NHTSA Complaint #10228171 — 2004 SUZUKI FORENZA

I PURCHASED A NEW 2004 SUZUKI FORENZA IN JULY OF 2004. I MUST SAY IT'S BEEN OK. IN APRIL OF 2008, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. I TOOK IT TO HAVE IT SERVICED AT JIFFY LUBE, AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC WITH A COMPUTER TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM AS IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF THINGS. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC SHOP, WAS TOLD THE COOLANT WAS LOW, AND THEY SAW A SPOT ON THE ENGINE AND MAYBE THE ENGINE WAS SUCKING UP THE COOLANT, TO BRING IT BACK IN 2 WEEKS AND THEY WOULD CHECK THIS. IN THE MEANTIME I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND TOOK IT TO A SUZUKI DEALER AFTER I HEARD THE WORDS COULD BE AN ENGINE PROBLEM. THE SUZUKI REPAIR SHOP INITIALLY SAID, THE CAR NEEDED A COMPUTER UPDATE, AND THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SAME DAY, I PICKED THE CAR UP, AND IT WAS DRIVING WORSE THAN BEFORE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND CAR WAS NOT STARTING IN THE MORNING . I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN, THE NEXT WEEK, PAID $244.00 FOR A $20.00 PART, THEY KEPT THE CAR 3 DAYS, (WAITING THE $20.00 PART TO COME IN SUPPOSEDLY), PICKED THE CAR UP ON FRIDAY 5/16, SUNDAY 5/18, SAME PROBLEM BACK AGAIN, CALLED SUZUKI DEALERSHIP, WAS TOLD TO BRING CAR BACK IN AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. IN THE MEANTIME MY EXTENDED WARRANTY IS NOW EXPIRED (OR COURSE) AND I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET FOR OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MODEL CAR AND READ 7 PRIOR COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEMS. MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS MENTIONED NO ONE COULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. IT APPEARS THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAPPENS BEFORE THE PAYOFF OF THE CAR, AND IT NO ONE CAN FIND THE PROBLEM, HOW IS THE CONSUMER TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM. THE PRIOR COMPLAINTS ALSO NOTED THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP 4 OR 5 TIMES, STILL NO SOLUTIONS. WITH OUR ECONOMY THE WAY IT IS TODAY, ISSUES WITH OUR CARS JUST ADD TO THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIX/ADVISE/CONSULT OR SOMETHING ABOUT HOW TO GET THIS ISSUE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND CAR NOT STARTING IN THE MORNING RESOLVED. *TR