2008 SUZUKI FORENZA wiper blades

3-6
INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z04-03E
between wipes. The wiper speed can only
be adjusted when the lever is in the INT
position.
OFF (Off):
Move the lever to this position to turn off
the windshield wipers.
Misting Function
Move the lever toward, but not completely
in, the INT position for a single wiping
cycle. Hold it there until the windshield wip-
ers start; then let go. The windshield wip-
ers will stop after one cycle. If you want
more wipes, hold the lever toward the INT
position longer.
Remember that damaged wiper blades
may prevent you from seeing well enough
to drive safely. To avoid damage, be sure to
clear ice and snow from the wiper blades
before using them.
If they’re frozen to the windshield, carefully
loosen or thaw them. If your blades do
become damaged, get new blades or
blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the wiper
motor. A circuit breaker will stop the motor
until it cools. Clear away snow or ice to
prevent an overload.Windshield Washer
To wash your windshield, pull the wind-
shield wiper/washer lever toward you with
the ignition in the ON position.
When you release the lever, the washers
will stop, but the wipers will continue to
wipe for about three cycles and will either
stop or will resume the speed you were
using before.
WARNING
 In freezing weather, don’t use your
washer until the windshield is
warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the wind-
shield, blocking your vision.
 Do not use radiator antifreeze in
the windshield washer reservoir. It
can severely impair visibility when
sprayed on the windshield, and can
also damage your vehicle’s paint.
CAUTION
To help prevent damage to wind-
shield wiper and washer system
components, you should take the fol-
lowing precautions:
 Do not continue to hold in the lever
when there is no windshield
washer fluid being sprayed or the
washer motor can be damaged.
 Do not attempt to remove dirt from
a dry windshield with the wipers or
you can damage the windshield
and the wiper blades. Always wet
the windshield with washer fluid
before operating the wipers.
 Clear ice or packed snow from the
wiper blades before using the wip-
ers.
(Continued)
Instrument Panel Overview:

4-9DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
85Z04-03E
Remember that your headlamps light up
far less of a roadway when you are in a
turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving; that
way, it’s easier to pick out dimly lighted
objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so
should your eyes be examined regularly.
Some drivers suffer from night blindness –
the inability to see in dim light – and aren’t
even aware of it.Driving in Rain and on Wet RoadsRain and wet roads can mean driving trou-
ble. On a wet road, you can’t stop, acceler-
ate or turn as well because your tire-to-
road traction isn’t as good as on dry roads.
And, if your tires don’t have much tread
left, you’ll get even less traction. It’s always
wise to go slower and be cautious if rain
starts to fall while you are driving. The sur-
face may get wet suddenly when yourreflexes are tuned for driving on dry pave-
ment.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see.
Even if your windshield wiper blades are in
good shape, a heavy rain can make it
harder to see road signs and traffic signals,
pavement markings, the edge of the road
and even people walking.
It’s wise to keep your windshield wiping
equipment in good shape and keep your
windshield washer tank filled with washer
fluid. Replace your windshield wiper
inserts when they show signs of streaking
or missing areas on the windshield, or
when strips of rubber start to separate
from the inserts.Driving too fast through large water pud-
dles or even going through some car
washes can cause problems, too. The
water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid
puddles. But if you can’t, try to slow down
before you hit them.
WARNING
Wet brakes can cause accidents.
They won’t work as well in a quick
stop and may cause pulling to one
side. You could lose control of the
vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle
of water or a car wash, apply your
brake pedal lightly until your brakes
work normally.
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle:

4-11DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
85Z04-03E
time and energy. See the next part,
“Freeway Driving.”
 Treat a green light as a warning signal. A
traffic light is there because the corner is
busy enough to need it. When a light
turns green, and just before you start to
move, check both ways for vehicles that
have not cleared the intersection or may
be running the red light.Freeway DrivingMile for mile, freeways (also called thru-
ways, parkways, expressways, turnpikes or
superhighways) are the safest of all roads.
But they have their own special rules.
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 trafficflow. 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 shoulder
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’s 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 isn’t 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’re ready. Try to be well
rested. If you must start when you’re not
fresh – such as after a day’s work – don’t
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’s ready
to go. If it needs service, have it done
before starting out. Of course, you’ll find
experienced and able service experts in
SUZUKI dealerships all across North
America. They’ll 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 reser-
voir 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?
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle:

5-28
SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z04-03E
Windshield Wiper Blade
ReplacementWindshield wiper blades should be
inspected at least twice a year for wear or
cracking. If the wiper blades become brittle
or damaged, or make streaks when wiping,
replace the wiper blades for optimum driv-
ing visibility. Replacement blades come in
different types and are removed in different
ways.
Here’s how to remove the Shepherd’s
Hook type:
1) Pull the windshield wiper arm away
from the windshield.
2) Press the retaining clip (A) and pull the
wiper blade off the arm.
3) Install a new blade by reversing the
steps 1 and 2.
TiresYour new vehicle comes with high-quality
tires made by a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions about your tire
warranty and where to obtain service, see
your SUZUKI Warranty booklet for details.
For additional information refer to the tire
manufacturer’s booklet included with your
vehicle’s Owner’s Manual.
Tire Sidewall LabelingUseful information about a tire is molded
into its sidewall. The examples below show
a typical passenger car tire and a spare
tire sidewall.
Passenger Car Tire Example
A. Tire Size
The tire size is a combination of let-
ters and numbers used to define a
particular tire’s width, height, aspect
ratio, construction type and service
description. See the “Tire Size” illus-
WARNING
Poorly maintained and improperly
used tires are dangerous.
 Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much
friction. You could have an air-out
and a serious accident. See “Load-
ing Your Vehicle” in the Index.
 Under inflated tires pose the same
danger as overloaded tires. The
resulting accident could cause
serious injury. Check all tires fre-
quently to maintain the recom-
mended pressure. Tire pressure
should be checked when your tires
are cold.
 Overi nflated tires are more likely to
be cut, punctured or broken by a
sudden impact – such as when you
hit a pothole. Keep tires at the rec-
ommended pressure.
(Continued)
WARNING
(Continued)
 Worn, old tires can cause acci-
dents. If your tread is badly worn,
or if your tires have been damaged,
replace them.
Tires:

5-47SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z04-03E
SUZUKI dealer. See “Vehicle Care/
Appearance Materials” later in this section.
Don’t use cleaning agents that are petro-
leum based, or that contain acid or abra-
sives. All cleaning agents should be
flushed promptly and not allowed to dry on
the surface, or they could stain. Dry the fin-
ish with a soft, clean chamois or an all-cot-
ton towel to avoid surface scratches and
water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause
water to enter your vehicle.
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a soft
cloth and a car washing soap to clean
exterior lamps and lenses. Follow instruc-
tions under Washing Your Vehicle.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of
your vehicle by hand may be necessary to
remove residue from the paint finish. You
can get SUZUKI-approved cleaning prod-
ucts from your SUZUKI dealer. See “Vehi-
cle Care/Appearance Materials” later in
this section.
Your vehicle has a “basecoat/clear coat”
paint finish. The clear coat gives more
depth and gloss to the colored basecoat.
Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a basecoat/
clear coat paint finish.Foreign materials such as calcium chloride
and other salts, ice melting agents, road oil
and tar, tree sap, bird droppings, chemicals
from industrial chimneys, etc., can damage
your vehicle’s finish if they remain on
painted surfaces. Wash the vehicle as
soon as possible. If necessary, use non-
abrasive cleaners that are marked safe for
painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to
aging, weather and chemical fallout that
can take their toll over a period of years.
You can help to keep the paint finish look-
ing new by keeping your vehicle garaged
or covered whenever possible.
Cleaning Windshield and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the
windshield washer, or if the wiper blade
chatters when running, wax, sap or other
material may be on the blade or wind-
shield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with a
full-strength glass cleaning liquid. The
windshield is clean if beads do not form
when you rinse it with water.Grime from the windshield will stick to the
wiper blades and affect their performance.
Clean the blades by wiping vigorously with
a cloth soaked in full-strength windshield
washer solvent. Then rinse the blades with
water.
Check the wiper blades and clean them as
necessary; replace blades that look worn.
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean
cloth with mild soap and water. Rinse with
clean water. After rinsing thoroughly, dry
with a soft clean towel. A wax may then be
applied.
The surface of these wheels is similar to
the painted surface of your vehicle. Don’t
use strong soaps, chemicals, abrasive pol-
ishes, abrasive cleaners, cleaners with
acid, or abrasive cleaning brushes on them
because you could damage the surface.
Do not use chrome polish on aluminum
wheels.
Don’t take your vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash that has silicone carbide
tire cleaning brushes. These brushes can
also damage the surface of these wheels.
Cleaning Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with
tire cleaner.
CAUTION
Machine compounding or aggressive
polishing on a basecoat/clearcoat
paint finish may dull the finish or
leave swirl marks.
Appearance Care:
Vehicle Identification:
Electrical System: