2007 SUZUKI XL7 window

4-12 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
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The most important advice on freeway
driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep to
the right. Drive at the same speed most of
the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic
flow. Treat the left lane on a freeway as a
passing lane.
At the entrance, there is usually a ramp
that leads to the freeway. If you have a
clear view of the freeway as you drive
along the entrance ramp, you should begin
to check traffic. Try to determine where you
expect to blend with the flow. Try to merge
into the gap at close to the prevailing
speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors, and glance over your shoul-
der as often as necessary. Try to blend
smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your
speed to the posted limit or to the prevail-
ing rate if it is slower. Stay in the right lane
unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors.
Then use your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance
quickly over your shoulder to make sure
there is not another vehicle in your blind
spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway,
make certain you allow a reasonable fol-
lowing distance. Expect to move slightly
slower at night.When you want to leave the freeway, move
to the proper lane well in advance. If you
miss your exit, do not, under any circum-
stances, stop and back up. Drive on to the
next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes
quite sharply. The exit speed is usually
posted.
Reduce your speed according to your
speedometer, not to your sense of motion.
After driving for any distance at higher
speeds, you may tend to think you are
going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long TripMake sure you are ready. Try to be well
rested. If you must start when you are not
fresh – such as after a day’s work – do not
plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing
and shoes you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you
keep it serviced and maintained, it is ready
to go. If it needs service, have it done
before starting out. Of course, you will find
experienced and able service experts in
dealerships all across North America.
They will be ready and willing to help if you
need it.Here are some things you can check
before a trip:
 Windshield Washer Fluid:
Is the reservoir full? Are all windows
clean inside and outside?
 Wiper Blades:
Are they in good shape?
 Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Have you checked all levels?
 Lamps:
Are they all working? Are the lenses
clean?
Tires:
They are vitally important to a safe, trou-
ble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all
inflated to the recommended pressure?
 Weather Forecasts:
What is the weather outlook along your
route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
 Maps:
Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway HypnosisIs there actually such a condition as high-
way hypnosis? Or is it just plain falling
asleep at the wheel? Call it highway hyp-
nosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with the same scenery, along with
the hum of the tires on the road, the drone
of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you
sleepy. Do not let it happen to you! If it

4-15 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
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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.

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 Will you have to make any holes in the
body of your vehicle when you install a
trailer hitch?
If you do, remember to seal the holes
when you remove the hitch. If you do not
seal them, deadly carbon monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle. Refer to “Engine Exhaust” in
“Starting and Operating Your Vehicle” in
the “Features and Controls” section. Dirt
and water can, too.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between
your vehicle and your trailer. Cross the
safety chains under the tongue of the
trailer to help prevent the tongue from con-
tacting the road if it becomes separated
from the hitch. Instructions about safety
chains may be provided by the hitch manu-
facturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Fol-
low the manufacturer’s recommendation
for attaching safety chains and do not
attach them to the bumper. Always leave
just enough slack so you can turn with your
rig. Never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1000 lbs
(450 kg) loaded, then it needs its own
brakes, and they must be adequate. Be
sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes so you will be able to
install, adjust and maintain them properly.Because your vehicle has anti-lock brakes,
do not try to tap into your vehicle’s brake
system. If you do, both brake systems will
not work well, or at all.Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount
of experience. Before setting out for the
open road, you will want to get to know
WARNING
If you have the liftgate open and you
pull a trailer with your vehicle, carbon
monoxide (CO) could come into your
vehicle. You cannot see or smell CO.
It can cause unconsciousness or
death. Refer to “Engine Exhaust” in
“Starting and Operating Your Vehi-
cle” in the “Features and Controls”
section. To maximize your safety
when towing a trailer:
 Have your exhaust system
inspected for leaks, and make nec-
essary repairs before starting on
your trip.
 Keep the liftgate closed.
 If exhaust does come into your
vehicle through a window in the
rear or another opening, drive with
your front, main heating or cooling
system on and with the fan on any
speed. This will bring fresh, out-
side air into your vehicle. Do not
use the climate control setting for
maximum air because it only recir-
culates the air inside your vehicle.
Refer to “Automatic Climate Con-
trol System” in “Climate Controls”
in the “Instrument Panel” section.

5-13 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
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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.

