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If you must replace your vehicle’s tires with
those that do not have a TPC Spec num-
ber, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating, and construction
type (radial and bias-belted tires) as your
vehicle’s original tires.Vehicles that have a tire pressure monitor-
ing system may give an inaccurate low-
pressure warning if Non-TPC Spec rated
tires are installed on your vehicle. Non-
TPC Spec rated tires may give a low-pres-
sure warning that is higher or lower than
the proper warning level you would get
with TPC Spec rated tires. Refer to “Tire
Pressure Monitor System” in this section.
Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are
listed on the Tire and Loading Information
Label. This label is attached to the vehi-
cle’s center pillar (B-pillar). Refer to “Load-
ing Your Vehicle” in “Your Driving, the
Road, and Your Vehicle” in the “Driving
Your Vehicle” section, for more information
about the Tire and Loading Information
Label.
Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a differ-
ent size than your original equipment
wheels and tires, this may affect the way
your vehicle performs, including its brak-
ing, ride and handling characteristics, sta-
bility and resistance to rollover.
Additionally, if your vehicle has electronic
systems such as, anti-lock brakes, traction
control, and electronic stability control, the
performance of these systems can be
affected.Refer to “Buying New Tires” and “Accesso-
ries and Modifications” in this section for
additional information.
Uniform Tire Quality GradingQuality grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Tempera-
ture A
The following information relates to the
system developed by the United States
National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration (NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and temperature per-
formance. This applies only to vehicles
sold in the United States. The grades are
molded on the sidewalls of most passen-
ger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG) system does not apply to
WARNING
Mixing tires could cause you to lose
control while driving. If you mix tires
of different sizes, brands, or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and
you could have a crash. Using tires
of different sizes, brands, or types
may also cause damage to your vehi-
cle. Be sure to use the correct size,
brand, and type of tires on all wheels.
It is all right to drive with your com-
pact spare temporarily, as it was
developed for use on your vehicle.
Refer to “Compact Spare Tire” in this
section.
WARNING
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehi-
cle, the wheel rim flanges could
develop cracks after many miles of
driving. A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly, causing a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels on
your vehicle.
WARNING
If you add different sized wheels,
your vehicle may not provide an
acceptable level of performance and
safety if tires not recommended for
those wheels are selected. You may
increase the chance that you will
crash and suffer serious injury. Only
use Suzuki specific wheel and tire
systems developed for your vehicle,
and have them properly installed by a
Suzuki certified technician.
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deep tread, winter-type snow tires, space-
saver, or temporary use spare tires, tires
with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12
inches (25 to 30 cm), or, to some limited-
production tires.
While the tires available may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also
conform to federal safety requirements.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and a half (1.5) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices, and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades
represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Wheel Alignment and Tire BalanceThe tires and wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the fac-
tory to give you the longest tire life and
best overall performance. Adjustments to
wheel alignment and tire balancing will not
be necessary on a regular basis. However,
if you notice unusual tire wear or your vehi-
cle pulling to one side or the other, the
alignment may need to be checked. If you
notice your vehicle vibrating when driving
on a smooth road, your tires and wheels
may need to be rebalanced. See your
dealer for proper diagnosis.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead brak-
ing traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Exces-
sive speed, underinflation, or exces-
sive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
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Wheel ReplacementReplace any wheel that is bent, cracked,
or badly rusted or corroded. If wheel nuts
keep coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts,
and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes
be repaired). See your dealer if any of
these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you
need.
Each new wheel should have the same
load-carrying capacity, diameter, width,
offset, and be mounted the same way as
the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels,
wheel bolts or wheel nuts, replace them
only with new original equipment parts.
This way, you will be sure to have the right
wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for
your vehicle.Refer to “Changing a Flat Tire” in this sec-
tion for more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
Tire Chains
If a Tire Goes FlatIt is unusual for a tire to blowout while you
are driving, especially if you maintain your
vehicle’s tires properly. If air goes out of a
tire, it is much more likely to leak out
slowly. But if you should ever have a blow-
out, here are a few tips about what to
expect and what to do:
WARNING
Using the wrong replacement wheels,
wheel bolts, or wheel nuts on your
vehicle can be dangerous. It could
affect the braking and handling of
your vehicle, make your tires lose air
and make you lose control. You
could have a collision in which you
or others could be injured. Always
use the correct wheel, wheel bolts,
and wheel nuts for replacement.
CAUTION
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer or odometer
calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance, and
tire or tire chain clearance to the
body and chassis.
WARNING
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle
is dangerous. You cannot know how
it has been used or how far it has
been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause a crash. If you have to
replace a wheel, use a new original
equipment wheel.
WARNING
Do not use tire chains. There is not
enough clearance. Tire chains used
on a vehicle without the proper
amount of clearance can cause dam-
age to the brakes, suspension or
other vehicle parts. The area dam-
aged by the tire chains could cause
you to lose control of your vehicle
and you or others may be injured in a
crash.
Use another type of traction device
only if its manufacturer recommends
it for use on your vehicle and tire size
combination and road conditions.
Follow that manufacturer’s instruc-
tions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or
remove the device if it is contacting
your vehicle, and do not spin your
vehicle’s wheels. If you do find trac-
tion devices that will fit, install them
on the front tires.
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If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a
drag that pulls the vehicle toward that side.
Take your foot off the accelerator pedal
and grip the steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then gently
brake to a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve,
acts much like a skid and may require the
same correction you would use in a skid. In
any rear blowout remove your foot from
the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle
under control by steering the way you want
the vehicle to go. It may be very bumpy
and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road if possi-
ble.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how
to use the jacking equipment to change a
flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat TireIf a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and
wheel damage by driving slowly to a level
place. Turn on your vehicle’s hazard warn-
ing flashers. Refer to “Hazard Warning
Flashers” in “Instrument Panel Overview”
in the “Instrument Panel” section for more
information.
When your vehicle has a flat tire, use the
following example as a guide to assist you
in the placement of wheel blocks.
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The following information will tell you next
how to use the jack and change a tire.
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
To access the tools, do the following:
1) Locate the jack and wheel wrench,
which are located on the passenger’s
side of the rear cargo area, behind an
access door. Pull out the access door
to reach them.
WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it
to do maintenance or repairs is dan-
gerous without the appropriate safety
equipment and training. The jack pro-
vided with your vehicle is designed
only for changing a flat tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others
could be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. Use the jack
provided with your vehicle only for
changing a flat tire.
WARNING
Changing a tire can be dangerous.
The vehicle can slip off the jack and
roll over or fall on you or other peo-
ple. You and they could be badly
injured or even killed. Find a level
place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1) Set the parking brake firmly.
2) Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3) Turn off the engine and do not
restart while the vehicle is raised.
4) Do not allow passengers to
remain in the vehicle.
To be even more certain the vehicle
will not move, you should put blocks
at the front and rear of the tire far-
thest away from the one being
changed. That would be the tire, on
the other side, at the opposite end of
the vehicle.
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2) Remove the wing-bolt on the jack and
then remove it.
3) Remove the hook and loop fastener
straps holding the bag containing the
wheel wrench. Remove the wheel
wrench from the bag.
The following instructions explain how to
remove the underbody-mounted spare
underneath your vehicle.1) Open the liftgate. Refer to “Liftgate” in
“Doors and Locks” in the “Features and
Controls” section for more information.
1751347
2) Place the wheel wrench (A) onto the
hoist drive nut (B).
3) Turn the wheel wrench counterclock-
wise to lower the spare tire. Keep turn-
ing the wheel wrench until the spare tire
can be pulled out from under the vehi-
cle. If the spare tire does not lower to
the ground, the secondary latch is
engaged causing the tire not to lower.
Refer to “Secondary Latch System” in
this section for more information.
1306942
4) Tilt the retainer at the end of the cable
when the tire has been completely low-
ered, and pull it through the wheel
opening.
5) Pull the tire out from under the vehicle.
6) Put the spare tire near the flat tire.
CAUTION
If you remove or restow a tire from/to
the storage position under the vehi-
cle while it is supported by a jack,
you could damage the tire and/or
your vehicle. Always remove or
restow a tire when the vehicle is on
the ground.
CAUTION
If you drive away before the spare tire
or secondary latch system cable has
been reinstalled, you could damage
your vehicle. Always reinstall this
cable before driving your vehicle.
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Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire
809981
1) Use the wheel wrench to loosen all the
wheel nuts. Do not remove them yet.
2) Attach the wheel wrench to the jack bolt
head and rotate the wheel wrench
clockwise. That will raise the lift head a
little.
3) Place the jack near the flat tire.
1399879
4) Find the arrow on the plastic lower body
panel. Position the jack head under the
metal jacking flange and not the plastic
lower body panel.
1587905
With the jack head positioned correctly
on the metal jacking flange, it should
look like this from underneath.
1587906
Do not lift the vehicle using the plastic
lower body panel.
CAUTION
Make sure that the jack lift head is in
the correct position or you may dam-
age your vehicle. The repairs would
not be covered by your warranty.
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78J00-03E
5) Put the compact spare tire near the flat
tire.
988777
6) Raise the vehicle by turning the jack
handle clockwise. Raise the vehicle far
enough off the ground so there is
enough room for the road tire to clear
the ground.
806071
7) Remove all of the wheel nuts.
8) Remove the flat tire.
WARNING
Getting under a vehicle when it is
jacked up is dangerous. If the vehicle
slips off the jack you could be badly
injured or killed. Never get under a
vehicle when it is supported only by
a jack.
WARNING
Raising your vehicle with the jack
improperly positioned can damage
the vehicle and even make the vehi-
cle fall. To help avoid personal injury
and vehicle damage, be sure to fit the
jack lift head into the proper location
before raising the vehicle.
WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it
to do maintenance or repairs is dan-
gerous without the appropriate safety
equipment and training. The jack pro-
vided with your vehicle is designed
only for changing a flat tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others
could be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. Use the jack
provided with your vehicle only for
changing a flat tire.
WARNING
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make the wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come off
and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust or
dirt from the places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emer-
gency, you can use a cloth or a paper
towel to do this; but be sure to use a
scraper or wire brush later, if needed,
to get all the rust or dirt off.
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811105
9) Remove any rust or dirt from the wheel
bolts, mounting surfaces, and spare
wheel.
10)Place the compact spare tire on the
wheel-mounting surface.
11)Reinstall the wheel nuts. Tighten each
nut by hand until the wheel is held
against the hub.
1152288
12)Lower the vehicle by turning the jack
handle counterclockwise.
808642
13)Tighten the wheel nuts firmly in a criss-
cross sequence, as shown.
14)Lower the jack all the way and remove
the jack from under the vehicle.
15)Tighten the wheel nuts firmly with the
wheel wrench.
WARNING
Never use oil or grease on studs or
nuts. If you do, the nuts might come
loose. Your wheel could fall off, caus-
ing a serious accident.
WARNING
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly
tightened wheel nuts can cause the
wheel to come loose and even come
off. This could lead to an accident. Be
sure to use the correct wheel nuts. If
you have to replace them, be sure to
get new SUZUKI original equipment
wheel nuts. Stop somewhere as soon
as you can and have the nuts tight-
ened with a torque wrench to the
proper torque specification. Refer to
“Capacities and Specifications” in
this section for wheel nut torque
specification.
CAUTION
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can
lead to brake pulsation and rotor
damage. To avoid expensive brake
repairs, evenly tighten the wheel nuts
in the proper sequence and to the
proper torque specification. Refer to
“Capacities and Specifications” in
this section for the wheel nut torque
specification.