2-46
BEFORE DRIVING
74LH0-74E
Warning and Indicator Lights
Brake System Warning Light
65D477
For working check of this light, there are
following three different type of operations
depending on the vehicle's specification.
1) The light comes on briefly when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON”
position or the engine switch is pressed
to change the ignition mode to “ON”.
2) The light comes on when the parking
brake is engaged with the ignition
switch in the “ON” position or the igni-
tion mode “ON”.
3) The light comes on when under either
or both of above two conditions.
The light also comes on when the fluid in
the brake fluid reservoir falls below the
specified level.The light should go out after starting the
engine and fully releasing the parking
brake, if the fluid level in the brake fluid res-
ervoir is adequate.
The light also comes on together with the
ABS warning light when the rear brake
force control function (proportioning valve
function) of the ABS system fails.
If the brake system warning light comes on
while you are driving the vehicle, it may
mean that there is something wrong with
the vehicle’s brake system. If this happens,
you should:
1) Pull off the road and stop carefully.
2) Test the brakes by carefully starting and
stopping on the shoulder of the road.
3) If you determine that it is safe, drive
cautiously at low speed to the nearest
dealer for repairs,
or
4) Have the vehicle towed to the nearest
MARUTI SUZUKI dealer for repairs.NOTE:
Because the brake system is self-adjust-
ing, the fluid level will drop as the brake
pads become worn. Replenishing the
brake fluid reservoir is considered normal
periodic maintenance.
NOTE:
(Parking Brake Reminder Buzzer)
A buzzer sounds intermittently to remind
you to release the parking brake if you
start the vehicle without releasing the park-
ing brake. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the brake sys-
tem warning light turns off.
WA R N I N G
Remember that stopping distance
may be longer, you may have to push
harder on the pedal, and the pedal
may go down farther than normal.
WA R N I N G
If any of the following conditions
occur, you should immediately ask
your MARUTI SUZUKI dealer to
inspect the brake system.
• If the brake system warning light
does not go out after the engine
has been started and the parking
brake has been fully released.
• If the brake system warning light
does not come on when the igni-
tion switch is turned to the “ON”
position or the engine switch is
pressed to change the ignition
mode to “ON”.
• If the brake system warning light
comes on at any time during vehi-
cle operation.
3-9OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
PedalManual transaxle
80J2121
Automatic transaxle/Auto gear shift
80J2122
Clutch Pedal (1)(For manual transaxle)
The clutch pedal is used to disengage the
drive to the wheels when starting the
engine, stopping, or shifting the gearshift
lever. Depressing the pedal disengages
the clutch.
Brake Pedal (2)Your MARUTI SUZUKI vehicle is equipped
with front and rear drum brakes. Depress-
ing the brake pedal applies both sets of
brakes.
You may hear occasional brake squeal
when you apply the brakes. This is a nor-
mal condition caused by environmental
factors such as cold, wet, snow, etc.
Accelerator Pedal (3)This pedal controls the speed of the
engine. Depressing the accelerator pedal
increases power output and speed.
(2)
(1)
(3)EXAMPLE
(3)
(2)
EXAMPLE
WA R N I N G
Do not drive with your foot resting on
the clutch pedal. It could result in
excessive clutch wear, clutch dam-
age, or unexpected loss of engine
braking.
NOTICE
Do not pump the clutch pedal repeat-
edly. It may result in pressure built up
in the clutch circuit and damage to
the clutch system.
WA R N I N G
If brake squeal is excessive and
occurs each time the brakes are
applied, you should have the brakes
checked by your MARUTI SUZUKI
dealer.
WA R N I N G
Do 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.
Running-in: 6
Catalytic Converter: NO
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)
3-21OPERATING 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.
3-24
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
Parking
Unlike an automatic transaxle, 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
1) Apply the parking brake and the brake
pedal firmly.
2) While depressing the brake pedal, shift
the gearshift lever to the “R” position on
a downhill slope, and to the 1st position
in the drive (D) mode or the “M(1)” posi-
tion in the manual (M) mode on an
uphill slope and confirm the gear posi-tion by checking the gear position indi-
cator.
3) Stop the engine completely.
4) In the case of uphill/downhill slope,
release the parking brake and brake
pedal slowly in order to check the gear
is engaged.
5) After check the vehicle stopped by the
gear engaged, Apply the parking brake
and the brake pedal firmly again.
6) Get out of the vehicle and put chocks
under the wheels.
When you return to your vehicle, you must
remember to remove the wheel chocks.
NOTE:
After the engine is stopped or ignition
switch is OFF, the gear in the transaxle
does not change even if you shift the
gearshift lever in any position. Always
shift the gearshift lever before turn igni-
tion switch OFF.
Check the transaxle gear position by
looking at the gear position indicator,
then turn the ignition switch off to stop
the engine.
WA R N I N G
When stopping, for example, at a
traffic light, be sure to depress the
brake pedal firmly. For your safety,
apply the parking brake, too, when
stopping on a hill.
When racing the engine, make sure
that the gear is in the “N” position
by checking the gear position indi-
cator. If the accelerator is operated
with the gear in any other position,
the vehicle may move resulting in
an unexpected accident.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is running.
When leaving the vehicle, stop the
engine and park the vehicle with a
gear engaged. Remember, even
though the transaxle is in gear, you
must set the parking brake firmly. If
you need to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, apply the park-
ing brakes firmly, and shift the
gearshift lever to the “N” position
and confirm the neutral position by
checking the gear position indica-
tor. However basically don’t leave
the vehicle with the engine running.
Otherwise, the vehicle may move
unexpectedly and may cause an
accident.
NOTICE
On a slope, never hold the vehicle
at a stop using only the accelerator
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.
If the gearshift lever is operated
more than necessary, the system
may not allow operation of the
gearshift lever for a certain period
of time, and the gear may not be
shifted appropriately. Therefore, do
not operate the gearshift lever if not
necessary.
3-29OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
74LH0-74E
Warning and Indicator MessagesIf there is a problem or warning regarding
the parking sensor system, a buzzer and
the status of the indicator on the parking
sensor inform it. Follow its instruction.
The buzzer sounds intermittently. The
indicated sensor is contaminated. Wipe
it clean with a soft cloth. If the buzzer
does not stop after wiping, there may be
problem with the parking sensor system.
Have your vehicle inspected by an
authorized MARUTI SUZUKI dealer.The indicator does not come on when the
parking sensor switch is pressed. The indica-
tor goes off while operating. There may be a
problem with the parking sensor system,
Have your vehicle inspected by an authorized
MARUTI SUZUKI dealer.Braking
60G165S
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 (37 mph) will be
approximately 4 times greater than the
braking distance needed at 30 km/h (19
mph). Start to brake the vehicle when there
is plenty of distance between your vehicle
and the stopping point, and slow down
gradually.
Power-Assisted Brakes
(if equipped)Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes. If
power 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 when you depress the brake pedal and
reduces each time the pedal is pressed.
Apply smooth and even pressure to the
pedal. Do not pump the pedal.Brake Assist System (if equipped)When you slam the brakes on, the brake
assist system judges as an emergency
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 a clicking sound in
the brake pedal. This is normal and indi-
cates that the brake assist system is acti-
vated properly.
WA R N I N G
If water gets into the brake drums,
brake performance may become poor
and unpredictable. After driving
through water or washing the under-
side 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.
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.
4-3DRIVING TIPS
67LH3-74E
Keep the air cleaner clean
74LHM0404
If the air cleaner is clogged with dust, there
will be greater intake resistance, resulting
in decreased power output and increased
fuel consumption.
Keep weight to a minimum
Heavier the load, more fuel the vehicle
consumes. Take out any luggage or cargo
when it is not necessary.
Keep tire pressures correct
Underinflation of the tires can waste fuel
due to increased running resistance of the
tires. Keep your tires inflated to the correct
pressure shown on the label on the driver’s
door lock pillar.
Highway DrivingWhen driving at high speeds, pay attention
to the following:
Stopping distance progressivelyincreases with vehicle speed. Apply the
brakes far enough ahead of the stopping
point to allow for the extra stopping dis-
tance.
On rainy days, hydroplaning can occur. Hydroplaning is the loss of direct contact
between the road surface and the vehi-
cle’s tires due to a water film forming
between them. Steering or braking the
vehicle while hydroplaning can be very
difficult, and loss of control can occur.
Keep speed down when the road sur-
face is wet.
At high speeds, the vehicle may be affected by side winds. Therefore,
reduce speed and be prepared for unex-
pected 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
74LHM0405
When climbing steep hills, the vehicle
may begin to slow down and show a lack
of power. If this happens, you should
shift to a lower gear so that the engine
will again be operating in its normal
power range. Shift rapidly to prevent the
vehicle from losing momentum.
When driving down a hill, the engine should be used for braking by shifting to
next lower gear.
EXAMPLE
R
N
D
-
M+
EXAMPLE