5-3SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z14-03E
To open the fuel filler door, pull up on the
fuel filler door release lever located on the
floor to the left of the driver’s seat.
The fuel cap is located on the passenger’s
side of your vehicle.While refueling, hang the tethered cap
inside the fuel door.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly to the
left (counterclockwise).
Be careful not to spill fuel. Don’t top off or
overfill your tank, and wait a few seconds
after you’ve finished pumping before you
remove the nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See “Clean-
ing the Outside of Your Vehicle” in this sec-
tion.
When you put the fuel cap back on, turn it
to the right (clockwise) until you hear a
clicking sound. Make sure you fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can deter-
mine if the fuel cap has been left off or is
improperly installed. This would allow fuel
to evaporate into the atmosphere. See
“Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in section 3.
N4U5041A
WARNING
If you spill fuel and then something
ignites it, you could be badly burned.
Fuel can spray out on you if you open
the fuel cap too quickly. This spray
can happen if your tank is nearly full,
and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and wait for
any “hiss” noise to stop. Then
unscrew the cap all the way.
WARNING
If a fire starts while you’re refueling,
don’t remove the nozzle. Shut off the
flow of fuel by shutting off the pump
or by notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.
CAUTION
If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to
get a genuine SUZUKI cap or its
equivalent. Your SUZUKI dealer can
get one for you. If you get the
improper type, it may not fit properly.
This may cause your malfunction
indicator lamp to light and may dam-
age your fuel tank and emissions
system. See “Malfunction Indicator
Lamp” in the Index.
Fuel:
5-35SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z14-03E
When to Check
Check your tires each time you fill your fuel
tank or at least once a month using a tire
pressure gauge.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It
should be at 60 psi (420 kPa).
How to check
Use a good quality pocket-type gauge to
check tire pressure. You can’t tell if your
tires are properly inflated simply by looking
at them. Radial tires may look properly
inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Check the tire’s inflation pressure when the
tires are cold. Cold means your vehicle has
been sitting for at least three hours or
driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve
stem. Press the tire gauge firmly onto the
valve to get a pressure measurement. If
the cold tire inflation pressure is low, add
air until you reach the recommended pres-
sure.
If you overfill the tire, release air by push-
ing on the metal stem in the center of the
tire valve. Recheck the tire pressure with
the tire gauge.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the
valve stems. They help prevent leaks by
keeping out dirt and moisture.
Tire Inspection and RotationInspect your vehicle’s tires at least once a
month.
Tires should be rotated every 7,500 miles
(12,000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate
your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged
tires or wheels. See “When It Is Time for
New Tires” and “Wheel Replacement” in
this section for more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to
achieve more uniform wear for all tires on
the vehicle. The first rotation is the most
important. See “Scheduled Maintenance
Services” in section 6, for scheduled rota-
tion intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the
correct rotation pattern shown here.Don’t include the compact spare tire in
your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust
the front and rear inflation pressures as
shown on the Tire and Loading Information
label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut
Torque” under “Capacities and Specifica-
tions” in this section.
Vehicle LoadingThe 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 on
the 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
WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose after
a time. The wheel could come off and
cause an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from
places where the wheel attaches to
the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use a cloth or a paper towel to do
this, but be sure to use a scraper or
wire brush later, if you need to, to get
all the rust or dirt off. See “Changing
a Flat Tire” in this section.
Tires:
