Twenty questions that come up again and again about the Jimny 5-door, with a short answer to each and a link to the full guide. Search, filter by topic, or just scroll.
These answers use Indian figures where we have them, and say so where we do not. They are general guidance, not legal or mechanical advice, so check your owner's manual, your dealer and your RTO.
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No. The Jimny is a part-time 4WD with no centre differential, so 4WD on tarmac or any hard, dry surface makes the driveline bind. Keep 4L for slow, steep or technical loose ground, and switch back to 2H as soon as the surface is hard.
Stop completely, press the clutch fully down (or select N on an automatic), then move the transfer lever to 4L and check that the 4L light comes on. Follow the lever action in your owner's manual.
Use 4H for loose or slippery surfaces at speed, such as gravel, snow and sand. Use 4L for slow, steep or technical ground, such as rocks, steep climbs and descents, and deep mud.
Use the sticker on your door pillar. Reported Indian-market figures are 26 psi all round with two people, and 26 psi front and 29 psi rear when fully loaded.
About 15 to 17 psi is a common starting point. Without beadlock wheels, going much lower risks the tire coming off the rim. Keep speeds low and reinflate before you reach the road.
The stock size is 195/80R15. Owners elsewhere often go to 215/75R15 or 225/75R15. In India, a tire size different from the approved one can breach Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act, and oversized tires are widely reported as not approved, so check with your RTO and insurer first.
Not up to 225/75R15, even when loaded. Above about 30 in you would want to regear, which is another reason to check the rules before going that big.
Changes beyond the manufacturer's approved specification need RTO authorization under Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act, and lift kits are widely reported as illegal or unlikely to be approved. Enforcement varies by state, so check with your RTO and insurer before fitting one.
No. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has banned bull bars and crash guards on cars, citing pedestrian safety and airbag sensors, and has authorized states to act against them. For pulling a stuck car, use rated recovery points instead.
No. Your gross vehicle mass is set by the maker. Stronger springs only help the car carry what it is already allowed to carry, so stay within the figure on your plate.
About 390 kg including passengers on Indian figures, from a kerb weight of about 1,205 kg and a gross weight of 1,595 kg on a Maruti dealer page. Check your own RC or plate. The full guide quotes Australian figures, which are lower.
The tank holds 40 L. Maruti claims about 16.4 to 16.9 km/l, but tested figures are around 10 km/l in the city and 13.5 km/l on the highway. That is roughly 400 to 540 km on a full tank, and less when loaded or in low range.
Check your owner's manual for the maker's figure. Owners often quote about 30 cm without extended breathers. Never cross when you cannot see the bottom, or when the water is moving fast.
Not on its own. It raises the engine's air intake, but the diff and transfer case breathers sit low and need extending too. As with any modification, check it with your insurer.
Do not try to restart it. Cranking an engine that has taken in water can wreck it. Switch off, get clear if the water is rising, pull the car out with rated gear, and have it checked before starting.
Traction boards, a shovel, a tire deflator and a 12V compressor, and a kinetic rope with two soft shackles. Add gloves, a damper and bow shackles as your trips get more serious.
Makers recommend a minimum breaking strength of 2 to 3 times the gross vehicle mass of the lighter vehicle. For a Jimny at 1,595 kg that is about 3,190 to 4,785 kg. Many ropes sold are 8 to 12 tonnes, which is too strong for a light vehicle.
No. Recovery loads can far exceed towing loads. Use rated recovery points with soft shackles, and never bumpers, roof racks or suspension parts.
Air down to about 15 to 17 psi, use 4H, and keep a steady throttle and some momentum. Keep the wheels straight, steer gently, and avoid stopping or braking hard on soft sand.
Owners report exposed steering parts, low diff and transfer case breathers, a small payload and an exposed underbody. In India, Maruti Suzuki also issued a free service bulletin for steering wobble under braking on 5-door cars on stock tires, so ask your dealer if yours is covered.
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