2008 SUZUKI RENO check engine

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If you have to add coolant more than four
times a year, have your SUZUKI dealer
check your cooling system.Checking Coolant
The engine coolant surge tank is located
on the driver’s side of the engine compart-
ment. See “Engine Compartment Over-
view” in this section for more information
on location.The vehicle must be on a level surface.
When your engine is cold, the coolant level
should be between MAX and MIN mark on
the coolant surge tank. The level rises at
engine operation temperature and drops
again when the engine cools down.
Adding Coolant
If the level falls below the MIN mark, add
the proper coolant mixture at the surge
tank, but only when the engine is cool. If
the surge tank is empty, a special fill proce-
dure is necessary. See “Cooling System”
in this section for instructions on “How to
Add Coolant to the Coolant Surge Tank”.
WARNING
Adding only plain water to your cool-
ing system can be dangerous. Plain
water, or some other liquid such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s
coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain
water or the wrong mixture, your
engine could get too hot but you
wouldn’t get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch fire and you
or others could be burned. Use a 60/
40 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and the proper coolant.
CAUTION
If you use an improper coolant mix-
ture, your engine could overheat and
be badly damaged. The repair cost
wouldn’t be covered by your war-
ranty. Too much water in the mixture
can freeze and crack the engine, radi-
ator, heater core and other parts.
CAUTION
If you use the proper coolant, you
don’t have to add extra inhibitors or
additives which claim to improve the
system. These can be harmful.
WARNING
Never turn the surge tank pressure
cap – even a little – when the engine
and radiator are hot.
Loosening the surge tank pressure
cap when the engine and radiator are
hot can allow steam and scalding liq-
uids to blow out and burn you badly.
WARNING
Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
You can be burned if you spill coolant
on hot engine parts. Coolant con-
tains ethylene glycol, and it will burn
if the engine parts are hot enough.
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SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
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When replacing the pressure cap, make
sure it is hand-tight.Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
Engine OverheatingYou will find a coolant temperature gauge
on your vehicle’s instrument panel. See
“Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge” in
section 3.If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning, but
see or hear no steam, the problem may not
be too serious. Sometimes the engine can
get a little too hot when you:
 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
 Stop after high-speed driving.
 Idle for long periods in traffic.
If you get the overheat warning with no
sign of steam, try this for a minute or so:
1) In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in
NEUTRAL while stopped. If it is safe to
do so, pull off the road, shift to PARK
(P) or NEUTRAL and let the engine
idle.
2) Turn on your heater to full hot at the
highest fan speed and open the window
as necessary.
If you no longer have the overheat warn-
ing, you can drive. Just to be safe, drive
slower for about 10 minutes. If the warning
doesn’t come back on, you can drive nor-
mally.
CAUTION
Your coolant surge tank cap is a
pressure-type cap and must be
tightly installed to prevent coolant
loss and possible engine damage
from overheating. See “Capacities
and Specifications” for more informa-
tion.
WARNING
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you just
open the hood. Stay away from the
engine if you see or hear steam com-
ing from it. Just turn it off and get
everyone away from the vehicle until
it cools down. Wait until there is no
sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine
is overheated, the liquids in it can
catch fire. You or others could be
badly burned. Stop your engine if it
overheats, and get out of the vehicle
until the engine is cool.
CAUTION
If your engine catches fire because
you keep driving with no coolant,
your vehicle can be badly damaged.
The costly repairs would not be cov-
ered by your warranty.
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5-15SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
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If the warning continues and you have not
stopped, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle
the engine for three minutes while you’re
parked. If you still have the warning, turn
off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood, but to
get service help right away.Cooling SystemThe engine coolant surge tank is located in
the rear of the engine compartment on the
driver’s side.If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank
is boiling, don’t do anything else until it
cools down. The vehicle should be parked
on a level surface. Make sure that the air
conditioning is turned off.
The coolant level should be between the
MIN and MAX marks on the coolant surge
tank when the engine is cool. If it isn’t, you
may have a leak at the pressure cap or in
the radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator,
water pump or somewhere else in the cool-
ing system.If there seems to be no leak, with the
engine on, check to see if the electric
engine cooling fan is running. If the engine
is overheating, the fan should be running.
If it isn’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, check
to see if coolant is visible in the surge tank.
If coolant is visible but the coolant level
isn’t between the MIN and MAX marks,
add a 60/40 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and proper coolant at the coolant
surge tank, but be sure the cooling system,
including the coolant surge tank pressure
cap, is cool before you do it. See “Engine
Coolant” in this section for more informa-
tion.
If no coolant is visible in the surge tank,
add coolant as follows:
WARNING
An electric engine cooling fan under
the hood can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from any underhood electric
fan.
WARNING
Heater and radiator hoses, and other
engine parts, can be very hot. Don’t
touch them. If you do, you can be
burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is a leak.
If you run the engine, it could lose all
of the coolant. That could cause an
engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive
the vehicle.
CAUTION
Engine damage from running your
engine without coolant isn’t covered
by your warranty.
CAUTION
This vehicle has a specific coolant fill
procedure. Failure to follow this pro-
cedure could cause your engine to
overheat and be severely damaged.
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SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
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1) Park the vehicle on a level surface. You
can remove the coolant surge tank
pressure cap when the cooling system,
including the coolant surge tank pres-
sure cap and upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot. Turn the pressure cap
slowly counterclockwise (left) about two
or two and one-half turns. If you hear a
hiss, wait for that to stop. This will allow
any pressure still left to be vented out
the discharge hose.
WARNING
Never turn the cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant surge
tank pressure cap, is hot.
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out and
burn you badly. They are under pres-
sure, and if you loosen the coolant
surge tank pressure cap – even a lit-
tle – they can come out at high
speed. Wait for the cooling system
and coolant surge tank pressure cap
to cool if you ever have to loosen the
pressure cap.
WARNING
Adding only plain water to your cool-
ing system can be dangerous. Plain
water, or some other liquid such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s
coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain
water or the wrong mixture, your
engine could get too hot but you
wouldn’t get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch fire and you
or others could be burned. Use a 60/
40 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and a proper coolant.
L3U5019A
CAUTION
In cold weather, water can freeze and
crack the engine, radiator, heater
core and other parts. Use the recom-
mended coolant and the proper cool-
ant mixture.
WARNING
You can be burned if you spill coolant
on hot engine parts. Coolant con-
tains ethylene glycol and it will burn
if the engine parts are hot enough.
Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
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5-17SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z14-03E
2) Then keep turning the pressure cap
slowly, and remove it.
3) Fill the coolant surge tank with the
proper mixture to the MAX mark on the
coolant surge tank. Wait about five min-
utes, then check to see if the level is
below the MAX mark. If the level is
below the MAX mark, add additional
coolant to bring the level up to the MAX
mark. Repeat this procedure until the
level remains constant at the MAX mark
for at least five minutes.
4) With the coolant surge tank pressure
cap off, start the engine and let it run
until you can feel the upper radiator
hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level inside the
coolant surge tank may be lower. If thelevel is lower than the MAX mark, add
more of the proper mixture to the cool-
ant surge tank until the level reaches
the MAX mark.
5) Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure
the pressure cap is hand-tight and fully
seated. See your SUZUKI dealer, if
necessary.
Power Steering FluidThe power steering fluid reservoir is
located toward the front of the engine com-
partment on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
See “Engine Compartment Overview” in
this section for more information on loca-
tion.
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check
power steering fluid unless you suspect
there is a leak in the system or you hear an
unusual noise. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system
inspected and repaired.How to Check Power Steering Fluid
Turn the key off and then check the fluid
level. The level should be between the MIN
and MAX marks on the reservoir. If the
level is below the MIN mark, add power
steering fluid.
What to Use
To determine what kind of fluid to use, see
“Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in
section 6. Always use the proper fluid. Fail-
ure to use the proper fluid can cause leaks
and can damage hoses and seals.
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SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
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Windshield Washer FluidThe windshield washer fluid reservoir is
located in the front of the engine compart-
ment on the driver’s side. See “Engine
Compartment Overview” in this section for
more information on location.
What to Use
When you need windshield washer fluid,
be sure to read the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions before use. If you will be operating
your vehicle in an area where the tempera-
ture may fall below freezing, use a fluid
that has sufficient protection against freez-
ing.Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer symbol on it.
Add washer fluid until the tank is full.
BrakesBrake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is
located near the back of the engine com-
partment on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
It is filled with DOT-3 brake fluid. See
“Engine Compartment Overview” in this
section for the location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake
fluid level in the reservoir might go down.
The first is that the brake fluid goes down
to an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear.
When new linings are put in, the fluid level
goes back up. The other reason is that fluid
is leaking out of the brake system. If it is,
you should have your brake system fixed,
since a leak means that sooner or later
your brakes won’t work well, or won’t work
at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off ” your
brake fluid. Adding brake fluid won’t correct
a leak. If you add fluid when your linings
are worn, then you’ll have too much fluid
when you get new brake linings. You
should add (or remove) brake fluid, as nec-
essary, only when work is done on the
brake hydraulic system.
