Faults:
Week 2, a problem with the transmission (automatic); when rolling to a stop, it slams from second to first, causing the front wheels to skid. Have been to 2 different dealerships, 5 times total. They reprogrammed the transmission, and it's OK for 1 to 5 weeks, then it does the same thing again. Suzuki corp. tells me to keep taking it back.
Now at 50,007 miles, my water pump went out, taking the timing belt with it. The car has been in the shop a week today, and they are telling my wife the engine has to be torn down or replaced.
The reason we bought the car was our 1998 Suzuki Esteem went 96,000 and never a problem. If we only had it to do over...
We also have a 2004 Mazda RX8; the car drinks the gas (18 MPG), but it's service you only dream of. Got a recall for the converter, they asked if I needed a free loaner for the day it got repaired, replaced the spark plugs and reprogrammed the computer on idle settings at no cost. The dealer gave us a 20.00 voucher for Texas Roadhouse for the inconvenience thru Mazda. We bought it 2 years old with 12,438 miles, and yes I'd buy another Mazda.
5th Jul 2010, 19:22
I bought my 2004 Suzuki Forenza new, in 2005.
Have had a slew of problems since I bought it, many recurring ones.
The catalytic converter went out, and since then, I have had the valve cover gasket go out twice in one year.
I just got the valve cover gasket fixed for the second time 2 weeks ago, and it started doing the same thing 2 days after I got it back from the dealer.
No power, can't even drive with the A/C on!! And I live in Houston Texas!! If I'm at a red light, and the A/C is on, it just won't go!! So I just don't use the air... but 3 days ago, I changed my air filter, and all the problems intensified!!! Now it barely runs at all!!! Once I get going fast on the freeway, for instance, it's fine, unless someone cuts me off, and again no power when I try to accelerate!!! Even when the air off.
OK, so what I want to know is, #1, once the valve cover gasket goes bad, does that mess up your engine for life?? And does it just continue to go bad over and over again?
#2, does the catalytic converter have anything to do with making the valve cover gasket go bad??
#3, does changing my air filter make my car misfire? Wrong air to fuel mixture??? Problems intensified fast when I changed the air filter.