2009 Suzuki XL7 Owner's Manual - Page 71

FEATURES AND CONTROLS started because the vehicle cannot move easily. into another gear. Refer to "Shifting Out of Park (P)" in this section. REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up. WARNING Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is 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. Do not shift into a drive gear while your engine is running at high speed. 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. Do not 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 will not move, even when you are on fairly level ground, always set your parking brake and move the shift lever to PARK (P). Refer to "Shifting Into Park (P)" in this section. If you are pulling a trailer, refer to "Towing a Trailer" in "Towing" in the "Driving Your Vehicle" section. Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting the engine. The vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock control system. You must fully apply your regular brakes first and then press the shift lever button, before you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is in RUN. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever and push the shift lever all way into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then press the shift lever button and move the shift lever CAUTION Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is moving forward could damage the transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is stopped. To rock the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging the transaxle, refer to "If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow" in "Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle" in the "Driving Your Vehicle" section. NEUTRAL (N): In this position, the engine does not connect with the wheels. To restart when the vehicle is already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when the vehicle is being towed. CAUTION Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while the engine is running at high speed may damage the transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not running at high speeds when shifting your vehicle. DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. It provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle. If the vehicle needs more power for passing, and it is: • Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push the accelerator pedal about halfway down. • Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the accelerator pedal all the way down. The vehicle will shift down to the next gear and have more power. 2-15