SuzukiForenza2004Overview/suzuki/forenza/2004/base/

2004 Suzuki Forenza

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2004 Forenza.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2004 Suzuki Forenza is a passenger car equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission and an EPA-rated fuel economy of 20 city, 28 highway, and 22 combined mpg. While this model year experienced five recalls and frequent complaints regarding exterior lighting, it marks the most stable entry in the vehicle's 2004-2008 production history. With only 63 total owner complaints, the 2004 model represents the lowest complaint volume of the range, contrasting sharply with the 280 complaints recorded for the 2006 model.

Model year2008200720062004

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque66-92 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/28/22 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 28 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume95 cu ft
Cargo volume12 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque lug nuts to 66-92 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity4.2
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Manual Transmission FluidGL-4
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity3.8
Power Steering FluidATF

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts66-92 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug Gap0.040 in
Spark Plug Torque15.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.37-1.46 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type150
Oil Capacity7.44 oz

Service checks

Pressure Test15.3 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15.3 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature189 °F

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle70 ft-lbs / 41 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.280; Rear: 0.079 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0001 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.95 in / 0.409 in
Rotor Finish0.87 μin / 0.315 μin

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miBody Fasteners (torque) · Body Lock Cylinders (lubricate) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Frame Fasteners (torque)
Every 22,500 miPCV Valve (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Clutch Hydraulic System (drain & refill) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect)
Every 60,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister Filter (replace) · Spark Plug Wires (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)
Every 90,000 miFuel Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2004 Suzuki Forenza represents the launch year of this generation and shows the lowest complaint volume (63) across the entire 2004-2008 span, though it carries the highest recall count (5) and the most technical service bulletins (28). Complaints escalated sharply in subsequent years, peaking at 280 in 2006 before declining, suggesting that many latent defects manifested as vehicles aged and accumulated mileage. The 2004 model also bears the sole investigation in the dataset, indicating initial regulatory scrutiny. The top complaint categories—exterior lighting (10), engine and engine cooling (8), and airbags (4)—signal electrical and powertrain concerns, while 9 crash complaints and 5 fire complaints warrant attention but fall within the data set's range. Given the lower complaint baseline, more comprehensive recall coverage, and the availability of extensive TSB documentation for addressing known issues, the 2004 model year appears to be a comparatively safer selection within this generation compared to the problem-prone 2005-2007 peak years.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
28
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
63
Owner complaints
9 involved a crash · 5 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 63 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Exterior Lighting10
Engine & Engine Cooling8
Air Bags4
Engine3
Structure3
Vehicle Speed Control3
Electrical System2
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

03V426000Air Bags:FrontalReported 29/10/2003

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER CARS, THE DUAL STAGE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYS IN AN IMPROPER SEQUENCE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADAPTING WIRING HARNESS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON OCTOBER 30, 2003, TO VERONA VEHICLE OWNERS. ALL FORENZA VEHICLES WERE REPAIRED AT THE PORT OF ENTRY…

05V022000Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:SwitchReported 28/01/2005

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY BECOME MISADJUSTED IF AN UPWARD/REARWARD FORCE IS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. IF THIS SHOULD OCCUR, THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, CAUSING… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 16, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUZUKI AT 1-800-934-0934.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 28 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SUZ_0160082022-07-08SuspensionReminder of the importance to conduct safety inspections for rust damage to suspension…
N-Q-G-0452018-11-20SuspensionThis Service Bulletin was sent by Suzuki Motor Corporation to its authorized Suzuki…
TS-30-062632013-08-08EngineSUZUKI: SUZUKI HAS REPLACEMENT OIL PUMPS THAT HAVE A THREADED PLUG. THE THREADED PROVES…
TS-09-03129R2009-08-01Power TrainSUZUKI VEHICLES: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IS LOOSE IN THE SHIFT GATE AND/OR…
TS06012382008-01-01Power TrainREQUIRED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE INITIALIZATION PROCEDURE. MY 2004-2008…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Forenza. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2004 Forenza have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Forenza get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 28 highway / 22 combined mpg.