42
fig. 36
P4E01686
To flash head lights fig. 34
Pull the stalk towards the steering
wheel (temporary position).
Direction indicators fig. 35
Move the stalk as follows:
downwards - to switch the right-
hand indicators on;
upwards - to switch the left-hand
indicators on.
Instrument panel warning light
y
will flash.
The direction indicators will auto-
matically be switched off when the
steering wheel is straightened.
If you want the indicator to flash
briefly to show that you are about to
change lane, move the stalk up or
down without clicking into position.
When you let it go it will return to its
original position.
LEFT-HAND STALK
This stalk groups together all the
washer/wiper controls.
Windscreen washer/wiper
fig. 36
The device will only work when the
ignition key is at
MAR.
A- Windscreen wiper off.
B- Flick wipe.
C- Slow continuous wipe.
D- Fast continuous wipe.
E- Temporary continuous wipe:
when released the stalk returns to po-
sition
Aand automatically stops the
windscreen wiper.
fig. 35
P4E02028
fig. 34
P4E02027
20-63 03/03/2003 06:02 PM Page 42
Warning. The cigar lighter
gets very hot. Be careful how
you handle it and make sure
it is not used by children: Danger of
fire or burns.
46
CIGAR LIGHTER fig. 45
It works only with the ignition key at
MAR.
Press the button
Aof the cigar
lighter; it will return to the original po-
sition after approximately 15 seconds.
The cigar lighter is ready for use.
fig. 45
P4E02032
fig. 44
P4E01399
FRONT CEILING LIGHT
fig. 44
The ceiling light can achieve the fol-
lowing positions:
– ceiling light lights up on pressing
ONregardless of the doors being
open or closed;
– ceiling light automatically comes on
when a front door is opened when the
glass is an intermediate position;
– In the OFF position the light re-
mains switched off, always.
IMPORTANT Always make sure
the cigar lighter does in fact pop out
after it has been pushed in.
20-63 03/03/2003 06:03 PM Page 46
57
If you have never driven a car with
ABS before, you should practice using
the system on slippery terrain, obvi-
ously with the necessary safety pre-
cautions and keeping to the Highway
code of the country you are in. It is al-
so a good idea to read the following
information carefully.
The advantage in using the ABS sys-
tem is that it continues to give you
maximum manoeuvrability even when
braking hard in conditions for poor
grip by preventing the wheels locking.
However, do not expect that with
ABS the braking distance will always
decrease: for example surfaces with
gravel or fresh snow on a slippery
road could infact increase the braking
distance.
To exploit the ABS system to the full
in the event of necessity, you should
take heed of the following advice:
If the brake fluid low
warning light x
comes on,
stop the car immediately
and contact the nearest Fiat Deal-
ership. Fluid leaks from the hy-
draulic system, in fact, can com-
promise the braking of both tradi-
tional systems and systems with
ABS.When the ABS is acti-
vated, you will feel the
brake pedal pulsating. Do
not remove your foot, but keep
it pressed. In doing so you will
stop in the shortest amount of
space possible under the current
road conditions.
If you follow these tips, you will be
able to brake better in any situation.
IMPORTANTCars fitted with ABS
are only to be fitted with wheel rims,
tyres and brake liners of the make and
model approved by the car manufac-
turer.
The ABS exploits the
tyre-road grip available to
the full, but it cannot im-
prove it; you should therefore
take every care when driving on
slippery surfaces, and not take
unnecessary risks. If the ABS sys-
tem cuts in it is a sign that the
grip between the tyre and the
road surface has reached the lim-
it: you must slow down to match
the speed to the road grip avail-
able
If there is a fault, the in-
strument panel warning
light
>will come on, at
this point, reduce speed and go to
a Fiat Dealership to have your car
checked and put it right imme-
diately.
Braking while cornering always re-
quires extreme care even when using
ABS.
The most important advice to follow
is this:
20-63 03/03/2003 06:03 PM Page 57
59
When the ignition key is
turned to MAR, the indi-
cator û
comes on after
about four seconds. If the warn-
ing light does not come on, or it
remains on while travelling go
immediately to a Fiat Dealership.
Do not apply stickers or
other objects on the
steering wheel. Do not
travel with items on your lap, in
front of you or with a pipe, pencil
etc. between your lips. In a colli-
sion where the airbag is triggerd
you could seriously hurt yourself
GENERAL WARNINGS
It may happen that the air bag
inflates if the car is involved in
hard impacts or collisions in the
area of the underbody, for exam-
ple hard knocks against steps,
kerbs or raised road bumps, or if
the car drops into large pot-holes
or road dips.
When the airbag inflates it
emits a small amount of dust and
smoke. This dust and smoke is
harmless and it is not the begin-
ning of a fire.
If the warning light
ûcomes on
while travelling (indication of a
fault) go as soon as possible to a
Fiat Dealership.
The air bag system is valid for 10
years. When the expiry date is
near, contact a Fiat Dealership.
Should an accident occur in
which the airbag is activated,
take the car to a Fiat Dealership
to have the whole device re-
placed (electronic control unit,
seat belts, pretensioners) and tohave the electrical system
checked.
Any diagnostic, repair or re-
placement operations concerning
the airbag system must exclu-
sively be carried out at a Fiat
Dealership.
If you are having the car
scrapped, have the airbag system
deactivated at a Fiat Dealership.
If the car changes hands, the
new owner must be made aware
of the indications given above and
be given this Owner’s Handbook.
Pretensioners (if electronically
controlled) and air bag are trig-
gered by the electronic control
unit according to different types
of impact. Therefore, if some de-
vices do not trigger this does not
indicate a fault in the system.
20-63 03/03/2003 06:03 PM Page 59
67
With handbrake engaged and igni-
tion key at
MAR, the instrument pan-
el warning light
x
comes on.
To disengage the handbrake:
1)Slightly lift the handbrake and
press release button
A.
2)Keep the button pressed in and
lower the lever. Warning light
x
will
go out.
3)To prevent accidental movement
of the car, this procedure should be
carried out with the brake pedal
pressed down.
HANDBRAKE fig. 1
The handbrake lever is situated be-
tween the two front seats.
Pull the handbrake lever upwards un-
til the car cannot be moved. Four or
five clicks are generally enough when
the car is on level ground while nine
or ten may be required if the car is
on a steep slope or loaded.
IMPORTANTIf this is not the
case, take the car to a
Fiat Dealer-
ship
to have the handbrake adjusted.
Never leave unsuper-
vised children in the car.
Always remove the key
from the ignition switch and take
it with you when you get out of
the car.
fig. 1
P4E02046
PARKING
Stop the engine, engage the hand-
brake and engage first gear if the car
is faced uphill or reverse gear if it is
faced downhill in compliance with the
national Highway Code and leave the
wheels steered towards the road bor-
ders or the kerb. Block the wheels
with a wedge or a stone if the car is
parked on a steep slope.
Do not leave the ignition key at
MARbecause it drains the battery.
Always remove the key when you
leave the car.
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69
Water, ice or salt sprin-
kled on the road can de-
posit on the brake discs
and reduce efficiency of the first
braking.
Consider that fitting ex-
tra spoilers, alloy rims or
non standard wheel caps
can reduce ventilation of the
brakes and reduce their efficien-
cy under conditions of violent or
repeated braking or long down-
hill travel.
BEFORE GETTING BEHIND
THE WHEEL
– Make sure all lights including the
headlights are working properly.
– Adjust the position of the seats, the
steering wheel and the rearview mir-
rors properly for the best driving po-
sition.
– Carefully adjust the head restraints
so the back of the head and not the
nape of the neck is supported.
– Make sure that nothing (mats etc.)
gets in the way of the pedals when
they are pushed down.
– Do not drive using the clutch ped-
al as a foot rest. Such behaviour can
cause a premature wear of the clutch.
– Make sure that any child restraint
systems (child seats, carriers, etc.) are
properly fixed preferably on the back
seat. Follow the precautions listed in
the “Transporting children in safety”
paragraph in the “Getting to know the
car” chapter.
– Arrange the load in the boot in such
a way that it cannot be thrown for-
wards in the event of an accident.– Do not place clear objects or
sheets of paper on the dashboard that
reflect on the windscreen.
– Do not eat a heavy meal before
travelling. Light eating will help keep
your reflexes prompt. Above all, do
not have anything alcoholic to drink.
The use of some medicines can reduce
the driving capability: carefully read the
relevant use warnings.
Remember to periodically carry out
the checks specified in the “Repeated
checks before long trips” paragraph
given in this section.
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73
ECONOMICAL
RUNNING THAT
RESPECTS THE
ENVIRONMENT
Environmental protection has been
one of the guiding principles in the
production of the Fiat Palio.
It is no accident that its pollution
control equipment is much more ef-
fective than that required by current
legislation.
Nonetheless, the environment can-
not get by without a concerted effort
from everyone.
By following a few simple rules you
can avoid harming the environment
and often cut down fuel consumption
at the same time.
On this subject, a few useful tips have
been given below to supplement those
marked by symbol #
, at various points
of the handbook.
You are asked to read both the for-
mer and the latter carefully.
DRIVING WITH ABS
The ABS is a braking system that es-
sentially offers two advantages:
1)It prevents wheel lock and con-
sequent skidding in emergency stops,
particularly when the road does not
offer much grip.
2)It makes it possible to brake and
steer at the same time so you can
avoid unexpected obstacles and direct
the car where you want while braking.
The extent to which this can be done
will depend on the physical limits of
the tyre’s sideways grip.
To exploit the ABS at best:
– 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 work-
ing. Do not release the brake pedal but
continue to press so as not to inter-
rupt the braking action.– ABS prevents the wheels from lock-
ing but it does not increase actual grip
conditions between tyre and road.
Therefore, even if your car is fitted
with ABS, respect the safety distance
from the car in front of you and keep
your speed down when driving into
bends.
The ABS serves to increase your
control over the car, not to enable
you to go faster.
Warning light >, with
the engine running, nor-
mally indicates a faulting
the ABS system only. In this case,
the braking system is still effi-
cient, though without the an-
tilocking device. You are advised
to go immediately to the nearest
Fiat Dealership, driving in a man-
ner to avoiding sharp braking and
get the system checked.
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74
If the engine begins to “lose its
smoothless” when travelling, continue
your journey but reduce the demands
you are making on the engine and go
to a
Fiat Dealership as soon as you
can.
When the instrument panel fuel re-
serve warning light comes on, fill up as
soon as possible. A low level of fuel
can cause an uneven supply of fuel to
the engine with the inevitable increase
in the temperature of the exhaust gas
and serious damage to the catalytic
converter.
Never run the engine with one or
more spark plugs disconnected, even
for testing purposes.
Do not warm up the engine by letting
it idle for a while before moving off un-
less the outside temperature is very low
and, even in this case, only do so for less
then 30 seconds.Do not install other heat shields and
do not remove those already fitted to
the catalytic converter and exhaust
pipe.
Do not allow anything to be sprayed
onto the catalytic converter, lambda
sensor and exhaust pipe.
Ignoring the above rules
may lead to fire.
The catalytic converter
develops high tempera-
ture during normal oper-
ation. Do not park the car on
grass, dry leaves, pine needles or
other flammable material: fire
hazard
LOOKING AFTER EMISSION
CONTROL DEVICES
The correct use of pollution control
devices not only ensures respect for
the environment but also has an effect
on the car’s performance.
Keeping these devices in good con-
dition is therefore a fundamental rule
for driving that is easy on your pock-
et and on the environment too.
The first step to take is to follow the
Service Schedule to the letter.
Use only unleaded petrol.
If you have trouble starting, do not
keep turning the ignition key for long
periods. Be especially careful to avoid
bump starting the car by pushing, tow-
ing or rolling downhill: these are all
manoeuvres that can damage the cat-
alytic exhaust. Use an auxiliary battery
for start-ups only (see “Starting with
auxiliary battery” in the chapter “In an
emergency”).
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