3-76
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
Brake assist systemWhen you slam the brakes on, the brake
assist system determines it to be an emer-
gency stop and provides more powerful
braking for a driver who cannot hold down
the brake pedal firmly.
NOTE:
If you quickly and forcefully depress the
brakes, you may hear clicking sound by
the brake assist system operation. This is
normal and indicates that the brake assist
system is activated properly.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)ABS will help you avoid skidding by elec-
tronically controlling braking pressure. It
will also help you maintain steering control
when braking on slippery surfaces or when
braking hard.
The ABS works automatically, so you do
not need any special braking technique.
Just push the brake pedal down without
pumping. The ABS will operate whenever
it senses that the wheels are locking up.
You may feel the brake pedal move a little
while the ABS is operating.
NOTE:
• The ABS will not work if vehicle speed is under about 9 km/h (6 mph).
• If the ABS system is activated, you may
hear a clunking noise and/or feel pulsat-
ing in the brake pedal. This is normal
and indicates that the brake fluid pres-
sure is being controlled properly.
• You may hear an operation sound when you start the engine or after the vehicle
begins to move. This means that the
above systems are in the self-check
mode. This sound does not indicate a
malfunction.
WA R N I N G
Even without reserve power in the
brake system, you can still stop the
vehicle by pressing the brake pedal
harder than normally required. How-
ever, the stopping distance may be
longer.
WA R N I N G
• On some types of loose surfaces (such as gravel, snow-covered
roads, etc.), the stopping distance
required for a vehicle with ABS
may be slightly greater than the
one required for a comparable vehi-
cle with a conventional brake sys-
tem. With a conventional brake
system, skidding tires are able to
plow the gravel or snow layer,
shortening the stopping distance.
ABS minimizes this resistance
effect. Allow for extra stopping dis-
tance when driving on loose sur-
faces.
• On regular paved roads, some driv-
ers may be able to obtain slightly
shorter stopping distances with
conventional brake systems than
with ABS.
• In both of the above conditions, ABS will still offer the advantage of
helping you maintain directional
control. However, remember that
ABS will not compensate for bad
road or weather conditions or poor
driver judgment. Use good judg-
ment and do not drive too fast.
3-77OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
54MN069
(1) ABS warning light
(2) Brake system warning light
How ABS worksA computer continuously monitors wheel
speed. The computer compares the
changes in wheel speed when braking. If
the wheels slow suddenly, indicating a
skidding situation, the computer will
change braking pressure several times
each second to prevent the wheels from
locking. When you start your vehicle or
when you accelerate after a hard stop, you
may hear a momentary motor or clicking
noise as the system resets or checks itself.
(1)
(2)
WA R N I N G
• If the ABS warning light (1) on theinstrument cluster comes on and
stays on while driving, there may
be a problem with the ABS system.
Ask your SUZUKI dealer to inspect
the ABS system immediately. If the
ABS system becomes inoperative,
the brake system will function as
an ordinary brake system that has
no ABS.
• If the ABS warning light (1) and the
brake system warning light (2) on
the instrument cluster simultane-
ously stay on or come on while
driving, both anti-lock function and
rear brake force control function
(proportioning valve function) of
the ABS system may have failed. If
so, the rear wheels may easily skid
or the vehicle can even spin in the
worst case when braking on a slip-
pery road or when hard braking
even on a dry paved road. Ask your
SUZUKI dealer to inspect the ABS
system immediately. Drive care-
fully, avoiding hard braking as
much as possible.
WA R N I N G
The ABS may not work properly if
tires or wheels other than those
specified in the owner’s manual are
used. This is because the ABS works
by comparing changes in wheel
speed. When replacing tires or
wheels, use only the size and type
specified in this owner’s manual.
3-78
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
Electronic stability program (ESP
®) (if equipped)
ESP
® is a registered trademark of Daimler
AG.
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®)
helps to control the vehicle during corner-
ing if front wheels or rear wheels skid. It
also assists you in maintaining traction
while accelerating on loose or slippery
road surfaces. It does this by regulating
the engine’s output, and by selectively
applying the brakes. In addition, ESP®
helps to avoid skidding by controlling brak-
ing pressure. The ESP
® has the following three sys-
tems:
Stability control systemThe vehicle stability control system helps
provide integrated control of systems such
as anti-lock brakes, traction control, engine
control, etc. This system automatically
controls the brakes and engine to help pre-
vent the vehicle from skidding when cor-
nering on a slippery road surface or when
turning the steering wheel abruptly.Traction control systemThe traction control system automatically
helps prevent the spinning of wheels when
the vehicle is started or accelerated on
slippery road surfaces. The system oper-
ates only if it senses that some of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction. When this happens, the system
operates the front or rear brakes and
reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)ABS will help you avoid skidding by elec-
tronically controlling braking pressure. It
will also help you maintain steering control
when braking on slippery surfaces or when
braking hard. The ABS works automati-
cally, so you do not have to use any spe-
cial braking technique. Just push the brake
pedal down wit hout pumping. The ABS will
operate whenever it senses that wheels
are locking up. You may feel the brake
pedal pulsate while the ABS is operating.
(For more information on ABS, see “Brak-
ing” in this section.)
NOTE:
The ABS will not work if vehicle speed is
under about 9 km/h (6 mph).
WA R N I N G
The ESP
® cannot enhance the vehi-
cle’s driving stability in all situations
and does not control your vehicle’s
entire braking system. The ESP
® can-
not prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed
in turns, or hydroplaning. Only safe
and attentive drive can prevent acci-
dents. The capabilities of an ESP
®-
equipped vehicle must never be used
as a substitute for careful driving.
WA R N I N G
• The ESP
® may not work properly if
tires or wheels other than those
specified in the owner’s manual are
used. When replacing tires or
wheels, use only the size and type
specified in this owner’s manual.
• The ESP® may not work properly if
tires are not inflated to the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure.
• The ESP® may not work properly if
tires are fitted wi th tire chains.
(Continued)
3-79OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
NOTE:
• If the ESP
® system is activated, you may
hear a clunking noise and/or feel pulsat-
ing in the brake pedal. This is normal
and indicates that the brake fluid pres-
sure is being controlled properly.
• You may hear an operation sound when you start the engine or after the vehicle
begins to move. This means that the
above systems are in the self-check
mode. This sound does not indicate a
malfunction. The ESP
® indicator lights are described
below:
ESP
® warning light
52KM133
This light blinks 5 times per second when
one of the following sy stems is activated.
• Stability control system
• Traction control system
• Hill descent control system (if equipped)
• Grip control system (if equipped)
If this light blinks, drive carefully.
When the ignition switch is turned to “ON”
position, or the engine switch is pressed to
change the ignition mode to ON, this light
comes on briefly so you can check that the
light is working. NOTE:
When the ESP
® warning light comes on
and stays on while driving, indicating a
malfunction of the ESP
® systems (other
than ABS), the brake system will function
as an ordinary ABS with no additional
ESP
® functions.
ESP
® OFF indicator light
57L30045
You should turn the ESP
® on during your
ordinary driving, so that you have the ben-
efits of all of the ESP
® systems.
It may be required to turn the ESP
® sys-
tems (other than ABS) off if your vehicle is
stuck in sand, mud, or snow, where wheel
spin is necessary.
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• The ESP
® may not work properly if
the tires are excessively worn.
Replace tires when the tread wear
indicators in the grooves appear on
the tread surface.
• The ESP® is not a substitute for
winter tires or tire chains on a
snow-covered road.
WA R N I N G
• The ESP
® may not work properly if
engine related parts such as the
muffler are not equivalent to stan-
dard equipment or are extremely
deteriorated.
• Do not modify the vehicle’s sus- pension since the ESP
® may not
work properly.
NOTICE
If the ESP
® warning light comes on
and stays on while driving, there may
be a malfunction of the ESP
® sys-
tems (other than ABS). You should
have the systems inspected by an
authorized SUZUKI dealer.
3-83OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
Grip control system (if equipped)When one side of the tires is slipping on
slippery road surfaces such as a snow-cov-
ered road and it is difficult to start the vehi-
cle, the grip control system controls the
driving force and brake force through the
ESP
® system, and assists you in smooth
starting.
In such cases as when both of the tires are
slipping, the system may also assist start-
ing.
NOTE:
• When both of the tires are slipping, thegrip control system may work, however,
it works especially effective when one
side of the tires is slipping.
• You may hear an operation sound when you start the engine or after the vehicle
begins to move. This means that the grip
control system is in the self-check mode.
This sound does not indicate a malfunc-
tion.
• When the grip control system is working with high engine revolutions, you may
feel changing the engine speed or vehi-
cle pulsating. This is normal. Grip control switch
75RM311
(1) Grip control switch
To activate the grip control system, push
the grip control switch. An indicator light on
the switch will be lit when the grip control
system is on. When you push the switch
again, the indicator light will go off and the
grip control system will be deactivated.
• When the vehicle is stabilized and the vehicle speed exceeds about 30 km/h
(19 mph), the grip control system stops
functioning and the indicator on the
switch goes off.
• When the ESP
® system is off, the grip
control system cannot be turned on.
WA R N I N G
Grip control system has limits and
may not function properly depending
on the driving conditions. Do not rely
excessively on the system and
always drive in a safe manner.
CAUTION
• Observe the following instruc- tions. If mishandled, the grip con-
trol system cannot work properly
and may cause a malfunction.
– Inflate the tires to the recom-mended tire inflation pressure.
– When replacing tires or wheels, use only the size and type speci-
fied in this owner’s manual.
– Do not use worn or extremely uneven tires. (Continued)
CAUTION
(Continued)– Do not modify the vehicle’s sus-
pension or brake (Altering the
vehicle heig ht, etc.).
– Do not drive with extremely dete-
riorated suspension or brake.
– Do not modify the engine (Alter- ing the muffler, etc.).
– Do not equip a limited slip differ- ential.
• The grip control system may not
work properly if tires are fitted with
tire chains.
(1)
3-84
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
How grip control system works
When the grip control switch is on and one
side of the tires is slipping, the grip control
system assists you in smooth starting by
controlling the driving force and brake
force of all wheels.
• When the ESP
® system is off, the grip
control system cannot be activated.
NOTE:
While the grip control system is working,
the ESP
® warning light blinks.
Hill hold control sys tem (if equipped)The hill hold control system is designed to
assist you in starting to move up hills.
When you start to move up a hill, the sys-
tem helps to prevent the vehicle from roll-
ing 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) For manual transaxle models, the clutch pedal is depressed.
4) The vehicle is o n an upward incline.
CAUTION
To activate the grip control system,
push the grip control switch and
check that the indicator on the switch
turns on.
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.
3-85OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
On models equipped with the ENG A-
STOP system, the hill hold control system
is activated when the engine is restarted
after being stopped automatically, even if
the previous conditions are not met.
NOTE:
When the hill hold control system is acti-
vated, you may hear a sound coming from
the engine, or you may feel hardness of
the brake pedal. These are normal and do
not indicate a malfunction.
75RM224
For the instrument cluster with tachometer,
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 (if equipped) and
the hill hold control system. Have your
vehicle inspected by an authorized
SUZUKI dealer.
NOTE:
The hill hold control system will not acti-
vate while this message is displayed.
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (if equipped)The tire pressure monitoring system is
designed to alert you when one or more of
the tires on your vehicle is significantly
under-inflated. The tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS) sensor containing a
unique identification code is mounted on
each wheel. The TPMS sensors transmit
tire pressure signals to the receiver of the
tire pressure monitoring system controller.
When the inflation pressure of one or more
tires indicates signif icant under-inflation,
the low tire pressure warning light shown
below comes on.
NOTE:
The word “telltale” in this section, means
an indicator.
Low tire pressure warning light
52D305
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
As an added fuel efficiency feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a tire pres-
sure monitoring system (TPMS) that illumi-
nates a low tire pressure telltale when one
or more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure.
Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure. Under-inf lation also reduces
fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may
3-87OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
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 the
“EMERGENCY SERVICE” section. Refer
to “Replacing tires and/or wheels” for
instructions on how to restore normal oper-
ation of the tire pressure monitoring sys-
tem 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 unde r-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 e quipped). Refer to
“Jacking instructions” in the
“EMERGENCY SERVICE” section
for tire replacement. Also refer to
“Replacing tires and/or wheels” for
instructions on how to restore nor-
mal 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
the “EMERGENCY SERVICE” sec-
tion for instructions on how to per-
form 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.