2013 SUZUKI ALTO Owners Manual

2-38
BEFORE DRIVING
53MH0-74E
When the ignition switch is turned to “ON”
and the position lights, tail lights and/or the
headlights are on, the display shows four
types of indication; odometer (A), trip
meter A (B), trip meter B (C), clock (D) and
indication of illumination intensity (E). Push
the “MODE” knob (3) quickly to switch the
indication among the five. When the indica-
tion shows (E), you can control the meter
illumination intensity. Refer to “Meter illumi-
nation control” section below for details on
how to dim or brighten the meter illumina-
tion.
53M-04-102
To reset the trip meter to zero, hold in the
“MODE” knob (3) for about 2 seconds.Meter illumination control
53M-04-103
When the display shows the indication of
illumination intensity (E), you can dim or
brighten the meter illumination.
To change the meter illumination bright-
ness, continue to hold in the “MODE” knob
(3). The indication will change as shown in
the illustration. The illumination gets dim-
mer then returns to the brightest condition
after it reaches the dimmest.
NOTE:
When you reconnect the negative (–) ter-
minal to the battery, the brightness of the
instrument panel lights will be reinitialized.
Readjust the brightness according to your
preference.
Lighting Control Lever
53M-04-104EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
WA R N I N G
To avoid possible injury, do not oper-
ate controls by reaching through the
steering wheel.
EXAMPLE

2-39
BEFORE DRIVING
53MH0-74E
Lighting Operation
Ty p e 1
53M-04-105
Ty p e 2
53M-04-106
To turn the lights on or off, twist the knob
on the end of the lever. There are three
positions:OFF (1)
All lights are off.
(2)
Front position lights, tail lights, license
plate light and instrument lights are on, but
headlights are off.
(3)
Front position lights, tail lights, license
plate light, instrument lights and head
lights are on.
Ty p e 1
53M-04-107
Ty p e 2
53M-04-108
With the headlights on, push the lever for-
ward to switch to the high beams (main
beams) or pull the lever toward you to
switch to the low beams. When the high
beams (main beams) are on, a light on the
instrument panel will come on. To momen-
tarily activate the high beams (main
beams) as a passing signal, pull the lever
slightly toward you and release it when you
have completed the signal.
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE

2-40
BEFORE DRIVING
53MH0-74E
Headlight Leveling Switch
53M-04-109
Level the headlight beam according to the
load condition of your vehicle by turning
this switch. The chart below shows the
appropriate switch position for different
vehicle-load conditions.
Turn Signal Control Lever
53M-04-110
Turn Signal Operation
With the ignition switch in the “ON” posi-
tion, move the lever up or down to activate
the right or left turn signals.
Normal turn signal
Ty p e 1
53M-04-111
Move the lever all the way upward or down-
ward to signal. When the turn is com-
pleted, the signal will cancel and the lever
will return to its normal position.
Ty p e 2
53M-04-112
Vehicle
Load
ConditionSwitch Position
Alto 800 Alto K10
Petrol CNG Petrol CNG
Driver only0000
Driver + 1
passenger
(in front
seat)0000
Driver + 4
passen-
gers, No
cargo1111
EXAMPLE
Driver + 4
passen-
gers,
Cargo
added2NA3NA
Driver +
Full cargo3NA4NA
WA R N I N G
To avoid possible injury, do not oper-
ate controls by reaching through the
steering wheel.
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE

2-41
BEFORE DRIVING
53MH0-74E
Lane change signal
Ty p e 1
53M-04-113
Ty p e 2
53M-04-114
Sometimes, such as when changing lanes,
the steering wheel is not turned far enough
to cancel the turn signal. For convenience,
you can flash the turn signal by moving the
lever part way and holding it there. The
lever will return to its normal position when
you release it.
Hazard Warning Switch
53MH0227
Push in the hazard warning switch to acti-
vate the hazard warning lights. All turn sig-
nal lights and both turn signal indicators
will flash simultaneously. To turn off the
lights, push the switch again.
Use the hazard warning lights to warn
other traffic during emergency parking or
when your vehicle could otherwise become
a traffic hazard.
Windshield Wiper and Washer
Lever
65D611
Wiper and Washer Operation
When the ignition switch is in the “ON”
position, you can use the wiper/washer
lever or switch (if equipped).
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
WA R N I N G
To avoid possible injury, do not oper-
ate controls by reaching through the
steering wheel.
EXAMPLE

2-42
BEFORE DRIVING
53MH0-74E
Windshield Wipers
53MH0228
To turn the windshield wipers on, move the
lever down to one of the three operating
positions. In the “INT” position, the wipers
operate intermittently. The “INT” position is
very convenient for driving in mist or light
rain. In the “LO” position, the wipers oper-
ate at a steady low speed. In the “HI” posi-
tion, the wipers operate at a steady high
speed. To turn off the wipers, move the
lever back to the “OFF” position.
Windshield Washer
53MH0229
To spray windshield washer fluid, pull the
lever toward you. The windshield wipers
will automatically turn on at low speed if
they are not already on and the “INT” posi-
tion is equipped.
INT
LO
HI
OFF
EXAMPLE
WA R N I N G
• To prevent windshield icing in cold
weather, turn on the defroster to
heat the windshield before and
during windshield washer use.
• Do not use radiator antifreeze in
the windshield washer reservoir. It
can severely impair visibility when
sprayed on the windshield, and can
also damage your vehicle’s paint.
EXAMPLE
NOTICE
To help prevent damage to the wind-
shield wiper and washer system
components, you should take the fol-
lowing precautions:
• Do not continue to hold in the lever
when there is no windshield
washer fluid being sprayed or the
washer motor can be damaged.
• Do not attempt to remove dirt from
a dry windshield with the wipers or
you can damage the windshield
and the wiper blades. Always wet
the windshield with washer fluid
before operating the wipers.
• Clear ice or packed snow from the
wiper blades before using the wip-
ers.
• Check the washer fluid level regu-
larly. Check it often when the
weather is bad.
• Only fill the washer fluid reservoir
3/4 full during cold weather to allow
room for expansion if the tempera-
ture falls low enough to freeze the
solution.

2-43
BEFORE DRIVING
53MH0-74E
Horn
53MH0230
Press the horn button of the steering wheel
to sound the horn. The horn will sound with
the ignition switch in any position.
EXAMPLE

OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
3
53MH0-74E
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
Exhaust Gas Warning ......................................................... 3-1
Daily Inspection Checklist .................................................. 3-1
Engine Oil Consumption .................................................... 3-2
Ignition Switch ..................................................................... 3-3
Parking Brake Lever ........................................................... 3-5
Pedal ..................................................................................... 3-6
Starting the Engine ............................................................. 3-7
Using the Transaxle ............................................................ 3-7
Braking ................................................................................. 3-16

3-1
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
53MH0-74E
Exhaust Gas Warning
52D334
Daily Inspection Checklist
Before Driving
60A187S
1) 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 “INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE” section for details.
3) Look for fluid and oil leaks.
NOTE:
It is normal for water to drip from the air
conditioning system during use.WA R N I N G
Avoid breathing exhaust gases.
Exhaust gases contain carbon mon-
oxide, a potentially lethal gas that is
colorless and odorless. Since carbon
monoxide is difficult to detect by
itself, be sure to take the following
precautions to help prevent carbon
monoxide from entering your vehicle.
• Do not leave the engine running in
garages or other confined areas.
(Continued)
EXAMPLE
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• Do not park with the engine run-
ning for a long period of time, even
in an open area. If it is necessary to
sit for a short time in a parked vehi-
cle with the engine running, make
sure the air intake selector is set to
“FRESH AIR” and the fan is at high
speed.
• Avoid operating the vehicle with
the tailgate or trunk open. If it is
necessary to operate the vehicle
with the tailgate or trunk open,
make sure all windows are closed,
and the blower is at high speed
with the air intake selector set to
“FRESH AIR”.
• To allow proper operation of your
vehicle’s ventilation system, keep
the air inlet grille in front of the
windshield clear of snow, leaves, or
other obstructions at all times.
• Keep the exhaust tailpipe area clear
of snow and other material to help
reduce the buildup of exhaust
gases under the vehicle. This is
particularly important when parked
in blizzard conditions.
• Have the exhaust system inspected
periodically for damage and leaks.
Any damage or leaks should be
repaired immediately.
EXAMPLE