4-1DRIVING TIPS
75RM4-01E
52D078S
Running-in
Catalytic converter
80G106
The purpose of the catalytic converter is to
minimize the amount of harmful pollutants
in your vehicle’s exhaust. Use of leaded
fuel in vehicles equipped with catalytic
converters is prohibited, because lead
deactivates the pollutant-reducing compo-
nents of the catalyst system.
The converter is designed to last the life of
the vehicle under normal usage and when
unleaded fuel is used. No special mainte-
nance is required on the converter. How-
ever, it is very important to keep the engine
properly tuned. Engine misfiring, which can
result from an improperly tuned engine,
may cause overheating of the catalytic
converter. This may result in permanent
WA R N I N G
• Fasten your seat belts at all times.Even though air bags are equipped
at the front seating positions, the
driver and all passengers should
be properly restrained at all times,
using the seat belts provided. Refer
to “Seat belts and child restraint
systems” section for instructions
on proper use of the seat belts.
• Never drive under the influence of
alcohol or other drugs. Alcohol and
drugs can seriously impair your
ability to drive safely, greatly
increasing the risk of injury to
yourself and others. You should
also avoid driving when you are
tired, sick, irritated or under stress.
NOTICE
The future performance and reliabil-
ity of the engine depends on the care
and restraint exercised during its
early life. It is especially important to
observe the following precautions
during the first 960 km (600 miles) of
vehicle operation.
•After starting, do not race theengine. Warm it up gradually.
• Avoid prolonged vehicle operation at a constant speed. Moving parts
will break in better if you vary your
speed.
• Start off from a stop slowly. Avoid full throttle starts.
• Avoid hard braking, especially during the first 320 km (200 miles)
of driving.
• Do not drive slowly with the trans- axle in a high gear.
• Drive the vehicle at moderate
engine speeds.
• Do not tow a trailer during the first 960 km (600 miles) of vehicle oper-
ation.
4-4
DRIVING TIPS
75RM4-01E
CVT
75RM296
• When climbing steep hills, the vehiclemay 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
the next lower gear.
Driving on slippery roads
60G089S
On wet roads, you shou ld drive at a lower
speed than you do on dry roads due to
possible slippage of tires during braking.
When driving on icy, snow-covered or
muddy roads, reduce your speed and
avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt braking,
or sharp steering movements.
4WD models
Your 4WD is designed to get better traction
on slippery roads than 2-wheel drive mod-
els. However, your 4WD will not have as
much traction in deep snow, mud or sand
as multipurpose 4WD vehicles. You should
not attempt to drive your 4WD in deep
snow, mud or sand. 4WD models are not
sport/utility vehicles, and are not designed
for off-road use.
WA R N I N G
Do not hold the brake pedal down too
long or too often while going down a
steep or long hill. This could cause
the brakes to overheat, resulting in
reduced braking efficiency. Failure to
take this precaution could result in
loss of vehicle control.
NOTICE
When descending a downhill, Never
turn the ignition key to “LOCK” posi-
tion or press the engine switch to
change the ignition mode to LOCK
(OFF). Emission control system and
CVT (if equipped) damage may result.
4-5DRIVING TIPS
75RM4-01E
Tire chainsTire chains should only be used if they are
needed to increase traction or are required
by law. Check that the chains you use are
the correct size for your vehicle’s tires.
Also check that there is enough clearance
between the fenders and the chains as
installed on the tires.
Install the chains on the front tires tightly,
according to the chain manufacturer’s
instructions. Retighten the chains after
driving about 1.0 km (1/2 mile) if neces-
sary. With the chains installed, drive slowly.
Stuck vehicleIf your vehicle gets stuck in snow, mud or
sand, follow the directions below:
1) Shift the transaxle back and forthbetween a forward range (or first gear
for manual transaxle/Auto Gear Shift)
and reverse. This will create a rocking
motion which may give you enough
momentum to free the vehicle. Press
gently on the accelerator to keep wheel
spinning to a minimum wheel rpm.
Remove your foot from the accelerator
while shifting.
Do not race the engine. Excessive
wheel spin will cause the tires to dig
deeper, making it more difficult to free
the vehicle.
NOTE:
If your vehicle is equipped with the ESP
®
and/or grip control system, you may have
to turn the systems off in order to spin the
wheels. 2) If your vehicle rema
ins stuck after a few
minutes of rocking, we recommend you
to consult your SUZUKI dealer or a road-
side assistance service. If a towing ser-
vice is not available in an emergency,
your vehicle may be temporarily towed by
a towing cable or chain secured to the
towing hook either on the front of the
vehicle or on the rear of the vehicle. Refer
to “Frame hooks” in the “OTHER CON-
TROLS AND EQUIPMENT” section.
NOTICE
• If you hear the chains hitting against the vehicle body while driv-
ing, stop and tighten them.
• If your vehicle is equipped with full wheel caps, remove the wheel caps
before installing the chains or the
wheel caps can be damaged by the
chain bands.
WA R N I N G
Do not allow anyone to stand near
the vehicle when you are rocking it,
and do not spin the wheels faster
than an indicated 40 km/h (25 mph)
on the speedometer. Personal injury
and/or vehicle damage may result
from spinning the wheels too fast.
NOTICE
Do not continue rocking the vehicle
for more than a few minutes. Pro-
longed rocking can cause engine
overheating or transaxle damage.
6-2
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
75RM4-01E
To w b a r sOnly use a tow bar that is designed to
attach to the chassis of your vehicle, and a
hitch that is designed to bolt to this tow bar.
We recommend that you use a genuine
SUZUKI tow bar (available as option), or
equivalent.Safety chainsAlways attach safety chains between your
vehicle and trailer. Cross safety chains
under the nose of the trailer so that the
nose will not drop to the road if the trailer
becomes separated from the tow bar. Fol-
low the manufacturer’s recommendation
for attaching safety chains. Always leave
just enough slack to permit full turning.
Never allow safety chains to drag on the
road.
Trailer lightsCheck that your trailer is equipped with
lights which meet local requirements.
Always check for the proper operation of
all trailer lights before you start to tow.Brakes
WA R N I N G
For vehicles equipped with the dual
camera brake support, if your vehicle
is used to tow a trailer, press the dual
camera brake support OFF switch
and turn off the dual camera brake
support. If not, unexpected acci-
dents related to the system being
turned on may occur.
NOTICE
Trailer towing puts additional stress
on the engine, drive train and brakes
of your vehicle. Never tow a trailer
during the first 960 km (600 miles) of
vehicle operation.
NOTICE
When towing by a vehicle with CVT
on a long steep hill, try to take some
rest on the way to prevent overheat
or damage of the engine or transaxle.
WA R N I N G
Never use a tow bar which attaches
to the axle or the bumper of your
vehicle.
WA R N I N G
Never attach safety chains to the
bumper of your vehicle. Secure con-
nections so that they cannot come
loose.
WA R N I N G
Never connect trailer lights directly
into your vehicle’s electrical system,
or electrical system damage may
occur.
WA R N I N G
If trailer brakes are used, follow all
instructions provided by the manu-
facturer. Never connect to the brake
system of your vehicle and never
take an electrical supply directly from
the wiring harness.
6-5VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
75RM4-01E
60A186
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• Be careful when overtaking othervehicles. Allow enough room for
your trailer before changing lanes,
and use turn signal lights properly
in advance.
• Slow down and shift into a lower gear before you reach long or steep
downhill grades. It is hazardous to
attempt downshifting while you are
descending a hill.
• Do not step on the brake pedal strongly. This could cause the
brakes to over-heat resulting in
reduced braking efficiency. Use
engine braking as much as possi-
ble.
• Because of the added trailer weight, your engine may overheat
on hot days when going up long or
steep hills. Pay attention to your
engine temperature. If the high
engine coolant temperature warn-
ing light (red color) indicates over-
heating, pull off the road and stop
the vehicle in a safe place. Refer to
“Engine trouble: Overheating” in
the “EMERGENCY SERVICE” sec-
tion.
WA R N I N G
When parking your vehicle and con-
nected trailer, always use the follow-
ing procedure:
1) Apply the vehicle’s brakes firmly.
2) Have another person place wheel
chocks under the wheels of the
vehicle and the trailer while you
are holding the brakes.
3) Slowly release the brakes until the wheel chocks absorb the load.
4) Fully engage the parking brake.
5) Manual transaxle – turn off the engine, then shift into reverse or
first gear.
Auto Gear Shift – shift into reverse
or first gear and check the gear
position indicator in the instru-
ment cluster to make sure that the
transaxle is engaged in 1st or
reverse, then turn off the engine.
CVT – shift into “P” (Park) and
turn off the engine.
When starting out after parking:
1) Depress the clutch and start the engine.
2) Shift into gear, release the parking brake, and slowly pull away from
the chocks.
3) Stop, apply the brakes firmly and hold them.
4) Have another person remove the
chocks.
7-23INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
75RM4-01E
Drive beltCheck that the drive belt tension is correct.
If the belt is too loose, insufficient battery
charging, engine overheating, poor power
steering, poor air conditioning, or exces-
sive belt wear can result. When you press
the belt with your thumb midway between
the pulleys, there should be a deflection
according to the following chart.
The belts should also be examined to
ensure that they are not damaged.
If you need to replace or adjust the belt
have it done by your SUZUKI dealer.K12C engine models
The drive belts tension is adjusted auto-
matically.
K12M engine models
75RM359
(1) Front
(2) Rear
(3) Generator
(4) Water pump
(5) Air conditioner compressor
(6) Tensioner pulley
Drive belt deflection
(100 N (10 kg, 22 lbs) press)
(a) 5.2 – 6.0 mm (0.20 – 0.24 in.)
Engine oil and filterSpecified oil K12C engine models
68PM00733
(1) Preferred
Check that the engine oil you use comes
under the quality classification as listed
below:
• ACEA A1/B1, A3/ B3, A3/B4, A5/B5
• API SL, SM, SN
• ILSAC GF-3, GF-4, GF-5
Select the appropriate oil viscosity accord-
ing to the above chart.
WA R N I N G
When the engine is running, keep
hands, hair, clothing, tools, etc. away
from the moving fan and drive belts.
(a) (4)(2) (1)
(3) (6) (5)
C Fo
o-30
-22
-20
10W-40
-4-10
14 32 50 68 86 104 010203040
10W-30
(1)
0W-20, 5W-30
0W-16
7-28
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
75RM4-01E
Engine coolantSelection of coolantTo maintain optimum performance and
durability of your engine, use SUZUKI gen-
uine coolant or equivalent.
NOTE:
If you use the engine coolant other than
the SUZUKI LLC: Super (Blue) for replace-
ment, follow the schedule of SUZUKI LLC:
Standard (Green). To see the detail of the
maintenance schedule, refer to “Periodic
maintenance schedule” in this section.
This type of coolant is the best for cooling
system for the following reasons:
• The coolant helps maintain properengine temperature.
• It gives proper protection against freez- ing and boiling.
• It gives proper protection against corro- sion and rust. Failure to use the proper coolant can dam-
age your cooling system. Your authorized
SUZUKI dealer can help you select the
proper coolant.
Coolant level checkCheck the coolant le
vel at the reservoir
tank, not at the radiator. With the engine
cool, the coolant level should be between
“FULL” and “LOW” marks.Adding coolant
NOTICE
SUZUKI LLC: Super (Blue) coolant;
This coolant is already diluted to the
proper percentage. Do not dilute with
distilled water additionally. Doing so
may result in the possibility of freez-
ing and/or overheating coolant.
NOTICE
To avoid damaging your cooling sys-
tem:
• Always use a high quality ethylene
glycol base non-silicate type cool-
ant diluted with distilled water at
the correct mixture concentration.
• Check that the proper mix is 50/50
coolant to distill ed water and in no
case higher than 70/30. Concentra-
tions greater than 70/30 coolant to
distilled water will cause overheat-
ing conditions.
• Do not use straight coolant nor plain water (except SUZUKI LLC:
Super (Blue)).
• Do not add extra inhibitors or addi- tives. They may not be compatible
with your cooling system.
• Do not mix different types of base coolants. Doing so may result in
accelerated seal wear and/or the
possibility of severe overheating
and extensive engine or CVT (if
equipped) damage.
WA R N I N G
Swallowing engine coolant can cause
severe injury or death. Inhaling cool-
ant mist or vapors or getting coolant
in your eyes could result in severe
injury.
• Do not drink antifreeze or coolantsolution. If swallowed, do not
induce vomiting. Immediately con-
tact a poison control center or a
physician.
• Avoid inhaling coolant mist or hot
vapors. If inhaled, remove to a
fresh air area.
• If coolant gets in the eyes, flush
with water and seek medical atten-
tion.
• Wash thoroughly after handling
coolant.
• Keep engine coolant out of the
reach of children and pets.
7-29INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
75RM4-01E
81PN200
If the coolant level is below “LOW” mark,
more coolant should be added. Remove
the reservoir tank cap and add coolant until
the reservoir tank level reaches “FULL”
mark. Never fill the reservoir tank above
“FULL” mark.Coolant replacementSince special procedures are required, ask
your authorized SUZUKI dealer for this job.
Air cleanerIf the air cleaner is clogged with dust, there
will be greater intake resistance, resulting
in decreased power output and increased
fuel consumption.
(For K12C engine model)
81P60030
1) Remove the duct (1).
NOTICE
SUZUKI LLC: Super (Blue) coolant;
This coolant is already diluted to the
proper percentage. Do not dilute with
distilled water additionally. Doing so
may result in the possibility of freez-
ing and/or overheating coolant.
NOTICE
SUZUKI LLC: Standard (Green) cool-
ant;
• The mixture you use should con-tain 50% concentration of anti-
freeze.
• If the lowest ambient temperature in your area is expected to be –35°C
(–31°F) or below, use higher con-
centrations up to 60% following the
instructions on the antifreeze con-
tainer.
NOTICE
When putting the cap on the reser-
voir tank, line up the mark on the cap
and the mark on the tank. Failure to
follow this can result in coolant leak-
age.
FULL
LOW
( Ο Ν 0 3 / (
(1)