warning SUZUKI SX4 2010 1.G Owners Manual

7-21INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
80J23-03E
6) The handle of the CVT fluid dipstick is
colored red or orange for easy identifi-
cation.
Remove the dipstick, clean it and push
it back in until the cap seats. Pull out
the dipstick and read the fluid level.
The fluid level should be between the
two marks in the “HOT” range on the
dipstick.
7) Add just enough specified fluid through
the dipstick hole to fill the transaxle to
the proper level. It takes only 0.6 liters
(1.27 US pt) for CVT to raise the level
from “LOW” to “FULL”.Deterioration Checking or Chang-
ing OilSince special procedures, materials and
tools are required to check the deteriora-
tion of CVT oil or change, it is recom-
mended that you trust this job to your
authorized SUZUKI dealer.
BrakesBrake Fluid
80J004
Check the brake fluid level by looking at
the reservoir in the engine compartment.
Check that the fluid level is between the
“MAX” and “MIN” lines. If the brake fluid
level is near the “MIN” line, fill it up to the
“MAX” line with SAE J1703 or DOT3 brake
fluid.
80J104
CAUTION
After checking or adding oil, be sure
to insert the dipstick securely.
EXAMPLE
WARNING
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 panel 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 a leak in
the brake system which should be
inspected by your SUZUKI dealer
immediately.
 Brake fluid can harm your eyes and
damage painted surfaces. Use cau-
tion when refilling the reservoir.
(Continued)
or

7-22
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
80J23-03E
NOTE:
With disc brakes, the fluid level can be
expected to gradually fall as the brake
pads wear.Brake Pedal
65D345
With the engine running and the parking
brake set, measure the distance between
the brake pedal and floor carpet when the
pedal is depressed with approximately 300
N (66 lbs, 30 kg) of force. The minimum
distance required is as specified. Since
your vehicle’s brake system is self-adjust-
ing, there is no need for pedal adjustment.
If the pedal to floor carpet distance asmeasured 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.
60G104
WARNING
(Continued)
 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.
WARNING
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 the reach of
children and animals.
CAUTION
The brake fluid should be replaced
according to the maintenance sched-
ule. Have the brake fluid replaced by
your SUZUKI dealer.
Pedal to floor carpet minimum distance
“a”
40 mm (1.6 in.)
“a”
Floor carpet

7-23INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
80J23-03E
Parking Brake Lever
60A226
Check the parking brake for proper adjust-
ment by counting the number of clicks
made by the ratchet teeth as you slowly
pull up on the parking brake lever to the
point of full engagement. The parking
brake lever should stop between the speci-
fied ratchet teeth and the rear wheels
should be securely locked. If the parking
brake is not properly adjusted or the
brakes drag after the lever has been fully
released, have the parking brake inspected
and/or adjusted by your SUZUKI dealer.
Steering Wheel
80J005
Check the play of the steering wheel by
gently turning it from left to right and mea-
suring the distance that it moves before
you feel slight resistance. The play should
be between the specified values. Check
that the steering wheel turns easily and
smoothly without rattling by turning it all the
way to the right and to the left while driving
very slowly in an open area. If the amount
of free play is outside the specification or
you find anything else to be wrong, an
inspection must be performed by your
SUZUKI dealer.
WARNING
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
 (Except ABS equipped vehicle)
Pedal pulsation (pedal pulsates
when pressed for braking.)
Ratchet tooth specification “b”
4th – 9th
200 N (44 lbs, 20 kg)
“b”
Steering wheel play “c”
0 – 30 mm (0.0 – 1.2 in.)
“c”
EXAMPLE

7-26
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
80J23-03E
D. Construction Code
This letter code is used to indicate
the type of ply construction in the
tire. The letter “R” means radial
ply tire construction, the letter “D”
means diagonal or bias ply con-
struction, and the letter “B” means
belted-bias ply construction.
E. Rim Diameter
This two-digit number is the wheel
or rim diameter in inches.Tire Inflation Pressure
Tire inflation pressure should be
checked when the tire is cold. “Cold
tire inflation pressure” is the pressure
in a tire that has been driven less than
1 mile (1.6 km) or has been standing
for three hours or more.
80JS025
The front and rear tire pressure speci-
fications for your vehicle are shown
below and are listed on the Tire and
Loading Information Label, which is
located on the driver’s door lock pillar.
The Tire and Loading Information
Label contains the following informa-
tion: Seating Capacity
 Maximum Allowed Combined
Weight of Occupants and Cargo
 Original Tire Size
 Recommended Cold Tire Inflation
Pressure of Original Tires
 Size of Compact Spare Tire
 Recommended Cold Tire Inflation
Pressure of Compact Spare Tire
WARNING
Your SUZUKI is equipped with
tires which are all the same type
and size. This is important to
ensure proper steering and han-
dling of the vehicle. Never mix
tires of different size or type on
the four wheels of your vehicle.
Mixing tires could cause you to
lose control while driving which
may lead to an accident. The size
and type of tires used should be
only those approved by SUZUKI
Motor Corporation as standard or
optional equipment for your vehi-
cle.
Recommended Cold Tire Inflation
Pressures
Front Tires230 kPa
33 psi
Rear Tires230 kPa
33 psi
Compact Spare Tire420 kPa
60 psi

7-27INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
80J23-03E
NOTE:
The tire inflation pressure will change
due to changes in atmospheric pres-
sure, temperature or tire temperature
when driving. To reduce the chance that
the low tire pressure warning light will
come on due to normal changes in tem-
perature and atmospheric pressure, it is
important to check and adjust the tire
pressures when the tires are cold. Tires
that appear to be at the specified pres-
sure 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
specification 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 tempera-
ture, you should add 1 psi to the recom-
mended cold tire inflation pressure for
every 10°F difference between garage
temperature and outside temperature.Measuring Air Pressure
Use the following steps to achieve
proper tire inflation:
1) Identify the recommended tire pres-
sure on the vehicle’s Tire and Load-
ing Information Label or in the
owner’s manual.
2) Remove the valve cap from the tire
valve stem.
3) Using a reliable pressure gauge,
measure the tire inflation pressure
by pressing the tire gauge firmly
onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. Remember that
inflation pressures should be
checked when the tires are “cold”,
meaning before they have been
driven one mile or after sitting for
three hours or more allowing the tire
to cool to ambient air temperature.
4) If the air pressure is too high, slowly
release the air by pressing on the
tire valve stem with the edge of the
tire gauge until you reach the cor-
rect pressure.
5) If the air pressure is too low, fill the
tire with air at a service station until
it reaches the recommended pres-
sure.
6) Make sure all tires have the same
air pressure (unless the owner’s
manual indicates otherwise).
WARNING
 Air pressures should be
checked when the tires are cold
or you may get inaccurate read-
ings.
 Check the inflation pressure
from time to time while inflating
the tire gradually, until the spec-
ified pressure is obtained.
 Never underinflate or overin-
flate the tires.
Underinflation can cause
unusual handling characteristics
or can cause the rim to slip on
the tire bead, resulting in an acci-
dent or damage to the tire or rim.
Underinflation can also cause
tires to overheat, leading to tire
failure.
Overinflation can cause the tire
to burst, resulting in personal
injury.
Overinflation can also cause
unusual handling characteristics
which may result in an accident.

7-28
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
80J23-03E
Tire Inspection
Inspect your vehicle’s tires at least
once a month by performing the fol-
lowing checks:
1) Measure the air pressure with a tire
gauge. Adjust the pressure if nec-
essary. Remember to check the
spare tire, too. Refer to the “Mea-
suring Air Pressure” section.
54G136
(1) Tread wear indicator
(2) Indicator location mark
2) Check that the depth of the tread
groove is more than 1.6 mm (0.06
in.). To help you check this, the tires
have molded-in tread wear indica-
tors in the grooves. When the indi-
cators appear on the tread surface,
the remaining depth of the tread is1.6 mm (0.06 in.) or less and the
tire should be replaced.
3) Check for abnormal wear, cracks
and damage. Any tires with cracks
or other damage should be
replaced. If any tires show abnor-
mal wear, have them inspected by
your SUZUKI dealer.
4) Check for loose wheel nuts.
5) Check that there are no nails,
stones or other objects sticking into
the tires.
WARNING
Hitting curbs and running over
rocks can damage tires and affect
wheel alignment. Be sure to have
tires and wheel alignment
checked periodically by your
SUZUKI dealer.
WARNING
Your SUZUKI is equipped with
tires which are all the same type
and size. This is important to
ensure proper steering and han-
dling of the vehicle. Never mix
tires of different size or type on
the four wheels of your vehicle.
The size and type of tires used
should be only those approved by
SUZUKI Motor Corporation as
standard or optional equipment
for your vehicle.
CAUTION
For intelligent All Wheel Drive (i-
AWD) models, replacing a tire
with one of a different size, or
using different brands among the
four tires can result in damage to
the drive train.

7-29INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
80J23-03E
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The U.S. National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration has developed a
grading system for evaluating the per-
formance of passenger car tires. The
following information will help you
understand the grading system, which
applies to vehicles sold in the U.S.
Consult your SUZUKI dealer or tire
retailer for help in choosing the correct
replacement tires for your vehicle.
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Tempera-
ture A
DOT Quality Grades
Treadwear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All Passenger Car Tires Must Conform
To Federal Safety Requirements in
Addition To These GradesTreadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified government test
course. For example, a tire graded 150
would wear one and one-half (1 1/2)
times as well on the government course
as a tire graded 100. The relative per-
formance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however
and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those
grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on speci-
fied government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
WARNING
Replacing the wheels and tires
equipped on your vehicle with
certain combinations of aftermar-
ket wheels and tires can signifi-
cantly change the steering and
handling characteristics of your
vehicle. Oversized tires may also
rub against the fender over
bumps, causing vehicle damage
or tire failure. Therefore, use only
those wheel and tire combina-
tions approved by SUZUKI Motor
Corporation as standard or
optional equipment for your vehi-
cle. For information regarding the
specified tires, refer to the Tire
Information Label located on the
driver’s side door pillar or the
“SPECIFICATIONS” section.
CAUTION
Replacing the original tires with
tires of a different size may result
in false speedometer or odometer
readings. Check with your
SUZUKI dealer before purchas-
ing replacement tires that differ in
size from the original tires.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on straight-
ahead braking traction tests, and
does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning or peak
traction characteristics.

7-30
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
80J23-03E
Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high tempera-
ture can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corre-
sponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of per-
formance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.Tire Rotation
54G114
To avoid uneven wear of your tires and
to prolong their life, rotate the tires as
illustrated. Tires should be rotated as
recommended in the periodic mainte-
nance schedule. After rotation, adjust
front and rear tire pressures to the
specification listed on your vehicle’s
Tire and Loading Information Label.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not over-
loaded. Excessive speed, under-
inflation or excessive loading,
either separately or in combina-
tion, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after a time. The wheel could
come off and cause an accident.
When you change a wheel,
remove any rust or dirt from
places where the wheel attaches
to the vehicle. In an emergency,
you can use a cloth or a paper
towel to do this; but be sure to
use a scraper or wire brush later,
if you need to, to get all the rust
or dirt off.

7-31INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
80J23-03E
Compact Spare Tire (if equipped)
54G115
(1) Wear indicator
(2) Indicator location mark
Your vehicle comes equipped with the
compact spare tire. The compact
spare is designed to save space in
your storage area, and its lighter
weight makes it easier to install if a flat
tire occurs. It is only intended for tem-
porary emergency use, until the con-
ventional tire can be repaired or
replaced. The inflation pressure of the
compact spare tire should be checked
at least monthly. Use a quality pocket-
type inflation pressure gauge and set
at 420 kPa (60 psi). At the same time,
check that the tire is stored securely. If
it is not, tighten it.Note that two or more compact spare
tires should not be used on one vehi-
cle simultaneously.
WARNING
The compact spare tire and wheel
are intended for temporary emer-
gency use only. Continuous use
of this spare can result in tire fail-
ure and loss of control. Always
observe these precautions when
using this spare:
 Your vehicle will handle differ-
ently with this temporary spare.
 Do not exceed 80 km/h (50 mph)
speed.
 Replace this spare with a stan-
dard tire and wheel as soon as
possible.
 Use of this spare will reduce
ground clearance.
 Recommended air pressure for
this spare is 420 kPa (60 psi).
 Do not use tire chains on the
compact spare. If you must use
tire chains, rearrange the
wheels so standard tires and
wheels are fitted to the front
axle.
(Continued)
WARNING
(Continued)
 The compact spare tire has a
much shorter tread life than the
conventional tires on your vehi-
cle. Replace the tire as soon as
the tread wear indicator
appears.
 When replacing the compact
tire, use a replacement tire with
the exact same size and con-
struction.
CAUTION
For intelligent All Wheel Drive (i-
AWD) models, driving with an
underinflated compact spare tire
or over 80 km/h (50 mph) while
using a compact spare tire can
result in damage to the drive
train.

7-34
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
80J23-03E
trailer). Contact your dealer for further
information.
Actual weight of the loaded vehicle
and actual loads at the front and rear
axles can only be determined by
weighing the vehicle using a vehicle
scale. To measure the weight and
load, try making your vehicle to a high-
way weighing station, shipping com-
pany or inspection station for trucks,
etc. Compare these weights to the
GVWR and GAWR (front and rear)
listed on the Safety Certification Label.
If the gross vehicle weight or the load
on either axle exceeds these ratings,
you must remove enough weight to
bring the load down to the rated
capacity.Steps for Determining Correct Load
Limit
1) Locate the statement “The com-
bined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg
or XXX lbs” on your vehicle’s plac-
ard.
2) Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will
be riding in your vehicle.
3) Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4) The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and lug-
gage load capacity. For example, if
the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs
and there will be five 150 lb passen-
gers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs (1400 – 750 (5 x
150) = 650 lbs).
5) Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight may not
safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity calcu-
lated in Step 4.
6) If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and lug-
gage load capacity of your vehicle.
WARNING
Never overload your vehicle. Over-
loading your vehicle can cause
damage to your tires and lead to
poor steering and braking which
can result in an accident. The
gross vehicle weight (sum of the
weights of the loaded vehicle,
driver and passengers) must
never exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) listed on
the Safety Certification Label. In
addition, never distribute a load so
that the weight on either the front
or rear axle exceeds the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) listed
on the Safety Certification Label.
WARNING
 Always distribute cargo evenly.
 To avoid personal injury or
damage to your vehicle, always
secure cargo to prevent it from
shifting if the vehicle moves
suddenly.
 Place heavier objects on the
floor and as far forward in the
cargo area as possible. Never
pile cargo higher than the top of
the seatbacks.