2007 SUZUKI XL7 engine overheat

4-6 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
78J00-03E
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) SystemIf your vehicle has all-wheel drive (AWD),
the AWD system operates automatically
without any action required by the driver. If
the front drive wheels begin to slip, the rear
wheels will automatically begin to drive the
vehicle as required. Torque is also applied
to the rear wheels during launches. There
may be a slight engagement noise during
hard use but this is normal.
1710820
This light and the SERVICE ALL WHEEL
DRIVE message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC) will come on and stay on to
indicate that there may be a problem with
the drive system and service is required.
Refer to “Service All-Wheel Drive Light” in
“Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators” in
the “Instrument Panel” section and “DIC
Warnings and Messages” in “Driver Infor-
mation Center (DIC)” in the “Instrument
Panel” section for more information.
1710823
This light will come on along with the ALL
WHEEL DRIVE OFF message when the
rear drive system is overheating. This light
will turn off when the rear drive system
cools down. If this light stays on, it must be
reset. To reset the light, turn the ignition off
and then back again. If the light stays on,
see your dealer for service.
Refer to “All Wheel Drive Off” under “DIC
Warnings and Messages” in “Driver Infor-
mation Center (DIC)” in the “Instrument
Panel” section for more information.SteeringPower Steering
If you lose power steering assist because
the engine stops or the power steering sys-
tem is not functioning, you can steer, but it
will take more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reason-
able speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents
mentioned on the news happen on curves.
Here is why:Experienced driver or beginner, each of us
is subject to the same laws of physics
when driving on curves. The traction of the
tires against the road surface makes it pos-
sible for the vehicle to change its path
when you turn the front wheels. If there is
no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle
going in the same direction. If you have
ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you
will understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve
depends on the condition of your tires and
the road surface, the angle at which the
curve is banked, and your speed. While
you are in a curve, speed is the one factor
you can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp
curve. Then you suddenly accelerate. Both
control systems – steering and accelera-
tion – have to do their work where the tires
meet the road. Adding the sudden acceler-
ation can demand too much of those
places. You can lose control. Refer to
“Traction Control System (TCS)” and
“Electronic Stability Control” in this section.
What should you do if this ever happens?
Ease up on the brake or accelerator pedal,
steer the vehicle the way you want it to go,
and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that
you should adjust your speed. Of course,
the posted speeds are based on good
weather and road conditions. Under less

4-16 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
78J00-03E
able from the cold. But do it as little as pos-
sible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get out of the
vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exer-
cises every half hour or so until help
comes.If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or SnowIn order to free your vehicle when it is
stuck, you will need to spin the wheels, but
you do not want to spin your wheels too
fast. The method known as rocking can
help you get out when you are stuck, but
you must use caution.For information about using tire chains on
your vehicle, refer to “Tire Chains” in
“Tires” in the “Service and Appearance
Care” section.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right.
That will clear the area around the front
wheels. If your vehicle has traction control,
you should turn the traction control system
off. Refer to “Traction Control System
(TCS)” in this section. Then shift back and
forth between REVERSE (R) and a for-
ward gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. Release the accelerator pedal
while you shift, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in
gear. By slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions, you will
cause a rocking motion that may free your
vehicle. If that does not get your vehicle
out after a few tries, it may need to be
towed out. If your vehicle does need to be
towed out, refer to “Towing Your Vehicle”
in this section.
Loading Your VehicleIt is very important to know how much
weight your vehicle can carry. Two labels
on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry, the Tire and Loading
Information label and the Vehicle Certifica-
tion label.
WARNING
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at
high speed, they can explode, and
you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle or other parts of the
vehicle can overheat. That could
cause an engine compartment fire or
other damage. When you are stuck,
spin the wheels as little as possible.
Do not spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedom-
eter.
CAUTION
Spinning the wheels can destroy
parts of your vehicle as well as the
tires. If you spin the wheels too fast
while shifting the transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy the transaxle.
Refer to “Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out” in this section.
WARNING
Do not load your vehicle any heavier
than the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the maximum front
or rear Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). If you do, parts on your
vehicle can break, and it can change
the way your vehicle handles. These
could cause you to lose control and
crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.

5-11 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
78J00-03E
Fluids and Lubricants” in “Maintenance
Schedule” in the “Maintenance Schedule”
section.Engine CoolantThe cooling system in your vehicle is filled
with DEX-COOL
® engine coolant. This
coolant is designed to remain in your vehi-
cle for five years or 150,000 miles (240
000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add
only DEX-COOL® extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system
and how to add coolant when it is low. If
you have a problem with engine overheat-
ing, refer to “Engine Overheating” in this
section.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and DEX-COOL® coolant will:
 Give freezing protection down to –34°F
(–37°C).
 Give boiling protection up to 265°F
(129°C).
 Protect against rust and corrosion. Help keep the proper engine tempera-
ture.
 Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable
water and one-half DEX-COOL
® coolant
which will not damage aluminum parts. If
you use this coolant mixture, you do not
need to add anything else.
CAUTION
Use of the incorrect automatic tran-
saxle fluid may damage your vehicle,
and the damages may not be covered
by your warranty. Always use the
automatic transaxle fluid listed in
“Recommended Fluids and Lubri-
cants” in “Maintenance Schedule” in
the “Maintenance Schedule” section.
CAUTION
Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®
may cause premature engine, heater
core, or radiator corrosion. In addi-
tion, the engine coolant may require
changing sooner, at the first mainte-
nance service after each 30000 miles
(50000 km) or 24 months, whichever
occurs first. Any repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Always
use DEX-COOL
® (silicate-free) cool-
ant in your vehicle.
WARNING
Adding only plain water to your cool-
ing system can be dangerous. Plain
water, or some other liquid such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s
coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain
water or the wrong mixture, your
engine could get too hot but you
would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch fire and you
or others could be burned. Use a 50/
50 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and DEX-COOL
® coolant.
CAUTION
If you use an improper coolant mix-
ture, your engine could overheat and
be badly damaged. The repair cost
would not be covered by your war-
ranty. Too much water in the mixture
can freeze and crack the engine, radi-
ator, heater core, and other parts.

5-12 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
78J00-03E
If you have to add coolant more than four
times a year, have your dealer check your
cooling system.
Checking Coolant
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The surge tank is located on the driver’s
side of the engine compartment. Refer to“Engine Compartment Overview” in this
section for more information on location.
The vehicle must be on a level surface.
When your engine is cold, the coolant level
should be at the COLD FILL line. When
your engine is warm, the level should be at
the COLD FILL line or a little higher.
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper
DEX-COOL
® coolant mixture at the surge
tank, but only when the engine is cool.
When replacing the pressure cap, make
sure it is hand-tight and fully seated.
Engine OverheatingThere is a coolant temperature gage and a
warning light on the instrument panel clus-
ter that indicate an overheated engine con-
dition. Refer to “Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage” and “Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light” in “Warning
Lights, Gages, and Indicators” in the
“Instrument Panel” section for more infor-
mation.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
CAUTION
If you use extra inhibitors and/or
additives in your vehicle’s cooling
system, you could damage your vehi-
cle. Use only the proper mixture of
the engine coolant listed in this man-
ual for the cooling system. Refer to
“Recommended Fluids and Lubri-
cants” in “Maintenance Schedule” in
the “Maintenance Schedule” section
for more information.
WARNING
Turning the surge tank pressure cap
when the engine and radiator are hot
can allow steam and scalding liquids
to blow out and burn you badly.
Never turn the surge tank pressure
cap – even a little – when the engine
and radiator are hot.
WARNING
You can be burned if you spill cool-
ant on hot engine parts. Coolant con-
tains ethylene glycol, and it will burn
if the engine parts are hot enough. Do
not spill coolant on a hot engine.
WARNING
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you just
open the hood. Stay away from the
engine if you see or hear steam com-
ing from it. Turn it off and get every-
one away from the vehicle until it
cools down. Wait until there is no
sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when the vehicles
engine is overheated, the liquids in it
can catch fire. You or others could be
badly burned. Stop your engine if it
overheats, and get out of the vehicle
until the engine is cool.
Refer to “Overheated Engine Protec-
tion Operating Mode” in this section
for information on driving to a safe
place in an emergency.

5-13 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
78J00-03E
If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning, but
see or hear no steam, the problem may not
be too serious. Sometimes the engine can
get a little too hot when you:
 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
 Stop after high-speed driving.
 Idle for long periods in traffic.
 Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no
sign of steam, try this for a minute or so:
1) In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in
NEUTRAL (N) while stopped. If it is
safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the
engine idle.
2) Set the climate controls to the highest
heat setting and fan speed and open
the windows as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warn-
ing, you can drive. Just to be safe, drive
slower for about 10 minutes. If the warning
does not come back on, you can drive nor-
mally.
If the warning continues and you have not
stopped, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, you can
idle the engine for three minutes while you
are parked. If you still have the warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone out of
the vehicle until it cools down. Also, see
“Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode” later in this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to
get service help right away.
Overheated Engine Protection Operat-
ing Mode
This emergency operating mode allows
your vehicle to be driven to a safe place in
an emergency situation. If an overheated
engine condition exists, an overheat pro-
tection mode which alternates firing groups
of cylinders helps prevent engine damage.
In this mode, you will notice a significant
loss in power and engine performance.
The engine coolant temperature warning
light on the instrument panel will come on
to indicate the vehicle has entered over-
heated engine protection operating mode.
The temperature gage will also indicate an
overheat condition exists. Drivingextended miles (km) and/or towing a trailer
in the overheat protection mode should be
avoided.
Cooling SystemWhen you decide it is safe to lift the hood,
here is what you will see:
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A. Electric Engine Cooling Fans
B. Coolant Recovery Tank
CAUTION
If your engine catches fire because
you keep driving with no coolant,
your vehicle can be badly damaged.
The costly repairs would not be cov-
ered by your warranty. Refer to
“Overheated Engine Protection Oper-
ating Mode” in this section for infor-
mation on driving to a safe place in
an emergency.
CAUTION
After driving in the overheated
engine protection operating mode, to
avoid engine damage, allow the
engine to cool before attempting any
repair. The engine oil will be severely
degraded. Repair the cause of cool-
ant loss, change the oil and reset the
oil life system. Refer to “Engine Oil”
in this section.

5-14 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
78J00-03E
C. Pressure Cap
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery
tank is boiling, do not do anything else until
it cools down. The vehicle should be
parked on a level surface.
When the engine is cold, the coolant level
should be at or above the cold fill line on
the coolant recovery tank. If it is not, there
may be a leak at the pressure cap or in the
radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator,
water pump, or somewhere else in the
cooling system.If there seems to be no leak, with the
engine on, check to see if the electric
engine cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, the fans should be
running. If the fans are not running, the
vehicle needs service.How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you have not found a problem yet, but
the coolant level is not at the cold fill line,
add a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL
® engine coolant at
the coolant recovery tank. Refer to “Engine
Coolant” in this section for more informa-
tion.
WARNING
An electric engine cooling fan under
the hood can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric
fan.
WARNING
Heater and radiator hoses, and other
engine parts, can be very hot. Do not
touch them. If you do, you can be
burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it could
lose all coolant. That could cause an
engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive
the vehicle.
CAUTION
Engine damage from running your
engine without coolant is not covered
by your warranty. Refer to “Over-
heated Engine Protection Operating
Mode” in this section for information
on driving to a safe place in an emer-
gency.
CAUTION
Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®
may cause premature engine, heater
core, or radiator corrosion. In addi-
tion, the engine coolant could require
changing sooner, at 30000 miles
(50000 km) or 24 months, whichever
occurs first. Any repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Always
use DEX-COOL
® (silicate-free) cool-
ant in your vehicle.
WARNING
Adding only plain water to your cool-
ing system can be dangerous. Plain
water, or some other liquid such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s
coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain
water or the wrong mixture, your
engine could get too hot but you
would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch fire and you
or others could be burned. Use a 50/
50 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and DEX-COOL
® coolant.
CAUTION
In cold weather, water can freeze and
crack the engine, radiator, heater
core and other parts. Use the recom-
mended coolant and the proper cool-
ant mixture.

