2004 SUZUKI FORENZA — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 60 complaints · 5 recalls
Most-reported system: EXTERIOR LIGHTING (14 complaints · 23.3%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 8
  • Fires 5
  • Injuries 6
  • Deaths 0
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NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution EXTERIOR LIGHTING appears in 14 of 60 owner complaints (23.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. EXTERIOR LIGHTING: 14 complaints, 23.3% of reports EXTERIOR LIGHTING 14 · 23.3% · 3 fire reports ENGINE: 12 complaints, 20.0% of reports ENGINE 12 · 20.0% · 1 fire reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 5 complaints, 8.3% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 5 · 8.3% AIR BAGS: 4 complaints, 6.7% of reports AIR BAGS 4 · 6.7% · 4 crash reports POWER TRAIN: 4 complaints, 6.7% of reports POWER TRAIN 4 · 6.7% STRUCTURE: 4 complaints, 6.7% of reports STRUCTURE 4 · 6.7% VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 4 complaints, 6.7% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 · 6.7% · 1 crash reports WHEELS: 3 complaints, 5.0% of reports WHEELS 3 · 5.0% · 2 crash reports FUEL SYSTEM: 2 complaints, 3.3% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 2 · 3.3% UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 20 complaints, 33.3% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 20 · 33.3% · 2 crash reports 1 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 14 23.3% 0 crashes · 3 fires
ENGINE 12 20.0% 0 crashes · 1 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 5 8.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
AIR BAGS 4 6.7% 4 crashes · 0 fires
POWER TRAIN 4 6.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
STRUCTURE 4 6.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 6.7% 1 crashes · 0 fires
WHEELS 3 5.0% 2 crashes · 0 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 2 3.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 20 33.3% 2 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jul 2004; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 2003. 2004-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2004-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2005-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2005-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2005-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2015-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 2003 Jan 2017 Recall campaign 03V426000 ◆ Recall campaign 03V426000 Recall campaign 05V022000 ◆ Recall campaign 05V022000 Recall campaign 07V452000 ◆ Recall campaign 07V452000 Recall campaign 12V397000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V397000 Recall campaign 14V262000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V262000 Investigation PE07039 ● Investigation PE07039
  • Campaign 05V022000 was reported 136 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V397000 was reported 2,924 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V262000 was reported 3,534 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2004-Q3 Owner reports 8
2004-Q4 Owner reports 2
2005-Q1 Owner reports 6
2005-Q2 Owner reports 3
2005-Q3 Owner reports 1
2005-Q4 Owner reports 1
2006-Q1 Owner reports 1
2006-Q2 Owner reports 2
2006-Q3 Owner reports 1
2007-Q2 Owner reports 1
2007-Q3 Owner reports 1
2007-Q4 Owner reports 2
2008-Q1 Owner reports 3
2008-Q2 Owner reports 1
2008-Q4 Owner reports 2
2009-Q3 Owner reports 1
2009-Q4 Owner reports 3
2010-Q3 Owner reports 1
2011-Q2 Owner reports 1
2012-Q2 Owner reports 1
2012-Q4 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 1
2014-Q1 Owner reports 2
2014-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q4 Owner reports 6
2015-Q1 Owner reports 1
2015-Q2 Owner reports 2
2015-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q4 Owner reports 1
2017-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 03V426000
Recall campaign 1 05V022000
Recall campaign 1 07V452000
Recall campaign 1 12V397000
Recall campaign 1 14V262000
Defect investigation 1 PE07039
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (5)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 03V426000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    Consequence:
    IF THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYS IMPROPERLY DURING A FRONTAL VEHICLE CRASH, THE DRIVER COULD BE SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED.
    Remedy:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 05V022000

    Report date
    Component:
    EXTERIOR LIGHTING
    Consequence:
    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:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 07V452000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    INAPPROPRIATE LIGHTING COULD REDUCE VISIBILITY OF VEHICLES AND INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 12V397000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    If the headlamps fail to function, this will lead to reduced driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V262000

    Report date
    Component:
    EXTERIOR LIGHTING
    Consequence:
    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:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 60 complaints · page 1 of 3

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

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Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources