light SUZUKI RENO 2008 1.G User Guide

1-31SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
85Z14-03E
position, then sit upright in the seat, cen-
tered on the seat cushion, with the per-
son’s legs comfortably extended. Restart
the vehicle and have the person remain
in this position for about three minutes.
This will allow the system to detect that
person and then enable the passenger’s
air bag.
 With the vehicle parked, ask the right
front passenger to get out of the seat for
more than three seconds, place the
seatback in the fully upright position, and
then sit upright in the seat, centered on
the seat cushion, with the person’s legs
comfortably extended. Have the person
remain in this position for about three
minutes. This will allow the system to
detect that person and then enable the
passenger’s air bag.
Adding Equipment to Your Air Bag-
Equipped VehicleQuestion: Because I have a disability, I
have to get my vehicle modified. How
can I find out whether this will affect my
advanced air bag system?
Answer: Changing or moving any parts of
the front seats, safety belts, the air bag
sensing and diagnostic module can affect
the operation of the advanced air bag sys-
tem. If it is necessary to modify the
advanced air bag system to accommodate
a person with disabilities, owners in the
continental United States can call Ameri-
can Suzuki toll-free at 1-800-934-0934, or
write to:
American Suzuki Motor Corporation
Automotive Customer Relations
3251 East Imperial Highway
Brea, CA 92821-6795
When Should an Air Bag Inflate?The driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal air bags are designed to inflate in
moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
crashes. But they are designed to inflate
only if the impact speed is above the sys-
tem’s designed “threshold level.”
If the front of your vehicle goes straight into
a wall that doesn’t move or deform, the
threshold level is about 9 to 14 mph (14.5
to 23 km/h). The threshold level can vary,
however, with specific vehicle design, so
that it can be somewhat above or below
this range.
If your vehicle strikes something that will
move or deform, such as a parked car, the
threshold level will be higher. The driver’s
and right front passenger’s frontal air bags
are not designed to inflate in rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts because
inflation would not help the occupant.
A side impact air bag is designed to inflate
in moderate to severe side crashes involv-
ing the door. A side impact air bag will
inflate if the crash severity is above the
system’s designed “threshold level”. The
threshold level can vary with specific vehi-
cle design. A side impact air bag is not
designed to inflate in frontal or near-frontal
impacts, rollovers or rear impacts, because
inflation would not help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say
whether an air bag should have inflated
simply because of the damage to a vehicle
WARNING
If the air bag readiness light in the
instrument panel cluster ever comes
on and stays on, it means that some-
thing may be wrong with the air bag
system. If this ever happens, have the
vehicle serviced promptly, because
an adult-size person sitting in the
right front passenger’s seat may not
have the protection of the air bags.
See “Air Bag Readiness Light” in
Section 3 for more on this, including
important safety information.
WARNING
A thick layer of additional material
such as a blanket, or aftermarket
equipment such as seat covers, seat
heaters and seat massagers can
affect how well the passenger sens-
ing system operates. Remove any
additional material from the seat
cushion before allowing a passenger
to use the front passenger’s seat, and
do not use aftermarket equipment
such as seat covers.
Supplemental Restraint System:

1-33SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
85Z14-03E
 Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which
records information about the air bag
system. The module records information
about the readiness of the system, when
the system commands air bag inflation.
 Let only qualified technicians work on
your air bag system. Improper service
can mean that your air bag system won’t
work properly. See your SUZUKI dealer
for ser vice.Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped
Ve hicleAir bags affect how your vehicle should be
serviced. There are air bag system parts in
several places around your vehicle. You
don’t want the system to inflate while
someone is working on your vehicle. Your
SUZUKI dealer and the service manualhave information about servicing your vehi-
cle and the air bag system.
The air bag systems in your vehicle do not
need regular maintenance.
Restraint System CheckChecking Your Restraint SystemsNow and then, make sure the safety belt
reminder light and all your belts, buckles,
latch plates, retractors and anchorages are
working properly. Look for any other loose
or damaged safety belt system parts. If you
see anything that might keep a safety belt
system from doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect
you in a crash. They can rip apart under
impact forces. If a belt is torn or frayed, get
a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag
covers, and have them repaired or
replaced. (The air bag system does not
need regular maintenance.)
CAUTION
If you damage the covering for the
driver’s or the right front passenger’s
frontal air bag, or the covering on the
front seatback for a side air bag, the
bag may not work properly. You may
have to replace the air bag module in
the steering wheel, both the air bag
module and the instrument panel for
the right front passenger’s air bag, or
both the air bag module and seatback
for the side impact air bag. Do not
open or break the air bag coverings.
WARNING
For up to 10 seconds after the igni-
tion key is turned off and the battery
is disconnected, an air bag can still
inflate during improper service. You
can be injured if you are close to an
air bag when it inflates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part of
the air bag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and make
sure the person performing work for
you is qualified to do so.
Supplemental Restraint System:
Restraint System Check:

2-5FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
manual door lock located on the window
sill on each door.
From the inside, you can also lock and
unlock the doors with the power door lock
switches located on the driver’s door trim
pad.Central Door Locking SystemThe central door locking system is acti-
vated using the switch on the driver’s door.
From the outside, you can lock or unlock all
of the doors on your vehicle from the
driver’s door by using either the key or the
optional keyless entry transmitter. From the
inside, you can lock or unlock all of the
doors using the driver’s power door lock
switch.
Power Door LocksIf your vehicle has this feature you can
unlock or lock the doors on your vehicle
using the driver’s door lock switch. Push
down the front part of the switch to unlock
the doors. Push down the back part of the
switch to lock the doors.
Door Ajar ReminderIf one of the doors on your vehicle is not
closed completely while the ignition is on,
the door ajar light on the instrument panel
will come on and stay on until the doors
are closed and completely latched.Rear Door Security LocksYour vehicle is equipped with rear door
security locks on each rear door. This fea-
ture helps prevent passengers from open-
ing the rear doors on your vehicle from the
inside.
CAUTION
If there is noise when opening or
closing the doors or while driving,
apply grease to door latch and hinge.
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Doors and Locks:

2-9FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
– The security light (A) will flash once
every 0.8 seconds to indicate that the
theft-deterrent system is armed. The
security light is located on the driver’s
door lock.
To avoid activating the alarm by accident,
do the following:
 Lock the vehicle with the key or the man-
ual door lock after the doors are closed if
you don’t want to arm the theft-deterrent
system.
 Unlock the driver’s or passenger’s front
door with the key or use the remote key-
less entry transmitter. Pressing the
UNLOCK button on the remote keyless
entry transmitter disables the theft-deter-
rent system. Unlocking a door any other
way will activate the alarm when a door
or the trunk is opened.The theft-deterrent system will not arm
when you lock the doors using the key or
the manual door lock. It arms only when
you use the remote keyless entry transmit-
ter.
Disarming the System
To disarm the system, do the following:
 Unlock the driver’s or passenger’s front
door using the key, or
 Press the Unlock button on the transmit-
ter.
– The LED on the transmitter will flash
once.
– All of the doors will unlock.
– The hazard warning lamps will flash
twice.
– The theft-deterrent mode will deacti-
vate.
How the System Alarm is Activated
If a door or the trunk is opened without the
key or the remote keyless entry transmitter,
the horn will sound and the lamps will flash
for up to 30 seconds.
The theft-deterrent system won’t arm if you
lock the doors with the key or use the man-
ual door lock. It activates only if you use
the remote keyless entry transmitter.
If the door is not opened or if the engine is
not started within 30 seconds after disarm-
ing the system with the transmitter, all of
the doors will automatically lock and the
theft-deterrent mode will reactivate.How to Turn Off the System Alarm
If the system alarm is active, it can be
deactivated using the following methods:
 Press the Lock or Unlock button on the
remote keyless entry transmitter.
 Unlock the driver’s or passenger’s front
door using the key.
Otherwise, the alarm will automatically
stop after 30 seconds. The system will
then lock the doors and reactivate the
theft-deterrent system.
How to Detect a Tamper Condition
If the hazard lamps flash once when the
Lock or Unlock button on your transmitter
is pressed, that means the theft-security
system alarm was triggered while you
were away.
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Theft-Deterrent Systems:

2-10
FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
Daily Inspection ChecklistBefore Driving1) Make sure that windows, mirrors, lights
and reflectors are clean and unob-
structed.
2) Visually check the tires 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 “SERVICE AND
APPEARANCE CARE” section for details.
3) Look for oil or other fluid leaks.
NOTE:
It is normal for water to drip from the air
conditioning system after use.
4) Make sure the hood is fully closed and
latched.
5) Check the headlights, turn signal lights,
brake lights and horn for proper opera-
tion.
6) Lock all doors.
7) Adjust the seat and adjustable head
restraints (if equipped).
8) Check the brake pedal.
9) Adjust the mirrors.
10)Make sure that you and all passengers
have properly fastened your seat belts.
11)Make sure that all warning lights come
on as the key is turned to the “ON” or
“START” position.12)Check all gauges.
13)Make sure that the BRAKE 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) Power steering (if equipped) fluid level
5) Windshield washer fluid level
6) Hood latch operation
Pull the hood release handle inside the
vehicle. Make sure that you cannot
open the hood all the way without
releasing the secondary latch. Be sure
to close the hood securely after check-
ing for proper latch operation. See the
item “Lubricate Locks, Hinges & Hood
Latch” under “Chassis and Body” in the
“MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE” section
for the lubrication schedule.
Starting and Operating Your
VehicleNew Vehicle Break-In
WARNING
Make sure the hood is fully closed
and latched before driving. If it is not,
it can fly up unexpectedly during
driving, obstructing your view and
resulting in an accident.
CAUTION
Your vehicle doesn’t need an elabo-
rate “break-in.” But it will perform
better in the long run if you follow
these guidelines:
 Don’t drive at any one speed – fast
or slow – for the first 500 miles (805
km). Don’t make full-throttle starts.
 Avoid making hard stops for the
first 200 miles (322 km) or so. Dur-
ing this time your new brake linings
aren’t yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean prema-
ture wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this break-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
Daily Inspection Checklist:
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle:

2-11FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
Ignition PositionsWith the key in the ignition switch, you can
turn the key to four different positions.LOCK:
This position locks your steering wheel,
ignition, automatic transmission shift lever
and automatic transmission. This is the
only position from which you can remove
the key. For easier key operation when
unlocking the steering wheel, move the
steering wheel back and forth while turning
the key to the ACC position.
ACC (ACCESSORY):
This position operates some of your elec-
trical accessories, such as the radio, but
not the ventilation fan. Press in the switch
as you turn it away from you.
ON:
This is the position to which the switch
returns after you start your engine and
release the key. The switch stays in ON
when the engine is running. But even when
the engine is not running, you can use ON
to operate your electrical accessories, and
to display some instrument panel warning
lights.
START:
This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition
switch will return to ON for normal driving.
Do not turn the key to START if the engine
is running.
Even if the engine is not running, ACC and
ON allow you to operate electrical acces-
sories, such as the radio.
Starting Your EngineAutomatic Transmission
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEU-
TRAL (N). Your engine won’t start in any
other position – that’s a safety feature. To
restart when you’re already moving, use
NEUTRAL (N) only.
Manual Transmission
The gear selector should be in NEUTRAL
and the parking brake engaged. Hold the
clutch pedal to the floor and start the
engine. Your vehicle won’t start if the clutch
pedal is not all the way down.
Starting Your Engine
1) With your foot off the accelerator pedal,
turn your ignition key to START. When
the engine starts, let go of the key. The
idle speed will go down as your engine
gets warm.
WARNING
On manual transmission vehicles,
turning the key to LOCK and remov-
ing it will lock the steering column
and result in a loss of ability to steer
the vehicle. This could cause a colli-
sion. If you need to turn the engine
off while the vehicle is moving, turn
the key only to ACC. Don’t push the
key in while the vehicle is moving.
CAUTION
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and
you can’t turn it, be sure you are
using the correct key; if so, is it all
the way in? If it is, then turn the steer-
ing wheel left and right while you turn
the key hard. Turn the key only with
your hand. Using a tool to force it
could break the key or the ignition
switch. If none of these works, then
your vehicle needs service.
S4U2015A
CAUTION
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission. Shift
to PARK (P) only when your vehicle is
stopped.
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle:

2-14
FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
Fuzzy Function
Your automatic transmission will automati-
cally select a adaptive shift pattern using
fuzzy logic.
 Economy mode is applied as often as
possible.
 Driver adaptive shift patterns are acti-
vated for a minimum time.
 “Load 1” is designed for a driving on
moderate road gradients.
 “Load 2” is active while going up steep
hills.
 “Load 3” is intended for downhill driving
for better engine braking.Emergency Operation
If the automatic transmission experiences
a malfunction, the malfunction indicator
lamp (MIL) or the HOLD mode light may
come on or may blink. In this situation,
automatic shifting can be canceled or can
default to a severe condition mode.
You should consult your SUZUKI dealer
and have the problem repaired as soon as
possible when this condition occurs.
Hold Mode
You can select this mode to drive with
some characteristics of a manual transmis-
sion. With the HOLD mode turned on, the
automatic transmission will stay in a spe-
cific gear range.
CAUTION
If your front wheels won’t turn, don’t
try to drive. This might happen if you
were stuck in very deep sand or mud
or were up against a solid object. You
could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill,
don’t hold your vehicle there with
only the accelerator pedal. This could
overheat and damage the transmis-
sion. Use your brakes to hold your
vehicle in position on a hill.
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Economy Medium
Load 1
Load 2
Load 3Sport
CAUTION
The first few shifts may be somewhat
rough on a new vehicle. This is nor-
mal condition and shift feel will
improve soon because the automatic
transmission control system per-
forms adaptation functions.
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle:

2-15FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
Press the HOLD button on the shift lever to
turn on the HOLD mode.
While on, the HOLD indicator light on the
instrument panel will light up. See “Hold
Mode Light” in section 3. Press the button
again to turn off the HOLD mode, and
return to normal automatic transmission
operation.
When the hold mode is activated, the
transmission operates as follows:Function Features of HOLD Mode
Winter function
When a vehicle is on a slippery road such
as one that is covered with snow, mud etc.,
the vehicle can be easily overcome the
slippery road conditions by activating the
hold mode with the transmission selector
lever in the D, 3 or 2-position.
To avoid busy shifting
Fuzzy logic is applied to avoid busy shifting
in most hilly driving conditions. Using the
HOLD button & shifting into the 3-position
are other ways to avoid busy shifting in
case fuzzy logic is not sufficient.
Driving like manual transmission
When in the hold mode condition, you can
use the automatic transmission as a 4-
speed manual transmission.
Manual Transmission OperationFive-Speed
This is your shift pattern.
Here’s how to operate your manual trans-
mission:
FIRST (1):
Press the clutch pedal and shift into FIRST
(1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST (1) when you’re
going less than 20 mph (32 km/h). If you’ve
come to a complete stop and it’s hard to
shift into FIRST (1), put the shift lever in
NEUTRAL and let up on the clutch. Press
the clutch pedal back down. Then shift into
FIRST (1).
SECOND (2):
Press the clutch pedal as you let up on the
accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND
(2). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
THIRD (3), FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5):
Shift into THIRD (3), FOURTH (4) and
FIFTH (5), the same way you do for SEC-
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HOLD
Selector Lever
PositionGear range
D2
nd ↔ 3
rd ↔ 4
th
(mainly 4
th gear)
32
nd ↔ 3
rd
(mainly 3rd gear)
22
nd (fixed)
11st (fixed)
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Starting and Operating Your Vehicle:

2-16
FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
OND (2). Slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and
press the brake pedal. Just before the
vehicle stops, press the clutch pedal and
brake pedal, and shift to NEUTRAL.
NEUTRAL:
Use this position when you start or idle
your engine.
REVERSE (R):
To back up, press down the clutch pedal,
lift up the ring on the shift lever and shift
into REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch
pedal slowly while pressing the accelerator
pedal.
Also, use REVERSE (R), along with the
parking brake, for parking your vehicle.Shift Speed
Parking BrakeThe parking brake lever is located between
the bucket seats.
To set the parking brake, hold the brake
pedal down and pull up on the parking
brake lever. If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the
brake pedal down. Pull the parking brakelever up until you can press the release
button. Hold the release button in as you
move the brake lever all the way down.
Winter parking tip
Under cold weather conditions, the parking
brake can freeze in the engaged position.
This is most likely to happen if the brakes
are wet.
If there is a risk that the parking brake may
freeze after driving through water deep
enough to wet brake components or after
having the vehicle washed:
1) Apply the parking brake only tempo-
rarily while you put the gear selector
lever in PARK (P) (for automatic tran-
saxle) or in first or reverse gear (for
manual transaxle).
2) Block the rear wheels with wedge
blocks.
3) Release the parking brake.
CAUTION
Shift into REVERSE (R) only after
your vehicle is stopped. Shifting into
REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving could damage your transmis-
sion. The repairs would not be cov-
ered by your warranty.
WARNING
If you skip a gear when you down-
shift, you could lose control of your
vehicle. You could injure yourself or
others. Don’t shift down more than
one gear at a time when you down-
shift.
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CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake on can
cause your rear brakes to overheat.
You may have to replace them, and
you could also damage other parts of
your vehicle. Verify that the parking
brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle:

INSTRUMENT PANEL
3
85Z14-03E
INSTRUMENT PANELInstrument Panel Overview ................................................ 3-1
Climate Controls ................................................................. 3-12
Warning Lights, Gauges and Indicators ........................... 3-18
Audio System ...................................................................... 3-29