0-1
85Z03-03E
FOREWORDAll information in this manual is based
on the latest product information avail-
able at the time of publication. Due to
improvements or other changes, there
may be discrepancies between informa-
tion in this manual and your vehicle.
SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
reserves the right to make production
changes at any time, without notice and
without incurring any obligation to
make the same or similar changes tovehicles previously built or sold.
SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
believes in conservation and protection of
Earth’s natural resources.
To that end, we encourage every vehicle
owner to recycle, trade in, or properly dis-
pose of, as appropriate, used motor oil,
coolant, and other fluids, batteries and
tires.IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH
YOUR SUZUKI:
Please review the New Vehicle Warranty
Information booklet supplied with your
SUZUKI. Should you have a question or
problem regarding the warranty or service
of your vehicle, please take the following
action:
Consult the Service Manager and the
Owner of the Suzuki Automotive Dealer-
ship. Explain your problem and ask for
their assistance in resolving your problem.
The Owner of the dealership is in the very
best position to assist you as he or she is
vitally concerned with your continued satis-
faction.
If you are still in need of additional informa-
tion, or if you are dissatisfied, request that
your SUZUKI dealer arrange a meeting
with your District Service Manager.
If, after doing so, you still require further
assistance, and you purchased your
SUZUKI in the continental United States,
please contact the American Suzuki Cus-
tomer Relations Department by telephone
at 1-800-934-0934 or in writing at:
American Suzuki Motor Corporation
Automotive Customer Relations
3251 East Imperial Highway
Brea, CA 92821-6795If you purchased your SUZUKI in Canada
please contact the Suzuki Canada Cus-
tomer Relations Department by telephone
at 1-905-889-2677 extension 2254 or in
writing at:
Suzuki Canada Inc.
Customer Relations
100 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill, On
L4B 1J6
In the event you require assistance related
to your SUZUKI, while temporarily travel-
ling in either the United States or Canada,
you may wish to contact the Suzuki Cus-
tomer Relations Department directly of the
country in which you are temporarily oper-
ating your vehicle.
Please be certain to provide us with the fol-
lowing information: the model, Vehicle
Identification Number, mileage, accesso-
ries involved, event dates, your concern,
and any other comments which you may
have. When we receive your correspon-
dence, we will be pleased to contact the
Owner of your dealership and assist in
resolving your concern.
For owners outside the continental United
States, please refer to the distributor’s
address listed in your Warranty Information
booklet.
0-2
85Z03-03E
IMPORTANT
WARNING/CAUTION/NOTE
Please read this manual and follow its
instructions carefully. To emphasize spe-
cial information, the symbol and the
words WARNING, CAUTION and NOTE
have special meanings. Pay special atten-
tion to the messages highlighted by these
signal words:
NOTE:
Indicates special information to make
maintenance easier or instructions clearer.
75F135
The circle with a slash in this manual
means “Don’t do this” or “Don’t let this hap-
pen”.
MODIFICATION WARNING
WARNING
Indicates a potential hazard that
could result in death or injury.
CAUTION
Indicates a potential hazard that
could result in vehicle damage.
WARNING
Do not modify this vehicle. Modifica-
tion could adversely affect safety,
handling, performance or durability
and may violate governmental regula-
tions. In addition, damage or perfor-
mance problems resulting from
modification may not be covered
under warranty.
CAUTION
Improper installation of mobile com-
munication equipment such as cellu-
lar telephones or CB (Citizen’s Band)
radios may cause electronic interfer-
ence with your vehicle’s ignition sys-
tem, resulting in vehicle performance
problems. Consult your SUZUKI
dealer or qualified service technician
for advice on installing such mobile
communication equipment.
2-25 FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z03-03E
Luggage Compartment Cover
(Wagon only)Luggage or other cargo placed in the lug-
gage compartment can be hidden from
view by the luggage compartment cover.
To close the cover, pull the handle of the
cover toward you and then insert the
retainer into the slot located on both sides
of the tailgate opening.To remove the cover, release the handle
after pulling it toward you a little. The cover
retracts automatically.
Roof Rack (Wagon only)The roof rack can be used to conveniently
carry additional cargo, or bulky items, such
as bicycles, which are better carried out-
side than inside.AntennaFor the Sedan models, an antenna is inte-
grated with the rear window defogger,
located in the rear window. For the Wagon
models, an antenna is located in the wind-
shield glass. Be sure that the inside sur-
face of the rear window or windshield glass
is not scratched and that the lines on the
glass are not damaged. If the inside sur-
face is damaged, it could interfere with
radio reception.
Because this antenna is built into your rear
window or windshield glass, there is a
reduced risk of damage caused by car
washes and vandals.If you choose to add a cellular telephone to
your vehicle, and the antenna needs to be
attached to the glass, be sure that you do
not damage the grid lines for the antenna.
There is enough space between the lines
to attach a cellular telephone antenna with-
out interfering with radio reception.
Do not apply aftermarket glass tinting to
the back glass. The metallic film in some
tinting materials will interfere with or distort
the incoming radio reception. Care must
be taken when cleaning the rear window or
CAUTION
Do not carry items on top of the lug-
gage compartment cover, even if they
are small and light. Objects on top of
the cover could be thrown about in an
accident, causing injury, or could
obstruct the driver’s rear view.
N5U2005A
WARNING
A loaded roof rack changes the vehi-
cle’s center of gravity. Do not drive at
high speeds. Take precautions when
driving in crosswinds. Failure to fol-
low this caution can result in vehicle
damage and personal injury.
WARNING
Using a razor blade or sharp object to
clear the inside rear window or wind-
shield glass may damage the antenna
and/or the rear window defogger.
Repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not clear the inside
of the rear window or windshield with
sharp objects.
WARNING
Do not apply aftermarket glass tinting
with metallic film. The metallic film in
some tinting materials will interfere
with or distort the incoming radio
reception. Any damage caused to
your backglass antenna due to metal-
lic tinting materials will not be cov-
ered by your warranty.
Storage Areas:
Sunroof:
3-11 INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z03-03E
Accessory Power OutletWith the accessory power outlet you can
plug in auxiliary electrical equipment such
as a cellular phone or CB radio.
The accessory power outlet is located on
the front side of the center console below
the front ashtray. Another power outlet is
located on the left side of the luggage area
only in the Wagon models.
To use the outlet, remove the cover. When
not in use, always cover the outlet with the
protective cap. The accessory power outlet
is operational when the ignition is in the
ACC or ON positions.Certain electrical accessories may not be
compatible with the accessory power outlet
and could result in blown vehicle or
adapter fuses. If you experience a prob-
lem, see your SUZUKI dealer for additional
information on the accessory power outlet.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure
to follow the proper installation instructions
included with the equipment.
Ashtrays and Cigarette LighterThe front ashtray is located at the lower
part of the center of the instrument panel.
To remove the front ashtray for cleaning,
open the ashtray fully, lift the inner case up
and then pull it out.
The rear ashtray is located at the bottom of
the rear center console. Pull the ashtray
toward the rear of the vehicle to open it. To
remove the rear ashtray, press in the
retaining spring and pull the bin out.
N5U3006A
(Sedan/Wagon) (Wagon only)
CAUTION
When using the accessory power
outlet, the maximum electrical load
must not exceed 12V-10A. Be sure to
turn off any electrical equipment
when not in use. Leaving electrical
equipment on for extended periods
can drain the battery.
CAUTION
Adding some electrical equipment to
your vehicle can damage it or keep
other things from working as they
should. This wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty. Check with your
SUZUKI dealer before adding electri-
cal equipment, and never use any-
thing that exceeds the amperage
rating.
CAUTION
Power outlets are designed for acces-
sory plugs only. Do not hang any
type of accessory or accessory
bracket from the plug. Improper use
of the power outlet can cause dam-
age not covered by your warranty.
Instrument Panel Overview:
3-36 INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z03-03E
AUX Mode
Press this button to listen to the audio con-
tents from other devices; Walkman, Porta-
ble CD Player, Portable MP3 Player, i-pod,
XM receiver, etc.
1) Connect the output port of the device to
the aux jack of the head unit with an
aux connector.
2) Turn the device on.
3) Press this button.
If you want to control the volume level, use
the volume buttons of the head unit or the
device.
Using the Auxiliary Input Jack
Your radio system has an auxiliary input
jack located on the lower right side of the
faceplate. This is not an audio output; do
not plug a headphone set into the front
auxiliary input jack. You can however, con-
nect an external audio device such as an
iPod, laptop computer, MP3 player, CD
changer, or cassette tape player, etc. to the
auxiliary input jack for use as another
source for audio listening.
The auxiliary input jack will also accept cell
phone connectors. Plug the cell phone
connector into the auxiliary input jack to
hear the other side of a cell phone’s con-
versation through the vehicle sound sys-
tem.
Drivers are encouraged to set up their por-
table audio player while the vehicle isparked. See Defensive Driving for more
information on driver distraction.
To use a portable audio player, connect a
3.5 mm (1/8 inch) cable to the radio’s front
auxiliary input jack. When a device is con-
nected, press the radio CD/AUX button as
needed to begin playing audio from the
device over the car speakers.
CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary) button (9):
Press this button once to play a CD while a
portable audio device is playing. Press this
button a second time and the system will
begin playing audio from the connected
portable audio player. Once in this mode,
“Auxinput” will appear on the display. If the
auxiliary jack does not detect the presence
of an output jack, the aux mode will be pre-
vented from coming up.
Power/Volume knob (1):
Turn this knob clockwise or counterclock-
wise to increase or decrease the volume of
the portable player. You may need to make
additional volume adjustments from the
portable device if the volume does not go
loud or soft enough.
STEERING WHEEL REMOTE OPER-
ATION (if equipped in the vehicle)Power Button
Press this button to turn the system on and
off. Press this button for a short time to
MUTE the sound. Press the button again
to cancel MUTE.
Volume Up Button
Press this button to increase the volume
level.
Volume Down Button
Press this button to decrease the volume
level.
Seek Button
RADIO MODE
Press the Seek Button for a short time to
search for stored radio channels.
84Z025
Press and hold the Seek Button to search
for the next receivable higher-frequency.
CH4 CH5
CH1 CH2
CH6
CH3
3-43 INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z03-03E
CD Messages
CHECK CD:
If this message appears on the display
and/or the CD comes out, it could be for
one of the following reasons:
It is very hot. When the temperature
returns to normal, the CD will play.
You are driving on a very rough road.
When the road becomes smoother, the
CD will play.
The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or
upside down.
The air is very humid. If so, wait about an
hour and try again.
The format of the CD may not be com-
patible. See “MP3/WMA Format” earlier
in this section.
There may have been a problem while
burning the CD.
The label may be caught in the CD
player.
If the CD is not playing correctly, for any
other reason, try a known good CD.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error
cannot be corrected, contact your SUZUKI
dealer. If the radio displays an error mes-
sage, write it down and provide it to your
SUZUKI dealer when reporting the prob-
lem.AUX Mode
Press this button to listen to the audio con-
tents from other devices; Walkman, Porta-
ble CD Player, Portable MP3 Player, i-pod,
XM receiver, etc.
1) Connect the output port of the device to
the aux jack of the head unit with an
aux connector.
2) Turn the device on.
3) Press this button.
If you want to control the volume level, use
the volume buttons of the head unit or the
device.
Using the Auxiliary Input Jack
Your radio system has an auxiliary input
jack located on the lower right side of the
faceplate. This is not an audio output; do
not plug a headphone set into the front
auxiliary input jack. You can however, con-
nect an external audio device such as an
iPod, laptop computer, MP3 player, CD
changer, or cassette tape player, etc. to the
auxiliary input jack for use as another
source for audio listening.
The auxiliary input jack will also accept cell
phone connectors. Plug the cell phone
connector into the auxiliary input jack to
hear the other side of a cell phone’s con-
versation through the vehicle sound sys-
tem.
Drivers are encouraged to set up their por-
table audio player while the vehicle isparked. See Defensive Driving for more
information on driver distraction.
To use a portable audio player, connect a
3.5 mm (1/8 inch) cable to the radio’s front
auxiliary input jack. When a device is con-
nected, press the radio CD/AUX button as
needed to begin playing audio from the
device over the car speakers.
CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary) button (9):
Press this button once to play a CD while a
portable audio device is playing. Press this
button a second time and the system will
begin playing audio from the connected
portable audio player. Once in this mode,
“Auxinput” will appear on the display. If the
auxiliary jack does not detect the presence
of an output jack, the aux mode will be pre-
vented from coming up.
Power/Volume knob (1):
Turn this knob clockwise or counterclock-
wise to increase or decrease the volume of
the portable player. You may need to make
additional volume adjustments from the
portable device if the volume does not go
loud or soft enough.
