2004 Suzuki FORENZA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
63 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
50,093 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 40 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 63 complaints (17.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 11 | 17.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 15.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 7.9% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 6.3% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 3.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 11 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 9 |
| Electrical System | 7 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 |
| Air Bags | 4 |
| Engine | 4 |
| Wheels | 3 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 2 |
Exterior Lighting: 11; Engine And Engine Cooling: 9; Electrical System: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 5; Air Bags: 4; Engine: 4; Wheels: 3; Electrical System:Wiring: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 12 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 6 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 11 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 5 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 6 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 12; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (12). 23 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
2004: 12; 2005: 11; 2006: 4; 2007: 5; 2008: 6; 2009: 4; 2010: 1; 2011: 1; 2012: 2; 2013: 1; 2014: 9; 2015: 4; 2016: 2; 2017: 1
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 10 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10092615 · 2004-09-14 (September 14, 2004)
THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED ALTHOUGH THE PEDAL WAS RELEASED. *NM THE PROBLEM ALSO DRAINED THE BATTERY. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10092615 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10100057 · 2004-11-16 (November 16, 2004)
I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS REALLY A DEFECT OR NOT, BUT MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. MY CAR WAS LEGALLY PARKED ON THE STREET WHEN IT WAS TOTALED BY A DRUNK DRIVER GOING 70 MPH IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION. SOME HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY DID NOT DEPLOY BECAUSE THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION, BUT OTHERS (INCLUDING THE BODY SHOP OWNER) CLAIM THAT I HAD A FAULTY AIRBAG SENSOR ON MY CAR. IF THIS IS A DEFECT, I WANT THE SUZUKI MANUFACTURER TO KNOW ABOUT IT SO THAT NO ONE WILL GET HURT. IF NOT, JUST DISREGARD THIS MESSAGE. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THIS COU…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10100057 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10159342 · 2006-06-08 (June 8, 2006)
ELECTRICAL MALFUNTIONS, DASHBOARD METERS WERE MOVING UP AND DOWN ERRATICALLY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT 5 TIMES, THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED BUT IT CONTINUED TO HAPPEN. THE DEALERSHIP FINALLY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM (OR SO THEY BELIEVED) AND THAT TOOK ABOUT 2 WEEKS TO FINISH. NOW THE DOORS ARE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING BY THEMSELVES. I'M THINKING ABOUT GETTING RID OF THE CAR. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10159342 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10081134 · 2004-07-15 (July 15, 2004)
WHEN AT IDLE AFTER THE CAR WARMS UP MY SEATS VIBRATE TERRIBLY. THE DEALER PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION & MOUNTS IN AND IT STILL VIBRATES. THE DEALER NOW SAID THEIR IS NOTHING MORE THEY CAN DO. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081134 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10081536 · 2004-08-12 (August 12, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. ONCE THE DEALER REPLACED A FUSE, BUT THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK THE DEALER FOUND A ECM FUSE AT THE IP FUSE BLOCKED OPEN. (ECM, ENG FUSE BLOCK, TCM, IP FUSE) THE SHIFTING TRANSAXLE HARNESS WAS REROUTED BETWEEN THE FIREWALL AND CONNECTOR C206 SECURE HARNESS. *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 2,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081536 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10141898 · 2005-11-07 (November 7, 2005)
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE REVVED, IT WAS RACING, AND THE RPM GAUGE RAN HIGHER THAN NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WILL HESITATE AT ANY SPEED. THERE WILL BE A LOSS OF POWER, AND THE VEHICLE JERKED WHEN POWER WENT BACK INTO THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. THIS HAPPENED EVERY TIME WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID THE ECM HAD TO BE REFLASHED. DEALER DID THE WORK. THE VEHICLE IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM SINCE THEN. *AK ENGINE CHECK LIHT CAME ON, AND VEHICLE SEEMED TO RUN HIGHER WHEN COLD OUTSIDE. …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10141898 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10220694 · 2008-03-10 (March 10, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE LIGHT SWITCH ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BEGAN SMOKING WHEN IT WAS TURNED ON. THE STEERING SUSTAINED BURNS. ON NOVEMBER 20, 2007, THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR THREE WEEKS. SHE RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE ON DECEMBER 15, 2007 AND RETURNED TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY. CURRENTLY, WHEN THE LIGHT SWITCH IS TURNED OFF, IT WOULD COME BACK ON. THE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE UNTIL JANUARY 16, 2008. THE VEHICLE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER ON JANUARY 27, OR 28, 2007 BECAUSE THE SWITCH WAS NOT WORKING. NO…
Owner-reported narrative. 81,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10220694 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10954448 · 2017-02-14 (February 14, 2017)
I OWN A 2004 SUZUKI FORENZA AND THIS CAR IS A CONSTANT PROBLEM. IT OVER HEATS EVERYONE I DRIVE IT WHICH IS DAILY. IT STARTS ONLY WHEN THE MOTOR IS SOMEWHAT COOL. THIS CAT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED MANY TIMES. LIKE AT THE MOMENT THE CAR HAS OVER HEATED AND I'M PULLED OFF THE SIDE OF HWY 26 HEADING TO PORTLAND. I HAVE TAKEN THIS CAT TO MY MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES AND UPON ITS RETURN WITHIN DAYS THE CAR IS DOING THE SAME THING. THE STEERING IS A MESS. THE CAR IS ALL OVER THE ROAD I'VE TAKEN IT TO LESSCHWAB 4 TIMES GOTTEN TWO ALIGNMENTS WITHIN A 2 MONTH …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10954448 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10713790 · 2015-04-30 (April 30, 2015)
I BOUGHT MY CAR USED AND IT HAS A NEW TRANNY, CV AXLES AND EVERYTHING THE ONLY THING ORIGINAL IS THE ENGINE. SO I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE O2 SENSORS TWICE AT $60 EACH. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TPS SENSOR, THERMOSTAT AND HOUSING, IGNITION COIL, BATTERY, STARTER, FUEL PUMP AND ALTERNATOR. ALL BECAUSE I KEPT GETTING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ON AND THROWING CODING ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND THE CAR STILL STALLS WHEN I STOP AT A STOP LIGHT AND RUNS AND IDLES ROUGH. I HAVE SPENT OVER $1500 FIX THIS PROBLEM AND IT STILL EXISTS I DID ALL THE WORK…
Owner-reported narrative. 110,244 miles reported. Look up ODI 10713790 at NHTSA ↗