SUZUKI Complaints

I RECEIVED A RECALL ON MY 2005 SUZUKI C90 RELATED TO THE GAS TANK. THE RECALL STATES NOT TO OPERATE THE MOTORCYCLE. THE DEALER REFUSES TO PICK THE BIKE UP AND TELLS ME TO RIDE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. IF IT IS TOO DANGEROUS TO RIDE, WHY AREN'T THE DEALERS RESPONSIBLE FOR TOWING THE BIKE? *JB

I AM WRITING ABOUT THE SEAT BELTS IN MY 2002 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT FREQUENTLY LOCKS UP AND DOESN'T ALLOW THE PERSON WEARING IT TO MOVE. I FIND IT VERY ANNOYING AND POTENTIALLY UNSAFE AS WHOEVER IS IN THAT SEAT USUALLY ENDS UP UNBUCKLING IT AND NOT PUTTING IT BACK ON. THIS ALSO HAPPENS IN THE REAR SEATS, ALTHOUGH IT ISN'T AS MUCH OF A PROBLEM AS I GENERALLY DON'T HAVE REAR PASSENGERS. I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BOTH FRONT BELTS NOT RETRACTING FULLY WHEN WE EXIT THE VEHICLE, I CHECKED WITH THE DEALER, BUT REPLACING THE RETRACTOR WAS QUITE EXPENSIVE AND I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT AS SEAT BELTS SHOULD LAST LONGER THEN A FEW YEARS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED BOTH REAR TIRES HAD EXCESSIVE WEAR AND FLAT SPOTS COMPLETELY AROUND THE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL DETERMINED THE TIRE WEAR WAS CONTRIBUTED BY THE COUPLERS ON THE REAR STRUTS. THE COUPLERS WERE DEFECTIVE WHEN MANUFACTURED. HOWEVER, NO REPAIRS WERE MADE BECAUSE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

WHILE THE MOTORCYCLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY SINCE DAY ONE THERE HAS BEEN A HESITATION FROM 3000-4000 RPMS. IT WAS TAKEN TO 2 DEALERS AND NO REMEDY WAS FOUND. I WAS TOLD BY BOTH SERVICE MANAGERS THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM AT SUZUKI FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODEL, AND THAT THERE IS CURRENTLY NO CURE. THE MOTORCYCLE IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE AND COULD LEAD TO AN UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT. THE CYCLE NOW HAS 4500 MILES ON IT. *AK

I PURCHASED A 2004 SUZUKI FORENZA, STICK SHIFT NEW. AT OR ABOUT 12,000 MILES IT STARTED TO CUT OFF AFTER DECELERATING TO EITHER MAKE A TURN OR ENTER THE INTERSTATE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I'VE TAKEN IT TO TWO SEPARATE DEALERSHIPS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WITH THE HOPES THAT THEY COULD FIND AND SOLVE THE PROBLEM. SO FAR THEY HAVE FAILED IN THEIR ATTEMPTS. THE CAR STILL CUTS OFF AFTER IT BEEN RUNNING FOR AWHILE WHEN YOU'RE STOPPING OR SLOWING DOWN AND THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. IN THESE INSTANCES I HAVE TO EITHER STOP THE CAR IF I'M COMING TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT TO RESTART OR IF I'M TRYING TO ENTER A BUSY HIGHWAY I HAVE TO COME OFF THE CLUTCH TO RESTART. I DON'T THINK THIS IS HOW A NEW CAR IS SUPPOSE TO DRIVE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AS I'M LEAVING WORK AND ATTEMPTING TO ENTER INTERSTATE 95 WHICH IS BUSY, AS I'M SLOWING DOWN TO ENTER THE CAR CUTS OFF AND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I'VE HAD TRACTOR TRAILERS BEHIND ME ACCELERATING TO ENTER AS WELL AND ALL I CAN IMAGINE IS THEM SLAMMING INTO MY REAR. CERTAINLY FRIGHTENING. HAS THERE BEEN ANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE SO THAT I CAN TAKE THIS INFORMATION TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PERHAPS LEND THEM A HAND IN CORRECTING THE PROBLEM BEFORE I'M SERIOUSLY HURT? THE CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 23,000 MILES AT THE PRESENT. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOU HELP IN ANYWAY. *NM

SUBTLE BUT NOTICEABLE VIBRATION FELT IN REAR AXLE; WHILE UNDER TOW (BEHIND MOTORHOME) RIGHT REAR WHEEL (TIRE, WHEEL, HUB) SEPARATED FROM AXLE AND LEFT VEHICLE. VEHICLE DRIVETRAIN WAS IN MFG RECOMMENDED POSITION FOR TOWING (TRANSMISSION IN D, TRANSAXLE SET TO N). HEAT GENERATED FROM FAILURE (POSSIBLY BAD WHEEL BEARING) LED TO FIRE. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY POLICE. SUZUKI REFUSED TO WARRANTY THIS FAILURE UNDER THEIR 100,000 MILE POWERTRAIN COVERAGE. SUBSEQUENT TO REAR-END REBUILD FROM THIS INCIDENT, A SIMILAR VIBRATION WAS FELT AGAIN ON RIGHT REAR SIDE. SUZUKI DID AT THIS TIME REPLACE A BAD WHEEL BEARING UNDER WARRANTY. *JB

I HAVE PURCHASED A 2006 SUZUKI FORENZA. AS A CERTIFIED CRIME PREVENTION INSPECTOR, I HAVE DISCOVERED FEATURES OF THIS VEHICLE THAT WILL PROVE TO BE A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ANY DRIVER/OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. THE LOCKS ON THE VEHICLE DO NO OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE CONTROLS ALL LOCKING DEVICES ON HIS/HER SIDE. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THAT THE PASSENGER IF THE VEHICLE CANNOT OPEN HIS/HER DOOR IF IT IS LOCKED. THE DRIVER HAS TO OPEN THE DOOR. IN THE EVENT THAT THE DRIVER IS INCAPACITATED THE PASSENGER WOULD HAVE EXTREME DIFFICULTY GETTING OUT OF THE CAR. ALSO, WHEN THE DRIVER UNLOCKS THE DOOR ALL LOCKS OPEN. IN THE EVENT THAT THERE IS SOMEONE TRYING TO GAIN UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY INTO THE VEHICLE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO DO SO WITHOUT DIFFICULTY; PUTTING THE DRIVER IN EXTREME DANGER. THERE IS NO WAY FOR THE REAR SEATED PASSENGERS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE DRIVER UNLOCKING THE DOOR. IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE A PASSENGER WOULD PERHAPS LITERALLY HAVE TO BREAK OUT A WINDOW TO EXIT. THIS WOULD TAKE TIME AND THE PASSENGER OR PASSENGERS MAY PERISH. THESE ARE EXTREME SAFETY CONCERNS WHICH I PRAY WILL BE INVESTIGATED! *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THE BATTERY WAS DEPLETING. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALERSHIP HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. THE MOTORCYCLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR BATTERY REPLACEMENT AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWO TIMES. *JB

1. BIKE WOULD COMPLETELY GO DEAD WHILE RIDING, GAUGES GO BLACK AND BIKE WILL NOT CRANK. IT HAPPENED ON MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES 2. PROBLEM WAS A TOTAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER, THIS MEANS NO LIGHTS, NO IGNITION, NO GAUGES, LIKE IF SOMEONE HAD TURNED OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH. 3. I TROUBLE SHOT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE MOTORCYLCE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE SHOP WANTED TO CHARGE ME A DIAGNOSTIC FEE TO LOOK AT IT. I FOUND THE CONNECTOR ON THE WIRE HARNESS THAT GOES TO THE IGNITION SWITCH BLACK AND BURNT FROM THE WIRES SHORTING TOGETHER. I BYPASSED THE CONNECTOR WITH A NEW CONNECTION. THE OLD CONNECTOR IS STILL AVAILABLE. *JB

CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 45 MPH; BRAKES WERE APPLIED HARD; SUBFRAME (PART THAT ALL BALL JOINTS AND SUSPENSION ARMS BOLTS INTO) COLLAPSED ON PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE CAUSING WHEEL TO BECOME UNSTABLE AND SEVERELY OUT OF ALIGNMENT. (WHEN MEASURED, THE PASSENGER WHEEL WAS +/-1-1/2" CLOSER TO THE REAR OF INNER FENDER, AND WOULD GRIND ONTO THE INNER FENDER. THE PART WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW REPLACEMENT PART. THE OLD PART WAS RUSTED THROUGH AT SEVERAL POINTS. THE OLD PART IS IN MY POSSESSION AND PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE. *JB