
2-109BEFORE DRIVING
75RM4-01E
Electric power steering light
79J039
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. When the engine is started, the
light goes out.
If this light comes on while driving, the
power steering system may not work prop-
erly. Have the system inspected by your
SUZUKI dealer.
NOTE:
The following steering wheel operations
may gradually take more effort while park-
ing or driving at a very low speed. This is
not a malfunction of the steering system,
but the power steering control system lim-
its the power assist in order to prevent it
from overheating.
• The steering wheel is operated veryoften.
• The steering wheel is kept in a fully turned position for a long while.
When the power steering control system
cools down, the powe r steering system will
return to its original condition. However, repeating these operations could
cause damage to the power steering sys-
tem.
NOTE:
If the power steering system does not work
properly, it will require greater effort to
steer, but you still will be able to steer.
NOTE:
If the steering is operated, you may hear
noise caused by electric power steering
operation. This is normal and indicates that
the power steering system works properly.
High engine coolant temperature warning light (red color)
54G344
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. If this light blinks while
driving, it means the engine is running hot.
Avoid driving conditions that may lead to
actual overheating. If the light stays on
without blinking, then the engine is over-
heating. Follow the instructions in “Engine
trouble: Overheating” in the “EMER-
GENCY SERVICE” section.
NOTICE
Continuing to drive the vehicle when
engine overheating is indicated can
result in severe engine damage.

3-1OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
Exhaust gas warning
52D334
Daily inspection checklistBefore driving
60A187S
1) Check that windows, mirrors, lights andreflectors are clean and unobstructed.
2) Visually check the ti res for the following
points:
– the depth of the tread groove
– abnormal wear, cracks and damage
– loose wheel nuts
– existence of foreign material such as
nails, stones, etc.
Refer to “Tires” in the “INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE” section for details.
3) Look for fluid and oil leakage.
WA R N I N G
Avoid breathing exhaust gases.
Exhaust gases contain carbon mon-
oxide, a potentially lethal gas that is
colorless and odorless. Since carbon
monoxide is difficult to detect by
itself, take the following precautions
to help prevent carbon monoxide
from entering your vehicle.
• Do not leave the engine running in
garages or other confined areas. (Continued)
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• Do not park with the engine run-
ning for a long period of time, even
in an open area. If it is necessary to
sit for a short time in a parked vehi-
cle with the engine running, check
that the air intake selector is set to
FRESH AIR and the blower is at
high speed.
• Avoid operating the vehicle with the tailgate or tr unk open. If it is
necessary to do so, check that the
sunroof (if equipped) and all win-
dows are closed, and the blower is
at high speed with the air intake
selector set to FRESH AIR.
• To allow proper operation of your vehicle’s ventilation system, keep
the air inlet grill in front of the wind-
shield clear of snow, leaves or
other obstructions at all times.
• Keep the exhaust tailpipe area clear
of snow and other material to help
reduce the buildup of exhaust
gases under the vehicle. This is
particularly important when parked
in blizzard conditions.
• Have the exhaust system inspected
periodically for damage and leak-
age. Any damage or leakage
should be repaired immediately.

3-2
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
NOTE:
It is normal for water to drip from the air
conditioning system after use.
4) Check that the hood is fully closed andlatched.
5) Check the headlights, turn signal lights, brake lights and horn for proper opera-
tion.
6) Adjust the seat and head restraint.
7) Check the brake pedal and the parking brake lever.
8) Adjust the mirrors.
9) Check that you and all passengers have properly fastened your seat belts.
10)Check that all warning lights come on as the ignition switch is turned to “ON”
position or the engine switch is pressed
to change the ignition mode to ON.
11)Check all gauges.
12)Check 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) Lead-acid battery solution level
5) Windshield washer fluid level
6) Hood latch operation Pull the hood release handle inside the
vehicle. Check that you cannot open the hood all the way without releasing
the secondary latch. Close the hood
securely after checking for proper latch
operation. See the item “All latches,
hinges and locks” of “Chassis, body
and others” in “Maintenance schedule”
in the “INSPECTION AND MAINTE-
NANCE” section for lubrication sched-
ule.
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 consumption
depends on viscosity and quality of the oil
and your driving conditions.
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 oil
consumption only after approximately
5000 km (3000 miles) driving.
Oil consumption:
Max. 1.0 L per 1000 km
(1 Qt. per 600 miles)
When judging the amount of oil consump-
tion, note that the oil may become diluted
and it is difficult to judge the accurate 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 (600 miles) or more of driv-
ing. This is because the oil gradually
becomes diluted with fuel or moisture,
WA R N I N G
Check that the hood is fully closed
and latched before d riving. If it is not,
it can fly up unexpectedly during
driving, obstructing your view and
resulting in an accident.

3-12
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
PedalManual transaxle
80J2121
Auto Gear Shift or CVT
80J2122
Clutch pedal (1)A 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 SUZUKI vehicle is equipped with front
disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Depressing a 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)An accelerator 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.
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 SUZUKI dealer.
WA R N I N G
Do not apply brakes continuously or
rest your foot on the brake pedal.
This will result in overheating of the
brakes which could cause unpredict-
able braking action, longer stopping
distances, or permanent brake dam-
age.

3-26
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
Starting the engine
When starting the engine, always place the
gearshift lever in the “N” position and
depress the brake pedal firmly. The engine
cannot be started unless the gearshift
lever is in the “N” position and the brake
pedal is depressed.
If you parked vehicle with gear engaged on
last time (if you can see “1” or “R”), shift
into “N” (Neutral) and depress the brake
pedal. Hold the brake pedal while starting
the engine. You can hear buzzer in short
time.
NOTE:
If you start the engine without the gearshift
lever in the “N” position, the gear position
indicator in the instrument cluster will blink.
Clutch operation
You can select either the Drive (D) mode or
the Manual (M) mode. Since this vehicle
controls clutch operation electronically in
either mode, you do not need to operate
the clutch.Creeping function
This vehicle has a creeping function that
helps the vehicle to start smoothly by
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.
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. Park the vehicle with a gear
engaged. Make sure that the gearshift
lever is “D”, “M”, or “R”.
Also, check the instrument cluster to make
sure that the transaxle is engaged in “1” or
“R” position.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.
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 malfunction.
• The “N” indicator will flush, 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.
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.

3-31OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
• The system will not allow shifting to the“R” position if the vehicle speed is over
about 3 km/h (2 mph). If the gearshift
lever is operated under this condition,
the “N” indicator in the instrument cluster
will blink. However, when the vehicle
speed drops below about 3 km/h (2
mph), the gear will be shifted to reverse.
Make sure that the vehicle has stopped
completely before shifting to the “R”
position. Stopping
The vehicle can be stopped by depressing
the brake pedal regardless of the gear
position. This is because the clutch is auto-
matically disengaged to prevent the engine
from stopping.
• If the gearshift lever is in the “D” position,
the gear will be downshifted to 1st when
the vehicle stops.
• If the gearshift lever is in the “M” posi- tion, the gear will be downshifted to 1st
when the vehicle stops.
NOTICE
On a downhill 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.
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. (Continued)
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• When leaving the vehicle, stop the
engine and park the vehicle with a
gear engaged. If you need to leave
the vehicle with the engine running,
apply the parking brakes firmly,
and shift the gearshift lever to the
“N” position. Otherwise, the vehi-
cle may move unexpectedly and
may cause an accident.
NOTICE
• On a slope, never hold the vehicleat 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.

3-36
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
Automatically stopping/restarting of the engineManual transaxle vehicles
1) With the brake pedal depressed, decel-erate the vehicle.
75RM280
2) When decelerating at approximately 15km/h (9 mph) or below with the clutch
pedal depressed and the gearshift lever
shifted to “N”, and then release the
clutch pedal, the engine will stop auto-
matically.
The ENG A-STOP indicator light
(green) in the instrument cluster will
come on.
• The ENG A-STOP system will notstop the engine automatically if all the
automatic engine stop conditions are
not met.
For details, refer to the section, “Oper- ating conditions of ENG A-STOP sys-
tem”.
• During the automatic engine stop, the
engine may shut down, accompanied
by an interior buzzer or restarted, to
ensure safety.
For details, refer to the section, “Pre-
cautions of when the engine is
stopped automatically”.
NOTE:
• Engine auto stop function during decel- eration will be ready once the vehicle
runs at a speed exceeding 10 km/h
(6 mph) after restart of the engine.
• Even if the engine di d not stop automati-
cally before the vehicle came to a stop
(still traveling at approximately 15 km/h
(9 mph) or below), the engine may stop
automatically once the vehicle stops.
• If the engine stalled by a rapid clutch operation, the engine may restart when
the gearshift lever is in “N” (Neutral)
position, the clutch lever is depressed,
and other standby conditions are met.
NOTICE
Since models equipped with this sys-
tem use a lead-acid battery specifi-
cally for the high-efficiency ENG A-
STOP system, observe the following
precautions. Failure to observe these
precautions may result in a malfunc-
tion of the system or a shortened bat-
tery life.
• When replacing the battery, onlyuse the specified type. (Do not use
any other type of battery.)
• Do not power electrical accesso- ries from the battery terminals.
EXAMPLE
NOTICE
During the automatic engine stop, do
not shift the gearshift lever to a posi-
tion other than “N” without depress-
ing the clutch pedal. If the gear shift
lever is in a position other than “N”,
the engine will not restart automati-
cally even if the clutch pedal is
depressed.

3-50
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
Be careful of the following when operat-
ing with the cruise control
Even if your vehicle is equipped with the
dual camera brake support, it cannot auto-
matically adjust to the speed of the vehicle
in front of you. Turn off the cruise control
system if you cannot operate safely at a
cruising speed.
Even in the following conditions, the set
indicator (5) will not go off and the cruising
speed will not be canceled.
• When the frontal collision warning isworking. If you depress the brake pedal,
the cruise speed will be canceled tempo-
rarily.
• When the stereo camera detects dirt on
the windshield and the dual camera
brake support stops functioning. For
safety purposes, push the cruise switch
(1) to turn off the cru ise indicator (4).
If the automatic brake system is working,
the cruise indicator (4) will turn off and the
cruise control system will be canceled.
Once you have determined that the condi-
tions are once again safe, reset the cruise
speed.
Changing speed temporarilyWhen the cruising speed is maintained,
you can temporarily accelerate or deceler-
ate.
To accelerate, depre ss the accelerator
pedal. When you take your foot off the
pedal, your vehicle will return to the set
speed.
To decelerate, depress the brake pedal.
The set speed will be canceled and the set
indicator (5) or “SET” indicator light (7) will
go off.
To resume the previously set speed, push
up the “RES +/SET –” switch (3) and turn
on the set indicator (5) or “SET” indicator
light (7) again when vehicle speed is
above 45 km/h (28 mph). The vehicle will
accelerate to and maintain the previously
set speed.
NOTE:
For CVT with manual mode or Auto Gear
Shift vehicle, when the cruising speed is
maintained, you cannot decelerate by
using the engine brake even if you down-
shift from higher gear to 3rd in the manual
mode.
To decelerate while the cruise control is
on, depress the brake pedal or push down
the “RES +/SET –” switch (3).
Changing cruising speedUsing the accelerator pedal
To reset at a faster cruising speed, accel-
erate to the desired speed using the accel-
erator pedal and push down the “RES +/
SET –” switch (3). The new speed will be
maintained.
Using the brake pedal
To reset at a slower cruising speed, decel-
erate to the desired speed using the brake
pedal and push down the “RES +/SET –”
switch (3). The new speed will be main-
tained.
NOTE:
When the brake pedal is depressed, the
set indicator (5) or “ SET” indicator light (7)
goes off until the cruising speed is reset.
Using “RES +/ SET –” switch
To reset at a faster cruising speed, press
repeatedly or hold push up the “RES +/
SET –” switch (3). Vehicle speed will
steadily increase. When you release the
switch, the new speed will be maintained.
To reset at a slower cruising speed, press
repeatedly or hold push down the “RES +/
SET –” switch (3) until the vehicle has
slowed to the desired speed, and then
release the switch. The new speed will be
maintained.