2003 Suzuki Aerio
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Suzuki › Aerio › 2003
These records cover every 2003 Suzuki Aerio. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
2 recalls name the 2003 Suzuki Aerio. Newest first.
On certain vehicles equipped with 5-speed manual transmissions, due to improper shape of the clip, the retaining clip that keeps the gear shift cable attached to the gear shift lever can contact the gear shift lever housing if excessive lateral force IS applied when shifting to first gear.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Repeated shifting in this manner can eventually cause the retaining clip to break. if the retaining clip breaks, the shift cable can become disconnected from the shift lever, resulting in loss of the ability to change transmission gears.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the gear shift cable retaining clip with a clip that has a different shape. the recall began on august 13, 2007. owners may contact american suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.
Certain passenger (111 my 2002 esteem, 777 my 2002 aerio, 2,368 my 2003 aerio) and sport utility (324 my 2002 grand vitara, 274 my 2003 grand vitara, 684 my 2002 grand vitara XL-7, and 781 my 2003 grand vitara XL-7) vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 212, 'windshield mounting." the windshield may not…
Risk and remedy
Risk
If the windshield IS not properly secured, it may separate from the vehicle during a crash which could result in the ejection of unbelted occupants, increasing the risk of severe injury or death.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect these vehicles. vehicles that are found to have insufficient paint adhesion will either have the problem remedied by repainting, or will be replaced, or repurchased and destroyed. owner notification began on july 8, 2003. owners should contact suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.
Owner complaints
36 complaints3 involved a crash1 involved a fire6 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Engine
Started the car to warm it up, and smoke came out of dash board, making glass where speedometer IS smokey and it still IS. Smelt like wire burning and shut it off immediately. When checked on, a wire insulation had burnt off causing the smoke and smell. After replacing the wire coating, it was…
Started the car to warm it up, and smoke came out of dash board, making glass where speedometer IS smokey and it still IS. Smelt like wire burning and shut it off immediately. When checked on, a wire insulation had burnt off causing the smoke and smell. After replacing the wire coating, it was fine for a while, then coming back from a trip to augusta the speedometer number got dimmer, but I did not smell any smoke. So not sure what the defect IS, just know this can't be right. *tr
- Power train
TL* the contact owns a 2003 suzuki aerio sx wagon. The contact stated that the manual transmission dislodged from the fifth gear while driving 55 mph. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be repaired. The vehicle was then taken…
TL* the contact owns a 2003 suzuki aerio sx wagon. The contact stated that the manual transmission dislodged from the fifth gear while driving 55 mph. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be repaired. The vehicle was then taken to an independent repair shop and the fifth gear of the transmission was repaired. The contact was also informed that the fifth gear was externally housed, causing the failure. The remaining gears were all internally housed and operated as normal. The failure recurred approximately one week later. The vehicle was taken back to the repair shop and repairs were again performed. The failure had since continuously recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 82,000.
- Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 suzuki aerio sx. the contact stated that the door handle broke while attempting to open it. the dealer and manufacturer were notified of the defect. The door handle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 10,586 and the current mileage was 11,000.
- Unknown or other
I have had problems with my car for almost 2 months and it seems it never ends. Serious power steering problems which causes a lot of inconveniences for a single mother like me, taken to some shops, money wasted on nothing because it seems this IS one of the weakest and worst problems a suzuki aerio 2003 could have. Checked on the internet and all of them have the same problem ! *Ln
- Tires
The reason IS that I bought one used good year tire but I just run on high way for few miles only it was seriously flat on last saturday (may 9, 2009). I did not know why an inferior tire would be sold in the store, when I purchased it seems very good like a new good year tire, and I was noticed I…
The reason IS that I bought one used good year tire but I just run on high way for few miles only it was seriously flat on last saturday (may 9, 2009). I did not know why an inferior tire would be sold in the store, when I purchased it seems very good like a new good year tire, and I was noticed I need to pay for replace it. I noticed the inside of the tire something was melted---a flimsy piece of material. Could your office investigate those problems, because if those tires were equipped to the front of the cars would cause serious problems on the high way?. could you investigate why they have/sell those inferior tires? the used tire store information: affordable tire & wheels; 12099 ballaire blvd, houston, tx 77072. *Tr wenluo zhang
- Power train › Driveline · Power train › Manual transmission
2003 suzuki aerio cv joint keeps coming out due to snap ring in rear end,car IS under warranty. Car dealer will not honor warranty,says rear axle IS a after market part, this IS not true,why would we have car worked on when under warranty, we are third owner of car and know the two previous owners…
2003 suzuki aerio cv joint keeps coming out due to snap ring in rear end,car IS under warranty. Car dealer will not honor warranty,says rear axle IS a after market part, this IS not true,why would we have car worked on when under warranty, we are third owner of car and know the two previous owners which IS a father and son,they are adamant no work has been done on this car,they would have taken the car to get fixed since it IS still under warranty, its very easy for the mechanic to get some rear end axle and say it came out of my car ,just to avoid fixing my car,their claim IS if someone else worked on this car that voids the warranty, so this IS their convenient way of getting out of fixing my car. *Tr
- Wheels
Cracking and bending of rim where the tire bead seals,have had to replace three different rims in the last two and a half years. *tr
- Tires
I am writing in reference to tire debris being left in the middle of new york's highways. These situations create hazardous road conditions and should be handled by the local governmental agencies. Today, I was traveling on 495 going west and a huge tire was left in the middle lane, I was not able…
I am writing in reference to tire debris being left in the middle of new york's highways. These situations create hazardous road conditions and should be handled by the local governmental agencies. Today, I was traveling on 495 going west and a huge tire was left in the middle lane, I was not able to swerve so it created damage to my vehicle of which I am seeking to b e compensated. Please contact me regarding this matter. Thank you. *tr
- Power train › Manual transmission
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 suzuki aerio. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign ID number 07v307000 (power train:manual transmission). the dealer IS giving the contact the run around. the manufacturer stated that the dealer has the part, but the dealer stated otherwise. the…
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 suzuki aerio. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign ID number 07v307000 (power train:manual transmission). the dealer IS giving the contact the run around. the manufacturer stated that the dealer has the part, but the dealer stated otherwise. the dealer advised him to speak with the service manager, but the service manager has not returned his phone calls. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 50,000. updated 02-19-08 *bf the consumer stated when calling to confirm the part IS available always receives the run around from the dealer. Updated 02/19/08 *tr
- Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft
Driving home on I-72 westbound from champaign, il. 2003 suzuki aerio had been in cruise control mode at 65mph. Took off cruise to pass a semi trailer. Car engine revved up and down resulting in no power for a moment. Was able to pull back in behind semi, allowing car following me to go around. Lost…
Driving home on I-72 westbound from champaign, il. 2003 suzuki aerio had been in cruise control mode at 65mph. Took off cruise to pass a semi trailer. Car engine revved up and down resulting in no power for a moment. Was able to pull back in behind semi, allowing car following me to go around. Lost all power, but was able to pull safely off onto the shoulder just east of the exit ramp to rt 47. car was towed in to shop in clinton, il. Mechanic looked up technical service bulletin ts 02 06284- m/t left driveshaft pops out of final drive. Car has just over 108,000 miles, so it IS out of warranty. this was a potentially fatal situation to have been in. It appears that this IS becoming a problem with these models, but no recall has been issued. this has been reported to suzuki via their 800-934-0934 number. Case number IS 1-140908504. They stated they are not obligated to cover any costs because the car IS out of the 7 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty. reason for submitting this compliant- to make nshta aware of a potentially fatal situation with the suzuki aerio. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 suzuki aerio. over the course of a few days, the contact heard a noise coming from the engine. the noise intensified as time progressed. while driving 55 mph, the engine noise became louder and the vehicle gradually lost power and stalled. the vehicle was towed to the…
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 suzuki aerio. over the course of a few days, the contact heard a noise coming from the engine. the noise intensified as time progressed. while driving 55 mph, the engine noise became louder and the vehicle gradually lost power and stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who stated that the engine needs to be replaced. the vin and engine size were unavailable. the current and failure mileages were 73,000.
- Power train › Manual transmission
I own a 2003 aerio suzuki sx 5-speed with manual transmission. It's been popping out of 5TH gear and into neutral. I brought it to the dealer where purchased. They said they test drove it and could not "duplicate concern". the very rude service advisor told me even if problem was found they do not…
I own a 2003 aerio suzuki sx 5-speed with manual transmission. It's been popping out of 5TH gear and into neutral. I brought it to the dealer where purchased. They said they test drove it and could not "duplicate concern". the very rude service advisor told me even if problem was found they do not have equipment to repair it and to take it someplace else. She also made a comment about not needing "free work",leading me to believe because it IS under warranty, they did not want to do extensive work for free!! I called suzuki and they said most dealers probably wouldn't test drive it more than 20 miles and it IS hard to fix an intermittent problem and to try another dealer. Driving at high speeds and having gears pop out should get more attention than an" intermittent problem". Other dealers are more than 30 miles away and hard to leave vehicle there. I read about this same problem on line and one of the people 's dealer diagnosed the problem as premature wear in the 5TH gear synchro assembly and repaired his vehicle. *jb
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc
Development of "brake shake" under normal conditions, i.e. Usage under 15,000 miles annually; warped front discs due to inferior manufacture/materials; attempted to resolve under warranty; advised by several dealerships to have brake pads changed again, normal brake pad seating reaction, other lies, etc. *nm
- Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Dt*: the contact stated the button used to open the sliding doors jammed. the occupants in the back seat were unable to exit the vehicle. The vehicle door was rigged with a screw driver to release the passengers and fix the door jam. The dealership has been alerted.
- Steering › Hydraulic power assist system
Approximately in june 2005 a noise and vibration developed when running the a/c and it turned out to be the s-belt tensioner, which was replaced at my expense, at crawford suzuki on airways blvd. In el paso, texas.on june 12, 2006, while returning from tucson, az, my wife noticed a vibration and…
Approximately in june 2005 a noise and vibration developed when running the a/c and it turned out to be the s-belt tensioner, which was replaced at my expense, at crawford suzuki on airways blvd. In el paso, texas.on june 12, 2006, while returning from tucson, az, my wife noticed a vibration and noise. I took the car to crawford suzuki on 6/15/2006 (smcs345882). After the car was examined by the technician I was told that the problem was a misaligned, factory installed power steering bracket. According to the serviceman able aguirre, I would have to fully pay for the repair as the car IS over the warranty period.on saturday 17, I spoke to javier, the owner of thrifty car sales and he agreed that suzuki should repair at their expense what IS obviously a factory defect. At crawford they agree that this IS a matter of a factory defect and therefore the manufacturer IS responsible for it.on friday 23, I spoke to a person who identified himself as ''manny'' the service manager told me that all he could do was to contact the suzuki district manager and he would get back to me. He also, stated that this specific problem was addressed in a ''service bulletin'' they had received about a month after these units were placed on the market and a replacement bracket was available, but there was no recall. sometime later, manny told my wife that their solution IS that they will provide the parts and I will have to pay for labor. This IS unacceptable as I already paid a couple of hundred dollars for a problem that now we know was caused by this factory defect. I think that since they knew of the defect early enough, they are fully responsible since they neither the suzuki dealerships nor the factory, disclosed this defect prior to the sale of the automobile to the prospective customers, neither did they make an effort to cause the repair. *nm
- Electrical system · Steering › Rack and pinion
I took my car in to birmingham suzuki because my car was shaking and when you turn the car it would make a popping noise. they repair shop told me it was the racking pinion and the tie rod. They also told me that the care was unsafe to drive until it was repaired. my extended warranty covered it.…
I took my car in to birmingham suzuki because my car was shaking and when you turn the car it would make a popping noise. they repair shop told me it was the racking pinion and the tie rod. They also told me that the care was unsafe to drive until it was repaired. my extended warranty covered it. I took my care back in on sept. 6, 2005 because my car would not start. the repair shop at birmingham suzuki informed me that when they ran the diagnostic that my ecm had loose wiring. they put it back in and then the car ran fine. the extended warranty did not cover that because they stated that there were no parts replaced. *jb
- Power train › Automatic transmission
Dt: 2003 suzuki aerio, vehicle will not go into reverse after the vehicle has been parked unless the consumer pulls vehicle forward first, this problem occurs all the time, consumer took vehicle to the dealer directly after purchasing the vehicle. dealer said the cable busted. Then the dealer…
Dt: 2003 suzuki aerio, vehicle will not go into reverse after the vehicle has been parked unless the consumer pulls vehicle forward first, this problem occurs all the time, consumer took vehicle to the dealer directly after purchasing the vehicle. dealer said the cable busted. Then the dealer changed a cable cord. this still did not fix the problem. To dealer, consumer took the vehicle a second time, and dealer changed out the gear box, this still did not fix the problem. the third time the dealer said they could not find the cause of the problem, vehicle IS still under warranty . *ak
- Equipment
Trunk pops up while driving and paint IS peeling
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
2003 suzuki aerio engine failed due to lack of oil.*mr the engine failed while the consumers wife was driving, which left her without brakes. The manufacturer stated the failure was due to lack of oil, however the consumer disagreed because the consumer has all of the service records. (Lawyer on behalf of consumer). *Jb
- Service brakes, hydraulic
When applying the brakes a loud banging sound was produced and the vehicle veered to the right. *ak brake grabs and pulls the car off the road to the right. Brakes snap and pop causing the car to stop in a peculiar fashion. the car needs to be recalled before serious problems occur total brake failure. *bf *nm
- Power train › Driveline › Constant velocity joint
While driving at 15 mph and making a turn driver tried to accelerate and the vehicle just stopped. The left front cv axle came out of the trans axle. The clip came out of the cv joint, causing the vehicle to become immobile. Owner had vehicle towed to the dealership. *Ak
- Electronic stability control › Automatic (asc) · Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Vehicle tended to shake, making it difficult to control and steer the vehicle . Also, vehicle had a hard time stopping when brakes were applied. Taken for repairs twice, but the cause was still undetermined.*ak
- Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system
The windshield continued to fog or freeze when the defroster was on. As a result the driver visibility was impaired. Please provide additional information. *jb
- Power train › Manual transmission
While driving 55 mph consumer heard a loud popping noise coming from the front. suddenly, the vehicle shifted gears. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection. *ak.......problem happened every time consumer put vehicle in 5TH gear. Dealer…
While driving 55 mph consumer heard a loud popping noise coming from the front. suddenly, the vehicle shifted gears. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection. *ak.......problem happened every time consumer put vehicle in 5TH gear. Dealer repaired it, but problem recurred, though not as regularly. Dealer refuses to repair it, claiming car IS operating within specs. *ak
- Electrical system · Electrical system › Ignition · Electrical system › Wiring · Fuel system, gasoline
En marzo del 2003, esta servidora compro un aerio sx gris del 2003 en el. concesionario de nimay susuki en vega baja, puerto rico. Al los seis meses. aproximadamente de estar utilizando el vehiculo este comenz a reflejar fallas. *ak hasta que SE apaga mientras est en movimiento. El mismo…
En marzo del 2003, esta servidora compro un aerio sx gris del 2003 en el. concesionario de nimay susuki en vega baja, puerto rico. Al los seis meses. aproximadamente de estar utilizando el vehiculo este comenz a reflejar fallas. *ak hasta que SE apaga mientras est en movimiento. El mismo comienza con un leve temblor en el gua y en segundos SE apaga. Ya lleva dos visitas al dealer para correccin del problema, pero recientemente, el viernes, 5 de noviembre de 2004, me ocurri un serio percance bajando una cuesta. SE apag el motor mientras bajabamos la cuesta y no pude detenerlo hasta llegar al final, o sea baj apagado una distancia considerable. Una distancia durante la cual mis hijos y yo pensamos que nos iba pasar lo peor. Gracias a dios pude controlar la situacin. Hoy ES 8 de noviembre y an no nos hemos repuesto del susto. No me he atrevido guiar el carro otra vez. En estos momentos estoy en negociacion con el dealer para corregir el problema de mi auto por tercera ocasin ya que el vehiculo rebas el millaje de garanta por escasas 147 millas. Les narro mi experiencia por si ha sucedido lo mismo con otras personas tomen cartas en el asunto, ya que en el dealer no han encontrado la razn para esa falla. Por favor ayudenos. Yo necesito el carro para ir a trabajar y poder mantener a mis hijos y no ES logico que en menos de dos aos me tenga que quedar a pie con un carro que estoy pagando mensualmente y el cual no me brinda seguridad. necesito que alguien me oriente. Mi telefono ES 1-787-392-0067
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10216558Reminder of the importance to conduct safety inspections for rust damage to suspension and related parts that could be caused by road salt or other chemicals applied to the roadway.
- 10152052This Service Bulletin was sent by Suzuki Motor Corporation to its authorized Suzuki automobile distributors in the U.S., explaining the importance of proper inspection and maintenance of suspension lower arm ball joints to prevent the ball stud from becoming separated from the suspension lower arm.
- 10028704Suzuki: parts list for repairing manual transaxle 5TH gear concerns such as popping out of gear while driving. Worn or failed 5TH gear synchronizer, 5TH gear, and related parts.
- 10018839In extreme cold climates, the malfunction indicator lamp may be on when the engine IS started. The dtc p2025 will be stored in the ecm.
- 10015941Driver and/or passenger side mirror loose. Suzuki aerio (rh420/rh423)
- 10015909Modification of main bearing oil clearance and the bearing selection procedure. 2002-2005 suzuki aero-rh420/rh423
- 10008459Alternator replacement.
- 10007730Instrument cluster bulb replacement. Also includes 2004 model.
- 10007729Aerio front brake pad. Also includes 2004 model.
- 10006730Addition of a note to the manual transmission gear shifter assembly instructions in the service manual.
- 10006210Slow and/or incomplete retraction of seat belts.
- 10002995Washer fluid leaking out of nozzles when not in use leaving washer fluid marks on the hood. Windshield washer hose replacement.
- 10001716Popping noise on slight turns.
- 10001711Wheel alignment specifications - service manual update.
Every Suzuki Aerio model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.