4-4
DRIVING TIPS
54P00-01E
Driving on slippery roads
60G089S
On wet roads, you should 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.
Four-mode 4WD models
Your four-mode 4WD is designed to get
better traction on slippery roads than 2-
wheel drive models. However, your four-
mode 4WD will not have as much traction
in deep snow, mud or sand as multipur-
pose 4WD vehicles. You should not
attempt to drive your four-mode 4WD in
deep snow, mud or sand. Four-mode 4WDmodels are not sport/utility vehicles, and
are not designed for off-road use.
Tire chains
Tire 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.
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 dam-
age may result.
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.
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)
4-6
DRIVING TIPS
54P00-01E
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• Do not use tires other than those
specified by SUZUKI. Never use dif-
ferent sizes or types of tires on the
front and rear wheels. For informa-
tion regarding the specified tires,
refer to the tire information label
located on the driver’s door lock
pillar.
• Never use oversized tires or spe-
cial shock absorbers and springs
to raise (jack up) your vehicle. This
will change the handling character-
istics. Oversized tires may also rub
against the fender over bumps,
causing vehicle damage or tire fail-
ure.
• After driving through water, test the
brakes while driving at a slow
speed to see if they have main-
tained 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 effective-
ness.
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”.
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
7
54P00-01E
60G410
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
Maintenance schedule ........................................................ 7-2
Drive belt .............................................................................. 7-20
Engine oil and filter ............................................................. 7-20
Engine coolant .................................................................... 7-26
Air cleaner ............................................................................ 7-28
Spark plugs .......................................................................... 7-29
Gear oil ................................................................................. 7-30
Clutch pedal ......................................................................... 7-32
Fuel filter (diesel engine) .................................................... 7-33
Brakes .................................................................................. 7-33
Steering ................................................................................ 7-35
Tires ...................................................................................... 7-36
Battery .................................................................................. 7-39
Fuses .................................................................................... 7-41
Headlight aiming ................................................................. 7-44
Bulb replacement ................................................................ 7-45
Wiper blades ........................................................................ 7-55
Windshield washer fluid ..................................................... 7-59
Air conditioning system ..................................................... 7-59
7-8
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
54P00-01E
#3: If you replace the spark plugs other than iridium plug, follow the schedule of nickel plug.
#4: Replace every 50000 km if the local law requires.
NOTE:
*2: Inspect more frequently if the vehicle is used under dusty conditions.
For gasoline engine models
Select maintenance timing by mileage (odometer reading) or months, which-
ever comes first.
km (×1000)2.510203040100miles (×1000)1.5626.2512.518.752562.5months-812243684Fuel and emission control system
Spark plugs when unleaded
fuel is used(Highly recommended) Iridium
plug (#3)NormalRSevereR
(Standard type) Nickel plug NormalR(#4)SevereR
Spark plugs when leaded fuel
is used(Highly recommended) Iridium
plug (#3)R
(Standard type) Nickel plugR
Air cleaner filter element *2 Paved-road NormalIR
SevereIR
Dusty conditionIRBrake
Brake fluid CheckI
Brake lever and cable Check (1st 20000 km only)I
Chassis, body and others
Tires/WheelsI
All latches, hinges and locksI
7-11
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
54P00-01E
Items other than recommended maintenance by an authorized SUZUKI dealer or a qualified service technician
#1: Perform the engine coolant level check under the daily inspection in “OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE” section.
If you use the engine coolant other than “SUZUKI LLC (Blue)” for replacement, follow the schedule of “SUZUKI LLC: Standard (Green)”.
NOTE:
*1: Replace when the oil change request light blinks or each months that listed in table.
*2: Inspect more frequently if the vehicle is used under dusty conditions.
For diesel engine models
Select maintenance timing by mileage (odometer reading) or months,
whichever comes first.
km (×1000)2.520-30-4080160miles (×1000)1.56212.5-18.75-2550100months-122424364896Engine and powertrain
Engine oil and
engine oil filter
*1Synthetic oil NormalRSevereR
Engine coolant “SUZUKI LLC:
Super (Blue)” (#1)First time onlyR
Second time and afterR
“SUZUKI LLC: Standard (Green)”R
Fuel and emission control system
Air cleaner filter
element *2Paved-road NormalISevereIR
Dusty conditionIRBrake
Brake fluid CheckI
Brake lever and cable Check (1st 20000 km only)IChassis, body and others
Tires/WheelsI
All latches, hinges and locksI
7-16
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
54P00-01E
Items other than recommended maintenance by an authorized SUZUKI dealer or a qualified service technician
#1: Perform the engine coolant level check under the daily inspection in “OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE” section.
If you use the engine coolant other than “SUZUKI LLC (Blue)” for replacement, follow the schedule of “SUZUKI LLC: Standard (Green)”.
NOTE:
*1:Inspect more frequently if the vehicle is used under dusty conditions.
For gasoline engine models
Select maintenance timing by mileage (odometer reading) or
months, whichever comes first.
miles (×1000)367.515304590km (×1000)51012.5255075150months367.515304590
Engine and powertrain
Drive belt Inspect for damageI
Engine oil and oil filter NormalR
SevereR
Engine coolant“SUZUKI LLC: Super (Blue)”
(#1)First time onlyR
Second time and afterR
“SUZUKI LLC: Standard (Green)”R
Fuel and emission control system
Spark plugs Nickel plug
R
Air cleaner filter element *1 NormalRSevereIRBrake
Brake fluid Fluid level checkI
Brake pedal stroke CheckI
Parking brake
lever and cableLever movement check First time only NormalI
Second time and after NormalI
First time only
SevereI
Second time and afterSevereIChassis, body and others
Clutch Pedal and fluid levelI
Tires (including tire rotation) NormalI
SevereI
All latches, hinges and locks NormalISevereI
Steering system Steering wheel movement NormalISevereI