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.
3-13OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
(For Diesel Engine Model)
Cold engine
Depress the clutch and brake pedals fully
and press the engine switch to crank the
engine. If the glow plug indicator light
comes on, the engine will start automati-
cally after the glow plug indicator light goes
off or 10 seconds past.
Warm engine
Crank the engine by pressing the engine
switch to change the ignition mode to
“START”.
Caution when stopping the engine with
turbocharger
When stopping the engine after climbing or
high speed driving, let the engine idle for
about one minute or more (if it is not pro-
hibited) to cool down the turbocharger and
engine oil. This is to prevent the engine oil
from over-deteriorating. Deteriorated
engine oil will damage the bearings of the
turbocharger.Restarting diesel engine after fuel-
empty stop
If the engine stops and the low fuel warn-
ing light and the malfunction indicator light
come on, use the following procedure:
1) Fill the fuel tank.
2) Press the engine switch to change the
ignition mode to “ON” for 5-10 seconds
to feed fuel.
3) Perform above engine starting proce-
dure to start the engine.
If the malfunction indicator light still comes
on after the engine started, there may be
some problem with the engine. Ask your
MARUTI SUZUKI dealer to have the
engine inspected.
If the “PUSH” indicator light blinks and
the engine cannot be started
Your keyless push start system remote
controller may not be sensed as being
within the “interior workable area”. Try
again after making sure that you have the
remote controller with you. If the engine
still cannot be started, the battery of the
remote controller may be discharged. You
must then use the following method to be
able to start the engine.
57L21131
1) Make sure the parking brake is set fully.
2) Shift to “N” (Neutral) and fully depress
the clutch pedal/brake pedal Hold the
clutch and brake pedals fully
depressed.
3) The “PUSH” indicator light in the instru-
ment cluster will come on. Press the
engine switch (1).
4) Within about 10 seconds of blinking of
the “PUSH” indicator light in the instru-
ment cluster, touch the engine switch
with the lock switch end of the remote
controller (2) for about 2 seconds.
NOTE:
If you still cannot start the engine after
several attempts using the above
method, there may be a problem else-
where, such as a low battery. Contact
your MARUTI SUZUKI dealer for inspec-
tion.
NOTICE
Do not crank the engine for more
than 30 seconds at a time.
If the engine doesn’t start on the first
try, wait about 15 seconds before try-
ing again.
(1)
(2)
EXAMPLE
3-14
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
The immobilizer/keyless push start sys-
tem warning light come on for about 5
seconds while the “PUSH” indicator light
is blinking.
You may customize the system to cause
the interior buzzer to sound once for the
“remote controller out of sensing range”
warning. Please contact an authorized
MARUTI SUZUKI dealer for the customi-
zation.
If the battery of the remote controller is
about to be completely discharged, the
keyless push start system remote con-
troller battery consumption warning light
in the instrument cluster will come on for
a few seconds when the ignition mode is
changed to “ON” by pressing the engine
switch. For details on replacing the bat-
tery, refer to the “Keyless Push Start
System Remote Controller” in the
“BEFORE DRIVING” section.Returning the ignition mode to
“LOCK” (OFF)NOTE:
Certain problems like a fault in engine sys-
tem may prevent the engine switch from
going back to the “LOCK” (OFF) mode. If
this happens, have the vehicle inspected
by an authorized MARUTI SUZUKI dealer
after doing the following:
Lock the doors using the key to prevent
theft. (The request switches and the key-
less push start system remote controller
cannot be used to lock them.) Disconnect the negative cable from the
battery to prevent discharge.
“LOCK” (OFF) mode reminder buzzer
If the driver’s door is opened without
returning the ignition mode to “LOCK”
(OFF) by pressing the engine switch, a
buzzer sounds to warn you of this state.
If you open the driver’s door after press-
ing the engine switch to change the igni-
tion mode to “ACC”, the interior buzzer
beeps intermittently.
The buzzer will stop sounding if you then
push the engine switch twice, thus bring-
ing it back the ignition mode to “LOCK”
(OFF).
NOTE:
Whenever you leave the vehicle, make
sure you have returned the ignition mode
to “LOCK” (OFF) using the engine switch
and then lock the doors. Without returning
the ignition mode to “LOCK” (OFF), you
cannot use a request switch or keyless
push start system remote controller to lock
the doors.
Steering lock warning buzzer
If the steering lock fails to engage due to a
fault in the system when the ignition mode
is turned to “LOCK” (OFF) by pressing the
engine switch and then any door is opened
or closed, the interior buzzer will warn you
of this condition with repeated short beeps.
If this happens, have the vehicle inspected
by an authorized MARUTI SUZUKI dealer.
Using the Transmission
Manual Transmission
68LM324
Starting off
To start off, push the clutch pedal all the
way to the floor and shift into 1st gear.
After releasing the parking brake, gradually
release the clutch. When you hear a
change in the engine’s sound, slowly press
the accelerator while continuing to gradu-
ally release the clutch.
Gear changing
All forward gears are synchronized, which
provides for quiet, and easy changing.
Always depress the clutch pedal all the
way to the floor before shifting gears. Main-
tain the engine speed, so it does not get
into the red zone of tachometer.EXAMPLE
3-16
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
R (Reverse) Use this position to reverse the vehicle
from stop. Make sure that vehicle is com-
pletely stationary before shifting into
Reverse. N (Neutral) Use this position for starting the engine if
the engine stalls and you need to restart it
while the vehicle is moving. You may also
shift into Neutral and depress the brake
pedal to hold the vehicle stationary during
idling. D (Drive)Use this position for all normal driving. With
the gearshift lever in “D” range you can get
an automatic downshift by pressing the
accelerator pedal. The higher the vehicle
speed is, the more you need to press the
accelerator pedal to get a downshift. 2 (Low 2) Use this position to provide extra power
when climbing hills, or to provide engine
braking when going down hills. L (Low 1)Use this position to provide maximum-
power when climbing steep hills or driving
through deep snow or mud, or to provide
maximum engine braking when going
down steep hills.4-Speed Automatic Transmission
68LM324
(1) Overdrive off switch
68LM324
NOTICE
When downshifting to a lower gear,
make sure not to downshift at the
speed faster than the maximum
allowable speeds for the next lower
speed, or severe engine damage can
result.
WA R N I N G
Reduce your speed and downshift
to a lower gear before going down
a long or steep hill. A lower gear
will allow the engine to provide
braking. Avoid riding the brakes or
they may overheat, resulting in
brake failure.
When driving on slippery roads, be
sure to slow down before down-
shifting. Excessive and/or sudden
changes in engine speed may
cause loss of traction, which could
cause you to lose control.
NOTICE
Make sure that the vehicle is com-
pletely stationary before you shift
into reverse.
NOTICE
To help avoid clutch damage, do not
use the clutch pedal as a footrest
while driving or use the clutch to keep
the vehicle stationary on a slope.
Depress the clutch fully when shifting.
When shifting or starting off, do not
race the engine. Racing the engine
can shorten engine life and affect to
smooth shifting.
3-17OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
Overdrive off switchThe transmission is a 4-speed (3-speed
plus overdrive) automatic transmission. By
operating the overdrive off switch, the
transmission can be converted to a 3-
speed automatic transmission that will not
move to the overdrive position. To convert
the transmission to the 3-speed mode,
push in the overdrive off switch and
release it.
To return the transmission to the 4-speed
mode, push in the overdrive off switch
again.
When the ignition switch is turned to the
“ACC” position or the engine switch is
pressed to change the ignition mode to
“ACC”, the transmission in the 3-speed
mode is converted to the 4-speed mode
automatically.]
The 3-speed mode is suitable for the fol-
lowing driving conditions:
Driving on hilly, winding roads
– You can drive more smoothly with less
frequent gear changing
Going down a steep hill
– Some engine braking is provided
NOTE:
If you move the gearshift lever to a lower
gear while driving faster than the maximum
allowable speed for the lower gear, the
transaxle will not actually downshift until
your speed drops below the maximum
speed for the lower gear.
If You Cannot Shift Automatic trans-
mission Gearshift Lever Out of “P”
(PARK)Automatic transmission
Vehicles with an automatic transmission
have an electrically operated parklock fea-
ture. If the vehicle’s battery is discharged,
or there is some other electrical failure, the
automatic transmission cannot be shifted
out of Park in the normal way. Jump start-
ing may correct the condition. If not, follow
the procedure described below. This pro-
cedure will permit shifting the transmission
out of Park.
1) Be sure the parking brake is firmly
applied.
2) If the engine is running, stop the
engine.
3) Make sure the key is in the “ON” or
“ACC” position, or the ignition mode is
“ON” or “ACC”.
4) Remove the cover (1) over the button.
5) With the release button (1) pushed by
the key or the flat end rod, push the
NOTICE
Be sure to take the following precau-
tions to help avoid damage to the
automatic transmission :
Make sure that the vehicle is com-
pletely stationary before shifting
into “P” or “R”.
Do not shift from “P” or “N” to “R”,
“D”, “2”, or “L” when the engine is
running above idle speed.
Do not rev the engine with the
transmission in a drive position
(“R”, “D”, “2”, or “L”) and the front
wheels not moving.
NOTICE
Do not use the accelerator to hold
the vehicle on a hill. Use the vehi-
cle’s brakes.
(1)
(2)
3-19OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
engaging the clutch. When the gearshift
lever is in any of the positions “D”, “M” or
“R”, and you release your foot from the
brake pedal, the vehicle starts slowly with-
out depressing the accelerator pedal. The
creeping function is disabled if you depress
the brake pedal or pull up the parking
brake lever. Creep is not possible in man-
ual mode with 2nd gear engaged.
NOTE:
If the driver’s door is opened and/or the
parking brake lever is engaged with the
gear in the “M”, “D” or “R” position, the
creeping function will not operate.
Parking and Stopping the vehicle
Auto Gear Shift does not have a parking
position. The vehicle can be parked with
the gearshift lever at “D” or “R” position.
Remember, even though the transaxle is in
gear, you must set the parking brake firmly. Drive (D) mode
When the Drive (D) mode is activated, the
most appropriate gear position is automati-
cally selected upon operation of the accel-
erator pedal and variation of vehicle speed.
Normal driving:
1) Start the engine as instructed in “Start-
ing the engine” in this section.
2) With your foot on the brake pedal, shift
the gearshift lever to the “D” position.
When the gearshift lever is shifted to
the “D” position, the gear will be shifted
to 1st.
76MH0A057
NOTE:
If 1st gear cannot be engaged even
though the gearshift lever has been
shifted from the “N” to the “D” position,
the system will re-try shifting automati-
cally. This will take some time, noise
may be heard from the gears, and shift-
ing gear shock may occur. However,
they do not indicate a malfunction.
The “N” indicator will flash, the depress
brake pedal indicator will come on and a
warning buzzer (long pulse sound) will
sound if any of the following cases
occur;– If you shift the gearshift lever from the
“N” to the “D” position without depress-
ing the brake pedal
– If the system is unable to re-try shifting
You should depress the brake pedal and
shift the gearshift lever to “N” position,
then shift to “D” again.
3) Release the parking brake and brake
pedal.
4) Depress the accelerator pedal slowly.
NOTICE
A buzzer will sound continuously if
the vehicle is operated with the gear-
shift lever in-between of each shift
positions. The vehicle will become
inoperative if you continue to operate
the vehicle with the gearshift lever in-
between shift positions.
WA R N I N G
While driving the vehicle, do not
shift the gearshift lever to the “N”
position. The engine brake may not
work and you may get involved in
an unexpected accident. If you
return the gearshift lever from “N”
to “D” because of unintended shift-
ing, the gear position will be shifted
according to the current vehicle
speed.
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the
engine running. This operation pre-
vents the vehicle from moving due
to unintended activation of the
creeping function.
3-20
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
Starting off on an uphill/downhill:
Uphill1) Apply the parking brake firmly so that the
vehicle does not roll backwards.
2) Shift the gearshift lever to the “D” posi-
tion while depressing the brake pedal.
Make sure that the gear position indica-
tor in the instrumental cluster displays
1st gear.
3) Release the brake pedal and depress
the accelerator pedal gradually, and
when the vehicle starts to move, release
the parking brake and depress the accel-
erator pedal to start off.Downhill
1) Depress the brake pedal and shift the
gearshift lever to the “D” position. Make
sure that the gear is in 1st by checking
the gear position indicator.
2) Release the brake pedal and depress
the accelerator pedal slowly. Even if the
accelerator pedal is not depressed, the
clutch will be engaged when the vehicle
speed increases.Using engine braking:
When driving on a downhill slope, down-
shifting is recommended. So you can use
engine braking.
By placing the gearshift lever in the “M”
position, the Manual (M) mode is selected,
and you can shift to a lower gear manually.
For details of downshift operation, refer to
“Upshift and downshift” in the “Manual (M)
mode”.
Manual (M) mode
The gears are not shifted automatically. To
shift the transaxle, the driver must operate
the gearshift lever to the “+” or “–” direc-
tion. As for conventional manual transaxle
vehicles, releasing the accelerator pedal a
little may help the transaxle to shift
smoothly.
Upshift and downshift:
Upshifting
67LM3004
NOTICE
If the gearshift lever cannot shift into
any position, or the gear is changed
to “N” position automatically when
the vehicle speed becomes less than
10 km/h, there may be a systematic
malfunction. In this case, ask your
MARUTI SUZUKI dealer to inspect the
Auto Gear Shift system as soon as
possible.
NOTICE
Do not operate the system as
described below. The life cycle of the
clutch may be reduced.
Using the accelerator pedal to hold
the vehicle on an uphill slope with
the gearshift lever in the “D” or “M”
position. If you perform this opera-
tion for a certain period of time, a
warning buzzer will sound.
Shifting the gearshift lever to the
“D”, “M” or “R” position while rac-
ing the engine.
Driving at low speed using a high
gear.
Holding the vehicle on an uphill
slope using the creeping function.
If you perform this operation for a
certain period of time, a warning
buzzer will sound.
NOTICE
On an uphill slope, never hold the
vehicle at a stop using only the accel-
erator pedal or the creeping function.
If you perform this operation for a
certain period of time, a warning
buzzer will sound, and in some cases
the engine will stall. This can also
cause excessive damage to the
clutch.
-M+R
N
D-
3-21OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
Pull the gearshift lever to the “+” direction
and release it. Every time the lever is oper-
ated, the transaxle is upshifting 1 step in
the order of 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
gear.
76MH0A059
Downshifting
67LM3005
Push the gearshift lever to the “–” direction
and release it. Every time the lever is oper-
ated, the transaxle is downshifted in the
order 5th 4th 3rd 2nd 1st gear.
76MH0A061
The gear position is displayed on the gear
position indicator. The gear position indica-
tor shows the transaxle gear position.
Before starting off, always check the gear
position indicator to make sure that the
transaxle is engaged in 1st or reverse, then
depress the accelerator pedal. It is possi-
ble to start vehicle in 2nd gear using man-
ual mode, from stop condition.
NOTE:
Always use 1st gear while starting off on
an uphill slope, otherwise you may dam-
age the clutch.
NOTE:
To downshift smoothly, the engine runs
fast in some cases. This is done inten-
tionally by the system and is not a mal-
function.
When driving down a hill, downshift and
use the engine braking appropriately. If
necessary, continuous downshifting is
possible. However, if downshifting more
than 3 steps, gear shifting will take more
time.
When the gear is shifting, a noise can be
heard in some case. This is not a mal-
function.
-M+R
N
D-
WA R N I N G
Be careful when accelerating,
upshifting, downshifting or braking
on a slippery surface. Sudden
acceleration or engine braking
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid. While starting off on a slip-
pery or snowy roads, please use
2nd gear (if required).
To drive down a long or steep hill,
reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and
fail.
While driving the vehicle, do not
shift the gearshift lever to “N” posi-
tion. The engine brake may not
work and you may get involved in
an unexpected accident. If you
return the gearshift lever from “N”
to “M” because of unintended shift-
ing, the gear position will be shifted
according to the current vehicle
speed.
Do not apply the parking brake
while driving. Otherwise, it could
cause a skid and you may get
involved in an unexpected acci-
dent.