3-81
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
54P00-01E
NOTE:
You may hear a sound coming from the
engine when the hill descent control sys-
tem is activated. This sound is normal and
does not indicate a malfunction.Hill descent control indicator light
79K050
When the ignition switch is in “ON” posi-
tion, or the ignition mode is “ON”, this light
comes on briefly so you can check that the
light is working.
When you push the hill descent control
switch and the hill descent control operat-
ing conditions are fulfilled, the hill descent
control indicator comes on. If the hill
descent control indicator blinks, the hill
descent control will not be activated.
If hill descent control indicator light comes
on or blinks, while not operating the hill
descent control switch, there is a problem
in this system. Have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized SUZUKI
dealer.NOTE:
If the hill descent control indicator blinks
when you push the hill descent control
switch, the following conditions may not be
fulfilled.
• The driving mode switch (if equipped) is
in “LOCK” position
• The gearshift lever is in a forward gear
or reverse gear
• The vehicle speed is under 25 km/h (15
mph)
• The brake system is under normal oper-
ating temperature
WA R N I N G
• When the hill descent control sys-
tem is used continuously for a long
time, the temperature of the brake
system may increase and the hill
descent control system may be
deactivated temporarily to protect
the device of the brake system. The
hill descent control indicator blinks
to let you know the system is deac-
tivated. Depress the brake pedal
and stop the vehicle in a safe place.
When the temperature of the brake
system goes down, the hill descent
control indicator will come on and
the system is activated again.
• The hill descent control system
may be activated when the gear-
shift lever is in “N” (Neutral) posi-
tion, but engine braking will not
work. Always use the hill descent
control system with the gearshift
lever in a forward gear or reverse
gear.
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.
3-86
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
54P00-01E
61MM0A198
NOTE:
• The information display shows the
above warning and indicator message
when this light comes on.
• When the tire inflation pressure is
adjusted in high altitude areas, the low
tire pressure light may not turn off even
after tire inflation pressure adjustment. In
this case, adjust the inflation pressure to
a slightly higher pressure than the one
shown on the tire information placard.
• The low tire pressure warning light may
turn off temporarily after coming on. This
could be due to increase of surface tem-
perature after long distance driving or
traveling to a high temperature area.
Even if the tire pressure warning light
turns off after coming on, check the infla-
tion pressure of all tires.
• To reduce the chance that the low tire
pressure warning light will come on due
to normal changes in temperature and
atmospheric pressure, it is important to
check and adjust the tire pressures
when the tires are cold. If you check tiresafter driving, they are warm. Even if the
tire pressure seems to be good in this
condition, it could fall below the specified
pressure when tires cool down. Also, if
tires are inflated to the specified pres-
sure in a warm garage, the tire pressure
could fall below the specified one when
you drive the vehicle outside in very cold
temperature. If you adjust the tire pres-
sure in a garage that is warmer than the
outside temperature, you should add
1 kPa to the recommended cold tire
inflation pressure for every 0.8°C differ-
ence between garage temperature and
outside temperature.
TPMS malfunction indicator
Your vehicle has also been equipped with
a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for about 75 seconds
and then remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal-
function exists.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is not
reset even after the engine is turned off; it
remains in the on state until the normal
conditions are restored.
When the malfunction indicator is illumi-
nated, the system may not be able to
detect or signal low tire pressure as
intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur
for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate
tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent
the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction tell-
tale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
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)
5-2
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
Engine hood
54P000503
To open the engine hood:
1) Pull the hood release handle located on
the outboard side of the driver’s side of
the instrument panel. This will disen-
gage the engine hood lock halfway.
54P000504
2) Push the under-hood release lever
sideways with your finger, as shown in
the illustration. While pushing the lever,
lift up the engine hood.
WA R N I N G
If you need to replace the fuel cap,
use a genuine SUZUKI cap. Use of an
improper cap can result in a malfunc-
tion of the fuel system or emission
control system. It may also result in
fuel leakage in the event of an acci-
dent.
EXAMPLE
CAUTION
The release lever can be hot enough
to burn your finger right after driving.
Touch the lever after it becomes cool
enough.
NOTICE
Check that the wiper arms are not
raised before you lift up the engine
hood to avoid damaging the wiper
arms and the engine hood.
EXAMPLE
5-3
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
54P000505
3) While holding the hood, pull the prop
rod out from the holding clip, and then
insert the end of the rod into the desig-
nated hole in the hood.To close the engine hood:
1) Lift the hood up slightly and remove the
prop rod from the hole. Put the prop rod
back into the holding clip.
54P000506
2) Lower the hood to about 20 cm above
the hood latch, and then let it drop
down. Check that the hood is securely
latched after closing.
CAUTION
• The prop rod can be hot enough to
burn your finger right after driving.
Touch the rod after it becomes cool
enough.
• Insert the end of the rod into the
hole securely. If the rod slips out,
you may get caught in the closing
hood.
• The rod may slip out when the
hood is blown by wind. Be careful
on windy days.
EXAMPLE
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.
EXAMPLE
CAUTION
To avoid injury, check that no part of
the occupant’s body such as hands
or head is in the path of the hood
when closing it.
NOTICE
Pushing on the hood from the top
may damage it.
5-9
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
USB socket (if equipped)
54P000512
Connect your portable digital music player,
etc. to this socket to enjoy music through
the vehicle’s audio system. Refer to “Audio
system (Type A / Type B) (if equipped)” in
this section.
Sunroof (if equipped)
You can tilt or slide the sunroof by operating
the sunroof switch after pressing the engine
switch to change the ignition mode to “ON”.
65D612
• Close the sunroof when you leave the
vehicle unattended.
• Periodically inspect the guide rail for dirt
and clean it if any dirt has accumulated.
WA R N I N G
• Never allow any part of your body
such as hands or head to get out of
the sunroof opening while the vehi-
cle is moving.
• Fasten your seat belts and use child
restraints at all times. In an acci-
dent, you could be thrown from the
vehicle through an open sunroof.
• Check that there are no hands or
other obstructions in the path of the
sunroof when you close the sunroof.
• Always take the keyless push start
system remote controller with you
when leaving the vehicle even if
only for a short time. Also do not
leave children alone in a parked
vehicle. Unattended children could
use the sunroof switches and get
trapped by the sunroof.
NOTICE
• Do not put your body weight on the
roof around the sunroof such as by
sitting on it.
• Remove water drops, snow, ice or
sand from the sunroof before open-
ing.