2008 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA Owners Manual

11-2
APPEARANCE CARE
66J22-03E
Repair finish damage
Carefully examine your vehicle for damage
to the painted surfaces, especially if it is
used off-road. Should you find any chips or
scratches in the paint, touch them up
immediately to prevent corrosion from
starting. If the chips or scratches have
gone through to the bare metal, have a
qualified body shop make the repair.
Keep passenger and cargo compart-
ments clean
Moisture, dirt or mud can accumulate
under the floor mats and may cause corro-
sion. Occasionally, check under these
mats to ensure that this area is clean and
dry. More frequent checks are necessary if
the vehicle is used off road or in wet
weather.
Certain cargo such as chemicals, fertiliz-
ers, cleaners, salts, etc. are extremely cor-
rosive by nature. These products should
be transported in sealed containers. If a
spill or leak does occur, clean and dry the
area immediately.
Use mud and gravel shields
The use of mud and gravel shields will help
protect your vehicle, especially if you fre-
quently drive on gravel or salted roads.
Full-size shields, which extend as close to
the road as is practical, are the best. The
fittings for such shields should also be cor-
rosion resistant. Please check with yourauthorized SUZUKI dealer for information
on these shields.
Store your vehicle in a dry, well-venti-
lated area
Do not park your vehicle in a damp, poorly
ventilated area. If you often wash your
vehicle in the garage or if you frequently
drive it in when wet, your garage may be
damp. The high humidity in the garage
may cause or accelerate corrosion. A wet
vehicle may corrode even in a heated
garage if the ventilation is poor.Cover your vehicle
50G203
If you can not regularly park your vehicle in
a garage, we recommend you use a vehi-
cle cover. Years of exposure to midday sun
can cause the colors in paint, plastic parts
and fabrics to fade. Covering your vehicle
with a high-quality, “breathable” vehicle
cover can help protect the finish from the
harmful UV rays in sunlight, and can
reduce the amount of dust and air pollution
reaching the surface. Your SUZUKI dealer
can help you select the right cover for your
vehicle.
WARNING
Do not apply additional undercoating
or rust preventive coating on or
around exhaust system components
such as the catalytic converter,
exhaust pipes, etc. A fire could be
started if the undercoating substance
becomes overheated.
Corrosion Prevention: 5

11-3APPEARANCE CARE
66J22-03E
Vehicle Cleaning
76G044S
Cleaning InteriorVinyl upholstery
Prepare a solution of soap or mild deter-
gent mixed with warm water. Apply the
solution to the vinyl with a sponge or soft
cloth and let it soak for a few minutes to
loosen dirt. Rub the surface with a clean,damp cloth to remove dirt and the soap
solution. If some dirt still remains on the
surface, repeat this procedure.
Fabric upholstery
Remove loose dirt with a vacuum cleaner.
Using a mild soap solution, rub stained
areas with a clean damp cloth. To remove
soap, rub the areas again with a cloth
dampened with water. Repeat this until the
stain is removed, or use a commercial fab-
ric cleaner for tougher stains. If you use a
fabric cleaner, carefully follow the manu-
facturer’s instructions and precautions.
Leather upholstery
Remove loose dirt with a vacuum cleaner.
Using a mild soap or saddle soap solution,
wipe dirt off with a clean damp soft cloth.
To remove soap, wipe the areas again with
a soft cloth dampened with water. Wipe the
areas dry with a soft dry cloth. Repeat this
until the dirt or stain is removed, or use a
commercial leather cleaner for tougher dirt
or stains. If you use a leather cleaner, care-
fully follow the manufacture’s instructions
and precautions. Do not use solvent type
cleaners or abrasive cleaners.
Seat belts
Clean seat belts with a mild soap and
water. Do not use bleach or dye on the
belts. They may weaken the fabric in the
belts.
Vinyl floor mats
Ordinary dirt can be removed from vinyl
with water or mild soap. Use a brush tohelp loosen dirt. After dirt is loosened,
rinse the mat thoroughly with water and
dry it in the shade.
Carpets
Remove dirt and soil as much as possible
with a vacuum cleaner. Using a mild soap
solution, rub stained areas with a clean
damp cloth. To remove soap, rub the areas
again with a cloth dampened with water.
Repeat this until the stain is removed, or
use a commercial carpet cleaner for
tougher stains. If you use a carpet cleaner,
carefully follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions and precautions.
Instrument panel and console
NOTE:
Wipe up spills containing chemicals, alco-
hol, etc., immediately with a soft, damp
cloth. Use a mild soap solution if neces-
sary. Do not use cleaners or polishes con-
taining strong solvents or acidic solutions.
These chemicals may stain and discolor
the instrument panel and console.
Cleaning the Exterior
WARNING
When cleaning the interior or exterior
of the vehicle, NEVER USE flammable
solvents such lacquer thinners, gas-
oline, benzene or cleaning materials
such as bleaches and strong house-
hold detergents. The materials could
cause personal injury or damage to
the vehicle.
CAUTION
It is important that your vehicle be
kept clean and free from dirt. Failure
to keep your vehicle clean may result
in fading of the paint or corrosion to
various parts of the vehicle body.
Vehicle Cleaning: 5

11-4
APPEARANCE CARE
66J22-03E
WashingWhen washing the vehicle, follow the
instructions below:
1) Flush the underside of body and wheel
housings with pressurized water to
remove mud and debris. Use plenty of
water.2) Rinse the body to loosen the dirt.
Remove dirt and mud from the body
exterior with running water. You may
use a soft sponge or brush. Do not use
hard materials which can scratch the
paint or plastic. Remember that the
headlight covers or lenses are made of
plastic in many cases.
3) Wash the entire exterior with a mild
detergent or car wash soap using a
sponge or soft cloth. The sponge or
cloth should be frequently soaked in the
soap solution.
4) Once the dirt has been completely
removed, rinse off the detergent with
running water.
5) After rinsing, wipe off the vehicle body
with a wet chamois or cloth and allow it
to dry in the shade.6) Check carefully for damage to painted
surfaces. If there is any damage,
“touch-up” the damage following the
procedure below:
1. Clean all damaged spots and allow
them to dry.
2. Stir the paint and “touch-up” the
damaged spots lightly using a small
brush.
3. Allow the paint to dry completely.
Waxing
60B211S
After washing the vehicle, waxing and pol-
ishing are recommended to further protect
and beautify the paint.
 Only use waxes and polishes of good
quality.
 When using waxes and polishes,
observe the precautions specified by the
manufacturers.
WARNING
 Never attempt to wash and wax
your vehicle with the engine run-
ning.
 When cleaning the underside of the
body and fender, where there may
be sharp-edged parts, you should
wear gloves and a long-sleeved
shirt to protect your hands and
arms from being cut.
 After washing your vehicle, care-
fully test the brakes before driving
to make sure they have maintained
their normal effectiveness.
CAUTION
 When washing the vehicle, avoid
directing steam or hot water of
more than 80°C (176°F) on plastic
parts.
 To avoid damaging engine compo-
nents, do not use pressurized
water in the engine compartment.
CAUTION
To avoid damage to the paint or plas-
tic surface, do not wipe the dirt off
without ample water. Be sure to fol-
low above procedure.
CAUTION
When using a commercial car wash
product, observe the cautions speci-
fied by the manufacturer. Never use
strong household detergents or
soaps.
Vehicle Cleaning: 5

11-5APPEARANCE CARE
66J22-03E
MEMO

GENERAL INFORMATION
12
66J22-03E
54G072
GENERAL INFORMATIONIdentification Numbers ....................................................... 12-1
Safety Certification Label ................................................... 12-2
Emission Compliance Label (for U.S.A.) ........................... 12-2
Warranties ............................................................................ 12-2
On-Board Vehicle Computers and Event Data
Recorders ............................................................................ 12-3
Reporting Safety Defects ................................................... 12-4

12-1GENERAL INFORMATION
66J22-03E
Identification NumbersVehicle Identification Number
60G152
64J197
The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
may be found in the two locations shown in
the above illustrations. This number is
used to register the vehicle. It is also used
to assist your dealer when ordering parts
or referring to special service information.
Engine Serial Number
66J160
The engine serial number is stamped on
the cylinder block as shown in the above
illustration.
EXAMPLE
(for some vehicles)
Identification Numbers: 2, 5

12-2
GENERAL INFORMATION
66J22-03E
Safety Certification Label
52D059
This label contains important safety-
related information about your vehicle. The
label is located on the driver’s door lock pil-
lar.
Emission Compliance Label
(for U.S.A.)
60A412
The EPA emission compliance label is
located under the hood.
WarrantiesThe warranties covering your vehicle are
explained in a separate New Vehicle War-
ranty Information booklet given to you at
the time of sale. Please read this booklet
carefully so you can understand your rights
and responsibilities.For U.S.A.The following warranties are provided with
your vehicle:
 New Vehicle Limited Warranty
 Limited Warranty For SUZUKI Parts or
Accessories
 Emission Components Defect Warranty
 Emission Performance Warranty
Safety Certification Label: 6
Emission Compliance Label (For U.S.A.): 1, 2
Warranties: NO

12-3GENERAL INFORMATION
66J22-03E
On-Board Vehicle Computers
and Event Data RecordersYour vehicle is equipped with on-board
computer systems which monitor and
control several aspects of vehicle per-
formance, including the following:
 Emission-related components and
engine parameters such as engine
speed and throttle position are moni-
tored to provide emissions control
and to provide optimum fuel econ-
omy. Your vehicle also has an on-
board diagnostic system which mon-
itors and records information about
emission-related malfunctions.
 Signals from various sensors are
monitored to provide air bag deploy-
ment.
 If your vehicle is equipped with
antilock brakes, conditions such as
vehicle speed and brake perfor-
mance are monitored, so that the
ABS system can provide effective
antilock braking. If your vehicle has
an Electronic Stability Program
(ESP
®) system, conditions such as
yaw rate, lateral acceleration, and
brake fluid pressure are monitored,
so that the ESP
® system can help
the driver control the vehicle in diffi-
cult driving situations.
Some information may be stored by
the on-board computers during normaloperation of the vehicle. This stored
information can assist technicians in
repairing the vehicle when malfunc-
tions occur. Other information is stored
only in the event of crash, by computer
systems that are commonly called
Event Data Recorders (EDRs).
In a crash event, EDRs such as the
Airbag Sensing and Diagnostic Mod-
ule (SDM) in your vehicle may record
information about the condition of the
vehicle and how it was operated, such
as data related to airbag readiness,
airbag performance, safety belt usage,
and the severity of the collision. These
data can help provide a better under-
standing of the circumstances in which
crashes and injuries occur and lead to
the designing of safer vehicles. The
SDM in your vehicle does not collect
or store personal information.
To read the stored information, special
equipment is needed and access to
the vehicle or storage device is
required. SUZUKI will not access infor-
mation about a crash event or share it
with others other than with the consent
of the vehicle owner or lessee, in
response to an official request from
the police or similar government office,
as part of SUZUKI’s defense of litiga-
tion through the discovery process, or
as required by law.In addition, once SUZUKI collects or
receives data, SUZUKI may use the
data for research conducted by
SUZUKI, make the data available for
outside research if need is shown and
confidentiality is assured, or make
summary data which does not identify
specific vehicles available for outside
research.
Others, such as law enforcement per-
sonnel, may have access to the spe-
cial equipment that can read the
information if they have access to the
vehicle or storage device.
Reporting Safety Defects: NO