Fault File
All models / All cars / Superminis / Suzuki Baleno

Suzuki Baleno

All generations and engines together · 6,602 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 51k

First-time failure at age 7
28.0%
Across 1,795 tests. The average across all tracked models is 19.5%.
Rank at age 7
207 of 239
1 = lowest failure rate among the models tracked.
Typical mileage at age 7
51k miles
Check the mileage view below; low-mileage models can look better by age than they are.

How this model wears

Suzuki BalenoClass average, all tracked models

Known issues

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 5,977 tests in this band.

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
Advisory
29.4%class 1.9%
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Advisory
29.3%class 1.3%
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
Fail
13.2%class 0.3%
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
Minor
12.4%class 0.6%
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
Fail
5.8%class 0.2%
A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded
Advisory
2.7%class 0.4%
A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded
Advisory
2.4%class 0.6%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
2.3%class 5.9%
Audible warning inoperative
Fail
2.0%class 0.1%
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
Advisory
2.0%class 2.3%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
28.8%class 22.9%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
12.1%class 11.1%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
10.6%class 10.1%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
7.0%class 8.7%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Fail
4.6%class 2.2%
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
Fail
3.8%class 1.7%
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
Advisory
3.1%class 3.4%
Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt
Advisory
2.6%class 2.2%

Unconfirmed issues

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

Rocker cover and driveshaft seal oil leaks

Emerging

Owners have reported the rocker cover gasket weeping oil, plus at least one suspected gearbox oil leak from a driveshaft seal. Neither is expensive on its own, a rocker cover reseal has been quoted around ninety pounds, but left unchecked either leak will foul other parts and cost more later. Reports so far are from early cars (2016-2017) rather than a specific mileage band.

Reported on 2016-2017 cars · sources: Honest John owner-submitted problem reports

Air conditioning condenser corrosion

Emerging

The AC condenser sits low and exposed at the front of the car, and at least one owner needed a replacement (quoted around four hundred and fifty pounds) after the fins corroded, likely from road salt and stone chips over a UK winter. Symptom is weak or warm air conditioning rather than any warning light. This is a known weak spot on small hatchbacks generally, not unique to Suzuki, but it has been called out specifically on the Baleno.

Reported on a 2017 car · sources: Honest John owner-submitted problem reports

Dashboard warning lights and spurious TPMS alerts

Emerging

A handful of owners have reported dashboard warning lights flashing up briefly with an alarm tone for no traceable reason, and separately, false tyre pressure warnings from the valve-based TPMS system. Dealers have struggled to find a fault in these cases, which points to a sensor or wiring gremlin rather than a genuine mechanical problem. No manufacturer bulletin or recall has been found covering either.

Reported on 2016-2017 cars · sources: Honest John owner-submitted problem reports

Touchscreen infotainment sync glitches

SZ-T and SZ5 trims only

Cars fitted with the touchscreen (SZ-T and SZ5 trims, the base SZ3 doesn't have one) have shown occasional glitches pairing or syncing phones. Auto Express noted this matches what owners have separately reported, and that a software update usually clears it. Not a wallet-emptying fault, but worth testing at a viewing since a dealer visit is still needed to fix it.

Sources: Auto Express review, Honest John owner reports

Rattle or vibration on deceleration

Disputed

At least one owner described an annoying rattle, tick or vibration from the engine or transmission area when slowing down or sitting stationary, on a relatively new, low-mileage car. It's a single detailed report rather than a repeated pattern, and it's the kind of noise that sometimes turns out to be normal direct-injection engine clatter rather than a fault. Worth listening for on a test drive but not something to walk away over on its own.

Reported on a 2019 1.0 Boosterjet · source: Honest John owner-submitted problem reports

Viewing one? Ask this

Built from the two sections above.

Check around the rocker cover and where the gearbox meets the driveshaft for oil staining or wetness. A leak here means a reseal job is due, budget upwards of ninety pounds.
Run the air conditioning on max cold for a few minutes during the test drive. Weak or warm air can mean a corroded condenser, a few hundred pounds to replace.
Watch the dashboard closely on start-up and while driving, especially the tyre pressure warning. Lights flickering on and off with no clear cause point to an electrical gremlin dealers have struggled to trace.
On SZ-T or SZ5 cars, pair a phone to the touchscreen and let it sit connected. Dropouts or failed pairing suggest the unit needs the software update, ask if it's already been done.
Lift off the throttle at low speed and let the car idle for a moment. Any rattle, tick or vibration as it decelerates or sits still is worth a specialist listen before you commit.
Check the service book for a full three-year, sixty-thousand-mile Suzuki warranty history. The Baleno sold in low numbers in the UK, so there's less owner data than usual, a complete paper trail matters more.
Compare the build date sticker (under the bonnet or on a door shut) against the registration date. A big gap means the car sat in stock a while, which can affect where you are in the warranty and service cycle.

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