tow SUZUKI RENO 2008 1.G Owners Manual

1-14
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
85Z14-03E
impacts, side impacts, rollovers or minor
frontal collisions. The pretensioners can be
activated only once. If the pretensioners
are activated, have the pretensioner sys-
tem serviced by an authorized SUZUKI
dealer as soon as possible.
If the air bag readiness light on the instru-
ment cluster does not blink or come on
briefly when the ignition switch is turned to
the “ON” position, stays on for more than
10 seconds, or comes on while driving, the
pretensioner system or the air bag system
may not work properly. Have both systems
inspected by an authorized SUZUKI dealer
as soon as possible.
Service on or around the pretensioner sys-
tem components or wiring must be per-
formed only by an authorized SUZUKI
dealer who is specially trained. Improper
service could result in unintended activa-
tion of pretensioners or could render the
pretensioners inoperative. Either of these
two conditions may result in personal
injury.
To prevent damage or unintended activa-
tion of the pretensioners, be sure the bat-
tery is disconnected and the ignition switch
has been in the “LOCK” position for at least
60 seconds before performing any electri-
cal service work on your SUZUKI. Do not
touch pretensioner system components or
wiring. The wires are wrapped with yellow
tape or yellow tubing, and the couplers are
yellow. When scrapping your SUZUKI, askyour SUZUKI dealer, body repair shop or
scrap yard for assistance.
Safety Belt Extender
65D613
(1) Center of body
(2) Less than 152 mm (6 inches)
(3) Open end of extender buckle
If a safety belt cannot be fastened securely
because it is not long enough, see your
authorized SUZUKI dealer for a safety belt
extender. Safety belt extenders are avail-
able for each seating position except for
the rear center position. After inspecting
the relationship between the safety belt
length, the occupant’s body size, and the
seat adjustment (the driver’s seat should
always be adjusted as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of the vehicle,
and other adjustable seats should be
adjusted as far back as possible), yourSUZUKI dealer can select the appropriate
safety belt extender.
 A safety belt extender should only be
used for the person, vehicle and seating
location it was provided for.
 When using the extender, ensure that
both ends are latched securely. Do not
use the extender if the open end of the
extender’s buckle is within 152 mm (6
inches) of the center of the occupant’s
body (See diagram). Use of the extender
when the buckle is too close to the cen-
ter of the body could increase the risk of
abdominal injury in the event of an acci-
dent, and could cause the shoulder belt
to be positioned incorrectly.
 Make sure to use the correct buckle cor-
responding to your seating position.
 Safety belt extenders are not intended
for use by pregnant women, and should
only be used upon approval by their
medical advisors.
 Remove and stow the extender when it
is not being used.
Safety Belts:

1-15SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
85Z14-03E
Child RestraintsOlder ChildrenOlder children who have outgrown booster
seats should wear the vehicle’s safety
belts.
Question: What is the proper way to
wear safety belts?
Answer: If possible, an older child should
wear a lap-shoulder belt and get the addi-
tional restraint a shoulder belt can provide.
The shoulder belt should not cross the face
or neck. The lap belt should fit snugly
below the hips, just touching the top of the
thighs. It should never be worn over the
abdomen, which could cause severe or
even fatal internal injuries in a crash.Accident statistics show that children are
safer if they are restrained in the rear seat.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up
can strike other people who are buckled
up, or can be thrown out of the vehicle.
Older children need to use safety belts
properly.
WARNING
Failure to follow these instructions
may increase the risk of injury in a
crash.
 Only use an extender for the per-
son, vehicle and seating position it
was provided for.
 A front safety belt extender must
only be used in a front seating
position, and a rear safety belt
extender must only be used in a
rear seating position.
 Safety belt extenders are not
intended for use by pregnant
women, and should only be used
upon approval by their medical
advisors.
 The extender has been designed
for adults. Never use it for securing
child seats.
 Do not use a safety belt extender if
the open end of the extender’s
buckle is within 152 mm (6 inches)
of the center of the occupant’s
body (See diagram).
 Remove and stow the extender
when it is not being used.
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WARNING
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the
same belt. The belt can’t properly
spread the impact forces. In a crash,
the two children can be crushed
together and severely injured. A belt
must be used by only one person at a
time.
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Safety Belts:
Child Restraints:

1-16
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
85Z14-03E
Question: What if a child is wearing a
lap-shoulder belt, but the child is so
small that the shoulder belt is very
close to the child’s face or neck?
Answer: If the child is sitting in a seat next
to a window, move the child toward the
center of the vehicle. If the child is sitting in
the center rear seat passenger position,
move the child toward the safety belt
buckle. In either case, be sure that the
shoulder belt still is on the child’s shoulder,
so that in a crash the child’s upper body
would have the restraint that belts provide.
If the child is so small that the shoulder belt
is still very close to the child’s face or neck,
you might want to place the child in a seat
that has a lap belt, if your vehicle has one.
Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of
the belt should be worn low and snug on
the hips, just touching the child’s thighs.
This applies belt force to the child’s pelvic
bones in a crash.
Infants and Young ChildrenEveryone in a vehicle needs protection!
This includes infants and all other children.
Neither the distance traveled nor the age
and size of the traveler changes the need
to use safety restraints. In fact, the law in
every state in the United States and in
every Canadian province says children up
to some age must be restrained while in a
vehicle.
Every time infants and young children ride
in vehicles, they should have the protection
provided by appropriate restraints. Young
children should not use the vehicle’s adult
safety belts alone, unless there is no other
choice. Instead, they need to use a child
restraint.
WARNING
Never do this.
Here a child is sitting in a seat that
has a lap-shoulder belt, but the
shoulder part is behind the child. If
the child wears the belt in this way, in
a crash the child might slide under
the belt. The belt’s force would then
be applied right on the child’s abdo-
men. That could cause serious or
fatal injuries.
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Child Restraints:

1-18
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
85Z14-03E
Child Restraint SystemsAn infant car bed (A), a special bed made
for use in a motor vehicle, is an infant
restraint system designed to restrain or
position a child on a continuous flat sur-
face. Make sure that the infant’s head rests
toward the center of the vehicle.A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides
restraint with the seating surface against
the back of the infant. The harness system
holds the infant in place and, in a crash,
acts to keep the infant positioned in the
restraint.
WARNING
Newborn infants need complete sup-
port, including support for the head
and neck. This is necessary because
a newborn infant’s neck is weak and
its head weighs so much compared
with the rest of its body. In a crash,
an infant in a rear-facing seat settles
into the restraint, so the crash forces
can be distributed across the stron-
gest part of an infant’s body, the back
and shoulders. Infants always should
be secured in appropriate infant
restraints.
WARNING
The body structure of a young child
is quite unlike that of an adult or
older child, for whom the safety belts
are designed. A young child’s hip
bones are still so small that the vehi-
cle’s regular safety belt may not
remain low on the hip bones, as it
should. Instead, it may settle up
around the child’s abdomen. In a
crash, the belt would apply force on a
body area that’s unprotected by any
bony structure. This alone could
cause serious or fatal injuries. Young
children always should be secured in
appropriate child restraints.
(A)
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(B)
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Child Restraints:

1-32
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
85Z14-03E
or because of what the repair costs were.
For frontal air bags, inflation is determined
by the angle of the impact and how quickly
the vehicle slows down in frontal and near-
frontal impacts. For side impact air bags,
inflation is determined by the location and
severity of the impact.What Makes an Air Bag Inflate?In an impact of sufficient severity, the air
bag sensing system detects that the vehi-
cle is in a crash. For both frontal and side
impact air bags, the sensing system trig-
gers a release of gas from the inflator,
which inflates the air bag. The inflator, the
air bag and related hardware are all part of
the air bag modules. Frontal air bag mod-
ules are located inside the steering wheel
and instrument panel. Side impact air bag
modules are located in the side of the seat-
back closest to the door.How Does an Air Bag Restrain?In moderate to severe frontal or near fron-
tal collisions, even belted occupants can
contact the steering wheel or the instru-
ment panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can con-
tact the inside of the vehicle.
The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute
the force of the impact more evenly over
the occupant’s upper body, stopping the
occupant more gradually. But the frontal air
bags would not help you in many types ofcollisions, including rollovers, rear impacts,
and many side impacts, primarily because
an occupant’s motion is not toward the air
bag. Side impact air bags would not help
you in many types of collisions, including
frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers,
and rear impacts, primarily because an
occupant’s motion is not toward those air
bags. Air bags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement to
safety belts, and then only in moderate to
severe frontal or near-frontal collisions for
the driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal air bags, and only in moderate to
severe side collisions for vehicles with side
impact air bags.
What Will You See After an Air Bag
Inflates?After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates,
so quickly that some people may not even
realize the air bag inflated. Some compo-
nents of the air bag module will be hot for a
short time. These components include the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s frontal
air bag, the instrument panel for the right
front passenger’s frontal bag and the side
of the seatback closest to the front door for
the side impact air bag. The parts of the
bag that come into contact with you may
be warm, but not too hot to touch. There
will be some smoke and dust coming from
the vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag
inflation doesn’t prevent the driver from
seeing or being able to steer the vehicle,nor does it stop people from leaving the
vehicle.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate
an air bag, windshields are broken by vehi-
cle deformation. Additional windshield
breakage may also occur from the right
front passenger air bag.
 Air bags are designed to inflate only
once. After an air bag inflates, you’ll
need some new parts for your air bag
system. If you don’t get them, the air bag
system won’t be there to help protect
you in another crash. A new system will
include air bag modules and possibly
other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other
parts.
WARNING
When an air bag inflates, there is dust
in the air. This dust could cause
breathing problems for people with a
history of asthma or other breathing
trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is
safe to do so. If you have breathing
problems but can’t get out of the
vehicle after an air bag inflates, then
get fresh air by opening a window or
a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an air bag deploy-
ment, you should seek medical atten-
tion.
Supplemental Restraint System:

2-4
FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
Doors and LocksDoor LocksThere are several ways to lock and unlock
your vehicle.From the outside, use your key or the
optional keyless entry transmitter. See
“Remote Keyless Entry System” in this
section.
To manually unlock all of the doors from
the outside, insert the key and turn it
toward the front of the vehicle.
To manually lock all of the doors from the
outside, insert the key and turn it toward
the rear of the vehicle.All doors, except the driver’s door, can be
locked from the outside by pushing down
the manual door lock and then closing the
door. The driver’s door lock cannot be
pushed in while the door is open. Upon
leaving the vehicle, the driver’s door can be
locked from the outside only by using the
key or the optional remote keyless entry
transmitter.
If your vehicle has a security indicator, the
indicator will turn off when you unlock the
door using the key or the optional keyless
entry transmitter. The indicator will turn on
when you lock the door using the key or
the keyless entry transmitter. The security
indicator is located on the driver’s door
lock.
From the inside, you can lock and unlock
all of the doors by pushing or pulling the
WARNING
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
 Passengers – especially children –
can easily open the doors and fall
out of a moving vehicle. When a
door is locked, the handle won’t
open it. You increase the chance of
being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors aren’t locked. So,
wear safety belts properly and lock
the doors whenever you drive.
 Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be unable to
get out. A child can be overcome by
extreme heat and can suffer perma-
nent injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock your vehi-
cle whenever you leave it.
 Outsiders can easily enter through
an unlocked door when you slow
down or stop your vehicle. Locking
your doors can help prevent this
from happening.
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Doors and Locks:

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:

2-20
FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
MirrorsManual Rearview MirrorWhen you are sitting in a comfortable driv-
ing position, adjust the mirror so you can
see clearly behind your vehicle. Grip the
mirror in the center to move it up or down
and from side to side.
The day/night adjustment allows you to
adjust the mirror to avoid glare from any
headlamps behind you. Push or pull the
tab for daytime/night use.
Outside Manual MirrorThe outside rearview mirrors should be
adjusted so you can see a little of the side
of your vehicle when you are sitting in a
comfortable driving position.
Adjust the outside mirrors with the control
levers on the driver’s and passenger’s
doors.
The outside rearview mirrors can be folded
flat against the side of the vehicle by push-
ing them toward the vehicle.
Outside Power MirrorsIf your vehicle has this feature, the control
for the power mirrors is located on the
driver’s side door trim.
Move the outside power mirror control to
“L” to adjust the left mirror and to “R” to
adjust the right mirror. If you place the con-
trol in the center position, no movement of
the mirror will occur. To adjust a mirror,
press the corresponding edges located on
the four-way control pad to move the mirror
in the direction that you want it to go. The
ignition must be to ON to adjust the mir-
rors.
The outside rearview mirrors can be folded
flat against the side of the vehicle by push-
ing them toward the vehicle.
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Mirrors:

2-22
FEATURES AND CONTROLS
85Z14-03E
Sunglasses Storage CompartmentThe sunglasses storage compartment is
located above the driver’s door.
To open the sunglasses storage compart-
ment, pull down and hold the upper part of
the cover. To close the compartment, let go
of the cover and the compartment will
automatically close.
Front Storage AreaYour vehicle may have a sliding storage
tray located under the front passenger
seat. To use the tray, pull up on the end of
the tray and pull it toward the instrument
panel. Push the tray toward the seat to
return it to its original position.
Front Armrest Storage AreaYour vehicle has a front armrest storage
area. To open the storage area, pull up on
the lift lever and raise the lid. To close the
storage area, lower the lid and push it
down until it latches securely.
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Storage Areas:

3-3INSTRUMENT PANEL
85Z14-03E
Tilt WheelYour vehicle has a tilt wheel which allows
you to adjust the steering wheel before you
drive. You can raise it to the highest level to
give your legs more room when you exit
and enter the vehicle.
The lever that allows you to tilt the steering
wheel is located under the steering col-
umn.
To tilt the wheel, hold the wheel and push
the lever away from you. Then, move the
wheel to a comfortable position and pull
the lever toward you to lock the wheel in
place.
Turn Signal/Multifunction LeverThe lever on the left side of the steering
column includes the following:
 Turn and Lane-Change Signals
 Fog Lamps, if available
 Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
 Flash-to-Pass
For information on the exterior lamps, see
“Exterior Lamps” in this section.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has three positions. The
upward and downward positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change. At the
center position, the turn signal is off.To signal a turn, move the lever all the way
up or down. When the turn is finished, the
lever will return automatically.
An arrow on the instrument panel cluster
will flash in the direction of the turn or lane
change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower
the lever until the arrow starts to flash.
Hold it there until you complete your lane
change. The lever will return by itself when
you release it.
WARNING
Never attempt to adjust the steering
wheel height while the vehicle is
moving or you could lose control of
the vehicle.
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Instrument Panel Overview: