2-61
BEFORE DRIVING
74LH0-74E
Light Reminder Buzzer
(if equipped)
A buzzer sounds to remind you to turn off
the lights if they are left on when the igni-
tion key is removed and the driver’s door is
opened.
Rear Fog Light Switch (if equipped)
74LHT0226
To turn the rear fog light on, twist the knob
as shown in the illustration with the head-
lights are on. When the rear fog light is on,
an indicator light on the instrument cluster
will come on.
Front Fog Light Switch (if equipped)
64J058
The front fog light comes on when the fog
light switch is pushed in with the position
lights, tail lights and/or the headlights are
on. An indicator light above the switch will
be lit when the front fog light is on.
Headlight Leveling Switch
80JM040
Level the headlight beam according to the
load condition of your vehicle by turning
this switch. The chart below shows the
appropriate switch position for different
vehicle-load conditions.
Turn Signal Control Lever
65D611
EXAMPLE
Vehicle Load Condition Switch Position
Driver only 0
Driver + 1 passenger
(in front seat)1
Driver + 4 passengers,
no cargo2
Driver + 4 passengers,
cargo added2
Driver + full cargo 4
WA R N I N G
To avoid possible injury, do not oper-
ate controls by reaching through the
steering wheel.
3-2
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
5) Check the headlights, turn signal lights,
brake lights and horn for proper opera-
tion.
6) Adjust the seat and adjustable head
restraint (if equipped).
7) Check the brake pedal and the parking
brake lever.
8) Adjust the mirrors.
9) Make sure that you and all passengers
have properly fastened your seat belts.
10)Make sure that all warning lights come
on as the key is turned to the “ON” posi-
tion or the engine is pressed to change
the ignition mode to “ON”.
11)Check all gauges.
12)Make sure that the BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING light turns off when the
parking brake is released.
Once a week, or each time you fill your fuel
tank, perform the following under-hood
checks:
1) Engine oil level
2) Coolant level
3) Brake fluid level
4) Battery solution level
5) Windshield washer fluid level
6) Hood latch operation
Pull the bonnet hood release handle
inside the vehicle. Make sure that you
cannot open the hood all the way with-
out releasing the secondary latch. Be
sure to close the hood securely after
checking for proper latch operation.
See “All latches, hinges and locks” of“CHASSIS AND BODY” in the “Periodic
Maintenance Schedule” in the
“INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE”
section for lubrication schedule.
Once a month, or each time you fill your
fuel tank, check the tire pressure using a
tire pressure gauge. Also check the tire
pressure of the spare tire.
Engine Oil ConsumptionIt is normal for the engine to consume
some engine oil during normal vehicle
operation.
The amount of engine oil consumed
depends on the viscosity of the oil, the
quality of the oil and the conditions the
vehicle is driven under.
More oil is consumed during high-speed
driving and when there is frequent acceler-
ation and deceleration. Under high loads,
your engine also will consume more oil.
A new engine also consumes more oil,
since its pistons, piston rings and cylinder
walls have not yet become conditioned.
New engines reach the normal level of oilconsumption only after approximately 5000
km driving.
Oil consumption:
Max. 1.0 L per 1000 km When judging the amount of oil consump-
tion, note that the oil may become diluted
and make it difficult to accurately judge the
true oil level.
As an example, if a vehicle is used for
repeated short trips, and consumes a nor-
mal amount of oil, the dipstick may not
show any drop in the oil level at all, even
after 1000 km or more of driving. This is
because the oil is gradually becoming
diluted with fuel or moisture, making it
appear that the oil level has not changed.
You should also be aware that the diluting
ingredients evaporate out when the vehicle
is subsequently driven at high speeds,
such as on an expressway, making it
appear that oil is excessively consumed
after high-speed driving.
WA R N I N G
Make sure the hood 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.
Daily Inspection Checklist: NO
Engine Oil Consumption:
3-5OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
Manual transaxle – Provided you have the
keyless push start system remote control-
ler with you, the engine automatically
starts when you press the engine switch to
select this ignition mode after shifting to
“N” (Neutral) and depressing the brake and
clutch pedals.
Auto Gear Shift – Provided you have the
keyless push start system remote control-
ler with you, the engine automatically
starts when you press the engine switch to
select this ignition mode after placing the
gearshift lever in the “N” position and
depressing the brake pedal.
NOTE:
You do not need to keep the engine switch
pressed to start the engine.
NOTE:
The steering lock may not be released if
some load is acting on the steering
wheel. If this happens, turn the steering
wheel to the right or left to relieve it from
the load before you press the engineswitch again to change to the desired
ignition mode.
In the presence of strong radio signals or
noise, you may not be able to change
the ignition mode to “ACC” or “ON” or to
start the engine using the engine switch.
Keyless Push Start System
(if equipped)Provided the keyless push start system
remote controller is within the “interior work-
able area” (refer to the related explanation
in this section), you can use the engine
switch for starting the engine and selecting
an ignition mode (“ACC” or “ON”). In addi-
tion, the following functions can be used: Keyless entry function. Refer to “Keyless
Push Start System Remote Controller” in the
“BEFORE DRIVING” section for details. Locking and unlocking doors using a
request switch. Refer to “Keyless Push
Start System Remote Controller” in the
“BEFORE DRIVING” section for details.
Immobilizer (anti-theft) function. Refer to
“Immobilizer System” in the “BEFORE
DRIVING” section for details.
Engine Switch IlluminationThe engine switch is illuminated (lit) in the
following situations:
When the engine is off and the driver’s
door is open, or for 15 seconds after the
driver’s door is closed. The illumination
will fade out after the 15 seconds past.
When the engine is off and the position
lights are on. The illumination will go out
when the position lights are turned off.
When the engine is on and the position
lights and/or the headlights are on. The
illumination will go out when the head-
lights are turned off.
82K253
NOTE:
To save the battery, the illumination will be
automatically turned off when both of the
following conditions are simultaneously
met:
The headlights and position lights are
turned off.
A period of 15 minutes has elapsed after
opening the driver’s door.
NOTICE
Do not leave the engine switch in the
“ACC” or “ON” mode when the
engine is not running. Avoid using
the radio or other electric accesso-
ries for a long time when the engine
switch is in the “ACC” or “ON” mode
when the engine is not running, oth-
erwise the battery may discharge.
Using the Transaxle: 10
3-12
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
NOTE:
You do not need to keep the engine
switch pressed to start the engine.
The engine of a manual transaxle vehi-
cle will not start unless the clutch pedal
is depressed.
You should turn off such loads as the
headlights and air conditioning system to
facilitate starting of the engine.
Even if you fail to start the engine, the
starter motor will stop turning automati-
cally after a short time. After the starter
motor has stopped or if there is some
problem with the system, the starter
motor will rotate only while the engine
switch is being pressed.
Stopping the engine Depress the engine switch to stop the
engine after the vehicle stopped com-
pletely.
In case of emergency, you can stop the
engine by quickly pushing the engine
switch more than 3 times, or pushing
and holding the engine switch more than
2 seconds while the vehicle in motion.
NOTE:
Except in emergency, do not stop the
engine while the vehicle in motion.
The steering and braking operation will
require more efforts when the engine
stopped.
Refer to “Braking” in this section.
If the engine has been stopped and
stayed as it as for while after the engine
was stopped unexpectedly or was raced
before stopped, a clicking sound may be
heard from around the engine when
engine restarted. This is not a malfunc-
tion. In this case, always let the engine
idle before stop it.
Starting a Cold and Warm Engine(For Petrol Engine Model)
With your foot off the accelerator pedal,
crank the engine by pressing the engine
switch to change the ignition mode to
“START”.After pressing the engine switch to change the
ignition mode to “START”, the starter cranks
the engine for about 12 seconds before it can
start the engine. If the engine fails to start at
the first attempt, wait about 15 seconds, then
try again while keeping the engine switch
pressed while pressing down the accelerator
pedal to 1/3 of its travel. Release the accelera-
tor 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.
If you are unable to start the engine using
this procedure, consult your MARUTI
SUZUKI dealer.
NOTICE
Do not depress the accelerator
during the engine starting proce-
dure. If the engine does not respond
when you try to start it with the
engine switch or if the engine
switch repeats cycling through the
“LOCK”(OFF) - “ACC” - “ON” mode,
the vehicle battery may be dis-
charged. Check the voltage of the
vehicle battery before trying again.
NOTICE
Avoid stopping the engine while driv-
ing.
NOTICE
Do not crank the engine for more
than 12 seconds at a time.
If the engine doesn’t start on the first
try, wait about 15 seconds before try-
ing again.
4-6
DRIVING TIPS
67LH3-74E
74LHM0408
Do’s and Dont’s for Safe
DrivingExercise care in handling your vehicle. Be
conscious of not only your own safety but
also the safety of others on the road, and
thus enjoy the best and most comfortable
driving experience.
Following are basic rules for safe driving.
Read them carefully for good understand-
ing of the content so that you can enjoy
safe and pleasant driving in your vehicle.Starting1) Adjust the driver’s seat for the proper driving posture.
2) Adjust the rear view mirror so as to obtain the best po ssible rear view.
74LHM0409
3) Before moving, look around your vehi-
cle to confirm safety.
4) Don’t accelerate suddenly, since it is
dangerous and wastes fuel.General driving1) Be sure to stop before a stop light orstop sign. When moving into an inter-
section without any traffic lights or
signs, drive slowly to confirm safety.
2) Always follow other vehicles at a safe
distance in order to prevent a rear-end
collision, in case the vehicle ahead
makes a sudden stop.
74LHM0410
3) Turn ON the turn signal at least 30meters before making a turn or chang-
ing the lane so as to not be hit.
4) Before entering a corner, decelerate to a safe speed. Don’t apply brakes during
cornering, or skidding may occur.
5) When overtaking other vehicles, watch out for oncoming vehicles and carefully
ensure safety.
6) Don’t attempt zigzag driving as it will hinder your control over the vehicle and
may cause an accident.
7) Avoid reckless high speed driving and try to drive at a safe speed suitable for
the road conditions while maintaining a
constant speed.
8) Higher the speed, narrower the driver’s visual range becomes. In such a state,
it is difficult to anticipate any hazard and
the driver feels fatigued.
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
4-8
DRIVING TIPS
67LH3-74E
Night time driving
74LHM0414
1) Drive at lower speeds during the nightthan in the daytime, as the visual range
is restricted at night.
2) Avoid overtaking other vehicles at night.
Darkness bothers your sense of speed
and hinders your judgment of vehicle-
to-vehicle distance.
74LHM0415
3) Don’t use headlights on high beamunless its use is inevitable. It may
cause visual impairment to the driver of
the oncoming vehicle or the vehicle
ahead of you, which may cause an
accident.
4) Always keep the window glasses clean.
Don’t operate the windshield wiper
when the windshield glass is dry else
the wiper blade and glass may get
damaged.
74LHM0416
Margin for SafetyIt is important to allow yourself a margin for
safety during driving so that you can cope
with erroneous or unexpected driving of
other drivers. For that, observe the follow-
ing.
Drive at a safe speed.
Maintain a sufficient distance betweenyour vehicle and the vehicle ahead.
Don’t force yourself to overtake other
vehicles.
Don’t accelerate suddenly, steer sharply or stop suddenly.
Keep ample gaps between driving schedules.
Observe traffic rules and regulations.ConclusionA perfect driver does not exist. The
endeavour of every motorist should be to
strive for perfection. Safety consciousness
not only ensures your safety and the safety
of other road users, it also helps reduce
the wear and tear on your vehicle, length-
ens its life, gives better fuel efficiency and
ensures a comfortable driving experience.
Follow the do’s and dont’s listed, and
driving will never be the same again.
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
5-49OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
74LH0-74E
Vanity mirror (if equipped)
74LHT0532
(2) Vanity mirror
Interior Light Front Overhead Light
(if equipped)
64J104
Push the switch to turn on the light and
push it again to turn off the light.Center Overhead Light (if equipped)
64J104
These light switch has three positions
which function as described below:
ON (1)
The light comes on and stays on regard-
less of whether the door is open or closed.
DOOR (2)
The light comes on when the door is
opened. After closing all doors, the light
will remain on for about 15 seconds and
then fade out. If you insert the key into theignition switch during this time, the light will
start to fade out immediately. After remov-
ing the key from the ignition switch, the
light will turn on for about 15 seconds and
then fade out.
OFF (3)
The light remains off even when the door is
opened.
68LM529
NOTE:
The number of doors involved in the light-
ing operation of the interior light depends
on the vehicle specification. If there is a
switch (rubber projection) at the door
opening as shown, the door is involved in
the lighting operation. The tailgate is also
involved in this operation even without the
rubber projection.
NOTICE
When you park your vehicle outdoors
in direct sunlight or in hot weather,
do not leave plastic cards in the
holder. The heat may distort them.
WA R N I N G
Do not use the mirror while driving
your vehicle or could lose control
of the vehicle.
When using the vanity mirror, do
not move too close to a front air
bag location or lean against it. If
the front air bag is accidentally
inflated, it could hit you hard.
(2)
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
(1)(2)(3)
EXAMPLE
6-3VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
74LH0-74E
Additional Trailer Towing Warnings
WA R N I N G
Connect trailer lights and hook up
safety chains every time you tow.
NOTICE
Because towing a trailer puts addi-
tional stress on your vehicle, more
frequent maintenance will be
required than under normal driving
conditions.
WA R N I N G
Your vehicle will handle differently
when towing a trailer. For your safety
and the safety of others, you should
observe the following precautions:
Practice turning, stopping, and
reversing before you begin towing
in traffic. Do not tow in traffic until
you are confident that you can han-
dle the vehicle and trailer safely.
Never exceed towing speed limits
or 80 km/h (50 mph), whichever is
lower.
Never drive at a speed that causes
shaking or swaying of the trailer. If
you notice even the slightest sign
of shaking or swaying, slow down.
When roads are wet, slippery or
rough, drive at a slower speed than
you would on dry, smooth roads.
Failure to slow down when road
conditions are bad can result in
loss of control.
Always have someone guide you
when reversing.
Allow adequate stopping distance.
Stopping distance is increased
when you tow a trailer. For each 16
(Continued)
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
km/h (10 mph) of speed, allow at
least one vehicle and trailer length
between you and the vehicle ahead.
Follow at a greater distance if roads
are wet or slippery.
If the trailer has over-run brakes,
apply the brakes gradually to avoid
snatching caused by the trailer
wheels locking.
Slow down before corners and
maintain a steady speed while cor-
nering. Deceleration or accelera-
tion while cornering can result in
loss of control. Remember that a
larger than normal turning radius is
needed because the trailer wheels
will be closer than vehicle wheels
to the inside of the turn.
Avoid sudden acceleration and
stopping of the vehicle. Do not
make quick maneuvers unless they
are necessary.
Slow down in cross winds and be
prepared for gusts of wind from
large passing vehicles.
(Continued)