2007 SUZUKI XL7 steering

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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.
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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.
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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

4-7 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
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favorable conditions you will want to go
slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you
approach a curve, do it before you enter
the curve, while your front wheels are
straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive”
through the curve. Maintain a reasonable,
steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you
are out of the curve, and then accelerate
gently into the straightaway.
Adding non-Suzuki accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. Refer to
“Accessories and Modifications” in “Ser-
vice” in the “Service and Appearance
Care” section.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be
more effective than braking. For example,
you come over a hill and find a truck
stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly
pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out
from between parked cars and stops right
in front of you. You can avoid these prob-
lems by braking – if you can stop in time.
But sometimes you cannot; there is not
room. That is the time for evasive action –
steering around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in
emergencies like these. First apply your
brakes.
Refer to “Braking” in this section. It is bet-
ter to remove as much speed as you canfrom a possible collision. Then steer
around the problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.
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An emergency like this requires close
attention and a quick decision. If you are
holding the steering wheel at the recom-
mended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly with-
out removing either hand. But you have to
act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly
straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations
are always possible is a good reason to
practice defensive driving at all times and
wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road RecoveryYou may find that your vehicle’s right
wheels have dropped off the edge of a
road onto the shoulder while you are driv-
ing.
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If the level of the shoulder is only slightly
below the pavement, recovery should be
fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and
then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the
pavement. You can turn the steering wheel
up to one-quarter turn until the right front
tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn
your steering wheel to go straight down the
roadway.PassingThe driver of a vehicle about to pass
another on a two-lane highway waits for
just the right moment, accelerates, moves
around the vehicle ahead, then goes back

4-8 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
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into the right lane again. A simple maneu-
ver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle
on a two-lane highway is a potentially dan-
gerous move, since the passing vehicle
occupies the same lane as oncoming traf-
fic for several seconds. A miscalculation,
an error in judgment, or a brief surrender to
frustration or anger can suddenly put the
passing driver face to face with the worst of
all traffic accidents – the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
 Drive ahead. Look down the road, to the
sides, and to crossroads for situations
that might affect your passing patterns. If
you have any doubt whatsoever about
making a successful pass, wait for a bet-
ter time.
 Watch for traffic signs, pavement mark-
ings, and lines. If you can see a sign up
ahead that might indicate a turn or an
intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it is all right
to pass, providing the road ahead is
clear. Never cross a solid line on your
side of the lane or a double solid line,
even if the road seems empty of
approaching traffic.
 Do not get too close to the vehicle you
want to pass while you are awaiting an
opportunity. For one thing, following too
closely reduces your area of vision,
especially if you are following a larger
vehicle. Also, you will not have adequatespace if the vehicle ahead suddenly
slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable
distance.
 When it looks like a chance to pass is
coming up, start to accelerate but stay in
the right lane and do not get too close.
Time your move so you will be increas-
ing speed as the time comes to move
into the other lane. If the way is clear to
pass, you will have a running start that
more than makes up for the distance you
would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to can-
cel your pass, you need only slow down
and drop back again and wait for another
opportunity.
 If other vehicles are lined up to pass a
slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take
care that someone is not trying to pass
you as you pull out to pass the slow vehi-
cle. Remember to glance over your
shoulder and check the blind spot.
 Check your vehicle’s mirrors, glance
over your shoulder, and start your left
lane change signal before moving out of
the right lane to pass. When you are far
enough ahead of the passed vehicle to
see its front in your vehicle’s inside mir-
ror, activate the right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane.
Remember that your vehicle’s passen-
ger side outside mirror is convex. The
vehicle you just passed may seem to be
farther away from you than it really is. Try not to pass more than one vehicle at
a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider
before passing the next vehicle.
 Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle
too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps
are not flashing, it may be slowing down
or starting to turn.
 If you are being passed, make it easy for
the following driver to get ahead of you.
Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.
Loss of ControlLet us review what driving experts say
about what happens when the three con-
trol systems – brakes, steering, and accel-
eration – do not have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what
the driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep
trying to steer and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the
vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to exist-
ing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always pos-
sible.
The three types of skids correspond to
your vehicle’s three control systems. In the
braking skid, your wheels are not rolling. In
the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to
slip and lose cornering force. And in the

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acceleration skid, too much throttle causes
the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing
your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Remember: Any traction control system
helps avoid only the acceleration skid. If
your traction system is off, then an acceler-
ation skid is also best handled by easing
your foot off the accelerator pedal. Refer to
“Traction Control System (TCS)” and
“Electronic Stability Control” in this section.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your
foot off the accelerator pedal and quickly
steer the way you want the vehicle to go. If
you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be
ready for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other material is on
the road. For safety, you will want to slow
down and adjust your driving to these con-
ditions. It is important to slow down on slip-
pery surfaces because stopping distance
will be longer and vehicle control more lim-
ited.
While driving on a surface with reduced
traction, try your best to avoid sudden
steering, acceleration, or braking, including
reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a
lower gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You may not realize
the surface is slippery until your vehicle is
skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues– such as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a mirrored sur-
face – and slow down when you have any
doubt.
If you have the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), remember: It helps avoid only the
braking skid. If you do not have ABS, then
in a braking skid, where the wheels are no
longer rolling, release enough pressure on
the brakes to get the wheels rolling again.
This restores steering control. Push the
brake pedal down steadily when you have
to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels
are rolling, you will have steering control.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid.
Driving at NightNight driving is more dangerous than day
driving. One reason is that some drivers
are likely to be impaired – by alcohol or
drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
 Drive defensively.
 Do not drink and drive.
 Adjust the inside rearview mirror to
reduce glare from headlamps behind
you.
 Since you cannot see as well, you may
need to slow down and keep more space
between you and other vehicles. Slow down, especially on higher speed
roads. Your vehicle’s headlamps can
light up only much road ahead.
 In remote areas, watch for animals.
 If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe
place and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the
daytime. But as we get older these differ-
ences increase. A 50-year-old driver may
require at least twice much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect
your night vision. For example, if you
spend the day in bright sunshine you are
wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night. But if
you are driving, do not wear sunglasses at
night. They may cut down on glare from
headlamps, but they also make a lot of
things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by
approaching headlamps. It can take a sec-
ond or two, or even several seconds, for
your eyes to re-adjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare, as from a
driver who does not lower the high beams,
or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps,
slow down a little. Avoid staring directly
into the approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all the glass on
your vehicle clean – inside and out. Glare
at night is made much worse by dirt on the
glass. Even the inside of the glass can

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vehicle has a traction system, you will want
to slow down and adjust your driving to the
road conditions. Under certain conditions,
you may want to turn the traction system
off, such as when driving through deep
snow and loose gravel, to help maintain
vehicle motion at lower speeds. Refer to
“Traction Control System (TCS)” and
“Electronic Stability Control” in this section.
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
improves your vehicle’s stability when you
make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have ABS, you will want to
begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. Refer to “Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS)” in this section.
 Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
 Watch for slippery spots. The road might
be fine until you hit a spot that is covered
with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice
patches may appear in shaded areas
where the sun cannot reach, such as
around clumps of trees, behind build-
ings, or under bridges. Sometimes the
surface of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead
of you, brake before you are on it. Try not
to brake while you are actually on the
ice, and avoid sudden steering maneu-
vers.If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you
could be in a serious situation. You should
probably stay with your vehicle unless you
know for sure that you are near help and
you can hike through the snow. Here are
some things to do to summon help and
keep yourself and your passengers safe:
 Turn on your hazard flashers.
 Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert
police that you have been stopped by the
snow.
 Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket
around you. If you do not have blankets
or extra clothing, make body insulators
from newspapers, burlap bags, rags,
floor mats – anything you can wrap
around yourself or tuck under your cloth-
ing to keep warm.
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You can run the engine to keep warm, but
be careful.
Run your engine only as long as you must.
This saves fuel. When you run the engine,
make it go a little faster than just idle. That
is, push the accelerator slightly. This uses
less fuel for the heat that you get and it
keeps the battery charged.
You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signal-
ing later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the
window almost all the way to preserve the
heat. Start the engine again and repeat
this only when you feel really uncomfort-
WARNING
Snow can trap exhaust gases under
your vehicle. This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas to get
inside. CO could overcome you and
kill you. You cannot see it or smell it,
so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking the
exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure
snow does not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the
side of the vehicle that is away from
the wind. This will help keep CO out.

4-16 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
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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.

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TowingTowing Your VehicleConsult your dealer or a professional tow-
ing service if you need to have your dis-
abled vehicle towed.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind
another vehicle for recreational purposes
(such as behind a motorhome), refer to
“Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.Recreational Vehicle TowingRecreational vehicle towing means towing
your vehicle behind another vehicle – such
as behind a motorhome. The two most
common types of recreational vehicle tow-
ing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing
your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground) and “dolly towing” (towing your
vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a
“dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equip-
ment, many vehicles can be towed in these
ways. See “Dinghy Towing” and “Dolly Tow-
ing”, following.
Here are some important things to con-
sider before you do recreational vehicle
towing:
 What’s the towing capacity of the towing
vehicle? Be sure you read the tow vehi-
cle manufacturer’s recommendations. How far will you tow? Some vehicles
have restrictions on how far and how
long they can tow.
 Do you have the proper towing equip-
ment? See your dealer or trailering pro-
fessional for additional advice and
equipment recommendations.
 Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just
as you would prepare your vehicle for a
long trip, you’ll want to make sure your
vehicle is prepared to be towed. Refer to
“Before Leaving on a Long Trip” in this
section.
Dinghy Towing
If you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle or a
front-wheel-drive vehicle, it was not
designed to be towed with all of its wheels
on the ground. It can be towed with car
carrier equipment. If you have a front-wheel-drive vehicle, it can be towed with its
two front wheels off the ground. See “Dolly
Towing” following.
Dolly Towing
If you have a front-wheel-drive vehicle, it
can be towed with the two front wheels off
the ground. To dolly tow your vehicle, do
the following:
1) Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2) Put the vehicle in PARK (P).
3) Set the parking brake and then remove
the key.
4) Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-
ahead position with a clamping device
designed for towing.
5) Release the parking brake.
If you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle, it
cannot be towed with any of its wheels on
CAUTION
Towing an all-wheel-drive vehicle
with all four wheels or even only two
wheels on the ground will damage
drivetrain or transmission compo-
nents. Towing a front-wheel-drive
vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground will damage drivetrain or
transmission components. Do not
tow an all-wheel-drive vehicle with
two or four wheels on the ground or a
front-wheel-drive vehicle if all four
wheels will be on the ground.
CAUTION
Towing an all-wheel-drive vehicle
with all four wheels or even only two
wheels on the ground will damage
drivetrain or transmission compo-
nents. Towing a front-wheel-drive
vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground will damage drivetrain or
transmission components. Do not
tow an all-wheel-drive vehicle with
two or four wheels on the ground or a
front-wheel-drive vehicle if all four
wheels will be on the ground.

4-24 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
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your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added
weight of the trailer. And always keep in
mind that the vehicle you are driving is now
a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety chains, elec-
trical connector, lamps, tires and mirror
adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer mov-
ing and then apply the trailer brake control-
ler by hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This lets you check your electrical
connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be
sure that the load is secure, and that the
lamps and any trailer brakes are still work-
ing.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle
ahead as you would when driving your
vehicle without a trailer. This can help you
avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You will need more passing distance up
ahead when you are towing a trailer. And,
because you are a good deal longer, you
will need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to
your lane.Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with
one hand. Then, to move the trailer to the
left, just move that hand to the left. To
move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly
and, if possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you are turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so your
trailer will not strike soft shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid
jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to
have extra wiring.
The arrows on your instrument panel will
flash whenever you signal a turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lamps will also flash, telling other drivers
you are about to turn, change lanes or
stop.When towing a trailer, the arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if
the bulbs on the trailer are burned out.
Thus, you may think drivers behind you are
seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure
the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you do not shift down, you
might have to use your brakes so much
that they would get hot and no longer work
well.
Parking on Hills
But if you ever have to park your rig on a
hill, do the following:
1) Apply your regular brakes, but do not
shift into PARK (P) yet.
2) Have someone place chocks under the
trailer wheels.
3) When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb the load.
CAUTION
Making very sharp turns while traile-
ring could cause the trailer to come
in contact with the vehicle. Your vehi-
cle could be damaged. Avoid making
very sharp turns while trailering.
WARNING
You really should not park your vehi-
cle, with a trailer attached, on a hill. If
something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be
injured, and both your vehicle and
the trailer can be damaged.