2008 SUZUKI RENO tow

2-22
FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
Sunglasses Storage CompartmentThe sunglasses storage compartment is
located above the driver’s door.
To open the sunglasses storage compart-
ment, pull down and hold the upper part of
the cover. To close the compartment, let go
of the cover and the compartment will
automatically close.
Front Storage AreaYour vehicle may have a sliding storage
tray located under the front passenger
seat. To use the tray, pull up on the end of
the tray and pull it toward the instrument
panel. Push the tray toward the seat to
return it to its original position.
Front Armrest Storage AreaYour vehicle has a front armrest storage
area. To open the storage area, pull up on
the lift lever and raise the lid. To close the
storage area, lower the lid and push it
down until it latches securely.
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Storage Areas:

3-3INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z14-03E
Tilt WheelYour vehicle has a tilt wheel which allows
you to adjust the steering wheel before you
drive. You can raise it to the highest level to
give your legs more room when you exit
and enter the vehicle.
The lever that allows you to tilt the steering
wheel is located under the steering col-
umn.
To tilt the wheel, hold the wheel and push
the lever away from you. Then, move the
wheel to a comfortable position and pull
the lever toward you to lock the wheel in
place.
Turn Signal/Multifunction LeverThe lever on the left side of the steering
column includes the following:
 Turn and Lane-Change Signals
 Fog Lamps, if available
 Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
 Flash-to-Pass
For information on the exterior lamps, see
“Exterior Lamps” in this section.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has three positions. The
upward and downward positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change. At the
center position, the turn signal is off.To signal a turn, move the lever all the way
up or down. When the turn is finished, the
lever will return automatically.
An arrow on the instrument panel cluster
will flash in the direction of the turn or lane
change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower
the lever until the arrow starts to flash.
Hold it there until you complete your lane
change. The lever will return by itself when
you release it.
WARNING
Never attempt to adjust the steering
wheel height while the vehicle is
moving or you could lose control of
the vehicle.
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Instrument Panel Overview:

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INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z14-03E
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if
the arrows flash rapidly, a signal bulb may
be burned out and other drivers won’t see
your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help
avoid an accident. If the arrows don’t go on
at all when you signal a turn, check for
burned-out bulbs and then check the fuse.
See “Fuses and Circuit Breakers” in sec-
tion 5.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam
to high beam, push the turn signal multi-
function lever away from you.When the high beams are on, a light on the
instrument panel cluster also will be on if
the ignition is ON.
To change the headlamps from high beam
to low beam, pull the turn signal/multifunc-
tion lever toward you.
Flash-to-Pass Feature
This feature lets you use your high-beam
headlamps to signal a driver in front of you
that you want to pass.
To use it, pull the turn signal/multifunction
lever toward you until the high-beam head-
lamps come on, then release the lever to
turn them off.
Windshield Wiper/Washer LeverThe windshield wiper/washer lever is
located on the right side of the steering
wheel.
Windshield Wiper
Use the windshield wiper/washer lever to
operate the windshield wipers.
HI (High Speed):
Move the lever to this position for wiping at
high speed.
LO (Low Speed):
Move the lever to this position for steady
wiping at low speed.
INT (Intermittent):
Move the lever to this position to choose a
delayed wiping cycle. Turn the band on the
windshield wiper lever toward FAST or
SLOW for a shorter or longer delay
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Instrument Panel Overview:

3-5INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z14-03E
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.
Instrument Panel Overview:

3-11INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z14-03E
Ashtrays and Cigarette LighterThe front ashtray is located at the lower
part of the center of the instrument panel.
To remove the front ashtray for cleaning,
open the ashtray fully, lift the inner case up
and then pull it out.
The rear ashtray is located at the bottom of
the rear center console. Pull the ashtray
toward the rear of the vehicle to open it. To
remove the rear ashtray, press in the
retaining spring and pull the bin out.The cigarette lighter is located to the right
of the front ashtray.
To use it, turn the ignition to ACC or ON,
push the cigarette lighter in all the way and
let go. When it’s ready, it will pop back out
by itself.
CAUTION
Power outlets are designed for acces-
sory plugs only. Do not hang any
type of accessory or accessory
bracket from the plug. Improper use
of the power outlet can cause dam-
age not covered by your warranty.
WARNING
Don’t put papers or other flammable
items into your ashtrays. Hot ciga-
rettes or other smoking materials
could ignite them, causing a damag-
ing fire.
CAUTION
Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in with
your hand while it is heating. If you
do, it won’t be able to back away from
the heating element when it’s ready.
That can make it overheat, damaging
the lighter and the heating element.
Instrument Panel Overview:

3-21INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z14-03E
Brake System Warning LightYour vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is
divided into two parts. If one part isn’t
working, the other part can still work and
you will be able to stop the vehicle. For
good braking, though, you need both parts
working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a
brake problem. Have your brake system
inspected right away.
This light should come on briefly when you
turn the ignition key to ON. If it doesn’t
come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake system
warning light will also come on when you
set your parking brake. The light will stay
on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully. If the lights stays on after your parking
brake is fully released, it means you have a
brake problem.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 ser-
vice. See “Towing Your Vehicle” in section
4.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
LightIf your vehicle has an anti-lock brake sys-
tem, the ABS warning light comes on
briefly when you turn the ignition ON. This
indicates that the system is performing a
self-check and the indicator bulb is operat-
ing properly. The light should go out after
several seconds.
Contact your SUZUKI dealer for repairs if
the ABS warning light does any of the fol-
lowing:
 Does not come on when the ignition is
turned ON.
 Does not go out after several seconds.
 Comes on while driving.
If the ABS warning light comes on while
driving, your vehicle may have an ABS
malfunction. Although your vehicle will
operate normally without ABS, have your
SUZUKI dealer check the system and
make any necessary repairs as soon as
possible.
WARNING
If any of the following conditions
occur, you should immediately ask
your SUZUKI dealer to inspect the
brake system.
 If the brake system warning light
does not go out after the engine
has been started and the parking
brake has been fully released.
 If the brake system warning light
does not come on when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ON”
position.
 If the brake system warning light
comes on at any time during vehi-
cle operation.
WARNING
If the brake system warning light
comes on, remember that stopping
distance may be longer, you may
have to push harder on the pedal,
and the pedal may go down farther
than normal.
Warning Lights, Gauges and Indicators:

DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
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85Z14-03E
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLEYour Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ........................ 4-1
Towing .................................................................................. 4-16

4-15DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
85Z14-03E
Run your engine only as long as you must.
This saves fuel. When you run the engine,
make it go a little faster than just idle. That
is, push the accelerator slightly. This uses
less fuel for the heat that you get and it
keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle,
and possibly for signaling later on with your
headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the
window almost all the way to preserve the
heat. Start the engine again and repeat
this only when you feel really uncomfort-
able from the cold. But do it as little as pos-
sible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get out of the
vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exer-
cises every half hour or so until help
comes.
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is
stuck, you will need to spin the wheels, but
you don’t want to spin your wheels too fast.
The method known as “rocking” can help
you get out when you’re stuck, but you
must use caution.For information about using tire chains on
your vehicle, see “Tire Chains” in section 5.Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and
right. That will clear the area around your
front wheels. Then shift back and forth
between REVERSE (R) and a forward
gear (or with a manual transmission,
between FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and
REVERSE (R)), spinning the wheels as lit-
tle as possible. Release the accelerator
pedal while you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transmis-
sion is in gear. By slowly spinning your
wheels in the forward and reverse direc-
tions, you will cause a rocking motion that
may free your vehicle. If that doesn’t get
you out after a few tries, you may need to
be towed out. If you do need to be towed
out, see “Towing Your Vehicle” in the fol-
lowing section.
WARNING
If you let your tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or
others could be injured. And, the
transmission or other parts of the
vehicle can overheat. That could
cause an engine compartment fire or
other damage. When you’re stuck,
spin the wheels as little as possible.
Don’t spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedom-
eter.
CAUTION
Spinning your wheels can destroy
parts of your vehicle as well as the
tires. If you spin the wheels too fast
while shifting your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your trans-
mission. See “Rocking Your Vehicle
To Get It Out.”
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle: