Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2009 Suzuki SX4, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags29
- Steering5
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Seats4
- Engine4
- Electrical system4
- Power train3
- Seat belts3
- Tires2
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 10 2009 SX4 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 9 people died inside them, and 2 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2009 Suzuki SX4 failed the safety check 3.04% of the time — 20% more often than the average 2009 passenger car (2.52%). Median odometer at inspection: 123,396 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2009 Suzuki SX4 cars on Dutch roads are the 1.6 petrol (79 kW, 106 hp), 1.6 petrol (88 kW, 118 hp) and 1.5 petrol (73 kW, 98 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6 petrol | 79 kW 106 hp | 1,446 |
| 1.6 petrol | 88 kW 118 hp | 66 |
| 1.5 petrol | 73 kW 98 hp | 45 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
1,572 first registered in 2009 are on Dutch roads; 16% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €14,712.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde872
- Band onvoldoende profiel675
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)536
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt512
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht407
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling364
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm341
- Licht- donkerscheiding dimlicht onduidelijk307
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
1,680 cars built in 2009 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 191 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 2,134 of these cars first registered in 2009 took their annual MOT test. 53% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2009 the figure was 59%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 25.3% | 16.4% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 17.3% | 18.7% |
| Brakes | 15.6% | 10.1% |
| Visibility | 7.8% | 6.5% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.2% | 5.4% |
| Tyres | 7.2% | 7.5% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
182 of these cars first registered in 2009 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 193,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
1,125 2009 cars are on the New Zealand register; 47% arrived as used imports, 52% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 9 variants: combined 9.2–10.0 L/100 km (about 24–26 mpg US), CO₂ 212–230 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| SX4 · Station wagon: Small · Regular gasoline | 10.3 | 7.8 | 9.2 |
| SX4 Sedan · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.3 | 7.8 | 9.2 |
| SX4 · Station wagon: Small · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 7.8 | 9.3 |
| SX4 Sedan · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 7.8 | 9.3 |
| SX4 JX · Station wagon: Small · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 8.0 | 9.4 |
| SX4 Sedan Sport · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 8.0 | 9.4 |
| SX4 Sedan Sport · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.9 | 8.1 | 9.6 |
| SX4 AWD · Station wagon: Small · Regular gasoline | 11.3 | 8.5 | 10.0 |
| SX4 AWD · Station wagon: Small · Regular gasoline | 11.3 | 8.5 | 10.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2009 Suzuki SX4.
| 2013305 17 Sept 2013 | Airbag On certain vehicles, the Occupant Classification System may malfunction, causing the airbag warning lamp to illuminate, and could fail to disable the passenger … |
| 2010363 22 Oct 2010 | Visual System On certain vehicles, the three (3) screws that secure the outside rearview mirrors to the base may come loose due to vibration and, in worst case, the mirror ma… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 SX4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, over time, the OCS sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat may fail due to repeated flexing of the mat from use of the seat. As a result, during a crash necessitating deployment, the air bag will deploy regardless of whether the front seat occupant is an adult or a child.
SUZUKI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007 SX4 HATCHBACK AND MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 SX4 HATCHBACK AND SEDAN PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE THREE SCREWS THAT SECURE EACH OF THE OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRRORS TO THE MIRROR BASE CAN COME LOOSE DUE TO VIBRATION.
SUZUKI IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2010 SX4, 2010 GRAND VITARA, AND 2009 THROUGH 2010 EQUATOR VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750, 760, AND 765 NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE BATTERIES CONTAINED IN THE AFFECTED GPS UNITS CAN OVERHEAT.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Suzuki told its dealers about the 2009 Suzuki SX4: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10216558 | Reminder 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. |
| 10152052 | This 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. |
| 10087001 | THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF AN IMPROVED DRIVESHAFT FLANGE AND DIFFERENTIAL SIDE OIL SEAL FOR 4WD SX4 VEHICLES. THE IMPROVED PARTS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO IMPROVE PREVENTION OF CORROSION ON VEHICLES DRIVEN IN SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS. |
| 10051700 | SUZUKI: DUE TO CHANGE IN LOAD ON PASSENGER SEAT WITH SHIFTING OF WEIGHT AND OBJECTS IN SEAT, AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES, CAUSING AN OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION MODULE (OCM) ERROR. MODELS 2009 SX-4. *PE |
| 10049919 | SUZUKI: COUNTER MEASURE PROCEDURE FOR DTC B1318. THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES, AND DTC B1318 IS STORED. THIS TYPICALLY CAN RESULT FROM A CHANGE IN LOAD ON THE PASSENGER SEAT. *JS |
| 10044321 | SUZUKI: DUE TO REPEATED FLEXING, THE FRONT PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM CIRCUIT LOCATED WITHIN SEAT BOTTOM CUSHION ASSEMBLY, HAVE AN ELECTRIC DISCONNECTION. *PE UPDATED 04/10/2013 *JS |
| 10044319 | SUZUKI: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, WITHIN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BOTTOM CUSHION, THE SENSING SENSOR MAT, AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT DISCONNECTION MAY HAVE DEVELOPED, DUE TO REPEATED FLEXING. *PE |
| 10044041 | SUZUKI: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR 'AIR BAG' WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION. *JS UPDATED 7/25/12. *PE |
| 10032751 | SUZUKI: THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES, AND DTC B1318 IS STORED. THIS TYPICALLY CAN RESULT FROM A CHANGE IN LOAD ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, SUCH AS A PASSENGER SHIFTING THEIR WEIGHT ON AND OFF THE SEAT, OR AN OBJECT (BAG, BRIEFCASE, PET, ETC.) BOUNCING ON THE SEAT WHILE THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING. *PE |
| 10030328 | SUZUKI: REPLACING 5TH GEAR PARTS TO REPAIR MANUAL TRANSAXLE CONCERNS SUCH AS POPPING OUT OF 5TH GEAR WHILE DRIVING. WORN OR FAILED 5TH GEAR SYNCHRONIZER, 5TH GEAR, AND RELATED PARTS. DO NOT REPLACE THE TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY. ALL MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Occupant Classification System Failure
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation