READY TO GO
Sit comfortably in your car and get ready to...
read.
The following pages tell you everything you need to
know to start off in the best way: that is to say, in
total safety, right from the start.
In a few minutes you will be confident with warning
lights, instruments and main devices.
All adjustments must be made when the car is sta-
tionary.DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT HOLDER ......... PAGE 9
INSTRUMENT PANEL .......................................... PAGE 10
KEYS ............................................................................ PAGE 11
SEATS ........................................................................ PAGE 11
HEAD RESTS ........................................................... PAGE 11
SAFETY BELTS ........................................................ PAGE 12
STEERING COLUMN STALKS ........................... PAGE 13
REARVIEW MIRRORS ........................................... PAGE 14
MANUAL CLIMATE CONTROL ........................ PAGE 14
HAZARD LIGHTS .................................................. PAGE 14
COMMAND SWITCHES .......................................PAGE 15
ELECTRIC WINDOW WINDER ....................... PAGE 15
BOOT ........................................................................ PAGE 16
ENGINE BONNET ............................................... PAGE 16
DOORS ..................................................................... PAGE 17
AT THE FILLING STATION .................................. PAGE 18
8
1-19 03/03/2003 05:44 PM Page 8
21
IGNITION
SWITCH
The key can turn to 4 different po-
sitions
fig. 2:
–
STOP: engine switched off, ex-
tractable key, steering column lock.
Some electrical devices (e.g. door cen-
tralized lock etc.) remain operational.
–
MAR: ride position. All electrical
devices are operational.
–
AVV: engine starting.
–
PARK: engine switched-off, park-
ing lights switched on, extractable key,
steering column lock. To turn the key
in
PARK position, press the button
A.
In the event of a break-
in (e.g. attempted theft),
have the car checked at a
Fiat Dealership prior to driving
again.
fig. 1
P4E02062
KEYS
Two keys are provided with the car
& (
fig. 1) they are used for:
– the ignition;
– the front doors;
– the boot door.
Together with the keys, a self-stick
label is supplied. On this label is re-
ported the number to be quoted to
Fiat Dealershipwhen ordering du-
plicate keys.
fig. 2
P4E02017
When getting out of the
car, always remove the
key, to avoid someone ac-
cidentally activating the controls.
Remember to engage the hand
brake, ensuring complete lockup
of the car, engage gear and leave
the wheels steered. If the car is
parked on a very sloping road, we
recommend you lock the wheels
also with a wedge or a stone.
Never leave children alone in an
unattended car.
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49
This device should al-
ways be used when trans-
porting children. Child safety lock
This ensures that the rear doors can-
not be opened from inside the vehicle.
Engage by inserting the tip of the ig-
nition key in
A-fig. 52 and turning it.
Position
1 - unlocked.
Position
2 - locked (a yellow little
mark certificates the engagement).
The device will be engaged even if
the doors are unlocked electrically.
fig. 52
P4E01612
fig. 53
P4E02011
ELECTRIC WINDOW
WINDERS
Front electric windows fig. 53
The electric windows are controlled
by two buttons located on the inside
handle of the driver’s door. They work
when the ignition key is at
MAR:
A- front left-hand window;
B- front right-hand window.
There is a button, located inside the
handle of the passenger’s door, to
control the relevant electric window.
Press the button to lower the win-
dows and pull to close.
CENTRAL DOOR LOCKING
SYSTEM
From outside
When the doors are closed, insert
and turn the key in the lock of one of
the front doors.
From inside
When the doors are closed, press
(to lock) or pull (to unlock) one of the
front door opening levers.
Operating the lever
A-fig. 51of the
rear doors, you lock/unlock the only
door interested.
IMPORTANTIf one of the doors
is not shut properly or there is a fail-
ure in the system, the central locking
feature will be not engaged and after
a few attempts the device is cut out
for about 2 minutes. During these 2
minutes, the doors can be locked or
unlocked manually without the elec-
trical system coming to play. After 2
minutes, the control unit is ready to
receive commands.
If the reason for the malfunction has
been removed, the device will start to
work properly again. If not it will cut
out once more.
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81
JUMP STARTING
If the battery is flat, you can use an-
other battery to start the engine. Its ca-
pacity must be the same or slightly
greater than the flat battery (see “Tech-
nical Specifications”).
Proceed as follows
fig. 1:
1)Connect positive terminals +of
the two batteries with a jump lead.
2)With a second lead, connect the
negative terminal (
–) of the auxiliary
battery and to an earth point E
on the
engine or the gearbox of the car to be
started.
IMPORTANTDo not directly
connect the negative terminals of the
two batteries: sparks could ignite the
flammable gas from the battery.
3)Start the engine.
4)When the engine has been start-
ed, remove the leads reversing the or-
der above.
If the engine fails to start after a few
attempts, do not keep turning the key
but have the car seen to at a
Fiat
Dealership
.
fig. 1
P4E01470
This starting procedure
must be carried out by
expert personnel; if it is
not done correctly it can cause
very intense electrical discharges.
