4-4
DRIVING TIPS
75RM4-01E
CVT
75RM296
• When climbing steep hills, the vehiclemay begin to slow down and show a lack
of power. If this happens, you should
shift to a lower gear so that the engine
will again be operating in its normal
power range. Shift rapidly to prevent the
vehicle from losing momentum.
• When driving down a hill, the engine
should be used for braking by shifting to
the next lower gear.
Driving on slippery roads
60G089S
On wet roads, you shou ld 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.
4WD models
Your 4WD is designed to get better traction
on slippery roads than 2-wheel drive mod-
els. However, your 4WD will not have as
much traction in deep snow, mud or sand
as multipurpose 4WD vehicles. You should
not attempt to drive your 4WD in deep
snow, mud or sand. 4WD models are not
sport/utility vehicles, and are not designed
for off-road use.
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 and
CVT (if equipped) damage may result.
4-6
DRIVING TIPS
75RM4-01E
54G638S
Off-road drivingDo not drive in the field covered with grown grassIf you drive in the field covered with grass,
it may cause unexpected accident or vehi-
cle damage by getting caught in grown
grass.
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 the “INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE” section for
details. (Continued)
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
75RM4-01E
To w b a r sOnly 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 chainsAlways 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 lightsCheck 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 dual
camera brake support, if your vehicle
is used to tow a trailer, press the dual
camera brake support OFF switch
and turn off the dual camera brake
support. If not, unexpected acci-
dents 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.
NOTICE
When towing by a vehicle with CVT
on a long steep hill, try to take some
rest on the way to prevent overheat
or damage of the engine or transaxle.
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
75RM4-01E
Additional trailer towing warnings
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”.
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, andreversing before you begin towing
a trailer in traffi c. 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 sw aying, 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)
6-5VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
75RM4-01E
60A186
WA R N I N G
(Continued)
• Be careful when overtaking othervehicles. 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. If the high
engine coolant temperature warn-
ing light (red color) indicates over-
heating, pull off the road and stop
the vehicle in a safe place. Refer to
“Engine trouble: Overheating” in
the “EMERGENCY SERVICE” sec-
tion.
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) Manual transaxle – turn off the engine, then shift into reverse or
first gear.
Auto Gear Shift – shift into reverse
or first gear and check the gear
position indicator in the instru-
ment cluster to make sure that the
transaxle is engaged in 1st or
reverse, then turn off the engine.
CVT – shift into “P” (Park) and
turn off the engine.
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.
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
7
75RM4-01E
60G410
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCEMaintenance schedule ........................................................ 7-2
Periodic maintenance schedule
(except for EU countries and Israel) .......................... ........ 7-3
Maintenance recommended under severe driving
conditions (except for EU countries and Israel) .............. 7 -8
Periodic maintenance schedule
(for EU countries and Israel) ................................. ............. 7-13
Maintenance recommended under severe driving
conditions (for EU countries and Israel) ........................... 7-18
Drive belt .................................................... .......................... 7-23
Engine oil and filter ......................................... .................... 7-23
Engine coolant ................................................ .................... 7-28
Air cleaner ................................................... ......................... 7-29
Spark plugs ................................................... ....................... 7-31
Continuously variable transaxle (CVT) fluid ................... .. 7-32
Gear oil ...................................................... ........................... 7-34
Clutch pedal .................................................. ....................... 7-36
Brakes ............. ..................................................................... 7-36
Steering ...................................................... .......................... 7-38
Tires ......................................................... ............................. 7-39
Battery ....................................................... ........................... 7-42
Fuses ......................................................... ........................... 7-45
Headlight aiming .............................................. ................... 7-48
Bulb replacement .............................................. .................. 7-49
Wiper blades .................................................. ...................... 7-55
Windshield washer fluid ....................................... .............. 7-58
Air conditioning system ....................................... .............. 7-58
7-36
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
75RM4-01E
Clutch pedalCable control clutch
54G274
Clutch pedal play “d”:
10 – 15 mm (0.4 – 0.6 in.)
Measure the clutch pedal play by moving
the clutch pedal with your hand and mea-
suring the distance it moves until you feel
slight resistance. The play in the clutch
pedal should be between the specified val-
ues. If the play is more or less than the
above, or clutch dragging is felt with the
pedal fully depressed, have the clutch
inspected by your SUZUKI dealer.
BrakesBrake fluid
75RM095
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.
EXAMPLE
NOTICE
If your brake fluid level is near the
“MIN” line, there is a possibility of
brake pad and/or shoe wear and brake
fluid leakage.
Consult with your authorized SUZUKI
dealer regarding this possibility
before filling the reservoir.
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 J1703 or DOT3 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.
7-37INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
75RM4-01E
NOTE:
• The fluid level can be expected to gradu-ally fall as the brake pad and/or shoe
wear.
• Brake fluid absorbs water over time and
brake fluid with high water content may
cause vapor lock or brake system mal-
function.
Replace your brake fluid in accordance
with the maintenance schedule in your
Owner’s Manual.Brake pedalCheck 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”: 73 mm (2.9 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