2007 Suzuki Forenza Powertrain & Transmission Problems

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY THE LIGHT FOR THE ENGINE CAME ON AND THE CAR DIED. AFTER BEING TOWED IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD WAS BLOWN. AFTER REPLACING THE ENGINE THE LIGHT REMAINS ON AND NOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A DEFECT IN A SENSOR FOR THE TRANSMISSION THAT KEEPS THESE PROBLEMS HAPPENING IN THIS VEHICLE.

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. *TR

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND STARTED TO DRIVE THE CAR WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN BUT MY CAR DID NOT WANT TO GO FORWARD, MY CAR PULLED. I HAD TO STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR WITH MORE PRESSURE FOR IT TO GO FORWARD. I FINALLY GOT TO A SAFE AREA AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. I LEFT IT OFF FOR ABOUT THREE MINUTES THEN PROCEEDED TO TURN IT ON AND DROVE OFF, I NOTICE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AT THAT POINT, AND DROVE TO MY MOTHERS HOME NEARBY WHERE MY BROTHER WHO IS AN AUTO TECH SCANNED MY CAR AND THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR CODE CAME UP. HELP IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS? *JS

MY DAUGHTER (16) WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE SERVICE ROAD WHEN OUT OF NO WHERE THE CAR STARTED JERKING AND SLOWED SPEED. SHE THEN TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND IT DRUG. INSTEAD OF CATCHING BACK UP TO SPEED IT TOOK A MINUTE TO REACH THE SPEED. AND SINCE THEN ITS BEEN VERY HARD TO DRIVE. WE TOOK IT TO SHOP THEY SAID I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND AN INPUT AND OUTPUT SYSTEM AND A SPEED SENSOR. THEY ALSO SAID THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH SUZUKI FORENZA. BUT ITS VERY DANGEROUS I DO FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD QUALIFY FOR A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. IS ANYONE ONLY LISTEN TO THESE REPORTS AT ALL? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

SHIFTER LOCK SOLENOID DEFECT, FOR NO APPARENT REASON I NOW HAVE TO JAM A KEY INTO THE SHIFTER TO SWITCH OUT OF 'PARK' EVERY SINGLE TIME I START MY CAR. *TR

I KEEP HAVING TO STICK A KEY IN MY SHIFT LOCK JUST TO GET THE CAR OUT OF PARK AND HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR A WHILE NOW. THE PART YOU PUT THE SEAT BELT INTO WHEN YOU PUT IT ON KEEPS STICKING DOWN SO YOU CAN'T WEAR A SEAT BELT SOMETIMES AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR ABOUT EVERY 3 MONTHS SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. *TR

WHEN OPERATING IN DRIVE POSITION THE VEHICLE WENT INTO NEUTRAL WITH LOSS OF TRACTION, DRIVE POWER COULD ONLY BE RESTORED BY SELECTING DRIVE POSITION 3. THERE WERE SEVERAL SUBSEQUENT OCCURRENCES OF THE PROBLEM ONE OF WHICH NEARLY RESULTED IN A REAR END COLLISION. A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP DIAGNOSED A NEUTRAL SAFETY / TRANSMISSION POSITION SWITCH FAILURE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A REPEATING COMPLAINT THEME WITH THIS VEHICLE MODEL. THE OCCURRENCE IS UNNERVING AND COULD RESULT IN SEVERE (POTENTIALLY FATAL) CONSEQUENCES. *TR

COMING HOME FROM WORK, MY TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY SHIFTED INTO 3RD GEAR AS WELL AS MY SPEEDOMETER STARTED BOUNCING. DURING THIS EPISODE THE CRUISE CONTROL BEGAN TO DROP OUT. A WHILE LATER, ABOUT 2 MILES, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND I HAD TO PULL OFF THE FREE WAY AND GOT TOWED HOME. I GOOGLED MY CAR SITUATION AND FOUND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS EVENTS AS MINE. HAS SUZUKI ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE AND IF SO, WHAT IS THE FIX? *TR

BEFORE TAKING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL, I PUT MY CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE, AS SOON AS I SWITCHED IT FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I NOTICED THAT ON THE DIGITAL SCREEN THAT THE "D" HAD A SLASH MARK AS IF TO SAY "NO DRIVING", AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. I RESTARTED IT TO SEE IF MAYBE IT WAS A GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM. THIS TIME, I WENT FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND THE SLASH MARK WAS STILL ON DRIVE, HOWEVER I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR VERY SLOWLY.. IT WOULDN'T GO OVER 5MPH. I REVERSED AND PARKED BACK INTO MY PARKING SPACE. ONCE THIS HAPPENED, I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH. TURNS OUT, IT IS THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR, AND A LOT OF OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THE NEXT DAY, I DECIDED TO ATTEMPT TO DRIVE IT AGAIN.. BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THESE CARS HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN AND SEEM TO DECIDE TO GO BAD ONE DAY AND ACT COMPLETELY NORMAL THE NEXT! I STARTED THE CAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON, BUT SEEMED TO DRIVE FINE. I DROVE IT TO HAVE IT TESTED AT THE AUTO STORE. THE TEST CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR. I THEN STOPPED AT A STORE ON MY WAY HOME. I WAS IN THE STORE LESS THAN 5 MINUTES, CAME OUT TO MY CAR, AND IT WOULD NOT START! I THOUGHT THE BATTERY HAD IRONICALLY DIED. MY BROTHER IN LAW CAME TO JUMP IT, BUT HAD NO SUCCESS. I TURN THE KEY ALL THE WAY OVER, AND THE SERVICE LIGHTS COME ON, BUT IT WONT EVEN TRY TO TURN OVER.. ITS ALMOST AS IF THE CAR HAS NOTHING UNDER THE HOOD... CRAZY THAT IT WONT EVEN ATTEMPT TO START. MY BROTHER IN LAW SAYS IT MAY BE THE STARTER, BUT SOMETHING TELLS ME THIS ALL HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR. PLEASE PUT THIS PART ON RECALL! I'VE SEEN ENOUGH COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS THAT I CANT BELIEVE THERE HASN'T BEEN ONE YET. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! RECALL THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR! THIS IS DANGEROUS!!!! *TR

AFTER BEING PARKED FOR A WHILE THE CAR JERKS WHEN I SHIFT TO REVERSE AS WELL AS MAKES SOME KIND OF CLUNKING SOUND. AFTERWARD, WHEN I SHIFT TO DRIVE, THERE IS A MARKED DELAY PRIOR TO ACCELERATION. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHENEVER I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS ETC. I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR AGAIN WHICH I HAD TO REPLACE IN 2011 @ 30K MILES BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD STALL WHILE IN OPERATION. THIS TRANSMISSION SENSOR ISSUE IS WAY TOO COMMON IN THESE CARS FOR SUZUKI TO NOT HAVE ISSUED ANY KIND OF STATEMENT OR PROVIDED ANY RESTITUTION YET. I'M DREADING HAVING TO PAY ANOTHER $200+ FOR REPAIRS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT AND THEY SHOULDN'T WAIT LIKE GM TO DEAL WITH IT. THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE CAR INDICATES THAT IT IS NO LONGER IN DRIVE. EVEN THOUGH ON THE SHIFTER IT SAYS IT IS STILL IN DRIVE. ALSO WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE CAR WILL COME OUT OF DRIVE. TO FIX THE PROBLEM YOU MUST PULL THE CAR INTO THIRD GEAR, WAIT A FEW MINUTES THEN PUT IT BACK INTO DRIVE. *TR

VEHICLE SLIPS OUT OF DRIVE WHEN ACCELERATING WHICH CAUSES IT TO LOSE POWER DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. SEEMS TO JUMP TO NEUTRAL. LOSS OF SPEED AND AT THE SAME TIME THE ENGINE WILL REV AND RPM'S WILL INCREASE. THIS HAPPENS MOSTLY ON HIGHWAY, SOMETIMES ON STREETS. THIS NEVER HAPPENS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THIS HAPPENED FOR WEEKS WITHOUT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT INDICATOR ON. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL ONLY OCCUR WHEN REVERSING. MECHANIC SAID THE ISSUE (P0700 AND P0705) INDICATES A TRANSMISSION SENSOR ISSUE WHICH IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SUZUKI MESSAGE FORUMS AND OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. I CONTACTED SUZUKI AMERICAN HEADQUARTERS AND THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A HEAVILY HAZARDOUS ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE, HOPEFULLY NOT MYSELF, DIES. *TR

THIS SUZUKI NEEDS TO BE RECALLED ALTOGETHER! NO ONE SHOULD STILL BE DRIVING THESE. NOT ONLY CAN THE HEADLIGHTS OR BRAKE LIGHT SENSOR SWITCHES GO BAD AND JUST STOP WORKING, THEY OVERHEAT, DRAIN THE BATTERY, OVERWORK THE ALTERNATOR, WHICH THEN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, THE FALL DISPLAYS EVERY GEAR ALL AT ONCE EVEN WHILE IN DRIVE AND DISPLAYING A SPEED THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING. THE DOOR HANDLES BRAKE OFF, SO YOU CAN NOT ESCAPE THE DEATH TRAP. THEY HAVE BLOWN HEAD GASKET, MANY SMALL OIL LEAKS, TIRE PRESSURE GAGE PROBLEMS, TIRES/WHEELS WON'T ALIGN, THIS BALDS THE TIRE LOP SIDED SO TIRE BLOW OUTS OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY. HALF THE TONE IT WON'T EVEN GO, NOW OR WON'T START AT ALL. MANY MORE ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE, BUYER BEWARE, DO NOT BUY THESE CARS! *TR

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2007 SUZUKI FORENZA. AS I WAS GETTING READY TO TRAVEL ACROSS A BRIDGE WHEN THE CAR APPEAR TO CHANGE GEARS EVEN THOUGH THE SHIFT WAS IN DRIVE. I IMMEDIATELY CHANGED THE SHIFT TO 3RD GEAR AND SLOWLY MADE MY WAY ACROSS THE BRIDGE. HAD THE CAR INSPECTED, I WENT WITH THE MECHANIC ON TEST DRIVE AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE MANUAL LEVEL POSITION SHIFT SENSOR. CAR WORKED FINE UNTIL ABOUT A MONTH AGO, IT DID THE SAME THING. NOW I DRIVE VERY CAUTIOUSLY. *TR

CAR LOSES POWER DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. SEEMS TO JUMP TO NEUTRAL. LOSS OF SPEED AND AT THE SAME TIME THE ENGINE WILL REV AND RPM'S WILL INCREASE. THIS HAPPENS MOSTLY ON HIGHWAY, SOMETIMES ON STREETS. THIS NEVER HAPPENS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THIS HAPPENED FOR WEEKS WITHOUT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT INDICATOR ON. WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON THE MECHANIC SAID THE CODES(P0700 AND P0705) INDICATE A TRANSMISSION SENSOR ISSUE WHICH IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MECHANIC SAID THAT THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICES BULLETIN ON THE ISSUE BUT NOT A RECALL. THERE ARE BLOGS AND OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. I CONTACTED SUZUKI AMERICAN HEADQUARTERS AND THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ISSUE. THIS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STOPPED UNEXPECTEDLY AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE GEARS SHIFTED ON THEIR OWN. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE...UPDATED 12-11/14 *BF .

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUZUKI FORENZA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME SLUGGISH. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. A YEAR PRIOR TO THE FAILURE THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE RECENT FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR 3 MONTHS AGO AND ALREADY GOING OUT. THIS WILL BE THE 3RD TIME REPLACING SINCE I OWNED THE CAR. *TR