2013 SUZUKI ERTIGA Owners Manual

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OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
60MK0-14E
Starting the EngineBefore Starting the Engine
58MS20304
1) Make sure the parking brake is set fully.
2) Manual transaxle – Shift into “N” (Neu-
tral) and depress the clutch pedal all
the way to the floor. Hold the clutch
pedal while starting the engine.
Automatic transaxle – If the gearshift
lever is not in “P” (Park) position, shift
into “P” (Park). (If you need to re-start
the engine while the vehicle is moving,
shift into “N”.)
NOTE:
Automatic transaxle vehicles have a starter
interlock device which is designed to keep
the starter from operating if the transaxle is
in any of the drive positions.
Starting a Cold and Warm Engine With your foot off the accelerator pedal,
crank the engine by turning the ignition key
to “START”. Release the key when the
engine starts.
If the engine does not start after 15 sec-
onds of cranking, wait about 15 seconds,
then press down the accelerator pedal to
1/3 of its travel and try cranking the engine
again. Release the key and accelerator
pedal when the engine starts.
If the engine still does not start, try holding
the accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor while cranking. This should clear the
engine if it is flooded.
WARNING
Make sure that the parking brake is
set fully and the transaxle is in Neu-
tral (or Park for vehicles with an auto-
matic transaxle) before attempting to
start the engine.
NOTICE
 Stop turning the starter immedi-
ately after the engine has started or
the starter system can be dam-
aged.
 Do not crank the engine for more
than 15 seconds at a time. If the
engine doesn’t start on the first try,
wait about 15 seconds before try-
ing again.

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60MK0-14E
Using the TransaxleManual Transaxle
68LM324
Starting off
To start off, depress the clutch pedal all the
way to the floor and shift into 1st gear.
After releasing the parking brake, gradually
release the clutch. When you hear a
change in the engine’s sound, slowly press
the accelerator while continuing to gradu-
ally release the clutch.
Shifting
All forward gears are synchronized, which
provides for quiet and easy shifting. Always
depress the clutch pedal all the way to the
floor before shifting gears. Keep the engine
speed does not rise into the red zone of
the tachometer.
Downshifting maximum allowable
speeds*NOTE:
You may not accelerate to the maximum
allowable speed because of the driving sit-
uation and/or the vehicle condition.
EXAMPLE
Downshifting km/h (mph)
2nd to 1st 35 (22)
3rd to 2nd 70 (43)
4th to 3rd 105 (65)
5th to 4th 140 (87)*
NOTICE
When downshifting to a lower gear,
make sure not to downshift at the
speed faster than the maximum
allowable speeds, or severe engine
damage can result.
WARNING
 Reduce your speed and downshift
to a lower gear before going down
a long or steep hill. A lower gear
will allow the engine to provide
braking. Avoid riding the brakes or
they may overheat, resulting in
brake failure.
 When driving on slippery roads, be
sure to slow down before down-
shifting. Excessive and/or sudden
changes in engine speed may
cause loss of traction, which could
cause you to lose control.
NOTICE
Make sure that the vehicle is com-
pletely stationary before you shift
into reverse.
NOTICE
 To help avoid clutch damage, do
not use the clutch pedal as a foot-
rest while driving or use the clutch
to keep the vehicle stationary on a
slope. Depress the clutch fully
when shifting.
 When shifting or starting off, do not
race the engine. Racing the engine
can shorten engine life and cause
negative effect to smooth shifting.

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OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
60MK0-14E
4-Speed Automatic Transaxle
58MS20301
(1) Overdrive off switch
58MS20302
Overdrive off switch
The transaxle is a 4-speed (3-speed plus
overdrive) automatic transaxle. By operat-
ing the overdrive off switch, the transaxle
can be converted to a 3-speed automatic
transaxle that will not move to the over-
drive position. To convert the transaxle to
the 3-speed mode, push in the overdrive
off switch and release it.
To return the transaxle to the 4-speed
mode, push in the overdrive off switch
again.
When the ignition switch is turned to the
“ACC” position, the transaxle in the 3-
speed mode is converted to the 4-speed
mode automatically.
The 3-speed mode is suitable for the fol-
lowing driving conditions:
 Driving on hilly, winding roads
– You can drive more smoothly with less
frequent gear changing
 Going down a steep hill
– Some engine braking is providedGearshift lever
58MS20303
(1) knob button
The gearshift lever is designed so that it
cannot be shifted out of the “P” position
unless the ignition switch is in the “ON”
position and the brake pedal is depressed.
The gearshift lever has a lock mechanism
to help prevent accidental shifting. To shift
the gearshift lever:
WARNING
Always depress the brake pedal
before shifting from “P” (Park) (or
“N” (Neutral) if the vehicle is station-
ary) to a forward or reverse gear, to
help prevent the vehicle from moving
unexpectedly when you shift.

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60MK0-14E
NOTE:
 Always shift the gearshift lever without
pushing in the knob button (1) except
when you shift from “P” to “R”, from “D”
to “2”, from “2” to “L”, from “N” to “R” or
from “R” to “P”. If you always push in the
knob button (1) when shifting the gear-
shift lever, you could shift into “P”, “R”,
“2”, or “L” by mistake.
 If driver’s or passenger’s knee hits the
gearshift lever while driving, the lever
could move and the gear could be
changed unexpectedly.
Use the gearshift lever positions as
described below:P (Park)
Use this position to lock the transaxle
when the vehicle is parked or when start-
ing the engine. Shift into Park only when
the vehicle is completely stationary.
R (Reverse)
Use this position to reverse the vehicle from
stop. Make sure that vehicle is completely
stationary before shifting into Reverse.
N (Neutral)
Use this position for starting the engine if
the engine stalls and you need to restart it
while the vehicle is moving. You may also
shift into Neutral and depress the brake
pedal to hold the vehicle stationary during
idling.
D (Drive)
Use this position for all normal driving.
With the gearshift lever in “D” range you
can get an automatic downshift by pressing
the accelerator pedal. The higher the vehi-
cle speed is, the more you need to press
the accelerator pedal to get a downshift.
2 (Low 2)
Use this position to provide extra power
when climbing hills, or to provide engine
braking when going down hills.
L (Low 1)
Use this position to provide maximum
power when climbing steep hills or driving
through deep snow or mud, or to provide
maximum engine braking when going
down steep hills.NOTE:
If you move the gearshift lever to a lower
gear while driving faster than the maximum
allowable speed for the lower gear, the
transaxle will not actually downshift until
your speed drops below the maximum
speed for the lower gear. Shift with the knob button (1)
pushed in and the brake pedal
depressed.
Shift with the knob button (1)
pushed in.
Shift without the knob button (1)
pushed in.
NOTICE
Be sure to take the following precau-
tions to help avoid damage to the
automatic transaxle:
 Make sure that the vehicle is com-
pletely stationary before shifting
into “P” or “R”.
 Do not shift from “P” or “N” to “R”,
“D”, “2”, or “L” when the engine is
running above idle speed.
 Do not rev the engine with the tran-
saxle in a drive position (“R”, “D”,
“2”, or “L”) and the front wheels not
moving.
 Do not use the accelerator to hold
the vehicle on a hill. Use the vehi-
cle’s brakes.

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OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
60MK0-14E
If You Cannot Shift Automatic Transaxle
Gearshift Lever Out of “P” (PARK)
71LS10309
Vehicles with an automatic transaxle have
an electrically operated park-lock feature.
If the vehicle’s battery is discharged, or
there is some other electrical failure, the
automatic transaxle cannot be shifted out
of Park in the normal way. Jump starting
may correct the condition. If not, follow the
procedure described below. This proce-
dure will permit shifting the transaxle out of
Par k.
1) Be sure the parking brake is firmly
applied.
2) If the engine is running, stop the
engine.
3) Make sure the key is in the “ON” or
“ACC” position.4) With the release button (1) pushed,
push the knob button (2) and shift the
gearshift lever to the desired position.
This procedure is for emergency use only.
If repeated use of this procedure is neces-
sary, or the procedure does not work as
described, take the vehicle to your dealer
for repair.
Braking
60G165S
The distance needed to bring any vehicle
to a halt increases with the speed of the
vehicle. The braking distance needed, for
example, at 60 km/h (37 mph) will be
approximately 4 times greater than the
braking distance needed at 30 km/h (19
mph). Start to brake the vehicle when there
is plenty of distance between your vehicle
and the stopping point, and slow down
gradually.
(2)
(1)

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60MK0-14E
Power-Assisted Brakes Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes. If
power assistance is lost due to a stalled
engine or other failures, the system is still
fully operational on reserve power and you
can bring the vehicle to a complete stop by
pressing the brake pedal once and holding
it down. The reserve power is partly used
up when you depress the brake pedal and
reduces each time the pedal is pressed.
Apply smooth and even pressure to the
pedal. Do not pump the pedal.
Brake Assist System (if equipped)When you slam the brakes on, the brake
assist system judges as an emergency
stop and provides more powerful braking
for a driver who cannot hold down the
brake pedal firmly.
NOTE:
If you quickly and forcefully depress the
brakes, you may hear a clicking sound in
the brake pedal. This is normal and indi-
cates that the brake assist system is acti-
vated properly.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
(if equipped)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 automatically, so you do
not need any special braking technique.
Just push the brake pedal down without
pumping. The ABS will operate whenever it
senses that the wheels are locking up. Youmay feel the brake pedal moves a little
while the ABS is operating.
NOTE:
The ABS will not work if vehicle speed is
under about 10 km/h (6mph).
WARNING
If water gets into the brake drums,
brake performance may become poor
and unpredictable. After driving
through water or washing the under-
side of the vehicle, test the brakes
while driving at a slow speed to see if
they have maintained their normal
effectiveness. If the brakes are less
effective than normal, dry them by
repeatedly applying the brakes while
driving slowly until the brakes have
regained their normal effectiveness.
WARNING
Even without reserve power in the
brake system, you can still stop the
vehicle by pressing the brake pedal
harder than normally required. How-
ever, the stopping distance may be
longer.
WARNING
 On some types of loose surfaces
(such as gravel, snow-covered
roads, etc.) the stopping distance
required for an ABS-equipped vehi-
cle may be slightly greater than for
a comparable vehicle with a con-
ventional brake system. With a
conventional brake system, skid-
ding tires are able to “plow” the
gravel or snow layer, shortening
the stopping distance. ABS mini-
mizes this resistance effect. Allow
for extra stopping distance when
driving on loose surfaces.
 On regular paved roads, some driv-
ers may be able to obtain slightly
shorter stopping distances with
conventional brake systems than
with ABS.
(Continued)

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OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
60MK0-14E
63J081
(1) ABS warning light
(2) Brake system warning light
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
noise as the system resets or checks itself.
WARNING
(Continued)
 In both of the above conditions,
ABS will still offer the advantage of
helping you maintain directional
control. However, remember that
ABS will not compensate for bad
road or weather conditions or poor
driver judgment. Use good judg-
ment and do not drive faster than
conditions will safely allow.
(1)
(2)
WARNING
 If the ABS warning light (1) on the
instrument panel comes on and
stays on while driving, there may
be a problem with the ABS system.
Ask your SUZUKI dealer to inspect
the ABS system immediately. If the
ABS system becomes inoperative,
the brake system will function as
an ordinary brake system that has
no ABS.
 If the ABS warning light (1) and the
Brake system warning light (2) on
the instrument panel simulta-
neously stays on or comes on
when driving, both anti-lock func-
tion and rear brake force control
function (proportioning valve func-
tion) of the ABS system may have
failed. If so, the rear wheels may
easily skid or the vehicle can even
spin in the worst case when brak-
ing on a slippery road or when hard
braking even on a dry paved road.
Ask your SUZUKI dealer to inspect
the ABS system immediately. Drive
carefully, avoiding hard braking as
much as possible.
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.

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60MK0-14E
MEMO