1999 SUZUKI BALENO Automatic transmission

60G-74E
DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING

DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING

High Speed Driving 8-1

Driving on Hills 8-1

Driving on Slippery Roads 8-2

Driving on Wet Roads 8-2

Do's and Don'ts for Safe Driving 8-3

73

DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING

60G-74E

70F-06-001

Wear Your Seat Belts at All Times.

The driver and passengers should

be property restrained at all times,

using the seatbelts provided. Refer

to the "SEATBELTS" section for

instructions on proper use of the

seatbelts.

Never drive while under the

influence of alcohol or other drugs.

Alcohol and drugs can seriously

impair your ability to drive safely,

greatly increasing the risk of injury

to yourself and others. You should

also avoid driving when you are

tired, sick, irritated, or under stress.
HIGH-SPEED DRIVING

When driving at a high-speed, pay attention to

the following:

• Stopping distance progressively increases

with vehicle speed. Apply the brakes far

enough ahead of the stopping point to

allow for the extra stopping distance.

• On rainy days, "Aquaplaning" can occur.

"Aquaplaning" is the loss of direct contact

between the road surface and the vehicle's

tyres due to a water film forming between

them. Steering or braking the vehicle while

"Aquaplaning" can be very difficult, and

loss of control can occur. Keep speed

down when the road surface is wet.

• At high speeds, the vehicle may be

affected by side winds. Therefore, reduce

speed and be prepared for unexpected

buffeting, which can occur at the exits of

tunnels, when passing by a cut of a hill, or

when being overtaken by large vehicles,

etc.

DRIVING ON HILLS

• When climbing steep hills, the vehicle may

begin to slow down and show a lack of

power. If this happens, you should change

to a lower gear so that the engine will again

be operating in its normal power range.

Change rapidly to prevent the vehicle from

losing momentum.
When driving down a hill, the engine

should be used for braking by shifting to

next lower gear.

Try not to hold the brake pedal down

too long or too often while going down

a steep or long hill. This could cause

the brakes to overheat, resulting in

reduced braking efficiency. Failure to

take this precaution could result in loss

of vehicle control.

CAUTION

When descending a down hill, NEVER

turn the ignition key to the "OFF"

position. Emission control system and

automatic transmission (if equipped)

damage may result.

DRIVING ON SLIPPERY ROADS

Under wet road conditions you should drive

at a lower speed than on dry roads due to

possible slippage of tyres during braking.

When driving on icy, snowcovered, or muddy

roads, reduce your speed and avoid sudden

acceleration, abrupt braking, or sharp steering

movements.

8-1

60G-74E
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

Periodic Maintenance Schedule.. 9-2

Engine Oil and Filter 9-7

Gear OH 9-10

Engine Coolant 9-11

Windscreen Washer Fluid 9-13

Air Cleaner 9-13

Spark Plugs 9-14

Brakes 9-15

Steering 9-17

Power Steering (if equipped) 9-18

Clutch Pedal 9-18

Tyres... 9-19

Battery 9-22

Fuses 9-23

Bulb Replacement , 9-25

Wiper Blades 9-29

83

INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

60G-74E

70F-05-002

You should take extreme care when

working on your vehicle to prevent

accidental injury. Here are a few

precautions that you should be

especially careful to observe:

• Do not leave the engine running in

garages or other confined areas.

• When the engine Is running, keep

hands, clothing, tools, and other

objects away from the fan and water

pump belt. Even though the fan may

not be moving, it can automatically

turn on without warning. ^
When it is necessary to do service

work with the engine running, make

sure that the parking brake is applied

fully and the transmission is in

Neutral.

Do not touch ignition wires or other

ignition system parts when starting

the engine or when the engine is

running, or you could receive an

electric shock.

Be careful not to touch a hot engine,

exhaust manifold and pipes, muffler,

radiator and water hoses.

Do not allow smoking, sparks, or

flames around gasoline or the

battery. Flammable fumes are

present.

Do not get under your vehicle if it is

supported only with the portable

jack provided in your vehicle.

Be careful not to cause accidental

short circuits between the positive

and negative battery terminals.

Keep used oil, coolant, and other

fluids away from children and pets.

Dispose of used fluids properly;

never pour them on the ground, into

sewers, etc.

9-1
84

60G-74E
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

POWER STEERING (if equipped)

CLUTCH PEDAL

60G-09-017

Check the steering box case, vane pump and

hose connections for leaks or damage.

Power steering fluid

Check the fluid level by looking at the reservoir

in the engine compartment when the fluid is

cold (about room temperature).

Check that the fluid level is between the

"UPPER" and "LOWER" lines. If the fluid level

is near the "LOWER" line, fill it up to the

"UPPER" line with an automatic transmission

fluid equivalent to DEXRON»-IIE or

DEXRON'-III. Do not overfill.
63B-09-00SE

Power steering belt

The tension of the belt should be such that

there is a deflection of 8-10mm (0.31 -0.39 in.)

when you press your thumb midway between

the pulleys.

The belt should also be examined to ensure

that it is not damaged. If necessary, have the

belt adjusted or replaced by your MARUTI

dealer.
70F-07-034

Measure the clutch pedal piay by moving the

clutch pedal with your hand and measuring

the distance it moves until you feel slight

resistance. The play in the clutch pedal should

be between 15-20 mm (0.6 - 0.8 in). If the

play is more or less than the above, or clutch

dragging is felt with the pedal fully depressed,

have the clutch inspected by your MARUTI

dealer.

101

9-18

INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

60G-74E

TYRES

60G-09-018

The front and rear tyre pressure specifications

for your vehicle are listed on the Tyre Inflation

Pressure Label and in the "SPECIFICATIONS"

section at the end of this book. Both the front

and rear tyres should have the specified tyre

pressure.

Tyre Inspection

Inspect your vehicle's tyres periodically by

performing the following checks:

1) Measure the air pressure with a tyre

gauge. Adjust the pressure if necessary.
Air pressures should be checked

when the tyres are cold or you may

get inaccurate readings.

Check the inflation pressure from

time to time while inflating the tyre

gradually, until the specified

pressure is obtained.

Never underinf late or overinf late the

tyres.

Underinflation can cause unusual

handling characteristics or can

cause the rim to slip on the tyre

bead, resulting in an accident or

damage to the tyre or rim.

Overinflation can cause the tyre to

burst, resulting in personal injury.

Overinflation can also cause

unusual handling characteristics

which may result In an accident.
70F-07-037E

2) Check that the depth of the tread groove

is more than 1.6 mm (0.06 in). To help you

check this, the tyres have moulded in tread

wear indicators in the grooves. When the

indicators appear on the tread surface, the

remaining depth of the tread is 1.6 mm

(0.06 in) or less and the tyre should be

replaced.

3) Check for abnormal wear, cracks and

damage. Any tyres with cracks or other

damage should be replaced. If any tyres

show abnormal wear, have them inspected

by your MARUTI dealer.

9-19
102