AI Damage2006 Suzuki Reno: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Suzuki Reno filed 63 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 63
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 38% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 22% of all complaints
- 3 Exterior lighting 22% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 21% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 8% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 6% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 24 complaints (38% of all).
- Air bags: 14 complaints (22% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 14 complaints (22% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 13 complaints (21% of all).
- Engine: 5 complaints (8% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 63 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The driver of unit 2 stated his brakes failed and could not stop in time. (ohio traffic crash report # 10-0779-91) updated 02/15/11 . Updated 03/03/11
Tl contact owns a 2006 suzuki reno. While driving 45 mph, the vehicle veered off the road and crashed into the sidewalk. Both rims on the driver's side were damaged. The contact purchased a new tire. When his father drove the vehicle, he noticed that the steering wheel was wobbling.
The air bags failed to deploy and no warning indicators illuminated. The contact has pictures and a police report was filed. The consumers son sustained neck, back, and shoulder injuries. The current and failure mileages were 50,000.
Tl* - the contact stated that the headlights turned off. The vehicle currently has 4000 miles on the odometer. The dealer replaced the left headlight fuse. The contact stated that on november 15, 2006 the headlights turned off again ,and the contact replaced the fuse.
And we almost wrecked head on with each other because when I flipped the switch to go to low beam there was no headlights. None whatsoever on low beam. I have driven on my street testing it to make sure it wasn't a 1 time thing. Or possibly my fault.
Transmission slippage, failure to properly engage wheels/gears and accelerate the vehicle. Sometimes results in no movement; or it results in movement only at a specific speed and only shutting the vehicle off or keeping the brake applied will stop the vehicle.
Airbag light has been on since I purchased this car april 6th 2016 and driver seatbelt broke recent.january 29 2017 both lowbeam headlights went out,these things were recalled but they say my vin#doesn't match recalls and won't service or honor these recalls! Thanks
While driving at approximately 25 to 30 mph, the vehicle caught fire. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the technician diagnosed that the brake switch caused the fire. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was not notified. The vin was not available.
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 4,699 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 13% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Reno has 43 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 63, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Suzuki Reno?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, air bags, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 63. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (27%), airbag warning light (19%), headlights and tail lights (16%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Suzuki Reno?
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 2006 Suzuki Reno 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 2006 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.