Suzuki Aerio Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Suzuki Aerio options? We analyzed 6 model years (2002–2007) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
Free VIN check
Found a Suzuki Aerio? Check that exact car.
Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Suzuki Aerio has 121 owner complaints and 7 safety recalls across model years 2002–2007. The most reported issue area is SERVICE BRAKES. 2006 drew the most complaints; 2007 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Suzuki
- Model
- Aerio
- Model years analyzed
- 2002–2007 (6 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 121
- Safety recall campaigns
- 7
- Crash-related complaints
- 11
- Fire-related complaints
- 5
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2006 (27 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2007 (3 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- SERVICE BRAKES
- Reliability signal
- Below Average
By model year
Suzuki Aerio: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
Below AverageThe SUZUKI AERIO has 121 NHTSA complaints and 7 recalls on record. 11 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 121 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 7 federal recall campaigns
- 11 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Sep 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
7 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2002–2007. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 121 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
121 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT CHANGE ALL THE TIME. HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT FOR POSSIBLE CHANGE. UNTIL IT STOPS ALL TOGETHER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI AERIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BECAME ABNORMALLY TIGHT AND CAUSED WELTS TO THE PASSENGER'S NECK. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY AND A MESSAGE THAT INDICATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS DEACTIVATED. THE PROBLEM RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO RESET THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON. PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 2006. DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR, NO WARRANTY TO COVER DEFECTS. THOUGHT THAT THIS PROBLEM WERE ISOLATED, BUT IS VERY WIDE SPREAD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI AERIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE RPMS AND THE SPEED TO INCREASE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE DEFECT RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,403.
THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON AND THE 'PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF' LIGHT WILL NOT TURN ON. I SEE THERE ARE SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN OTHER MODELS FROM SUZUKI. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI AERIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE INCREASED ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL NUMEROUS TIMES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL REMAINED IN A STUCK POSITION. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENTRAPPED BY THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR MAT. THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED DUE TO THE OPENED THROTTLE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 01/09/13*LJ
Read 14 more owner reports
AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASHBOARD STAYS ON;WHEN REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP,I WAS ADVISED THAT THIS INDICATES"AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT";DEALERSHIP(SUZUKI COURTESY IN PITTSBURGH PA)REJECTS ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEFECT AND WOULD NOT TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE FREE OF CHARGE); NEVER HAD ANY ACCIDENTS WITH CAR,BUT IF "AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY"STATEMENT IS CORRECT,I AM CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF ANYONE DRIVING THIS CAR IN MY HOUSEHOLD. I HAVE FOUND MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET DATABASE AND FEEL THAT NHTSA SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM; CURRENT MILEAGE;37000;CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2006. THANK YOU! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI AERIO. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE; AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHICH THE CONTACT NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENGINE AREA BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 30,000.
SUZUKI AERIO 2006. STEERING WHEEL HAS BECOME LOOSE AND CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DEALER WHAT ME TO PAY FOR REPAIR. I WAS TOLD THAT SOME VITARA'S HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI AERIO. HE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN CHANGED EVERY 2,000 MILES SINCE PURCHASE. THE BRAKES WEAR DOWN TO THE METAL. THIS CONDITION CAUSES THE CALIPERS TO FAIL. HE SPECULATED THAT THE CALIPERS WERE DESIGNED TOO LARGE FOR THE BRAKE SYSTEM. A TECHNICIAN FROM THE DEALER HAS NOT STATED THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY CAN NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,867. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.
ON 04/21/2008 I WAS DRIVING ON A MAIN HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60MPH WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY INFLATED. *TR
ABOUT 1-1-1/2 MONTHS AGO A SQUEAL DEVELOPED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE OF OUR 2006 SUZUKI - CURRENTLY AT 29,000+ MILES. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO SOLD US THE CAR AND AN EXAMINATION WAS DONE. THE MECHANIC SAID THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS GLAZED AND THAT IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. HE SAID THE BELT COULD BE TIGHTENED BY REMOVING A PANEL. IF IT WAS THE PULLEY THAT WAS DEFECTIVE IT WOULD BE REPLACED AND WE COULD BUY THE BELTS AT THAT TIME FROM THE DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT. HE INDICATED TO MY HUSBAND THAT IT WOULD BE ABOUT $155-$165 TO HAVE THE BELTS REPLACED. WHEN ASKED WHAT OTHER CUSTOMERS DID, HE SAID THEY HAD THE BELTS REPLACED OR THEY JUST "LIVED WITH" THE SQUEALING. I HAVE FRANKLY NEVER HAD A CAR THAT HAS HAD BELT ISSUES, AND CLEARLY THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER CUSTOMERS, SO YOUNG IN THE MILEAGE LIFE OF MY VEHICLE. *TR
I BOUGHT THIS CAR BACK IN FEB. 2006 WITH ONLY 1000 MILES ON IT. BY DECEMBER OF 2006, I BEGAN HEARING SQUEAKY NOISES AND THIS LOUD ANNOYING SOUND, WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED BRAKE PADS ALREADY, ONLY ADDING ANOTHER 1000 MILES WITHIN THOSE FEW MONTHS. THE BRAKES ARE SPECIAL ORDER AND COST ME 120.00. I HAD THEM PUT ON BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME EVEN WITH MY 10 YEAR 100,000 MILE WARRANTY, BRAKES ARE NOT COVERED UNDER IT! WELL IN JULY 2007, THE SAME NOISE AGAIN, I SAID NO WY IT COULDN'T BE THE BRAKES, SURE ENOUGH AGAIN THE BRAKES. IN LEAST THAN 1.5 YEARS I HAVE CHANGED THE BRAKES ON THIS CAR TWO TIMES, NOW MY CAR ACTS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND I WAS INFORMED BY TWO MECHANICS THAT I NEED TO HAVE A TRANSMISSION FLUSH BECAUSE OF HOW BLACK IT LOOKS AND THAT IS THE REASON MY CAR IS FEELING AS THOUGH IT IS SLIPPING! I CAN'T UNDERSTAND SUCH A NICE CAR WITH SUCH A GOOD WARRANTY YET SO MANY PROBLEMS! *TR
AIR INTAKE AND COMPUTER CHIPS PLACED VERY LOW WITHIN 12" FROM THE GROUND. THE STREETS WERE FLOODED. THE INTAKE SUCKED WATER UP INTO MY ENGINE AND CAUSED MY CAR TO INSTANTLY STALL. IF ANYONE HAD BEEN BEHIND ME, I COULD HAVE BEEN HIT. I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TIME TO PUT MY BRAKES ON. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI AERIO. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH ON A RAINY DAY, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHEN IT DROVE OVER A PUDDLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY WATER INTRUSION. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT THE ROD FAILED AND WENT THROUGH THE ALUMINUM MOTOR. BOTH TIMES THE ROD WENT THROUGH THE MOTOR, THE WATER INTRUSION WAS CAUSED BY THE AIR BRETHER POSITIONED UNDER THE MOTOR. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000. UPDATED 10/16/07 *TR
LTR RE PROBLEMS WITH HER 2006 SUZUKI AERIO AND SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR TROUBLES AND DAMAGES. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED SHE BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE GEARS. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE GEARS WERE DAMAGED DUE TO THE MIS-HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE AND THAT A CABLE NEEDED TO BE TIGHTENED. SOON AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP, THE CONSUMER BEGAN TO SMELL AN ODOR WHICH WAS THAT OF A BURNED CLUTCH. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE PREVIOUS MECHANIC DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB, HOWEVER IT WOULD COST $692. 08 THE CONSUMER THEN WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER AND HAD THE REPAIRS MADE, HOWEVER AFTER THOSE REPAIRS, THE VEHICLE LOST GEARS. THE CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THE FIRST MECHANIC ONLY ADJUSTED THE CABLE GEARS AND IT WOULD COST 1,500 FOR NEW PARTS. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS SINCE BEEN STOLEN. UPDATED 11/26/07. *JB UPDATED 1/25/08. *JB CONSUMER SENT IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN A VOQ. ON APRIL 7, 2008. *KB UPDATED 04/14/08. *KB
EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT BEGAN COMING ON RANDOMLY FROM TIME TO TIME. IT THEN BEGAN TO COME ON WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND WILL STAY ON WHILE BACKING OUT AND THEN TURN OFF WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED IN DRIVE, THEN BEGAN TO LIGHT UP WHEN I USED THE BRAKES, AND AT OTHER TIMES WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IT WILL COME ON FOR SEVERAL MINUTES THEN GO AWAY ONLY TO COME BACK ON.... BRAKE FLUID FINE, BRAKES HAVE WEAR BUT WITHIN REASON FOR A 06 WITH 45,000 MILES.. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUZUKI AERIO. THE VEHICLE HAS YOKOHAMA GEOLANDAR G046 TIRES. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE HISTORY REPORT STATED THAT THE REAR TIRES HAD BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE OF WEAR. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE TIRES INSPECTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLACE OR ROTATE THE TIRES A SECOND TIME BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO BAD TO BE ROTATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR TIRES HAD NO TREAD. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE TIRES MUST BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT IT IS ABNORMAL TO HAVE TO REPLACE A BRAND NEW SET OF TIRES AFTER TWO MONTHS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 13,822. THE CONSUMER STATED REAR TIRES HAVE RIPPLES FROM UNEVEN WEAR. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED A COPY OF REPAIR INVOICE. UPDATED 08/23/07 *TR
COLORED PAINT WAS COMING OFF WHEN CLEANING WITH NON ABRASIVE CLEANER. DEALER CHECKED ALL PANELS AND PAINT CAME OFF ON ALL PANELS. I CONTACTED SUZUKI , AND THE DEALER SENT A FEW EMAILS TO THE AREA REPRESENTATIVE TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE OF THE PAINT COMING OFF, AND THE COST TO REPAIR THE CAR. IT HAS BEEN A MONTH SINCE I LAST HAD THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND ALL I WAS GETTING WAS THE RUN AROUND. *AK
EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT BEGAN COMING ON RANDOMLY FROM TIME TO TIME. IT THEN BEGAN TO COME ON WHEN I TURNED LEFT, THEN BEGAN TO LIGHT UP WHEN I USED THE BRAKES, THEN STAYED ON ALL THE TIME. MY BROTHER AND I BOTH OWN 2006 AERIOS AND BOTH HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT THE SAME TIME. HE TOOK HIS TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR WHAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE WARRANTY SERVICE. TURNS OUT THE BRAKES HAD WORN OUT AT 18,000 MILES! HE PAID $200 TO HAVE HIS REPLACED. BEING A FORMER MECHANIC, I DECIDED TO SIDESTEP THE EXORBITANT COST OF HAVING A DEALER REPLACE MY BRAKES PLANNED TO DO THE JOB MYSELF. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE NO PART STORES THAT CARRY REPLACEMENT PADS FOR MY CAR. I WENT TO A DEALERSHIP AND WAS ASKED TO PAY $150 JUST FOR THE PADS! INSTEAD, I WENT TO A LOCAL TIRE/BRAKE SHOP AND, IN THE INTEREST OF SAVING TIME AND ENDING THE RUNAROUND, I ENDED UP PAYING THE $200 TO HAVE MY BRAKE PADS REPLACED AT 18,000 MILES. *JB
Showing 20 of 121 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Suzuki Aerio
These pages show model-year patterns across 6 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Suzuki Aerio, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Suzuki Aerio has 121 complaints on record across 6 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Suzuki Aerio has 7 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 11 of the Suzuki Aerio's 121 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Below Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Suzuki Aerio vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Suzuki Aerio vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Suzuki Aerio has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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How does the Suzuki Aerio stack up? Compare complaint history with similar vehicles.
By state
Check a Suzuki Aerio by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Suzuki Aerio.
Research more
Keep researching before you buy
Compare brands and categories, then check the exact car's history by VIN.
Suzuki Aerio reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Suzuki Aerio reliable?
Below Average. The Suzuki Aerio has 121 NHTSA owner complaints and 7 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is SERVICE BRAKES. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Suzuki Aerio years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2006 (27 complaints), 2007 (3 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Suzuki Aerio problems?
Top reported issues: SERVICE BRAKES (20 complaints); POWER TRAIN (19 complaints); HYDRAULIC (17 complaints).
Does the Suzuki Aerio have recalls?
Yes — 7 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Suzuki Aerio. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.