2012 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA Towing your vehicle

79K21-03E
TABLE OF CONTENTSCalifornia Proposition 65 Warning
WARNING
Engine exhaust, some of its constitu-
ents, and certain product compo-
nents contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm.
FUEL RECOMMENDATION
1
BEFORE DRIVING
2
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
3
DRIVING TIPS
4
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
5
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
6
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
7
EMERGENCY SERVICE
8
APPEARANCE CARE
9
GENERAL INFORMATION
10
FUSES AND PROTECTED CIRCUITS
11
SPECIFICATIONS
12
INDEX
13

3-17OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
79K21-03E
Description of Transfer Switch PositionsN (Neutral)
64J223
In this position, engine power is not sup-
plied to the front or rear axles. Only use
this position for towing your vehicle.
When you turn the transfer switch to the
“N” position, “N” indicator will come on with
the buzzer sound.
WARNING
Never leave the transfer switch in “N”
(Neutral) when parked.
When the transfer switch is in “N”
(Neutral), the vehicle may roll even if
the transmission is in gear or in Park.
Braking: 6

3-24
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
79K21-03E
Warning and Indicator messages
Transfer Switch
OperationWarning and Indicator messagesMaster Warning
IndicatorSound Cause and Remedy
In any position
79K074
Blinks Off There may be a problem with the 4WD
system.
Have your vehicle inspected by an
authorized SUZUKI dealer.
In “N” position
79K077
Blinks Series of
BeepsThis message informs you that the
transfer switch is in “N”, which is used
only for towing your vehicle.
Move the transfer switch to a different
position unless you are planning to tow
your vehicle.
Switching between
“4H” and
“4H LOCK”
79K078
Off Off This message informs you the 4WD
mode is switching.
In “4H” position
79K079
Blinks Off Tires are slipping.
Turn the transfer switch to “4H LOCK”
position.

VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
6
79K21-03E
54G215
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWINGVehicle Loading ................................................................... 6-1
Trailer Towing ...................................................................... 6-2
Towing Your Vehicle (recreational towing) ...................... 6-7

6-1VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
79K21-03E
Vehicle Loading
54G307
Your vehicle was designed for specific
weight capacities. The weight capacities of
your vehicle are indicated by the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR, front and rear)
and the Vehicle Capacity Weight. The
GVWR and GAWR (front and rear) are
listed on the Safety Certification Label
which is located below the driver’s side
door latch striker. The Vehicle Capacity
Weight is listed on the Tire Information
Label which is located below the Safety
Certification Label.
GVWR – Maximum permissible overall
weight of the fully loaded vehicle (including
all the occupants, accessories and cargo
plus the trailer tongue weight if towing a
trailer).GAWR – (Front and Rear) Maximum per-
missible weight on an individual axle.
Vehicle Capacity Weight – Maximum per-
missible load weight a vehicle can carry
including the weight of all the occupants,
accessories, cargo, plus trailer tongue
weight (if towing a trailer).
The weight of any accessories already
installed on your vehicle at the time of pur-
chase, or that you or the dealer install after
purchase, must be subtracted from the
Vehicle Capacity Weight to determine how
much capacity remains available for occu-
pants, cargo, and trailer tongue weight (if
towing a trailer).
Contact your dealer for further information.
Actual weight of the loaded vehicle and
actual loads at the front and rear axles can
only be determined by weighing the vehicle
using a vehicle scale. To measure the
weight and load, try taking your vehicle to
a highway weighing station, shipping com-
pany or inspection station for trucks, etc.
Compare these weights to the GVWR and
GAWR (front and rear) listed on the Safety
Certification Label. If the gross vehicle
weight or the load on either axle exceeds
these ratings, you must remove enough
weight to bring the load down to the rated
capacity.
WARNING
Never overload your vehicle. The
gross vehicle weight (sum of the
weights of the loaded vehicle, driver
and passengers) must never exceed
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) listed on the Safety Certifica-
tion Label. In addition, never distrib-
ute a load so that the weight on either
the front or rear axle exceeds the
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
listed on the Safety Certification
Label.
WARNING
 Always distribute cargo evenly.
 To avoid personal injury or damage
to your vehicle, always secure
cargo to prevent it from shifting if
the vehicle moves suddenly.
 Place heavier objects on the floor
and as far forward in the cargo area
as possible. Never pile cargo
higher than the top of the seat
backs.
Vehicle Loading: 11

6-2
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
79K21-03E
Trailer TowingYou can use your SUZUKI to tow a trailer,
but you should always observe the require-
ments and recommendations in this sec-
tion. If you intend to tow a trailer, it is
essential to select a trailer and trailer tow-
ing equipment which are compatible. A
reputable trailer dealer can help you.
For Automatic transmission vehicles, shift
into “3” (Low 2) or “L” (Low 1) (if necessary)
and frequently monitor the coolant temper-
ature gauge when towing up a steep hill. If
the gauge indicates overheating, park the
vehicle in a safe place and let the enginecool down. Refer to “If the Engine Over-
heats” section for details on how to deal
with overheating.
HitchesUse only a trailer hitch bracket that is
designed to bolt to the frame of your vehi-
cle, and a hitch that is designed to bolt to
this bracket. We recommend that you use
a genuine SUZUKI trailer hitch bracket and
trailer hitch (available as options), or equiv-
alent.Safety ChainsAlways attach safety chains between your
vehicle and trailer. Cross safety chains
under the tongue of the trailer so that the
tongue will not drop to the road if the trailer
becomes separated from the hitch. Follow
the manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave just
enough slack to permit full turning. Never
allow safety chains to drag on the road.
Trailer LightsMake sure your trailer is equipped with
lights which meet federal, state and local
requirements. Always check for the proper
operation of all trailer lights before you
start to tow.Brakes CAUTION
Trailer towing puts additional stress
on the engine, drive train and brakes
of your vehicle. Never tow a trailer
during the first 960 km (600 miles) of
vehicle operation.
CAUTION
Because towing a trailer puts addi-
tional stress on your vehicle, more
frequent maintenance will be
required than under normal driving
conditions. Follow the schedule for
Maintenance Recommended Under
Severe Driving Conditions or perform
more frequent maintenance as nec-
essary.
CAUTION
Towing in “D” range up a steep hill
can cause coolant overheating which
may result in engine/automatic trans-
mission damage.
WARNING
Never use a bumper hitch or a hitch
which attaches to the axle of your
vehicle.
WARNING
Never attach safety chains to the
bumper of your vehicle. Secure con-
nections so that they can’t come
loose.
WARNING
Never splice trailer lights directly into
your vehicle’s electrical system, or
electrical system damage may occur.
WARNING
If trailer brakes are used, you should
follow all instructions provided by the
manufacturer. Never tap into the
brake system of your vehicle.
Trailer Towing: 5, 11, 13

6-3VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
79K21-03E
Tires
MirrorsCheck to see if your vehicle’s mirrors meet
federal, state and local requirements for
mirrors used on towing vehicles. If they do
not, you must install required mirrors
before you tow.Vehicle/Trailer Weight LimitsBefore towing, you must make sure that
gross trailer weight, gross combined
weight, trailer tongue weight, gross vehicle
weight and gross axle weight (front and
rear) are within specified limits as
described below. You can measure vehicle
and trailer weights using a vehicle scale
and can measure tongue weight using a
bathroom scale.Gross Trailer Weight
60A378
Gross Trailer Weight is the weight of the
trailer plus all cargo in it (measured with
the trailer disconnected from the towing
vehicle). Gross trailer weight must never
exceed 1360 kg (3000 pounds).
If you intend to tow a trailer having a gross
trailer weight greater than 450 kg (1000
pounds), the trailer must be equipped with
trailer brakes.Gross Combined Weight
60A381
Gross Combined Weight is the weight of
the fully loaded vehicle (including all the
occupants, accessories and cargo) plus
the weight of the fully loaded trailer. Gross
combined weight must never exceed:
 2.4 L – 3460 kg (7628 pounds)
 3.2 L – 3530 kg (7782 pounds)
WARNING
When towing a trailer, it is very
important for your vehicle and trailer
to have properly inflated tires. Your
vehicle’s tires should be inflated to
the recommended pressures listed
on your vehicle’s Tire Inflation Pres-
sure label. Inflate trailer tires accord-
ing to the specifications provided by
the trailer manufacturer.
Trailer Towing: 5, 11, 13

6-4
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
79K21-03E
Tongue Weight
60A380
Tongue Weight is the downward force
exerted on the hitch by the trailer coupler,
with the trailer fully loaded and the coupler
at its normal towing height. Cargo should
be distributed so that tongue weight is
approximately 10% of gross trailer weight.
NOTE:
You can usually get tongue weight to be
about 10% of gross trailer weight by plac-
ing about 60% of the total cargo weight in
the front half of the trailer. You should mea-
sure gross trailer weight and tongue weight
before towing, however, to make sure that
your load is properly distributed.Gross Vehicle Weight
60A379
Gross Vehicle Weight is the weight of the
fully loaded vehicle (including all the occu-
pants, accessories and cargo plus the
trailer tongue weight). The gross vehicle
weight must never exceed the Gross Vehi-
cle Weight Rating (GVWR) listed on the
Safety Certification Label.Gross Axle Weight
60A382
Gross Axle Weight (Front and Rear) is the
weight supported by an individual axle with
the vehicle fully loaded and the trailer con-
nected. Gross axle weight for the front and
rear axles must never exceed the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) listed on the
Safety Certification Label.
WARNING
Improper distribution of cargo in your
trailer may result in poor vehicle han-
dling and swaying of the trailer.
Always make sure that trailer tongue
weight is about 10% of gross trailer
weight. Failure to observe this
requirement may result in an acci-
dent.
Trailer Towing: 5, 11, 13