5-38 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z03-03E
relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road charac-
teristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades
represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.
Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to suddentire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Wheel Alignment and Tire BalanceThe wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully at the factory to
give you the longest tire life and best over-
all performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel bal-
ancing are not needed. However, if you
notice unusual tire wear or your vehicle
pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving on a smooth
road, your wheels may need to be rebal-
anced.
Wheel ReplacementReplace any wheel that is bent, cracked or
badly rusted or corroded. If wheel nuts
keep coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts
and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes
be repaired). See your SUZUKI dealer if
any of these conditions exist.
Your SUZUKI dealer will know the kind of
wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same
load-carrying capacity, diameter, width, off-
set and be mounted the same way as the
one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels,
wheel bolts or wheel nuts, replace them
only with new SUZUKI original equipment
parts. This way, you will be sure to have
the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead brak-
ing traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Exces-
sive speed, underinflation, or exces-
sive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
WARNING
Using the wrong replacement wheels,
wheel bolts or wheel nuts on your
vehicle can be dangerous. It could
affect the braking and handling of
your vehicle, make your tires lose air
and make you lose control. You could
have a collision in which you or oth-
ers could be injured. Always use the
correct wheel, wheel bolts and wheel
nuts for replacement.
Tires:
5-39 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z03-03E
See “Changing a Flat Tire” in this section
for more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
Tire Chains
If a Tire Goes FlatIt’s a unusual for a tire to “blowout” while
you’re driving, especially if you maintain
your tire properly. If air goes out of a tire,
it’s much more likely to leak out slowly. But
if you should ever have a “blowout”, here
are a few tips about what to expect and
what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a
drag that pulls the vehicle toward that side.
Take your foot off the accelerator pedal
and grip the steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then gently
brake to a stop well out of the traffic lane.A rear blowout, particularly on a curve,
acts much like a skid and may require the
same correction you’d use in a skid. In any
rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under
control by steering the way you want the
vehicle to go. It may be very bumpy and
noisy, but you can still steer. Gently brake
to a stop, well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how
to use your jacking equipment to change a
flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat TireIf a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and
wheel damage by driving slowly to a level
place. Turn on your hazard warning flash-
ers.
CAUTION
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer or odometer
calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and
tire or tire chain clearance to the
body and chassis.
WARNING
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle
is dangerous. You can’t know how it’s
been used or how far it’s been driven.
It could fail suddenly and cause a
crash. If you have to replace a wheel,
use a new SUZUKI original equip-
ment wheel.
CAUTION
Use tire chains only where legal and
only when you must. Use only SAE
class “S” type chains that are the
proper size for your tires. Install them
on the front tires and tighten them as
tightly as possible with the ends
securely fastened. Drive slowly and
follow the chain manufacturer’s
instructions. If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop
and retighten them. If the contact
continues, slow down until it stops.
Driving too fast or spinning the
wheels with chains on will damage
your vehicle.
WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it
to do maintenance or repairs is dan-
gerous without the appropriate safety
equipment and training. The jack pro-
vided with your vehicle is designed
only for changing a flat tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others
could be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. Use the jack
provided with your vehicle only for
changing a flat tire.
Tires:
5-40 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z03-03E
The following steps will tell you how to use
the jack to change a tire.Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
A. Jack
B. Wrench
C. Jack Handle
D. Screwdriver
The compartment spare tire and tools
you’ll need are located in the trunk.
1) Remove the trim cover from the floor of
the cargo area by pulling up on the tab.
2) Remove the foam tray that contains the
tools.
3) Turn the retainer on the compact spare
tire counterclockwise and remove the
retainer.
WARNING
Changing a tire can cause an injury.
The vehicle can slip off the jack and
roll over you or other people. You and
they could be severely injured. Find a
level place to change your tire. To
help prevent the vehicle from mov-
ing:
1) Set the parking brake firmly.
2) Put an automatic transmission
shift lever in PARK (P), or shift a
manual transmission to FIRST (1)
or REVERSE (R).
3) Turn off the engine and do not
restart while the vehicle is raised.
4) Do not allow passengers to
remain in the vehicle.
To be even more certain the vehicle
won’t move, you should put blocks at
the front and rear of the tire farthest
away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other
side, at the opposite end of the vehi-
cle.
WARNING
Only use the jack for lifting this car
during an emergency tire change.
Tires:
5-41 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z03-03E
4) Remove the compact spare tire. See
“Compact Spare Tire” in this section for
more information.
5) Remove the jack, jack handle and the
wheel wrench. The jack is located in the
cargo area. Turn the jack retainer,
located on the right side of the jack,
counterclockwise to release it. The jack
handle and the wheel wrench are
located inside the foam tray.
In case of the Wagon models, do the fol-
lowing:
1) Open the floor cover by pulling the han-
dle upward.
2) Lift the floor tray.
3) Release the prop from its retainer and
put the prop into the slot.
4) Turn the retainer on the compact spare
tire counterclockwise and remove the
retainer.5) Remove the compact spare tire. See
“Compact Spare Tire” in this section for
more information.
6) To access the tools, pull the strap on
the tool box cover upward. The tools
are located inside the foam tray.
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire
1) If your vehicle is equipped with wheel
covers, loosen the 4 plastic caps by
hand with the aid of the wheel wrench
and remove the wheel cover.
2) Then use the wheel wrench to loosen
all the wheel nuts. Don’t remove them
yet.3) Near each wheel well is a notch in the
frame which the jack head fits in.
Position the jack and raise the jack
head until it fits firmly into the notch in
the vehicle’s frame nearest the flat tire.
Put the compact spare tire near you.
N5U5005A
N5U5006A
WARNING
Getting under a vehicle when it is
jacked up is dangerous. If the vehicle
slips off the jack you could be badly
injured or killed. Never get under a
vehicle when it is supported only by a
jack.
Tires:
5-42 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z03-03E
4) Insert the jack handle and the wheel
wrench into the jack.
5) Raise the vehicle by turning the jack
handle clockwise. Raise the vehicle far
enough off the ground so there is
enough room for the compact spare tire
to fit underneath the wheel well.
6) Remove all of the wheel nuts by turning
them counterclockwise.
7) Remove the flat tire.8) Remove any rust or dirt from the wheel
bolts, mounting surfaces and spare
wheel.9) Place the compact spare tire on the
wheel-mounting surface.
10)Reinstall the wheel nuts with the
rounded end of the nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each wheel nut by turn-
ing it clockwise with your hand until the
wheel is held against the hub.
11)Lower the vehicle by turning the wheel
handle counterclockwise. Lower the
jack completely.
12)Tighten the wheel nuts firmly in a criss-
cross sequence as shown.
WARNING
Raising your vehicle with the jack
improperly positioned can damage
the vehicle and even make the vehi-
cle fall. To help avoid personal injury
and vehicle damage, be sure to fit the
jack lift head into the proper location
before raising the vehicle.
WARNING
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make the wheel nuts become loose
after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust or
dirt from the places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emer-
gency, you can use a cloth or a paper
towel to do this, but be sure to use a
scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt off.
WARNING
Never use oil or grease on studs or
nuts. If you do, the nuts might come
loose. Your wheel could fall off, caus-
ing a serious accident.
Tires:
5-43 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z03-03E
Don’t try to put a wheel cover on your com-
pact spare tire. It won’t fit. Store the wheel
cover in the trunk until you have the flat tire
repaired or replaced.Storing the Flat Tire and Tools
Store the flat tire in the compact spare tire
compartment. Place the tire in the com-
partment, then secure the retainer. Store
the jack in its housing in the cargo area.
Secure the jack by turning the retainer
clockwise. Store the tools securely in the
foam tray and place the tray on top of the
tire. Replace the trim cover.
Storing the Spare Tire and Tools
The compact spare tire is for temporary
use only. Replace the compact spare tire
with a full-size tire as soon as you can. See
“Compact Spare Tire” in this section.
WARNING
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly
tightened wheel nuts can cause the
wheel to come loose and even come
off. This could lead to an accident. Be
sure to use the correct wheel nuts. If
you have to replace them, be sure to
get new SUZUKI original equipment
wheel nuts. Stop somewhere as soon
as you can and have the nuts tight-
ened with a torque wrench to the
proper torque specification. See
“Capacities and Specifications” in
the Index for the wheel nut torque
specification.
CAUTION
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can
lead to brake pulsation and rotor
damage. To avoid expensive brake
repairs, evenly tighten the wheel nuts
in the proper sequence and to the
proper torque specification. See
“Capacities and Specifications” in
the index for the wheel nut torque
specification.
CAUTION
If you install a full-size tire rather than
your compact spare tire, reinstall the
wheel cover as follows:
1) Put the wheel cover on the full-
size tire.
2) Fasten the 4 plastic caps snugly
by hand.
3) Tighten the caps by turning them
an additional 90° with the wheel
wrench.
– The proper tightening torque is a
maximum of 5.9 lb-ft (8 N·m).
– Tightening to the improper
torque can cause damage to the
plastic caps.
CAUTION
Wheel covers will not fit on your com-
pact spare. If you try to put a wheel
cover on the compact spare, you
could damage the cover or the spare.
WARNING
Improperly storing a jack, a tire, or
other equipment in the passenger
compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or col-
lision, loose equipment could strike
someone. Store all these items in the
proper place.
WARNING
Storing a jack, a tire, or other equip-
ment in the passenger compartment
of the vehicle could cause injury. In a
sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone.
Store all these in the proper place.
Appearance Care:
5-44 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z03-03E
Compact Spare TireAlthough the compact spare tire was fully
inflated when your vehicle was new, it can
lose air after a time. Check the inflation
pressure regularly. It should be 60 psi (420
kPa).
After installing the compact spare tire on
your vehicle, you should stop as soon as
possible and make sure your compact
spare tire is correctly inflated. The compact
spare tire is made to perform well at
speeds up to 50 mph (80 km/h), so you
can finish your trip and have your full-size
tire repaired or replaced where you want.
Of course, it’s best to replace your spare
with a full-size tire as soon as you can.
Your spare will last longer and be in good
shape in case you need it again.
Don’t use your compact spare tire on other
vehicles.
And don’t mix your compact spare tire or
wheel with other wheels or tires. They
won’t fit. Keep your compact spare tire and
its wheel together.
CAUTION
When the compact spare Tire is
installed, don’t take your vehicle
through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can
get caught on the rails. That can
damage the tire and wheel, and
maybe other parts of your vehicle.
CAUTION
Tire chains won’t fit your compact
spare tire. Using them can damage
your vehicle and can damage the
chains too. Don’t use tire chains on
your compact spare.
WARNING
The compact spare tire and wheel are
intended for temporary emergency
use only. Continuous use of the com-
pact spare tire can result in tire fail-
ure and loss of control. Always
observe these precautions when
using the compact spare tire:
Your vehicle will handle differently
with this temporary spare.
Do not exceed 80 km/h (50 mph)
speed.
Replace the compact spare tire
with a standard tire and wheel as
soon as possible.
Use of the compact spare tire will
reduce ground clearance.
Recommended air pressure for the
compact spare tire is 420 kPa (60
psi).
(Continued)
WARNING
(Continued)
Do not use tire chains on the com-
pact spare tire. If you must use tire
chains, rearrange the wheels so
standard tires and wheels are fitted
to the front axle.
The compact spare tire has a much
shorter tread life than the conven-
tional tires on your vehicle.
Replace the tire as soon as the
tread wear indicator appears.
When replacing the compact spare
tire, use a replacement tire with the
exact same size and construction.
Appearance Care:
5-45 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z03-03E
Appearance CareRemember, cleaning products can be haz-
ardous. Some are toxic. Others can burst
into flames if you strike a match or get
them on a hot part of the vehicle. Some
are dangerous if you breathe their fumes in
a closed space. When you use anything
from a container to clean your vehicle, be
sure to follow the manufacturer’s warnings
and instructions. And always open your
doors or windows when you are cleaning
the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline
Benzene
Naphtha
Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone
Paint Thinner
Turpentine
Lacquer Thinner
Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous – some more
than others – and they can all damage
your vehicle, too.
Do not use any of these unless this manual
says you can. In many uses, these will
damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your VehicleUse a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of
dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl, leather,
plastic and painted surfaces with a clean,
damp cloth.
Cleaning Fabric/Carpet
Your SUZUKI dealer has cleaners for the
cleaning of fabric and carpet. They will
clean normal spots and stains very well.
You can get SUZUKI approved cleaning
products from your SUZUKI dealer. See
“Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials” later
in this section.
Here are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the
cleaner label.
Clean up stains as soon as you can –
before they set.
Carefully scrape off any excess stain.
Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change
to a clean area often. A soft brush may
be used if stains are stubborn.
If a ring forms on fabric after spot clean-
ing, clean the entire area immediately or
it will set.Using Cleaner on Fabric
1) Vacuum and brush the area to remove
any loose dirt.
2) Always clean a whole trim panel or sec-
tion. Mask surrounding trim along stitch
or welt lines.
3) Follow the directions on the container
label.
4) Apply cleaner with a clean sponge.
Don’t saturate the material and don’t
rub it roughly.
5) As soon as you’ve cleaned the section,
use a sponge to remove any excess
cleaner.
6) Wipe cleaned area with a clean, water-
dampened towel or cloth.
7) Wipe with a clean cloth and let dry.
Specific Fabric Cleaning Problems
Stains caused by such things as catsup,
coffee (black), egg, fruit, fruit juice, milk,
soft drinks, vomit, urine and blood can be
removed as follows:
1) Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
sponge the soiled area with cool water.
2) If a stain remains, follow the cleaner
instructions described earlier.
3) If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit or
urine, treat the area with a water/baking
soda solution: 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of bak-
ing soda to 1 cup (250 ml) of lukewarm
water.
4) Let dry.
Appearance Care: