2007 SUZUKI XL7 parking brake

2-11 FEATURES AND CONTROLS
78J00-03E
If you are driving and the security light
comes on and stays on, you may be able
to restart your engine. Your PASS-Key
®
III+ system, however, may not be working
properly and must be serviced by your
dealer.
If you lose or damage your PASS-Key
®
III+ key, see your dealer or a locksmith
who can service PASS-Key
® III+ to have a
new key made.
Daily Inspection ChecklistBefore Driving1) Make sure that windows, mirrors, lights
and reflectors are clean and unob-
structed.
2) Visually check the tires for the following
points:
– the depth of the tread groove
– abnormal wear, cracks and damage
– loose wheel nuts
– existence of foreign material such as
nails, stones, etc.
Refer to “Tires” in the “SERVICE AND
APPEARANCE CARE” section for details.
3) Look for oil or other fluid leaks.
NOTE:
It is normal for water to drip from the air
conditioning system after use.
4) Make sure the hood is fully closed and
latched.
5) Check the headlights, turn signal lights,
brake lights and horn for proper opera-
tion.
6) Lock all doors.
7) Adjust the seat and adjustable head
restraints (if equipped).
8) Check the brake pedal.
9) Adjust the mirrors.
10)Make sure that you and all passengers
have properly fastened your safety
belts.11)Make sure that all warning lights come
on as the key is turned to the “ON” or
“START” position.
12)Check all gauges.
13)Make sure that the BRAKE light turns
off when the parking brake is released.
Once a week, or each time you fill your fuel
tank, perform the following under-hood
checks:
1) Engine oil level
2) Coolant level
3) Brake fluid level
4) Power steering (if equipped) fluid level
5) Windshield washer fluid level
6) Hood latch operation
Pull the hood release handle inside the
vehicle. Make sure that you cannot
open the hood all the way without
releasing the secondary latch. Be sure
to close the hood securely after check-
ing for proper latch operation. Refer to
“Lubricate body components” under
“Scheduled Maintenance” in the
“Maintenance Schedule” section for the
lubrication schedule.
WARNING
Make sure the hood is fully closed
and latched before driving. If it is not,
it can fly up unexpectedly during
driving, obstructing your view and
resulting in an accident.

2-15 FEATURES AND CONTROLS
78J00-03E
started because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK
(P) before starting the engine. The vehicle
has an automatic transaxle shift lock con-
trol system. You must fully apply your reg-
ular brakes first and then press the shift
lever button, before you can shift from
PARK (P) when the ignition is in RUN. If
you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever and push the
shift lever all way into PARK (P) as you
maintain brake application. Then press the
shift lever button and move the shift leverinto another gear. Refer to “Shifting Out of
Park (P)” in this section.
REVERSE (R):
Use this gear to back up.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to get
out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging
the transaxle, refer to “If Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow” in “Your
Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle” in the
“Driving Your Vehicle” section.
NEUTRAL (N):
In this position, the engine does not con-
nect with the wheels. To restart when the
vehicle is already moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when the
vehicle is being towed.DRIVE (D):
This position is for normal driving. It pro-
vides the best fuel economy for your vehi-
cle. If the vehicle needs more power for
passing, and it is:
 Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push
the accelerator pedal about halfway
down.
 Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more,
push the accelerator pedal all the way
down. The vehicle will shift down to the
next gear and have more power.
WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake
firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have to.
If you have left the engine running,
the vehicle can move suddenly. You
or others could be injured. To be sure
your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground,
always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).
Refer to “Shifting Into Park (P)” in
this section. If you are pulling a
trailer, refer to “Towing a Trailer” in
“Towing” in the “Driving Your Vehi-
cle” section.
CAUTION
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could dam-
age the transaxle. The repairs would
not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your
vehicle is stopped.
WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while your
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly
on the brake pedal, your vehicle
could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or
objects. Do not shift into a drive gear
while your engine is running at high
speed.
CAUTION
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL
(N) while the engine is running at
high speed may damage the tran-
saxle. The repairs would not be cov-
ered by your warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high speeds
when shifting your vehicle.

2-17 FEATURES AND CONTROLS
78J00-03E
SECOND (2) Gear Start Feature
When accelerating your vehicle from a
stop in snowy and icy conditions, you may
want to shift into SECOND (2). A higher
gear, and light application of the gas pedal,
may allow you to gain more traction on
slippery surfaces.
With the MANUAL SHIFT MODE, the vehi-
cle can accelerate from a stop in SECOND
(2).
1) Move the shift lever from DRIVE (D)
into the MANUAL SHIFT MODE (M)
position.
2) With the vehicle stopped, press the
plus (+) paddle forward to select SEC-
OND (2). The vehicle will start from a
stop position in SECOND (2).
3) Once the vehicle is moving select the
desired drive gear.
Parking Brake
1722713
The parking brake lever is located to the
right of the driver’s seat.
To set the parking brake, hold the brake
pedal down and pull up on the parking
brake lever. If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the
brake pedal down. Pull the parking brake
lever up until you can press the release
button. Hold the release button in as you
move the brake lever all the way down.
Make sure to release the parking brake
before driving the vehicle.
If the parking brake is applied and the vehi-
cle is moving at least 4 mph (6 km/h), a
chime will activate to remind you to release
the parking brake.
Shifting Into Park (P)1) Hold the brake pedal down and set the
parking brake.
2) Move the shift lever into the PARK (P)
position by holding in the button on the
shift lever and pushing it all the way
toward the front of the vehicle.
3) Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
CAUTION
If you attempt a third gear start while
trailering or towing a heavy load, you
will notice reduced engine power.
This could overheat and damage
your transaxle. Do not attempt a third
gear start while trailering or towing
your vehicle.
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake
system parts. Verify that the parking
brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake
firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. If
you have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or
others could be injured. To be sure
your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, refer to “Towing a
Trailer” in “Towing” in the “Driving
Your Vehicle” section.

2-18 FEATURES AND CONTROLS
78J00-03E
4) Remove the key and take it with you. If
you can leave your vehicle with the igni-
tion key in your hand, your vehicle is in
PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
If you have to leave your vehicle with the
engine running, be sure your vehicle is in
PARK (P) and your parking brake is firmly
set before you leave it. After you have
moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold
the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if
you can move the shift lever away from
PARK (P) without first pushing the button.
If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not
shift your transaxle into PARK (P) properly,
the weight of the vehicle may put too muchforce on the parking pawl in the transaxle.
You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P). This is called
“torque lock.” To prevent torque lock, set
the parking brake and then shift into PARK
(P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat. To find out how, refer to “Shifting Into
Park (P)” in this section.
When you are ready to drive, move the
shift lever out of PARK (P) before you
release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to
have another vehicle push yours a little
uphill to take some of the pressure from
the parking pawl in the transaxle, so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of Park (P)Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle
shift lock control system. You have to fully
apply your regular brakes before you can
shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is in
RUN.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever – push the shift
lever all the way into PARK (P), as you
maintain brake application. Then, press
the button on the shift lever and move the
shift lever into the gear you wish.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but
still cannot shift out of PARK (P), try this:
1) Turn the key to LOCK.2) Apply and hold the brake until the end
of Step 4.
3) Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4) Start the vehicle and then shift to the
desired drive gear.
5) Have your vehicle fixed as soon as you
can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
806406
WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave your
vehicle with the engine running. Your
vehicle could move suddenly if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the
engine running, it could overheat and
even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Do not leave your vehicle
with the engine running.
WARNING
Things that can burn could touch hot
exhaust parts under your vehicle and
ignite. Do not park over papers,
leaves, dry grass, or other things that
can burn.

2-19 FEATURES AND CONTROLS
78J00-03E
Engine Exhaust Running the Engine While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine run-
ning. But if you ever have to, here are
some things to know.
Follow the proper steps to be sure your
vehicle will not move. Refer to “Shifting
Into Park (P)” in this section.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are
pulling a trailer, also refer to “Towing a
Trailer” in “Towing” in the “Driving Your
Vehicle” section.
WARNING
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains
the gas carbon monoxide (CO), which
you cannot see or smell. It can cause
unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
 The exhaust system sounds
strange or different.
 Your vehicle gets rusty under-
neath.
 Your vehicle was damaged in a col-
lision.
 Your vehicle was damaged when
driving over high points on the
road or over road debris.
 Repairs were not done correctly.
 Your vehicle or the exhaust system
has been modified improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is com-
ing into your vehicle:
 Drive it only with all the windows
down to blow out any CO; and
 Have your vehicle fixed immedi-
ately.
WARNING
Idling the engine with the climate
control system off could allow dan-
gerous exhaust into your vehicle.
Refer to the earlier caution under
“Engine Exhaust” in this section.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can
let deadly carbon monoxide (CO) into
your vehicle even if the climate con-
trol fan is at the highest setting. One
place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust – with CO – can come in eas-
ily. NEVER park in a garage with the
engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a bliz-
zard. Refer to “Winter Driving” in
“Your Driving, the Road, and Your
Vehicle” in the “Driving Your Vehi-
cle” section.
WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake
firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. Do
not leave your vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have to.
If you have left the engine running,
the vehicle can move suddenly. You
or others could be injured. To be sure
your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground,
always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).

3-7 INSTRUMENT PANEL
78J00-03E
the vehicle’s speed for approximately 60
seconds, cruise control will disengage.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on
hills depends upon your speed, load, and
the steepness of the hills. When going up
steep hills, you may have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your vehi-
cle’s speed. When going downhill, you may
have to brake or shift to a lower gear to
limit the vehicle’s speed. Of course, apply-
ing the brakes ends cruise control. Many
drivers find this to be too much trouble and
do not use cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise control:
 Step lightly on the brake pedal.
 Press the cancel button on the steering
wheel.
 Press the On/Off button on the steering
wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
When the cruise control or the ignition is
turned off, the cruise control set speed
memory is erased.
HeadlampsThe exterior lamp control is located on the
turn signal/multifunction lever.
(Exterior Lamp Control):
Turn the control with this symbol on it to
operate the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp control has the following
positions:
AUTO (Off/Automatic Headlamps):
Turn the control to this position to put the
headlamps in automatic mode. Automatic
mode will turn the exterior lamps on and off
depending upon how much light is avail-
able outside of the vehicle.
(Parking Lamps):
Turn the control to this position to turn on
the parking lamps together with the follow-
ing:
 Sidemarker Lamps
 Taillamps
 License Plate Lamps
 Instrument Panel Lights
(Headlamps):
Turning the control to this position turns on
the headlamps, together with the previ-
ously listed lamps and lights.
Headlamps on Reminder
If you open the driver’s door with the igni-
tion off and the lamps on, you will hear a
warning chime.Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make
it easier for others to see the front of your
vehicle during the day. DRL can be helpful
in many different driving conditions, but
they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset.
Fully functional daytime running lamps are
required on all vehicles first sold in Can-
ada.
A light sensor on top of the instrument
panel makes the DRL work, so be sure it is
not covered.
The DRL system’s automatic headlamp
control will make the low-beam headlamps
come on at a reduced brightness when the
following conditions are met:
 The ignition is in RUN.
 The exterior lamps control is in AUTO.
 The engine is running.
When the DRL are on, only the low-beam
headlamps, at a reduced level of bright-
ness, will be on. The headlamps, taillamps,
sidemarker, and other lamps will not be on.
The instrument panel and cluster will also
not be lit.
When it is dark enough outside, the DRL
will turn off and the headlamps and parking
lamps will turn on. The other lamps that
come on with the headlamps will also
come on.

3-19 INSTRUMENT PANEL
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Battery Warning Light
812700
Your vehicle has a battery warning light.
If this light comes on while you are driving,
be sure to turn off accessories such as the
radio and climate control system. Have
your vehicle serviced right away. The SER-
VICE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM
message may also appear in the Driver
Information Center. Refer to “DIC Warn-
ings and Messages” in this section for
more information.
Brake System Warning LightYour vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is
divided into two parts. If one part is not
working, the other part can still work and
stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both parts working well.
If the brake system warning light comes
on, there is a brake problem. Have your
brake system inspected right away.
United States
1240159
Canada
861215
The brake light is located in the instrument
panel cluster.
This light should come on briefly when you
turn the ignition key to RUN. If it does not
come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.When the ignition is on, the brake light will
come on when you set your parking brake.
The light will stay on if your parking brake
does not release fully. A chime will also
sound if the parking brake is not fully
released and the vehicle is moving. If it
stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake prob-
lem.
The brake light will also come on to indi-
cate a low brake fluid level. Refer to
“Brakes” in “Checking Things Under the
Hood” in the “Service and Appearance
Care” section for more information.
If the light comes on while you are driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push
or the pedal may go closer to the floor. It
may take longer to stop. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for service.
Refer to “Towing Your Vehicle” in “Towing”
in the “Driving Your Vehicle” section.
WARNING
Your brake system may not be work-
ing properly if the brake system
warning light is on. Driving with the
brake system warning light on can
lead to an accident. If the light is still
on after you have pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehi-
cle towed for service.

4-13 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
78J00-03E
does, your vehicle can leave the road in
less than a second, and you could crash
and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis?
First, be aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated,
with a comfortably cool interior.
 Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road
ahead and to the sides. Check your
vehicle’s mirrors and instruments fre-
quently.
 If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a
rest, service, or parking area and take a
nap, get some exercise, or both. For
safety, treat drowsiness on the highway
as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
806088
Driving on steep hills or mountains is differ-
ent from driving in flat or rolling terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if
you are planning to visit there, here are
some tips that can make your trips safer
and more enjoyable.
 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check
all fluid levels and also the brakes, tires,
cooling system, and transaxle. These
parts can work hard on mountain roads. Know how to go down hills. The most
important thing to know is this: let your
engine do some of the slowing down.
Shift to a lower gear when you go down
a steep or long hill.
 Know how to go uphill. You may want to
shift down to a lower gear. The lower
gears help cool your engine and tran-
saxle, and you can climb the hill better.
 Stay in your own lane when driving on
two-lane roads in hills or mountains. Do
not swing wide or cut across the center
WARNING
If you do not shift down, the brakes
could get so hot that they would not
work well. You would then have poor
braking or even none going down a
hill. You could crash. Shift down to
let the engine assist the brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
WARNING
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or
with the ignition off is dangerous.
The brakes will have to do all the
work of slowing down. They could
get so hot that they would not work
well. You would then have poor brak-
ing or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have the
engine running and your vehicle in
gear when you go downhill.