Starting SUZUKI GRAND VITARA 2006 User Guide

3-12
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
79K21-03E
Gearshift lever
66J004
The gearshift lever is designed that it can-
not be shifted out of the “P” position unless
the ignition switch is in the “ON” position
and the brake pedal is depressed.Use the gearshift lever positions as
described below:
P (Park)
Use this position to lock the transmission
when the vehicle is parked or when start-
ing the engine. Shift into Park only when
the vehicle is completely stopped.
R (Reverse)
Use this position to back the vehicle from
stop. Make sure that the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped before shifting into
Reverse.
N (Neutral)
Use this position for starting the engine if
the engine stalls and you need to restart it
while the vehicle is moving. You may also
shift into Neutral and depress the brake
pedal to hold the vehicle stationary during
idling.
D (Drive)
Use this position for all normal driving.
With the selector in “D” range, you can get
an automatic downshift by pressing the
accelerator pedal. The higher the vehiclespeed is, the more you will need to press
the accelerator pedal to get a downshift.
4 (Low 3)
Use this position for driving on moderate
uphill and downhill gradients. The engine
braking effect on moderate downhills can
be used in this position. The transmission
shifts up only to 4th gear.
3 (Low 2)
Use this position to provide extra power
when climbing hills, or to provide engine
braking when going down hills.
L (Low 1)
Use this position to provide maximum
power when climbing steep hills or driving
through deep snow or mud, or to provide
maximum engine braking when going
down steep hills.
NOTE:
If you move the gearshift lever to a lower
gear while driving faster than the maximum
allowable speed for the lower gear, the
transmission will not actually downshift
until your speed drops below the maximum
speed for the lower gear.
WARNING
Always depress the brake pedal
before shifting from “P” (Park) (or
“N” (Neutral) if the vehicle is station-
ary) to a forward or reverse gear, to
help prevent the vehicle from moving
unexpectedly when you shift.
WARNING
If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle,
never leave the transfer switch in “N”
(Neutral) position when parked.
Otherwise the vehicle may roll even if
the transmission is in Park.
Using the Transfer Switch: 10

3-14
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
79K21-03E
Use the gearshift lever positions as
described below:
P (Park)
Use this position to lock the transmission
when the vehicle is parked or when start-
ing the engine. Shift into Park only when
the vehicle is completely stationary.
R (Reverse)
Use this position to reverse the vehicle
from stop. Make sure that vehicle is com-
pletely stationary before shifting into
Reverse.
N (Neutral)
Use this position for starting the engine if
the engine stalls and you need to restart it
while the vehicle is moving. You may also
shift into Neutral and depress the brake
pedal to hold the vehicle stationary during
idling.D (Drive)
Use this position for all normal driving.
With the gearshift lever in “D” range you
can get an automatic downshift by press-
ing the accelerator pedal. The higher the
vehicle speed is, the more you need to
press the accelerator pedal to get a down-
shift.
3 (Low 3)
Use this position for driving on moderate
uphill and downhill gradients. The engine
braking effect on moderate downhills can
be used in this position. The transmission
shifts up only to 3rd gear.
2 (Low 2)
Use this position to provide extra power
when climbing hills, or to provide engine
braking when going down hills.
L (Low 1)
Use this position to provide maximum
power when climbing steep hills or driving
through deep snow or mud, or to provide
maximum engine braking when going
down steep hills.
NOTE:
If you move the gearshift lever to a lower
gear while driving faster than the maximum
allowable speed for the lower gear, the
transmission will not actually downshift
until your speed drops below the maximum
speed for the lower gear.
WARNING
If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle,
never leave the transfer switch in “N”
(Neutral) position when parked.
Otherwise the vehicle may roll even if
the transmission is in Park.
CAUTION
Be sure to take the following precau-
tions to help avoid damage to the
automatic transmission:
 Make sure that the vehicle is com-
pletely stationary before shifting
into “P” or “R”.
 Do not shift from “P” or “N” to “R”,
“D”, “3”, “2”, or “L” when the
engine is running above idle speed.
 Do not rev the engine with the
transmission in a drive position
(“R”, “D”, “3”, “2”, or “L”) and the
rear wheels not moving.
 Do not use the accelerator to hold
the vehicle on a hill. Use the vehi-
cle’s brakes.
Using the Transfer Switch: 10

3-37OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
79K21-03E
Hill hold control System
(if equipped)The hill hold control system is designed to
assist you in starting to move up steep or
slippery hills. When you start to move up a
hill, the system helps to prevent the vehicle
from rolling downward temporarily (for
approximately 2 seconds) while you move
your foot from the brake pedal to the accel-
erator pedal.
The hill hold control system activates for
approximately 2 seconds if your foot is
moved from the brake pedal when the fol-
lowing condition are all fulfilled.
1) The transfer switch is in a position other
than “N”.
2) The gearshift lever is in a forward gear
or reverse gear.
3) The parking brake is released.
NOTE:
You may hear a sound coming from the
engine when the hill hold control system is
activated. This sound is normal and does
not indicate a malfunction.
79K072
If the message shown in the above illustra-
tion appears on the information display,
there may be a problem with the hill
descent control system and the hill hold
control system. Have your vehicle
inspected by an authorized SUZUKI
dealer.
NOTE:
The hill hold control system will not acti-
vate while this message is displayed.
WARNING
 Do not rely excessively on the hill
hold control system. The hill hold
control system may not prevent the
vehicle from rolling downward on a
hill under all load or road condi-
tions. Always be prepared to
depress the brake pedal to prevent
the vehicle from rolling downward.
Failure to pay attention and
depress the brake pedal to hold the
vehicle on a hill when necessary,
may result in loss of control or an
accident.
 The hill hold control system is not
designed to stop the vehicle on a
hill.
(Continued)
WARNING
(Continued)
 After you release your foot from the
brake pedal, start the vehicle to
move up immediately. If you release
your foot from the brake pedal over
2 seconds, the hill hold control sys-
tem will be canceled. If so, the vehi-
cle may roll downward depends on
the degree of the slope which can
result in an accident. And, the
engine may stall and the power
assist for the steering and brakes
will not work so steering and brak-
ing will be much harder than usual
which can result in an accident or
vehicle damage.

3-40
OPERATING YOUR VEHICLE
79K21-03E
on the tire information placard should
cause the low tire pressure warning light to
turn off.
If the light turns on again shortly after
adjusting the pressure in your tires, you
may have a flat tire. If you have a flat tire,
replace it with the spare tire. Refer to
“Jacking Instructions” in the “EMER-
GENCY SERVICE” section. Refer to
“Replacing Tires and/or Wheels” for
instructions on how to restore normal oper-
ation of the tire pressure monitoring sys-
tem after you have had a flat tire.
NOTE:
 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 is
shown on the tire information placard.
 The low tire pressure warning light may
turn off temporarily after coming on. This
could be due to surface temperature
increases after long distance driving or
traveling to a high temperature area.
Even if the tire pressure warning light
turns off after coming on, make sure to
check the inflation 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 pressureswhen the tires are cold. Tires that
appear to be at the specified pressure
when checked after driving, when the
tires are warm, could have pressure
below the specification when the tires
cool down. Also, tires that are inflated to
the specified pressure in a warm garage
may have pressure below the specifica-
tion when the vehicle is driven outside in
very cold temperature. If you adjust the
tire pressure in a garage that is warmer
than the outside temperature, you
should add 1 psi to the recommended
cold tire inflation pressure for every 10°F
difference between garage temperature
and outside temperature.
For tire inflation pressure information, refer
to “Tire Inflation Pressure” in the “INSPEC-
TION AND MAINTENANCE” section.
TPMS Malfunction Indicator
When you turn off the engine, however, the
malfunction indicator resets. It takes about
ten minutes after restarting the engine for
the malfunction to be detected again and
for the light to start flashing.
WARNING
Your vehicle has also been equipped
with a TPMS malfunction indicator to
indicate when the system is not oper-
ating properly.
WARNING
The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists.
WARNING
When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire pres-
sure as intended. TPMS malfunctions
may occur for a variety of reasons,
including the installation of replace-
ment or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always
check the TPMS malfunction telltale
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.

4-2
DRIVING TIPS
79K21-03E
Shorter Wheelbase
Along with its higher ground clearance,
your vehicle has a shorter wheelbase and
shorter front and rear overhangs than
many passenger cars. These features
combine to allow you to drive your vehicle
over hillcrests without hanging up on them
or damaging the frame and chassis com-
ponents. The shorter wheelbase also
makes the steering of your vehicle more
responsive than that of vehicles with longer
wheelbases.
Narrower Body Width and Track
Your vehicle is narrower than the average
passenger car so that it can pass through
tight spaces.
Without the essential characteristics
described above: higher ground clearance,
shorter wheelbase and narrower body
width and track – your vehicle could not
provide you with excellent off road driving
performance. However, it is also true that
on-pavement driving, handling and steer-
ing will be different from what drivers expe-
rience with a conventional passenger car.
Break-In Catalytic Converter
54G236
The purpose of the catalytic converter is to
minimize the amount of harmful pollutants
in your vehicle’s exhaust. Use of leaded
fuel in vehicles equipped with catalytic
converters is prohibited by federal law,
because lead deactivates the pollutant-
reducing components of the catalyst sys-
tem.
The converter is designed to last the life of
the vehicle under normal usage and when
unleaded fuel is used. No special mainte-
nance is required on the converter. How-
ever, it is very important to keep the engine
properly tuned. Engine misfiring, which
can result from an improperly tuned
engine, may cause overheating of the cat-
alyst. This may result in permanent heat
damage to the catalyst and other vehicle
components.
CAUTION
The future performance and reliabil-
ity of the engine depends on the care
and restraint exercised during its
early life. It is especially important to
observe the following precautions
during the initial 960 km (600 miles)
of vehicle operation.
 After starting, do not race the
engine. Warm it up gradually.
 Avoid prolonged vehicle operation
at a constant speed. Moving parts
will break in better if you vary your
speed.
 Start off from a stop slowly. Avoid
full throttle starts.
 Avoid hard stopping, especially
during the first 320 km (200 miles)
of driving.
 Do not drive slowly with the trans-
mission in a high gear.
 Drive the vehicle at moderate
engine speeds.
 Do not tow a trailer during the first
960 km (600 miles) of vehicle oper-
ation.
EXAMPLE
Important Vehicle Design Features To Know: NO
On-Pavement Driving: NO

4-3DRIVING TIPS
79K21-03E
54G584S
Improving Fuel EconomyThe following instructions will help you
improve fuel economy.
Avoid excessive idling
If you are to wait for more than a minute
while you are parked, stop the engine and
start it again later. When warming up a
cold engine, allow the engine to idle until
the temperature gauge pointer comes up
to the “C” position. In this position, the
engine is sufficiently warm for starting off.
Avoid “jackrabbit” 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
Keep as constant a speed as road and traf-
fic conditions will permit.
CAUTION
To minimize the possibility of catalyst
or other vehicle damage:
 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 shut off the engine or inter-
rupt the ignition when the transmis-
sion 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.
WARNING
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.
On-Pavement Driving: NO
Off-Road Driving: NO

5-14
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
79K21-03E
Selecting the reception band
Press the band switch button (1).
Each time the button is pressed, the recep-
tion band is switched as follows:
66J098
Seek tuning
Press the seek up button (2) or the seek
down button (3).
The unit stops searching for a station at a
frequency where a broadcast station is
available.
Manual tuning
Turn the manual tuning knob (4).
The frequency being received is displayed.Preset memory
1) Select the desired station.
2) Select the preset button (5) to which
you want to store the station and press
and hold the button for 2 seconds or
longer.
Auto store
Press and hold the auto store button (6) for
2 seconds or longer.
Six stations in total are automatically
stored to the preset buttons (5) in sequen-
tial order, starting from the lower frequen-
cies.
NOTE:
 When the auto store is performed, the
station previously stored in the memory
at the position is overwritten.
 When there are fewer than 6 stations
that can be stored even if 2 rounds of
auto store operation are performed, the
stations previously stored at the remain-
ing preset buttons (5) are not overwrit-
ten.Scan tuning
1) Press the scan button (6).
Stations are automatically sought for in
a sequential order, starting from a sta-
tion being currently received, and scan
stops for 5 seconds at a frequency
where there is a station available.
2) Press the scan button (6) again to stop
scanning at the frequency being cur-
rently received.
Receiving a stereo broadcast station
If a stereo broadcast station is received,
the stereo indicator will light.
Engine Hood: 5

5-26
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
79K21-03E
XM MODE
Selecting a band
Press the XM button (1).
Each time the button is pressed, the band
changes in the following order.
66J129
Selecting a category
Press the seek up button (3) or the seek
down button (4). The category is changed.
Turning the category function on/off
Press and hold the category button (2) for
2 seconds or longer, and “CATEGORY
ON” appears on the display, the CAT indi-
cator (C) lights up and the CATEGORY
function is activated.
Press and hold the category button (2) for
2 seconds or longer again, and “CATE-
GORY OFF” appears on the display and
the CAT indicator (C) turns off, indicating
that the CATEGORY function has been
turned off.
NOTE:
The first time you use the radio, turn the
category function on.Selecting a category
Press the seek up button (3) or seek down
button (4) to select a category.
Displaying the category
Press the category button (2) to have the
currently selected category appear on the
display.
Selecting a channel
Turn the manual tuning knob (5) to select a
channel.
NOTE:
When the category function is on, only
those channels included in the selected
category can be selected.
Selecting the item to be displayed
Press the display button (6).
Each time the button is pressed, the item
on display changes in the following order.
66J130
Preset memory
1) Select the desired station.
2) Select the preset button (7) to which
you want to store the station and pressand hold the button for 2 seconds or
longer.
Scan tuning
1) Press the scan button (8).
Stations are automatically searched for
in a sequential order, starting from the
station being currently received, and
scan tuning stops for 5 seconds at the
frequency where there is a station avail-
able.
2) Press the scan button (8) again to stop
scanning at the frequency currently
being received.
Satellite Radio ReceptionSatellite radio receives signals from two
satellites in orbit over the equator. There-
fore, satellite radio reception can be inter-
rupted when there are objects south of
your vehicle. To help compensate for this,
ground-based repeaters are placed in
major metropolitan areas, but depending
on the geographic situation (for example, if
mountains or buildings are on the south
side of your vehicle), you may experience
reception problems.
XM1 XM2
XM3
CH NUMBER CH NAME
NAME TITLE

5-41OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
79K21-03E
Selecting the reception band
Press the band switch button (1).
Each time the button is pressed, the recep-
tion band is switched as follows:
66J098
Seek tuning
Press the seek up button (2) or the seek
down button (3).
The unit stops searching for a station at a
frequency where a broadcast station is
available.
Manual tuning
Turn the manual tuning knob (4).
The frequency being received is displayed.Preset memory
1) Select the desired station.
2) Select the preset button (5) to which
you want to store the station and press
and hold the button for 2 seconds or
longer.
Auto store
Press and hold the auto store button (6) for
2 seconds or longer.
Six stations in total are automatically
stored to the preset buttons (5) in sequen-
tial order, starting from the lower frequen-
cies.
NOTE:
 When the auto store is performed, the
station previously stored in the memory
at the position is overwritten.
 When there are fewer than 6 stations
that can be stored even if 2 rounds of
auto store operation are performed, the
stations previously stored at the remain-
ing preset buttons (5) are not overwrit-
ten.Scan tuning
1) Press the scan button (6).
Stations are automatically sought for in
a sequential order, starting from a sta-
tion being currently received, and scan
stops for 5 seconds at a frequency
where there is a station available.
2) Press the scan button (6) again to stop
scanning at the frequency being cur-
rently received.
Receiving a stereo broadcast station
If a stereo broadcast station is received,
the stereo indicator will light.

5-52
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
79K21-03E
XM MODE
Selecting a band
Press the XM button (1).
Each time the button is pressed, the band
changes in the following order.
66J129
Selecting a category
Press the seek up button (3) or the seek
down button (4). The category is changed.
Turning the category function on/off
Press and hold the category button (2) for
2 seconds or longer, and “CATEGORY
ON” appears on the display, the CAT indi-
cator (C) lights up and the CATEGORY
function is activated.
Press and hold the category button (2) for
2 seconds or longer again, and “CATE-
GORY OFF” appears on the display and
the CAT indicator (C) turns off, indicating
that the CATEGORY function has been
turned off.
NOTE:
The first time you use the radio, turn the
category function on.Selecting a category
Press the seek up button (3) or seek down
button (4) to select a category.
Displaying the category
Press the category button (2) to have the
currently selected category appear on the
display.
Selecting a channel
Turn the manual tuning knob (5) to select a
channel.
NOTE:
When the category function is on, only
those channels included in the selected
category can be selected.
Selecting the item to be displayed
Press the display button (6).
Each time the button is pressed, the item
on display changes in the following order.
66J130
Preset memory
1) Select the desired station.
2) Select the preset button (7) to which
you want to store the station and pressand hold the button for 2 seconds or
longer.
Scan tuning
1) Press the scan button (8).
Stations are automatically searched for
in a sequential order, starting from the
station being currently received, and
scan tuning stops for 5 seconds at the
frequency where there is a station avail-
able.
2) Press the scan button (8) again to stop
scanning at the frequency currently
being received.
Satellite Radio ReceptionSatellite radio receives signals from two
satellites in orbit over the equator. There-
fore, satellite radio reception can be inter-
rupted when there are objects south of
your vehicle. To help compensate for this,
ground-based repeaters are placed in
major metropolitan areas, but depending
on the geographic situation (for example, if
mountains or buildings are on the south
side of your vehicle), you may experience
reception problems.
XM1 XM2
XM3
CH NUMBER CH NAME
NAME TITLE