Suzuki Problems

I’ve trawled lists of Suzuki warning lights and their meanings, but I can’t find one that approximates a red D in a rectangle. The closest I could get to was a warning that the rear fog-light was on (the lamp signal can look vaguely like a `D’) but to have an audible alarm as well is very strange.

An ABS fault-light usually (in a Suzuki) features the letter A, B and S, so I’m not sure how the dealership arrived at the conclusion that the ABS system was at fault. Have you had the car electronically scanned? That can often throw light on what’s going wrong, even on an intermittent basis.

Transmissions that are sealed for life always seem like a pretty big statement of faith from a manufacturer, don’t they? Unfortunately, that faith sometimes seems to be misplaced, at which point the car-maker has to issue a service bulletin and change the rules, usually after a number of failures. And automatic or CVT transmissions are a classic case.

That’s exactly what happened to Suzuki in the USA when it issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to cover the US-market version of your car after enough owners reported CVT problems, usually in hot weather when the unit would start to act erratically. The TSB included the new information that, if the car was used in tough conditions, perhaps a CVT fluid change every 50,000km might not be a bad idea.

Given that Australia has similar levels of ambient heat to the US, I don’t think that’s bad advice for an Aussie Kizashi owner, either. Plenty of other car-makers have had to change their recommendations mid-stride, so it’s not just a Suzuki thing. But as any transmission specialist will tell you, heat kills automatics and CVTs, and that starts with a break-down of the fluid which, as well as providing the drive, also cost and lubricates the transmission. For the sake of the few dollars involved, I’d have the fluid in my CVT changed every 50,000km.

The 2020 Baleno was not tested as part of the ANCAP program, but without standard autonomous emergency braking (AEB) which some of its competitors now have as standard, it possibly wouldn’t have been a safety front-runner anyway. That’s not to say it’s an unsafe car, simply that AEB is a proven life-saver and it’s a shame the Baleno didn’t have it.

Meantime, while it wasn’t crash-tested locally, the Baleno was crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2018. A relatively poor result in the pole-crash test saw the Baleno emerge with just three safety stars out of five.

Modern engines like the Suzuki’s use literally dozens of sensors to keep the engine’s computer informed on the operating temperature, quality of the fuel, coolant temperature, ambient temperature, camshaft position and lots, lots more. If just one of those sensors starts to offer up false or misleading information to the computer, the whole operation of running the engine can be compromised. That’s when you’ll get rough running and/or stalling as well as the excessive fuel consumption you’ve noted.

Rather than starting to change sensors on an ad hoc basis (which could take weeks and hundreds of dollars, and even then not arrive at a solution) the best advice is to have the car electronically scanned. At that point, the car’s computer is a good chance to tell the interrogating computer what ails it, and then you can zero in on that component and replace only the parts that are the problem.

The Baleno sold in Australia was fitted with six air-bags in total. That was made up of two front bags, two front-side bags and two full-length curtain air-bags that protected those in the rear seat as well. But it missed out on other safety tech including autonomous emergency braking and lane-keep assistance.

The Baleno wasn’t crash-tested locally, but it was tested by Euro NCAP and didn’t perform too well. Combined with that lack of active safety gear was a relatively poor chest-protection rating in the pole-impact test, leaving the Suzuki with a safety score of just three stars.

To connect your mobile phone to the Suzuki Swift’s Bluetooth, you must have the vehicle stationary and your phone’s Bluetooth switched on and set to Discoverable. The next step is to press the Setup button on the car’s media-control panel. The setup menu will be displayed and you can then turn the Tune knob to select Setup and then press the same knob to confirm that selection. Turn the Tune knob again to select Pairing and press the knob to confirm that selection.

Select Car Audio from your phone’s menu and that should establish the pairing. Enter the passkey code displayed on the screen to your phone to confirm the pairing. Then press the On Hook and you’re good to go.

For more instructions on how to play music through the system, more setup options, and troubleshooting problems, refer to the vehicle’s owner’s manual.

There are still plenty of great small cars around within your budget, Agnes, and they all have good safety packages (or we wouldn’t recommend them). Look at offerings such as the Suzuki Swift Navigator (with the optional autonomous emergency braking) for around $17,000 (plus on-road costs) or the Kia Rio S at around $19,000 or Kia Picanto S (one size smaller than the Rio) at closer to $16,000. Both the Kias also feature the brand’s excellent seven-year warranty, capped-price servicing and free roadside assistance which is great peace of mind.

The Volkswagen Polo is a classy drive but a little more expensive at closer to $21,000 for the 85TSi Comfortline. Actually, to be honest, you’ve missed the boat on bargain small cars by a couple of years. Firm favourites such as the Toyota Yaris and Mazda 2 have both been updated relatively recently and have recorded big price jumps in the process. The cheapest Yaris with an automatic transmission is now around $23,000 (it was less than $17,000 back in 2018) while the Mazda 2 Maxx went from being a sub-$17,000 proposition in 2018 to a $23,000 car by the time you add an automatic transmission in 2020.

The description `plug and play’ is used to describe a replacement ECU which is designed to simply plug into the car and immediately offer full functionality without requiring additional coding or set-up. That’s why they include things such as ignition keys and sensors; it’s to avoid having to code your existing components to the new ECU. You simply replace the lot and – hopefully – turn the key and enjoy.

So, yes, it’s possible, but you need to make sure you’re getting every component necessary for the swap and that the unit is correct for your car in every detail. The are detail differences between the ECU for a car with an automatic transmission and the same car with a manual, for instance. And always buy from a known source so you can get tech support if it doesn’t all go exactly to plan. Buying from an online clearing house is unlikely to provide the same level of after-sales service.

The Suzuki J24B engine in your vehicle has a timing chain and not a timing belt. The chain should be good for the life of the engine provided the engine is serviced correctly.

You don't need to spend $30,000 to get a great small car to run around town in. A Suzuki Swift GL Navigator from $17,690 plus on-road costs ($1000 more for the auto) makes for an excellent choice, with a surprisingly roomy interior, a refined, frugal and lively engine, great handling and superb reliability. Great value for money, in other words.

Moving on from there, to the next size up and in our order of preference, are the Mazda 3, Ford Focus Active, Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Corolla Hatch, Honda Civic (turbo only) and Subaru Impreza. All are quality small cars that should fit the bill perfectly.

There's also merit in considering a small SUV, chiefly because their higher roofline and loftier seating positions make them easier to get in and out as well as see out of. Our value pick is the Kia Seltos S with Safety Pack. The Mazda CX-30 and Toyota C-HR are also high-quality and refined choices, though they're right at the cusp of your budget so you may have to search for a discounted demo model. Going small SUV does  mean extra outlay, but they do generally offer better resale value, as their popularity seems endless.

As you can see, there's lots of choice, so take your time, drive the ones you like the look of, and see which feels best. Out of scores of alternatives, these 10 are our top recommendations at under $30K.