What breaks most · 2004 to 2008 model years
Suzuki Forenza problems by year
Owners have filed 907 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Suzuki Forenza across model years 2004 to 2008. Three years stand out: 2006 for powertrain and transmission complaints, 2007 for powertrain and transmission complaints and 2005 for air bags complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2006, 2007, 2005
- Complaints on file
- 9072004 to 2008, all trims
- Worst year
- 2006280 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 5955 fires · 63 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 56kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 15Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63 | 9 | 5 | Exterior lighting (16) | |
| 156 | 5 | 3 | Air bags (46) | |
| 280 | 19 | 4 | Powertrain and transmission (116) | |
| 256 | 12 | 2 | Powertrain and transmission (129) | |
| 152 | 14 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (79) |
What fails on the 2006 Suzuki Forenza
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 41% |
116 | 2 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 20% |
57 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2006 Suzuki Forenza |
| Air bags | 20% |
56 | 14 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 10% |
29 | 1 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 10% |
27 | 1 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2006 Suzuki Forenza |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 8% |
21 | 0 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2006 Suzuki Forenza |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 5% |
15 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2006 Suzuki Forenza |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 5% |
14 | 0 | Shop suspension parts for the 2006 Suzuki Forenza |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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Battery indicator and brake indicator illuminated on the cluster panel. When in drive, the display showing what gear you are in flashes an unrecognizable signal. Some trouble accelerating.
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Transmission went out after stopping at a stop light. This is the second time having transmission problems with this car.
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Some wires inside the signal switch were melting a plastic piece inside steering wheel. It began to smoke and the lights are not working properly.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Suzuki Forenza years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2006, 2007, 2005 carry the most filings on the Suzuki Forenza. The 2006 alone has 280 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Suzuki Forenza problem?
On the 2006 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 116 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Suzuki Forenza problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Suzuki Forenza complaints that include mileage is about 56,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.