2007 Suzuki XL7 Owner's Manual - Page 173

DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE able from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until help comes. Loading Your Vehicle CAUTION Spinning the wheels can destroy parts of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels too fast while shifting the transaxle back and forth, you can destroy the transaxle. Refer to "Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out" in this section. For information about using tire chains on your vehicle, refer to "Tire Chains" in "Tires" in the "Service and Appearance Care" section. Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out First, turn the steering wheel left and right. That will clear the area around the front wheels. If your vehicle has traction control, you should turn the traction control system off. Refer to "Traction Control System (TCS)" in this section. Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in gear. By slowly spinning the wheels in the forward and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If that does not get your vehicle out after a few tries, it may need to be towed out. If your vehicle does need to be towed out, refer to "Towing Your Vehicle" in this section. It is very important to know how much weight your vehicle can carry. Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it may properly carry, the Tire and Loading Information label and the Vehicle Certification label. If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as rocking can help you get out when you are stuck, but you must use caution. WARNING Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), or either the maximum front or rear Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts on your vehicle can break, and it can change the way your vehicle handles. These could cause you to lose control and crash. Also, overloading can shorten the life of your vehicle. WARNING If you let your vehicle's tires spin at high speed, they can explode, and you or others could be injured. And, the transaxle or other parts of the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an engine compartment fire or other damage. When you are stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Do not spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer. 4-16