
7-12
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
53MH0-74E
ALTO K10
53M-09-009
Tightening torque for drain plug (1):
35 Nm (3.6 kg-m, 25.8 lb-ft)4) Reinstall the drain plug and new gas-
ket. Tighten the plug with a wrench to
the specified torque.
Replace the Oil Filter
1) Using an oil filter wrench, turn the oil fil-
ter counterclockwise and remove it.
2) Using a clean rag, wipe off the mount-
ing surface on the engine where the
new filter will be seated.
3) Smear a little engine oil around the rub-
ber gasket of the new oil filter.
4) Screw on the new filter by hand until the
filter gasket contacts the mounting sur-
face.
54G092
(1) Loosen
(2) TightenTightening (viewed from filter top)
82JN146
(1) Oil filter
(2) 1 turn
5) Tighten the filter specified turn from the
point of contact with the mounting sur-
face (or to the specified torque) using
an oil filter wrench.
Tightening torque for oil filter
1 turn or 14 Nm (1.4 kg-m, 10.1 lb-ft)
WA R N I N G
New and used oil can be hazardous.
Children and pets may be harmed by
swallowing new or used oil. Keep
new and used oil and used oil filters
away from children and pets.
Continuous contact with used engine
oil may cause skin cancer laboratory
animals.Brief contact with used oil
may irritate skin.
To minimize your exposure to used
oil, wear a long-sleeve shirt and
moistureproof gloves (such as dish-
washing gloves) when changing oil. If
oil contacts your skin, wash thor-
oughly with soap and water.
Launder any clothing or rags if wet
with oil.Recycle or properly dispose
of used oil and filters.
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
NOTICE
To tighten the oil filter properly, it is
important to accurately identify the
position at which the filter gasket
first contacts the mounting surface.
NOTICE
To prevent oil leakage, make sure
that the oil filter is tight, but do not
over-tighten it.
(1)(2)
EXAMPLE 

7-13
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
53MH0-74E
Refill with Oil and Check for Leaks
1) 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.
Engine Coolant
Selection of Coolant
To maintain optimum performance and
durability of your engine, use MARUTI
Genuine Coolant or equivalent.
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.
Failure to use the proper coolant can dam-
age your cooling system. Your authorized
MARUTI SUZUKI dealer can help you
select the proper coolant.
Coolant Level Check
Check the coolant level at the reservoir
tank, not at the radiator. With the engine
cool, the coolant level should be between
the “FULL” and “LOW” marks.
NOTICE
• When replacing the oil filter, it is rec-
ommended that you use a genuine
MARUTI SUZUKI replacement filter.
If you use an aftermarket filter, make
sure it is of equivalent quality and
follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions.
• Oil leaks from around the oil filter
or drain plug indicate incorrect
installation 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 MARUTI SUZUKI
dealer.
NOTICE
To avoid damaging your cooling sys-
tem:
• Always use a high quality eth-
yleneglycol base non-silicate type
coolant diluted with distilled water
at the correct mixture concentra-
tion.
• Make sure that the proper mix is 30/
70 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.
• 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 damage. 

7-14
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
53MH0-74E
Adding Coolant
ALTO 800
53MH0702
ALTO 800
53MH0703
ALTO K10
53MM07009
ALTO K10
53M-09-015
If the coolant level is below the “LOW”
mark, more coolant should be added.
Remove the reservoir tank cap and add
coolant until the reservoir tank level
reaches the “FULL” mark. Never fill the res-
ervoir tank above the “FULL” mark.
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
WA R N I N G
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.
NOTICE
• The mixture you use should con-
tain 50% concentration of anti-
freeze.
• If the lowest ambient temperature
in your area is expected to be –
35°C (–31°F) or below, use higher
concentrations up to 60% following
the instructions on the antifreeze
container.
NOTICE
When putting the cap on the reser-
voir tank, line up the mark on the cap
and the mark on the tank. Failure to
follow this can result in coolant leak-
age. 

7-16
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
53MH0-74E
60G160S
53MM07010
Spark plug gap “a”ALTO 800
NGK DCPR7E, BOSCH YR7DC
0.8 - 0.9 mm (0.031 - 0.035 in.)
ALTO K10
NGK KR6A-10:
0.95 - 1.05 mm (0.037 - 0.041 in.)
Gear Oil
Manual Transaxle Oil
When adding gear oil, use gear oil with the
appropriate viscosity and grade.
We highly recommend you use: “MARUTI
Genuine GEAR OIL 75W-80” for manual
transaxle gear oil or automated manual
transaxle oil.
Manual transaxle oil (API GL-4)
53M-09-023
Gear Oil Level Check
68KH073
(1) Oil filler and level plug
To check the gear oil level, use the follow-
ing procedure:
1) Park the vehicle on a level surface with
the parking brake applied. Then, stop
the engine.
2) Remove the oil filler plug (1) or (2).
3) Check the inside of the hole with your
finger. If the oil level comes up to the
bottom of the plug hole, the oil level is
correct. If so, reinstall the plug.
4) If the oil level is low, add gear oil
through the oil filler plug hole (1) or (2)
until the oil level reaches the bottom of
the filler hole, then reinstall the plug.
Tightening torque (1):
21 Nm (2.1 kg-m, 15.5 lb-ft)
NOTICE
• When installing the spark plugs,
screw them in with your fingers to
avoid stripping the threads.
Tighten with a torque wrench to
25 Nm (2.5 kg-m, 18.0 lb-ft). Do not
allow contaminants to enter the
engine through the spark plug
holes when the plugs are removed.
• Never use spark plugs with the
wrong thread size.
EXAMPLE
“a”
EXAMPLE
NOTICE
When replacing spark plugs, you
should use the brand and type speci-
fied for your vehicle. For the speci-
fied spark plugs, refer to the
“SPECIFICATIONS” section at the
end of this book.
(1)
EXAMPLE 

7-18
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
53MH0-74E
Brakes
Brake Fluid
53M-09-028
Check the brake fluid level by looking at
the reservoir in the engine compartment.
Check that the fluid level is between the
“MAX” and “MIN” lines. If the brake fluid
level is near the “MIN” line, fill it up to the
“MAX” line with MARUTI GENUINE
BRAKE FLUID (MGBF).NOTE:
With disc brakes, the fluid level can be
expected to gradually fall as the brake
pads wear.
Brake Pedal
Check if the brake pedal stops at the regu-
lar height without “spongy” feeling when
you depress it. If not, have the brake sys-
tem inspected by your MARUTI SUZUKI
dealer. If you doubt the brake pedal for the
regular height, check it as follows:
EXAMPLE
WA R N I N G
Failure to follow the guidelines below
can result in personal injury or seri-
ous damage to the brake system.
• If the brake fluid in the reservoir
drops below a certain level, the
brake warning light on the instru-
ment panel will come on (the
engine must be running with the
parking brake fully disengaged).
Should the light come on, immedi-
ately ask your MARUTI SUZUKI
dealer to inspect the brake system.
• A rapid fluid loss indicates a leak in
the brake system which should be
inspected by your MARUTI SUZUKI
dealer immediately.
• Do not use any fluid other than
MARUTI GENUINE BRAKE FLUID
(MGBF) brake fluid. Do not use
reclaimed fluid or fluid that has
been stored in old or open contain-
ers. It is essential that foreign parti-
cles and other liquids are kept out
of the brake fluid reservoir.
CAUTION
Brake fluid can harm your eyes and
damage painted surfaces. Use cau-
tion when refilling the reservoir.
WA R N I N G
Brake fluid is harmful or fatal if swal-
lowed, and harmful if it comes in con-
tact with skin or eyes. If swallowed,
do not induce vomiting. Immediately
contact a poison control center or a
physician. If brake fluid 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. 

