4176G-74EWARNING AND INDICATOR LIGHTSBrake fluid level warning/Parking Brake
Indicator light
This light operates under three different type
of operations :
1) The light comes on briefly when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON” postion.
2) The light comes on when the parking
brake is engaged with the ignition switch in
the “ON” position.
3) The light comes on when the fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir falls below the
adequate level.
The light should go out after starting the
engine and fully releasing the parking brake,
if the fluid level in the brake fluid resevoir
is adequate.
If the light does not go off or comes on
whilst your driving, it may mean that there
is something wrong with the vehicle's
braking system. If this happens, you should:1) Pull off the road and stop carefully.
Remember that stopping distance may
be longer, you may have to push harder
on the pedal, and the pedal may go
down farther than normal.
2) Test the brakes by carefully starting and stopping at the side of the road.
3) If you determine that it is safe, drive
carefully at low speed to the nearest
dealer for repairs. or
4) Have the vehicle towed to the nearest
dealer for repairs.
INSTRUMENT PANEL
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5-4
NOTE:
Because the disc brake system is self
adjusting, the fluid level will drop as thebrake pads become worn.Replenishing the brake fluid reservoir is
considered normal periodic maintenance.
76G-05-005
If any of the following conditions occur,
you should immediately ask your
MARUTI SUZUKI dealer to inspect the
brake system.
If the brake fluid level warning light does not go out after the engine has
been started and the parking brake
has been fully released.
If the brake fluid level warning light does not come on when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position
with the parking brake applied.
If the brake fluid level warning light
comes on at any time during vehicle
operation.
5976G-74EPEDALS
6-2
Clutch Pedal 11 11
1
The clutch pedal is used to disengage the
drive to the wheels when starting the
engine, stopping, or shifting the transmission
lever. Depressing the pedal disengages the
clutch.
Do not drive with your foot resting on
the clutch pedal. It could result in
excessive clutch wear, clutch damage,
or unexpected loss of engine braking. Brake Pedal
22 22
2
Your MARUTI SUZUKI vehicle is equipped
with front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Depressing the brake pedal applies both
sets of brakes.
You may hear occasional brake squeal
when you apply the brakes. This is a
normal condition caused by environmental
factors such as cold, wet, snow, etc.
If brake squeal is excessive and
occurs each time the brakes are
applied, you should have the brakes
checked by your MARUTI SUZUKI
dealer.
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CAUTION
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OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENTDo not “ride” the brakes by applying
them continuously or resting your foot
on the pedal. This will result in
overheating of the brakes which could
cause unpredictable braking action,
longer stopping distances, or
permanent brake damage.
Accelerator Pedal 33 33
3
This pedal controls the speed of the
engine. Depressing the accelerator pedal
increases power output and speed.
76G-06-003
72
76G-74E
7-3OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
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Starting off
To start off, depress and maintain pressure
upon the clutch pedal and change into 1st
gear. After releasing the parking brake, GEAR MAXIMUM SPEED
First 37 km/h
Second 66 km/h
Third 98 km/h
Fourth Top Speed
Fifth
Top SpeedUSING THE TRANSMISSIONMANUAL TRANSMISSION
76G-07-00376G-07-003A
To help avoid clutch damage, do not
use the clutch pedal as a footrest while
driving or use the clutch to keep the
vehicle stationary on a hill. Depress the
clutch fully when changing gear.
When changing gears or starting off,
do not race the engine. Racing the
engine can shorten engine life and
prevent smooth operation.
Reduce your speed and change down 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, result-
ing in brake failure.
When driving on slippery roads, be sure to slow down before changing down.
Excessive and or sudden changes in
engine speed may cause loss of traction,
which could cause you to lose control.
Make sure that the vehicle is completely
stationary before you change into re-
verse.
gradually release the clutch. When you hear
a change in the engine’s sound (speed),
gently apply pressure to the accelerator to
keep the engine sound (speed) constant whilst
continuing to gradually release the clutch.
Gear changing
All forward gears are synchronized, which
provides for quiet, easy changing. Always
depress the clutch pedal fully before changing
gears. The following table shows the
maximum allowable speed for each gear.
ALTO
ALTO K10
GEAR MAXIMUM SPEED
First 43 km/h
Second 80 km/h
Third 119 km/h
Fourth Top Speed
Fifth Top Speed
ALTO
ALTO K10
7376G-74E
7-4
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
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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 will be approximately
4 times greater than the braking distance
needed at 30 km/h. Start to brake the
vehicle when there is plenty of distance
between your vehicle and the stopping
point, and slow down gradually.
If water gets into the brake drums, brake
performance may become poor and
unpredictable. After driving through water
or washing the underside 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.Servo assisted brakes
Your vehicle has servo assisted brakes
which works with the assistance of engine
vacuum.Do not switch off the engine while vehicle
is in motion, for example, while driving
down a hill as this will cause loss of
vacuum assistance leading to reduction of
braking efficiency substantially.If servo 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 each time you depress the brake pedal.
Apply smooth and constant pressure to the
pedal. Do not pump the pedal.
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76G-07-004
To avoid shock loads on the driveline and
consequent driveline breakage, it is strongly
recommended not to exceed the following
speeds when downshifting:-
GEAR MAXIMUM SPEED
2nd to 1st 9 km/h
3rd to 2nd 33 km/h
4th to 3rd 49 km/h
5th to 4th Any Speed OK
ALTO
ALTO K10
GEAR MAXIMUM SPEED
2nd to 1st 10 km/h
3rd to 2nd 37 km/h
4th to 3rd 55 km/h
5th to 4th Any Speed OK
78
76G-74E
Wear Your Seat Belts at All Times.The driver and passengers should
be properly restrained at all times,
using the seatbelts provided. Refer
to the “SEATBELTS” section for
instructions on proper use of the
seat belts.
Never drive while under the
influence of alcohol or other drugs.
Alcohol and drugs can seriously
impair your ability to drive safely,
greatly increasing the risk of injury
to yourself and others. You should
also avoid driving when you are
tired, sick, irritated, or under stress.
HIGH-SPEED DRIVING
When driving down a hill, the engine should be used for braking by shifting to
next lower gear.
Try not to hold the brake pedal down
too long or too often while going
down a steep or long hill. This could
cause the brakes to overheat,
resulting in reduced braking efficiency.
Failure to take this precaution could
result in loss of vehicle control.
When descending a down hill, NEVER
turn the ignition key to the “OFF”
position. Emission control system
damage may result.DRIVING ON SLIPPERY ROADSUnder wet road conditions you should drive
at a lower speed than on dry roads due to
possible slippage of tyres during braking.
When driving on icy, snowcovered, or
muddy roads, reduce your speed and avoid
sudden acceleration, abrupt braking, or
sharp steering movements.
When driving at a high-speed, pay attention
to the following:
Stopping distance progressively increases
with vehicle speed. Apply the brakes far
enough ahead of the stopping point to
allow for the extra stopping distance.
On rainy days, “Aquaplaning” can occur. “Aquaplaning” is the loss of direct
contact between the road surface and
the vehicle’s tyres due to a water film
forming between them. Steering or
braking the vehicle while “Aquaplaning”
can be very difficult, and loss of control
can occur. Keep speed down when the
road surface is wet.
At high speeds, the vehicle may be affected by side winds. Therefore, reduce
speed and be prepared for unexpected
buffeting, which can occur at the exits
of tunnels, when passing by a cut of a
hill, or when being overtaken by large
vehicles, etc.
DRIVING ON HILLS When climbing steep hills, the vehiclemay begin to slow down and show a
lack of power. If this happens, you
should change to a lower gear so that
the engine will again be operating in its
normal power range. Change rapidly to
prevent the vehicle from losing
momentum.
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8-1DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING
76G-08-001
7976G-74ESnow Chains
If you must use snow chains to increase tyre
traction, observe the following precautions:
Use cable type chains.
Choose a safe place away from traffic to install the chains.
When installing the chains carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Install the chains on the front tyres.
With the chains on, drive only at slow and moderate speeds.
If the chain hits the vehicle body while
driving, stop at a safe place and
retighten it as soon as possible.
If snow and/or ice on the road disappear, remove the chains as soon
as possible.
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck If your vehicle gets stuck in snow, mud,
or sand, follow the directions below:
1) Change back and forth between a forward range (or first gear for manual
transmission) and reverse. This will
create a rocking motion which may give
you enough momentum to free the
vehicle. Press gently on the accelerator
to keep wheel spin to a minimum.
Remove your foot from the accelerator
while changing gear.
Do not race the engine. Excessive wheel
spin will cause the tyres to dig deeper,
making it more difficult to free the
vehicle. 2) If your vehicle remains stuck after a few
minutes of rocking, get another vehicle
to pull you out.
Do not allow anyone to stand near the
vehicle when you are rocking it, and
do not spin the wheels faster than an
indicated 40 km/h on the speedometer.
Personal injury and/or vehicle damage
may result from spinning the wheels
too fast.
Do not continue rocking the vehicle
for more than a few minutes.
Prolonged rocking can cause engine
overheating or transmission damage. Make sure your tyres are in good
condition and always maintain the
specified tyre pressure. Refer to
“TYRES” in the “INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE” section for details.
Do not use tyres other than those specified by MARUTI SUZUKI. Never
use different sizes or types of tyres
on the front and rear wheels. For
information regarding the specified
tyres, refer to the “SPECI-
FICATIONS” section.
Never use oversized tyres or special
shock absorbers and springs to
raise (jack up) your vehicle. This will
change the handling characteristics.
After driving through water, 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.
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8-2
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DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING
DRIVING ON WET ROADS
When driving on wet roads, avoid driving through large amount of
standing water on the road. Large
amount of water entering the engine
compartment may cause damage to
the engine and or electrical
components.
If stuck in deep water, do not start till water level drops.
Water is incompressible substance, water inside engine is harmful to the
engine.
CAUTION
80
76G-74E
DO’S AND DON’TS FOR SAFE
DRIVINGExercise care in handling your vehicle. Be
conscious of not only your own safety but
also the safety of others on the road, and
thus enjoy the best and most comfortable
driving experience.
This section contains basic rules for safe
driving. Read it carefully for good
understanding of the content so that you
can enjoy safe and pleasant driving in your
Maruti Suzuki vehicle.Starting
1. Adjust the driver’s seat for the properdriving posture.
2. Adjust the rear view mirror so as to obtain the best possible rear view.
3. Before moving off, look forward and back to confirm safety.
4. Don’t start quickly, for it is dangerous and wastes fuel.
General driving
1. Be sure to stop before the stop light and stop sign. When moving into the
intersection without any traffic lights or
signs, drive slowly to confirm safety.8-3DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING
2. Always follow other vehicles at a safedistance in order to prevent a rear-end
collision, should the vehicle ahead make
a sudden stop.
3. Turn ON the turn signal at least 30 meters before making a turn or changing
the lane so as not to be hit from behind.
4. Before entering a corner, decelerate to a safe speed. Don’t apply brakes during
cornering, or a cornering skid may occur.
5. When overtaking other vehicles, watch out for the oncoming vehicle and
carefully confirm the safety.
6. Don’t attempt zigzag driving which will hinder your control over the vehicle and
cause an accident.
76G-08-002 76G-08-003
8376G-74E
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
9
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
Periodic Maintenance Schedule ........................................................................\
. 9-1
Alto ........................................................................\
..................................... 9-2
Alto K-10 ........................................................................\
............................ 9-6
Drive Belt ........................................................................\
.................................... 9-10
Engine Oil and Filter ........................................................................\
.................. 9-11
Gear Oil ........................................................................\
....................................... 9-14
Engine Coolant ........................................................................\
........................... 9-15
Windscreen Washer Fluid ........................................................................\
......... 9-18
Air Cleaner ........................................................................\
.................................. 9-18
Spark Plugs ........................................................................\
................................ 9-19
Fuel Filter Replacement ........................................................................\
............ 9-21
Brakes ........................................................................\
......................................... 9-21
Parking Brake ........................................................................\
............................. 9-23
Steering ........................................................................\
.............................. ......... 9-23
Clutch Pedal ........................................................................\
............................... 9-24
Tyres ........................................................................\
.......................................... 9-24
Tubeless Tyre (if equipped) ........................................................................\
...... 9-27
Battery ........................................................................\
......................................... 9-28
Fuses ........................................................................\
.......................................... 9-29
Bulb Replacement ........................................................................\
...................... 9-32
Wiper Blades ........................................................................\
.............................. 9-35