2006 Alfa Romeo 156 steering

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR49
Flashing (fig. 72)
The headlights are flashed by pulling the
lever towards the steering wheel (unstable
position) regardless of the position of the
knurled ring. The
1
warning light on the
instrument panel will come on at the same
time.
WARNINGOnly the main-beam lights
are flashed. To avoid penalties, follow lo-
cal regulations.Direction indicators (fig. 73)
Moving the lever to the stable position will:
up - engage the right-hand direction indi-
cators.
down - engage the left-hand direction in-
dicators.
One of the warning lights (
R
or
E) will
come on on the instrument panel at the
same time.
The lever is returned to its home position
automatically and the indicators are
switched off when the steering wheel is
straightened.WARNINGIf you wish to signal a rapid
change of direction involving only a mini-
mum movement of the steering wheel, the
lever can be moved up or down without
clicking (unstable position). When released
the lever will return to its home position.
fig. 73
A0B0376m
fig. 71
A0B0374m
fig. 72
A0B0375m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR51
“INTELLIGENT WASHING” FUNCTION
Pulling the lever towards the steering
wheel (fig. 76) (unstable position) oper-
ates the windscreen washer.
Keeping the lever pulled, with only one
movement it is possible to operate the
washer jet and the wiper at the same time;
indeed, the latter comes into action auto-
matically if the lever is pulled for more than
half a second.
The wiper stops working a few strokes af-
ter releasing the lever; a further “cleaning
stroke” after a few seconds completes the
wiping operation.Rain sensor
(for versions/markets where
applicable) (fig. 77)
The rain sensor (A), fitted only on cer-
tain versions, is an electronic device com-
bine with the windscreen wiper which has
the purpose of automatically adjusting the
number of wipes during intermittent opera-
tion, to intensity of the rain.
All the other functions controlled by the
right-hand lever remain unchanged.
The rain sensor is activated automatically
moving the right-hand lever to position (B-
fig. 74) and it has a range of adjustment
that gradually varies between wiper sta-
tionary (no wiping) when the windscreen is
dry, to wiper at first continuous speed (con-
tinuous, slow) with heavy rain.Turn ring (F-fig. 75) to set the rain sen-
sor sensitivity level:
■■
= low sensitivity
■■■
= medium ensitivity
■■■■
= high sensitivity.
Operating the windscreen washer with the
rain sensor activated (lever at position B)
the normal washing cycle is performed at
the end of which the rain sensor resumes its
normal automatic function.
Turning the ignition key to STOPthe rain
sensor is deactivated and the next time the
engine is started (MAR position) it will not
be reactivated even if the lever has remained
in position (B). In this case to activate the
rain sensor, simply move the lever to (A)
or (C) and then back to (B).
fig. 76
A0B0374m
fig. 77
A0B0012m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR56
DASHBOARD1.Side air outlets - 2.Defrosting/demisting vents for side windows - 3.Upper side vents - 4.Radio controls on the steering wheel (where
applicable) - 5.Outside lights control lever - 6.Speedometer (mileage recorder) - 7.Check panel - 8.Rev counter - 9.Windscreen wiper
control lever - 10.Fuel level gauge - 11.Centre air vents - 12.Infocenter Display - 13.Clock - 14.Engine coolant temperature gauge -
15.Sound system (where required) - 16.Passenger’s Air bag - 17.Glove box - 18.Controls for heating, ventilation and climate control -
19.Ashtray and cigar lighter - 20.Hazard warning lights switch - 21.Ignition switch - 22.Steering wheel lock/release lever - 23.Driver’s
Air bag and horns - 24.Cruise Control control lever (if provided) - 25.Bonnet opening lever - 26.Set of controls: instrument panel lighting
adjustment, trip meter reset and headlamp aiming device.fig. 80
A0B0570m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
138
HEADLIGHT CORRECTOR (fig. 121)
If the car is fitted with xenon headlights,
beam aiming is electronic and therefore con-
trol (A) on the mask near the steering col-
umn is not present.
The headlights should be aimed correctly
depending on the vehicle load.
The control (A) on the plate at the side of
the steering column can be moved to four
positions corresponding to the vehicle loads
given below:
position 0: 1 or 2 people occupying front
seats, full fuel tank, on-board equipment pre-
sent;
position 1: 5 people on-board;fig. 121
A0B0240m
HAND BRAKE
(fig. 122)
The hand brake lever is located between
the two front seats.
To operate the brake when the vehicle is
“stationary”, pull the lever (A) upwards un-
til the required braking action is obtained.
When the ignition key is in the MARpo-
sition, the
x
warning light will come on on
the instrument panel.
fig. 122
A0B0288m
position 2: 5 people on-board, luggage
compartment full (50 kg approximately);
position 3: Driver and 300 kg in luggage
compartment.
Check the positioning of
the headlight beams every
time you change the load to be car-
ried.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
141
Gearshifting takes place through a floating
control lever (A-fig. 124) with only one
stable central position. Using this lever it is
possible to request increase/decrease of the
ratio of the gear engaged and/or engage-
ment of reverse gear (R) or neutral (N).
There are also two levers on the steering
wheel spokes (fig. 125) through which,
only with the car on the move (with speed
above 0.5 km/h), it is possible to shift gear
up or down.
SELESPEED GEARBOX (optional for versions/markets
where applicable)
The 2.0 JTS engine can be supplied with
a mechanical gearbox with electronic con-
trol, called “Selespeed”.
The Selespeed considerably simplifies the
use of the car, it reduces driving fatigue in
town or when frequent gearshifting is nec-
essary, but at the same time it assures bril-
liant performance.WARNINGTo be able to use the Sele-
speed correctly, this chapter should be read
in full to understand the correct, permissible
operations to be carried out right from the
start.
This device comprises a conventional me-
chanical gearbox to which an electronical-
ly-operated electro-hydraulic device has been
added which automatically controls the
clutch and gear engagement.
The clutch pedal has been eliminated and
the vehicle moves off using only the accel-
erator pedal.
fig. 124
A0B0271m
fig. 125
A0B0270m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
142
Failures of Selespeed gearbox are signalled
to the driver through a warning light (B-fig.
126) accompanied by an acoustic signal. The gearbox can work in two operating
modes:
– the first is semiautomatic(then called
MANUAL), in which the driver directly re-
quests gearshifting through the lever on the
centre console or pressing the buttons at the
steering wheel;
– the second is automatic, calledCITY
(mode selectable with the specific button
B-fig. 124, the CITYsign appears on the
display fig. 126fitted on rev-counter), in
which the system decides directly when to
shift gear.With the gearbox in the CITYmode it is
still possible to carry out manual gearshift-
ing, both using the gear lever and the steer-
ing wheel controls. The gearbox remains in
the CITYmode.
The gear engaged (fig. 126) is always
signalled on the display regardless of the se-
lected mode.
N= neutral;
1= first gear;
2 = second gear;
3= third gear;
4= fourth gear;
5= fifth gear;
R= reverse.
fig. 126
A0B0384m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
145
STARTING THE ENGINEThe engine can be started with the gear
engaged or in neutral (N), provided that the
brake pedal is pressed down.
WARNINGKeep the brake pedal
pressed during the starting operation. As the
brake pedal stiffens if it is pressed repeat-
edly with the engine off, in this situation, to
allow the engine to be started, it is neces-
sary to increase the pressure exerted on the
pedal itself.
After starting, the gearbox automatically
sets to neutral, the display shows the let-
ter (N) and the system selects the operat-
ing mode stored before switching off.
TURNING THE ENGINE OFF
AND SYSTEM DEACTIVATIONTurning the ignition key to STOPthe en-
gine switches off but the Selespeed system
still remains active, waiting for the vehicle
to stop completely. After about 2 - 4 seconds
from when the key has been turned to the
STOPposition, the hydraulic part is deac-
tivated and immediately afterwards the dis-
play on the rev counteralso goes out ; the
Selespeed system is only deactivated at this
point.
The gear selected before turning the en-
gine off remains engaged.
If the engine stops with the gearbox in
neutral (N), the buzzer draws the attention
of the driver so that the vehicle can be put
in safety conditions engaging the first gear
(1) or reverse (R). In this case, it is nec-
essary to turn the ignition key to MARand
with the brake pedal pressed, engage first
gear (1) or reverse (R).
If the engine fails to start
with the gear engaged, the
driver is alerted of the potentially
dangerous situation due to the fact
that the gearbox has automatically
set to neutral by the buzzer and
the display on the rev counter.
WARNING
NEVER leave the car with
the gearbox in neutral (N).
WARNING
Never remove the key
when the car is on the
move, because in addition to the
fact that the Selespeed system
would not work properly until
stopping the car, the steering
wheel would automatically lock at
the first turn.
WARNING
It is absolutely necessary
to turn off the engine con-
sequently deactivating the Sele-
speed system keeping the brake
pedal pressed: release the pedal
ONLY when the display on the rev
counter goes off.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
146
WARNINGS– With the vehicle stationary and a gear
engaged, always keep the brake pedal
pressed until you decide to move off;
– in prolonged stops with the engine run-
ning it is advisable to keep the gearbox is
neutral;
– when the car is parked on a slope, do
not use the pick-up manoeuvre to keep the
vehicle stopped; use the brake pedal and
work on the accelerator pedal only when
you decide to move off;
– use second gear onlywhen necessary
to obtain better control of pick-up in low
speed manoeuvres;
– if, with reverse gear engaged, you need
to engage first gear or vice versa, shift gear
only when the car is completely stationary
and with the brake pedal pressed. This should not be considered as a fault as
it is part of the operating logic. For the same
reason, in the event of sticking on reverse,
the system commands partial clutch closing
to allow engagement of the gear; in this
case engagement of reverse gear (R) will
be less comfortable.
Moving off of the vehicle is obtained:
1) releasing the brake pedal;
2) gradually operating the accelerator
pedal.
The vehicle pick-up torque is higher the
more the accelerator pedal is pressed.
MOVING OFFWith the engine running and the vehicle
stationary, the gears that can be engaged
for moving off are only first (1), second (2)
or reverse (R).
To engage them it is possible to use the
control lever on the centre console, with the
brake pedal pressed, as the levers on the
steering wheel allow gear engagement only
over 0.5 km/h.
WARNINGReverse gear (R) can be en-
gaged from each of the following other ra-
tios: neutral (N), first gear (1) or second
gear (2). If the car is on the move, the re-
quest is not accepted; it is necessary to wait
for the car to be completely stopped and
then request reverse (R) again.
The driver is informed of the reverse gear
engaged condition by the intermittent sound
of the buzzer as well as by the display on
the rev counter.
WARNINGIf while shifting from reverse
(R)/first gear (1) to neutral (N)/first gear
(1) sticking occurs on the first gear, the sys-
tem automatically engages second gear
(2).
After a request to shift
gear with the vehicle sta-
tionary, before pressing the accel-
erator pedal to make the car start,
the driver must always check that
the gear engaged shown on the
display is the one required.
WARNING