2020 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA maintenance

3-2
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
54P00-01E
NOTE:
It is normal for water to drip from the air
conditioning system after use.
4) Check that the hood is fully closed and
latched.
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) Battery solution level
5) Windshield washer fluid level
6) Hood latch operation
Pull the hood release handle inside the
vehicle. Check that you cannot openthe 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 “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 consumption
It 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 driving. If it is not,
it can fly up unexpectedly during
driving, obstructing your view and
resulting in an accident.

3-24
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
54P00-01E
the other hand, the driving mode does not
return to the LOCK mode automatically. You
should select the LOCK mode according to
the driving conditions.
NOTE:
• The information display shows current
driving mode.
• When the ignition switch is turned to
“ON” position or the engine switch is
pressed to change the ignition mode to
“ON”, the AUTO mode is selected auto-
matically.
• The driving mode switch can be oper-
ated when the vehicle is either stopped
or moving.
• Check that the front wheels are in the
straight ahead position when operating
the driving mode switch.
• While making turns or accelerating and
decelerating, operating the driving mode
switch, turning the ignition switch to
“ACC” or “LOCK” position or pressing
the engine switch to change the ignition
mode to “ACC” or “LOCK” may cause a
shock, but this is not a system malfunc-
tion.
• When you operate your vehicle under
conditions that involve wheel spin, such
as driving off-road in the sand or water
or when a wheel has run off the road, the
difference in the amount of revolution
between front wheels and rear wheels
increases (wheels run idle). If this state
continues, the oil temperature of the
driving system parts increases. The 4WD warning light warns of this
condition by blinking. At the same time,
the information display shows this mes-
sage: “AWD SYSTEM HIGH TEMP
AWD IS OFF”.
57L30042
When the 4WD warning light blinks, park
the vehicle at a safe place and run the
engine idle. After a while, the 4WD warn-
ing light will go out and the system will
resume.
Warning and indicator messages
The information display shows the warning
and indicator message when the four-
mode 4WD system is operated, or has a
problem.
NOTICE
• Note that 4WD vehicles are not all-
around vehicles. Observe the fol-
lowing instructions when driving
your vehicle.
– Do not drive through water such
as by crossing a river.
– Do not drive continuously in
places such as sand and mud
where front wheels tend to race.
– When any wheel is in the air for
such reason as running off the
road, do not race it needlessly.
(Continued)
NOTICE
(Continued)
• If the 4WD warning light comes on
or blinks when driving, there may
be something wrong with the four-
mode 4WD system. Have the sys-
tem inspected by an authorized
SUZUKI dealer.
NOTICE
Unevenly worn tires can cause prob-
lems with the 4WD system. Rotate the
tires according to the maintenance
schedule. Refer to “Tires” and “Main-
tenance schedule” in “INSPECTION
AND MAINTENANCE” section for
proper tire rotation procedure.

3-84
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
54P00-01E
affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping
ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substi-
tute for proper tire maintenance, and it is
the driver’s responsibility to maintain cor-
rect tire pressure, even if under-inflation
has not reached the level to trigger illumi-
nation of the TPMS low tire pressure tell-
tale.
WA R N I N G
Relying only on the tire pressure
monitoring system to determine
when it is necessary to add air to the
tires can result in loss of control or
an accident.
Check tire inflation pressures
monthly when the tires are cold. If
necessary, adjust them to the recom-
mended inflation pressure as speci-
fied on the vehicle’s tire information
placard and in this owner’s manual.
Refer to “Tires” in “INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE” section.
WA R N I N G
Failure to take corrective action when
the low tire pressure warning light is
not working or when it comes on and
blinks while driving can lead to an
accident.
If the low tire pressure warning light
does not come on for 2 seconds after
the ignition switch is turned to “ON”
position or the engine switch is
pressed to change the ignition mode
to “ON”, or comes on and blinks
while driving, have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized SUZUKI
dealer. Even if the light turns off after
blinking, indicating that the monitor-
ing system has recovered, you
should still have the system checked
by your authorized SUZUKI dealer.
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 significantly under-inflated.
Check and adjust your tire inflation
pressure at least once a month. Refer
to “Tires” in “INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE” section.

4-5
DRIVING TIPS
54P00-01E
Stuck vehicle
If your vehicle gets stuck in snow, mud or
sand, follow the directions below:
1) Shift the transaxle back and forth
between a forward range (or first gear
for manual transaxle) 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
®,
you may have to turn the ESP® system off
in order to spin the wheels.
2) If your vehicle remains stuck after a few
minutes of rocking, we recommend you
to consult your SUZUKI dealer or a
roadside assistance service. If a towing
service is not available in an emer-
gency, 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
“OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIP-
MENT” section.
54G638S
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.
WA R N I N G
In addition to following the driving
tips in this section, it is important to
observe the following precautions.
• Check that your tires are in good
condition and always maintain the
specified tire pressure. Refer to
“Tires” in “INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE” section for
details.
(Continued)

5-30
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
Head cooled/Feet warmed heating
Select BI-LEVEL and FRESH AIR, the
temperature selector to the desired tem-
perature position, and the blower speed
selector to the desired blower speed posi-
tion. Unless the temperature selector is in
the fully cold position or fully hot position,
the air that comes out of the center and
side outlets will be cooler than the air that
comes out of the floor outlets.
Normal cooling
Set the air flow selector to VENTILATION,
the temperature selector to the desired tem-
perature position and the blower speed
selector to the desired blower speed posi-
tion, and turn on “A/C” switch. Setting the
blower speed selector to a higher blower
speed position increases cooling efficiency.
You can switch the air intake selector to
either FRESH AIR or RECIRCULATED
AIR as you desire. Choosing RECIRCU-
LATED AIR increases cooling efficiency.
Quick cooling (using recirculated air)
The control settings are the same as for
normal cooling except you select RECIR-
CULATED AIR and the highest blower
speed.NOTE:
• If you select RECIRCULATED AIR for an
extended period of time, the air in the
vehicle can become contaminated.
Therefore, you should occasionally
select FRESH AIR.
• If your vehicle has been left in the sun
with the windows closed, it will cool
faster if you open the windows briefly
while you operate the air conditioner with
the air intake selector at FRESH AIR and
the blower at high speed.
Dehumidifying
Set the air flow selector to a desired air
flow selector position, the temperature
selector to the desired temperature posi-
tion and the blower speed selector to the
desired blower speed position. Also select
FRESH AIR and turn on “A/C” switch.
NOTE:
Because the air conditioner dehumidifies
the air, turning it on will help keep the win-
dows clear, even when blowing heated air
using DEFROST or HEAT & DEFROST
functions.
54P000540
NOTE:
If you need maximum defrosting:
• select DEFROST and FRESH AIR,
• set the blower speed selector to high,
• adjust the temperature selector to the
hot end,
• turn on “A/C” switch, and
• adjust the side outlets so the air blows
on the side windows.
Maintenance
If you do not use the air conditioner for a
long period, such as during winter, it may
not give the best performance when you
start using it again. To help maintain opti-
mum performance and durability of your air
conditioner, it needs to be run periodically.
Operate the air conditioner at least once a
month for one minute with the engine
EXAMPLE

5-31
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
idling. This circulates the refrigerant and oil
and helps protect the internal components.
If your air conditioner is equipped with air
filters, clean or replace them as specified
in “Maintenance schedule” in “INSPEC-
TION AND MAINTENANCE” section.
(For EU countries)
NOTE:
Your vehicle uses the air conditioning
refrigerant HFO-1234yf, commonly called
R-1234yf. R-1234yf replaced R-134a for
automotive applications. Other refriger-
ants are available, but only R-1234yf
should be used in your vehicle.(Except for EU countries)
NOTE:
Your vehicle uses the air conditioning
refrigerant HFC-134a, commonly called
R-134a. R-134a replaced R-12 around
1993 for automotive applications. Other
refrigerants are available, including recy-
cled R-12, but only R-134a should be used
in your vehicle.
NOTICE
Using the wrong refrigerant may
damage your air conditioning sys-
tem. Use R-1234yf only. Do not mix or
replace the R-1234yf with other refrig-
erants.
NOTICE
Using the wrong refrigerant may
damage your air conditioning sys-
tem. Use R-134a only. Do not mix or
replace the R-134a with other refrig-
erants.

5-38
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
Maintenance
If you do not use the air conditioner for a
long period, such as during winter, it may
not give the best performance when you
start using it again. To help maintain opti-
mum performance and durability of your air
conditioner, it needs to be run periodically.
Operate the air conditioner at least once a
month for one minute with the engine
idling. This circulates the refrigerant and oil
and helps protect the internal components.
Your air conditioner is equipped with air fil-
ters. Clean or replace them as specified in
“Maintenance schedule” in “INSPECTION
AND MAINTENANCE” section. Have this
job done by your SUZUKI dealer as the
lower glove box must be lowered for this
job.
(For EU countries)
NOTE:
Your vehicle uses the air conditioning
refrigerant HFO-1234yf, commonly called
R-1234yf. R-1234yf replaced R-134a for
automotive applications. Other refriger-
ants are available, but only R-1234yf
should be used in your vehicle.(Except for EU countries)
NOTE:
Your vehicle uses the air conditioning
refrigerant HFC-134a, commonly called
R-134a. R-134a replaced R-12 around
1993 for automotive applications. Other
refrigerants are available, including recy-
cled R-12, but only R-134a should be used
in your vehicle.
Radio antenna
Ty p e A
63J055
Ty p e B
61MM0A113
NOTICE
Using the wrong refrigerant may
damage your air conditioning sys-
tem. Use R-1234yf only. Do not mix or
replace the R-1234yf with other refrig-
erants.
NOTICE
Using the wrong refrigerant may
damage your air conditioning sys-
tem. Use R-134a only. Do not mix or
replace the R-134a with other refrig-
erants.
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE

6-3
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
54P00-01E
Tires
Mirrors
Check if your vehicle’s mirrors meet local
requirements for mirrors used on towing
vehicles. If they do not, you must install the
required mirrors before you tow.
Vehicle/trailer loading
To load your vehicle and trailer properly,
you must know how to measure gross
trailer weight and trailer nose weight.
Gross trailer weight is the weight of the
trailer plus all the cargo in it. You can mea-
sure gross trailer weight by putting the fully
loaded trailer on a vehicle scale.
Nose weight is the downward force
exerted on the tow bar by the trailer cou-pler, with the trailer fully loaded and the
coupler at its normal towing height. This
weight can be measured using a bathroom
scale.
The weight of your loaded trailer (gross
trailer weight) should never exceed towing
capacity.
Distribute cargo in your trailer so that nose
weight is about 10% of gross trailer weight,
but does not exceed the maximum vertical
load on trailer hitch point. You should mea-
sure gross trailer weight and nose weight
before towing to check that your load is
properly distributed.
Additional trailer towing warnings
WA R N I N G
When towing a trailer, it is very
important for your vehicle and trailer
to have properly inflated tires. Your
vehicle’s tires should be inflated to
the pressures listed on your vehicles
tire information label. If laden pres-
sures are listed on the label, the tires
should be inflated to the laden pres-
sures. Inflate trailer tires according to
the specifications provided by the
trailer manufacturer.
WA R N I N G
Improper weight distribution of your
trailer may result in poor vehicle han-
dling and swaying of the trailer.
Always check that trailer nose weight
is about 10% of gross trailer weight,
but does not exceed the maximum
vertical load on trailer hitch point.
Also check that the cargo is properly
secured. Failure to observe this
requirement may result in an acci-
dent.
WA R N I N G
Never overload cargo on your trailer
or your vehicle. Gross trailer weight
must never exceed towing capacity.
Gross vehicle weight (sum of the
weights of the vehicle, all the occu-
pants, accessories including tow
bars and a trailer hitch, cargo and
trailer nose weight) must never
exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rat-
ing (GVWR) listed in “SPECIFICA-
TIONS” section.
WA R N I N G
Connect trailer lights and hook up
safety chains every time you tow.
NOTICE
Because towing a trailer puts addi-
tional stress on your vehicle, more
frequent maintenance will be
required than under normal driving
conditions. Follow the schedule in
“Maintenance recommended under
severe driving conditions”.