7576G-74E
7-6
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
Be careful where you park and drive;
the catalytic converter and other
exhaust components can get very hot.
As with any vehicle, do not park or
operate this vehicle in areas where
combustible materials such as dry
grass or leaves can come in contact
with a hot exhaust system.
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To minimize the possibility of catalyst
or other vehicle damage:
Maintain the engine in the proper
operating condition.
In the event of an engine
malfunction, particularly one
involving engine misfire or other
apparent loss of performance, have
the vehicle serviced promptly.
Do not turn off the engine or interrupt the ignition when the
transmission is in gear and the
vehicle is in motion.
Do not try to start the engine by pushing or towing the vehicle, or
coasting down a hill.
Do not idle the engine with any spark plug wires disconnected or
removed, such as during diagnostic
testing.
Do not idle the vehicle for
prolonged periods if idling seems
rough or there are other
malfunctions.
Do not allow the fuel tank to get
near the empty level.
CAUTION
IMPROVING FUEL ECONOMYThe following instructions will help you
improve fuel economy.
Avoid excessive idling:
If you are to wait for more than a minute
while you are parked, stop the engine and
start it again later. When warming up a cold
engine, allow the engine to idle for some
time.
Avoid “fast” starts:
Fast starts away from lights or stop signs
will consume fuel unnecessarily and shorten
engine life. Start off slowly.
Avoid unnecessary stops:
Avoid unnecessary deceleration and
stopping. Try to maintain a slow, steady
speed whenever possible. Slowing down
and then accelerating again uses more fuel.
Keep a steady cruising speed:
Keep as constant a speed as road and
traffic conditions will permit.
76G-07-006
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
84
76G-74E
You should take extreme care when
working on your vehicle to prevent
accidental injury. Here are a few
precautions that you should be
especially careful to observe:
Do not leave the engine running ingarages or other confined areas.
When the engine is running, keep hands, clothing, tools, and other
objects away from the fan and water
pump belt. Even though the fan may
not be moving, it can automatically
turn on without warning. When it is necessary to do service
work with the engine running, make
sure that the parking brake is
applied fully and the transmission is
in Neutral.
Do not touch ignition wires or other
ignition system parts when starting
the engine or when the engine is
running, or you could receive an
electric shock.
Be careful not to touch a hot engine, exhaust manifold and pipes,
muffler, radiator and water hoses.
Do not allow smoking, sparks, or flames around gasoline or the
battery. Flammable fumes are
present.
Do not get under your vehicle if it is supported only with the portable
jack provided in your vehicle.
Be careful not to cause accidental short circuits between the positive
and negative battery terminals.
Keep used oil, coolant, and other
fluids away from children and pets.
Dispose of used fluids properly;
never pour them on the ground, into
sewers, etc.INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE9-1
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PERIODIC MAINTENANCE SCHEDULEThe following table shows when regular
maintenance on your vehicle is required.
This table shows in kilometres and months
when inspections, adjustments, lubrication
and other services should be performed.
MARUTI SUZUKI recommends that
maintenance on your MARUTI SUZUKI
vehicle be performed by MARUTI
SUZUKI Authorised Dealer/Service
Station.
Whenever it becomes necessary to
replace parts on your vehicle, it is
recommended that you use MARUTI
GENUINE PARTS (MGP).
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76G-09-001
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76G-74E
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The rear shock absorbers are filled with
high pressure gas. Never attempt to
disassemble it or throw it into a fire.
Avoid storing it near a heater or heating
device. When scrapping the absorber,
the gas must be released from the
absorber safely. Ask your dealer for
assistance. All maintenance should be carried out with
the ignition switch in the “OFF” position
and the car parked securely on the level
ground unless otherwise specified.
If you are in any way unsure of your
ability to undertake a task, then do not
start it but contact your MARUTI SUZUKI
dealer to perform the work for you.
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INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE9-9
9376G-74E
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
9-10
DRIVE BELT
When the engine is running, keep
hands, hair, clothing, tools, etc. away
from the fan and drive belt. Even
though the fan may not be moving, it
can automatically turn on without
warning.
Water pump belt (A) 8 - 9 mm
Air conditioner belt (B) 8 - 9 mm
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76G-09-002
Make sure the drive belt tension is correct.
If the belt is too loose, insufficient battery
charging, engine overheating, or excessive
belt wear can result. When you press the
belt with your thumb midway between the
pulleys, the belt deflection should be within
the specification below.
The belt should also be examined to ensure
that it is not damaged. If the belt needs to
be replaced or adjusted, have it done by
your MARUTI SUZUKI dealer.
DEF: 4.0 – 4.5 mm
(0.16 – 0.18 in.)
DEF: 7 – 8 mm
(0.28 – 0.31 in.)
: 100 N (10 kg, 22 lbs) press
GE: Generator
DEF: Deflection
AC: Air conditioner compressor GE
AC
ALTO K10
ALTO
9576G-74E
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
9-12
Refilling
Remove the oil filler cap and pour oil slowly
through the filler hole to bring the oil level
to the upper limit on the dipstick. Be careful
not to overfill. Too much oil is almost as
bad as too little oil. After refilling, start the
engine and allow it to idle for about a
minute. Stop the engine, wait for five
minutes and check the oil level again.
Changing Engine Oil and Filter
Drain the engine oil while the engine is still
warm.
1) Remove the oil filler cap.
2) Place a drain pan under the drain plug.
3) Using the correct spanner remove thedrain plug and drain out the engine oil.
The engine oil temperature may be high
enough to burn your fingers when the
drain plug is loosened. Wait until the
drain plug is cool enough to touch with
your bare hands.
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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.
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
dishwashing gloves) when changing
oil. If oil contacts your skin, wash
thoroughly with soap and water.
Launder any clothing or rags if wet
with oil.
Recycle or properly dispose of used
oil and filters.
4. Reinstall the drain plug and new gasket. Tighten the plug with a wrench to the
specified torque.
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76G-09-005 76G-09-006
Tightening torque for drain plug (1):
35 Nm (3.5 kg-m, 25.5 lb-ft)ALTO
ALTO K10
Tightening Torque : 49± 5 N.m
9776G-74E
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
9-14
GEAR OILOil filler and level plug 1
Tightening torque: 21 Nm (2.1 kg-m, 15.5
lb-ft)
Specified Manual Transmission oil
When adding gear oil, use the appropriate
viscosity and grade as shown in the chart
below. We highly recommend you use API
GL-4 SAE 75W-90 (1) gear oil.
Type of oil Gear oil, API GL-4
Gear oil level check
To check the gear oil level, use the
following procedure:
1) Park the vehicle on a level surface with the parking brake applied. Then, stop the
engine.
2) Clean casing around oil filler plug to remove risk of any loose dirt or debris
entering oil filler plug hole. Remove the
oil filler plug 1.
3) Feel 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 filler plug hole 1 until the
oil level reaches the bottom of the filler
hole, then reinstall the plug. After driving the vehicle, the
transmission oil temperature may be
high enough to burn you. Wait until
the oil filler plug is cool enough to
touch with your bare hands before
inspecting transmission oil.
When tightening the plug, apply
sealing compound to the plug threads
to prevent oil leakage.
Gear oil change
Since special procedures, materials and
tools are required, it is recommended that
you trust this job to your authorized
MARUTI SUZUKI dealer.
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76G-09-009 76G-09-010