3-80
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
54P00-01E
Hill descent control switch
Models without ENG A-STOP system
54P000317
(1) Hill descent control switchModels with ENG A-STOP system
54P000318
(1) Hill descent control switch
To activate the hill descent control system:
1) Turn the driving mode switch (if
equipped) to “LOCK” position.
2) Shift the gearshift lever into a forward
gear or reverse gear.
3) Push the hill descent control switch (1)
when the vehicle speed is under 25 km/h
(15 mph). The hill descent control indica-
tor on the instrument cluster will come on
and the hill descent control system will be
activated.
If the driving mode switch (if equipped) is
in “LOCK” position, vehicle speed is main-
tained at approximately 10 km/h (6 mph)
when going down a hill.The brake/tail lights come on and the
ESP
® warning light blinks while the hill
descent control system applies the brakes
to maintain the vehicle speed.
If the accelerator or brake pedal is
depressed while the hill descent control
system is activated, the system will stop
working temporarily. As soon as the accel-
erator or brake pedal is released, the hill
descent control system begins to function
again if the hill descent control operating
conditions are fulfilled. However, when the
vehicle speed exceeds 25 km/h (15 mph),
the hill descent control system will be
deactivated automatically.
To deactivate the hill descent control sys-
tem, push the hill descent control switch
again.
(1)(1)
3-81
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
54P00-01E
NOTE:
You may hear a sound coming from the
engine when the hill descent control sys-
tem is activated. This sound is normal and
does not indicate a malfunction.Hill descent control indicator light
79K050
When the ignition switch is in “ON” posi-
tion, or the ignition mode is “ON”, this light
comes on briefly so you can check that the
light is working.
When you push the hill descent control
switch and the hill descent control operat-
ing conditions are fulfilled, the hill descent
control indicator comes on. If the hill
descent control indicator blinks, the hill
descent control will not be activated.
If hill descent control indicator light comes
on or blinks, while not operating the hill
descent control switch, there is a problem
in this system. Have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized SUZUKI
dealer.NOTE:
If the hill descent control indicator blinks
when you push the hill descent control
switch, the following conditions may not be
fulfilled.
• The driving mode switch (if equipped) is
in “LOCK” position
• The gearshift lever is in a forward gear
or reverse gear
• The vehicle speed is under 25 km/h (15
mph)
• The brake system is under normal oper-
ating temperature
WA R N I N G
• When the hill descent control sys-
tem is used continuously for a long
time, the temperature of the brake
system may increase and the hill
descent control system may be
deactivated temporarily to protect
the device of the brake system. The
hill descent control indicator blinks
to let you know the system is deac-
tivated. Depress the brake pedal
and stop the vehicle in a safe place.
When the temperature of the brake
system goes down, the hill descent
control indicator will come on and
the system is activated again.
• The hill descent control system
may be activated when the gear-
shift lever is in “N” (Neutral) posi-
tion, but engine braking will not
work. Always use the hill descent
control system with the gearshift
lever in a forward gear or reverse
gear.
3-82
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
54P00-01E
NOTE:
If any of the following conditions occur,
there may be a problem with the hill
descent control system or the ESP
® sys-
tem. Have your vehicle inspected by an
authorized SUZUKI dealer.
• The hill descent control indicator does
not come on or blink when you push the
hill descent control switch.
• The hill descent control indicator stays
on when driving without pushing the hill
descent control switch.
61MM0A179
If the message shown in the above illustra-
tion appears on the information display,
there may be a problem with the hill
descent control system and the hill hold
control system. Have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized SUZUKI
dealer.
NOTE:
You cannot activate the hill descent control
system while this message is displayed.
Hill hold control system (if equipped)
The hill hold control system is designed to
assist you in starting to move up steep or
slippery hills. When you start to move up a
hill, the system helps to prevent the vehicle
from rolling downward (for approximately 2
seconds) while you move your foot from
the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal.
The hill hold control system activates for a
maximum of about 2 seconds if your foot is
moved from the brake pedal when the fol-
lowing conditions are all met.
1) The gearshift lever is in a forward gear
or reverse gear.
2) The parking brake is released.
3) The clutch pedal is depressed.
4) The vehicle is on an upward incline.
NOTE:
You may hear a sound coming from the
engine when the hill hold control system is
activated. This sound is normal and does
not indicate a malfunction.
WA R N I N G
• Do not rely excessively on the hill
hold control system. The hill hold
control system may not prevent the
vehicle from rolling downward on a
hill under all load or road condi-
tions. Always be prepared to
depress the brake pedal to prevent
the vehicle from rolling downward.
Failure to pay attention and
depress the brake pedal to hold the
vehicle on a hill when necessary,
may result in loss of control or an
accident.
• The hill hold control system is not
designed to stop the vehicle on a
hill.
(Continued)
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• After you release your foot from the
brake pedal, accelerate the vehicle
to move up immediately. If you
release your foot from the brake
pedal over 2 seconds, the hill hold
control system will be canceled. If
so, the vehicle may roll downward,
which can result in an accident
depending on the degree of slope.
And, the engine may stall and the
power assist for the steering and
brakes will not work so steering
and braking will be much harder
than usual which can result in an
accident or vehicle damage.
3-85
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
54P00-01E
The low tire pressure warning light can
come on due to normal causes such as
natural air leakage and pressure changes
caused by changes in temperature or
atmospheric pressure. Adjusting the air
pressure in the tires to the pressure shown
on the tire information placard should
cause the low tire pressure warning light to
turn off.
To make the low tire pressure warning light
go off, adjust the tire pressures when the
tires are cold, and drive the vehicle for
about 10 minutes.
When the adjusted tire pressure is recog-
nized, the low tire pressure warning light
will go off and the information display
shows the current tire pressure (if you
select the TPMS monitor).If the light turns on again shortly after
adjusting the pressure in your tires, you
may have a flat tire. If you have a flat tire,
replace it with the spare tire (if equipped).
Refer to “Jacking instructions” in “EMER-
GENCY SERVICE” section. Refer to
“Replacing tires and/or wheels” for instruc-
tions on how to restore normal operation of
the tire pressure monitoring system after
you have had a flat tire.
WA R N I N G
Continuing to drive with the low tire
pressure warning light on can lead to
an accident, resulting in severe injury
or death.
If the low tire pressure warning light
comes on and stays on, reduce your
speed and avoid abrupt steering and
braking. Be aware that driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire can
cause the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure, and may affect
steering control and brake effective-
ness. Stop in a safe place as soon as
possible and check your tires.
• If you have a flat tire, replace it with
the spare tire (if equipped). Refer to
“Jacking instructions” in “EMER-
GENCY SERVICE” section for tire
replacement. Also refer to “Replac-
ing tires and/or wheels” for instruc-
tions on how to restore normal
operation of the TPMS after you
have had a flat tire.
(Continued)
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• If your vehicle is equipped with a
flat tire repair kit instead of a spare
tire, refer to “Flat tire repair kit” in
“EMERGENCY SERVICE” section
for instructions on how to perform
an emergency repair of a flat tire.
• If one or more of your tires is
under-inflated, adjust the inflation
pressure in all of your tires to the
recommended inflation pressure as
soon as possible.
NOTICE
If the low tire pressure warning light
does not go off even when you drive
for more than 10 minutes after adjust-
ing the cold tire pressure, there may
be a problem with the TPMS. Have
your vehicle inspected by an autho-
rized SUZUKI dealer.
4-3
DRIVING TIPS
54P00-01E
Keep the air cleaner clean
60A183S
If the air cleaner is clogged with dust, there
will be greater intake resistance, resulting
in decreased power output and increased
fuel consumption.
Keep weight to a minimum
The heavier the load is, the more fuel the
vehicle consumes. Unload any unneces-
sary luggage or cargo.
Keep tire pressures correct
Under-inflation of the tires can waste fuel
due to increased running resistance of the
tires. Keep your tires inflated to the correct
pressure shown on the label on the driver’s
side door or the driver’s door lock pillar.
Highway driving
When driving at highway speeds, 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 dis-
tance.
• On rainy days, hydroplaning can occur.
Hydroplaning is the loss of direct contact
between the road surface and the vehi-
cle’s tires due to a water film forming
between them. Steering or braking the
vehicle during hydroplaning can be very
difficult, and loss of control can occur.
Keep speed down when the road sur-
face is wet.
• At high speeds, the vehicle may be
affected by side winds. Therefore,
reduce speed and be prepared for unex-
pected 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
54P000401
• When climbing steep hills, the vehicle
may begin to slow down and show a lack
of power. If this happens, you should
shift to a lower gear so that the engine
will again be operating in its normal
power range. Shift rapidly to prevent the
vehicle from losing momentum.
• When driving down a hill, the engine
should be used for braking by shifting to
the next lower gear.
EXAMPLE
4-4
DRIVING TIPS
54P00-01E
Driving on slippery roads
60G089S
On wet roads, you should drive at a lower
speed than you do on dry roads due to
possible slippage of tires during braking.
When driving on icy, snow-covered or
muddy roads, reduce your speed and
avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt braking,
or sharp steering movements.
Four-mode 4WD models
Your four-mode 4WD is designed to get
better traction on slippery roads than 2-
wheel drive models. However, your four-
mode 4WD will not have as much traction
in deep snow, mud or sand as multipur-
pose 4WD vehicles. You should not
attempt to drive your four-mode 4WD in
deep snow, mud or sand. Four-mode 4WDmodels are not sport/utility vehicles, and
are not designed for off-road use.
Tire chains
Tire chains should only be used if they are
needed to increase traction or are required
by law. Check that the chains you use are
the correct size for your vehicle’s tires.
Also check that there is enough clearance
between the fenders and the chains as
installed on the tires.
Install the chains on the front tires tightly,
according to the chain manufacturer’s
instructions. Retighten the chains after
driving about 1.0 km (1/2 mile) if neces-
sary. With the chains installed, drive slowly.
WA R N I N G
Do not 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.
NOTICE
When descending a downhill, Never
turn the ignition key to “LOCK” posi-
tion or press the engine switch to
change the ignition mode to “LOCK”
(OFF). Emission control system dam-
age may result.
NOTICE
• If you hear the chains hitting
against the vehicle body while driv-
ing, stop and tighten them.
• If your vehicle is equipped with full
wheel caps, remove the wheel caps
before installing the chains or the
wheel caps can be damaged by the
chain bands.
4-6
DRIVING TIPS
54P00-01E
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• Do not use tires other than those
specified by SUZUKI. Never use dif-
ferent sizes or types of tires on the
front and rear wheels. For informa-
tion regarding the specified tires,
refer to the tire information label
located on the driver’s door lock
pillar.
• Never use oversized tires or spe-
cial shock absorbers and springs
to raise (jack up) your vehicle. This
will change the handling character-
istics. Oversized tires may also rub
against the fender over bumps,
causing vehicle damage or tire fail-
ure.
• After driving through water, test the
brakes while driving at a slow
speed to see if they have main-
tained 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 effective-
ness.
6-1
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
54P00-01E
Vehicle loading
Your vehicle was designed for specific
weight capacities. The weight capacities of
your vehicle are indicated by the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the
Permissible maximum Axle Weight (PAW,
front and rear). The GVWR and PAW (front
and rear) are listed in “SPECIFICATIONS”
section.
GVWR – Maximum permissible overall
weight of the fully loaded vehicle (including
all the occupants, accessories and cargo
plus the trailer nose weight if towing a
trailer).
PAW (front and rear) – Maximum permissi-
ble weight on an individual axle.
Actual weight of the loaded vehicle and
actual loads at the front and rear axles can
only be determined by weighing the vehi-
cle. Compare these weights to the GVWR
and PAW (front and rear). If the gross vehi-
cle weight or the load on either axle
exceeds these ratings, you must remove
enough weight to bring the load down to
the rated capacity.
Trailer towing
60A185
While towing a trailer can adversely affect
handling, durability and fuel economy. Your
vehicle can be used to tow a trailer which
does not exceed the towing capacity spec-
ified below:
Maximum towing capacity
(trailer, cargo & tow bar)
M16A engine model
Braked trailer: 1200 kg (2646 lbs)
Unbraked trailer: 400 kg (882 lbs)
D16AA engine model
Braked trailer: 1500 kg (3307 lbs)
Unbraked trailer: 600 kg (1323 lbs)
WA R N I N G
Never overload your vehicle. The
gross vehicle weight (sum of the
weights of the vehicle, all the occu-
pants, accessories, cargo plus trailer
nose weight if towing a trailer) must
never exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). In addition,
never distribute a load so that the
weight on either the front or rear axle
exceeds the Permissible maximum
Axle Weight (PAW).
WA R N I N G
Always distribute cargo evenly. To
avoid personal injury or damage to
your vehicle, always secure cargo to
prevent it from shifting if the vehicle
moves suddenly. Place heavier
objects on the floor and as far for-
ward in the cargo area as possible.
Never pile cargo higher than the top
of the seat backs.