1999 SUZUKI BALENO stop start

60G-74E
INSTRUMENT PANEL

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER

© Speedometer

® Odometer

© Trip meter (if equipped)

© Trip meter reset knob

© Tachometer (if equipped)

© Fuel gauge

® Temperature gauge

© Warning and indicator lights

60G-05-002

39

5-2

INSTRUMENT PANEL
60G-74E

WARNING AND INDICATOR LIGHTS

70F-07-070

Brake fluid level warning/Parking Brake

Indicator light

This light operates under three conditions:

1) when the ignition switch is turned to the

"START' position, 2) when the fluid in the brake

fluid reservoir falls below the specified level

or 3) when the parking brake is not fully

released and the ignition switch is in the "ON"

position. The light should go out after starting

the engine and fully releasing the parking

brake, if the fluid in the brake fluid reservoir is

adequate. If the light does not go off or comes

on whilst you are driving, it may mean that

there is something wrong with the vehicle's

braking system. If this happens, you should:

1) Pull off the road and stop carefully.

Remember that stopping distance may

be longer, you may have to push

harder on the pedal, and the pedal

may go down farther than normal.
2) Test the brakes by carefully starting and

stopping at the side of the road.

3) If you determine that it is safe, drive

carefully at low speed to the nearest dealer

for repairs.

Have the vehicle towed to the nearest

dealer for repairs.
or

4)

If any of the following conditions occur,

you should Immediately ask your

MARUTI dealer to inspect the brake

system.

• If the brake fluid level warning light

does not go out after the engine has

been started and the parking brake

has been fully released.

• If the brake fluid level warning light

does not come on when the ignition

switch is turned to the "START"

position.

• If the brake fluid level warning light

comes on at any time during vehicle

operation.

NOTE:

Because the disc brake system is self

adjusting, the fluid level will drop as the brake

pads become worn.

Replenishing the brake fluid reservoir is

considered normal periodic maintenance.
70F-03-039

Oil Pressure Light

This light comes on when the ignition switch

is turned on, and goes out when the engine

is started. The light will come on and remain

on if there is insufficient oil pressure. If the

light comes on when driving, pull off the

road as soon as you can and stop the

engine. Check the oil level and add oil if

necessary (see pages 9-8 and 9-9). If there

is enough oil, the lubrication system should

be inspected by your MARUTI dealer before

you drive the vehicle again.

5-3
40

60G-74E
INSTRUMENT PANEL

60G-09-002

CAUTION

If you operate the engine with this

light on, severe engine damage can

result.

Do not rely on the Oil Pressure Light

to indicate the need to add oil. Be

sure to periodically check the engine

oil level (see pages 9-8 and 9-9).
70F-03-009

Charging Light

This light comes on when the ignition switch

is turned on, and goes out when the engine is

started. The light will come on and remain on

if there is something wrong with the battery

charging system. If the light comes on when

the engine is running, the charging system

should be inspected immediately by your

MARUTI dealer.

CAUTION

Do not continue driving long with the

charging light ON as this will drain the

battery 'dead'.
72F-05-027

"Malfunction Indicator" Light

Your vehicle has a computer-controlled

emission control system. A "Malfunction

Indicator" light is provided on the instrument

panel to indicate when it is necessary to have

the emission control system serviced. The

"Malfunction Indicator" light comes on when

the ignition switch is turned to "ON" and goes

out when the engine is started.

If the "Malfunction Indicator" light comes on

when the engine is running, there is a problem

with the emission control system. Take the

vehicle to your MARUTI dealer to have the

problem corrected.

CAUTION

Continuing to drive the vehicle when

the "Malfunction Indicator" light is on

can cause permanent damage to the

vehicle's emission control system, and

can affect fuel economy and

driveability.

5-4

INSTRUMENT PANEL
60G-74E

70F-03-042

Turn Signal Indicators

When you turn on the left or right turn signals,

the corresponding green arrow on the

instrument panel will flash along with the

respective turn signal lights. When you turn

on the hazard warning switch, both arrows will

flash along with all of the turn signal lights.

70F-03-043

Main Beam (High Beam) Indicator Light

This indicator comes on when headlight main

beams (high beams) are turned on.
SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER/

TRIPMETER (if equipped)

60G-05-003

© Speedometer

© Odometer

(D Trip meter

© Trip meter reset knob

The speedometer indicates vehicle speed in

km/h.The odometer records the total distance

the vehicle has been driven. The tripmeter can

be used to measure the distance travelled on

short trips or between fuel stops. You can reset

the tripmeter to zero by pushing the reset

knob.
CAUTION

Keep track of your odometer reading

and check the maintenance schedule

regularly for required services.

Increased wear or damage to certain

parts can result from failure to perform

required services at the proper mileage

intervals and your warranty rights may

be affected.

5-5

42
41

OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENTS
60G-74E

PARKING BRAKE LEVER

63B-06-001E

The parking brake lever is located between

the seats. To apply the parking brake, hold the

brake pedal down and pull the parking brake

lever all the way up.
63B-06-002E

To release the parking brake, hold the brake

pedal down, pull up slightly on the parking

brake lever, push the button on the end of the

lever with your thumb, and lower the lever to

its original position.
Never drive your vehicle with the

parking brake on: rear brake

effectiveness can be reduced from

over heating, brake life may be

shortened, or permanent brake

damage may result.

If the parking brake does not hold

the vehicle securely or does not fully

release, have your vehicle inspected

immediately by an authorized

MARUTI dealer.

Always apply the parking brake fully

before leaving your vehicle or it may

move, causing injury or damage. When

parking, make sure the gear shift lever

is left in first gear or reverse.

Remember, even though the

transmission is in gear, you must

always apply the parking brake fully.

6-1
54

60G-74E
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT

PEDALS

GEAR LEVER

60G-06-001

Clutch Pedal ©

The clutch pedal is used to disengage the drive

to the wheels when starting the engine,

stopping, or shifting the transmission lever.

Depressing the pedal disengages the clutch.

CAUTION

Do not drive with your foot resting on

the clutch pedal. It could result in

excessive clutch wear, clutch damage,

or unexpected loss of engine braking.
Brake Pedal ®

Your MARUTI vehicle is equipped with front

disc brakes and rear drum brakes. Depressing

the brake pedal applies both sets of brakes.

You may hear occasional brake squeal when

you apply the brakes. This is a normal

condition caused by environmental factors

such as cold, wet, snow, etc.

If brake squeal is excessive and occurs

each time the brakes are applied, you

should have the brakes checked by

your MARUTI dealer.

A WARNING

Do not "ride" the brakes by applying

them continuously or resting your foot

on the pedal. This will result in

overheating of the brakes which could

cause unpredictable braking action,

longer stopping distances, or

permanent brake damage.

Accelerator Pedal ®

This pedal controls the speed of the engine.

Depressing the accelerator pedal increases

power output and speed.
70F-04-005E

The gear change pattern is shown in the

illustration. For details on how to use the

transmission, refer to USING THE

TRANSMISSION in the OPERATING YOUR

VEHICLE section.

55

6-2

60G-74E
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE

Once a week, or each time you fill your fuel

tank, perform the following under-bonnet

checks:

1) Engine oil level.

2) Coolant level.

3) Brake fluid level.

4) Power steering (if equipped) fluid level.

5) Windscreen washer fluid level.

6) Battery solution level.

7) Bonnet latch operation.

Pull the bonnet release handle inside the

vehicle. Make sure that you can not open

the hood all the way without releasing the

secondary latch. Be sure to close the hood

securely after checking for proper

operation. See "All Latches, Hinges &

Locks" of "PERIODIC MAINTENANCE

SCHEDULE" in the "INSPECTION AND

MAINTENANCE" section for lubrication

schedule.

Make sure the bonnet is fully closed

and latched before driving. If it is not,

it can fly up unexpectedly during

driving, obstructing your view and

resulting in an accident.
STARTING THE ENGINE

Before starting the engine:

1) Make sure the parking brake is applied

fully.

2) Manual Transmission - Shift into "N"

(neutral) and depress the clutch pedal all

the way to the floor. Hold it while starting

the engine.

Make sure that the parking brake is

applied fully and the transmission is in

Neutral before attempting to start the

engine.

CAUTION

Stop turning the starter immediately

after the engine has started or the

starter system can be damaged.

Do not crank the engine for more

than 15 seconds at a time. If the

engine doesn't start on the first try,

wait about 15 seconds before trying

again.
Starting a Cold Engine

Engine which is started after 6 hours should

be treated as cold engine.

For Electronic fuel injection models

• With your foot off the accelerator pedal,

crank the engine by turning the ignition

key to "START1. Release the key when the

engine starts.

• If the engine does not start after 15

seconds of cranking, wait about 15

seconds, then press down the accelerator

pedal to 1/3 of its travel and try cranking

the engine again. Release the key and

accelerator pedal when the engine starts.

• If the engine still does not start, try holding

the accelerator pedal all the way to the

floor while cranking. This should clear the

engine if it is flooded.

Starting a Warm Engine

For Electronic fuel injection models:

Use the same procedure as for "Starting a cold

Engine".

67

7-2

OPERATING YOUR VECHILE

60G-74E

USING THE TRANSMISSION

70F-04-005E

Starting off

To start off, depress and maintain pressure

upon the clutch pedal and change into 1st

gear. After releasing the parking brake,

gradually release the clutch. When you hear

a change in the engine's sound (speed), gently

apply pressure to the accelerator to keep the

engine sound (speed) constant whilst

continuing to gradually release the clutch.
Gear changing

All forward gears are synchronized, which

provides for quiet, easy changing. Always

depress the clutch pedal fully before changing

gears.The following table shows the maximum

allowable speed for each gear.
GEAR

First

Second

Third

Fourth

Fifth
MAXIMUM SPEED

50 km/h

95 km/h

140 km/h

Top Speed

Top Speed

7-3
68

60G-74E
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE

Reduce your speed and change

down to a lower gear before going

down a long or steep hill. A lower

gear will allow the engine to provide

braking. Avoid riding the brakes or

they may overheat, resulting in brake

failure.

When driving on slippery roads, be

sure to slow down before changing

down. Excessive and or sudden

changes in engine speed may cause

loss of traction, which could cause

you to lose control.

Make sure that the vehicle is

completely stationary before you

change into reverse.
CAUTION

To help avoid clutch damage, do not

use the clutch pedal as a footrest

while driving or use the clutch to

keep the vehicle stationary on a hill.

Depress the clutch fully when

changing gear.

When changing gears or starting off,

do not race the engine. Racing the

engine can shorten engine life and

prevent smooth operation.
BRAKING

The distance needed to bring any vehicle to a

halt increases with the speed of the vehicle.

The braking distance needed, for example, at

60 km/h will be approximately 4 times greater

than the braking distance needed at 20 km/h.

Start to brake the vehicle when there is plenty

of distance between your vehicle and the

stopping point, and slow down gradually.

69

7-4

OPERATING YOUR VECHILE

60G-74E

RUNNING-IN

Servo assisted brakes

Your vehicle has servo assisted brakes which

works with the assistance of engine vacuum.

Do not switch off the engine while

vehicle is in motion, for example, while

driving down a hill as this will cause

loss of vacuum assistance leading to

reduction of braking efficiency

substantially.

If servo assistance is lost due to a stalled

engine or other failures, the system is still fully

operational on reserve power and you can

bring the vehicle to a complete stop by

pressing the brake pedal once and holding it

down. The reserve power is partly used up

each time you depress the brake pedal. Apply

smooth and constant pressure to the pedal.

Do not pump the pedal.
Even without reserve power in the

brake system, you can still stop the

vehicle by pressing the brake pedal

harder than normally required.

However, the stopping distance may be

lonaer.

On loose surface where the wheels can

easily loose traction (such as gravel,

etc.), the stopping distance required for

your vehicle may be greater than for a

comparable vehicle with a conventional

brake system. Allow for extra stopping

distance when driving on loose

surfaces.
CAUTION

The future performance and reliability

of the engine depends on the care and

restraint exercised during its early life.

It is especially important to observe the

following precautions during the initial

1000 km of vehicle operation.

• After starting, do not race the

engine. Warm it up gradually.

• Avoid prolonged vehicle operation at

a constant speed. Moving parts will

bed in better if you vary your speed.

• Do not exceed 100 km/h.

• Start off from a stop slowly. Avoid

full throttle starts.

• If possible, avoid hard braking,

especially during the first 300 km of

driving.

• Do not drive slowly with the

transmission in a high gear.

• Drive the vehicle at moderate engine

speeds.

7-5
70
If water gets into the brake drums,

brake performance may become poor

and unpredictable. After driving

through water or washing the

underside of the vehicle, test the brakes

while driving at a slow speed to see if

they have maintained their normal

effectiveness. If the brakes are less

effective than normal, dry them by

repeatedly applying the brakes while

driving slowly until the brakes have

regained their normal effectiveness.

60G-74E
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE

CATALYTIC CONVERTER

(if equipped)

70F-05-005

The purpose of the catalytic converter installed

on your vehicle is to convert exhaust pollutants

to harmless water vapour, carbon dioxide, and

nitrogen. Use of leaded fuel in vehicles

equipped with catalytic converters is

prohibited, because lead deactivates the

pollutant-reducing components of the catalyst

system.

It is very important to keep the engine properly

tuned. Engine misfiring, which can result from

an improperly tuned engine, may cause

overheating of the catalyst. This may result in

permanent heat damage to the catalyst and

other vehicle components.
CAUTION

To minimize the possibility of catalyst

or other vehicle damage:

• Maintain the engine in the proper

operating condition.

• In the event of an engine

malfunction, particularly one

involving engine misfire or other

apparent loss of performance, have

the vehicle serviced promptly.

• Do not turn off the engine or

interrupt the ignition when the

transmission is in gear and the

vehicle is in motion.

• Do not try to start the engine by

pushing or towing the vehicle, or

coasting down a hill.

• Do not idle the engine with any spark

plug wires disconnected or

removed, such as during diagnostic

testing.

• Do not idle the vehicle for prolonged

periods if idling seems rough or

there are other malfunctions.

• Do not allow the fuel tank to get near

the empty level.
60Q-07-002E

Be careful where you park and drive;

the catalytic converter and other

exhaust components can get very hot.

As with any vehicle, do not park or

operate this vehicle in areas where

combustible materials such as dry

grass or leaves can come in contact

with a hot exhaust system.

7-6

OPERATING YOUR VECHILE

60G-74E

IMPROVING FUEL ECONOMY

The following instructions will help you improve

fuel economy.

Avoid excessive idling:

If you are to wait for more than a minute while

you are parked, stop the engine and start it

again later. When warming up a cold engine,

allow the engine to idle until the temperature

gauge pointer comes up to the "C" position. In

this position, the engine is sufficiently warm

for starting off.

Avoid "fast" starts:

Fast starts away from lights or stop signs will

consume fuel unnecessarily and shorten

engine life. Start off slowly.

Avoid unnecessary stops:

Avoid unnecessary deceleration and stopping.

Try to maintain a slow, steady speed whenever

possible. Slowing down and then accelerating

again uses more fuel.

Keep a steady cruising speed:

Keep as constant a speed as road and traffic

conditions will permit.
Air Outlet side

(Facing up)

60G-09-010

Keep the air cleaner clean:

A dirty air cleaner will cause the carburation

system to supply too much fuel to the engine

for the amount of air being supplied. The result

is waste of fuel due to incomplete combustion.

Keep weight to a minimum:

The heavier the load, the more fuel the vehicle

consumes. Take out any luggage or cargo

when it is not necessary.

Keep tyre pressures correct:

Under-inflation of the tyres can waste fuel due

to increased running resistance of the tyres.

Keep your tyres inflated to the correct pressure

shown on the label on the driver's side door

or door lock pillar.
TRAILER TOWING

Your MARUTI was originally designed to carry

people and a normal amount of cargo, not to

tow a trailer. Maruti does not recommend you

use your vehicle to tow a trailer.Towing a trailer

can adversely affect handling, durability, and

fuel economy.

7-7

72
71

60G-74E
DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING

72F-08-004

4. Don't start quickly, for it is dangerous and

wastes fuel.
72F-08-006

72F-08-005

General driving

1. Be sure to stop before the stop light and

stop sign. When moving into the

intersection without any traffic lights or

signs, drive slowly to confirm safety.
Always follow other vehicles at a safe

distance in order to prevent a rear-end

collision, should the vehicle ahead make

a sudden stop.

77

8-4

DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING

60G-74E

72F-08-007 72F-08-008
72F-08-009

3.
Turn ON the turn signal at least 30 meters

before making a turn or changing the lane

so as not to be hit from behind.
4. Before entering a corner, decelerate to a

safe speed. Don't apply brakes during

cornering, or a cornering skid may occur.

5. When overtaking other vehicles, watch out

for the oncoming vehicle and carefully

confirm the safety.

6. Don't attempt zigzag driving which will

hinder your control over the vehicle and

cause an accident.

72F-08-010

8-5
78

60G-74E
DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING

72F-08-018

72F-08-019

Long distance driving

1. Be sure to perform safety checks before

starting a trip.
2. Take rest at certain intervals to prevent

an accident which may occur when you

are sleepy or tired.
72F-08-020

Night time driving

1. Drive more slowly at night than in the

daytime, for the visual range is restricted

at night.

81

8-8

DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING

60G-74E

72F-08-021

2. Don't overtake other vehicles at night.

Darkness bothers your sense of speed

and hinders your judgement on the car-

to-car distance.

3. Don't use the high headlight beam unless

its use is inevitable. Its dazzle may blitz

the driver of the oncoming vehicle, thus

causing an accident.

4. Always keep the window glasses clean.

Don't operate the windshield wiper when

the windshield glass is dry or the wiper

blade and glass may get damaged.
72F-08-022

72F-08-023
MARGIN FOR SAFETY

It is important to allow yourself a margin for

safety during driving so that you can cope with

erroneous or unexpected driving of other

drivers. For that, observe the following.

• Drive at a safe speed.

• Maintain a sufficient distance between

your vehicle and the vehicle ahead.

• Don't force yourself to overtake other

vehicles.

• Don't make quick start, hard steering or

sudden stops.

• Allow an ample time in the driving

schedule.

• Observe traffic rules and regulations.

CONCLUSION

A perfect driver does not exist. The endeavour

of every motorist should be to strive for

perfection. Safety consciousness not only

ensures your safety and the safety of other

road users, it also helps reduce the wear and

tear on your vehicle, prolongs its life, gives

more mileage and ensures a comfortable

driving experience.

Follow the do's and don'ts listed, and

driving will never be the same again.

8-9
82