
3-24
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
80J23-03E
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.
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.
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.

4-2
DRIVING TIPS
80J23-03E
54G584S
Improving Fuel EconomyThe following instructions will help you
improve fuel economy.
Avoid excessive idling
If you are to wait for more than a minute
while you are parked, stop the engine and
start it again later. When warming up a
cold engine, allow the engine to idle until
the temperature gauge pointer comes up
to the “C” position. In this position, the
engine is sufficiently warm for starting off.
Avoid “jackrabbit” starts
Fast starts away from lights or stop signs
will consume fuel unnecessarily and
shorten engine life. Start off slowly.
Avoid unnecessary stops
Avoid unnecessary deceleration and stop-
ping. Try to maintain a slow, steady speed
whenever possible. Slowing down and then
accelerating again uses more fuel.
Keep a steady cruising speed
Keep as constant a speed as road and traf-
fic conditions will permit.
CAUTION
To minimize the possibility of catalyst
or other vehicle damage:
Maintain the engine in the proper
operating condition.
In the event of an engine malfunc-
tion, particularly one involving
engine misfire or other apparent
loss of performance, have the vehi-
cle serviced promptly.
Do not shut off the engine or inter-
rupt the ignition when the transaxle
is in gear and the vehicle is in
motion.
Do not try to start the engine by
pushing or towing the vehicle or
coasting down a hill.
Do not idle the engine with any
spark plug wires disconnected or
removed, such as during diagnos-
tic testing.
Do not idle the vehicle for pro-
longed periods if idling seems
rough or there are other malfunc-
tions.
Do not allow the fuel tank to get
near the empty level.
WARNING
Be careful where you park and drive;
the catalytic converter and other
exhaust components can get very
hot. As with any vehicle, do not park
or operate this vehicle in areas where
combustible materials such as dry
grass or leaves can come in contact
with a hot exhaust system.
Instrument Cluster: 8

4-5DRIVING TIPS
80J23-03E
Tire ChainsTire chains should only be used if they are
needed to increase traction or are required
by law. Make sure that the chains you use
are small-link chains or cable-type chains
and are the correct size for your vehicle’s
tires. Also make sure that there is enough
clearance between the fenders and the
chains as installed on the tires.
Install the chains on the front tires tightly,
according to the chain manufacturer’s
instructions. Retighten the chains after
driving about 1.0 km (1/2 mile) if neces-
sary. With the chains installed, drive slowly.Do not drive through deep or rushing
water
Driving in deep or rushing water can be
hazardous. You could lose control of the
vehicle and the occupants could drown.
Also, your vehicle could be seriously dam-
aged. To avoid these risks, observe the fol-
lowing instructions and precautions.
Do not drive through deep or rushing
water. Deep or rushing water, such as
fast-moving streams or floodwaters,
could carry your vehicle away from your
intended path. The water is too deep if it
covers your wheel hubs, axles or
exhaust tailpipe. Know the depth of the
water before you attempt to drive
through it.
If water blocks the tailpipe, the engine
may not start or run. If the water is deep
enough to get drawn into the engine
intake system, the engine will be badly
damaged.
Submerged brakes will have poor brak-
ing performance. Drive slowly and care-
fully. Driving slowly will also help avoid
water splashing onto the ignition system,
which could cause the engine to stall.
Even when driving through shallow or
still waters, drive carefully since the
water may be hiding ground hazards
such as holes, ditches or bumps.
54G638S
CAUTION
Do not continue rocking the vehicle
for more than a few minutes. Pro-
longed rocking can cause engine
overheating, transaxle or transfer
case damage or tire damage.
CAUTION
If you hear the chains hitting against
the vehicle body while driving, stop
and tighten them.
If your vehicle is equipped with full
wheel caps, remove the wheel caps
before installing the chains or the
wheel caps can be damaged by the
chain bands.
Warning and Indicator Lights: 8

5-8
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
80J23-03E
Quick cooling (using recirculated air)
The control settings are the same as for
normal cooling except you select “RECIR-
CULATED AIR” and the highest blower
speed.
NOTE:
If you select “RECIRCULATED AIR” for
an extended period of time, the air in the
vehicle can become contaminated.
Therefore, you should occasionally
select “FRESH AIR”.
If your vehicle has been left in the sun
with the windows closed, it will cool
faster if you open the windows briefly
while you operate the air conditioner with
the air intake selector at “FRESH AIR”
and the blower at high speed.
Dehumidifying
Turn on the “A/C” switch, set the air flow
selector to a desired air flow selector posi-
tion, and select “FRESH AIR”, the temper-
ature selector to the desired temperature
position, and the blower speed selector to
the desired blower speed position.
NOTE:
Because the air conditioner dehumidifies
the air, turning it on will help keep the win-
dows clear, even when blowing heated air
using the “DEFROST” or “HEAT &
DEFROST” functions.
79J070
NOTE:
If you need maximum defrosting:
select “DEFROST” and “FRESH AIR”,
turn on the “A/C” switch,
set the blower speed selector to HIGH,
adjust the temperature selector to the
HOT end, and
adjust the side outlets so the air blows
on the side windows.
MaintenanceIf you do not use the air conditioner for a
long period, such as during winter, it may
not give the best performance when you
start using it again. To help maintain opti-
mum performance and durability of your air
conditioner, it needs to be run periodically.
Operate the air conditioner at least once a
month for one minute with the engine
idling. This circulates the refrigerant and oil
and helps protect the internal components.
Your air conditioner is equipped with air fil-
ters. Clean or replace them as specified in
the “Maintenance Schedule” in the
“INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE” sec-
tion. Have this job done by your SUZUKI
dealer as the lower glove box must be low-
ered for this job.
NOTE:
Your vehicle uses the air conditioning
refrigerant HFC-134a, commonly called
“R-134a”. R-134a replaced R-12 around
1993 for automotive applications. Other
refrigerants are available, including recy-
cled R-12, but only R-134a should be used
in your vehicle.
EXAMPLE
CAUTION
Using the wrong refrigerant may
damage your air conditioning sys-
tem. Use R-134a only. Do not mix or
replace the R-134a with other refrig-
erants.
Folding Rear Seats: 3

5-14
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
80J23-03E
80JM127
Be careful not to cover the interior temper-
ature sensor (10) located between the
steering wheel and the climate control
panel, or the solar sensor (11) located at
the top of the driver’s side dashboard.
These sensors are used by the automatic
system to regulate temperature.
Manual operationYou can manually control the climate con-
trol system. Set the selectors to the
desired positions.
79J070
NOTE:
If you need maximum defrosting:
push the defrost switch (5) to turn on the
defroster (the air conditioning system will
come on and the “FRESH AIR” mode will
be selected automatically),
set the blower speed selector to HIGH,
adjust the temperature selector to the
“HI” indication on the display, and
adjust the side outlets so the air blows
on the side windows.
MaintenanceIf you do not use the air conditioner for a
long period, such as during winter, it may
not give the best performance when you
start using it again. To help maintain opti-
mum performance and durability of your air
conditioner, it needs to be run periodically.
Operate the air conditioner at least once a
month for one minute with the engineidling.
This circulates the refrigerant and oil and
helps protect the internal components.
Your air conditioner is equipped with air fil-
ters. Clean or replace them as specified in
the “Maintenance Schedule” in the
“INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE” sec-
tion. Have this job done by your SUZUKI
dealer as the lower glove box must be low-
ered for this job.
NOTE:
Your vehicle uses the air conditioning
refrigerant HFC-134a, commonly called
“R-134a”. R-134a replaced R-12 around
1993 for automotive applications. Other
refrigerants are available, including recy-
cled R-12, but only R-134a should be used
in your vehicle.
(11)
(10)
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
CAUTION
Using the wrong refrigerant may
damage your air conditioning sys-
tem. Use R-134a only. Do not mix or
replace the R-134a with other refrig-
erants.
Accessory Socket: 8
Frame Hooks: 5, 6

5-32
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
80J23-03E
XM MODE
Selecting a band
Press the XM button (1).
Each time the button is pressed, the band
changes in the following order.
66J129
Selecting a category
Press the seek up button (3) or the seek
down button (4). The category is changed.
Turning the category function on/off
Press and hold the category button (2) for
2 seconds or longer, and “CATEGORY
ON” appears on the display, the CAT indi-
cator (c) lights up and the CATEGORY
function is activated.
Press and hold the category button (2) for
2 seconds or longer again, and “CATE-
GORY OFF” appears on the display and
the CAT indicator turns off, indicating that
the CATEGORY function has been turned
off.
NOTE:
The first time you use the radio, turn the
category function on.Selecting a category
Press the seek up button (3) or seek down
button (4) to select a category.
Displaying the category
Press the category button (2) to have the
currently selected category appear on the
display.
Selecting a channel
Turn the manual tuning knob (5) to select a
channel.
NOTE:
When the category function is on, only
those channels included in the selected
category can be selected.
Selecting the item to be displayed
Press the display button (6).
Each time the button is pressed, the item
on display changes in the following order.
66J130
Preset memory
1) Select the desired station.
2) Select the preset button (7) to which
you want to store the station and pressand hold the button for 2 seconds or
longer.
Scan tuning
1) Press the scan button (8).
Stations are automatically searched for
in a sequential order, starting from the
station being currently received, and
scan tuning stops for 5 seconds at the
frequency where there is a station avail-
able.
2) Press the scan button (8) again to stop
scanning at the frequency currently
being received.
Satellite Radio ReceptionSatellite radio receives signals from two
satellites in orbit over the equator. There-
fore, satellite radio reception can be inter-
rupted when there are objects south of
your vehicle. To help compensate for this,
ground-based repeaters are placed in
major metropolitan areas, but depending
on the geographic situation (for example, if
mountains or buildings are on the south
side of your vehicle), you may experience
reception problems.
XM1 XM2
XM3
CH NUMBER CH NAME
NAME TITLE

