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.
6-2
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
54P00-01E
NOTE:
If your vehicle has a parking sensor sys-
tem, set the system to the trailer mode via
the information display. When this mode is
set, the rear corner and rear center sen-
sors are inhibited from operating. Refer to
“Information display” in “BEFORE DRIV-
ING” section.
To w b a r s
Only 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 chains
Always 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 lights
Check 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 radar
brake support system, if your vehicle
is used to tow a trailer, press the
radar brake support OFF switch and
turn off the radar brake support sys-
tem. If not, unexpected accidents
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.
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.
6-4
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
54P00-01E
WA R N I N G
Your vehicle should be handled in a
different way when towing a trailer.
For the safety of yourself and others,
observe the following precautions:
• Practice turning, stopping, and
reversing before you begin towing
a trailer in traffic. Do not tow a
trailer in traffic until you are confi-
dent that you can handle the vehi-
cle and trailer safely.
• Never exceed towing speed limits
or 80 km/h (50 mph), whichever is
lower.
• Never drive at a speed that causes
shaking or swaying of the trailer. If
you notice even the slightest sign
of shaking or swaying, slow down.
• When roads are wet, slippery or
rough, drive at a slower speed than
you would on dry or smooth roads.
Failure to slow down when road
conditions are bad can result in
loss of control.
• Always have someone guide you
when reversing.
(Continued)
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• Allow adequate stopping distance.
Stopping distance is increased
when you tow a trailer. For each 16
km/h (10 mph) of speed, allow at
least one vehicle and trailer length
between you and the vehicle
ahead. Allow a greater stopping
distance if roads are wet or slip-
pery.
• If the trailer has over-run brakes,
apply the brakes gradually to avoid
snatching caused by the trailer
wheels locking.
• Slow down before corners and
maintain a steady speed while cor-
nering. Deceleration or accelera-
tion while cornering can result in
loss of control. Remember that a
larger than normal turning radius is
needed because the trailer wheels
will be closer than vehicle wheels
to the inside of the turn.
• Avoid sudden acceleration and
stopping of the vehicle. Do not
make quick maneuvers unless they
are necessary.
• Slow down in cross winds and be
prepared for gusts of wind from
large passing vehicles.
(Continued)
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• Be careful when overtaking other
vehicles. 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 gauge. If it indi-
cates overheating, pull off the road
and stop the vehicle in a safe place.
Refer to “Engine trouble: Overheat-
ing” in “EMERGENCY SERVICE”
section.
6-5
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
54P00-01E
60A186
Trailer hitch installation points
61MM0B111
(1) Side
Maximum vertical load on trailer hitch
point (EU)
75 kg (165 lbs)
Maximum permissible overhang “a”
883 mm (34.7 in.)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) Turn off the engine, and then shift
into reverse or first gear.
(Continued)
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
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.
“a”(1)(1)(1) (1)
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
7-33
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
54P00-01E
Fuel filter (diesel engine)
If the fuel filter warning light comes on
when driving, there is a possibility that
water is in the fuel filter. Drain water as
soon as possible. Have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized SUZUKI
dealer.
Brakes
Brake fluid
61MM0B067
Check the brake fluid level by looking at
the reservoir in the engine compartment.
Check that the fluid level is between “MAX”
and “MIN” lines. If the brake fluid level is
near “MIN” line, fill it up to “MAX” line with
SAE J1704 or DOT4 brake fluid.
WA R N I N G
Failure to follow the guidelines below
can result in personal injury or seri-
ous damage to the brake system.
• If the brake fluid in the reservoir
drops below a certain level, the
brake warning light on the instru-
ment cluster will come on (the
engine must be running with the
parking brake fully disengaged).
Should the light come on, immedi-
ately ask your SUZUKI dealer to
inspect the brake system.
• A rapid fluid loss indicates leakage
in the brake system which should
be inspected by your SUZUKI
dealer immediately.
• Do not use any fluid other than SAE
J1704 or DOT4 brake fluid. Do not
use reclaimed fluid or fluid that has
been stored in old or open contain-
ers. It is essential that foreign parti-
cles and other liquids are kept out
of the brake fluid reservoir.
CAUTION
Brake fluid can harm your eyes and
damage painted surfaces. Be careful
when refilling the reservoir.
7-34
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
54P00-01E
NOTE:
With disc brakes, the fluid level can be
expected to gradually fall as the brake
pads wear.
Brake pedal
Check brake pedal stroke. If the stroke is
so large, have the brake system inspected
by your SUZUKI dealer. If you doubt the
brake pedal is at its normal height, check it
as follows:
54G108
Minimum distance between brake pedal
and floor carpet “a”: 59 mm (2.3 in.)
With the engine running, measure the dis-
tance between the brake pedal and floor
carpet when the pedal is depressed with
approximately 30 kg (66 lbs) of force. The
minimum distance required is as specified.
Since your vehicle’s brake system is self-
adjusting, there is no need for pedal
adjustment.
If the pedal to floor carpet distance as
measured above is less than the minimum
distance required, have your vehicle
inspected by your SUZUKI dealer.
NOTE:
When measuring the distance between the
brake pedal and floor wall, be sure not to
include the floor mat or rubber on the floor
wall in your measurement.
60G104S
WA R N I N G
Brake fluid is harmful or fatal if swal-
lowed, and harmful if it comes in con-
tact with skin or eyes. If swallowed,
do not induce vomiting. Immediately
contact a poison control center or a
physician. If brake fluid gets in eyes,
flush eyes with water and seek medi-
cal attention. Wash thoroughly after
handling. Solution can be poisonous
to animals. Keep out of reach of chil-
dren and animals.
WA R N I N G
If you experience any of the following
problems with your vehicle’s brake
system, have the vehicle inspected
immediately by your SUZUKI dealer.
• Poor braking performance
• Uneven braking (brakes not work-
ing uniformly on all wheels.)
• Excessive pedal travel
• Brake dragging
• Excessive noise
7-35
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
54P00-01E
Parking brake
54G109
Ratchet tooth specification “b”:
4th – 9th
Lever pull force (1):
200 N (20 kg, 45 lbs)
Check the parking brake for proper adjust-
ment by counting the number of clicks
made by the ratchet teeth as you slowly
pull up on the parking brake lever to the
point of full engagement. The parking
brake lever should stop between the speci-
fied ratchet teeth and the rear wheels
should be securely locked. If the parking
brake is not properly adjusted or the
brakes drag after the lever has been fully
released, have the parking brake inspected
and/or adjusted by your SUZUKI dealer.
Brake discs
If the measured thickness or inner diame-
ter of the most worn part exceeds the
value indicated above, the parts should be
replaced with a new one. The measure-
ment involves disassembling each brake
and requires the use of a micrometer,
which must be done according to the
instructions described in the relevant ser-
vice manual or available from the relevant
repair information site.
Steering
68LM708
Steering wheel play “c”:
0 – 30 mm (0.0 – 1.2 in.)
Check the play of the steering wheel by
gently turning it from left to right and mea-
suring the distance that it moves before
you feel slight resistance. The play should
be between the specified values.
Check that the steering wheel turns easily
and smoothly without rattling by turning it
all the way to the right and to the left while
driving very slowly in an open area. If the
amount of free play is not as specified or
you find anything else to be wrong, an
inspection must be performed by your
SUZUKI dealer.
EXAMPLEBrake location Minimum thickness
Front wheels 20.0 mm (0.8 in.)
Rear wheels 8.0 mm (0.3 in.)
“c”
EXAMPLE