MajorCommonElectrical

Suzuki Swift: Ignition switch failure from carbonised contact grease (stall / no-start, rare fire risk)

Ignition switch failure from carbonised contact grease (stall / no-start, rare fire risk) is a common electrical fault on the Suzuki Swift on the 2000–2004 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $150 to $450 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 41 documented faults on the Suzuki Swift.

Vehicle: Suzuki Swift
Years: 2000–2004
Fuel: petrol
System: Electrical

This page covers the Suzuki Swift as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Suzuki Swift faults41 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph for this fault yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of something else.

What goes wrong

The early HT-generation Swift shares its platform and electricals with the Suzuki Ignis and Holden Cruze YG, and these cars are widely reported to suffer ignition-switch failure. Grease inside the switch carbonises over years of arcing across the contacts, so the switch loses conductivity. Owners describe the engine cranking and firing while the key is held but dying the moment the key is released, random stalling on the road, and eventual complete no-start; in the worst documented cases the switch has overheated or smoked. It affects cars built roughly across the 2000-2004 period and is age/usage related rather than mileage related, so any surviving example is a candidate.

What you would notice

Engine starts on the key but cuts out as soon as the key is released back from START
Random stalling while driving
Intermittent no-start / no dash lights
Burning-plastic smell or smoke from the steering column in severe cases

How to check it

Where to look. Ignition switch / barrel on the steering column

Start the car several times from cold and hot, then let go of the key each time to confirm it keeps running; wiggle the key in the barrel while the engine idles to check for cut-outs; check for any melted or discoloured plastic around the ignition barrel and a burnt smell at the column.

What it costs to put right

$150 to $450 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the ignition switch ever been replaced, and do you have the receipt?”
“Does it ever stall or fail to start when hot?”
“Have you noticed any burning smell from the steering column?”

Now check the Suzuki Swift you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Suzuki Swift buyer questions

Is ignition switch failure from carbonised contact grease (stall / no-start, rare fire risk) serious on a Suzuki Swift?

We rate it major and common on the Suzuki Swift. The early HT-generation Swift shares its platform and electricals with the Suzuki Ignis and Holden Cruze YG, and these cars are widely reported to suffer ignition-switch failure. Grease inside the switch carbonises over years of arcing across the contacts, so the switch loses conductivity. Owners describe the engine cranking and firing while the key is held but dying the moment the key is released, random stalling on the road, and eventual complete no-start; in the worst documented cases the switch has overheated or smoked. It affects cars built roughly across the 2000-2004 period and is age/usage related rather than mileage related, so any surviving example is a candidate.

How much does it cost to fix on a Suzuki Swift?

$150 to $450 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Suzuki Swift years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2000–2004 Suzuki Swift. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.