Most common 2009 Suzuki SX4 problems
Share of the 48 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Suzuki SX4 complaints by model year
Best SX4 years: 2011, 2013, 2010. Years to avoid: 2008, 2007, 2009. Compare all years →
2009 Suzuki SX4 recalls (3)
Air bags
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.
Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners and dealers will replace the front passenger seat cushion assembly (which includes the OCS sensor mat) free of charge.
Visibility › Rearview mirrors/devices › Exterior
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the base screws on both outer rear view mirrors free of charge. The safety recall began on November 5, 2010.
Equipment › Electrical › Navigational system(global positioning system)
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.
Remedy: Suzuki will notify owners and the repairs will be performed by garmin technicians by replacing the battery and inserting a spacer on top of the battery free of charge. The safety recall began on September 24, 2010.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2009 Suzuki SX4:
Occupant Classification System Failure
Suzuki Motor of America is conducting a safety recall to remedy the occupant classification system's (OCS) sensor mats in approximately 193,936 model year 2006-2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara and 2007-2011 Suzuki SX4 vehicles (see NHTSA recall 13V-405 for more details).The sensor mat installed in the front passenger seat can develop an electrical circuit disconnection as a result of repeated flexing of the seat from use of…
What 2009 Suzuki SX4 owners say
Air bags all 29 →
I currently own a 2009 Suzuki SX4 crossover and was recently in a collision. I was going approximately 40 MPH in a forward direction when another vehicle crossed from one parking lot on the left side of the road trying to get into a parking lot directly across to my right. I applied the brakes before we collided, but still ended up colliding with the other vehicle in a t-bone position. I have front, passenger, and side skirt airbags in my vehicle and not one of the airbags deployed. The front engine compartment to my vehicle was completely smashed in and the other vehicle had extensive damage to the passenger side between the front and rear doors. Both my passenger and I were wearing seatbelts, so we were wiped forward and both had our heads collide with the headrests of our seats. We were both taken on backboards by ambulance to the local hospital. …
First issue is the airbags - driver side censor light has been on ever since I purchased the vehicle back in 2010. I had to get the engine replaced due to "rod knock" only to find that the used engine of 52,[redacted] miles has a leak on the rear main seal. It's likely that issue that lead to my original engine failing at around 74,000 miles. The driver airbag light is still on after said engine replacing. After reading the complaints on here, it's safe to say that I'll need to dish out over 1.1K to fix it. I had the recall for the passenger side airbag, had that fixed around the 74K mile mark. Got the car under 20K miles.
Engine & cooling
First issue is the airbags - driver side censor light has been on ever since I purchased the vehicle back in 2010. I had to get the engine replaced due to "rod knock" only to find that the used engine of 52,[redacted] miles has a leak on the rear main seal. It's likely that issue that lead to my original engine failing at around 74,000 miles. The driver airbag light is still on after said engine replacing. After reading the complaints on here, it's safe to say that I'll need to dish out over 1.1K to fix it. I had the recall for the passenger side airbag, had that fixed around the 74K mile mark. Got the car under 20K miles.
Car was running fine. I was driving southbound in 3 / 6 lane traffic 45 MPH in town when a loud knock started knocking under the hood. I immediately pulled off the road as soon as I found a place to pull off otherwise could have stalled causing a major crash of vehicles. I called aaa to have it towed. The repair shop in my neighborhood said I needed a new engine. Car has 72,072 miles on it. The 7 year warranty ran out July 24, 2016. This happened less than 6 months after warranty and 9 months after last car payment. It hasn't reached 100,000 yet for the drive train. Pretty sad.
Steering
Tl contact owns a 2009 Suzuki SX4. While driving 20 MPH the steering column locked. As a consequence she crashed into a ditch and was taken to the hospital due to her injuries. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. A police report is available. The damage to the vehicle was over $17,000 and was in the process of being repaired by the dealer. The technician could not identify the cause of the failure. The failure mileage was 945.
While driving on a winnipeg street, approaching a red light @ about 40/45km, & changing to the lane on the right, the steering locked. This occurred on June 6th, 2011. It was a sunny morning. Hadn't rained for at least 24 hrs. I immediately put on the hazard light, shifted to neutral, restarted & drove away without further incident. This has never occurred before; car purchased July 2009--current mileage-12,300 km. No other problems. My mechanic examined all relevant areas and said he found no worn parts or defects. He test drove the car but could not find anything of concern. He stated the car computer did not register that any such incident had occurred. Haber Suzuki test drove the car on June 13. Found no fault with the drive; also stated that the car computer did not indicate that an incident had occurred & saw no reason for further investigation. …
2009 Suzuki SX4 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 31 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 21 / 28 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 21 / 28 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Suzuki SX4 a good car?
Based on 48 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 SX4 rates use caution: 1.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the SX4 at the same age. It is one of the SX4 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Suzuki SX4?
The air bags — 29 complaints, 60% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the engine & cooling (8) and steering (5).
How many recalls does the 2009 Suzuki SX4 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2009 Suzuki SX4, the most recent from September 6, 2013 (air bags). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Suzuki SX4?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2013 and 2010. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2007 and 2009. See the full Suzuki SX4 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Suzuki SX4 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 39,000 miles; 64% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.