2005 Alfa Romeo 156 handbrake

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
203
Keep your speed
down when snow
chains are fitted.
Do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid
potholes, steps and pavements and
avoid also to drive for long dis-
tances on roads not covered with
snow to prevent damaging the car
and the roadbed.
VEHICLE INACTIVITYIf the car is to be left inactive for long pe-
riods, the following precautions should be
noted:
– House the vehicle under cover in a dry
and possibly ventilated place.
– Engage a gear.
– Check that the handbrake is not en-
gaged.
– Clean and protect the painted parts us-
ing protective wax.
– Disconnect the negative terminal (–)
and check the battery charge. This check is
to be repeated every three months.
Recharge if the optical indicator shows a
dark colour without the central green area.
WARNINGWhere applicable, switch off
the electronic car alarm with the remote con-
trol.– Clean and protect the shiny metal parts
using special compounds readily available.
– Sprinkle talcum powder on the rubber
windscreen and rear window wiper blades
and lift them off the glass.
– Slightly open the windows.
– Cover the car with a cloth or perforated
plastic sheet. Do not use sheets of non-per-
forated plastic as they do not allow mois-
ture on the car body to evaporate.
– Inflate the tyres to 0.5 bar above the
normal specified pressure and check it at in-
tervals.
– If you don’t disconnect the battery from
the electric system, check its charge every
month and recharge it if the optical indica-
tor shows a dark colour without the central
green area.
– Do not drain the engine cooling system. Snow chains cannot be
fitted to the spare wheel
so, if a front (drive) tyre is
punctured and chains must be fit-
ted, the rear wheel should be fit-
ted to the front of the vehicle (in-
flate the tyres to the specified
pressure as soon as possible) and
the spare tyre should be fitted to
the rear. A snow chain can then be
safely fitted to the front wheel.

IN AN EMERGENCY
214
INFLATING PROCEDURE 1)Place the wheel in the position illus-
trated in the figure (A-fig. 13) for the op-
eration with the valve, then engage the
handbrake.
2)Screw the filling pipe (B-fig. 14) to
the bottle (C).
3)Unscrew the tyre valve plug, remove
the element inside the valve by using the
appropriate tool (D-fig. 15); be careful
not to place it on the sand or on a dirty sur-
face .
4)Introduce the filling pipe (B-fig. 16)
in the tyre valve, keep the bottle (C-fig.
16) with the pipe directed downwards, then
press it so that the whole sealer can get in-
to the tyre.5)Screw again the element inside the
valve with the tool (D-fig. 17).
6)Use the appropriate lever (E-fig. 18)
to insert and clamp the air compressor pipe
(F) to the tyre valve.
7)Start the engine, insert the plug (G-
fig. 19) in the lighter (or socket 12V) and
inflate the tyre according to the right pres-
sure value (see “Cold inflation pressures” in
the “Technical specification” chapter). You
are advised to check the tyre pressure val-
ue on the pressure gauge (H-fig. 18) with
the compressor off, in order to have a more
accurate reading.fig. 13
A0B0334m
fig. 14
A0B335m
IT IS NECESSARY TO KNOW
THAT:The sealer included in the quick repairing
kit, good for temperatures between –30°C
e +80°C, is not adequate for permanent
fixing.
The liquid inside the tyre can be easily re-
moved with water.
The sealer has no expire date.
Do not operate the com-
pressor for more than 20
minutes. Risk of overheating.
WARNING

IN AN EMERGENCY
215
After about 10 minutes, stop and check
the tyre pressure once again; remember to
engage the handbrake.
fig. 15
A0B0336m
fig. 16
A0B0337m
If it is not possible to reach the prescribed
pressure, move the car forwards or back-
wards for about 10 metres, so that the seal-
er is distributed inside the tyre, then repeat
inflation.
If, in spite of the last operation, the pre-
scribed pressure is not achieved, do not
move the vehicle and contact Alfa Romeo
Authorized Services.
Once the correct tyre pressure has been
reached, start driving immediately so that
the sealer is distributed evenly inside the
tyre.
Place the sticker in a posi-
tion where it can be clear-
ly seen by the driver as a notice
that the tyre has been treated with
the quick repairing kit. Drive care-
fully especially in a bend. Do not
overcome 80 km/h. Avoid sudden
acceleration or braking.
WARNING
If the pressure is below
1,3 bars, do not drive any
further; FIX & GO cannot guaran-
tee proper hold because the tyre is
too much damaged. Contact Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services.
Conversely, if at least 1,3 bars are
detected, restore the correct pres-
sure (with the engine running and
the handbrake engaged) and start
driving the car with great care.
WARNING

CAR MAINTENANCE
249
SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME
20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
Thousands of km
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Check tyre conditions/wear and adjust pressure if necessary
Check operation of lighting system (headlights, direction indicators, hazard lights,boot lights, passenger compartment lights, glovebox light, warning lights, etc..)Check operation of windscreen wiper/washer system, adjust spray jetsCheck position/wear of windscreen/rearscreen wiper bladesCheck front disk brake pad wear indicatorCheck conditions of rear disk brake pads
Sight check for the conditions of: exterior bodywork, underbody protection,
pipes and hoses (exhaust - fuel - brakes), rubber parts (boots - sleeves - bushes - etc.)Check for bonnet and boot lock cleanness, lever cleanness and lubricationCheck condition of timing drive beltSight check for conditions of Poly-V accessory drive beltCheck/adjust handbrake lever strokeCheck/adjust valve clearance (1.9 JTD 8V versions)Check petrol engine exhaust emissionsCheck engine smoke (diesel versions)Check operation of antievaporation system (petrol engines)

ALPHABETICAL INDEX
326
A A
L L
P P
H H
A A
B B
E E
T T
I I
C C
A A
L L

I I
N N
D D
E E
X X
A
BS (wheel anti-lock system)
– operation and warnings........... 177
Accessories purchased by
the owner ................................ 166
Additional heater ......................... 135
Additional operations
(car maintenance) ..................... 251
Additional stop light (3rd stop) 230-297
Air bags, front and side ................ 42
– deactivating passenger’s
air bag ................................ 44
– front air bags ........................ 42
– general cautions ................... 46
– passenger side front air bag .... 43
– side air bags
(side bag - window bag) ........ 44
Air cleaner................................... 265
Air recirculation ........................... 129
Air vents .............................. 108-109
Alfa 156 Sportwagon........... 278
Alfa Romeo CODE system .............. 6
– operation .............................. 9
Annual inspection programme
(car maintenance) ..................... 251Armrests
– centre ............................ 23-280
– front .............................. 22
– rear ............................... 23-280
Ashtray
– front .................................... 164
– rear .................................... 164
ASR system ................................. 181
Battery
– advice for prolonging life ........ 269
– charging ........................ 242-268
– checking the charge ............... 267
– maintenance ......................... 266
– replacement ......................... 269
– starting with an auxiliary
battery ................................ 242
Body
– cleaning ............................... 274
– marking................................ 299
– versions ................................ 301
Bodywork paint identification label . 300
Bonnet ....................................... 172
Boot
– capacity ......................... 317-309– current socket ....................... 285
– extension ............................. 289
– lighting ......................... 171-284
– luggage cover ....................... 287
– object retainer net .................. 285
– oddment compartments .......... 285
– opening from inside .. 131-170-282
– opening lever ....................... 135
– opening with remote
control ........................ 8-170-282
– passenger compartment
separation net (lower) ............ 288
– passenger compartment
separation net (upper)............ 288
– securing the load ............ 171-283
– tailgate closing ............... 171-283
– warnings for carrying
luggage.......................... 172-284
Brake and clutch fluid
– checking level and topping up .. 263
Brakes
– checking fluid level
and topping up ..................... 263
– handbrake ........................... 138
– specifications ......................... 305