2008 Suzuki Forenza Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2008 Forenza most often describe automatic transmission trouble, chiefly a faulty transmission range sensor that makes the car jerk, stick in gear, slip into neutral or refuse to accelerate, with the check engine light coming on. Airbag warning lights tied to wiring under the seats and heat or burning at the daytime running light/headlamp switch module are the other recurring themes. Complaints span a wide mileage range, from a few thousand miles to well over 100,000.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission range sensor: hard shifts, slipping into

   Mentioned in 39 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the car clunking or thunking when shifting into reverse or drive, then jerking, refusing to come out of a low gear or slipping into neutral while driving. Many report the gear display showing a letter with a slash through it or scrambled symbols, alongside the check engine light and stored codes pointing to the transmission range sensor (switch). Complaints say the part was replaced, sometimes repeatedly, and that dealers or shops attributed the behavior to the sensor; some owners were told the repair was not covered by the powertrain warranty. Reported from roughly 16,000 to 139,000 miles, with many complaints clustering between about 45,000 and 85,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the car through several reverse-to-drive shifts and watch the gear display and check engine light; ask for diagnostic codes and any service records for the range sensor or transmission control module.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My transmission range sensor has been replaced twice, both within a 12 months time frame. Both times my car jerks at low and high speeds and my engine light is invoked. The second time the dealership replaced my transmission range sensor...the very same week my vehicle is still experiencing the same exact issues, inclusive of my engine light coming on and staying on for 3 days. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10496628, filed 2013-02, 92,850 miles

   “While sitting at a stop sign, I decided I was a little to far into the road. I shifted into reverse and noticed it shifted really hard. I put it into drive and pulled out onto the road - again it shifted hard. When trying to speed up, the car wouldn't shift out of 1st gear, the check engine light came on and I couldn't speed up. I've been told it is a bad transmission range sensor.”

   NHTSA complaint #10534672, filed 2013-08, 78,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light, seat wiring under front seats

   • 29 complaints (19%)
   • median 48,500 mi at 4.5 yrs old (24 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2017

   Owners report the airbag warning light coming on and staying on, often tied to the wiring harness connector under the driver or passenger seat; some say the light returns after resetting the code or redoing the wiring. A few complaints describe the passenger seat occupant sensor not registering a passenger, and others describe airbags not deploying in a crash. Dealers and shops reportedly reset codes or repaired the under-seat wiring, with the light recurring in some cases. Reported from very low mileage up to around 200,000 miles, with many between about 40,000 and 110,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: With the key on, confirm the airbag light goes out after the bulb check and that the passenger airbag indicator reads correctly with someone seated; ask about any warranty extension or under-seat wiring repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased this car used from carmax in october. Since then it has been in the shop 3 times for airbag lights. The airbag light has now been on for 2 months and I have not had time do get it fixed. The airbag light has been on since I purchased it, the seatbelt light also comes on frequently. This concerns me because the cars safety is so poor- with airbag system being deactivated and seatbelts being out of whack, this car is a death trap! I went to carmax to see if they could help me and the manager wouldn't even take my name.”

   NHTSA complaint #10519406, filed 2013-06, 55,000 miles

   “Purchased a 2008 Suzuki Forenza on 9/8/2008. Acceleration concerns, a ringing noise from the engine and my passenger side air-bag notification light was reported 9/16/08. Told by phone the car was new and would need to be driven for a couple of weeks to warn up. 9/16/08 ringing noise was louder had acceleration concerns, timing cover had melted due to friction from the belts sliding. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10406896, filed 2011-06, 6,211 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Check engine light and poor running from engine sensors

   Mentioned in 8 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report the check engine light with hesitation, jerking on acceleration, a ringing noise from the engine bay, and repeated replacement of spark plugs, coils or the throttle body. Some complaints describe the dealer attributing the symptoms to engine misfire after transmission parts were replaced; others describe coolant and thermostat repairs. Reported mostly between about 60,000 and 130,000 miles, with some at very low mileage.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Scan for stored codes before buying and ask about recent ignition, throttle body and emission-system repairs; a test drive should include steady acceleration from a stop.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In less than 2 months, I've had to replace several parts of my car that I don't believe is part of regular service maintenance. Thermostat, coolant hose, spark plugs (twice in a year), brake lights and headlight bulbs (replaced twice in a year), transmission control module and motor mounts because of the TCM that made my car jerk all the time whenever I accelerate. Either at a traffic light or on the freeway, my car hesitates to accelerate and jerks every time I shift gears. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10489600, filed 2012-12, 95,000 miles

   “Started car put it into reverse to back out, aloud clunk noise was maid and the car had trouble accelerating. Not it often slips into neutral while driving or will only accelerate in third.”

   NHTSA complaint #10496193, filed 2013-02, 70,000 miles
4. 4
   Vehicle speed control

   Unexpected acceleration and throttle response loss

   • 28 complaints (18%)
   • median 65,480 mi at 4.9 yrs old (23 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2022

   Some owners describe the car accelerating on its own at low speed, including with the brake pedal pressed, and others describe the accelerator pedal not responding while the check engine light comes on. Complaints mention throttle body replacement, and a service bulletin addresses stored codes related to the accelerator pedal position sensor wiring and throttle body. Reported from about 10,000 to 87,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test the throttle response at low speed and ask whether the throttle body or accelerator pedal sensor codes have appeared and whether the related service bulletin procedures were applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Tl contact owns a 2008 Suzuki Forenza. The check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to the auto-part store for a free computer diagnostic and two codes were produced from the diagnostic.the pedal position sensor and volt coalition.contact had 3 days prior went to said auto-part store with a dead battery. The battery was replaced by an auto-parts representative.contact has taken the negative cable loose and the positive second. Put positive back on first the negative. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10462881, filed 2012-06, 65,480 miles

   “The contact owns a 2008 Suzuki Forenza. The contact stated the vehicle independently accelerated and crashed into a bench followed by a garage wall. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The failure was recurring. However, the vehicle was taken to the dealer to have a diagnostic performed. The dealer and manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 87,000. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10573461, filed 2014-03, 87,000 miles
5. 5
   Exterior lighting

   Daytime running light / headlamp switch overheating

   • 8 complaints (5%)
   • median 80,121 mi at 6.8 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2019

   Owners describe headlights or daytime running lights staying on after the car is shut off, a hot module or relay under the left side of the dash, a burning smell, melted fuses or carpet, and in some cases smoke or fire. Complaints note the module being replaced at the owner's expense or a dealer declining to perform recall work. One complaint references a recall for the daytime running light module. Reported mostly between about 45,000 and 120,000 miles.

   Recall 14V262000

   What to check: Ask whether the headlamp switch/DRL module recall (14V262000) was completed for this vehicle, and check that the lights turn off with the car and that the module area under the left dash shows no heat damage.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My headlights all of a sudden stayed on even after the car had been turned off, and I felt a lot of heat coming from underneath the steering wheel on the left side; there was a small relay or module so hot you couldn't even touch it; I had to the headlights fuse off and let it cool down. I proceeded to take the module off and unplug it, did some research and found out that there was a recall on this module called the dlr module. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10630628, filed 2014-09, 96,000 miles

   “The car daytime running light module(drl module) burned and melted, lights were not working properly, the emergency brake light remained on, the dashboard, car had a burned smell so strong that I had to detail it and it did not go(the strong burning odor) away after 2 weeks. I took my car to the shop and repaired the problem out of my pocket(drl module). I sent all the proper documentation to Suzuki motor of america cust svc department p.o. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10693839, filed 2015-03, 118,200 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase scan for transmission and engine codes plus a road test that includes reverse and drive shifts is worthwhile on this model year, and it is worth confirming whether the headlamp switch/DRL recall was completed. Service records for the transmission range sensor and airbag wiring help show what has already been addressed.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.