brakes SUZUKI RENO 2008 1.G Owners Manual

0-3
85Z14-03E
Vehicle SymbolsYour vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle, are shown along with the text
describing the operation or information relating to a specific component, control, message, gauge or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a component, gauge or indicator, reference the following topics:
 Seats and Restraint Systems in Section
1
 Features and Controls in Section 2
 Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3 Climate Controls in Section 3
 Warning Lights, Gauges and Indicators
in Section 3
 Audio System(s) in Section 3 Engine Compartment Overview in Sec-
tion 5
These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:
WARNING
POSSIBLE
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDINGFASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOWDOOR LOCK
UNLOCK DO NOT INSTALL
A REAR-FACING
CHILD RESTRAINT
IN THIS SEATING
POSITION AIR BAGMALFUNCTION
INDICATOR
LAMPENGINE
COOLANT
TEMP
FUEL
OWNER'S
MANUAL BATTERY
CHARGING
SYSTEM
BRAKE
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
BRAKES TURN
SIGNALS
HAZARD
WARNING
FLASHER
HIGHBEAM
ON
LIGHT
FOG
LAMPS
SULFURIC
BATTERY
ACID CAN
CAUSE
BLINDNESS
OR SEVERE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
FLUSH EYES
IMMEDIATELY
WITH WATER
L3U0002CS
DOOR
AJAR
LIGHT
POWER
STEERING
FLUID
FUEL
FILLER
EMERGENCY
TRUNK
RELEASEINSTRUMENT
PANEL
BRIGHTNESS
TRUNK
AJAR
LIGHT
HOOD
RELEASEDAYTIME
RUNNING
LAMPS
TRACTION
CONTROL
SYSTEM
ACTIVE LIGHTWASHER
FLUID
TIRE
PRESSURE
WARNING
LIGHT
CRUISE
CONTROL
LIGHT
HOLD MODE
ACTIVE
LIGHT
SPEED
SENSITIVE
POWER
STEERING
WARNING
LIGHT

2-12
FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
2) If it doesn’t start, wait about 15 seconds
and try again to start the engine by
turning the ignition key to START. Wait
about 15 seconds between each try.
When your engine has run about 10
seconds to warm up, your vehicle is
ready to be driven. Don’t “race” your
engine when it’s cold. If the weather is
below freezing (32°F or 0°C), let the
engine run for a few minutes to warm
up.
3) If your engine still won’t start (or starts
but then stops), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing your
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor
and holding it there as you hold the key
in START for about three seconds. If
the vehicle starts briefly but then stops
again, do the same thing, but this time
keep the pedal down for five or six sec-
onds. This clears the extra gasoline
from the engine.
Automatic Transmission OperationIf your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic transmission, the shift lever is
located on the console between the seats.
Movement between certain positions
requires pushing the shift lever to the pas-
senger side while shifting. This prevents
you from changing positions unexpectedlyby blocking the straight movement of the
shift lever when the vehicle is moving.
PARK (P):
This position locks your front wheels. It’s
the best position to use when you start
your engine because your vehicle can’t
move easily. Also, this is the only position
from which you can remove the key after
turning it to LOCK.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine. Your vehicle
has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system. You have to apply your reg-
ular brakes before you can shift from PARK
(P) when the ignition is in the ON position.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever – push the shift
CAUTION
Holding your key in START for longer
than 15 seconds at a time will cause
your battery to be drained much
sooner. And the excessive heat can
damage your starter motor. Wait
about 15 seconds between each try
to help avoid draining your battery or
damaging your starter.
CAUTION
Your engine is designed to work with
the electronics in your vehicle. If you
add electrical parts or accessories,
you could change the way the engine
operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your SUZUKI
dealer. If you don’t, your engine
might not perform properly.
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H
O
L
D
WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake
firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have to.
If you have left the engine running,
the vehicle can move suddenly. You
or others could be injured. To be sure
your vehicle won’t move, even when
you’re on fairly level ground, always
set your parking brake and move the
shift lever to PARK (P). See “Shifting
Into Park (P)” in the Index.
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle:

2-13FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
lever all the way into PARK (P) – as you
maintain brake application. Then move the
shift lever into the gear you wish. See
“Shifting Out of Park (P)” on a later page in
this section.
REVERSE (R):
Use this gear to back up. In order to move
from NEUTRAL (N) to REVERSE (R), you
must press down on the shift lever while
shifting.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get
out of snow, ice or sand without damaging
your transmission, see “If You Are Stuck: In
Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in section 4.
NEUTRAL (N):
In this position, your engine doesn’t con-
nect with the wheels. To restart when
you’re already moving, use NEUTRAL (N)
only. Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when your
vehicle is being towed.AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
This position is for normal driving.
THIRD (3):
This position is also used for normal driv-
ing, however, it offers more power and
lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D). Here are some times
you might choose THIRD (3) instead of
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
 When driving on hilly, winding roads.
 When doing down a steep hill.SECOND (2):
This position gives you more power than
THIRD (3) but lower fuel economy. You can
use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help con-
trol your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also
want to use your brakes off and on.
FIRST (1):
This position gives you even more power
than SECOND (2) but lower fuel economy.
You can use it on very steep hills, or in
deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put
in FIRST (1), the transmission won’t shift
into first gear until the vehicle is going
slowly enough.
CAUTION
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could dam-
age your transmission. The repairs
would not be covered by your war-
ranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only after
your vehicle is stopped.
WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while your
engine is “racing” (running at high
speed) is dangerous. Unless your
foot is firmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You
could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift into a drive gear
while your engine is racing.
CAUTION
Damage to your transmission caused
by shifting into a drive gear with the
engine racing isn’t covered by your
warranty. Be sure the engine is not
racing when shifting your vehicle.
CAUTION
Don’t drive in SECOND (2) at speeds
over 65 mph (105 km/h), or you can
damage your transmission. Use
THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVER-
DRIVE (D) as much as possible. Don’t
shift into SECOND (2) unless you are
going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h)
or you can damage your engine.
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.
L3U2037AS
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:

2-16
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.
N4U2016A
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:

2-17FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
Shifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)1) Hold the brake pedal down and set the
parking brake.
2) Move the shift lever into the PARK (P)
position.
3) Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4) Remove the key and take it with you. If
you can leave your vehicle with the igni-
tion key in your hand, your vehicle is in
PA R K ( P ) .Leaving Your Vehicle with the Engine
Running
If you have to leave your vehicle with the
engine running, be sure your vehicle is in
PARK (P) and your parking brake is firmly
set before you leave it. After you’ve moved
the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the regu-
lar brake pedal down. Then, see if you can
move the shift lever away from PARK (P)
without first pushing the button. If you can,
it means that the shift lever wasn’t fully
locked into PARK (P).To r q u e L o c k
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t
shift your transmission into PARK (P) prop-
erly, the weight of the vehicle may put too
much force on the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may find it difficult to pull
the shift lever out of PARK (P). This is
called “torque lock.” To prevent torque lock,
set the parking brake and then shift into
PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat. To find out how, see “Shifting
Into Park (P)” in this section.
When you are ready to drive, move the
shift lever out of PARK (P) before you
release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to
have another vehicle push yours a little
uphill to take some of the pressure from
the parking pawl in the transmission, so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)Your vehicle has a brake transmission shift
interlock system which locks the shift lever
in PARK (P) when the ignition is in the
LOCK position. You have to apply your reg-
ular brakes before you can shift from PARK
(P) when the ignition is in the ON position.
See “Automatic Transmission Operation” in
this section.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P) while
you hold the brake pedal down, try this:
1) Set the parking brake fully.
WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake
firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. Don’t
leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you
have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or
others could be injured. To be sure
your vehicle won’t move, even when
you’re on fairly level ground, use the
steps that follow.
WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave your
vehicle with the engine running. Your
vehicle could move suddenly if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the
engine running, it could overheat and
even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle
with the engine running.
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle:

3-6
INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z14-03E
Rear Window Washer/WiperIf your vehicle has this feature, operate the
rear window washer/wiper system by
pushing the windshield wiper/washer lever
away from you. The wiper operates contin-
uously when the lever is in the first posi-
tion.
Washer fluid sprays onto the rear window
and the wiper operates continuously when
the lever is pushed to the second position.
Cruise ControlCruise Control
If your vehicle has cruise control, you can
maintain a speed of about 24 mph (39 km/
h) or more without keeping your foot on the
accelerator. This can really help on long
trips. Cruise control does not work at
speeds below 24 mph (39 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, or depress
the clutch pedal if you have a manual
transmission, the cruise control shuts off.
CAUTION
To help prevent damage to wind-
shield wiper and washer system
components, you should take the fol-
lowing precautions:
 Do not continue to hold in the lever
when there is no windshield
washer fluid being sprayed or the
washer motor can be damaged.
 Do not attempt to remove dirt from
a dry windshield with the wipers or
you can damage the windshield
and the wiper blades. Always wet
the windshield with washer fluid
before operating the wipers.
 Clear ice or packed snow from the
wiper blades before using the wip-
ers.
 Check the washer fluid level regu-
larly. Check it often when the
weather is bad.
 Only fill the washer fluid reservoir
3/4 full during cold weather to allow
room for expansion if the tempera-
ture falls low enough to freeze the
solution.
WARNING
 Do not spray washer fluid on the
liftgate window in freezing weather.
 Warm the tailgate window before
you operate the liftgate window
washer.
Washer fluid can form ice on a frozen
liftgate window and obstruct your
vision.
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FASTSLOW
WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at a
steady speed. So, do not use your
cruise control on winding roads or in
heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
excessive wheel slip, and you could
lose control. Do not use cruise con-
trol on slippery roads.
Instrument Panel Overview:

3-9INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z14-03E
The DRL system will turn off under the fol-
lowing conditions:
 The ignition is off, or
 the parking brakes are on, or
 the high-beam headlamps are on, or
 the low-beam headlamps are on, or
 flash-to-pass is used.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the
regular headlamp system when you need
it.
Fog Lamps
If your vehicle has this feature, use your
fog lamps for better visibility in foggy or
misty conditions.
The control for your front fog lamps is
located on the middle of the turn signal/
multifunction lever. To turn on front fog
lamps, turn the fog lamp band to ON. To
turn off the front fog lamps, turn the fog
lamp band to OFF.An indicator light on the secondary infor-
mation center will come on when the fog
lamps are on. See “Fog Lamp Light” in this
section.
When using fog lamps, the ignition must be
on as well as the parking lamps or low-
beam headlamps.
The fog lamps will turn off whenever the
high-beam headlamps are turned on.
When the high beams are turned off, the
fog lamps will come on again.
Interior LampsInstrument Panel Brightness
This feature controls the brightness of the
instrument panel lights.
The thumbwheel for this feature is located
on the instrument panel to the left of the
steering wheel.
Turn the thumbwheel up to brighten the
instrument panel lights or down to dim
them.
Instrument Panel Overview:

4-2
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
85Z14-03E
It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For
example, if the same person drank three
double martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of
liquor each) within an hour, the person’s
BAC would be close to 0.12 percent. A per-
son who consumes food just before or dur-
ing drinking will have a somewhat lower
BAC level.
There is a gender difference, too. Women
generally have a lower relative percentage
of body water than men. Since alcohol is
carried in body water, this means that a
woman generally will reach a higher BAC
level than a man of her same body weight
will when each has the same number of
drinks.
The law in an increasing number of U.S.
states, and throughout Canada, sets the
legal limit at 0.08 percent. In some other
countries, the limit is even lower. For exam-ple, it is 0.05 percent in both France and
Germany. The BAC limit for all commercial
drivers in the United States is 0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after
three to six drinks (in one hour). Of course,
as we’ve seen, it depends on how much
alcohol is in the drinks, and how quickly the
person drinks them.
But the ability to drive is affected well
below a BAC of 0.10 percent. Research
shows that the driving skills of many peo-
ple are impaired at a BAC approaching
0.05 percent, and that the effects are
worse at night. All drivers are impaired at
BAC levels above 0.05 percent. Statistics
show that the chance of being in a collision
increases sharply for drivers who have a
BAC of 0.05 percent or above. A driver with
a BAC level of 0.06 percent has doubled
his or her chance of having a collision. At a
BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance of
this driver having a collision is 12 times
greater; at a level of 0.15 percent, the
chance is 25 times greater!
The body takes about an hour to rid itself
of the alcohol in one drink. No amount of
coffee or number of cold showers will
speed that up. “I’ll be careful” isn’t the right
answer. What if there’s an emergency, a
need to take sudden action, as when a
child darts into the street? A person with
even a moderate BAC might not be able to
react quickly enough to avoid the collision.There’s something else about drinking and
driving that many people don’t know. Medi-
cal research shows that alcohol in a per-
son’s system can make crash injuries
worse, especially injuries to the brain, spi-
nal cord or heart. This means that when
anyone who has been drinking – driver or
passenger – is in a crash, that person’s
chance of being killed or permanently dis-
abled is higher than if the person had not
been drinking.
Control of a VehicleYou have three systems that make your
vehicle go where you want it to go. They
are the brakes, the steering and the accel-
erator. All three systems have to do their
work at the places where the tires meet the
road.
WARNING
Drinking and then driving is very dan-
gerous. Your reflexes, perceptions,
attentiveness and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of
alcohol. You can have a serious – or
even fatal – collision if you drive after
drinking. Please don’t drink and drive
or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if
you’re with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle:

4-3DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
85Z14-03E
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on
snow or ice, it’s easy to ask more of those
control systems than the tires and road
can provide. That means you can lose con-
trol of your vehicle.BrakingBraking action involves perception time
and reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the
brake pedal. That’s perception time. Then
you have to bring up your foot and do it.
That’s reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a
second. But that’s only an average. It might
be less with one driver and as long as two
or three seconds or more with another.
Age, physical condition, alertness, coordi-
nation and eyesight all play a part. So do
alcohol, drugs and frustration. But even in3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving at 60
mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emer-
gency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances
vary greatly with the surface of the road
(whether it’s pavement or gravel) the condi-
tion of the road (wet, dry, icy) tire tread the
condition of your brakes the weight of the
vehicle and the amount of brake force
applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some peo-
ple drive in spurts – heavy acceleration fol-
lowed by heavy braking – rather than
keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake.
Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear
out much faster if you do a lot of heavy
braking. If you keep pace with the traffic
and allow realistic following distances, you
will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer
brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driv-
ing, brake normally but don’t pump your
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder
to push down. If your engine stops, you will
still have some power brake assist. But you
will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop
and the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
(if equipped)
ABS is an advanced electronic braking
system that will help prevent a braking
skid.
When you start your engine and begin to
drive away, your anti-lock brake system will
check itself. You may hear a momentary
motor or clicking noise while this test is
going on, and you may even notice that
your brake pedal moves a little. This is nor-
mal.
If there’s a problem with the anti-lock brake
system, this warning light will stay on. See
“Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light” in
section 3.
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle: