2003 FIAT BARCHETTA maintenance

3
ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES
If, after buying the car, you decide to add electrical accessories (that will gradually drain the battery), visit a Fi-
at Dealership. They can calculate the overall electrical requirement and check that the car's electric system
can support the required load.

CODE card
Keep the code card in a safe place, not in the car. You should always keep the electronic code written on the
CODE card with you in case you need to carry out an emergency start-up procedure.
SCHEDULED SERVICING
Correct maintenance of the car is essential for ensuring it stays in tip-top condition and safeguards its safety fea-
tures, its environmental friendliness and low running costs for a long time to come.
THE OWNER HANDBOOK CONTAINS …
… information, tips and important warnings regarding the safe, correct driving of your car, and its maintenance.
Pay particular attention to the symbols "(personal safety) #(environmental protection)
â(car well-being).

5
CONTENTS
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
DRIVING YOUR CAR
IN AN EMERGENCY
CAR MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
ACCESSORY INSTALLATION
INDEX

27
PRETENSIONERS
To render the protective action of
the seat belts even more effective, Fi-
at barchetta is fitted with pretension-
ers. These devices “feel” that a violent
collision is in progress via a sensor, and
pull back a few inches of webbing. In
this way the pretensioner ensures that
the belt is adhering perfectly to the
body before the belt begins to hold
back the wearer. When the preten-
sioner has been triggered the retrac-
tor will lock. The seat belt cannot be
drawn back up even when guiding it
manually.
When the pretensioner is triggered
as small amount of smoke will be pro-
duced. This smoke is not harmful and
does not indicate the principle of fire.The pretensioner does not require
any maintenance or lubrication. Any
modification of its original state inval-
idates its efficiency. If, as the result of
exceptional natural occurrences
(floods, sea storms etc.), the device is
soaked through with water and mud,
it must be replaced.
The pretensioner will give maximum
protection when the seat belt adheres
snugly to the wearer’s chest and hips.
Operations involving
banging, vibrations or
heating (exceeding 100°C
for a maximum of 6 hours) in the
area around the pretensioner
may trigger or damage the de-
vice. Vibrations from rough road
surfaces or accidental jolting
caused by mounting pavements
etc. do not have any effect on the
pretensioner. If, however, you
need any assistance, go to a Fiat
Dealership.
The pretensioner can only
be used once. After a colli-
sion that has triggered it, have it re-
placed at a Fiat Dealership. The de-
vice will last for 10 years from the
date of production given on the ad-
hesive label: the pretensioner must
be replaced when this date is
reached.
WARNING
Pretensioners do not re-
quire lubrication or main-
tenance. Under no circumstances
should the components of the pre-
tensioner be tampered with as this
could affect the correct operation
of these devices. If any interven-
tions are necessary, contact your Fi-
at Dealership.
WARNING

46
HOOD
USEFUL TIPS
Before opening the hood, make sure
its housing is not obstructed by any-
thing.
To prevent damage to the window
seals, open and close the hood either
with the windows right down or with
the doors open.
Do not fold the hood when it is wet:
it may get damaged if it is left in its
housing for a long period.
Do not rest weights on the open or
closed hood: the canvas and the frame
could get damaged.
Do not open or close the hood
when the outside temperature is very
low.
Snow or ice must be removed with
objects that do not leave scratches.
Take the car to a Fiat Dealership
for any repairs or maintenance.OPENING
1) Lower the sun visors.
2) Grip the handles, lower them,
turn them towards the inside of the
car fig. 54and raise the front part of
the hood from the windscreen tran-
som.
3)Lower both the side windows or
keep the doors open.
4) Working from the outside of the
car on the driver’s side, fold the hood
back a little until you are able to raise
the rear of the hood, as well. Make
sure the rear window folds properly
at the centre using the palm of your
hand fig. 55.
IMPORTANTMake sure that no
creases from in the rear window while
you are doing this. Make sure the boot lid is
completely closed to
avoid interference with
the hood housing cover. (A beep
will however warn you when you
try to open the hood housing cov-
er when the boot is not closed
properly).
Only open or close the
hood while the car is sta-
tionary.
WARNING
fig. 55
P5S00663m
fig. 54
P5S00662m

49
HARD TOP
(where fitted)
The hard top is fitted with a heated
rear window and should be used in-
stead of the hood during the winter.
USEFUL TIPS
Before fitting the hard top, fold the
hood into its housing properly and an-
chor the hood housing cover to its
safety devices.
Remove the seat belts from the slots
in the seat backs and tip the seat backs
forward.
Position and remove the hard top
with the side windows fully lowered
or the doors open. Get another per-
son to help you to support the hard
top on the right and left.
If repairs or maintenance are neces-
sary, take the car to a Fiat Dealer-
ship.FITTING
1)Make sure the hard top’s fitting
handles on the windscreen transom
are turned inwards.
2)Remove the side inner panels A-
fig. 62from the hard top covering by
unscrewing the fixing screws.
3) Lift the hard top and move it over
the car.
4) Lower the hard top, and fit pins A-
fig. 63into anchorage points Bon the
car (for the sole purpose of better
showing anchorage points Bin fig. 63
the guard on the car has been re-
moved).5)Rest the front of the hard top on
the windscreen transom.
6)Insert hooks Cin holes Dand se-
cure the rear of the hard top to the
car using levers E.
7)Fit side panels A-fig. 62by in-
serting tongue Binto its position in
the hard top upholstery and fix them
into position with screw C.
fig. 63
P5S00734m
fig. 62
P5S00735m

68
If warning light ¢remains lit
together with the warning light
U
when the ignition key is at MAR,
turn the key toSTOPand then to
MAR; if the warning light still
remains lit, try with the other keys
provided with the car.
If you are still unable to start the
engine, follow the emergency startup
procedure (see “Emergency startup”
in the section “In an emergency”)
and go to the nearestFiat
Dealership immediately.
IMPORTANTDo not leave the
ignition key at MARwhen the
engine is off.
STARTING
THE ENGINE
The engine may seem noisier than
usual during the first seconds after
startup, especially after a long period
of inactivity. This phenomenon is
characteristic of hydraulic tappets,
and does not affect the functioning
and reliability of the engine: this par-
ticular timing system has been select-
ed for the Fiat barchetta engine to
reduce the number of maintenance
interventions necessary.IMPORTANT It is important that
the accelerator is never pressed until
the engine is started.
1) Make sure the handbrake is on.
2) Put the gear lever in neutral.
3) Press the clutch pedal right
down, without touching the acceler-
ator pedal.
4) Turn the ignition key to AVV
and let it go the moment the engine
starts.
If the engine does not start at the
first attempt, return the ignition key
to STOPbefore trying to start the
engine again.
It is dangerous to let the
engine run in a garage or
other closed area. The engine con-
sumes oxygen and gives off carbon
dioxide, carbon monoxide and oth-
er poisonous fumes.
WARNING
Never touch the high ten-
sion cables (spark plug
cables) when the engine is run-
ning.
WARNING

76
Here are some suggestions which
may help you to keep the running
costs of your vehicle down and low-
er the amount of toxic emissions re-
leased into the atmosphere.
GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
The overall state of the car is an im-
portant factor which has a marked in-
fluence over fuel consumption and dri-
ving comfort and on the life span of
your car. For this reason care should
be taken to maintain your car by car-
rying out the necessary checks and
regulations in accordance with the
specifications given in the Scheduled
Maintenance Programme (see sec-
tions... spark plugs, idle, air filter, tim-
ing).
CONTAINING RUNNING COSTS
AND POLLUTION
Tyres
Tyres should be checked at least
every four weeks: if the pressure is
too low fuel consumption increases as
the resistance to the rolling movement
of the tyre is greater. In this state, tyre
wear is increased and car handling suf-
fers which will affect safety.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with too much luggage
stowed in the boot. The weight of the
vehicle (especially when driving in
town) and its trim greatly affects con-
sumption and stability. To get the most out of ABS:
– During emergency stops or when
grip conditions are poor, you will feel
a slight pulsation on the brake pedal.
This is the sign that the ABS is in ac-
tion. Do not release the brake pedal
but continue to press so as not to in-
terrupt the braking action.
– ABS prevents the wheels from
locking but it does not increase actu-
al grip conditions between tyre and
road. Therefore, even if your car is fit-
ted with ABS, respect the safety dis-
tance from the car in front of you and
keep your speed down when driving
into bends.
– ABS serves to increase the con-
trollability of the car, not to enable you
to go faster.

111
CAR MAINTENANCE
The Fiat barchetta is brand new throughout, even
in its service schedule. For example: the first service
schedule coupon is to be used at 20,000 km making the
traditional check at 1,500 km unnecessary. You should
however remember that your car needs routine main-
tenance such as systematic checking of the fluid level
and tyre pressure, and any necessary topping up.
You should nonetheless bear in mind that proper car
maintenance is certainly the best way to keep your car
in tip-top condition for years to come and safeguard its
safety features, its environmentally-friendly nature and
its low running costs.
Also remember that following the servicing regula-
tions marked with the symbol ∑as specified might be
essential to ensuring the warranty remains valid.SCHEDULED SERVICING ............................................... 112
SERVICE SCHEDULE ......................................................... 113
ANNUAL INSPECTION SCHEDULE ........................... 115
ADDITIONAL OPERATIONS ........................................ 115
CHECKING FLUID LEVELS ............................................. 117
AIR CLEANER ..................................................................... 122
POLLEN FILTER .................................................................. 123
BATTERY .............................................................................. 123
ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNITS ............................... 125
SPARK PLUGS ..................................................................... 126
WHEELS AND TYRES ...................................................... 126
RUBBER TUBING .............................................................. 128
WINDSCREEN WIPER ..................................................... 128
MANUAL CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM ................. 130
BODYWORK ...................................................................... 130
HOOD ................................................................................... 133
INTERIORS ........................................................................... 133