2003 Suzuki Aerio Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Aerio years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Suzuki Aerio. That is the most of any Aerio model year in the database (6 years). The most reported problem area is power train (11 complaints, 31%), typically at around 27,961 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 1 fire, 6 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 36owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Suzuki Aerio problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 11 | 31% | 27,961 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 17% | 16,125 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 8% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 6% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 6% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 6% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 3% | 44,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 3% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 3% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 3% | 10,586 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 3% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 3% | 170 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% | 16,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Suzuki Aerio recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:manual transmission
Problem: On certain vehicles equipped with 5-speed manual transmissions, due to improper shape of the clip, the retaining clip that keeps the gear shift cable attached to the gear shift lever can contact the gear shift lever housing if excessive lateral force is applied when shifting to first gear.
Risk: Repeated shifting in this manner can eventually cause the retaining clip to break. If the retaining clip breaks, the shift cable can become disconnected from the shift lever, resulting in loss of the ability to change transmission gears.
Fix: Dealers will replace the gear shift cable retaining clip with a clip that has a different shape. The recall began on august 13, 2007. Owners may contact american suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.
Visibility:windshield
Problem: Certain passenger (111 my 2002 esteem, 777 my 2002 aerio, 2,368 my 2003 aerio) and sport utility (324 my 2002 grand vitara, 274 my 2003 grand vitara, 684 my 2002 grand vitara xl-7, and 781 my 2003 grand vitara xl-7) vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 212, 'windshield mounting." the windshield may not be properly secured to the vehicle body due to insufficient adhesion between the paint applied during the second-stage painting process and the paint applied during final-stage painting.
Risk: If the windshield is not properly secured, it may separate from the vehicle during a crash which could result in the ejection of unbelted occupants, increasing the risk of severe injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will inspect these vehicles. Vehicles that are found to have insufficient paint adhesion will either have the problem remedied by repainting, or will be replaced, or repurchased and destroyed. Owner notification began on july 8, 2003. Owners should contact suzuki at 1-800-934-0934.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Started the car to warm it up, and smoke came out of dash board, making glass where speedometer is smokey and it still is. Smelt like wire burning and shut it off immediately. When checked on, a wire insulation had burnt off causing the smoke and smell. After replacing the wire coating, it was fine…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 suzuki aerio sx wagon. The contact stated that the manual transmission dislodged from the fifth gear while driving 55 mph. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be repaired. The vehicle was then taken…
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 suzuki aerio sx. The contact stated that the door handle broke while attempting to open it. The dealer and manufacturer were notified of the defect. The door handle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 10,586 and the current mileage was 11,000.
I have had problems with my car for almost 2 months and it seems it never ends. Serious power steering problems which causes a lot of inconveniences for a single mother like me, taken to some shops, money wasted on nothing because it seems this is one of the weakest and worst problems a suzuki…
The reason is that i bought one used good year tire but i just run on high way for few miles only it was seriously flat on last saturday (may 9, 2009). I did not know why an inferior tire would be sold in the store, when i purchased it seems very good like a new good year tire, and i was noticed i…
Other Suzuki Aerio years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 Aerio | 3 | 0 |
| 2006 Aerio | 27 | 1 |
| 2005 Aerio | 22 | 1 |
| 2004 Aerio | 14 | 1 |
| 2003 | 36 | 2 |
| 2002 Aerio | 13 | 2 |
See all Suzuki Aerio problems by year, every Suzuki model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Suzuki models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Suzuki Aerio?
Owners most often report power train, wheels, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 11 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Suzuki Aerio?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Suzuki Aerio a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Aerio model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.