CAUTION
 When using concentrated washer
fluid, follow the manufacturer’s
instructions for adding water.
 Don’t mix water with ready-to-use
washer fluid. Water can cause the
solution to freeze and damage your
washer fluid tank and other parts of
the washer system. Also, water
doesn’t clean as well as washer
fluid.
 Fill your washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it’s very
cold. This allows for expansion if
freezing occurs, which could dam-
age the tank if it is completely full.
 Don’t use engine coolant (anti-
freeze) in your windshield washer.
It can damage your washer system
and paint.
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5-19SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
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When your brake fluid falls to a low level,
your brake warning light will come on. See
“Brake System Warning Light” in section 3.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only
DOT-3 brake fluid. Use new brake fluid
from a sealed container only. See “Recom-
mended Fluids and Lubricants” in section
6.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap
and the area around the cap before remov-
ing it. This will help keep dirt from entering
the reservoir.Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front and rear disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indica-
tors that make a high-pitched warning
sound when the brake pads are worn and
new pads are needed. The sound may
come and go or be heard all the time your
vehicle is moving (except when you are
pushing on the brake pedal firmly).Some driving conditions or climates may
cause a brake squeal when the brakes are
first applied or lightly applied. This does
not mean something is wrong with your
brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary
to help prevent brake pulsation. When tires
are rotated, inspect brake pads for wear
and evenly tighten wheel nuts in the proper
sequence to SUZUKI torque specifica-
tions.
Brake linings should always be replaced as
complete axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection” in section
6.
WARNING
If you have too much brake fluid, it
can spill on the engine. The fluid will
burn if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged.
WARNING
With the wrong kind of fluid in your
brake system, your brakes may not
work well, or they may not even work
at all. This could cause a crash.
Always use the proper brake fluid.
CAUTION
 Using the wrong fluid can badly
damage brake system parts. For
example, just a few drops of min-
eral-based oil, such as engine oil,
in your brake system can damage
brake system parts so badly that
they’ll have to be replaced. Don’t let
someone put in the wrong kind of
fluid.
 If you spill brake fluid on your vehi-
cle’s painted surfaces, the paint fin-
ish can be damaged. Be careful not
to spill brake fluid on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off immediately.
See “Appearance Care” in the
Index.
WARNING
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon your brakes won’t
work well. That could lead to an acci-
dent. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
CAUTION
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
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SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
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Brake Pedal Travel
See your SUZUKI dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height, or if there
is a rapid increase in pedal travel. This
could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a moderate brake
stop, your disc brakes adjust for wear. If
you rarely make a moderate or heavier
stop, then your brakes might not adjust
correctly. If you drive in that way, then –
very carefully – make a few moderate
brake stops about every 1,000 miles
(1,600 km), so your brakes will adjust prop-
erly.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is com-
plex. Its many parts have to be of top qual-
ity and work well together if the vehicle is
to have really good braking. When you
replace parts of your braking system – for
example, when your brake linings wear
down and you need new ones put in – be
sure you get new approved SUZUKI
replacement parts. If you don’t, your
brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings
that are wrong for your vehicle, the balance
between your front and rear brakes can
change – for the worse. The braking per-
formance you’ve come to expect can
change in many other ways if someone
puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.
BatteryYour new vehicle comes with a mainte-
nance free battery. When it’s time for a new
battery, get one that has the replacement
number shown on the original battery’s
label. See “Engine Compartment Over-
view” in this section for battery location.
Vehicle Stor ag e
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for
25 days or more, remove the black, nega-
tive (–) cable from the battery. This will
help keep your battery from running down.
Contact your SUZUKI dealer to learn how
to prepare your vehicle for longer storage
periods.
Jump StartingIf your battery has run down, you may want
to use another vehicle and some jumper
cables to start your vehicle. Be sure to fol-
low the steps below to do it safely.
1) Check the other vehicle. It must have a
12-volt battery with a negative ground
system.
WARNING
Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer
and reproductive harm. Wash hands
after handling.
WARNING
Batteries have acid that can burn you
and gas that can explode. You can be
badly hurt if you aren’t careful. See
the next section, “Jump Starting”, for
tips on working around a battery
without getting hurt.
WARNING
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
 They contain acid that can burn
you.
 They contain gas that can explode
or ignite.
 They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you don’t follow these steps
exactly, some or all of these things
can hurt you.
CAUTION
Ignoring the following steps could
result in costly damage to your vehi-
cle that wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by push-
ing or pulling it won’t work, and it
could damage your vehicle.
Checking Things Under the Hood: