2005 Alfa Romeo 156 warning

CAR MAINTENANCE
268
WARNINGA battery kept at below
50% of its capacity is damaged by sulpha-
tion, the capacity is reduced and starting
is difficult, there is also more possibility of
freezing (this can occur at –10°C). In the
event of a prolonged stop, refer to “Vehi-
cle inactivity”, in the chapter “Getting the
best out of your car”. – Connect the charger cables to the bat-
tery terminals ensuring that the bias is cor-
rect.
– Turn on the charger.
– After charging turn off the charger be-
fore disconnecting it from the battery.
– Reconnect the battery negative termi-
nal (–).
WARNINGIf the car is fitted with an
alarm system, turn off the alarm with the
remote control and deactivate the system
turning the emergency key to “OFF” (see
“Electronic alarm” in “Getting to know your
car” chapter).
Bright white colour
Dark colour without green central area
Dark colour with green central areaTop up electrolyte
Low battery charge
Electrolyte level
and charge sufficientContact Alfa Romeo
Authorized Services
Charge the battery
(advisable to contact Alfa Romeo
Authorized Services)
No action neededCHARGING THE BATTERYWARNINGThe description of the bat-
tery charging procedure is described only for
informative purposes. This operation should
be carried out by Alfa Romeo Authorized Ser-
vices.
Charging should be slow at a low amp rat-
ing for about 24 hours. Charging for a longer
time may damage the battery.
Charge the battery as follows:
– Disconnect the terminal from the bat-
tery negative (–) pole.
WARNINGWhen reconnecting the neg-
ative battery cable after having disconnect-
ed it, wait for 2 minutes before turning the
key to enable the climate control system
to reset actuator strokes properly.
Never attempt to charge a
frozen battery before
thawing it, the danger of explosion
exists. If it has frozen, always
check that the inside elements are
not broken and that the body is not
cracked, with the risk of acid com-
ing out which is poisonous and cor-
rosive.
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

CAR MAINTENANCE
271
WHEELS AND TYRESTYRES PRESSURECheck the pressure of each tyre, includ-
ing the compact spare wheel, every two
weeks and before a long journey.
The pressure should be checked with the
tyre rested and cold.
It is normal for the pressure to increase
when the car is in use. If you have to check
or restore the pressure when the tyres are
hot, bear in mind that the pressure should
be +0.3 bar compare with the specified rat-
ing.
For the correct tyre inflation pressure, see
“Wheels” in the “Technical specifications”
chapter.Incorrect pressure causes abnormal tyre
wear fig. 25:
A- Normal pressure: tread evenly worn.
B- Low pressure: tread particularly worn
at the edges.
C- High pressure: tread particularly worn
in the centre.
fig. 25
A0B0235m
WARNINGS
Where possible, avoid sudden braking, tyre
squealing starts, etc.
Particularly avoid violent bumps against
kerbs, potholes or obstacles of various kinds.
Prolonged driving on rough roads may dam-
age the tyres.
Routinely check the tyres for cuts on the
sides, swellings or uneven tread wear. If nec-
essary contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Ser-
vices.
Avoid overloading the vehicle when trav-
elling: this may cause serious damage to the
wheels and tyres.
If a tyre is punctured, stop immediately
and change it to avoid damage to the tyre,
the rim, suspensions and steering system.
Tyres age even if they are not used much.
Cracks in the tread rubber are a sign of ag-
ing. In any case, if the tyres have been on
the car for over 6 years, they should be
checked by specialised personnel, to see if
they can still be used. Also remember to
check the spare wheel.
Remember that car road
holding also depends on
correct tyre inflation pressure.
WARNING
Excessively low pressure
causes overheating of the
tyre with the possibility of serious
damage to it.
WARNING
Tyres should be changed when the tread
thickness is reduced to 1.6 mm. In any case
follow local regulations.

CAR MAINTENANCE
272
fig. 26
A0B0589m
In the case of replacement, always fit new
tyres, avoiding those of dubious origin.
Alfa 156uses Tubeless tyres. Never
use an inner tube with these tyres.
If a tyre is changed, also change the in-
flation valve
To allow even wear between the front and
rear tyres, it is advisable to change them
over every 10-15 thousand kilometres,
keeping them on the same side of the car
so as to not reverse the direction of rotation
(fig. 26).
RUBBER HOSESAs far as the brake system and fuel sup-
ply rubber hoses are concerned, carefully fol-
low the Scheduled Maintenance Programme
of this chapter. Indeed ozone, high tem-
peratures and prolonged lack of fluid in the
system may cause hardening and cracking
of the hoses, with possible leaks. Careful
control is therefore necessary.
Do not cross switch the
tyres, moving them from
the right of the car to the left and
vice versa.
WARNING
Alloy rim painting involv-
ing temperatures exceed-
ing 150°C should be avoided since
wheel mechanical characteristics
could be impaired.
WARNING

CAR MAINTENANCE
273
Proceed as follows:
– Raise the windscreen wiper arm and po-
sition the blade so that it forms an angle
of 90° with the arm.
– Press tab (B) of the coupling spring and
remove the blade to be replaced from the
arm (A).
– When the spring is released from the
curved top of the arm, move the blade to al-
low the arm to be withdrawn through the slot.
– Insert a new blade passing it through the
curved top of the arm (A) through the slot.
– Lift the blade to clamp tab (B) of the cou-
pling spring with the curved top of the arm.
– Lower the windscreen wiper arm.
WARNINGThe blades may differ ac-
cording to the versions. In any case, follow
the instructions provided in the packs avail-
able as spares from Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services. Changing the windscreen wiper
blade (fig. 27)
WARNINGThe blade on driver’s side
is fitted with a spoiler that improves adhe-
sion between the blade and the windscreen.
To prevent improper fitting, before changing
the blade, check the spoiler direction of the
blade to be replaced, then fit the new blade
following the same spoiler direction.
fig. 27
A0B0580m
WINDSCREEN/REAR
SCREEN WIPERSBLADESPeriodically clean the rubber part using spe-
cial products TUTELA PROFESSIONAL
SC 35is recommended.
If the rubber blades are bent or worn they
should be replaced. In any case they should
be changed once a year.
A few simple notions can reduce the pos-
sibility of damage to the blades:
– If the temperature falls below zero,
make sure that ice has not frozen the rub-
ber against the glass. If necessary, thaw us-
ing an antifreeze product.
– Remove any snow from the glass: in ad-
dition to protecting the blades, this prevents
effort on the motor and overheating.
– Do not operate the windscreen and rear
window wipers on dry glass.
Driving with worn wiper
blades is a serious hazard,
because visibility is reduced in bad
weather.
WARNING

CAR MAINTENANCE
276
Detergents cause water
pollution. Therefore the en-
gine compartment should
be washed in areas equipped for
collecting and purifying the liquid
used in the washing process.
WARNINGThe vehicle should washed
with the engine cold and the ignition key at
STOP. After washing make sure that the
various protections (e.g. rubber caps and
various covers) have not been damaged or
removed. Do not wash the car after it has been left
in the sun or with the bonnet hot: this may
alter the shine of the paintwork.
Exterior plastic parts must be cleaned in
the same way as the rest of the vehicle.
Where possible, do not park under trees;
the resinous substance many species release
give the paint a dull appearance and in-
crease the possibility of triggering rust
processes.
WARNINGBird droppings must be
washed off immediately and thoroughly as
the acid they contain is particularly ag-
gressive.Windows
Use specific products to clean the windows.
Use clean cloths to avoid scratching or al-
tering the transparency of the glass.
WARNINGThe inside of the rearscreen
should be wiped gently with a cloth in the
direction of the filaments to avoid damag-
ing the heating device. Engine compartment
At the end of the winter the engine com-
partment should be carefully washed, with-
out directing the jet against electronic con-
trol units. Contact a specialised workshop to
have this done.

CAR MAINTENANCE
277
INTERIOR PLASTIC PARTSFor routine cleaning of interior plastic parts
use a soft cloth moistened with water and
neutral soap. Remove grease or persisting
stains using appropriate solvent-free prod-
ucts designed to preserve appearance and
colour of plastic components.
IMPORTANTNever use spirit or petro-
leum to clean the instrument panel or oth-
er plastic parts.
INTERIOR FITTINGSPeriodically check that water is not trapped
under the mats (due to water dripping off
shoes, umbrellas, etc.) which could cause
oxidisation of the sheet metal.
CLEANING SEATS AND FABRIC
AND VELVET PARTS – Use a soft brush or vacuum cleaner to
remove dust. Velvet is cleaned better if the
brush is moistened.
– Rub the seats with a sponge moistened
with a solution of water and neutral deter-
gent. CLEANING LEATHER SEATS– Remove dried on dirt with a lightly
moistened chamois leather or cloth with-
out pressing too hard.
– Remove liquid or grease stains with a
dry absorbent cloth without rubbing. Then
wipe with a soft cloth or chamois leather
with water and neutral soap. If the stain per-
sists, use specific products, carefully follow-
ing the instructions for use
WARNINGNever use spirit or alcohol-
based products.
Never use inflammable
products like fuel oil ether
or rectified petrol for cleaning in-
side the car. The electrostatic dis-
charges generated when rubbing to
clean may cause fire.
WARNING
Do not keep aerosol cans in
the car. There is the risk
they might explode. Aerosol cans
must never be exposed to a tem-
perature above 50°C. The temper-
ature inside the car might go well
beyond that figure when exposed
to the sun’s rays.
WARNING

ALFA 156 SPORTWAGON
278
DOORS REAR DOORSOpening/closing from outside
– To open the door, only with the inside
knob lifted (A-fig. 1), pull the opening
handle (B-fig. 2).
– To close, press the knob (A-fig. 1)
also with the door open, then shut the door.
A A
L L
F F
A A

1 1
5 5
6 6

S S
P P
O O
R R
T T
W W
A A
G G
O O
N N
Opening/closing from inside
fig. 1
A0B0077m
fig. 2
A0B0078m
fig. 3
A0B0079m
– To open the door pull the handle(A-
fig. 3).
– To close it, press the knob (B-fig. 3)
also with the door open, then shut the door. In this chapter, you weill find all the spe-
cific information for Alfa 156 Sport-
wagonthat integrate and complete the
previous chapters.
Opening the rear doors is
only possible if the “child
safety” device is released.
WARNING