENO VEHICLES. THE UPDATES ARE: (1) THE EXISTENCE OF DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) B1379 IS ADDED TO THE LIST OF DTCS THAT MAKE A VEHICLE ELIGIBLE FOR REPAIR UNDER SPECIAL WARRANTY EXTENSION ZH; AND (2) THE PROCEDURE FOR INSPECTING THE SEAT HEIGHT ADJUSTER FOR DAMAGE HAS BEEN CLARIFIED.

TS-30-06263

ENGINE

SUZUKI: SUZUKI HAS REPLACEMENT OIL PUMPS THAT HAVE A THREADED PLUG. THE THREADED PROVES TO BE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE WITHOUT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE NEW OIL PUMP. THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES PROCEDURES WHEN REPLACING THE OLD OIL PUMP. *JS

TB-22-02041R

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

SUZUKI VEHICLE: COUNTER MEASURE PROCEDURE FOR DTC P2135. MIL LIGHT IS ON; DTC P2135 STORED WITHOUT FULLY CHECKING SYSTEM AND CIRCUITS AFTER REPAIRS AND/OR REPLACEMENT TO THROTTLE BODY. *PE

TSB-23-06110

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING; VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

SUZUKI VEHICLES: COUNTER MEASURE PROCEDURE FOR DTC P2138. MIL LIGHT IS ON, DTC P2138 STORED. FAILURE OF THE CONNECTOR AND/OR WIRING CIRCUITS BETWEEN THE ECM AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR. MODELS FORENZA, FORENZA WAGON AND RENO (RQ420). *PE

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Suzuki Reno by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2008Viewing231042.4
2007552047.4
2006634050.5
2005323045.8
2004010—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.