2004 Suzuki Forenza recalls and problems

The 2004 Suzuki Forenza has 5 recalls and 63 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is exterior lighting.

Pictured: a 2005 model; the 2004 may differ in details. Photo: 2005 Suzuki Forenza by Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How the 2004 compares

Lowest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Lowest complaint count among 5 Forenza model years — 5th most.

5recalls

63complaints

9crashes

5fires

6injuries

50,185median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

5 recalls

Exterior Lighting

May 19, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V262000 · 184,244 vehicles

Problem: 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.

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.

Remedy & notes

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.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Electrical System

Aug 14, 2012 · NHTSA campaign 12V397000 · 101,688 vehicles

Problem: Suzuki is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 Forenza and model year 2005-2006 Reno vehicles manufactured from September 23, 2003, through March 7, 2006. Increased resistance due to poor contact between the terminals of certain wires can generate heat that can melt the splice pack used to connect the power circuit wires for the headlamps. This can result in intermittent or total loss of low/high beam headlamp function.

Risk: If the headlamps fail to function, this will lead to reduced driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

Suzuki will notify owners, and Suzuki dealers will reconnect the affected wires with two heat-shrink crimps, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 25, 2012. Owners may contact Suzuki at 1-877-697-8985.

Suzuki's recall campaign number is NU.Customers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Exterior Lighting

Sep 25, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V452000 · 93,963 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, headlamp low beam or daytime running light (drl) function May be inoperative due to a melted splice pack on the wiring harness.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, HEADLAMP LOW BEAM OR DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT (DRL) FUNCTION MAY BE INOPERATIVE DUE TO A MELTED SPLICE PACK ON THE WIRING HARNESS.

Risk: Inappropriate lighting could reduce visibility of vehicles and increase the potential for a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

INAPPROPRIATE LIGHTING COULD REDUCE VISIBILITY OF VEHICLES AND INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will splice the power circuit wires for the low-beam headlamps and drl free of charge. The recall will be mailed in three phases, starting at the end of October 2007 and concluding by the end of January 2008;. Owners May contact Suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.

Suzuki recall no. Nb.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Exterior Lighting

Jan 28, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V022000 · 37,796 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the brake light switch May become misadjusted if an upward/rearward force is applied to the brake pedal. If this should occur, the brake light switch will not function properly, causing the brake lights, including the high mounted stop lamp, to remain illuminated continuously without brake pedal application, with the ignition switch in the on or off position.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY BECOME MISADJUSTED IF AN UPWARD/REARWARD FORCE IS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. IF THIS SHOULD OCCUR, THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHTS, INCLUDING THE HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMP, TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY WITHOUT BRAKE PEDAL APPLICATION, WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THE ON OR OFF POSITION.

Risk: If the brake lights remain on continuously while driving,a following driver May not know when your brakes have been applied, and a rear-end crash could occur without prior warning. This condition May also discharge the vehicle's battery, and, the automatic transmission torque converter clutch, cruise control and traction control system, if equipped, will become disabled.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAIN ON CONTINUOUSLY WHILE DRIVING,A FOLLOWING DRIVER MAY NOT KNOW WHEN YOUR BRAKES HAVE BEEN APPLIED, AND A REAR-END CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THIS CONDITION MAY ALSO DISCHARGE THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY, AND, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH, CRUISE CONTROL AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, IF EQUIPPED, WILL BECOME DISABLED.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the brake light switch free of charge. The recall began on March 16, 2005. Owners May contact Suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.

Suzuki recall no. Kf. Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Air Bags

Oct 29, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V426000 · 7,797 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger cars, the dual stage driver's air bag deploys in an improper sequence.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER CARS, THE DUAL STAGE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYS IN AN IMPROPER SEQUENCE.

Risk: If the driver's air bag deploys improperly during a frontal vehicle crash, the driver could be severely injured or killed.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYS IMPROPERLY DURING A FRONTAL VEHICLE CRASH, THE DRIVER COULD BE SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will install an adapting wiring harness. Owner notification began on October 30, 2003, to verona vehicle owners. All forenza vehicles were repaired at the port of entry. There are no owner notifications necessary for the forenza model vehicles. Owners should contact Suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.

Suzuki recall no. Kb.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Engine14

Vehicle Speed Control5

Fuel System3

Wheels3

Latches/locks/linkages2

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

HEADLIGHT / DRL MALFUNCTION

PE07039 · opened Jul 24, 2007 · closed Oct 2, 2007 · led to recall 07V452000

Summary

ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2007, SUZUKI NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WILL RECALL MODEL YEARS 2004 -2006 FORENZA AND RENO VEHICLES TO CORRECT A DEFECT THAT CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF HEADLIGHT AND/OR DRL FUNCTION.THIS RECALL AFFECTS 93,963 VEHICLES.NHTSA ASSIGNED NUMBER 07V-452 FOR THIS RECALL.NHTSA'S INVESTIGATION INITIALLY FOCUSED ON 2005 FORENZAS, THEN EXPANDED IT TO 2004-2005 FORENZAS (TOTAL OF 58,448 VEHICLES). SUZUKI BROADENED THE RECALL SCOPE TO COVER 2004-2006 FORENZAS & RENOS (93,963 VEHICLES).THE WIRING HARNESS BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTAINS A SPLICE PACK TO CONNECT THE POWER CIRCUIT WIRES FOR LOW-BEAM HEADLAMPS AND DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS (DRL).INCREASED RESISTANCE DUE TO POOR CONTACT BETWEEN TERMINALS CAN GENERATE HEAT WHICH CAN LEAD TO MELTING OF THE SPLICE PACK IN THE AREA OF WIRES AND THE LOSS OF HEADLIGHT AND/OR DRL FUNCTION. FOR THE REMEDY, DEALERS WILL SPLICE THE POWER CIRCUIT WIRES FOR THE LOW-BEAM HEADLAMPS AND DRLS FREE OF CHARGE.SUZUKI'S RECALL CAMPAIGN (MANUFACTURER RECALL NO. NB) IS EXPECTED TO START AT THE END OF OCTOBER 2007.CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.

2004 vs. other Suzuki Forenza years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2004. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2004 Suzuki Forenza have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns covering the 2004 Suzuki Forenza, the latest from May 19, 2014 (exterior lighting). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Suzuki Forenza?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention exterior lighting (16), engine (14), electrical system (10). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.