46
76G-74E
INSTRUMENT PANEL5-9
HIGH ENGINE COOLANT
TEMPERATURE WARNING
LIGHT (Red Color)When the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position, this light comes on briefly so
you can check that the light is working. If
this light blinks while driving, it means the
engine is running hot. Avoid driving condi-
tions that may lead to actual overheating.
If the light stays on without blinking, then
the engine is overheating. Follow the in-
structions in the “If the Engine Over heats”
of “EMERGENCY SERVICE” section.Continuing to drive the vehicle when
engine overheating is indicated can
result in severe engine damage.
CAUTION
76G-05-019
FUEL GAUGEWhen the ignition switch is in the “ON”
position, this gauge gives an approximate
indication of the amount of fuel in the fuel
tank. “F” stands for full and “E” stands for
empty.
When the fuel meter indicator shows only
one segment to “E”, refill the tank as soon
as possible.Note:If the last segment blinks, it means that the
fuel tank is almost empty.
Note:The fuel level indicator varies depending onroad conditions (for example, slope orcurve) and driving conditions because of
fuel moving in the tank.
76G-05-018
The tachometer indicates engine speed
in revolutions per minute.
76G-05-013C
Never drive with the engine speed in-
dicator in the red zone (1) or severe
engine damage can result.
When downshifting to a lower gear,
make sure not to operate with exces-
sive revolution speeds of the engine.
Refer to “Downshifting maximum allow-
able speeds” in the “OPERATING
YOUR VEHICLE” section.
CAUTION
TACHOMETER (if equipped)
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76G-74E
PARKING BRAKE LEVER
Never drive your vehicle with theparking brake on: rear brake
effectiveness can be reduced from
over heating, brake life may be
shortened, or permanent brake
damage may result.
If the parking brake does not hold the vehicle securely or does not
fully release, have your vehicle
inspected immediately by an
authorized MARUTI SUZUKI dealer.
Always apply the parking brake fully
before leaving your vehicle or it may
move, causing injury or damage.
When parking, make sure the gear
shift lever for manual transmission is
left in first gear or reverse. Remember,
even though the transmission is in
gear, you must always apply the
parking brake fully.
The parking brake lever is located between
the seats. To apply the parking brake, hold
the brake pedal down and pull the parking
brake lever all the way up.
To release the parking brake, hold the brake
pedal down, pull up slightly on the parking
brake lever, push the button on the end of
the lever with your thumb, and lower the
lever to its original position.
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OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
76G-06-001
76G-06-002
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
7176G-74E
Before starting the engine:
1) Make sure the parking brake is appliedfully.
2) Manual Transmission - Shift into “N” (neutral) and depress the clutch pedal all
the way to the floor. Hold it while starting
the engine.
Make sure that the parking brake is
applied fully and the transmission is
in Neutral before attempting to start
the engine.
Stop turning the starter immediately after the engine has started or the
starter system can be damaged.
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 trying
again.
7-2
STARTING THE ENGINE
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OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
Once a week, or each time you fill your fuel
tank, perform the following under-bonnet
checks:
1) Engine oil level.
2) Coolant level.
3) Brake fluid level.
4) Windscreen washer fluid level.
5) Battery solution level.
6) Bonnet latch operation.
Pull the bonnet release handle inside the
vehicle. Make sure that you can not
open the hood all the way without
releasing the secondary latch. Be sure
to close the hood securely after checking
for proper operation. See "All Latches,
Hinges & Locks" of "PERIODIC
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE" in the
"INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE"
section for lubrication schedule.
Make sure the bonnet is fully closed
and latched before driving. If it is not,
it can fly up unexpectedly during
driving, obstructing your view and
resulting in an accident.
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Starting a Cold Engine
Engine which is started after 6 hours should
be treated as cold engine.
For Electronic fuel injection models
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 seconds 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.
Starting a Warm Engine
For Electronic fuel injection models:
Use the same procedure as for “Starting a
Cold Engine”.
CAUTION
7376G-74E
7-4
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
BRAKINGww ww
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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
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
8176G-74E
especially dangerous when the tyres are
worn, for they allow a larger skid.
Use foot brake in three stages
(1) Warn the vehicle behind you
(2) Gradually apply the brake.
(3) Bring the vehicle to a halt.
3. When driving on a downhill, try not to apply the brake but use the engine
brake effectively. Overuse of the
footbrake may result in total brake
failure.
4. Avoid reckless high speed driving and try
to drive at a safe speed suitable for the
road conditions while maintaining a
constant speed. 5. The higher the speed, the narrower the
driver’s visual range becomes. In such
a state, it is difficult to anticipate any
hazard and the driver feels much
fatigued.
6. Never do sharp handling during high
speed driving. You will lose your control
over your vehicle.
7. When overtaking or changing the lane
while driving at a high speed, keep an
ample vehicle-to-vehicle distance.
Long distance driving
1. Be sure to perform safety checks before
starting a trip.
2. Take rest at certain intervals to prevent an accident which may occur when you
are sleepy or tired.
Braking
1. Use the parking brake when parking
your vehicle and shift the gear shift lever
into the first gear or reverse gear
position for the sake of safety.
2. Don’t use handbraking unless unavoidable. It causes the vehicle to skid
and a rearend collision occur. It is
8-4
DRIVING TIPS AND SAFE DRIVING
76G-08-004 76G-08-005 76G-08-006
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76G-74E
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE9-5Interval: 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
ROAD TEST
1. Operation of Brakes, Gear shifting & speedometer I I I I I I I I I I
2. Body and Chassis noise I I I I I I I I I I
AIR CONDITIONER (if equipped)
1. Check belt tension I I I I I I I I I I
2. Tighten compressor mounting bolts – T T T T T T T T T
3. Check all hose joints, tighten if necessary I I I I I I I I I I
4. Check functioning of Recirc flap I I I I I I I I I I
5. Clean condenser with low pressure water – C C C C C C C C C
6. Check belt for frayed edges, change if necessary – I I I I I I I I I
7. Check all mounting bolts – I I I I I I I I I