3-18
INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z14-03E
Warning Lights, Gauges and
IndicatorsThis section describes the warning lights
and gauges that may be on your vehicle.
The pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights and gauges can signal that
something is wrong before it becomes seri-
ous enough to cause an expensive repair
or replacement. Paying attention to your
warning lights and gauges could also save
you or others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may
be or is a problem with one of your vehi-
cle’s functions. As you will see in the
details on the next few pages, some warn-
ing lights come on briefly when you start
the engine just to let you know they’re
working. If you are familiar with this sec-
tion, you should not be alarmed when this
happens.
Gauges can indicate when there may be or
is a problem with one of your vehicle’s
functions. Often gauges and warning lights
work together to let you know when there’s
a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on
and stays on when you are driving, or
when one of the gauges shows there may
be a problem, check the gauge that tells
you what to do about it. Please follow this
manual’s advice. Waiting to do repairs can
be costly – and even dangerous. So pleaseget to know your warning lights and
gauges. They’re a big help.
Instrument Panel ClusterYour instrument panel cluster is designed
to let you know at a glance how your vehi-
cle is running. You’ll know how fast you’re
going, how much fuel you’re using and
many other things you’ll need to drive
safely and economically.
Your vehicle has this instrument panel
cluster, which includes indicator warning
lights and gauges that are explained on the
following pages.Speedometer and OdometerYour speedometer lets you see your speed
in both miles per hour (mph) and kilome-
ters per hour (km/h).
Your odometer shows how far your vehicle
has been driven, in miles.
Trip OdometerThe trip odometer can record the number
of kilometers or miles traveled for up to two
trips.
The trip odometer button is located in the
lower right area of the speedometer.
There are two independent trip odometers,
which measure the distances your vehicle
has traveled since you last reset this func-
tion.
You can switch the trip odometer display
between Trip A and Trip B by pressing the
trip odometer button.
To reset each trip meter to zero, press and
hold the trip odometer button until it resets.
J7U3001B
CAUTION
Keep track of your odometer reading
and check the maintenance schedule
regularly for required services.
Increased wear or damage to certain
parts can result from failure to per-
form required services at the proper
mileage intervals.
Warning Lights, Gauges and Indicators:
4-11DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
85Z14-03E
time and energy. See the next part,
“Freeway Driving.”
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A
traffic light is there because the corner is
busy enough to need it. When a light
turns green, and just before you start to
move, check both ways for vehicles that
have not cleared the intersection or may
be running the red light.Freeway DrivingMile for mile, freeways (also called thru-
ways, parkways, expressways, turnpikes or
superhighways) are the safest of all roads.
But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway
driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep to
the right. Drive at the same speed most of
the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks a smooth trafficflow. Treat the left lane on a freeway as a
passing lane.
At the entrance, there is usually a ramp
that leads to the freeway. If you have a
clear view of the freeway as you drive
along the entrance ramp, you should begin
to check traffic. Try to determine where you
expect to blend with the flow. Try to merge
into the gap at close to the prevailing
speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder
as often as necessary. Try to blend
smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your
speed to the posted limit or to the prevail-
ing rate if it’s slower. Stay in the right lane
unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors.
Then use your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance
quickly over your shoulder to make sure
there isn’t another vehicle in your “blind”
spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway,
make certain you allow a reasonable fol-
lowing distance.
Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move
to the proper lane well in advance. If you
miss your exit, do not, under any circum-
stances, stop and back up. Drive on to the
next exit.The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes
quite sharply. The exit speed is usually
posted. Reduce your speed according to
your speedometer, not to your sense of
motion. After driving for any distance at
higher speeds, you may tend to think you
are going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long TripMake sure you’re ready. Try to be well
rested. If you must start when you’re not
fresh – such as after a day’s work – don’t
plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing
and shoes you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you
keep it serviced and maintained, it’s ready
to go. If it needs service, have it done
before starting out. Of course, you’ll find
experienced and able service experts in
SUZUKI dealerships all across North
America. They’ll be ready and willing to
help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check
before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reser-
voir full? Are all windows clean inside
and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you
checked all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the
lenses clean?
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle:
5-37SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
85Z14-03E
Uniform Tire Quality GradingQuality grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between the
tread shoulder and the maximum section
width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature
A
The following information relates to the
system developed by the United States
National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration, which grades tires by treadwear,
traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the
United States.) The grades are molded on
the sidewalls of most passenger car tires.
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system
does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal rim diame-
ters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to
some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on SUZUKI vehi-
cles may vary with respect to these grades,they all conform to federal safety require-
ments.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and a half (1.5) times as well on the gov-
ernment course as a tire graded 100. The
relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road charac-
teristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades
represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Wheel Alignment and Tire BalanceThe wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully at the factory to
give you the longest tire life and best over-
all performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel bal-
ancing are not needed. However, if you
notice unusual tire wear or your vehicle
CAUTION
Replacing the original tires with tires
of a different size may result in false
speedometer or odometer readings.
Check with your SUZUKI dealer
before purchasing replacement tires
that differ in size from the original
tires.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead brak-
ing traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Exces-
sive speed, underinflation, or exces-
sive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
Tires:
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:
8-4INDEX
85Z14-03E
Power Windows and Other Power Options
.......................5-49
QQuestions and Answers About Safety Belts
.....................1-7
RRadio with Six-Disc CD (Double Display, MP3/WMA)
(AGH-5400)
...........................................................................3-38
Rear Door Security Locks
...................................................2-5
Rear Seat Armrest
...............................................................2-23
Rear Seat Passengers
.........................................................1-11
Rear Seats
............................................................................1-4
Rear Sidemarker Lamps
.....................................................5-27
Rear Window and Outside Rearview Mirror Defogger
.....3-16
Rear Window Washer/Wiper
...............................................3-6
Reclining Seatbacks
............................................................1-2
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
..............................6-10
Recreational Vehicle Towing
..............................................4-16
Remote Keyless Entry System ...........................................2-1
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation
.........................2-2
Replacement Bulbs
.............................................................5-27
Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash
.............1-34
Reporting Safety Defects
....................................................7-4
Restraint System Check .....................................................1-33
Right Front Passenger Position
.........................................1-11
Running Your Engine While You Are Parked
...................2-19
SSafety Belt: They are for Everyone ....................................1-5
Safety Belt Extender
............................................................1-14
Safety Belt Pretensioner System
.......................................1-13
Safety Belt Reminder Light
.................................................3-19
Safety Belt Reminder Tone .................................................3-19
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
....................................1-10Safety Belts
......................................................................... 1-5
Safety Certification Label
................................................... 7-2
Scheduled Maintenance Services
..................................... 6-2
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the LATCH
System
................................................................................. 1-23
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position
......... 1-24
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat
Position
................................................................................ 1-25
Securing a Child Restraint with Top Strap
....................... 1-21
Selecting the Right Condition
............................................ 6-1
Service
................................................................................. 5-1
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
........................ 1-33
Sheet Metal Damage
........................................................... 5-47
Shifting Into Park (P) .......................................................... 2-17
Shifting Out of Park (P) ...................................................... 2-17
Spare Tire
............................................................................ 5-43
Specifications
...................................................................... 5-53
Speed Sensitive Power Steering (SSPS) Warning
Light
..................................................................................... 3-22
Speedometer and Odometer
.............................................. 3-18
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
................................ 2-10
Starting Your Engine
.......................................................... 2-11
Steering
................................................................................ 4-5
STEERING WHEEL REMOTE OPERATION
..............3-37
, 3-44
Storage Areas
...................................................................... 2-21
Sun Visors
........................................................................... 2-8
Sunglasses Storage Compartment
................................... 2-22
Sunroof
................................................................................ 2-23
Supplemental Restraint System (air bags)
....................... 1-26
TTachometer
.......................................................................... 3-19