
3-31OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
79K21-03E
How the ABS WorksA computer continuously monitors wheel
speed. The computer compares the
changes in wheel speed when braking. If
the wheels slow suddenly, indicating a
skidding situation, the computer will
change braking pressure several times
each second to prevent the wheels from
locking. When you start your vehicle or
when you accelerate after a hard stop, you
may hear a momentary motor or clicking
sound as the system resets or checks
itself.
Electronic Stability Program 
(ESP
®)
ESP
® is a registered trademark of Daimler
AG.
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®)
helps to control the vehicle during corner-
ing if front wheels or rear wheels skid. It
also assists you in maintaining traction
while accelerating on loose or slippery
road surfaces. It does this by regulating the
engine’s output, and by selectively apply-
ing the brakes. In addition, ESP
® helps to
avoid skidding by controlling braking pres-
sure.The ESP
® has the following three systems:
Stability Control SystemThe vehicle stability control system helps
provide integrated control of systems such
as anti-lock brakes, traction control, engine
control, etc. This system automatically
controls the brakes and engine to help pre-
vent the vehicle from skidding when cor-
nering on a slippery road surface or when
turning the steering wheel abruptly.Traction Control SystemThe traction control system automatically
helps prevent the spinning of wheels when
the vehicle is started or accelerated on
slippery road surfaces. The system oper-
ates only if it senses that some of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction. When this happens, the system
operates the front or rear brakes and
reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
NOTE:
You may hear a clicking sound in the
engine compartment for a few seconds
when you start the engine or just after the
vehicle begins to move. This means that
the above systems are in the self-check
mode. This sound does not indicate a mal-
function.
WARNING
The ABS may not work properly if
tires or wheels other than those
specified in the owner’s manual are
used. This is because the ABS works
by comparing changes in wheel
speed. When replacing tires or
wheels, use only the size and type
specified in this owner’s manual.
WARNING
The ESP
® cannot enhance the vehi-
cle’s driving stability in all situations
and does not control your vehicle’s
entire braking system. The ESP
® can-
not prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed
in turns, or hydroplaning. Only a safe
and attentive driver can prevent acci-
dents. The capabilities of an ESP
®-
equipped vehicle must never be used
as a substitute for careful driving. 

3-32
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
79K21-03E
Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)ABS will help you avoid skidding by elec-
tronically controlling braking pressure. It
will also help you maintain steering control
when braking on slippery surfaces or when
braking hard. The ABS works automati-
cally, so you do not have to use any special
braking technique. Just push the brake
pedal down without pumping. The ABS will
operate whenever it senses that wheels
are locking up. You may feel the brake
pedal pulsate while the ABS is operating.
(For more information on ABS, see “Brak-
ing” in the “OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE”
section.)
NOTE:
If the ABS system is activated, you may
hear a clunking noise and/or feel pulsating
in the brake pedal. This is normal and indi-
cates that the brake fluid pressure is being
controlled properly.The ESP
® indicator lights are described
below:
SLIP Indicator Light
79K019
The SLIP indicator light in the instrument
cluster blinks 5 times per second when one
of the following systems is activated.
 Stability control system
 Traction control system
 Hill descent control system (if equipped)
NOTE:
When the SLIP indicator light comes on
and stays on while driving, indicating a
malfunction of the ESP
® systems (other
than ABS), the brake system will function
as an ordinary ABS with no additional
ESP
® functions.
WARNING
 The ESP
® may not work properly if
tires or wheels other than those
specified in the Owner’s Manual are
used. When replacing tires or
wheels, use only the size and type
specified in this Owner’s Manual.
 The ESP® may not work properly if
tires are not inflated to the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure.
 The ESP® may not work properly if
tires are fitted with tire chains.
 The ESP® may not work properly if
the tires are excessively worn. Be
sure to replace tires when the tread
wear indicators in the grooves
appear on the tread surface.
 The ESP® is not a substitute for
winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
WARNING
 The ESP
® may not work properly if
engine related parts such as the
muffler are not equivalent to stan-
dard equipment or are extremely
deteriorated.
 Do not modify the vehicle’s sus-
pension since the ESP
® may not
operate correctly.
CAUTION
If the SLIP indicator light comes on
and stays on while driving, there may
be a malfunction of the ESP
® sys-
tems (other than ABS). You should
have the systems inspected by an
authorized SUZUKI dealer. 

3-33OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
79K21-03E
NOTE:
When you disconnect and re-connect the
battery, ESP
® system functions other than
ABS will be deactivated and the slip indica-
tor light will blink 1 time per second. In this
case, use the following procedure to re-
activate the ESP
® systems:
1) Drive your vehicle straight ahead with-
out tire slippage at a speed greater than
approximately 15 km/h (9 mph) for a
few seconds
2) The slip indicator light will go out and
the ESP
® systems (other than ABS) will
be re-activated
It may take more than few seconds before
the slip indicator light goes out depending
on the road surface condition.
“ESP” Warning Light
66J031
When the ESP
® systems (other than ABS)
have a system malfunction, the “ESP”
warning light in the instrument cluster
comes on.
NOTE:
When the “ESP” warning light comes on,
or stays on while driving, indicating a mal-
function of the ESP
® systems (other than
ABS), the brake system will function as an
ordinary ABS that has no additional ESP
®
functions.
NOTE:
The information display shows the warning
and indicator message when this light
comes on.
“ESP OFF” Indicator Light
66J032
You should turn the ESP
® on during your
ordinary driving, so that you have the ben-
efits of all of the ESP
® systems.
It may be required to turn the ESP
® sys-
tems (other than ABS) off if your vehicle is
stuck in sand, mud, or snow, or when driv-
ing in extreme off-road conditions where
wheel spin is necessary.
CAUTION
If the “ESP” warning light comes on,
or stays on while driving, there may
be a malfunction of the ESP
® sys-
tems (other than ABS). You should
have the systems inspected by an
authorized SUZUKI dealer. 

3-34
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
79K21-03E
“ESP OFF” switch 
(without hill descent control)
78K045
(1) “ESP OFF” switch
(with hill descent control)
78K046
(1) “ESP OFF” switchWhen the “ESP OFF” switch located at the
center of the instrument panel is pushed
and held to turn off the ESP
® systems
(other than ABS), the “ESP OFF” indicator
light in the instrument cluster comes on.
When you push and hold the “ESP OFF”
switch again, the “ESP OFF” indicator light
will go out and all of the ESP
® systems will
be activated.
NOTE:
 When the vehicle speed is greater than
approximately 30 km/h (19 mph), the
ESP
® systems (other than ABS) will turn
on automatically and the “ESP OFF”
indicator light will go out.
 When the transfer switch (if equipped) is
turned to the “4L LOCK” position, the
ESP® systems (other than ABS) will be
canceled to provide improved vehicle
traction, and the “ESP OFF” indicator
light will come on. 
When the transfer switch (if equipped) is
turned to the “4L LOCK” position, brake-
traction control can be activated. Brake-
traction control brakes the spinning
wheel to distribute drive power to the
other wheels for increased climbing abil-
ity or for better performance on a rolling
hill or a slippery surface.
 If the ESP
® systems operate continu-
ously, such as when driving on slippery
roads, the traction control functions of
the ESP
® systems may be canceled
temporarily to avoid overheating the
brake pads, and the “ESP OFF” indicatorlight will come on. After a short period of
time, the ESP
® systems (other than
ABS) will turn on automatically and the
“ESP OFF” indicator light will go out.
 If your vehicle is equipped with a hill
descent control system and a hill hold
control system, these systems will not be
turned off when the “ESP OFF” switch is
pushed to turn off the ESP
® systems.
79K084
NOTE:
If you push the “ESP OFF” switch when the
transfer switch is in the “4H” position, the
ESP
® systems will not be turned off, and
the message shown in the above illustra-
tion will appear on the information display.
You should turn the transfer switch to the
“4H LOCK” position to turn off the ESP
®
systems. Refer to “Using the Transfer
Switch” in this section.ABS Warning Light / Brake System 
Warning LightSee “Braking” in the “OPERATING YOUR
VEHICLE” section.
(1)
(1) 

6-6
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
79K21-03E
60A186
WARNING
(Continued)
 Avoid “riding” the brakes. “Riding”
the brakes could cause the brakes
to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency. Use engine
braking as much as possible.
 Because of the added trailer
weight, your engine may overheat
on hot days when going up long or
steep hills. Pay attention to your
engine temperature gauge. If it indi-
cates overheating, pull off the road
and stop in a safe place. Refer to
the “If the Engine Overheats” in
“EMERGENCY SERVICE” section
for details on how to proceed.
WARNING
When parking your vehicle and con-
nected trailer, always use the follow-
ing procedure:
1) Apply the vehicle’s brakes firmly.
2) Have another person place wheel
chocks under the wheels of the
vehicle and the trailer while you
are holding the brakes.
3) Slowly release the brakes until the
wheel chocks absorb the load.
4) Fully engage the parking brake.
5) Manual transmission – turn off the
engine, then shift into reverse or
first gear. 
Automatic transmission – shift
into “P” (Park) and turn off the
engine.
(Continued)
WARNING
(Continued)
6) If you have a 4-wheel drive vehi-
cle, make sure the transfer switch
is not in “N” (Neutral).
When starting out after parking:
1) Push in the clutch (if equipped)
and start the engine.
2) Depress the brake pedal, shift into
gear, release the parking brake
and slowly pull away from the
chocks.
3) Stop, apply the brakes firmly and
hold the brakes while you have
another person remove the
chocks.
Trailer Towing: 5, 11, 13 

7-2
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
79K21-03E
NOTICE (for U.S.A.)
Maintenance, replacement or repair of
the emission control devices and sys-
tems may be performed by any automo-
bile repair establishment or individual
using any part which has been certified
under the provisions in the Clean Air
Act sec. 207. (a) (2).
Maintenance ScheduleThe following table shows the times when
you should perform regular maintenance
on your vehicle. This table shows in miles,
kilometers and months when you should
perform inspections, adjustments, lubrica-
tion and other services. These intervals
should be shortened if driving is usually
done under severe conditions (refer to
“Maintenance Recommended Under
Severe Driving Conditions”).
WARNING
SUZUKI recommends that mainte-
nance on items marked with an aster-
isk (*) be performed by your
authorized SUZUKI dealer or a quali-
fied service technician. If you are
qualified, you may perform mainte-
nance on the unmarked items by
referring to the instructions in this
section. If you are not sure whether
you can successfully complete any of
the unmarked maintenance jobs, ask
your authorized SUZUKI dealer to do
the maintenance for you.
CAUTION
Whenever it becomes necessary to
replace parts on your vehicle, it is
recommended that you use genuine
SUZUKI replacement parts or their
equivalent.
WARNING
The shock absorbers are filled with
high pressure gas. Never attempt to
disassemble them or throw them into
a fire. Avoid storing them near a
heater or heating device. When
scrapping the absorber, the gas must
be released from the absorber safely.
Ask your dealer for assistance.
Maintenance Schedule: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 

7-23INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
79K21-03E
NOTE:
With disc brakes, the fluid level can be
expected to gradually fall as the brake
pads wear.Brake Pedal
79K138
With the engine running and the parking
brake set, measure the distance between
the brake pedal and floor carpet when the
pedal is depressed with approximately 300
N (66 lbs, 30 kg) of force. The minimum
distance required is as specified. Since
your vehicle’s brake system is self-adjust-
ing, there is no need for pedal adjustment.
If the pedal to floor carpet distance asmeasured above is less than the minimum
distance required, have your vehicle
inspected by your SUZUKI dealer.
NOTE:
When measuring the distance between the
brake pedal and floor wall, push in the floor
carpet as far as it goes and measure the
distance between the carpet surface and
the brake pedal.
60G104
Pedal to floor carpet minimum distance
“a”
80 mm (3.1 in.)
“a”
Floor carpet
WARNING
If you experience any of the following
problems with your vehicle’s brake
system, have the vehicle inspected
immediately by your SUZUKI dealer.
 Poor braking performance
 Uneven braking (brakes not work-
ing uniformly on all wheels.)
 Excessive pedal travel
 Brake dragging
 Excessive noise
 (Except ABS equipped vehicle)
Pedal pulsation (pedal pulsates
when pressed for braking.)
Tires: 6 

7-37INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
79K21-03E
Main Fuse Box
64J157
The main fuse, primary fuses and some of
the individual fuses are located in the
engine compartment. If the main fuse
blows, no electrical component will func-
tion. If a primary fuse blows, no electrical
component in the corresponding load
group will function. When replacing the
main fuse or a primary fuse, use a genuine
SUZUKI replacement.
Main Fuse / Primary Fuse
(1) 15A CPRSR A/C compressor fuse
(2) 20A O2 HTRO
2 sensor heater 
fuse
(3) 15A THR MOT Throttle motor fuse
(4) 20A ATAutomatic transmis-
sion fuse
(5) 25A RR DEF Rear defogger fuse
(6) 15A HORN Horn fuse
(7) 20A FR FOG Front fog light fuse
(8) 20A MRR HTR Mirror heater fuse
(9) 40A FR BLWFront blower motor 
fuse
(10) 30A ABS 2 ABS actuator fuse
(11) 50A ABS 1 ABS actuator fuse
(12) 20A FI Main fuse
(13) – – Blank
(14) 10A H/L LHead light high beam 
fuse, left
(15) 10A H/L RHead light high beam 
fuse, right
(16) 10A H/L Head light fuse
(17) 40A ST Starter motor fuse
(18) 40A IGN Ignition fuse
(19) 15A H/L LO LHead light low beam 
fuse, left
(20) 15A H/L LO RHead light low beam 
fuse, right
PRIMARY
FUSEINDIVIDUAL FUSE
60A LAMP Head light, Accessory, 
Dome light, Sunroof, 
Hazard light, Door lock, 
Rear fog light, Stop 
lamp, Tail light
50A IGN 2 Wiper/Washer, Power 
window, Seat heater
40A 4WD 4WD actuator
30A RDTR 1 Radiator fan
30A RDTR 2 Radiator fan
WARNING
If a fuse in the main fuse box blows,
be sure to have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized SUZUKI
dealer. Always use a genuine SUZUKI
replacement. Never use a substitute
such as a wire even for a temporary
fix, or extensive electrical damage
and a fire can result.
Bulb Replacement: 7