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4-2
DRIVING TIPS
54P00-01E
heat damage to the catalytic converter and
other vehicle components.
54G584S
Improving fuel economy
The following instructions will help you
improve fuel economy.
Avoid excessive idling
If you park your vehicle for more than one
minute, stop the engine and start it again
later. When warming up a cold engine,
allow the engine to idle until the tempera-
ture gauge pointer comes up to “C” posi-
tion (if the idling is not prohibited). In this
position, the engine is sufficiently warm for
starting off.
Avoid fast starts
Fast starts away from lights or stop signs
will consume fuel unnecessarily and
shorten engine life. Start off slowly.
Avoid unnecessary stops
Avoid unnecessary deceleration and stop-
ping. Try to maintain a slow, steady speed
whenever possible. Slowing down and
then accelerating again uses more fuel.
Keep a steady cruising speed
Drive at a constant speed that road and
traffic conditions will permit.NOTICE
To minimize the possibility of cata-
lytic converter or other vehicle dam-
age:
• Maintain the engine in the proper
operating condition.
• In the event of an engine malfunc-
tion, particularly one involving
engine misfire or other apparent
loss of performance, have the vehi-
cle serviced promptly.
• Do not turn off the engine or inter-
rupt the ignition when the transaxle
is in gear and the vehicle is in
motion.
• Do not try to start the engine by
pushing or towing the vehicle, or
coasting down a hill.
• Do not idle the engine with any
spark plug wires disconnected or
removed, such as during diagnos-
tic testing.
• Do not idle the vehicle for pro-
longed periods if idling seems
rough or there are other malfunc-
tions.
• Do not allow the fuel tank to get
near the empty level.
WA R N I N G
Be careful where you park and drive;
the catalytic converter and other
exhaust components can get very
hot. As with any vehicle, do not park
or operate this vehicle in areas where
combustible materials such as dry
grass or leaves can come in contact
with a hot exhaust system.
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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)
Page 254 of 482
5-12
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
Glove box
54P000513
To open the glove box, pull the latch lever.
To close it, push the lid until it latches
securely.
54P000514
The glove box light (if equipped) stays on
while the lid is open.
Overhead console
(if equipped)
54P000515
Use this stowage to keep small articles.
You can open the lid (1) by pressing the
raised portion on it.
WA R N I N G
Never drive with the glove box lid
open. It could cause injury if an acci-
dent occurs.
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
(1)
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5-13
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
WA R N I N G
• Do not drive with the overhead con-
sole lid open, or the articles stowed
inside could fall down during brak-
ing, acceleration or in the event of
a crash. Always close the lid after
putting something into or taking
something out of the console.
• If you park your vehicle outdoors in
direct sunlight or in hot weather,
the overhead console can get very
hot since it is close to the roof. So,
when parking in such conditions:
– Do not leave eyeglasses in the
overhead console. The heat may
distort plastic lenses or frames.
– Do not place flammable items,
such as a lighter, in the overhead
console. The heat may cause a
fire.
NOTICE
• Do not apply undue force to the lid
when closing it. Doing so could
break the lid and articles inside.
• Place glasses in a case when stow-
ing them in the overhead console,
or the lenses may be damaged.
Cup holder and storage area
54P000516
(1) Instrument panel pocket (2) Front cup holders
(3) Front bottle holder (4) Rear cup holder
(5) Front seat back pocket (6) Rear bottle holder
(7) Luggage compartment pocket (8) Column hole cover pocket
(1) (2) (3)
(3)(4)(5)(6) (7)
(6) (7)
(8)
EXAMPLE
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5-20
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
You can use the roof rails or the roof rack
anchors to attach the optional roof rack
which is available at your SUZUKI dealer.
If you use a roof rack, observe the instruc-
tions and precautions in this section and
provided with the roof rack.
• Check that the roof rack is securely
installed.
• To mount various types of cargo (such
as skis, bicycles, etc.) properly, use suit-
able attachments which are available at
your SUZUKI dealer. Install the attach-
ments properly and securely according
to the instructions provided. Do not
mount cargo directly on the roof panel.
The cargo can damage the roof panel.
• The gross weight of the roof rack plus
cargo must not exceed the loading
capacity.
– Roof rails: 75 kg (165 lbs)
– Roof rack anchors: 50 kg (110 lbs)
Also, do not let the gross vehicle weight
(fully loaded vehicle including driver,
passengers, cargo, roof load and trailer
tongue weight) exceed the Gross Vehi-
cle Weight Rating (GVWR) listed in
“SPECIFICATIONS” section.
• Mount and secure the cargo onto the
roof rack properly according to the
instructions provided. Stow the heaviest
items at the bottom and distribute the
cargo as evenly as possible.
• Do not carry large items that hang over
the bumpers or the sides of the vehicle.Otherwise, these items could block your
view.
• Secure the front and rear ends of long
items such as wood panels and surf-
boards, to both the front and rear of the
vehicle. You should protect the painted
surfaces of the vehicle from scuffing
caused by tie-down ropes.
• Check periodically that the roof rack is
securely installed and free from damage.
• For vehicles with roof rack anchors,
check that the anchors are covered with
the caps when not in use.Frame hooks
Your SUZUKI not recommend you use the
frame hooks for towing another vehicle.
SUZUKI was originally designed to tow
your vehicle on the road emergency tow-
ing.
If your vehicle needs to be towed in an
emergency, refer to “Towing” in “EMER-
GENCY SERVICE” section.
WA R N I N G
• Abrupt maneuvers or failure to
properly secure cargo can allow
the cargo to fly off the vehicle and
hit others, causing personal injury
or property damage.
• Mount cargo securely and avoid
abrupt maneuvers such as jackrab-
bit starts, sharp turns, fast corner-
ing and sudden braking. Check
periodically that cargo is securely
fastened.
• Large, bulky, long or flat items can
affect vehicle aerodynamics or be
caught by the wind, and can reduce
vehicle control resulting in an acci-
dent and personal injury. Drive cau-
tiously at a safely reduced speed
when carrying this type of cargo.
WA R N I N G
Observe the following instructions
when using frame hooks. The towing
hook or vehicle body may break and
cause serious injury or damage.
• Do not use the frame hooks for
towing another vehicle.
• Avoid pulling the vehicle to get out
of severe snowy, muddy or sandy
conditions, sudden starts or erratic
driving maneuvers which could
cause excessive stress on the tow-
ing hook.
In such case, we recommend that
you contact a professional service.
Page 263 of 482
5-21
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
Front
54P000527
The towing hook (1) is provided on the
front of the vehicle for use in emergency
situations only.To install the hook (1), follow the procedure
below.
61MM0B039
1) Pick up the towing hook (1), jack handle
(A) and wheel brace (B) in the luggage
compartment.
54P000528
2) Remove the cover (C) by using a jack
handle (A) covered with a soft cloth as
shown in the illustration.
NOTE:
Do not use excessive force as it may dam-
age the cover strap.
(1)
EXAMPLE(1)
(A)
(B)
EXAMPLE
(A)
(C)
EXAMPLE
Page 264 of 482
5-22
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
54P000529
3) Install the towing hook (1) by hand.
NOTE:
We recommend that fasten the cover with
tape to prevent damage during towing.
54P000530
4) To tighten the towing hook (1), turn it
clockwise by using a wheel brace (B)
until the hook (1) is securely installed.
To remove the towing hook (1), reverse the
installation procedure.
Rear
54P000802
The frame hook (2) is provided on the rear
of the vehicle for use in emergency situa-
tions and sea shipping purposes only.
(1)
EXAMPLE
(B)(1)
EXAMPLE
(2)
EXAMPLE
Page 265 of 482
5-23
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
Other hooks
54P000531
The hooks (3) (if equipped) and frame
holes (5) are provided for trailer/train ship-
ping purposes only. The hooks (4) are pro-
vided for sea shipping purpose only.
Heating and air conditioning
system
There are three types of heating and air
conditioning systems as follows:
• Heating system
• Manual heating and air conditioning sys-
tem
• Automatic heating and air conditioning
system (climate control)
(3)
(4)
(5)
EXAMPLE
WA R N I N G
Do not use the hooks (3), (4) and the
frame holes (5) for towing purpose.
These hooks and holes may break
and cause serious injury or damage.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the vehicle,
never use the towing hook (1) for
trailer / train shipping and sea ship-
ping purposes.