NHTSA Complaint #10180894 — 2005 SUZUKI FORENZA

THIS IS A ROUGH DRAFT OF THE LETTER I WILL BE SENDING TO SUZUKI: I BOUGHT MY SUZUKI FORENZA IN FEBRUARY OF 2005. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR THREE TIMES TO SUZUKI OF WEST BROWARD FOR AN OIL LEAK. THE FIRST TIME THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD AN AFTERMARKET OIL FILTER (FROM MEINEKE). I HAD MY DOUBTS THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM. I AUTHORIZED THAT THEY CHANGE THE OIL FILTER. WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR HOME IT WAS STILL LEAKING. I WAS CHARGED $28.04 FOR THE SERVICE THAT DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A POROUS OIL PAN. I WAS NOT REFUNDED (NOR OFFERED TO BE REFUNDED) MY $28.04 FOR THE OIL CHANGE AND FILTER CHANGE. THE PARTS WERE NOT IN STOCK AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD ARRIVE THE SAME WEEK. THEY ARRIVED THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE OIL PAN WAS REPLACED. THE CAR WAS STILL LEAKING OIL. I TOOK IT A THIRD TIME AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THEY SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. BESIDES THE OIL LEAK, THE POWER STEERING HAS BEEN MAKING A HUMMING SOUND WHEN I WOULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS PROBLEM I TOOK TO BILL SEIDLES SUZUKI IN MIAMI. I WAS TOLD THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS DIRTY. THIS SEEMED TO WORK FOR SOME TIME BUT NOW THERE IS STILL A LOWER HUM. BEFORE THESE TWO SETBACKS, THERE WERE MINOR PROBLEMS THAT AROSE AFTER THE 36,000 MILE BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. A BULB WENT OUT IN THE DASH AND THE FOG-LIGHT BULBS WOULD CONTINUOUSLY BURN OUT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A GROUNDING PROBLEM IN THE CAR THAT PRODUCES INTERFERENCE ON THE RADIO DIRECTLY RELATED TO MY ACCELERATION OF THE CAR. AFTER THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNING THIS CAR, IT HAS BEEN PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE SERVICE CENTERS FOR SUZUKI IN SOUTH FLORIDA ARE OF THE POOREST QUALITY. THERE IS NO ATTENTION AND IT SEEMS THAT PARTS ARE NEVER AVAILABLE AT THE FACILITIES FOR REPAIRS. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF SUZUKI AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE OF THE COMPANY.