7-19
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
53MH0-74E
53M-09-029
Pedal to floor carpet minimum dis-
tance “a”:
ALTO 800: 72 mm (2.8 in.)
ALTO K10: 79 mm (3.1 in.)
With the engine running, measure the dis-
tance between the brake pedal and floor
carpet when the pedal is depressed with
approximately 30 kg (66 lbs) of force. The
minimum distance required is as specified.
Since your vehicle’s brake system is self-
adjusting, there is no need for pedal
adjustment. 
If the pedal to floor carpet distance as
measured above is less than the minimum
distance required, have your vehicle
inspected by your MARUTI SUZUKI dealer.
NOTE:When measuring the distance between the
brake pedal and floor wall, be sure not to
include any accessory floor mat or rubber
mat on the floor carpet in your measure-
ment.
60G104S
Parking Brake
54G109
Ratchet tooth specification “b”: 
4th – 9th
Lever pull force (1):
200 N (20 kg, 44 lbs)
Check the parking brake for proper adjust-
ment by counting the number of clicks
made by the ratchet teeth as you slowly
pull up on the parking brake lever to the
point of full engagement. The parking
brake lever should stop between the speci-
fied ratchet teeth and the rear wheels
should be securely locked. If the parking
brake is not properly adjusted or the
brakes drag after the lever has been fully
released, have the parking brake inspected
and/or adjusted by your MARUTI SUZUKI
dealer.
EXAMPLE
WA R N I N G
If you experience any of the following
problems with your vehicle’s brake
system, have the vehicle inspected
immediately by your MARUTI SUZUKI
dealer.
• Poor braking performance
• Uneven braking (brakes not work-
ing uniformly on all wheels).
• Excessive pedal travel
• Brake dragging
• Excessive noise
• Pedal pulsation (pedal pulsates
when depressed).
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE 

7-24
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
53MH0-74E
53M-09-038
Fuses in the Engine Compartment
ALTO 800
53M-09-039
Fuses in the Engine Compartment
ALTO K10
53M-09-040
MAIN FUSE / PRIMARY FUSE
(1) – Blank
(2) – Blank
(3) – Blank
(4) – Blank
(5) 50A Ignition switch fuse
(6) 50A Battery1
(7) 15A Headlight (left) fuse
(8) 15A Headlight (right) fuse
(9) – Blank
(10) –
Radiator fan relay
(11) – Blank
(12) –
Blank
(13) – Blank
(14) 80A All electric load
(15) – Blank
(16) – Main relay
(17) 30A Radiator fan fuse
(18) 15A Fuel injection fuse
(19) 10A A/c compressor fuse
(20) – Fuel pump relay
(21) – Blank
(22) – Blank
(23) 30A Battery 2 fuse
MAIN FUSE / PRIMARY FUSE
(1)
—Blank
(2)
—Blank
(3)
10AFont fog light
(4)
—A/c compressor relay
(5) 50A Ignition switch fuse
(6)
50ABattery1
(7) 15A Headlight (left) fuse
(8) 15A Headlight (right) fuse
(9)
—Blank
(10) — Radiator fan relay
(11) — Blank
(12) — Blank
(13) — Blank 

7-25
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
53MH0-74E
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, a primary fuse or an individual
fuse, use a Maruti Genuine replacement.
To remove a fuse, use the fuse puller pro-
vided in the fuse box. The amperage of
each fuse is shown in side the fuse box
cover.
60G111
NOTE:
Make sure that the fuse box always carries
spare fuses and fuse puller.
Fuses under the Dash Board
68KH078
ALTO 800
53M-09-043
(14) 80A All electric load
(15) — Blank
(16) — Main relay
(17) 30A Radiator fan fuse
(18) 15A Fuel injection fuse
(19) 10A Air compressor fuse
(20) — Fuel pump relay
(21) 7.5AAutomated Manual Tran-
saxle (if equipped)
(22) 40AAutomated Manual Tran-
saxle pump (if equipped) 
(23) 30A Battery 2
WA R N I N G
If the main fuse or a primary fuse
blows, be sure to have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized MARUTI
SUZUKI dealer. Always use a genuine
MARUTI replacement. Never use a
substitute such as a wire even for a
temporary repair, or extensive electri-
cal damage and a fire can result.
EXAMPLE
BLOWNOK
EXAMPLE