Page 145 of 505
2-122
BEFORE DRIVING
75RM4-01E
Templates for halogen headlights
75RM323
A
B
Page 146 of 505
2-123BEFORE DRIVING
75RM4-01E
Headlight leveling switch (if equipped)
75RM008
Level the headlight beam according to the
load condition of your vehicle by turning
this switch. The chart below shows the
appropriate switch position for different
vehicle load conditions.
Turn signal control lever
57L21128
Vehicle Load ConditionSwitch
Position
2WD 4WD
Driver only 0 0
Driver + 1 passenger
(in front seat) 0.5 0.5
Driver +
3 or 4 passengers,
no cargo 2.0 1.5
Driver +
3 or 4 passengers,
cargo added 3.0 2.0
Driver + full cargo 4.0 3.5
WA R N I N G
To avoid possible injury, do not oper-
ate controls by reaching through the
steering wheel.
Page 148 of 505

2-125BEFORE DRIVING
75RM4-01E
Hazard warning switch
75RM324
Push in the hazard warning switch to acti-
vate the hazard warning lights. All turn sig-
nal lights and both turn signal indicators
will flash simultaneously. To turn off the
lights, push the switch again.
Use the hazard warning lights to warn
other drivers of possible risk of traffic haz-
ard when you park your vehicle in case of
emergency.
Windshield wiper and washer lever
65D611
Wiper and washer operationWhen the ignition switch is in “ON” position
or the ignition mode is ON, you can use
the wiper/washer lever or switch (if
equipped).
When the wipers are under heavy load
such as covered by snow, the breaker will
be activated and the wipers will stop oper-
ating to protect the wiper motor from over-
heating.
If the wiper stops during operation, do the
following methods.
1) Stop the vehicle in a safe place, andturn the engine off.
2) Move the wiper lever and switch to “OFF” position.
3) Remove obstacles such as snow on the wipers.
4) After a while, when the temperature of
the wiper motor becomes low enough,
the breaker will be reset automatically
and the wipers will be able to use.
If you cannot use the wipers after a while,
there may be another problem. Ask your
SUZUKI dealer to have the wipers
inspected.
EXAMPLE
WA R N I N G
To avoid possible injury, do not oper-
ate controls by reaching through the
steering wheel.
Page 149 of 505

2-126
BEFORE DRIVING
75RM4-01E
Windshield wipers
68PM00237
To turn the windshield wipers on, move the
lever down to one of the three operating
positions. In “INT” position, the wipers
operate intermittently. The “INT” position is
very convenient for driving in mist or light
rain. In “LO” position, the wipers operate at
a steady low speed. In “HI” position, the
wipers operate at a steady high speed. To
turn off the wipers, move the lever back to
“OFF” position.
Move the lever up and hold it to “MIST”
position, the windshield wipers will turn on
continuously at low speed.
68PM00238
If the lever is equipped with “INT TIME”
control, turn the control forward or back-
ward to adjust the int ermittent wiper opera-
tion to the desired interval.
Windshield washer
68PM00239
To spray windshield washer fluid, pull the
lever toward you. The windshield wipers
will automatically turn on at low speed if
they are not already on and your vehicle is
equipped with “INT” position.
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
WA R N I N G
• To prevent windshield icing in cold weather, turn on the defroster to
heat the windshield before and
during windshield washer use.
• Do not use radiator antifreeze in
the windshield washer reservoir. It
can severely impair visibility when
sprayed on the windshield, and can
also damage your vehicle’s paint.EXAMPLE
Page 152 of 505

2-129BEFORE DRIVING
75RM4-01E
Heated rear window switch /
heated outside rearview mirror switch (if equipped)Ty p e 1
66RH102
Ty p e 2
66RH103
When the rear window is misted, push this
switch (1) to clear the window.
54P000246
If the outside rearview mirror has the mark
(2), it is also equipped with the heated out-
side rearview mirrors. When you push the
switch (1), both the heated outside rear-
view mirrors and the heated rear window
will operate simultaneously.
An indicator light will be lit when the defog-
ger is on. The defogger will work only
when the engine is running. To turn off the
defogger, push the switch (1) again.
NOTE:
• The defogger will work only when the engine is running.
• The defogger will automatically turn off
after the defogger remains on for 15 min-
utes to prevent discharging of the lead-
acid battery.
(1)EXAMPLE
(1)EXAMPLE
(2)
EXAMPLE
NOTICE
The heated rear window and the
heated outside rearview mirrors (if
equipped) use a large amount of elec-
tricity. Turn off the switch after the
window and mirrors have become
clear.
Page 154 of 505

3-1OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
Exhaust gas warning
52D334
Daily inspection checklistBefore driving
60A187S
1) Check that windows, mirrors, lights andreflectors are clean and unobstructed.
2) Visually check the ti res for the following
points:
– the depth of the tread groove
– abnormal wear, cracks and damage
– loose wheel nuts
– existence of foreign material such as
nails, stones, etc.
Refer to “Tires” in the “INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE” section for details.
3) Look for fluid and oil leakage.
WA R N I N G
Avoid breathing exhaust gases.
Exhaust gases contain carbon mon-
oxide, a potentially lethal gas that is
colorless and odorless. Since carbon
monoxide is difficult to detect by
itself, take the following precautions
to help prevent carbon monoxide
from entering your vehicle.
• Do not leave the engine running in
garages or other confined areas. (Continued)
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• Do not park with the engine run-
ning for a long period of time, even
in an open area. If it is necessary to
sit for a short time in a parked vehi-
cle with the engine running, check
that the air intake selector is set to
FRESH AIR and the blower is at
high speed.
• Avoid operating the vehicle with the tailgate or tr unk open. If it is
necessary to do so, check that the
sunroof (if equipped) and all win-
dows are closed, and the blower is
at high speed with the air intake
selector set to FRESH AIR.
• To allow proper operation of your vehicle’s ventilation system, keep
the air inlet grill in front of the wind-
shield clear of snow, leaves or
other obstructions at all times.
• Keep the exhaust tailpipe area clear
of snow and other material to help
reduce the buildup of exhaust
gases under the vehicle. This is
particularly important when parked
in blizzard conditions.
• Have the exhaust system inspected
periodically for damage and leak-
age. Any damage or leakage
should be repaired immediately.
Page 155 of 505

3-2
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
NOTE:
It is normal for water to drip from the air
conditioning system after use.
4) Check that the hood is fully closed andlatched.
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) Lead-acid battery solution level
5) Windshield washer fluid level
6) Hood latch operation Pull the hood release handle inside the
vehicle. Check that you cannot open the 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 the “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 consumptionIt 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 d riving. If it is not,
it can fly up unexpectedly during
driving, obstructing your view and
resulting in an accident.
Page 157 of 505

3-4
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
75RM4-01E
Manual transaxle/Auto Gear Shift
60G033
• Manual transaxle/Auto Gear Shift vehi-cles
You must push in the key to turn it to
“LOCK” position. It lo cks the ignition, and
prevents normal use of the steering
wheel after the key is removed.
• CVT vehicles The gearshift lever must be in “P” (Park)
position to turn the key to “LOCK” posi-
tion. It locks the ignition and prevents
normal use of the steering wheel and
gearshift lever.
To release the steering lock, insert the key
and turn it clockwis e to one of the other
positions. If you have trouble turning the
key to unlock the steering, try turning the
steering wheel slightly to the right or left
while turning the key. ACC
Accessories such as the radio can oper-
ate, but the engine is off.
ON
This is the normal operating position. All
electrical systems are on.
START
This is the position for starting the engine
using the starter motor. The key should be
released from this position as soon as the
engine starts.
Ignition key reminder
A buzzer sounds intermittently to remind
you to remove the ignition key if it is in the
ignition switch when the driver’s door is
opened.
81A297S
Turn to “LOCK”
Push
WA R N I N G
• Never return the ignition switch to“LOCK” position and remove the
ignition key while the vehicle is
moving. The steering wheel will
lock and you will not be able to
steer the vehicle. (Continued)