winter tires SUZUKI XL7 2007 2.G Owners Manual

4-14 DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE
78J00-03E
of the road. Drive at speeds that let you
stay in your own lane.
 As you go over the top of a hill, be alert.
There could be something in your lane,
like a stalled car or an accident.
 You may see highway signs on moun-
tains that warn of special problems.
Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area,
or winding roads. Be alert to these and
take appropriate action.Winter Driving
808372
Here are some tips for winter driving:
 Have your vehicle in good shape for win-
ter.
 You may want to put winter emergency
supplies in your vehicle.Also refer to “Tires” in the “Service and
Appearance Care” section.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or
broom, a supply of windshield washer fluid,
a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small
shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth, and a cou-
ple of reflective warning triangles. And, if
you will be driving under severe conditions,
include a small bag of sand, a piece of old
carpet, or a couple of burlap bags to help
provide traction. Be sure you properly
secure these items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the
tires meet the road probably have good
traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between
the tires and the road, you can have a very
slippery situation. You will have a lot less
traction, or grip, and will need to be very
careful.
808402
What is the worst time for this? Wet ice.
Very cold snow or ice can be slick and hard
to drive on. But wet ice can be even more
trouble because it may offer the least trac-
tion of all. You can get wet ice when it is
about freezing, 32°F (0°C), and freezing
rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on
wet ice until salt and sand crews can get
there.
Whatever the condition – smooth ice,
packed, blowing, or loose snow – drive
with caution.
Traction control improves your ability to
accelerate when driving on a slippery road.
But you can turn the traction system off if
you ever need to. You should turn the trac-
tion system off if your vehicle ever gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. Refer to
“If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow” in this section. Even though your

5-36 SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE
78J00-03E
deep tread, winter-type snow tires, space-
saver, or temporary use spare tires, tires
with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12
inches (25 to 30 cm), or, to some limited-
production tires.
While the tires available may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also
conform to federal safety requirements.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and a half (1.5) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance 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 low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades
represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature 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 corresponds 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
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Wheel Alignment and Tire BalanceThe tires and wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the fac-
tory to give you the longest tire life and
best overall performance. Adjustments to
wheel alignment and tire balancing will not
be necessary on a regular basis. However,
if you notice unusual tire wear or your vehi-
cle pulling to one side or the other, the
alignment may need to be checked. If you
notice your vehicle vibrating when driving
on a smooth road, your tires and wheels
may need to be rebalanced. See your
dealer for proper diagnosis.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead brak-
ing traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Exces-
sive speed, underinflation, or exces-
sive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.

8-6 INDEX
78J00-03E
Vehicle Identification
...........................................................5-52
Vehicle Identification Number
............................................7-1
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
...................................5-52
WWarning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
.............................3-15
Warranties
............................................................................7-2
Washing Your Vehicle
.........................................................5-49
Weatherstrips
.......................................................................5-49
What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
..........................................1-38
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates?
....................1-38
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
....................................5-36
Wheel Replacement
.............................................................5-37
When It Is Time for New Tires
............................................5-34
When Should an Airbag Inflate? ........................................1-37
Where Are the Airbags?
......................................................1-35
Where to Put the Restraint .................................................1-24
Windows
...............................................................................2-8
Windshield and Wiper Blades
............................................5-50
Windshield Washer
.............................................................3-5
Windshield Washer Fluid
....................................................5-16
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
..............................5-25
Windshield Wiper Fuses
.....................................................5-53
Windshield Wipers
..............................................................3-4
Winter Driving
......................................................................4-14
YYour Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
........................4-1
Your Vehicle and the Environment
....................................6-1