2576G-74E
BEFORE DRIVING
3-12
Never use the same seat belt onmore than one occupant and never
attach a seat belt over an infant or
child being held on an occupant’s
lap. Such seat belt use could cause
serious injury in the event of an
accident.
Pregnant women should use seat belts, although specific recommen-
dations about restraint use should
be made by the woman’s medical
advisor. Remember that the lap
portion of the belt should be worn
as low as possible across the hips,
as shown in the diagram.
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76G-03-029
Periodically inspect seat belt
assemblies for excessive wear and
damage. Seat belts should be
replaced if webbing becomes frayed,
contaminated, or damaged in any
way. It is essential to replace the
entire seat belt assembly after it has
been stressed in an impact, even if
damage to the assembly is not
obvious.
Infants and small children should never be transported unless they are
properly restrained. Restraint
systems for infants and small
children can be purchased locally
and should be used. Make sure that
the system you purchase meets
applicable safety standards. Read
and follow all the directions
provided by the manufacturer.
Avoid contamination of seat belt webbing by polishes, oils,
chemicals, and particularly battery
acid. Cleaning may safely be carried
out using mild soap and water.
For children, if the shoulder belt irritates the neck or face, move the
child closer to the center of the
vehicle.
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Be sure to inspect all seat belt
assemblies after any collision. Any
seat belt assembly which was in use
during a collision (other than a very
minor one) should be replaced, even
if damage to the assembly is not
obvious. Any seat belt assembly
which was not in use during a
collision should be replaced if it does
not function properly or is damaged
in any way.
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76G-74E
EXHAUST GAS WARNING
with the engine running, make sure
the air intake lever is set to “FRESH
AIR” and the fan is at high speed.
Avoid operating the vehicle with the rearend door open. If it is necessary
to operate the vehicle with the
rearend door open, make sure all
the windows are closed and the fan
is at high speed with the air intake
lever set to "FRESH AIR".
To allow proper operation of your vehicle’s ventilation system, keep
the air inlet grille in front of the
windscreen 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.
DAILY INSPECTION CHECKLIST
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7-1
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Before driving:
1)
Make sure that windows, mirrors, lights,
and reflectors are clean and unobstructed.
2) Check the tyres.
3) Look for fluid and oil leaks.NOTE:
It is normal for water to drip from the air
conditioning system after use.4) Adjust the seat/head restraint.
5) Check the brake pedal and the parking brake lever.
6) Adjust the mirrors.
7) Make sure that you and passengers have properly fastened your seat belts.
8) Make sure that all warning lights come on as the key is turned to the “ON” or
“START” position.
9) Check all gauges.
10) Make sure that the brake fluid level warning light is off when the parking
brake is released with the engine
running.
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLEAvoid breathing exhaust gases.
Exhaust gases contain carbon
monoxide, a potentially lethal gas that
is colourless and odourless. 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 ingarages or other confined areas.
Do not park with the engine running for a long period of time, even in an
open area. If it is necessary to sit
for a short time in a parked vehicle
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76G-07-001 76G-07-002
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
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76G-74E
7-5OPERATING YOUR VEHICLERUNNING-IN
The future performance and reliability
of the engine depends on the care
and restraint exercised during its early
life. It is especially important to
observe the following precautions
during the initial 1000 km of vehicle
operation.
After starting, do not race theengine. Warm it up gradually.
Avoid prolonged vehicle operation at a constant speed. Moving parts will
bed in better if you vary your speed.
Do not exceed 100 km/h.
Start off from a stop slowly. Avoid full throttle starts.
If possible, avoid hard braking, especially during the first 300 km
of driving.
Do not drive slowly with the transmission in a high gear.
Drive the vehicle at moderate engine speeds.
CAUTION
Even without reserve power in the
brake system, you can still stop the
vehicle by pressing the brake pedal
harder than normally required.
However, the stopping distance may
be longer.
On loose surface where the wheels
can easily loose traction (such as
gravel, etc.), the stopping distance
required for your vehicle may be
greater than for a comparable vehicle
with a conventional brake system.
Allow for extra stopping distance
when driving on loose surfaces.
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CATALYTIC CONVERTERThe purpose of the catalytic converter
installed on your vehicle is to convert
exhaust pollutants to harmless water vapour,
carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. Use of leaded
fuel in vehicles equipped with catalytic
converters is prohibited, because lead
deactivates the pollutant-reducing compo-
nents of the catalyst system.
It is very important to keep the engine
properly tuned. Engine misfiring, which can
result from an improperly tuned engine, may
cause overheating of the catalyst. This may
result in permanent heat damage to the
catalyst and other vehicle components.
76G-07-005
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
8576G-74E
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
9-2
A....Adjust. I....Inspect and correct or replace if necessary.
T....Tighten to specified torque. C....Clean.
R....Replace or change. O....Rotate
L....Lubricate.
Note:
This table includes services as scheduled up to 80,000 km mileage. Beyon\
d 80,000 km, carry out the same services at the sameintervals respectively.Interval: This interval should be judged
FREE INSPECTIONS
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE SERVICE AT COST
by odometer reading or months, km (x 1,000) 1 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
whichever comes first. months 1 6 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96
ENGINE
1. Water pump drive belt (tension, wear) A I I I I I I R A I
2. Engine coolant (level, leakage) I I I R I R I R I R
3. Engine oil (API GRADE SF, SG, SH) & Oil filter R I R R R R R R R R
4. Cooling system hoses and connections (leakage, damage) I I I I I I I I I I
5. Engine bolts (All cylinder head and manifold fixings) – – T – T – T – T –
6. Engine mounting (loose, damage) – – T – T – T – T –
7. Valve clearance – A – A – A – A – A
8. Camshaft timing belt (damage, wear) – – – I – I – I – I
Replace every 1,00,000 km
9. Exhaust system (noise, leakage or otherwise defective) – I – I – I – I – I
10. Positive crankcase ventilation System (Hoses, connections and valve) – I – I – I – I – I
IGNITION
1. Ignition wiring, (damage, deterioration) – – – I – I – I – I
2. Spark plugs (clean and adjust the gap) – – I R I R I R I R
3. Distributor cap and rotor (wear and deterioration)* – – – I – I – I – I
*For LX only
ALTO