In addition, the fluid contained in
the battery is poisonous and cor-
rosive. Avoid contact with skin
and eyes. You are also advised
not to put naked flames or light-
ed cigarettes near the battery
and not to cause sparks.
Under no circumstances
should a battery charger
be used for the emer-
gency procedure: it could dam-
age the electronic systems and in
particular the ignition and injec-
tion control units.
To avoid damages to the
car electric system, care-
fully follow the instruc-
tions of the cable manufacturer.
The cables must have a sufficient
diameter and must be enough
long to allow that the cars touch
each other.
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98
IF THE BATTERY
IS FLAT
First of all, read the “Car mainte-
nance” chapter for the steps to be tak-
en to avoid the battery running down
and to ensure it has a long life.
JUMP STARTING
See “Jump starting” in this chapter.
RECHARGING THE BATTERY
You are advised to recharge the bat-
tery slowly for a period of approxi-
mately 24 hours at a low amperage.
Charging for too long could damage
the battery.
Proceed as follows:
1) Disconnect the electrical system
from the battery terminals.
2)Connect the charger cables to the
battery terminals.
3)Turn on the charger.
4)When you have finished, turn the
charger off before disconnecting the
battery.
5)Reconnect the cables to the bat-
tery terminals. Make sure the polari-
ty is correct.
Under no circumstances
should a battery charger
be used to start the en-
gine: it could damage the elec-
tronic systems and in particular
the ignition and injection control
units. The liquid in the battery
is poisonous and corro-
sive. Do not let it touch
the skin or eyes. Recharging the
battery should be done in a well-
ventilated area away from naked
flames or possible sources of
sparks: explosion and fire risk.Do not attempt to
recharge a frozen bat-
tery. Thaw it first other-
wise it could explode. If the bat-
tery froze, make sure that the in-
ternal elements are not broken
(short-circuit risk) and that the
casing is not cracked (risk of
spilling the poisonous and corro-
sive fluid).
80-103 03/03/2003 06:49 PM Page 98
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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127
Detergents pollute wa-
ter. The car must there-
fore be washed in an area
equipped for the collection and
purification of the liquids used
while washing.
IMPORTANT
The engine com-
partment should be washed while the
engine is cold and with the ignition key
at
STOP. After washing make sure
that the various protections (e.g. rub-
ber boots and various guards) have
not been removed or damaged.
IMPORTANTTo prevent damage
to the electric heater element, wipe the
inside of the heated rear window gen-
tly in the same direction as the ele-
ments.
Engine compartment
At the end of each winter season,
carefully clean the engine compart-
ment. Have this done at a garage.
INTERIORS
Periodically check that water has not
collected under the mats (from dip-
ping shoes, umbrellas etc.) which could
cause the steel to rust
CLEANING SEATS AND
FABRIC COMPONENTS
– Remove dust with a soft brush or
vacuum cleaner.
– Brush the seats with a damp
sponge with water and a neutral soap.
Never use flammable
products (petroleum
ether or petrol) to clean
the inside of the car. Electro-
static charges generated by rub-
bing while cleaning could cause
fires.
Do not keep aerosol
cans in the car. There is
the risk they might ex-
plode. Aerosol cans must never
be exposed to a temperature
above 50°C; when the weather
starts to get hot the temperature
inside the car might go well be-
yond that figure.
PLASTIC PARTS INSIDE THE
CAR
Use special products designed not to
alter the appearance of the compo-
nents.
IMPORTANTDo not use alcohol
or petrol to clean the glass of the in-
strument panel.
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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Motor and engineering enthusiasts as well as
those “in the trade” will probably start reading from
this point in the handbook. This, in fact, is where a
section jam-packed with facts, figures, formulae,
measurements and tables begins.
In a sense, it is Fiat Palio’s identity card. A docu-
ment that introduces the car and explains in techni-
cal jargon all the features that go together to make it
a model designed to give you superlative driving sat-
isfaction.CAR IDENTIFICATION DATA ........................... PAGE 129
ENGINE CODES -
BODYWORK PAINT IDENTIFICATION
PLATE .......................................................................... PAGE 130
ENGINE ....................................................................... PAGE 131
TRANSMISSION ....................................................... PAGE 133
BRAKES ....................................................................... PAGE 134
SUSPENSIONS ......................................................... PAGE. 134
STEERING ................................................................... PAGE 135
WHEELS AND TYRES ............................................ PAGE 136
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ............................................ PAGE 137
WEIGHTS ................................................................... PAGE 138
PERFORMANCES ..................................................... PAGE 138
DIMENSIONS ............................................................ PAGE 139
CAPACITIES .............................................................. PAGE 140
FLUIDS AND LUBRICANTS ................................. PAGE 141
TYRE PRESSURE ....................................................... PAGE 143
128
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