SuzukiForenza EX2005Overview/suzuki/forenza-ex/2005/base/

2005 Suzuki Forenza EX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2005 Forenza EX.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2005 Suzuki Forenza EX is a passenger car paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission. This model delivers an EPA fuel economy rating of 20/28/22 mpg. Its reliability profile is defined by 156 total owner complaints and three recalls, with the air bags emerging as the primary area of concern.

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. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

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

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts16 ft-lbs

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
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 8 oil

Service checks

Pressure Test15.3 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15.3 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature189 °F
Injector Primary Resistance11.6-12.4 @ 68 degreesF ohms

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

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages
118 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
290 degrees.90 degrees
390 degrees.90 degrees
490 degrees.90 degrees

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.

Owner complaints about the 2005 Suzuki Forenza EX lead in one area — the air bags, 38 of 156 reports (24%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 3 recall campaigns target the air bags, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 5 of the reports describe a crash and 7 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the air bags pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
20
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
156
Owner complaints
5 involved a crash · 7 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 156 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags38
Exterior Lighting20
Power Train18
Electrical System12
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting8
Engine & Engine Cooling5
Engine3
Electrical System,Engine3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V262000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 19/05/2014

Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Forenza vehicles, and 2005-2008 Reno vehicles manufactured from September 1, 2003, through July 30, 2008. In the affected vehicles, heat… Remedy: Suzuki will replace the signal switch and add a jumper relay kit and will replace the DRL Module in teh instrument panel harness. Suzuki distributed to owners an interim letter on…

12V397000Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under DashReported 14/08/2012

Suzuki is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 Forenza and model year 2005-2006 Reno vehicles manufactured from September 23, 2003, through March 7, 2006. Increased resistance due to poor contact between the terminals… Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners, and Suzuki dealers will reconnect the affected wires with two heat-shrink crimps, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 25, 2012. Owners…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 20 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…
SUZ_0131752016-05-18Air BagsTHIS SERVICE BULLETIN UPDATES A BULLETIN ORIGINALLY ISSUED ON MAY 18, 2016, CONCERNING A…
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…

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 EX. 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 2005 Forenza EX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Forenza EX get?

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