Knock Sensor Issues Plague Suzuki Alto Performance

I had very similar symptoms with my 2013 Suzuki Celerio last year and can share my experience as someone with moderate car repair knowledge. The symptoms you describe match what I encountered, poor performance, decreased fuel efficiency and the check engine light. Initially, I also thought it was the knock sensor itself that needed replacement. However, when I took it to the workshop, they discovered it was actually just a damaged wire connection to the knock sensor. The connector had corroded and wasnt making proper contact, causing the sensor to send incorrect signals to the ECU. The repair was straightforward, they cleaned and repaired the connection, which cost 95€ including labor. This fixed all the issues, the engine runs smooth again, the check engine light went off, and fuel efficiency returned to normal. The whole repair took about an hour. Before suggesting more specific advice, could you share: Have you had the check engine code read? Did these symptoms appear suddenly or gradually? Have you noticed any unusual sounds from the engine? When was your last service? This information would help determine if your issue is similar to what I experienced or if other components might need inspection.

Thank you for sharing your detailed experience. At 144243 KM, my Alto has started behaving similarly, but my malfunction indicator shows error code P0325. The local auto repair shop quoted 280€ for a complete knock sensor replacement including labor. Before proceeding, I wanted to check if cleaning the connections might work, as it did in your case. My last service was just 2 months ago, and these symptoms appeared quite suddenly last week. The poor performance is really noticeable, especially during acceleration. I do hear a slight knocking sound when accelerating uphill.

Thanks for the additional details. Your situation sounds more serious than what I encountered with my Celerio. While my connection issue was resolved with cleaning, your error code P0325 specifically points to a knock sensor malfunction, and the knocking sound during acceleration is a clear indicator. Given these symptoms and considering you already had a recent service, I recommend going ahead with the full knock sensor replacement. In my experience with Suzuki models, when you hear actual knocking combined with the specific error code, a simple connection fix rarely solves the problem. After dealing with my initial connector issue, I actually had to replace the knock sensor six months later when similar symptoms returned. The total repair cost was 265€, quite close to your quoted price. The replacement completely resolved the poor performance and abnormal engine sounds. Just so you know: continuing to drive with a faulty knock sensor can lead to engine damage since the ECU cant properly adjust ignition timing. The quoted 280€ repair cost is reasonable and could prevent more expensive repairs later. The shop should also check the wiring harness during replacement to ensure theres no additional damage that could affect the new sensor.

Your issue seems more serious than what I initially expected based on your feedback. With error code P0325 and the knocking sound during acceleration, I should definitely proceed with the full sensor replacement rather than just attempting to clean the connections. The quote of 280€ seems fair, especially considering the potential risk of engine damage if I keep driving with these symptoms. I will schedule the repair this week to address the check engine light and poor performance issues. Better to fix it now than risk more expensive engine repairs later. The fact that these symptoms appeared suddenly despite recent servicing, combined with the actual knocking sound during uphill driving, makes me feel more confident about proceeding with the full replacement. My main concern was spending money unnecessarily, but given your experience with a similar situation requiring eventual sensor replacement, I think this is the right call. I will ask them to inspect the wiring harness too while they are doing the work. Better to catch any related issues while they are already working on that area of the engine.