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Windshield Wiper Blade
ReplacementWindshield wiper blades should be
inspected for wear or cracking. Refer to
“Scheduled Maintenance” in “Mainte-
nance Schedule” in the “Maintenance
Schedule” section for more information.
Replacement blades come in different
types and are removed in different ways.
For proper type and length, refer to “Nor-
mal Maintenance Replacement Parts” in
“Maintenance Schedule” in the “Mainte-
nance Schedule” section.
Here’s how to replace the windshield wiper
blades:
1) Make sure the front wipers are turned
off.
2) Pull the windshield wiper arm away
from the windshield.
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3) Pull up the release clip, located at the
connecting point of the blade and the
arm. Then, pull the blade assembly
down toward the glass to remove it
from the wiper arm.
4) Push the new wiper blade securely on
the wiper arm until you hear the release
clip “click” into place.
5) Push the release clip, from Step 3,
down to secure the wiper blade into
place.Rear Window Wiper Blade Replacement
To replace the rear window wiper blade,
do the following:
1) Make sure that the rear wiper is off.
2) Pull the wiper away from the rear win-
dow.
3) Pull up the release clip, located at the
connecting point of the blade and the
arm. Then, pull the blade assembly
down toward the glass to remove it
from the wiper arm.
4) Push the new wiper blade securely on
the wiper arm until you hear the release
clip “click” into place.
5) Push the release clip, from Step 3,
down to secure the wiper blade into
place.

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C. Aspect Ratio:
A two-digit number that indicates the
tire height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size aspect
ratio is 60, as shown in item C of the
illustration, it would mean that the
tire’s sidewall is 60 percent as high as
it is wide.
D. Construction Code:
A letter code is used to indicate the
type of ply construction in the tire. The
letter R means radial ply construction;
the letter D means diagonal or bias
ply construction; and the letter B
means belted-bias ply construction.
E. Rim Diameter:
Diameter of the wheel in inches.
F. Service Description:
These characters represent the load
range and speed rating of the tire.
The load index represents the load
carry capacity a tire is certified to
carry. The load index can range from
1 to 279. The speed rating is the max-
imum speed a tire is certified to carry
a load. Speed ratings range from A to
Z.
Tire Terminology and DefinitionsAir Pressure:
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire. Air
pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi) or kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight:
This means the combined weight of
optional accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are, automatic trans-
mission/transaxle, power steering, power
brakes, power windows, power seats, and
air conditioning.
Aspect Ratio:
The relationship of a tire’s height to its
width.
Belt:
A rubber coated layer of cords that is
located between the plies and the tread.
Cords may be made from steel or other
reinforcing materials.
Bead:
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the
rim.
Bias Ply Tire:
A pneumatic tire in which the plies are laid
at alternate angles less than 90 degrees to
the centerline of the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure:
The amount of air pressure in a tire, mea-
sured in pounds per square inch (psi) orkilopascals (kPa) before a tire has built up
heat from driving. Refer to “Inflation – Tire
Pressure” in this section.
Curb Weight:
This means the weight of a motor vehicle
with standard and optional equipment
including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil,
and coolant, but without passengers and
cargo.
DOT Markings:
A code molded into the sidewall of a tire
signifying that the tire is in compliance with
the U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT) motor vehicle safety standards. The
DOT code includes the Tire Identification
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric designator
which can also identify the tire manufac-
turer, production plant, brand, and date of
production.
GVWR:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Refer to
“Loading Your Vehicle” in “Your Driving,
the Road, and Your Vehicle” in the “Driving
Your Vehicle” section.
GAWR FRT:
Gross Axle Weight Rating for the front
axle. Refer to “Loading Your Vehicle” in
“Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle”
in the “Driving Your Vehicle” section.
GAWR RR:
Gross Axle Weight Rating for the rear axle.
Refer to “Loading Your Vehicle” in “Your

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Appearance CareCleaning the Inside of Your VehicleYour vehicle’s interior will continue to look
its best if it is cleaned often. Although not
always visible, dust and dirt can accumu-
late on your upholstery. Dirt can damage
carpet, fabric, leather, and plastic sur-
faces. Regular vacuuming is recom-
mended to remove particles from your
upholstery. It is important to keep your
upholstery from becoming and remaining
heavily soiled. Soils should be removed as
quickly as possible. Your vehicle’s interior
may experience extremes of heat that
could cause stains to set rapidly.
Lighter colored interiors may require more
frequent cleaning. Use care because
newspapers and garments that transfer
color to your home furnishings may also
transfer color to your vehicle’s interior.
When cleaning your vehicle’s interior, only
use cleaners specifically designed for the
surfaces being cleaned. Permanent dam-
age may result from using cleaners on sur-
faces for which they were not intended.
Use glass cleaner only on glass. Remove
any accidental over-spray from other sur-
faces immediately. To prevent over-spray,
apply cleaner directly to the cleaning cloth.Many cleaners contain solvents that may
become concentrated in your vehicle’s
breathing space. Before using cleaners,
read and adhere to all safety instructions
on the label. While cleaning your vehicle’s
interior, maintain adequate ventilation by
opening your vehicle’s doors and windows.
Dust may be removed from small buttons
and knobs using a small brush with soft
bristles.
Your SUZUKI dealer has a product for
cleaning your vehicle’s glass. Should it
become necessary, you can also obtain a
product from your SUZUKI dealer to
remove odors from your vehicle’s uphol-
stery.
Do not clean your vehicle using the follow-
ing cleaners or techniques:
 Never use a knife or any other sharp
object to remove a soil from any interior
surface. Never use a stiff brush. It can cause
damage to your vehicle’s interior sur-
faces.
 Never apply heavy pressure or rub
aggressively with a cleaning cloth. Use
of heavy pressure can damage your
interior and does not improve the effec-
tiveness of soil removal.
 Use only mild, neutral-pH soaps. Avoid
laundry detergents or dishwashing
soaps with degreasers. Using too much
soap will leave a residue that leaves
streaks and attracts dirt. For liquid clean-
ers, about 20 drops per gallon (3.78 L) of
water is a good guide.
 Do not heavily saturate your upholstery
while cleaning.
 Damage to your vehicle’s interior may
result from the use of many organic sol-
vents such as naptha, alcohol, etc.
Fabric/CarpetUse a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush
attachment frequently to remove dust and
loose dirt. A canister vacuum with a beater
bar in the nozzle may only be used on floor
carpet and carpeted floor mats. For soils,
always try to remove them first with plain
water or club soda. Before cleaning, gently
remove as much of the soil as possible
using one of the following techniques:
 For liquids: gently blot the remaining soil
with a paper towel. Allow the soil to
absorb into the paper towel until no more
can be removed.
CAUTION
If you use abrasive cleaners when
cleaning glass surfaces on your vehi-
cle, you could scratch the glass and/
or cause damage to the rear window
defogger. When cleaning the glass
on your vehicle, use only a soft cloth
and glass cleaner.

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Service Parts Identification LabelThis label is on the inside of the glove box.
It is very helpful if you ever need to order
parts. The label has the following informa-
tion:
 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
 Model designation
 Paint information
 Production options and special equip-
ment
Do not remove this label from the vehicle.
Electrical SystemAdd-On Electrical EquipmentAdd-on equipment can drain your vehicle’s
battery, even if your vehicle is not operat-
ing.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to add anything electrical to
your vehicle, refer to “Servicing Your Air-
bag-Equipped Vehicle” in “Airbag System”
in the “Seats and Restraint Systems” sec-
tion.Windshield Wiper FusesThe windshield wiper motor is protected by
a circuit breaker and a fuse. If the motor
overheats due to heavy snow or ice, the
wiper will stop until the motor cools. If the
overload is caused by some electrical
problem, have it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power
OptionsCircuit breakers in the fuse panel protect
the power seats. When the current load is
too heavy, the circuit breaker opens and
closes, protecting the circuit until the prob-
lem is fixed.Fuses and Circuit BreakersThe wiring circuits in your vehicle are pro-
tected from short circuits by fuses and cir-
cuit breakers. This greatly reduces the
chance of circuit overload and fire caused
by electrical problems.
Your vehicle has an underhood fuse block
and an instrument panel fuse block.
To identify and check fuses, circuit break-
ers, and relays, refer to the Fuse Usage
Chart on the inside surface of the fuse
panel door.
CAUTION
Do not add anything electrical to your
vehicle unless you check with your
dealer first. Some electrical equip-
ment can damage your vehicle and
the damage would not be covered by
your warranty. Some add-on electri-
cal equipment can keep other compo-
nents from working as they should.