2005 Suzuki Reno Problems: Airbags (30 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2005 Suzuki Reno is Airbags (53% of 30 owner reports). There are 3 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Airbags — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 30 complaints · 3 recalls

What problems show up on the 2005 Suzuki Reno?

16 of 30 filings named Airbags (53% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Lights (4 reports).

There are 3 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Electrical and Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The previous year is not published here. Use the year list to jump around.

What to check before you buy a 2005 Suzuki Reno

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 3 campaigns on file below.
  2. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  3. Lights. Walk around the vehicle: headlights, brake lights and turn signals all working.
  4. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Airbags. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Airbags 16 complaints · 53.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 1
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 1
  • Deaths 0
All Suzuki Reno years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 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.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Airbags (AIR BAGS) appears in 16 of 30 owner complaints (53.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Airbags (AIR BAGS): 16 complaints, 53.3% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 crash reports 16 · 53.3% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 4 complaints, 13.3% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 fire reports 4 · 13.3% Engine (ENGINE): 2 complaints, 6.7% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 2 · 6.7% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 2 complaints, 6.7% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 · 6.7% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 2 complaints, 6.7% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 2 · 6.7% Tires (TIRES): 2 complaints, 6.7% of reports Tires (TIRES) 2 · 6.7% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 3.3% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 · 3.3% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 1 complaints, 3.3% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 1 · 3.3% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 8 complaints, 26.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 crash reports 8 · 26.7% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 16 53.3% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 4 13.3% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 2 6.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 6.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 2 6.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Tires (TIRES) 2 6.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 3.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 1 3.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 8 26.7% 1 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

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

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jul 2005; the first recall shown was reported in Sep 2007. 2005-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jul 2005 Jul 2019 Recall campaign 07V452000 ◆ Recall campaign 07V452000 Recall campaign 12V397000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V397000 Recall campaign 14V262000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V262000
  • Campaign 12V397000 was reported 101 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V262000 was reported 1,630 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2005-Q3 Owner reports 1
2005-Q4 Owner reports 1
2006-Q2 Owner reports 1
2006-Q4 Owner reports 1
2007-Q4 Owner reports 1
2008-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q4 Owner reports 1
2010-Q1 Owner reports 1
2010-Q2 Owner reports 1
2010-Q4 Owner reports 2
2011-Q2 Owner reports 2
2011-Q4 Owner reports 1
2012-Q1 Owner reports 1
2012-Q2 Owner reports 2
2012-Q3 Owner reports 1
2012-Q4 Owner reports 3
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q2 Owner reports 2
2015-Q1 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
2017-Q2 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 07V452000
Recall campaign 1 12V397000
Recall campaign 1 14V262000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (3)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Electrical and Lights.

  1. Recall campaign 07V452000

    Safety recall 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 →

  2. Recall campaign 12V397000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (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 →

  3. Recall campaign 14V262000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (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 2026-09-07 Open source record

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

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 8 of 30 complaints · page 1 of 2
2019-09-06Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11253588
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON. NOT SURE AIRBAG WOULD INFLATE IF I WAS IN A ACCIDENT OR IF IT MIGHT INFLATE ON ITS OWN WHILE I AM DRIVING AND CAUSE A ACCIDENT. I ALSO CANNOT FIND A SUZUKI DEALERSHIP ANYMORE THAT COULD DO A RECALL REPAIR IF THERE IS ONE.
2017-05-09Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10984473
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OFF. ALL THE TIME.
2015-10-14Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10782146
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT TURNED ON WITHOUT ANY READILY IDENTIFIABLE CAUSE. SEVERAL REPAIR FACILITIES CANNOT SEEM TO FIND OUT WHY IT REMAINS ON. I SUSPECT THIS IS RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING TSBS: #TS0501158, #0312234, AND #0512234. WHY THIS ISN'T BEING TREATED AS A SAFETY ISSUE IS UNCLEAR TO ME. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT DISABLES A SAFETY SYSTEM (AIRBAGS) IN THE VEHICLE.
2015-03-30Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
NHTSA ODI 10702503
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I HAVE HAD A RECALLED ON MY CAR SINCE 12/2014 AND AS OF TODAY 3/30/2015 AND STILL HAVING AN ISSUES WITH THE DEALERSHIPS TO FIX IT. *TR
2014-06-17Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 10598776
CrashFireInjuryDeath
FROM DAY ONE, MY ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON AND I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH DIFFERENT ISSUES IE, IT'S THE GAS CAP, THE MAN WHO SOLD ME THE CAR, (THE DEALER) TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED,SO MUCH, THEN HE TOOK OFF, AND LEFT MASSACHUSETTS AFTER SELLING ME A LEMON. ETC. HOW MANY GAS CAPS DO I HAVE TO BUY? NOW AT YEAR 2014, THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED, THE ENGINE BELT SNAPPED, THE TRANSMISSION IS ACTING UP, (IN JULY OF 2010), AND THE SENSOR HAS GONE COMPLETELY WILD, IE, COMES ON AND GOES OFF STEADILY, HAD THAT REPAIRED, AND WHEN I DRIVE THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMES ON AND GOES OFF, OFF, AND ON, AND NOW THE AIR BAG LIGHT STEADILY DOES THE SAME, AFTER HAVING IT REPAIRED TWICE. THE WEBSITE WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/CITY/FLORENCE/AL HAS HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON ALL OF THE SUZUKI VEHICLES FROM 2005-2012. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE IN ORDER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE SUZUKI VEHICLES? I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE KIND OF REPAIRS, STILL MAKING CAR NOTES, ON THIS CAR, AND I HAVE TO HAVE TOP NOTCH INSURANCE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO DO ABOUT THESE VEHICLES. I AM HOPING IT DOESN'T HAVE TO TAKE SOMEONE TO BE KILLED IN ORDER FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN FOR A RECALL. THE WARRANTY WAS ONLY FOR 90 DAYS, AND THOUGH I EXERCISED IT. I GOT THE RUN AROUND BECAUSE THE DEALER, AND THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T DO THE RIGHTFUL REPAIRS ON THIS VEHICLE IN THE TIME ALLOWED. THE FAULT IS ON BOTH. *TR
2014-05-24Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 10593906
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THERE IS A FUME THAT SMELLS TOXIC. I HAVE HAD A NEW VALVE COVER GASKET AND A CABIN FILTER PUT ON THIS CAR BUT THE FUMES PERSIST. I THINK THEY ARE BAD FOR MY HEALTH BECAUSE THE EFFECTS STAYS WITH ME LONG AFTER I'M OUT OF THE CAR, MY BREATHING/CHEST JUST DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I'VE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND THE CLAIM THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING. HOWEVER I KNOW I SMELLED THEM BEFORE HAVING THE ABOVE MENTIONED WORK PERFORMED AND I STILL DO. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT I CAN/SHOULD DO. *TR
2013-09-02Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10538346
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND "PASSENGER AIR BAG DISABLED" LIGHT ARE ON ALL THE TIME. IT ORIGINALLY APPEARED TO BE DUE TO THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR THAT DISABLES THE RIGHT SIDE AIR BAG WHEN IT DETECTS A WEIGHT UNDER A CERTAIN LIMIT (E.G., SO THE AIR BAG IS DEACTIVATED IF A CHILD'S CAR SEAT IS THERE). THE WAY WE CAME TO ASSUME THAT IT MIGHT BE THE SENSOR WAS IF THE PERSON IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WOULD HOP AROUND OR MOVE AROUND THE SEAT AND THE LIGHT MIGHT EVENTUALLY GO OUT. SOMETIMES TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING THE CAR WOULD CAUSE THE LIGHT TO TURN OFF. SOMETIME IT SEEMED THE PASSENGER COULD PUT-ON, TAKE-OFF, PUT-ON THE SEAT BELT AND THAT MIGHT WORK. BUT NOW IT'S ON ALL THE TIME NO MATTER WHAT (THE CAR IS AT 90,000 MILES). IT WAS INTERMITTENT STARTING AROUND 10,000. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE CAR'S BATTERY - THE THEORY BEING THAT PERHAPS THE OLD BATTERY DIDN'T PROVIDE ENOUGH CURRENT (WHICH DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE SINCE THE BATTERY ISN'T PROVIDING POWER WHILE THE ENGINE IS ON...). BUT BY AROUND 30,000 MILES, THE LIGHT STARTED STAYING ON ALL THE TIME. *JS
2013-06-04Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10515001
CrashFireInjuryDeath
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON.VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE RENO AND FORENZA. THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH SEAT SENSORS/WIRING AND CLOCKSPRINGS. SUZUKI HAS LONG KNOWN OF THE PROBLEM ,BUT WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY HAVE ISSUED A RECALL ON THE XL7 AND GRAND VITARA FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO READ OF ACCIDENTS INVOLVING THESE VEHICLES W/ INJURIES IN WHICH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SUZUKI NEEDS TO STEP UP AND ADDRESS THIS COSTLY/SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2005 Suzuki Reno?

Owners named Airbags most often — 16 of 30 reports (53%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2005 Suzuki Reno?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Electrical and Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2005 Suzuki Reno?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

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.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

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

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources