1999 SUZUKI BALENO brakes

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

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

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
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
DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING

Snow Chains

If you must use snow chains to increase tyre

traction, observe the following precautions:

• Choose a safe place away from traffic to

install the chains.

• When installing the chains carefully follow

the manufacturer's instructions.

• Install the chains on the front tyres.

• With the chains on, drive only at slow and

moderate speeds.

• If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck

If your vehicle gets stuck in snow, mud, or

sand, follow the directions below:

1) Change back and forth between first gear

and reverse. This will create a rocking

motion which may give you enough

momentum to free the vehicle. Press

gently on the accelerator to keep wheel

spin to a minimum. Remove your foot from

the accelerator while changing gear.

Do not race the engine. Excessive wheel

spin will cause the tyres to dig deeper,

making it more difficult to free the vehicle.

2) If your vehicle remains stuck after a few

minutes of rocking, get another vehicle to

pull you out.
Do not allow anyone to stand near the

vehicle when you are rocking it, and do

not spin the wheels faster than an

indicated 40 km/h on the speedometer.

Personal injury and/or vehicle damage

may result from spinning the wheels

too fast.

CAUTION

Do not continue rocking the vehicle for

more than a few minutes. Prolonged

rocking can cause engine overheating

or transmission damage.

DRIVING ON WET ROADS

CAUTION

When driving on wet roads, avoid driv-

ing through large amount of standing

water on the road. Large amount of

water entering the engine compart-

ment may cause damage to the engine

and or electrical components.

If stuck in deep water, do not start till

water level drops.

Water Is incompressible substance,

water inside engine is harmful to

the engine."
Make sure your tyres are in good

condition and always maintain the

specified tyre pressure. Refer to

"TYRES" in the "INSPECTION AND

MAINTENANCE" section for details.

Do not use tyres other than those

specified by MARUTI. never use

different sizes or types of tyres on

the front and rear wheels. For

information regarding the specified

tyres, refer to ^"SPECIFICATIONS"

section.

Never use oversized tyres or special

shock absorbers and springs to

raise (jack up) your vehicle.This will

change the handling characteristics.

After driving through water, 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.

75

8-2

DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING

60G-74E

DO'S AND DON'TS FOR SAFE

DRIVING

Exercise care in handling your vehicle. Be

conscious of not only your own safety but also

the safety of others on the road, and thus enjoy

the best and most comfortable driving

experience.

This section contains basic rules for safe

driving. Read it carefully for good

understanding of the content so that you can

enjoy safe and pleasant driving in your Maruti

vehicle.

72F-08-001

Starting

1. Adjust the driver's seat for the proper

driving posture.

2. Adjust the rear view mirror so as to obtain

the best possible rear view.

3. Before moving off, look forward and back

to confirm safety.
72F-08-002

72F-08-003

8-3
76

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
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

Interval: This Interval should be judged

by odometer reading or months,

whichever comes first.
km (x 1,000)

months

ROAD TEST

1. Operation of Brakes, Gear shifting & speedometer

2. Body and Chassis noise

AIR CONDITIONER (if equipped)

1. Check belt tension

2. Check Receiver Drier bubbles.

3. Tighten compressor mounting bolts

4. Check all hose joints, tighten if necessary

5. Check functioning of Recirc flap .*

6. Clean condenser with low pressure water

7. Check belt for frayed edges, change if necessary

8. Check all mounting bolts
FREE

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MAINTENANCE

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SERVICE

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COST

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The rear shock absorbers are filled with

high pressure gas. Never attempt to

disassemble it or throw it into a fire.

Avoid storing it near a heater or heating

device. When scrapping the absorber,

the gas must be released from the

absorber safely. Ask your dealer for

assistance.

89

9-6

INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
60G-74E

All maintenance should be carried

out with the Ignition switch in the

"OFF" position and the car parked

securely on the level ground unless

otherwise specified.

If you are In any way unsure of your

ability to undertake a task, then do

not start it but contact your Maruti

dealer to perform the work for you.
ENGINE OIL AND FILTER

Specified oil

Be sure that the engine oil you use comes

under the API classification of SF, SG or SH.

Select the appropriate oil viscosity according

to the above chart.

9-7
90
70F-07-004E