
4-13DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
85Z14-03E
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert.
There could be something in your lane,
like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on moun-
tains that warn of special problems.
Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or
winding roads. Be alert to these and take
appropriate action.Winter DrivingHere are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for win-
ter.
You may want to put winter emergency
supplies in your trunk.Include an ice scraper, a small brush or
broom, a supply of windshield washer fluid,
a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small
shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and a cou-
ple of reflective warning triangles. And, if
you will be driving under severe conditions,
include a small bag of sand, a piece of old
carpet or a couple of burlap bags to help
provide traction. Be sure you properly
secure these items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your
tires meet the road probably have good
traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between
your tires and the road, you can have a
very slippery situation. You’ll have a lot
less traction or “grip” and will need to be
very careful.Very cold snow or ice can be slick and hard
to drive on. But wet ice can be even more
trouble because it may offer the least trac-
tion of all. You can get wet ice when it’s
about freezing (32°F; 0°C) and freezing
rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on
wet ice until salt and sand crews can get
there.
Whatever the condition – smooth ice,
packed, blowing or loose snow – drive with
caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break the frag-
ile traction. If you accelerate too fast, the
drive wheels will spin and polish the sur-
face under the tires even more.
Unless you have an anti-lock braking sys-
tem, you’ll want to brake very gently, too. (If
you do have anti-lock, see “Braking” in this
section. This system improves your vehi-
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle:

4-19DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
85Z14-03E
Determining Compatibility of Tire and
Vehicle Load Limits
The tires on your vehicle, when they are
inflated to the recommended tire inflation
pressure, have a load-carrying capacity
that is greater than the load that will be onthe tires when the vehicle is at its GVWR
or GAWR limit. Never use replacement
tires that have a load-carrying capacity
less than the original tires on your vehicle.
Tire load-carrying capacity information is
molded into the tire sidewall typically
shown as “Max. Load”. Use of replacement
tires with a lower load-carrying capacity
than the original tires, or failure to keep the
tires inflated to recommended tire pres-
sure, may reduce the GVWR or GAWR
limit of your vehicle.
NOTE:
Use of replacement tires with a higher
load-carrying capacity than the original
tires, or using a tire inflation pressure
higher than the recommended tire inflation
pressure, will not increase the GVWR or
GAWR limit of your vehicle.
Towing a TrailerDo not use your vehicle to tow a trailer. The
vehicle is not designed or intended for
such use. Towing a trailer can adversely
affect handling, durability and fuel econ-
omy.
WARNING
Things you put inside your vehicle
can strike and injure people in a sud-
den stop or turn, or in a crash.
Put things in the trunk or rear area
of your vehicle. In a trunk, put them
as far forward as you can. Try to
spread the weight evenly. If you
have fold-down rear seats, you’ll
find four anchors on the back wall
of your trunk. You can use these
anchors to tie down lighter loads.
They’re not strong enough for
heavy things, however, so put them
as far forward as you can in the
trunk or rear area.
Never stack heavier things, like
suitcases, inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above the tops of
the seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child
restraint in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside
the vehicle, secure it whenever you
can.
Don’t leave a seat folded down
unless you need to.
L3U4030A
Towing:

5-11SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z14-03E
4) Remove filler plug.
5) Make sure the fluid reaches the bottom
edge of the filler plug hole.
6) If the level is low, add fluid until it begins
to run out the filler hole.
7) After filling to the correct level, reinstall
the plug securely.
Recommend Automatic Transmission
Fluid and Maintenance Schedule
Change both the fluid and filter every
37,500 miles (60,000 km) if the vehicle is
mainly driven under one or more of these
conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches 90°F
(32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
For business uses such as taxi, police or
delivery service.If you do not use your vehicle under any of
these conditions, the fluid and filter do not
require changing.
See “Recommended Fluids and Lubri-
cants” in section 6 for the proper fluid to
use.
Manual Transmission FluidChecking Transmission Fluid Level1) Turn the engine off.
2) Allow the transmission to cool. It must
be cool enough for you to rest your fin-
gers on the transmission case.
3) Remove filler plug.
4) Make sure the fluid reaches the bottom
edge of the filler plug hole.
5) If the level is low, add fluid until it begins
to run out the filler hole.
6) After filling to the correct level, reinstall
the plug securely.
7) Visually check the transmission case
for leaks or damage.
See “Recommended Fluids and Lubri-
cants” in section 6 for the proper fluid to
use.
CAUTION
Use of automatic transmission fluid
labeled other than ESSO LT 71141 or
TOTAL ATF H50235 may damage your
vehicle, and the damages may not be
covered by your warranty. Always
use ESSO LT 71141 or TOTAL ATF
H50235 labeled automatic transmis-
sion fluid.
WARNING
This work requires special skill and
equipment. Before attempting to do
the work, be sure you are fully
acquainted with doing this job.
Have your SUZUKI dealer do this
work if you are not confident you can
complete the task safely.
Otherwise, you could be injured or
could damage the vehicle.
Checking Things Under the Hood:

5-26
SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z14-03E
7) Replace the lamp housing into the vehi-
cle using the two screws removed ear-
lier.
8) Close the liftgate.
Backup Lamps and Tail/Stop LampsTo replace a backup lamp or a tail/stop
lamp bulb:
1) Open the liftgate.
2) Remove the protective cover.
3) Remove the bulb socket by turning it
counterclockwise.
4) Remove the bulb from the socket by
pressing the bulb and turning it counter-
clockwise.
5) Install the appropriate bulb into the
socket. See “Replacement Bulbs” in
this section.
6) Replace the bulb socket into the lamp
housing. Turn the bulb socket clockwise
to secure it.
7) Replace the protective cover and close
the liftgate.
License Plate LampsTo replace a license plate lamp bulb:
1) Remove the two screws shown in the
illustration and the lamp cover.
2) To remove the bulb holder from the
lamp housing, rotate the bulb holder
counterclockwise.
3) Pull the bulb out from the bulb holder.
4) Replace the bulb. See “Replacement
Bulbs” in this section for the proper
bulb.
5) Install the bulb holder into the lamp
housing by rotating the bulb holder
clockwise.
6) Replace the lamp cover.
N4U5045A
N4U5029B
Bulb Replacement:

5-38
SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z14-03E
pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving on a smooth
road, your wheels may need to be rebal-
anced.Wheel ReplacementReplace any wheel that is bent, cracked or
badly rusted or corroded. If wheel nuts
keep coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts
and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes
be repaired). See your SUZUKI dealer if
any of these conditions exist.
Your SUZUKI dealer will know the kind of
wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same
load-carrying capacity, diameter, width, off-
set and be mounted the same way as the
one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels,
wheel bolts or wheel nuts, replace them
only with new SUZUKI original equipment
parts. This way, you will be sure to have
the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.See “Changing a Flat Tire” in this section
for more information.Used Replacement Wheels
Tire Chains
If a Tire Goes FlatIt’s a unusual for a tire to “blowout” while
you’re driving, especially if you maintain
your tire properly. If air goes out of a tire,
WARNING
Using the wrong replacement wheels,
wheel bolts or wheel nuts on your
vehicle can be dangerous. It could
affect the braking and handling of
your vehicle, make your tires lose air
and make you lose control. You could
have a collision in which you or oth-
ers could be injured. Always use the
correct wheel, wheel bolts and wheel
nuts for replacement.
CAUTION
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer or odometer
calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and
tire or tire chain clearance to the
body and chassis.
WARNING
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle
is dangerous. You can’t know how it’s
been used or how far it’s been driven.
It could fail suddenly and cause a
crash. If you have to replace a wheel,
use a new SUZUKI original equip-
ment wheel.
CAUTION
Use tire chains only where legal and
only when you must. Use only SAE
class “S” type chains that are the
proper size for your tires. Install them
on the front tires and tighten them as
tightly as possible with the ends
securely fastened. Drive slowly and
follow the chain manufacturer’s
instructions. If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop
and retighten them. If the contact
continues, slow down until it stops.
Driving too fast or spinning the
wheels with chains on will damage
your vehicle.
Tires:

5-42
SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z14-03E
Don’t try to put a wheel cover on your com-
pact spare tire. It won’t fit. Store the wheel
cover in the trunk until you have the flat tire
repaired or replaced.Storing the Flat Tire and Tools
Store the flat tire in the compact spare tire
compartment. Place the tire in the com-
partment, then secure the retainer. Store
the jack in its housing in the cargo area.
Secure the jack by turning the retainer
clockwise. Store the tools securely in the
foam tray and place the tray on top of the
tire. Replace the trim cover.
Storing the Spare Tire and Tools
The compact spare tire is for temporary
use only. Replace the compact spare tire
with a full-size tire as soon as you can. See
“Compact Spare Tire” in this section.
WARNING
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly
tightened wheel nuts can cause the
wheel to come loose and even come
off. This could lead to an accident. Be
sure to use the correct wheel nuts. If
you have to replace them, be sure to
get new SUZUKI original equipment
wheel nuts. Stop somewhere as soon
as you can and have the nuts tight-
ened with a torque wrench to the
proper torque specification. See
“Capacities and Specifications” in
the Index for the wheel nut torque
specification.
CAUTION
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can
lead to brake pulsation and rotor
damage. To avoid expensive brake
repairs, evenly tighten the wheel nuts
in the proper sequence and to the
proper torque specification. See
“Capacities and Specifications” in
the index for the wheel nut torque
specification.
CAUTION
If you install a full-size tire rather than
your compact spare tire, reinstall the
wheel cover as follows:
1) Put the wheel cover on the full-
size tire.
2) Fasten the 4 plastic caps snugly
by hand.
3) Tighten the caps by turning them
an additional 90° with the wheel
wrench.
– The proper tightening torque is a
maximum of 5.9 lb-ft (8 N·m).
– Tightening to the improper
torque can cause damage to the
plastic caps.
CAUTION
Wheel covers will not fit on your com-
pact spare. If you try to put a wheel
cover on the compact spare, you
could damage the cover or the spare.
WARNING
Improperly storing a jack, a tire, or
other equipment in the passenger
compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or col-
lision, loose equipment could strike
someone. Store all these items in the
proper place.
WARNING
Storing a jack, a tire, or other equip-
ment in the passenger compartment
of the vehicle could cause injury. In a
sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone.
Store all these in the proper place.
Appearance Care:

