AI Damage2012 Suzuki Kizashi: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Suzuki Kizashi filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 23
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 35% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 35% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 17% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 17% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- 6 Engine 13% of all complaints
- 7 Seats 9% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 9% of all complaints
- Air bags: 8 complaints (35% of all).
- Powertrain: 8 complaints (35% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Steering: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 4 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- CVTnamed in 1 complaints
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 23 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I was driving home from work, and the service esp system came on, right after that the rear car started swaying back and forth. When this started I removed my foot from the gas and the car kept doing this, and the car then spent around and I was going down the highway backwards for about 100 plus yards.
As the warmer/hot weather came along in 2025, he was experiencing random scary situations of the car just going into "limp mode" while driving 70 - 75 mph on [XXX]. No warning indicators, no dash lights. No acceleration, couldn't maintain speed, bogged down to 15 mph until he pulled over and turned off the car.
Hard shifting or not shifting at all. Had to get it towed to my home. Tried changing the transmission fluid and also the filter. No success. Car still not working correctly
On long trips vehicle shuts down and goes into limp mode. It has a very rough idle after restart when it allows you to go. The rims have massively lost large chunks of paint from them as well.It is never close to a dealership when it happens.
There is/are recalls on this vehicle regarding the fuel tank and vacuum lines on the fuel filler neck assembly, which causes check engine warnings that indicate "evap emissions" readouts, leaks during refills, interior gas fumes, and potential explosions.
The contact stated that the front passengerâs side air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact had previously received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V343000 (Air Bags) in 2019. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer on 7/18/2021 and had the recall repair completed.
Was driving my 2012 when suddenly the airbag light came on. The codes that came up are b1084, b1312, and b1015. The codes were cleared but the b1312 stayed on. The problem is that the passenger seat belt light is staying on with or without a passenger, and buckled or not.
I was driving my 2012 when suddenly the airbag light came on. The codes that came up are b1084, b1312, and b1015. The codes were cleared but the b1312 stayed on. The problem is that the passenger seat belt light is staying on with or without a passenger, and buckled or not.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,735 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Kizashi has 18 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 23, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Suzuki Kizashi?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, powertrain, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 23. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (39%), airbag warning light (13%), loss of power / limp mode (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Suzuki Kizashi?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2012 Suzuki Kizashi from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2012 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.