4-1 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
85Z03-03E
Your Driving, the Road, and
Your VehicleDefensive DrivingThe best advice anyone can give about
driving is: Drive defensively.
Please start by using a very important
safety device in your vehicle: Your safety
belt. Buckle up. See “Safety Belts: They
Are for Everyone” in section 1.
Defensive driving really means “be ready
for anything.” On city streets, rural roads or
freeways, it means “always expect the
unexpected.”
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers
are going to be careless and make mis-
takes. Anticipate what they might do. Be
ready for their mistakes.
Rear-end collisions are about the most
preventable of accidents. Yet they are com-
mon. Allow enough following distance. It’s
the best defensive driving maneuver, in
both city and rural driving. You never know
when the vehicle in front of you is going to
brake or turn suddenly.
Defensive driving requires that a driver
concentrate on the driving task. Anything
that distracts from the driving task – such
as concentrating on a cellular telephone
call, reading, or reaching for something on
the floor – makes proper defensive driving
more difficult and can even cause a colli-
sion, with resulting injury. Ask a passengerto help do things like this, or pull off the
road in a safe place to do them yourself.
These simple defensive driving tech-
niques could save your life.
Drunken DrivingDeath and injury associated with drinking
and driving is a national tragedy. It’s the
number one contributor to the highway
death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that everyone
needs to drive a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Attentiveness.
Police records show that almost half of all
motor vehicle-related deaths involve alco-
hol. In most cases, these deaths are the
result of someone who was drinking and
driving. In recent years, more than 16,000
annual motor vehicle-related deaths have
been associated with the use of alcohol,
with more than 300,000 people injured.
Many adults – by some estimates, nearly
half the adult population – choose never to
drink alcohol, so they never drive after
drinking. For persons under 21, it is
against the law in every U.S. state to drink
alcohol. There are good medical, psycho-
logical and developmental reasons for
these laws.The obvious way to eliminate the leading
highway safety problem is for people never
to drink alcohol and then drive. But what if
people do? How much is “too much” if
someone plans to drive? It’s a lot less than
many might think. Although it depends on
each person and situation, here is some
general information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of
someone who is drinking depends upon
four things:
The amount of alcohol consumed
The drinker’s body weight
The amount of food that is consumed
before and during drinking
The length of time it has taken the
drinker to consume the alcohol.
According to the American Medical Associ-
ation, a 180 lb (82 kg) person who drinks
three 12 ounce (355 ml) bottles of beer in
an hour will end up with a BAC of about
0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC by drinking three 4 ounce (120
ml) glasses of wine or three mixed drinks if
each had 1-1/2 ounces (45 ml) of liquors
like whiskey, gin or vodka.
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle:
4-10 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
85Z03-03E
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much
water can build up under your tires that
they can actually ride on the water. This
can happen if the road is wet enough and
you’re going fast enough. When your vehi-
cle is hydroplaning, it has little or no con-
tact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it
can if your tires do not have much tread or
if the pressure in one or more is low. It can
happen if a lot of water is standing on the
road. If you can see reflections from trees,
telephone poles or other vehicles, and
raindrops “dimple” the water’s surface,
there could be the possibility of hydroplan-
ing.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher
speeds. There just isn’t a hard and fast rule
about hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when it is raining.Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Driving Trough Flowing Water
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, allow some extra
following distance. And be especially
careful when you pass another vehicle.Allow yourself more clear room ahead,
and be prepared to have your view
restricted by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth.
See “Tires” in section 5.
City DrivingOne of the biggest problems with city
streets is the amount of traffic on them.
You’ll want to watch out for what the other
drivers are doing and pay attention to traf-
fic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in
city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you
are going. Get a city map and plan your
trip into an unknown part of the city just
as you would for a cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and
crisscross most large cities. You’ll save
CAUTION
If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can
come in through your engine’s air
intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water
that is slightly lower than the under-
body of your vehicle. If you can’t
avoid deep puddles or standing
water, drive through them very
slowly.
WARNING
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. If you try to drive
through flowing water, as you might
at a low water crossing, your vehicle
can be carried away. As little as six
inches of flowing water can carry
away a smaller vehicle. If this hap-
pens, you and other vehicle occu-
pants could drown. Don’t ignore
police warning signs, and otherwise
be very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle: