Other Restraint System Info: Has Automatic Occupant Sensor
Plant City: Kunsan
Plant Company Name: GM Korea
Plant Country: South Korea
Seat Belts All: Manual
Trim: S
Valve Train Design: Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2006
POWER TRAIN
FOR SEVERAL WEEKS MY CAR HAS BEEN CLUNKING INTO REVERSE AND DRIVE AND GETTING STUCK IN 3RD GEAR WHILE DRIVING. I WENT TO SUZUKI AND BOUGHT THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR WHICH IS WHAT IS FAULTY. THE SUZUKI DEALER WAS REALLY SURPRISED THAT WE HAD 71000 MILES ON THE CAR AND HAD NOT HAD A PROBLEM YET (THEY KNOW ITS A PROBLEM) I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO CHANGE THE SENSOR YET BUT MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR TODAY AND WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE THE CAR WENT FORWARD INSTEAD. LUCKILY THERE WAS ONLY A CURB THAT SHE HIT BUT SHE COULD HAVE HIT A CAR OR A PERSON. SHE HAD TO STOP SOMEWHERE ON THE WAY HOME AND HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM IN ANOTHER PARKING LOT WHERE SHE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND INSTEAD OF GOING FORWARD THE CAR SHOT OUT OF THE STALL WITHOUT HER EVEN TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL. AGAIN SHE DID NOT HIT ANYONE BUT HOW LONG WILL SUZUKI LET THIS HAPPEN BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. ALSO WHEN THE CAR GETS STUCK IN 3RD GEAR IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO PULL OUT ONTO A ROAD AS YOU CAN BARELY ACCELERATE FAST ENOUGH TO AVOID ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE SENSOR WILL BE REPLACED TONIGHT WHEN I GET HOME BUT THESE CARS SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THESE PROBLEMS AND ACCORDING TO THE MECHANICS AT SUZUKI THEY SEE THIS PROBLEM ALL THE TIME. I UNDERSTAND THAT PARTS BREAK AND CARS HAVE TO BE REPAIRED, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS SO POORLY ENGINEERED THAT IT IS PUTTING THE OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE IN DANGER. SOME PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THEIR TRS OVER 7 TIMES AND SUZUKI HAS YET TO ISSUE A RECALL. *TR
2005
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
I HAD A SUZUKI RENO FOR ABOUT A YEAR WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME AND A FEW WEEKS LATER FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE CONDITIONS HAD TO BE JUST RIGHT FOR IT TO HAPPEN. I AM REFERRING TO THE HOOD BECOMING UNLATCHED WHILE DRIVING AROUND 70MPH WITH HARD WIND GUSTS TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR. IT FELT LIKE THE CAR WOULD SLIGHTLY TWIST AND THEN THE HOOD WOULD AUTOMATICALLY RELEASE AND CATCH ON THE SECONDARY LATCH. IF THE SECONDARY LATCH WAS TO SLIP BEFORE STOPPING THE CAR THEN THE HOOD WOULD SLAM INTO THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE THREE SMALL CHILDREN AND THIS CAR POSED A THREAT TO MY LIFE AND TO THEIRS IF THEY WERE WITH ME. I ATTEMPTED TO GET SUZUKI TO TRY TO FIX IT BUT THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. I FELT THAT THIS CAR WAS A DEATH TRAP AND REFUSED TO DRIVE IT ANYMORE SO I VOLUNTARILY GAVE IT UP AS A REPO SINCE THE DEALER I HAD PURCHASED IT FROM WOULD NOT DO A "BUY-BACK". NOW, BECAUSE OF THIS CAR, MY CREDIT IS RUINED AND I STILL OWE OVER $6500 FOR WHAT THE BANK LOST AT AUCTION. IF TOYOTA IS BEING SLAMMED FOR THEIR PROBLEMS THEN SUZUKI SHOULD TOO. I ALSO HAD A MASTER MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND HE STATED THAT THE LATCH WAS PROPERLY ADJUSTED BUT THE QUALITY AND STRENGTH OF THE METALS USED IN THE BODY WERE INSUFFICIENT (FLIMSY). *TR