2004 Alfa Romeo 156 air condition

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
190
WARNINGOn the 2.0 JTS version,
keep the brake pedal pressed when starting
the engine. As the brake pedal stiffens if it
is pressed repeatedly with the engine off. In
this situation, to allow the engine to be
started, it is necessary to increase the pres-
sure exerted on the pedal itself.PROCEDURE FOR JTD VERSIONS1)Make sure the handbrake is engaged.
2)Move the gearshift lever to neutral.
3)Turn the ignition key to the MARpo-
sition. The warning light
m
on the instru-
ment cluster will turn on.
4)Wait for the
m
warning light to go
off, which will depend on how warm the en-
gine is. With the engine very hot the warn-
ing light may stay on for such a short time
that it is not noticed.
5)Fully depress the clutch pedal.
6)Turn the ignition key to AV Vas soon
as the
m
warning light goes off. Waiting
too long would make the glow plug heating
work pointless.WARNINGThe electric devices that ab-
sorb much energy (air conditioner,
rearscreen heating, etc.) are disengaged au-
tomatically during engine starting.
If the engine does not start at the first at-
tempt, move the ignition key back to the
STOPposition before repeating starting.
If starting is difficult (with the Alfa Romeo
CODE system efficient), do not insist with
prolonged attempts.
Only use an auxiliary battery if it is noted
that the cause is due to low charge of the
car’s battery. Never use a battery charger to
start the engine (see “If the battery is flat”
in the chapter “In an emergency”).
WARMING THE ENGINE– Drive off slowly, at medium revs with-
out accelerating abruptly.
– Do not drive at full performance for the
initial kilometers of the journey, Wait until
the engine coolant temperature is between
50 and 60°C.SWITCHING OFF– Release the accelerator pedal and wait
until the engine reaches idle speed.
– Turn the ignition key to the STOPpo-
sition and switch off the engine.
WARNINGAfter a taxing drive it is bet-
ter to allow the engine to “catch its breath”
before turning it off by letting it idle to al-
low the temperature in the engine com-
partment to fall.

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
195
DRIVING ON SNOW AND ICEHere are few suggestions for driving in
these conditions:
– Keep your speed down.
– On a snowy road, fit winter tyres or
snow chains; see the related paragraphs in
this section.
– Use exhaust brake where possible and
avoid abrupt braking.
– Avoid abrupt acceleration and changes
of direction.
– During cold weather even apparently dry
roads may be covered with occasional
patches of ice. Pay great attention therefore
when driving on roads which are in the
shade, or where rocks or trees line the road
and on which ice may persist.
– Keep further back from the vehicle in
front.
DRIVING WITH ABSThe ABS is a part of the braking system
which essentially offers two advantages:
1)It prevents wheel lock-up and conse-
quent skidding in emergency stops, partic-
ularly 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 unex-
pected obstacles and direct the car where
you want while braking. The extent to which
this can be done will depend on the physi-
cal limits of the tyre’s sideways grip.
To make the most of the ABS:
– In emergency braking or when grip is
low, a slight pulsing can be felt on the brake
pedal: this means that the ABS has come
into action. Do not release the pedal, but
continue pressing it to give continuity to the
braking action.
– The ABS prevents the wheels from lock-
ing but it does not increase the physical lim-
its of grip between the asphalt and the road.
Therefore, also with a car fitted with ABS,
keep within a safety distance from the ve-
hicle in front and limit speed when ap-
proaching bends.
The ABS serves to increase car controlla-
bilty not to go faster.
REDUCING RUNNING
COSTS AND
ENVIRONMENT
POLLUTIONSome suggestions which may help you to
keep the running costs of your vehicle down
and lower the amount of toxic emissions re-
leased into the atmosphere are given below.GENERAL CONSIDERATIONSVehicle maintenance
The overalll state of the vehicle is an im-
portant factor which has a marked influence
over fuel consumption and driving comfort
and on the life span of your vehicle. For this
reason care should be taken to maintain
your vehicle by carrying out the necessary
checks and regulations in accordance with
specifications given in the “Scheduled Main-
tenance Programme” (see sections... spark
plugs, air cleaner, timing).

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
196
Tyres
Tyres should be checked at least every four
4 weeks: if the pressure is too low, fuel con-
sumption increases as the resistance to the
rolling movement of the tyre is higher. In
this state, tyre wear is increased
and vehicle handling suffers which will af-
fect safety.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with too much luggage stowed
in the boot. The weight of the vehicle (es-
pecially when driving in town) and its trim
greatly affects consumption and stability.
Luggage/ski rack
Remove luggage or ski racks from the roof
of the vehicle as soon as they are no longer
needed. These accessories reduce the aero-
dynamic penetration of the vehicle and will
increase consumption. When transporting
particularly large objects, use a trailer where
possible.Electrical devices
Use the electric devices for the necessary
time only. The heated rear window, supple-
mentary lights, windscreen wipers, heating
system blower require large amounts of en-
ergy and, increasing the request for power
also increases fuel consumption (up to
+25% when driving in built-up areas).
Air conditioner
The air conditioner is an additional load
which greatly affects the engine leading to
higher consumption (on average up to
+20%). When the temperature outside the
vehicle permits it, use the air vents where
possible.
Spoilers
The use of aerodynamic optional extras
which are not certified for the specific use
on the vehicle, may reduce the aerodynamic
penetration of the vehicle and increase con-
sumption.
STYLE OF DRIVINGStarting
Do not warm the engine when the vehicle
is stationary or at high or low revs: in this
way the engine will warm up gradually in-
creasing consumption and emissions. You
should drive off slowly straight away avoid-
ing high revs so that the engine will warm
up more quickly.
Unnecessary actions
Avoid revving the engine when stopped at
traffic lights or before switching off the en-
gine and avoid doubling the clutch as these
actions have no purpose on modern vehicles
and serve only to increase consumption and
pollution.
Gear selection
As soon as the traffic and road conditions
allow it, shift to a higher gear. Using a lower
gear to liven up acceleration greatly in-
creases consumption. In the same way, im-
proper use of the higher gears will increase
consumption, emissions and wear and tear
on the engine.

CAR MAINTENANCE
248
It is however wise to remember that Pro-
grammed Maintenance does not complete-
ly cover all the car’s requirements: also in
the initial period before 20,000 km service
coupon and later, between one coupon and
another, ordinary care is still necessary such
as for example routinely checking and top-
ping up the level of fluids, checking the tyre
pressure, etc...
WARNINGThe Programmed Mainte-
nance coupons are specified by the Manu-
facturer. The failure to have them carried out
may invalidate the warranty.
The Programmed Maintenance service is
carried out by all Alfa Romeo Authorized Ser-
vices, at pre-established times.If during each operation, in addition to the
ones programmed, the need arises for fur-
ther replacements or repairs, these may be
carried out only with the explicit agreement
of the customer.
WARNINGYou are advised to contact
Alfa Romeo Authorized Services in the event
of any minor operating faults, without wait-
ing for the next service coupon.
PROGRAMMED
MAINTENANCECorrect maintenance is essential for en-
suring long car life under the best conditions.
This is why Alfa Romeo has programmed
a series of checks and maintenance opera-
tions every 20,000 km.
WARNINGAt 2000 km from the main-
tenance deadline, the Infocenter display will
show “SCHEDULED SERVICE WITHIN” which
is shown again turning the ignition key to
MAR, every 200 km. For further details,
see “Service” in the “Display Infocenter”
paragraph in “Getting to know your car”
chapter.
C C
A A
R R

M M
A A
I I
N N
T T
E E
N N
A A
N N
C C
E E

CAR MAINTENANCE
250
20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
Thousand of km
Change fuel filter (diesel versions only)Change air cleaner cartridge (petrol engines)Change air cleaner cartridge (diesel versions only)
Check and if necessary top up fluid levels (brakes, hydraulic clutch, power steering, windscreen wiper, battery, engine coolant, etc..) Check and if necessary top up Selespeed oil level (2.0 JTS version)Replacement of timing drive belt (*) and Poly-V accessory drive beltReplacement of counter-rotating shaft drive belt (only 2.0 JTS)Replacement of spark plugs (T.SPARK 16V, 2.0 JTS and 2.5 V6 24V versions) Check operation of engine control systems (through diagnosis)Check gearbox and differential oil levelCheck automatic gearbox oil level (2.5 V6 24V version)Change engine oil and oil filterChange brake fluid (or every 2 year)Replacement of dust/pollen filter
●●●●●●●●●
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●●●●●●●●●
●
●
●
●●●●
●●
●●●●●●●●●
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●●●
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(*) Or every 3 years in harsh conditions (cold – hot climates, stop and go city traffic, dusty areas or roads covered with sand and/or salt)
Or every 5 years, regardless of the mileage.

CAR MAINTENANCE
253
Car maintenance should be
entrusted to Alfa Romeo
Authorized Services. For
routine and minor maintenance op-
erations you wish to carry out
yourself, always make sure you
have the proper equipment, genuine
Alfa Romeo spare parts and the
necessary fluids; do not however
carry out these operations if you
have no experience.
WARNING
Pollen filter
If the car is used frequently in dusty or
heavily polluted environments it is advisable
to replace the filtering element more fre-
quently; in particular it should be replaced if
a reduction of the amount of air admitted to
the passenger compartment is noted. WARNING
Battery
You are recommended to have the battery
charge conditions checked, preferably at the
onset of winter, to avoid the possibility of
freezing the electrolyte.
This check should be carried out more fre-
quently if the car is used prevailingly for
short journeys, or if it is fitted with services
that absorb high amounts of current per-
manently with the ignition key off, especially
if installed in the after market.
In the case of use of the car in hot climates
or particularly harsh conditions, it is wise
to check the level of the battery fluid (elec-
trolyte) at more frequent intervals than stat-
ed in the Scheduled Maintenance Pro-
gramme.

CAR MAINTENANCE
266
BATTERYThe battery is of the “Limited Mainte-
nance” type and is fitted with an optical in-
dicator (A-fig. 23) for checking the elec-
trolyte level and charge.
Under normal conditions of use the elec-
trolyte does not need topping up with dis-
tilled water. To make sure that it is in effi-
cient conditions, at routine intervals check
the indicator on the battery cover which
should be dark in colour with a green cen-
tral area.
If the indicator is a bright light colour, or
dark without the green central area, contact
Alfa Romeo Authorized Services.Batteries contain sub-
stances that are very
harmful for the environ-
ment. You are advised to have the
battery changed at Alfa Romeo
Authorized Services, which are
properly equipped for disposing of
used batteries respecting nature
and the law.
POLLEN FILTER This has mechanical/electrostatic air fil-
tering actions, provided that the windows
and doors are shut.
Have the pollen filter checked once a year
by Alfa Romeo Authorized Services, prefer-
ably at the onset of summer.
If the car is mainly used in dusty or heav-
ily polluted areas, the filter should be
changed at more frequent intervals than
specified in the Scheduled Maintenance Pro-
gramme.
WARNINGThe failure to replace the fil-
ter can considerably reduce the effectiveness
of the climate control system.
fig. 23
A0B0147m
The liquid in the battery is
poisonous and corrosive.
Avoid contact with eyes and skin.
Do not bring naked flames or pos-
sible sources of sparks near to the
battery: risk of fire and explosion.
WARNING

CAR MAINTENANCE
270
– Do not check for current in the cables by
short-circuiting the ends.
– If electrical welding is to be carried out
on the body of the car, the electronic con-
trol units must be disconnected or removed
if the work involves the production of high
temperatures.
You are also reminded that services with
high current absorption activated by the user,
such as bottle warmers, vacuum cleaners,
cellular telephone, mini refrigerator, etc. ac-
celerate the battery drainage process if they
are powered with the engine not run-
ningor running at idle speed.
WARNINGIt should also be noted that
improper branches on connectors of the elec-
tric wiring for installing additional equipment
is dangerous, particularly if safety devices
are involved.
ELECTRONIC CONTROL
UNITSWith normal use of the car, no particular
precautions need to be taken.
In the event of work on the electric system
or emergency starting, the instructions giv-
en below must absolutely be adhered to:
– Always switch off the engine before dis-
connecting the battery from the electric sys-
tem.
– If it is necessary to charge the battery,
always disconnect it from the electric sys-
tem.
– When starting in an emergency, only
use an auxiliary battery and not a battery
charger.
– Check that the bias is correct and that
the connections between the battery and
the electric system are in efficient conditions.
– Do not connect or disconnect the ter-
minals of the electronic units while the ig-
nition key is at MAR.
Battery50 Ah60 Ah70 AhMaximum permissible
loadless absorption
30 mA
36 mA
42 mAThe total absorption of these accessories
(standard and installed later) must be less
than 0.6 mA x Ah (of the battery), as
shown in the table below:
Alterations or repairs to
the electric system carried
out incorrectly and without taking
into account the specifications of
the system, may cause operating
faults with the risk of fire.
WARNING