5-15 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
78J00-03E
When the coolant level in the coolant
recovery tank is at the cold fill line, start the
vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there is
one more thing you can try. You can add
the proper coolant mixture directly to the
radiator, but be sure the system is cool
before you do it.How to Add Coolant to the Cooling Sys-
tem
809006
1) You can remove the pressure cap
when the cooling system, including the
pressure cap and upper radiator hose
is no longer hot. Turn the pressure cap
slowly counterclockwise.
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop.
A hiss means that there is still some
pressure left.2) Then keep turning the pressure cap
and remove it.
3) Fill the cooling system with the proper
DEX-COOL
® coolant mixture, up to the
base of the filler neck. Refer to “Engine
Coolant” in this section for more infor-
mation about the proper coolant mix-
ture.
4) Rinse or wipe any spilled coolant from
the engine and the compartment.
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5) Then fill the coolant recovery tank to
the cold fill line.
WARNING
You can be burned if you spill cool-
ant on hot engine parts. Coolant con-
tains ethylene glycol and it will burn
if the engine parts are hot enough. Do
not spill coolant on a hot engine.
WARNING
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out and
burn you badly. They are under pres-
sure, and if you turn the radiator
pressure cap – even a little – they can
come out at high speed. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the radiator pressure cap,
is hot. Wait for the cooling system
and radiator pressure cap to cool if
you ever have to turn the pressure
cap.
CAUTION
Your engine has a specific cooling
system drain and fill procedure. Fail-
ure to follow this procedure could
cause your engine to overheat and be
severely damaged. If your engine’s
cooling system needs to be drained
and re-filled, please see your dealer.
WARNING
You can be burned if you spill cool-
ant on hot engine parts. Coolant con-
tains ethylene glycol and it will burn
if the engine parts are hot enough. Do
not spill coolant on a hot engine.

8-2 INDEX
78J00-03E
Child Restraints
...................................................................1-18
City Driving
..........................................................................4-11
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses
.......................................5-50
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle ..................................5-48
Climate Controls
..................................................................3-10
Compact Spare Tire .............................................................5-47
Configurations for Use of Three Child Restraints
............1-25
Configurations for Use of Two Child Restraints
..............1-24
Control of a Vehicle
.............................................................4-3
Convenience Net
.................................................................2-23
Cooling System
...................................................................5-13
Cruise Control
......................................................................3-5
Cruise Control Light
............................................................3-24
Cupholder(s)
........................................................................2-21
DDaily Inspection Checklist
........................................ 2-11
, 2-12
Delayed Locking
..................................................................2-6
DIC Operation and Displays
...............................................3-27
DIC Vehicle Personalization ...............................................3-35
DIC Warnings and Messages .............................................3-30
Doing Your Own Service Work ...........................................5-1
Dome Lamp
..........................................................................3-8
Door Ajar Light ....................................................................3-25
Door Locks
...........................................................................2-5
Doors and Locks
.................................................................2-5
Driver Information Center (DIC)
.........................................3-27
Driver Position
.....................................................................1-11
Driver Seat Height Adjuster
................................................1-1
Driving at Night
....................................................................4-9
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
.....................................4-10
Drunken Driving
...................................................................4-1
EElectric Power Management
.............................................. 3-9
Electrical System
................................................................ 5-53
Electronic Stability Control
................................................ 4-5
Emission Compliance Label (for U.S.A.)
.......................... 7-2
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
.................................................... 5-9
Engine Compartment Overview
......................................... 5-6
Engine Coolant
.................................................................... 5-11
Engine Coolant Heater
....................................................... 2-14
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
................................... 3-21
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light
.................... 3-20
Engine Drive Belt Routing
.................................................. 6-17
Engine Exhaust
................................................................... 2-19
Engine Oil
............................................................................ 5-7
Engine Oil Life System
....................................................... 5-8
Engine Overheating
............................................................ 5-12
Engine Serial Number ......................................................... 7-1
FFabric/Carpet
....................................................................... 5-48
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
....................................... 5-4
Filling the Tank
.................................................................... 5-3
Finish Care
.......................................................................... 5-50
Finish Damage .................................................................... 5-51
Fog Lamp Light ................................................................... 3-24
Fog Lamps
........................................................................... 3-8
For CANADA Scheduled Maintenance
.............................. 6-8
Freeway Driving
.................................................................. 4-11
Front Seats
.......................................................................... 1-1
Fuel
....................................................................................... 5-2
Fuel Gage
............................................................................. 3-26
Fuels in Foreign Countries
................................................ 5-3