5-49SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z14-03E
Power Windows and Other Power
OptionsCircuit breakers in the fuse block protect
the power windows and other power
accessories. When the current load is too
heavy, the circuit breaker opens, protecting
the circuit until the problem is fixed or goes
away.Fuses and Circuit BreakersThe wiring circuits in your vehicle are pro-
tected from short circuits by a combination
of fuses, circuit breakers and fusible ther-
mal links in the wiring itself.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the
fuse. If the band is broken or melted,
replace the fuse. Be sure you replace a
bad fuse with a new one of the identical
size and rating.
There are spare fuses provided in the
engine compartment fuse block. If you ever
have a problem on the road and don’t have
a spare fuse, you can borrow one that has
the same amperage. Just pick a feature of
your vehicle that you can get along without
– like the radio or cigarette lighter – and
use its fuse, if it is the correct amperage.
Replace it as soon as you can.
There are two fuse blocks in your vehicle:
the instrument panel fuse block and the
engine compartment fuse block.
There is a fuse puller located on the
engine compartment fuse block. It can beused to easily remove fuses from the fuse
block.
Instrument Panel Fuse Block
The instrument panel fuse block is located
on the end of the instrument panel on the
driver’s side of the vehicle. To access the
fuses, open the fuse panel door by pulling
the door out.
To reinstall the door, first insert the rear
edge of the fuse panel door, then push the
front of the door into the end of the instru-
ment panel to secure it.
N5U5001B
10A
AIRBAG25A
WPR10A
RADIO/CLK
10A
ECM10A
AIRBAG15A
AUX LTR
15ATRN SIG LAMPS
10A
ABS15A
LT R
10A
CLSTR
BTSI10A
BCK/UP
15A
A/C
CLK 10A
TCM10A
RKE
10A
ENG FUSE BOX
DRL
15A
HAZRD
LAMPS
20A
HVAC15A
RKE15A
RADIO
15A
S/ROOF10A
DLC10A
SPARE
Electrical System:

5-50
SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z14-03E
Engine Compartment Fuse Block
The engine compartment fuse block is
located on the driver’s side of the vehicle,
near the battery. See “Engine Compart-
ment Overview” in this section for more
information on location.
To access the fuses, press in the side flaps
to release the cover.
To reinstall the cover, push until it is
secure. Fuses Usages
AIRBAG Air Bag
WPR Wiper
RADIO/CLK Radio/Clock
ECMEngine Control
Module
AIRBAGOccupation Classifi-
cation Sensor
AUX LTR Extra Jack
TRN SIG LAMPS Turn Signal Lamps
ABSAntilock Brake
System
LTR Cigar Lighter
CLSTR, BTSICluster, BTSI
Solenoid
RKERemote keyless
Entry
BCK/UP Back-up
BLANK Not Used
TCMTransmission
Control Module
Fuses Usages
ENG FUSE BOX,
DRLEngine Fuse box,
Daytime Running
Light
HAZRD LAMPS Hazard Lamps
A/C, CLK A/C Switch, Clock
HVACHeating, Ventilation
and Air Conditioning
RKERemote Keyless
Entry
RADIO Radio
S/ROOF Sunroof
DLC Data link Connector
SPARE Spare
CAUTION
When you inspect the fuse box on
your vehicle, refer to the fuse box
label. The type of fuse box varies
depending on the vehicle’s specifica-
tion.
CAUTION
When you inspect the fuse box on
your vehicle, refer to the fuse box
label. The type of fuse box varies
depending on the vehicle’s specifica-
tion.
Electrical System: