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Electrical systemPart report

2008 Suzuki Forenza Electrical system Problems

Complaints
32about this part
Share
21%of 152 total for the year
Median mileage
60,000miles
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 32 complaints about the electrical system of the 2008 Suzuki Forenza, 21% of the 152 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 60,000 miles. 6 a fire, according to the filers.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“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

“I have had the transmission range sensor replaced on my 2008 Suzuki Forenza twice already and it has malfunctioned again. When it malfunctions, my car jerks heavily when changing gears, and it is an automatic engine. The rpms will not exceed 3000, the check engine light comes on, and hold flashes in the dash. The car accelerates very slowly shudders above 50 MPH. The speedometer has dropped to zero while I have been driving on the highway, so I cannot tell how fast I am going.”

NHTSA complaint #10850096, filed 2016-03, 108,000 miles

“I was driving home from work and smoke starting to come inside the car from the driver side vents. I pulled over and let the smoke air out as I called a tow truck. On the tow truck at the pooler parkway exit off of I-16, the car alarm was going off, the lights were flashing, and the car was completely filled with smoke. The tow truck driver pulled over, ran to the car on the tow truck bed, opened the driver side door and saw flames engulfing the panel under the steering wheel. He grabbed the fire extinguisher and put out the fire and disconnected the battery. …”

NHTSA complaint #11025101, filed 2017-09, 120,000 miles

“Car headlight shut of on me while driving down road along with air conditioning and windows they all shut off on me while driving windows would not go down and I had to pull over near the nearest store and cut car off thanks I turned it back on and they all srarted working accept the air that didnt start working again till about thirty mins later car also jumps when pulling out of park in to drive or reverse really hard jump the car headlights also flicker when pressing windows buttons to go down tire sensor light wont go out car also has a hard time accelerating going uphill u have press…”

NHTSA complaint #10893886, filed 2016-08, 91,000 miles

“As I was driving, the car all the sudden slipped into neutral and showed a d with a slash through it. I pulled over and tried to put the car in park. The vehicle displayed I was in reverse. When I put it in drive it read neutral. When I started driving again, there was no power, as if I was in neutral. This has continued since.then, I have almost been hit.numerous times, once almost hit from the front and the rear when turning on a yielding green light and the car through itself into neutral. Also I have hit the gas in drive and gone backwards. …”

NHTSA complaint #10434287, filed 2011-11, 50,100 miles

Related service bulletins

Electrical system: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
20083221%
20075120%
20065720%
20053824%
20041016%

Other parts of the 2008 Suzuki Forenza

Transmission and drivetrain
79 complaints
Air bags
32 complaints
Engine
22 complaints
Vehicle speed control
18 complaints
Exterior lighting
10 complaints
Engine cooling
7 complaints
Brakes
5 complaints
Seat belts
4 complaints
Steering
4 complaints
Tires
4 complaints
Other or unknown
3 complaints
Wheels
3 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2008 Suzuki Forenza

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology