Contents
LIVING WITH YOUR FIAT PUNTO
Introduction to the Rat Punto Page 0-4 Safety lirstl Page 0*5
Roadside repairs If your car won't start Page 0*6 Jump starting Page 0*7 Wheel changing Page 0«8 Identifying teaks Page 0*9 Towing Page 0*9
Weekly checks Introduction Page 0*10 Underbonnet check points Page 0»10 Engine oil level Page 0*12 Coolant level Page 0*12 Brake fluid level Page 0*13 Power steering fluid level Page 0"13 Tyre condition and pressure Page 0*14 Automatic transmission fluid level Page 0«1S Screen washer fluid level Page 0«1S Wiper blades Page 0*15 Battery Page 0*16 Electrical systems Page 0-16
Lubricants and fluids Page 0*17
Tyre pressures Page 0*18
MAINTENANCE
Routine maintenance and servicing Rat Punto petrol models Page 1A«1 Servicing specifications Page 1A«2 Maintenance schedule Page 1A«3 Maintenance procedures Page 1A«6 Fiat Punto diesei models Page 1B-1 Servicing specifications Page 1B«2 Maintenance schedule Page 1B«3 Maintenance procedures Page 1B«5
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Safety first! 0.5
Working on your ear can be dangerous. This page shows just some of the potential risks and hazards, with the aim of creating a safety-conscious attitude.
General hazards
Scalding • Don't remove the radiator or expansion tank cap while the engine is hot. • Engine oil, automatic transmission fluid or power steering fluid may also be dangerously hot if the engine has recently been running.
Burning • Beware of burns from the exhau3t system and from any part of the engine. Brake discs and drums can also be extremely hot immediately after use.
Crushing • When working under or near a raised vehicle. ~ always supplement the ' ' -jack with axle stands, or use ... drive-on i'j ramps. kr Never venture ™ under
a
car
vv/j/ch
Is only supported by a jack. • Take card if loosening or tightening high-torque nuts when the vehicle is on stands. Initial loosening and final tightening should be done with the wheels on the ground.
Fire • Fuel Is highly flammable; fuel vapour is explosive. • Don't (et fuel spill onto a hot engine. • Do not smoke or allow naked lights (including pilot lights) anywhere near a vehicle being worked on. Also beware of creating sparks (electrically or by use of toots). • Fuel vapour is heavier than air, so don't work on the fuel system with the vehicle over an inspection pit. • Another cause of fire is an electrical overload or short-circuit. Take care when repainng or modifying the vehicle wiring. • Keep a fire extinguisher handy, of a type suitable for use on fuel and electrical fires.
Electric shock x ^ ^ ? , • Ignition HT _ " voltage can be ^ dangerous, ~ especially to > people with heart problems or a pacemaker. Don't work on or near the f^ ignition system with fT") the engine running or ' J ' J the Ignition switched on.
• Mains voltage is also dangerous. Make sure that any mains-operated equipment is correctly earthed. Mains power points should be protected by a residual current device (RCD) circuit breaker.
Fume or gas intoxication • Exhaust fumes are poisonous: they often contain carbon monoxide, which is rapidly fatal if inhaled. Never run the engine in a confined space such as a garage with the doors shut, • Fuel vapour is also poisonous, as are the vapours from some cleaning solvents and paint thinners.
Poisonous or irritant substances • Avoid skin contact with battery acid and with any fuel, fluid or lubricant, especially antifreeze, brake hydraulic fluid and Diesel fuel. Don't syphon them by mouth. If such a substance is swallowed or gets into the eyes, seek medical advice. « Prolonged contact with used engine oil can cause skin cancer. Wear gloves or use a barrier cream If necessary. Change out of oll-soaked clothes and do not keep oily rags in your pocket. • Air conditioning refrigerant forms a poisonous gas if exposed to a naked flame {including a cigarette). It can also cause skin burns on contact.
Asbestos • Asbestos dust can cause cancer if inhaled or swallowed. Asbestos may be found In gaskets and in brake and clutch linings. When dealing with soch components It is safest to assume that they contain asbestos.
Special hazards
Hydrofluoric acid • This extremely corrosive acid is formed when cerlam types of synthetic rubber, found In some O-rings, oil seals, fuel hoses etc. are exposed to temperatures above 400;C. The rubber changes into a charred or sticky substance containing the acid. Once formed, the acid remains dangerous for years, tfit gets onto the skin, it may be necessary to amputate the limb concerned. • When dealing with a vehicle which has suffered a fire, or with components salvaged from such a vehicle, wear protective gloves and discard them after use.
The battery • Batteries contain sulphuric acid, which attacks clothing, eyes and skin. Take care when topping-up or carrying the battery. • The hydrogen gas given off by the battery is highly explosive. Never cause a spark or allow a naked light nearby. Be careful when connecting and disconnecting battery chargers or jump leads.
Air bags • Air bags can cause injury if they go off accidentally. Take care when removing the steenng wheel and/or facia. Special storage instructions may apply.
Diesel injection equipment • Diesel injection pumps supply fuel at very high pressure. Take care when working on the fuel injectors and fuel pipes.
A
Warning: Never expose the hands, face or any otfterpart of the body to injector spray; the fuel can penetrate the skin with potentially fatal results.
Remember...
DO • Do use eye protection when using power tools, and when working under the vehicle. • Do wear gloves or use barrier cream to protect your hands when necessary. • Do get someone to check periodically that all is well when working alone on the vehicle. • Do keep loose clothing and long hair well out of the way of moving mechanical parts. • Do remove rings, wrtstwatch etc. before working on the vehicle - especially the electrical system, • Do ensure that any lifting or jacking equipment has a safe working load rating adequate for the job.
DON'T • Don't attempt to lift a heavy component which may be beyond your capability - get assistance. • Don't rush to finish a job. or take unverified short cuts. • Don't use ill-fitting toots which may slip and cause injury. • Don't leave tools or parts lying around where someone can trip over them. Mop up oil and fuel spills at once. • Don't allow children or pets to play In or near a vehicle being worked on.
o«8
Roadside repairs
Wheel changing
Some of the details shown horo will vary according to model. For Instance, the location of the spare wheel and jack is not the same on all cars. However, the basic principles apply to aii vehicles-
Preparation
• When a puncture occurs, stop as soon as it Is safe to do so. • Park on firm level ground. If possible, and v/etl out of the way of other traffic. • Use hazard warning lights if necessary.
Changing the wheel
A
Warning: Do not change a wheel (n a situation where you risk being hit by another vehicle. On busy roads, try to stop in a fay-by or a gateway. Be wary of passing traffic white changing the wheel - it Is easy to becomo distracted by the job in hand.
If you have one, use a warning triangle to alert other drivers of your presence. Apply the handbrake and engage first or reverse gear (or P on models with automatic transmission).
• Chock the wheel diagonally opposite the one being removed - a couple of largo stones will do for this. G If the ground is soft, use a flat piece of wood to spread the load under the iack.
I
Tbe spare wheel and tools (Including the jack) are stored
In
the luggage compartment beneath the floor covering. Unscrew the central plastic nut to remove the tool holder.
Slacken each wheel bolt by a half turn Locale the jack under the triangular mark on the 6)11 next to the wheel to be changed, on firm ground
4
Turn the Jack handle clockwise until the wheel Is raised clear of the ground Unscrew the wheel bolts, withdraw the trim and remove the whed
6
Fit Ihe spare wheel on the pins, and screw In the bolts. Lightly lighten tho bolts with the wheelbrace then lowor the vehicle to the ground
Finally...
Securely lighten the wheel bolts in Ihe sequence shown. Note that the wheel bolts should be slackened and retightened to the specified torque at the earliest possible opportunity.
• Remove l)>e wheel chocks.
• Stow the punctured wheel, jack and tools in the correct locations in the car. • Check the tyre pressure on the wheel just fitted. If it is low. or It you don't have a pressure gauge with you, drive slowly to the nearest garage and inflate the tyre to Ihe right pressure.
D When using tho space-saver spare wheel, do not exceed 50 mph (SO kph). C Have the damaged tyre or wheal repaired as soon as possible.
Roadside repairs 0.9
Puddles on the garage floor or drive, or obvious wetness under the bonnet or underneath the car, suggest a leak that needs Investigating. It can sometimes be difficult to decide where the leak is coming from, especially if the engine bay is very dirty already. Leaking oil or fluid can also be blown rearwards by the passage of air under the car, giving a false impression of where the problem lies.
A
Warning: Most automotive oils and fluids aro poisonous. Wash them off skin, and change out of contaminated clothing, without delay.
Identifying leaks
The smell of 0 fluid leaking from the car may provide a clue to what's leaking. Some fluids are distinctively coloured. It may help to clean the car carefully and to park It over some clean paper overnight as an aid to locating the source of the leak. Remember that some leaks may only occur while the engine is running.
Sump oil
Engine oil may leak from the drain plug...
Antifreeze
Leaking antifreeze often leaves a crystalline oeposit like this.
Oil from filter
A leak occurring at a wheel Is almost certainly brake fluid.
Gearbox oil
Gearbox oil can leak from the seals at the inboard ends of the drivoshafts.
Power steering fluid
Power steering fluid may leak from the pipe connectors on the steering rack.
When ail else falls, you may llnd yourself having to get a tow home - or of course you may be helping somebody else. Long-distance recovery should only be done by a garage or breakdown service. For shorter distances. OIY towing using another car is easy enough, but observe the following points: • Use a proper tow-rope - they are not expensive. The vehicle being towed must display an ON TOW sign in its rear window. • Always turn the Ignition key to the ON position when the vehicle is being towed, so that the steering lock is released, and that the direction indicator and brake lights will work. • Only attach the tow-rope to the towing eyes provided.
• Before being towed, release the handbrake and select neutral on the transmission. • Note that greater-then-usual pedal pressure will be required to operate the brakes, since the vacuum servo unit is only operational with the engine running. • On models with power steering, greater-than-usual steering effort will also be required. • The driver of the car being towed must keep the tow-rope taut at all times to avoid snatching. • Make sure that both drivers know the route before setting off. • Only dnve at moderate speeds and keep the distance towed to a minimum. Drive smoothly and allow plenty of time for slowing down at junctions.
Towing
• On models with automatic transmission, special precautions apply(see Chapter 7B. Section 1). If In doubt, do not tow, or transmission damage may result. • The front towing eye is supplied as part of the tool kit stored in the luggage compart-ment. To fit the eye pnse out the plastic cover from the front or rear bumper using a screwdriver, then screw the eye onto the threaded pin as tightly as possible.
A
Warning: To prevent damage to the catalytic converter, e vehicle must not be push'started, or started by towing, when the engine is at operating temperature. Use jump leads (see Jump starting).
do Weekly checks
Introduction
There are some very simple checks which need only take a few minutes to carry out, but which could save you a lot of inconvenience and expense.
These Weekly checks require no great skill or special lools, and the small amount of lime they take to perform could prove to be very well spent, for example;
P Keeping an eye on tyre condition and pressures, will not only help to stop them wearing out prematurely, but could also save your life.
C Many breakdowns are caused by electacai problems. Battery-relalod faults are particularly common, and a quick check on a regular basis will ofton prevent the majority of these.
• If your car develops a brake fluid teak, the first time you might know about it is when your brakes don't work properly. Checking the level regularly will give advance warning of this kind of problem.
• If the oil or coolant levels run low. the cost of repairing any engine damage will be far greater than fixing the leak, for example.
Underbonnet check points
4 1.1 litre petrol
A Engine oil level dipstick Q Engine oil filler cap C Cooteof expansion tank P Brake fluid reservoir E Screen washer fluid reservoir p Battery
< 1.2 litre
m (8-valve) petrol
^ 1 A Engine oII level dipstick
B Engine otl tiller cap
fi i: c Coolant expansion tank
D Brake fluid reservoir
E Screen washer fluid reservoir
F Battery
o*i2 Weekly checks
Engine oil level
Before you start • Make euro that your cor is on level ground. • Check ihe oil level oefore ihe cor is driven, or at least 5 minutes alter the engine has been switched off.
HHifffl If tho oil Is checked rTf"™^ Immediately after driving the IHlAIT vehicle,
some
of the oil will " remain In the upper engine components, resulting in on inaccurate reading on the dipstick!
The correct oil Modern engines place great demands on their oil. It Is very important that the correct oil for your car is used
Car Care • If you have to add oil frequently, you should check whother you have any oil leaks. Place some clean paper under the car overnight, and check for stains In the morning. If there are no leaks, the engine may be burning oil.
• Always maintain the level between the upper and lower dipstick marks (see pholo 2). If Ihe level Is too low
sqvoio
engine damage may oecur. Oil seal failure may result if tho engine is overfilled by adding too much oil.
I
Tho dipstick is brightly coloured for easy identification (seo Under bonnet check points). Withdraw the dipstick (petrol engine shown).
3
If more oil is needed, remove the oil filler cap Irom the top of the ongine (petrol engine shown).
SI i J
2
Using a clean rag or paper towel remove all oil from the dipstick. Insert the clean dipstick into the tube as far as it will go, then withdraw it again. The level should be between the upper and lower marks.
4
Oil Is added through the filler cap aperture (diesel engine shown). Add the oil a little at a time, checking the level on the dipstick often. Using a funnel will help to reduce spillage. Don't overfill (see Car Care).
Coolant level
A
Warning: DO NOT attempt to remove the expansion tank pressure cap when the engine is hot, as there is a very great risk of scalding. Do not leave open containers of coo/ant about, as It is poisonous.
Car Care • With a sealed-type cooling system, adding coolant should not be necessary on a regular basis. If frequent topping-up is required, it is likely there Is a leak. Check the radiator, all hoses and Joint faces for signs of staining or wetness, and roctify as necessary.
• It is important that antifreeze is used in the cooling system all year round, not just during the winter months. Don't top-up with water alone, as the antifreeze will become too diluted.
H Check that the coolant level is between I the MIN and MAX marks, il topping up is necessary, wait until tho engine is cold. Slowly unscrew the expansion tank cap to release any pressure present in the cooling system, and remove it (petrol engine shown).
2
On diesel engine models, Ihe ooolant expansion tank is a different shape, but Ihe same procedure applies as for petrol engine models (see photo 1). Tho MlN and MAX marks appear on the side of tlie tank neorosl the engine.
3
Add a mixture of water and antifreeze to the expansion tank until the coolant level is up to the MAX mark (petrol engine shown), The MIN and MAX marks appear on the tank below the filler neck.
o»i4 Weekly checks
Tyre condition and pressure
l( is very important that tyres are In good condition, and at the correct pressure - having a tyre (allure at any speed is highly dangerous. Tyre wear is influenced by driving style • harsh braking and acceleration, or fast cornering, will ail produce more rapid tyre wear. As a general rule, the front tyres wear out faster than the rears. Interchanging the tyres from front to rear ("rotating' the tyres) may result in more even wear. However, if this is completely effective, you may have the expense of replacing ail four tyres at once! Remove any nails or stones embedded In the tread before they penetrate the tyro to cause deflation. If removal of a nail does reveal that
r
the tyre has been punctured, refit the nail so (hat its point of penetration is marked. Then Immediately change the wheel, and have the tyre repaired by a tyre dealer. Regularly check the tyres for damage (n the form of cuts or bulges, especially in the sidewails. Periodically remove the wheels, and clean any dirt or mud from the Inside and outside surfaces. Examine the wheel rims for signs of rusting, corrosion or other damage, Light alloy wheels are easily damaged by •kerbing"1 whilst parking; steel wheels may also become dented or buckled. A new wheel Is very often the only way to overcome severe damage.
New tyres should be balanced when they are fitted, but it may become necessary to re-balance them as they wear, or if the balance weights fitted to the wheel rim should fall off. Unbalanced tyres will v/ear more quickly, as will the steering and suspension components. Wheel imbalance is normally signified by vibration, particularly at a certain speed (typically around 50 mph). If this vibration is fett only through the steering, then II Is likely that |ust the front wheels need balancing. H, however, the vibration is felt through the whole car. the rear wheels could be out of balance. Whoel balancing should be carried out by a tyre dealer or garage.
-j Tread Depth • visual check The original tyres have tread wear safety bands {8}, which wiU appear when the tread depth reaches approximately 1.6 mm. The band positions are indicated by a triangular mark on the tyre sidewail (A).
Tyre tread wear patterns
2 Tread Depth * manual check Alternatively, tread wear can be monitored with a simple, inexpensive device known as a tread depth indicator gauge.
2 Tyre Pressure Check Check the tyre pressures regularly with the tyres cold. Do not adjust the tyre pressures immediately alter the vehicle has been used, or an inaccurate setting will result Tyre pressures are shown on page 0*18.
Shoulder Wear Centre Wear Uneven Wear
Underinflatlon {wear an both sides) Under-lnflatton will cause overheating of the tyre, because the tyre will flex too much, and the tread will not sit correctly on the road surface. This will cause a loss of grip and excessive wear, not to mention the danger of sudden tyre failure due to heat build-up. Check and adjust pressures Incorrect wheel camber (wear on one side] Repair or renew suspension parts Hard cornering Reduce speed!
Overinflation Over-inflation will cause rapid wear of the centre part of the tyro tread, coupled with reduced grip, harsher ride, and the danger of shock damage occurring in the tyre casing. Check and adjust pressures
It you sometimes have (o inflate your car's tyres to the higher pressures specified tor maximum load or sustained high speed, don't forget to reduce the pressures to normal afterwards.
Front tyres may wear unevenly as a result of wheel misalignment. Most lyre dealers and garages can check and adjust the wheel alignment (or 'tracking") for a modest charge. Incorrect camber or castor Repair or renew suspension parts Malfunctioning suspension Repair or renew suspension parts Unbalanced wheel Balance tyres Incorrect toe setting Adjust front wheel alignment Note: The feathered edge of I he treed which typifies toe wear is best checked by feel.
o.i8 Tyre pressures
Tyre pressures (cold)
Front Hear Petrol models (average load): 155/70R13.165/60R14,16S/65R13.165/65R14,175/60R14 2.0(29) 1.9(28) 165/65R14 78Q (M+-S) 2.5(36) 2.2(32) 185/55/R14 2.4(35) 2.0(29) 135/80B13,135/80B14 (space-saver spare tyre) 2.8(41) 2.8(41)
Petrol models (fully laden): 155/70R13,165/60R14.165/65R14,175/60R14 2.2 (32) 2.2 (32) 165/65R14 78Q (M+S) 2.5(36) 2.2(32) 185/55/R14 2.4(35) 2.2(32) 135/80B13,135/80B14 (space-saver spare tyre) 2.8 (41) 2.8 (41)
Diesel models (average load): 165/70R13.165/65R14,175/60R14 2.4(35) 2.0(29) 135/80B13.135/80B14 (space-saver spare tyre) 2.8(41) 2.8(41)
Diesel models (fully laden): 165/70R13,165/65R14,175/60R14 2.4 (35) 2.2 (32) 135/80B13,135/80B14 (space-saver spare tyre) 2.8 (41) 2.8 (41)