SuzukiForenza2006Overview/suzuki/forenza/2006/base/

2006 Suzuki Forenza

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2006 Forenza.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2006 Suzuki Forenza is classified as a passenger car equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission and EPA fuel economy ratings of 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined. This model year accumulated 280 owner complaints—the highest volume across the 2004-2008 production cycle—with powertrain issues representing the primary concern and four recalls issued during its run. Standing as the clear high-water mark for reported problems within this generation, the 2006 model contrasts sharply with the 63 complaints logged for the 2004 debut year, indicating a pronounced decline in reliability for this specific iteration.

Model year2008200720062004

Quick specs

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

Lug nut torque66-92 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/28/22 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 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 Test13-17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13-17 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) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Driveshaft (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBody Fasteners (torque) · Body Lock Cylinders (lubricate) · Brake Line (inspect) · Door Hinge (lubricate) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
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 Canister (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
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 2006 Suzuki Forenza sits at the peak of this generation's complaint arc, with 280 federal complaints — more than double the 2005 figure (156) and well above the 2004 baseline of 63. Complaints then decline to 256 in 2007 and 152 in 2008, meaning the target year represents the worst point in a clearly deteriorating-then-recovering trend. Recalls remain elevated at 4 for 2006, down only slightly from the 2004 high of 5, while investigations drop to zero after two consecutive years with one each — suggesting regulators shifted attention away even as consumer complaints surged. The dominant complaint areas are Power Train (73) and Air Bags (41), with 19 crash-related and 8 fire-related complaints recorded; the data does not specify root causes for any of these. Notably, TSBs held steady at 20 from 2005 to 2006 before dropping to 13, indicating Suzuki's technical response did not scale with the complaint volume. Given that 2006 is the single highest-complaint year of the entire generation and its problem areas involve safety-critical systems, this is a year to avoid when shopping used.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
20
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
280
Owner complaints
19 involved a crash · 8 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 280 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train73
Air Bags41
Electrical System19
Engine & Engine Cooling12
Exterior Lighting9
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting7
Power Train,Vehicle Speed Control7
Structure6

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 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…
SC-60R-12012-05-13Air BagsSUZUKI: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, WITHIN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM CUSHION, THE SENSING…

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 2006 Forenza have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Forenza get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 28 highway / 22 combined mpg.