7-14
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
80J23-03E
NOTE:
When it is difficult to remove the oil filter,
we recommend you take your vehicle to
your SUZUKI dealer for oil filter replace-
ment.Refill with Oil and Check for Leaks1) Pour oil through the filler hole and
install the filler cap.
For the approximate capacity of the oil,
refer to the “Capacities” item in the
“SPECIFICATIONS” section.
2) Start the engine and look carefully for
leaks at the oil filter and drain plug. Run
the engine at various speeds for at least
5 minutes.
3) Stop the engine and wait about 5 min-
utes. Check the oil level again and add
oil if necessary. Check for leaks again.
80J014
Engine CoolantSelection of CoolantTo maintain optimum performance and
durability of your engine, use SUZUKI
Genuine Coolant or equivalent.
NOTE:
If you replace the engine coolant other
than the SUZUKI LLC: Super (Blue), follow
the schedule of SUZUKI LLC: Standard
(Green). To see the detail of the mainte-
nance schedule, refer to “Periodic Mainte-
nance Schedule” in this section.
This type of coolant is best for your cooling
system as it:
Helps maintain proper engine tempera-
ture.
Gives proper protection against freezing
and boiling.
Gives proper protection against corro-
sion and rust.
CAUTION
When replacing the oil filter, it is rec-
ommended that you use a genuine
SUZUKI replacement filter. If you use
an after-market filter, make sure it is
of equivalent quality and carefully fol-
low the manufacturer’s instructions
and precautions.
CAUTION
Oil leaks from around the oil filter or
drain plug indicate incorrect installa-
tion or gasket damage. If you find any
leaks or are not sure that the filter
has been properly tightened, have
the vehicle inspected by your SUZUKI
dealer.EXAMPLE
CAUTION
SUZUKI LLC: Super (Blue) coolant;
SUZUKI LLC: Super (Blue) coolant is
already diluted to the proper percent-
age. Do not dilute with distilled water
additionally. Doing so may result in
the possibility of freezing coolant
and/or overheating.

7-15INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
80J23-03E
Failure to use the proper coolant can dam-
age your cooling system. Your authorized
SUZUKI dealer can help you select the
proper coolant.
Coolant Level CheckCheck the engine coolant level at the
reserve tank, not at the radiator. With the
engine cool, the engine coolant level
should be between the “FULL” and “LOW”
marks.Adding Coolant
56KN090
If the engine coolant level is below the
“LOW” mark, more engine coolant should
be added. Remove the reserve tank cap
and add engine coolant until the reserve
tank level reaches the “FULL” mark. Never
fill the reserve tank above the “FULL” mark.
CAUTION
To avoid damaging your cooling sys-
tem:
Always use a high quality ethylene
glycol base phosphate type coolant
diluted with distilled water at the
correct mixture concentration.
Make sure that the proper mix is 50/
50 coolant to distilled water and in
no case higher than 70/30. Concen-
trations greater than 70/30 coolant
to distilled water will cause over-
heating conditions.
Do not use straight coolant nor
plain water (except SUZUKI LLC:
Super (Blue)).
Do not add extra inhibitors or addi-
tives. They may not be compatible
with your cooling system.
Do not mix different types of base
coolants. Doing so may result in
accelerated seal wear and/or the
possibility of severe overheating
and extensive engine/CVT damage.
WARNING
Engine coolant is harmful or fatal if
swallowed or inhaled. Do not drink
antifreeze or coolant solution. If swal-
lowed, do not induce vomiting. Imme-
diately contact a poison control
center or a physician. Avoid inhaling
mist or hot vapors; if inhaled, remove
to fresh air. If coolant gets in eyes,
flush eyes with water and seek medi-
cal attention. Wash thoroughly after
handling. Solution can be poisonous
to animals. Keep out of the reach of
children and animals.
CAUTION
SUZUKI LLC: Super (Blue) coolant;
SUZUKI LLC: Super (Blue) coolant is
already diluted to the proper percent-
age. Do not dilute with distilled water
additionally. Doing so may result in
the possibility of freezing coolant
and/or overheating.