70
WHEN TRAVELLING
– The first rule of safe driving is pru-
dence.
– Prudence also means putting your-
self into a position where you can pre-
dict wrong or imprudent behaviour
from other drivers.
– Stick closely to the rules of the
road in the particular country where
the car is being driven and, above all,
do not exceed speed limits.
– Ensure that, besides yourself, all the
other passengers in the car have their
seat belts fastened, that children are
sitting in the appropriate child seats
and any animals in the car are placed
in suitable compartments.
Driving under the influ-
ence of drugs or certain
medicines is dangerous
for both you and other road
users.
Always fasten both front
and back seat belts, in-
cluding the child restraint
systems. Travelling with the seat
belts unfastened increases the
risk of injury or death in an acci-
dent.
Do not drive with ob-
jects on the floor in front
of the driver’s seat: they
could get caught under the ped-
als making braking or accelerat-
ing impossible.
Pay attention to the
measurements of car-
pets. Any hinderance,
even modest, to the braking sys-
tem could necessiate a longer
than normal pedal run.
You should be physically fit and men-
tally alert before setting out on long
journeys.
– Do not drive too many hours at a
time but stop at intervals to stretch
your legs and recoup your energy.
– Constantly change the air in the
passenger compartment.
– Never coast downhill (i.e. with the
engine off): if you do, you lose the aid
of engine braking and the brake boost-
er so that braking requires greater ef-
fort.
64-79 03/03/2003 06:45 PM Page 70
IMPORTANT If the sound system
or car alarm systems are not installed
correctly, they can interfere with the
working of the electronic control
units.
Modifications or repairs
to the electrical system
carried out incorrectly
and without bearing the features
of the system in mind can cause
malfunctions with the risk of fire.
120
ELECTRONIC
CONTROL UNITS
When the car is being used normal-
ly, special measures are not necessary.
The following instructions must be
followed very carefully however, if you
work on the electrical system or
where emergency starting is neces-
sary:
– Never disconnect the battery from
the electrical system while the engine
is running.
– Disconnect the battery from the
electrical system if you are recharg-
ing it. Modern battery chargers can
discharge voltage up to 20 V.
– Never perform emergency star-
tups with a battery charger. Always
use an auxiliary battery (see “Startup
with auxiliary battery” in “In an emer-
gency” chapter).– Be particularly careful when con-
necting the battery to the electrical
system. Make sure that the polarity is
correct and the connection is efficient.
After reconnecting the battery, the in-
jection/ignition control unit will need
to readapt its internal parameters.
Therefore, the car’s performance may
change slightly during the first few kilo-
meters.
– Do not connect or disconnect the
terminals of the electronic units while
the ignition key is at
MAR.
– Do not check polarity through
sparking.
– Disconnect the electronic units if
you are electrically welding the car
body. Remove the units if tempera-
tures exceed 80°C (special operations
on the bodywork etc.).
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