2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA ABS

6-17OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
66J22-03E
54G140
65D451
WARNING
 On some types of loose surfaces
(such as gravel, snow-covered
roads, etc.), the stopping distance
required for an ABS-equipped vehi-
cle may be slightly greater than for
a comparable vehicle with a con-
ventional brake system. With a
conventional brake system, skid-
ding tires are able to “plow” the
gravel or snow layer, shortening
the stopping distance. ABS mini-
mizes this resistance effect. Allow
for extra stopping distance when
driving on loose surfaces.
 On regular paved roads, some driv-
ers may be able to obtain slightly
shorter stopping distances with
conventional brake systems than
with ABS.
 In both of the above conditions,
ABS will still offer the advantage of
helping you maintain directional
control. However, remember that
ABS will not compensate for bad
road or weather conditions or poor
driver judgment. Use good judg-
ment and do not drive faster than
conditions will safely allow.
WARNING
If the ABS warning light ((1) or (2)) on
the instrument panel comes on and
stays on while driving, there may be a
problem with the ABS system.
If this happens:
1) Pull off the road and stop care-
fully.
2) Turn the ignition switch to “LOCK”
and then start the engine again.
If the warning light comes on briefly
then turns off, the system is normal.
If the warning light still stays on,
have the system inspected by your
SUZUKI dealer immediately. If the
ABS system becomes inoperative,
the brake system will function as an
ordinary brake system that has no
ABS.
or
WARNING
If the ABS warning light ((1) or (2))
and the Brake system warning light
(3) on the instrument panel simulta-
neously stay on or come on when
driving, both anti-lock function and
rear brake force control function
(Proportioning valve function) of the
ABS system may have failed. This
could cause the rear wheels to skid
or the vehicle to spin during braking
on a slippery road or hard braking on
a dry paved road. If both warning
lights come on, drive carefully, avoid-
ing hard braking as much as possi-
ble, and ask your SUZUKI dealer to
inspect the ABS system immediately.
(1) (2)
(3)or
Braking: 6

6-18
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
66J22-03E
How the ABS WorksA computer continuously monitors wheel
speed. The computer compares the
changes in wheel speed when braking. If
the wheels slow suddenly, indicating a
skidding situation, the computer will
change braking pressure several times
each second to prevent the wheels from
locking. When you start your vehicle or
when you accelerate after a hard stop, you
may hear a momentary motor or clicking
sound as the system resets or checks
itself.
Electronic Stability Program
(ESP
®)
ESP
® is a registered trademark of
DaimlerChrysler AG.
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®)
helps to control the vehicle during corner-
ing if the vehicle is understeering or over-
steering. It also assists you in maintaining
traction while accelerating on loose or slip-
pery road surfaces. It does this by regulat-
ing the engine’s output, and by selectively
applying the brakes. In addition, ESP®
helps to avoid skidding by controlling brak-
ing pressure.The ESP
® has the following three systems:
Stability Control SystemThe vehicle stability control system helps
provide integrated control of systems such
as anti-lock brakes, traction control, engine
control, etc. This system automatically
controls the brakes and engine to help pre-
vent the vehicle from skidding when cor-
nering on a slippery road surface or when
turning the steering wheel abruptly.Traction Control SystemThe traction control system automatically
helps prevent the spinning of wheels when
the vehicle is started or accelerated on
slippery road surfaces. The system oper-
ates only if it senses that some of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction. When this happens, the system
operates the front or rear brakes and
reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
NOTE:
You may hear a clicking sound in the
engine compartment for a few seconds
when you start the engine or just after the
vehicle begins to move. This means that
the above systems are in the self-check
mode. This sound does not indicate a mal-
function.
WARNING
The ABS may not work properly if
tires or wheels other than those
specified in the owner’s manual are
used. This is because the ABS works
by comparing changes in wheel
speed. When replacing tires or
wheels, use only the size and type
specified in this owner’s manual.
WARNING
The ESP
® cannot enhance the vehi-
cle’s driving stability in all situations
and does not control your vehicle’s
entire braking system. The ESP
® can-
not prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed
in turns, or hydroplaning. Only a safe
and attentive driver can prevent acci-
dents. The capabilities of an ESP
®-
equipped vehicle must never be used
as a substitute for careful driving.
Braking: 6

6-19OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
66J22-03E
Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)ABS will help you avoid skidding by elec-
tronically controlling braking pressure. It
will also help you maintain steering control
when braking on slippery surfaces or when
braking hard. The ABS works automati-
cally, so you do not have to use any special
braking technique. Just push the brake
pedal down without pumping. The ABS will
operate whenever it senses that wheels
are locking up. You may feel the brake
pedal pulsate while the ABS is operating.
(For more information on ABS, see “Brak-
ing” in the “OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE”
section.)
NOTE:
If the ABS system is activated, you may
hear a clunking noise and/or feel pulsating
in the brake pedal. This is normal and indi-
cates that the brake fluid pressure is being
controlled properly.The ESP
® indicator lights are described
below:
SLIP Indicator Light
66J033
When one of the ESP
® systems other than
ABS is activated, the SLIP indicator light in
the instrument cluster blinks 5 times per
second.
NOTE:
When the SLIP indicator light comes on
and stays on while driving, indicating a
malfunction of the ESP® systems (other
than ABS), the brake system will function
as an ordinary ABS with no additional
ESP
® functions.
WARNING
 The ESP
® may not work properly if
tires or wheels other than those
specified in the Owner’s Manual are
used. When replacing tires or
wheels, use only the size and type
specified in this Owner’s Manual.
 The ESP® may not work properly if
tires are not inflated to the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure.
 The ESP® may not work properly if
tires are fitted with tire chains.
 The ESP® may not work properly if
the tires are excessively worn. Be
sure to replace tires when the tread
wear indicators in the grooves
appear on the tread surface.
 The ESP® is not a substitute for
winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
WARNING
 The ESP
® may not work properly if
engine related parts such as the
muffler are not equivalent to stan-
dard equipment or are extremely
deteriorated.
 Do not modify the vehicle’s sus-
pension since the ESP
® may not
operate correctly.
CAUTION
If the SLIP indicator light comes on
and stays on while driving, there may
be a malfunction of the ESP
® sys-
tems (other than ABS). You should
have the systems inspected by an
authorized SUZUKI dealer.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS):

6-20
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
66J22-03E
NOTE:
When you disconnect and re-connect the
battery, ESP
® system functions other than
ABS will be deactivated and the slip indica-
tor light will blink 1 time per second. In this
case, use the following procedure to re-
activate the ESP
® systems:
1) Drive your vehicle straight ahead with-
out tire slippage at a speed greater than
approximately 15 km/h (9 mph) for a
few seconds
2) The slip indicator light will go out and
the ESP
® systems (other than ABS) will
be re-activated
It may take more than few seconds before
the slip indicator light goes out depending
on the road surface condition.
“ESP” Warning Light
66J031
When the ESP
® systems (other than ABS)
have a system malfunction, the “ESP”
warning light in the instrument cluster
comes on.NOTE:
When the “ESP” warning light comes on,
or stays on while driving, indicating a mal-
function of the ESP
® systems (other than
ABS), the brake system will function as an
ordinary ABS that has no additional ESP
®
functions.“ESP OFF” Indicator Light
66J032
You should turn the ESP
® on during your
ordinary driving, so that you have the ben-
efits of all of the ESP
® systems.
It may be required to turn the ESP
® sys-
tems (other than ABS) off if your vehicle is
stuck in sand, mud, or snow, or when driv-
ing in extreme off-road conditions where
wheel spin is necessary.“ESP OFF” switch
66J039
When the “ESP OFF” switch located at the
center of the instrument panel is pushed
and held to turn off the ESP
® systems
(other than ABS), the “ESP OFF” indicator
light in the instrument cluster comes on.
When you push and hold the “ESP OFF”
switch again, the “ESP OFF” indicator light
will go out and all of the ESP
® systems will
be activated.
NOTE:
 When the vehicle speed is greater than
approximately 30 km/h (19 mph), the
ESP
® systems (other than ABS) will turn
on automatically and the “ESP OFF”
indicator light will go out.
 When the transfer switch (if equipped) is
turned to the “4L LOCK” position, the
ESP® systems (other than ABS) will be
canceled to provide improved vehicle
CAUTION
If the “ESP” warning light comes on,
or stays on while driving, there may
be a malfunction of the ESP
® sys-
tems (other than ABS). You should
have the systems inspected by an
authorized SUZUKI dealer.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS):

6-21OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
66J22-03E
traction, and the “ESP OFF” indicator
light will come on.
When the transfer switch (if equipped) is
turned to the “4L LOCK” position, brake-
traction control can be activated. Brake-
traction control brakes the spinning
wheel to distribute drive power to the
other wheels for increased climbing abil-
ity or for better performance on a rolling
hill or a slippery surface.
 If the ESP
® systems operate continu-
ously, such as when driving on slippery
roads, the traction control functions of
the ESP
® systems may be canceled
temporarily to avoid overheating the
brake pads, and the “ESP OFF” indicator
light will come on. After a short period of
time, the ESP
® systems (other than
ABS) will turn on automatically and the
“ESP OFF” indicator light will go out.
ABS Warning Light / Brake System
Warning LightSee “Braking” in the “OPERATING YOUR
VEHICLE” section.
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) (if equipped)The tire pressure monitoring system is
designed to alert you when one or more of
the tires on your vehicle is significantly
under-inflated. A Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) sensor containing a
unique identification code is mounted on
each wheel. The TPMS sensors transmit
tire pressure signals to a central receiver
which relays the information to a tire pres-
sure monitoring system controller. When
the inflation pressure of one or more tires
indicates significant under-inflation, the low
tire pressure warning light shown below
comes on.
NOTE:
The TPMS controller is not programmed to
recognize the ID code of the TPMS sensor
in your spare tire. The tire pressure moni-
toring system will only work with the spare
tire if you bring your vehicle to an autho-
rized SUZUKI dealer to register the ID
code of the spare tire sensor. Refer to
“Replacing Tires and/or Wheels” in this
section.
Low Tire Pressure Warning Light
52D305
WARNING
Each tire, including the spare (if pro-
vided), should be checked monthly
when cold and inflated to the inflation
pressure recommended by the vehi-
cle manufacturer on the vehicle plac-
ard or tire inflation pressure label. (If
your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pres-
sure label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for
those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
that illuminates a low tire pressure
telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated.
(Continued)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS):
Break-In: 6

8-6
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
66J22-03E
60A186
WARNING
(Continued)
 Avoid “riding” the brakes. “Riding”
the brakes could cause the brakes
to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency. Use engine
braking as much as possible.
 Because of the added trailer
weight, your engine may overheat
on hot days when going up long or
steep hills. Pay attention to your
engine temperature gauge. If it indi-
cates overheating, pull off the road
and stop in a safe place. Refer to
the “If the Engine Overheats” in
“EMERGENCY SERVICE” section
for details on how to proceed.
WARNING
When parking your vehicle and con-
nected trailer, always use the follow-
ing procedure:
1) Apply the vehicle’s brakes firmly.
2) Have another person place wheel
chocks under the wheels of the
vehicle and the trailer while you
are holding the brakes.
3) Slowly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load.
4) Fully engage the parking brake.
5) Manual Transmission – Shift into
Reverse or first gear and turn off
the engine.
Automatic Transmission – Shift
into Park and turn off the engine.
6) If you have a 4-wheel drive vehi-
cle, make sure the transfer switch
is not in “N” (Neutral).
(Continued)
WARNING
(Continued)
When starting out after parking:
1) Push in the clutch (if equipped)
and start the engine.
2) Depress the brake pedal, shift into
gear, release the parking brake
and slowly pull away from the
chocks.
3) Stop, apply the brakes firmly and
hold the brakes while you have
another person remove the
chocks.
Trailer Towing: 5, 11, 13

9-2
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
66J22-03E
NOTICE (for U.S.A.)
Maintenance, replacement or repair of
the emission control devices and sys-
tems may be performed by any automo-
bile repair establishment or individual
using any part which has been certified
under the provisions in the Clean Air
Act sec. 207. (a) (2).
Maintenance ScheduleThe following table shows the times when
you should perform regular maintenance
on your vehicle. This table shows in miles,
kilometers and months when you should
perform inspections, adjustments, lubrica-
tion and other services. These intervals
should be shortened if driving is usually
done under severe conditions (refer to
“Maintenance Recommended Under
Severe Driving Conditions”).
WARNING
SUZUKI recommends that mainte-
nance on items marked with an aster-
isk (*) be performed by your
authorized SUZUKI dealer or a quali-
fied service technician. If you are
qualified, you may perform mainte-
nance on the unmarked items by
referring to the instructions in this
section. If you are not sure whether
you can successfully complete any of
the unmarked maintenance jobs, ask
your authorized SUZUKI dealer to do
the maintenance for you.
CAUTION
Whenever it becomes necessary to
replace parts on your vehicle, it is
recommended that you use genuine
SUZUKI replacement parts or their
equivalent.
WARNING
The shock absorbers are filled with
high pressure gas. Never attempt to
disassemble it or throw it into a fire.
Avoid storing it near a heater or heat-
ing device. When scrapping the
absorber, the gas must be released
from the absorber safely. Ask your
dealer for assistance.
Maintenance Schedule: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10

9-23INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
66J22-03E
60G104
Parking Brake Lever
60A226
Check the parking brake for proper adjust-
ment by counting the number of clicks
made by the ratchet teeth as you slowly
pull up on the parking brake lever to the
point of full engagement. The parking
brake lever should stop between the speci-
fied ratchet teeth and the rear wheels
should be securely locked. If the parking
brake is not properly adjusted or the
brakes drag after the lever has been fully
released, have the parking brake inspected
and/or adjusted by your SUZUKI dealer.
Steering Wheel
66J233
Check the play of the steering wheel by
gently turning it from left to right and mea-
suring the distance that it moves before
you feel slight resistance. The play should
be between the specified values. Check
that the steering wheel turns easily and
smoothly without rattling by turning it all the
way to the right and to the left while driving
very slowly in an open area. If the amount
of free play is outside the specification or
you find anything else to be wrong, an
inspection must be performed by your
SUZUKI dealer.
WARNING
If you experience any of the following
problems with your vehicle’s brake
system, have the vehicle inspected
immediately by your SUZUKI dealer.
 Poor braking performance
 Uneven braking (Brakes not work-
ing uniformly on all wheels.)
 Excessive pedal travel
 Brake dragging
 Excessive noise
 (Except ABS equipped vehicle)
Pedal pulsation (Pedal pulsates
when pressed for braking.)
Ratchet tooth specification “b”
5th – 7th
200 N (44 lbs, 20 kg)
“b”
EXAMPLE
Steering wheel play “c”
0 – 30 mm (0.0 – 1.2 in.)
“c”
EXAMPLE
Tires: 6