2005 Alfa Romeo 156 suspension

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
202
It is therefore necessary to limit their use
to the purposes for which they are certified.
WARNINGWhen snow tyres are used
with a max. speed index below the one that
can be reached by the car (increased by
5%), place a notice in the passenger com-
partment, plainly in the driver’s view which
states the max. permissible speed of the
snow tyres (as per EC Directive).
All four tyres should be the same (brand
and track) to ensure greater safety when
driving and braking and better driveability.
Remember that it is inappropriate to
change the direction of rotation of tyres.
WINTER TYRESThese tyres are specially designed for dri-
ving on snow and ice, to be fitted in place
of the existing tyres.
Use snow tyres of the same size as the
normal tyres provided with the car.
Alfa Romeo Authorized Services will be
glad to provide advice concerning the most
suitable type of tyre for the customer’s re-
quirements.
For the type of tyre to be used, inflation
pressures and the specifications of snow
tyres, follow the instructions given in chap-
ter “Technical Specifications”.
The winter features of these tyres are re-
duced considerably when the tread depth
is below 4 mm. In this case, they should be
replaced. Due to the snow tyre features, un-
der normal conditions of use or on long mo-
torway journeys, the performance of these
tyres is lower than that of normal tyres.
SNOW CHAINSUse of snow chains should be in compli-
ance with local regulations.
Use snow chains with reduced size:
– for tyres 185/65 R15” e 205/60
R15” use snow chains with reduced size
with max. protrusion beyond the tyre pro-
file of 12 mm.
– for tyres 205/55 R16” use snow
chains with reduced size with max. protru-
sion beyond the tyre profile of 9 mm.
Tyres 215/45 R17” can-
not be fitted with snow
chains due to interference
with front suspension support. Snow chains should only be applied to the
driving wheels (front wheels).
Alfa Romeo Authorized Services should first
be contacted before purchasing or using
snow chains.
Check the tension of the chains after the
first few metres have been driven.
The max. speed for snow
tyres with “Q” marking is
160 km/h, 190 km/h for tyres
with “T” marking and 210 km/h
for tyres with “H” marking. The
Road Traffic Code speed limits must
however be always strictly ob-
served.
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.

ALFA 156 SPORTWAGON
293
AUTOMATIC REAR
GEOMETRY CONTROL(optional for versions/markets
where applicable)
The car is fitted with a semi-bearing hy-
dropneumatic system with built-in self-level-
ling functions (due to an active element in-
corporated in the rear shock absorbers) and
damping, applied to the rear suspensions in-
stead of conventional shock absorbers.
When the car is loaded with passengers
and luggage, the rear geometry lowers in
relation to the rigidity of the spring system
and the load. However, as soon as the car
moves off the system utilises the move-
ments induced on the wheels by the rough-
ness of the road surface to increase its bear-
ing capacity and higher the body up to a
pre-established position that will be kept un-
der any load condition.
SOUND SYSTEM(optional for versions/markets
where applicable)
The fixed sound system, with cassette
player (radio with cassette player) or CD
player with parametric sound equalizer
(radio with CD player) has been designed
to suit the specific characteristics of the
passenger compartment, with a
personalised design that matches the
style of the dashboard. The sound system
instructions for use are described in the
attached supplement.The distance that must be covered to reach
the levelling condition is approx. 2,000 me-
tres and it may vary depending on the road
bottom.
When using the boot, nev-
er exceed the maximum
permissible loads given in the
“Technical specifications” chapter.
The load carried and its arrange-
ment in the boot modify road hold-
ing of the car in any case even if
the geometry is kept constant by
the automatic device.
WARNING

ALPHABETICAL INDEX
331
N
umber plate lights
– changing bulbs ................ 229-296
O
ddment recesses
– in the boot ........................... 285
– on centre console ................... 165
– on dashboard ........................ 165
Odometer ................................... 59
Paintwork (maintenance) ............ 275
– colour label ........................... 301
Parking....................................... 191
Parking sensors............................ 187
Partial odometer .......................... 63
Performance................................ 314
Pockets and compartments
on front doors ........................... 165
Pollen filter ................................ 266
Power steering
– checking fluid level
and topping up ..................... 262
Power windows ........................... 27
Pre-tensioning devices ................... 32
Protecting emission reducing
devices ....................................... 198
Q
-system automatic gearbox........ 152
– acoustic warning .................... 159
– automatic operation ............... 154
– checking the oil level .............. 260
– fault signalling ....................... 158
– manual operating mode/
Q-System activation................ 157
– moving off ............................ 152
– push starting ......................... 159
– selecting automatic/
manual gearshifting................ 153
– selecting the driving modes ..... 156
– starting the engine ................. 152
– stopping the car ..................... 157
– towing the car ....................... 160
R
adio transmitters and cellular
telephones ............................... 167
Rain sensor ................................. 51
Rear fog guards
– changing bulbs ............... 227-294
– switching on.......................... 136
Rear light units
– bulb replacement ................... 227
Rear roof lights ............................ 163
– changing bulbs ...................... 231
Rear seats................................... 23– centre armrest ................. 23-280
– headrests ....................... 24-279
– ski compartment.............. 24-280
Rear suspensions
(automatic geometry control) ..... 293
Rearscreen heating................. 26-133
Rearscreen washer ....................... 281
– spray jet ............................... 281
Rearscreen wiper
– blade replacement ................. 281
– operation .............................. 281
Reducing running costs
and environment pollution .......... 197
Refilling ..................................... 319
Remote control ............................ 7-12
– additional remote controls ...... 12
– alarm system ........................ 11
– boot opening ......................... 8
– changing the battery .............. 10
– door opening-closing ............... 7
– ministerial homologation ......... 325
– remote door locking/
unlocking .............................. 16
Rev counter................................. 62
Reversing lights
– changing bulbs ................ 227-294