2008 SUZUKI RENO stop start

2-9FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
– The security light (A) will flash once
every 0.8 seconds to indicate that the
theft-deterrent system is armed. The
security light is located on the driver’s
door lock.
To avoid activating the alarm by accident,
do the following:
 Lock the vehicle with the key or the man-
ual door lock after the doors are closed if
you don’t want to arm the theft-deterrent
system.
 Unlock the driver’s or passenger’s front
door with the key or use the remote key-
less entry transmitter. Pressing the
UNLOCK button on the remote keyless
entry transmitter disables the theft-deter-
rent system. Unlocking a door any other
way will activate the alarm when a door
or the trunk is opened.The theft-deterrent system will not arm
when you lock the doors using the key or
the manual door lock. It arms only when
you use the remote keyless entry transmit-
ter.
Disarming the System
To disarm the system, do the following:
 Unlock the driver’s or passenger’s front
door using the key, or
 Press the Unlock button on the transmit-
ter.
– The LED on the transmitter will flash
once.
– All of the doors will unlock.
– The hazard warning lamps will flash
twice.
– The theft-deterrent mode will deacti-
vate.
How the System Alarm is Activated
If a door or the trunk is opened without the
key or the remote keyless entry transmitter,
the horn will sound and the lamps will flash
for up to 30 seconds.
The theft-deterrent system won’t arm if you
lock the doors with the key or use the man-
ual door lock. It activates only if you use
the remote keyless entry transmitter.
If the door is not opened or if the engine is
not started within 30 seconds after disarm-
ing the system with the transmitter, all of
the doors will automatically lock and the
theft-deterrent mode will reactivate.How to Turn Off the System Alarm
If the system alarm is active, it can be
deactivated using the following methods:
 Press the Lock or Unlock button on the
remote keyless entry transmitter.
 Unlock the driver’s or passenger’s front
door using the key.
Otherwise, the alarm will automatically
stop after 30 seconds. The system will
then lock the doors and reactivate the
theft-deterrent system.
How to Detect a Tamper Condition
If the hazard lamps flash once when the
Lock or Unlock button on your transmitter
is pressed, that means the theft-security
system alarm was triggered while you
were away.
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Theft-Deterrent Systems:

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FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
Daily Inspection ChecklistBefore Driving1) Make sure that windows, mirrors, lights
and reflectors are clean and unob-
structed.
2) Visually check the tires for the following
points:
– the depth of the tread groove
– abnormal wear, cracks and damage
– loose wheel nuts
– existence of foreign material such as
nails, stones, etc.
Refer to “Tires” in the “SERVICE AND
APPEARANCE CARE” section for details.
3) Look for oil or other fluid leaks.
NOTE:
It is normal for water to drip from the air
conditioning system after use.
4) Make sure the hood is fully closed and
latched.
5) Check the headlights, turn signal lights,
brake lights and horn for proper opera-
tion.
6) Lock all doors.
7) Adjust the seat and adjustable head
restraints (if equipped).
8) Check the brake pedal.
9) Adjust the mirrors.
10)Make sure that you and all passengers
have properly fastened your seat belts.
11)Make sure that all warning lights come
on as the key is turned to the “ON” or
“START” position.12)Check all gauges.
13)Make sure that the BRAKE light turns
off when the parking brake is released.
Once a week, or each time you fill your fuel
tank, perform the following under-hood
checks:
1) Engine oil level
2) Coolant level
3) Brake fluid level
4) Power steering (if equipped) fluid level
5) Windshield washer fluid level
6) Hood latch operation
Pull the hood release handle inside the
vehicle. Make sure that you cannot
open the hood all the way without
releasing the secondary latch. Be sure
to close the hood securely after check-
ing for proper latch operation. See the
item “Lubricate Locks, Hinges & Hood
Latch” under “Chassis and Body” in the
“MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE” section
for the lubrication schedule.
Starting and Operating Your
VehicleNew Vehicle Break-In
WARNING
Make sure the hood is fully closed
and latched before driving. If it is not,
it can fly up unexpectedly during
driving, obstructing your view and
resulting in an accident.
CAUTION
Your vehicle doesn’t need an elabo-
rate “break-in.” But it will perform
better in the long run if you follow
these guidelines:
 Don’t drive at any one speed – fast
or slow – for the first 500 miles (805
km). Don’t make full-throttle starts.
 Avoid making hard stops for the
first 200 miles (322 km) or so. Dur-
ing this time your new brake linings
aren’t yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean prema-
ture wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this break-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
Daily Inspection Checklist:
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle:

2-11FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
Ignition PositionsWith the key in the ignition switch, you can
turn the key to four different positions.LOCK:
This position locks your steering wheel,
ignition, automatic transmission shift lever
and automatic transmission. This is the
only position from which you can remove
the key. For easier key operation when
unlocking the steering wheel, move the
steering wheel back and forth while turning
the key to the ACC position.
ACC (ACCESSORY):
This position operates some of your elec-
trical accessories, such as the radio, but
not the ventilation fan. Press in the switch
as you turn it away from you.
ON:
This is the position to which the switch
returns after you start your engine and
release the key. The switch stays in ON
when the engine is running. But even when
the engine is not running, you can use ON
to operate your electrical accessories, and
to display some instrument panel warning
lights.
START:
This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition
switch will return to ON for normal driving.
Do not turn the key to START if the engine
is running.
Even if the engine is not running, ACC and
ON allow you to operate electrical acces-
sories, such as the radio.
Starting Your EngineAutomatic Transmission
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEU-
TRAL (N). Your engine won’t start in any
other position – that’s a safety feature. To
restart when you’re already moving, use
NEUTRAL (N) only.
Manual Transmission
The gear selector should be in NEUTRAL
and the parking brake engaged. Hold the
clutch pedal to the floor and start the
engine. Your vehicle won’t start if the clutch
pedal is not all the way down.
Starting Your Engine
1) With your foot off the accelerator pedal,
turn your ignition key to START. When
the engine starts, let go of the key. The
idle speed will go down as your engine
gets warm.
WARNING
On manual transmission vehicles,
turning the key to LOCK and remov-
ing it will lock the steering column
and result in a loss of ability to steer
the vehicle. This could cause a colli-
sion. If you need to turn the engine
off while the vehicle is moving, turn
the key only to ACC. Don’t push the
key in while the vehicle is moving.
CAUTION
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and
you can’t turn it, be sure you are
using the correct key; if so, is it all
the way in? If it is, then turn the steer-
ing wheel left and right while you turn
the key hard. Turn the key only with
your hand. Using a tool to force it
could break the key or the ignition
switch. If none of these works, then
your vehicle needs service.
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CAUTION
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission. Shift
to PARK (P) only when your vehicle is
stopped.
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FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
2) If it doesn’t start, wait about 15 seconds
and try again to start the engine by
turning the ignition key to START. Wait
about 15 seconds between each try.
When your engine has run about 10
seconds to warm up, your vehicle is
ready to be driven. Don’t “race” your
engine when it’s cold. If the weather is
below freezing (32°F or 0°C), let the
engine run for a few minutes to warm
up.
3) If your engine still won’t start (or starts
but then stops), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing your
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor
and holding it there as you hold the key
in START for about three seconds. If
the vehicle starts briefly but then stops
again, do the same thing, but this time
keep the pedal down for five or six sec-
onds. This clears the extra gasoline
from the engine.
Automatic Transmission OperationIf your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic transmission, the shift lever is
located on the console between the seats.
Movement between certain positions
requires pushing the shift lever to the pas-
senger side while shifting. This prevents
you from changing positions unexpectedlyby blocking the straight movement of the
shift lever when the vehicle is moving.
PARK (P):
This position locks your front wheels. It’s
the best position to use when you start
your engine because your vehicle can’t
move easily. Also, this is the only position
from which you can remove the key after
turning it to LOCK.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine. Your vehicle
has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system. You have to apply your reg-
ular brakes before you can shift from PARK
(P) when the ignition is in the ON position.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever – push the shift
CAUTION
Holding your key in START for longer
than 15 seconds at a time will cause
your battery to be drained much
sooner. And the excessive heat can
damage your starter motor. Wait
about 15 seconds between each try
to help avoid draining your battery or
damaging your starter.
CAUTION
Your engine is designed to work with
the electronics in your vehicle. If you
add electrical parts or accessories,
you could change the way the engine
operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your SUZUKI
dealer. If you don’t, your engine
might not perform properly.
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O
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WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake
firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have to.
If you have left the engine running,
the vehicle can move suddenly. You
or others could be injured. To be sure
your vehicle won’t move, even when
you’re on fairly level ground, always
set your parking brake and move the
shift lever to PARK (P). See “Shifting
Into Park (P)” in the Index.
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle:

2-13FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
lever all the way into PARK (P) – as you
maintain brake application. Then move the
shift lever into the gear you wish. See
“Shifting Out of Park (P)” on a later page in
this section.
REVERSE (R):
Use this gear to back up. In order to move
from NEUTRAL (N) to REVERSE (R), you
must press down on the shift lever while
shifting.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get
out of snow, ice or sand without damaging
your transmission, see “If You Are Stuck: In
Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in section 4.
NEUTRAL (N):
In this position, your engine doesn’t con-
nect with the wheels. To restart when
you’re already moving, use NEUTRAL (N)
only. Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when your
vehicle is being towed.AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
This position is for normal driving.
THIRD (3):
This position is also used for normal driv-
ing, however, it offers more power and
lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D). Here are some times
you might choose THIRD (3) instead of
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
 When driving on hilly, winding roads.
 When doing down a steep hill.SECOND (2):
This position gives you more power than
THIRD (3) but lower fuel economy. You can
use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help con-
trol your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also
want to use your brakes off and on.
FIRST (1):
This position gives you even more power
than SECOND (2) but lower fuel economy.
You can use it on very steep hills, or in
deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put
in FIRST (1), the transmission won’t shift
into first gear until the vehicle is going
slowly enough.
CAUTION
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could dam-
age your transmission. The repairs
would not be covered by your war-
ranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only after
your vehicle is stopped.
WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while your
engine is “racing” (running at high
speed) is dangerous. Unless your
foot is firmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You
could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift into a drive gear
while your engine is racing.
CAUTION
Damage to your transmission caused
by shifting into a drive gear with the
engine racing isn’t covered by your
warranty. Be sure the engine is not
racing when shifting your vehicle.
CAUTION
Don’t drive in SECOND (2) at speeds
over 65 mph (105 km/h), or you can
damage your transmission. Use
THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVER-
DRIVE (D) as much as possible. Don’t
shift into SECOND (2) unless you are
going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h)
or you can damage your engine.
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FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
Fuzzy Function
Your automatic transmission will automati-
cally select a adaptive shift pattern using
fuzzy logic.
 Economy mode is applied as often as
possible.
 Driver adaptive shift patterns are acti-
vated for a minimum time.
 “Load 1” is designed for a driving on
moderate road gradients.
 “Load 2” is active while going up steep
hills.
 “Load 3” is intended for downhill driving
for better engine braking.Emergency Operation
If the automatic transmission experiences
a malfunction, the malfunction indicator
lamp (MIL) or the HOLD mode light may
come on or may blink. In this situation,
automatic shifting can be canceled or can
default to a severe condition mode.
You should consult your SUZUKI dealer
and have the problem repaired as soon as
possible when this condition occurs.
Hold Mode
You can select this mode to drive with
some characteristics of a manual transmis-
sion. With the HOLD mode turned on, the
automatic transmission will stay in a spe-
cific gear range.
CAUTION
If your front wheels won’t turn, don’t
try to drive. This might happen if you
were stuck in very deep sand or mud
or were up against a solid object. You
could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill,
don’t hold your vehicle there with
only the accelerator pedal. This could
overheat and damage the transmis-
sion. Use your brakes to hold your
vehicle in position on a hill.
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Economy Medium
Load 1
Load 2
Load 3Sport
CAUTION
The first few shifts may be somewhat
rough on a new vehicle. This is nor-
mal condition and shift feel will
improve soon because the automatic
transmission control system per-
forms adaptation functions.
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle:

2-15FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
Press the HOLD button on the shift lever to
turn on the HOLD mode.
While on, the HOLD indicator light on the
instrument panel will light up. See “Hold
Mode Light” in section 3. Press the button
again to turn off the HOLD mode, and
return to normal automatic transmission
operation.
When the hold mode is activated, the
transmission operates as follows:Function Features of HOLD Mode
Winter function
When a vehicle is on a slippery road such
as one that is covered with snow, mud etc.,
the vehicle can be easily overcome the
slippery road conditions by activating the
hold mode with the transmission selector
lever in the D, 3 or 2-position.
To avoid busy shifting
Fuzzy logic is applied to avoid busy shifting
in most hilly driving conditions. Using the
HOLD button & shifting into the 3-position
are other ways to avoid busy shifting in
case fuzzy logic is not sufficient.
Driving like manual transmission
When in the hold mode condition, you can
use the automatic transmission as a 4-
speed manual transmission.
Manual Transmission OperationFive-Speed
This is your shift pattern.
Here’s how to operate your manual trans-
mission:
FIRST (1):
Press the clutch pedal and shift into FIRST
(1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST (1) when you’re
going less than 20 mph (32 km/h). If you’ve
come to a complete stop and it’s hard to
shift into FIRST (1), put the shift lever in
NEUTRAL and let up on the clutch. Press
the clutch pedal back down. Then shift into
FIRST (1).
SECOND (2):
Press the clutch pedal as you let up on the
accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND
(2). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
THIRD (3), FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5):
Shift into THIRD (3), FOURTH (4) and
FIFTH (5), the same way you do for SEC-
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HOLD
Selector Lever
PositionGear range
D2
nd ↔ 3
rd ↔ 4
th
(mainly 4
th gear)
32
nd ↔ 3
rd
(mainly 3rd gear)
22
nd (fixed)
11st (fixed)
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FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
OND (2). Slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and
press the brake pedal. Just before the
vehicle stops, press the clutch pedal and
brake pedal, and shift to NEUTRAL.
NEUTRAL:
Use this position when you start or idle
your engine.
REVERSE (R):
To back up, press down the clutch pedal,
lift up the ring on the shift lever and shift
into REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch
pedal slowly while pressing the accelerator
pedal.
Also, use REVERSE (R), along with the
parking brake, for parking your vehicle.Shift Speed
Parking BrakeThe parking brake lever is located between
the bucket seats.
To set the parking brake, hold the brake
pedal down and pull up on the parking
brake lever. If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the
brake pedal down. Pull the parking brakelever up until you can press the release
button. Hold the release button in as you
move the brake lever all the way down.
Winter parking tip
Under cold weather conditions, the parking
brake can freeze in the engaged position.
This is most likely to happen if the brakes
are wet.
If there is a risk that the parking brake may
freeze after driving through water deep
enough to wet brake components or after
having the vehicle washed:
1) Apply the parking brake only tempo-
rarily while you put the gear selector
lever in PARK (P) (for automatic tran-
saxle) or in first or reverse gear (for
manual transaxle).
2) Block the rear wheels with wedge
blocks.
3) Release the parking brake.
CAUTION
Shift into REVERSE (R) only after
your vehicle is stopped. Shifting into
REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving could damage your transmis-
sion. The repairs would not be cov-
ered by your warranty.
WARNING
If you skip a gear when you down-
shift, you could lose control of your
vehicle. You could injure yourself or
others. Don’t shift down more than
one gear at a time when you down-
shift.
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CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake on can
cause your rear brakes to overheat.
You may have to replace them, and
you could also damage other parts of
your vehicle. Verify that the parking
brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle: