2-102
BEFORE DRIVING
75RM4-01E
Refer to “Tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS)” in the “OPERATING YOUR VEHI-
CLE” section for additional details on the
tire pressure monitoring system. Refer to
“Tires” in the “INSPECTION AND MAIN-
TENANCE” section for information on
maintaining proper tire pressure.
WA R N I N G
The load-carrying capacity of your
tires is reduced at lower inflation
pressures. If your tires are even mod-
erately under-inflated, the load on the
tires may exceed the load-carrying
capacity of the tires, which could lead
to tire failure. The low tire pressure
warning light will not alert you to this
condition, because it only comes on
when one or more of your tires
becomes significan tly under-inflated.
Check and adjust your tire inflation
pressure at least once a month. Refer
to “Tires” in the “INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE” section.
WA R N I N G
Continuing to drive with the low tire
pressure warning light on can lead to
an accident, resulting in severe injury
or death.
If the low tire pressure warning light
comes on and stays on, reduce your
speed and avoid abrupt steering and
braking. Be aware that driving on a
significantly unde r-inflated tire can
cause the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure, and may affect
steering control and brake effective-
ness. Stop the vehicle in a safe place
as soon as possible and check your
tires.
• If you have a flat tire, replace it with
the spare tire (if e quipped). Refer to
“Jacking instructions” in the
“EMERGENCY SERVICE” section
for the tire replacement method.
Also refer to “Replacing tires and/
or wheels” for instructions on how
to restore normal operation of the
TPMS after you have had a flat tire. (Continued)
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• If your vehicle is equipped with a
flat tire repair kit instead of a spare
tire, refer to “Flat tire repair kit (if
equipped)” in the “EMERGENCY
SERVICE” section for instructions
on how to perform an emergency
repair of a flat tire.
• If one or more of your tires is under-inflated, adjust the inflation
pressure of all tires to the recom-
mended inflation pressure as soon
as possible.
3-11OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
NOTE:
(For Auto Gear Shift Model)
For details on how to use the gearshift
lever to park the vehicle, refer to “Parking”
in “Auto Gear Shift” in this section.
Parking brake reminder buzzerA buzzer sounds intermittently to remind
you to release the parking brake if you
start the vehicle without releasing the park-
ing brake. Check that the parking brake is
fully released and the brake system warn-
ing light turns off.
WA R N I N G
Always set the parking brake fully
before leaving your vehicle or it may
move, causing injury or damage.
When parking, check that the gear-
shift lever is in one of the following
positions;
• 1st gear or “R” (Reverse) for man-ual transaxle vehicles.
• “P” (Park) for CVT vehicles.
• “D”, “M” or “R” for Auto Gear Shift vehicles. Also, check the instru-
ment cluster to make sure that the
transaxle is engaged in “1” or “R”
position.
Remember, even though the tran-
saxle is in gear or in Park, you must
set the parking brake fully.
WA R N I N G
When parking the vehicle in
extremely cold weather, the following
procedure should be used:
1) Set the parking brake.
2) Manual transaxle – turn off the
engine, then shift into reverse or
first gear.
Auto Gear Shift – shift into “D”,
“M” or “R” and check the gear
position indicator in the instru-
ment cluster to make sure that the
transaxle is engaged in “1” or “R”
position, then tur n off the engine.
CVT – shift into “P” (Park) and
turn off the engine.
3) Get out of the vehicle and put
chocks under the wheels.
4) Release the parking brake. When you return to your vehicle,
first set the parking brake, and
then remove the wheel chocks.
WA R N I N G
Do not leave cigarette lighters, spray
cans, soft drink cans or plastic arti-
cles (such as glasses, CD cases, etc.)
in sun-heated vehicle. The tempera-
ture inside the vehicle may cause as
follows:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can and may lead
to a fire.
• The glasses, plastic cards or CD cases, etc. may deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture.
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.
3-21OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
M (manual mode) (models with manual
mode)
Use this position for driving in the manual
mode.
Refer to “Manual mode” later in this section
for details on how to use the manual mode.
L (Low) (models with switch of S-mode)
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. Switch of S-mode (models with switch
of S-mode)
75RM051
(1) Switch of S-mode
Switch of S-mode is ON
This mode is suitable when driving on hills
and/or rough roads.
• It will engage the engine brake when driving on down hills.
• It helps to operate powerful and smooth driving on up hills or rough roads with
stable engine revolutions. Switch of S-mode is OFF
This mode is suitable for normal driving.
• You can keep low fuel consumption with
less noise.
• Each time you press the switch, ON and OFF is switched.
• When the switch of S-mode is turned on, the S-mode indicator comes on.
• When you start the engine, the switch of
S-mode will be OFF.
NOTICE
Be sure to take the following precau-
tions to help avoid damage to the
CVT:
• 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”, “M” or “L” wh en the engine is
running above idle speed.
• Do not rev the engine with the transaxle in a drive position (“R”,
“D”, “M” or “L”) and the front
wheels not moving.
• Do not use the accelerator to hold the vehicle on a hill. Use the vehi-
cle’s brakes.
(1)
EXAMPLE
3-61OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
Situations where the system may not
activate properly
Under the following situations, the system
may not activate.
• When driving on continuous curves
• When the vehicle speed changes
extremely
• Right after lane changing
If the stereo camera cannot detect partition
lines except for above situations, the sys-
tem may also not activ ate. Refer to “Situa-
tions where the stereo camera may not
activate properly” in this section for details.
Dual camera brake support OFF switchYou can turn off the dual camera brake
support.
• In the following situations, push and hold the dual camera brake support OFF
switch as unexpected dangers may be
possible if it is activated.
– When the vehicle is placed upon a tes-ter such as when undergoing a vehicle
inspection
– When the vehicle is put up on a lift, and the tires are idling
– When the vehicle is being towed
– When the vehicle is being carried on a car carrier
– When the vehicle is being operated on
a race track
– When there is vinyl curtains or pendu- lous branches in front of the vehicle
– When driving in the field covered with grown grass
– When using an aut omatic car washer
– When the vehicle is placed upon a car elevator or placed in a mechanical
parking lot
– With a spare tire or tire chains equipped
– When you have a temporarily repaired
flat tire
– When you have an accident or break- down
– When the automatic brake system is activated more than necessary – When tires are not inflated to the rec-
ommended tire inflation pressure
– With worn tires equipped
– With non-specified sized tires or wheels equipped
– With a modified su spension equipped
– When attaching an item which inter- feres with the visibility of the stereo
camera
– When the headlights are covered in dirt
– When the optical axis of the headlight
is deviated
– With modified headlights and/or front fog lights equipped
– When the vehicle is being weighed down by heavy items
– When the vehicle is used to tow a trailer
75RM308
(2)
(1)
3-76
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
Brake assist systemWhen you slam the brakes on, the brake
assist system determines it to be an emer-
gency 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 clicking sound by
the brake assist system operation. This is
normal and indicates that the brake assist
system is activated properly.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)ABS will help you avoid skidding by elec-
tronically controlling braking pressure. It
will also help you maintain steering control
when braking on slippery surfaces or when
braking hard.
The ABS works automatically, so you do
not need any special braking technique.
Just push the brake pedal down without
pumping. The ABS will operate whenever
it senses that the wheels are locking up.
You may feel the brake pedal move a little
while the ABS is operating.
NOTE:
• The ABS will not work if vehicle speed is under about 9 km/h (6 mph).
• If the ABS system is activated, you may
hear a clunking noise and/or feel pulsat-
ing in the brake pedal. This is normal
and indicates that the brake fluid pres-
sure is being controlled properly.
• You may hear an operation sound when you start the engine or after the vehicle
begins to move. This means that the
above systems are in the self-check
mode. This sound does not indicate a
malfunction.
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.
WA R N I N G
• On some types of loose surfaces (such as gravel, snow-covered
roads, etc.), the stopping distance
required for a vehicle with ABS
may be slightly greater than the
one required for a comparable vehi-
cle with a conventional brake sys-
tem. With a conventional brake
system, skidding tires are able to
plow the gravel or snow layer,
shortening the stopping distance.
ABS minimizes this resistance
effect. Allow for extra stopping dis-
tance when driving on loose sur-
faces.
• On regular paved roads, some driv-
ers may be able to obtain slightly
shorter stopping distances with
conventional brake systems than
with ABS.
• In both of the above conditions, ABS will still offer the advantage of
helping you maintain directional
control. However, remember that
ABS will not compensate for bad
road or weather conditions or poor
driver judgment. Use good judg-
ment and do not drive too fast.
3-77OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
54MN069
(1) ABS warning light
(2) Brake system warning light
How ABS worksA computer continuously monitors wheel
speed. The computer compares the
changes in wheel speed when braking. If
the wheels slow suddenly, indicating a
skidding situation, the computer will
change braking pressure several times
each second to prevent the wheels from
locking. When you start your vehicle or
when you accelerate after a hard stop, you
may hear a momentary motor or clicking
noise as the system resets or checks itself.
(1)
(2)
WA R N I N G
• If the ABS warning light (1) on theinstrument cluster comes on and
stays on while driving, there may
be a problem with the ABS system.
Ask your SUZUKI dealer to inspect
the ABS system immediately. If the
ABS system becomes inoperative,
the brake system will function as
an ordinary brake system that has
no ABS.
• If the ABS warning light (1) and the
brake system warning light (2) on
the instrument cluster simultane-
ously stay on or come on while
driving, both anti-lock function and
rear brake force control function
(proportioning valve function) of
the ABS system may have failed. If
so, the rear wheels may easily skid
or the vehicle can even spin in the
worst case when braking on a slip-
pery road or when hard braking
even on a dry paved road. Ask your
SUZUKI dealer to inspect the ABS
system immediately. Drive care-
fully, avoiding hard braking as
much as possible.
WA R N I N G
The ABS may not work properly if
tires or wheels other than those
specified in the owner’s manual are
used. This is because the ABS works
by comparing changes in wheel
speed. When replacing tires or
wheels, use only the size and type
specified in this owner’s manual.
3-78
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
Electronic stability program (ESP
®) (if equipped)
ESP
® is a registered trademark of Daimler
AG.
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®)
helps to control the vehicle during corner-
ing if front wheels or rear wheels skid. It
also assists you in maintaining traction
while accelerating on loose or slippery
road surfaces. It does this by regulating
the engine’s output, and by selectively
applying the brakes. In addition, ESP®
helps to avoid skidding by controlling brak-
ing pressure. The ESP
® has the following three sys-
tems:
Stability control systemThe vehicle stability control system helps
provide integrated control of systems such
as anti-lock brakes, traction control, engine
control, etc. This system automatically
controls the brakes and engine to help pre-
vent the vehicle from skidding when cor-
nering on a slippery road surface or when
turning the steering wheel abruptly.Traction control systemThe traction control system automatically
helps prevent the spinning of wheels when
the vehicle is started or accelerated on
slippery road surfaces. The system oper-
ates only if it senses that some of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction. When this happens, the system
operates the front or rear brakes and
reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)ABS will help you avoid skidding by elec-
tronically controlling braking pressure. It
will also help you maintain steering control
when braking on slippery surfaces or when
braking hard. The ABS works automati-
cally, so you do not have to use any spe-
cial braking technique. Just push the brake
pedal down wit hout pumping. The ABS will
operate whenever it senses that wheels
are locking up. You may feel the brake
pedal pulsate while the ABS is operating.
(For more information on ABS, see “Brak-
ing” in this section.)
NOTE:
The ABS will not work if vehicle speed is
under about 9 km/h (6 mph).
WA R N I N G
The ESP
® cannot enhance the vehi-
cle’s driving stability in all situations
and does not control your vehicle’s
entire braking system. The ESP
® can-
not prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed
in turns, or hydroplaning. Only safe
and attentive drive can prevent acci-
dents. The capabilities of an ESP
®-
equipped vehicle must never be used
as a substitute for careful driving.
WA R N I N G
• The ESP
® may not work properly if
tires or wheels other than those
specified in the owner’s manual are
used. When replacing tires or
wheels, use only the size and type
specified in this owner’s manual.
• The ESP® may not work properly if
tires are not inflated to the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure.
• The ESP® may not work properly if
tires are fitted wi th tire chains.
(Continued)