GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
41
The key can be inserted and removed in
both positions.
IMPORTANTUse the switch only with
the engine off and the ignition key
removed.
The key-operated switch has two posi-
tions:
– passenger’s front air bag activated
(ONpositionP): warning light
Fon
instrument cluster off; it is absolutely pro-
hibited to carry a child on the front seat.
– passenger’s front air bag deactivated
(OFFposition
F): warning light Fon
instrument cluster on; it is possible to
carry a child protected by special restraint
systems on the front seat.
The warning light
Fon the cluster
stays on permanently until the passen-
ger’s air bag is reactivated.
Deactivation of the passenger’s front air
bag does not inhibit operation of the side
air bag.
SIDE AIR BAGS
(SIDE BAG - WINDOW BAG)
SIDE BAG (
fig. 53)
The side bag is formed of an instanta-
neously-inflating cushion housed in the
back rest of the front seat and protects the
chest of occupants in case of a side crash
of medium-high severity.
WINDOW BAG (fig. 54)
The window bag is formed of two “cur-
tain” cushions housed in the side roof lin-
ing covered by a special trim, which pro-
tects the head of front and rear occupants
in the event of a side crash thanks to the
wide cushion inflation surface.
IMPORTANTIn the event of side
crash, you can obtain the best protection
by the system keeping a correct position
on the seat, thus allowing correct window
bag unfolding.
fig. 53
A0A0614b
fig. 54
A0A0615b
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
43
GENERAL CAUTIONS
If the ¬warning light does
not turn on when turning
the ignition key to MAR or
if it stays on when travelling, this
could indicate a failure in safety re-
taining systems; under this condi-
tion air bags or pretensioners could
not trigger in the event of collision
or, in a restricted number of cas-
es, they could trigger accidentally.
Stop the car and contact Alfa
Romeo Authorised Services.
Do not cover the back rest
of front seats with trims or
covers there are not set for
the use of side bags.Never travel with objects
on your lap, in front of the
chest or with a pipe, pen-
cil, etc. Serious injury may result in
the case of the air bag being trig-
gered.
Always keep your hands
on the steering wheel rim
when driving, so that if the
air bag is triggered, it can inflate
without meeting obstacles. Do not
drive with the body bent forwards,
keep the seat back rest in the erect
position and lean your back well
against it.
If the car has been stolen
or an attempt to steal it
has been made, if it has
been subjected to vandals or
floods, have the air bag system
checked by Alfa Romeo Authorised
Services.
You are reminded that
when the ignition key is
engaged and in the MAR
position, even with the engine off,
the air bags can be triggered also
on a stationary vehicle, if it is
bumped by another moving vehi-
cle. Therefore, even with the car
stationary, never allow children on
the front seat. You are also re-
minded that with the ignition key
engaged in the STOP position, the
safety devices (air bags or preten-
sioners) are not triggered in the
event of an impact; in this case the
failure to trigger the air bags
should not be considered a system
failure.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
44
STEERING WHEEL
LEVERS
The devices and services controlled by
the levers on the steering wheel can only
be activated with the ignition key at
MAR.
LEFT-HAND LEVER
The left-hand lever controls the outer
lights except for the fog lamps and rear
fog guards.
When the outer lights are switched on,
the various controls on the dashboard are
illuminated.
Only with the ignition key at PARK,
regardless of the position of the knurled
ring, the sidelights and number plate
lights stay on.
Position (1or2-fig. 60) of the lever
causes the turning on only of the side-
lights (front and rear), on the right or left
respectively.
Lights switched off(fig. 55)
When the pointer in the knurled ring is
opposite the symbol O, the outer lights
are switched off. Turning the ignition key to
MAR, the
Fwarning light
(with the passenger’s front
air bag deactivation switch at ON)
turns on and flashes for a few sec-
onds to remind that the passen-
ger’s air bag will be activated in
the event of a crash, then it goes
off.The front air bags are de-
signed to be triggered for
heavier crashes than the
pretensioners. It is therefore nor-
mal for the pretensioners only to
be triggered for crashes within the
two activation thresholds.
Do not hook rigid objects
to the coat hooks and to
the support handles.
The air bag does not re-
place the seat belts, but in-
creases their effectiveness.
Additionally, as the front air bags
are not triggered for head-on-col-
lision at low speed, side crashes,
crashes from behind or overturn-
ing, in these cases the occupants
are protected only by the seat
belts, which must, therefore, al-
ways be fastened. Do not wash the seat
back with pressurised wa-
ter or steam (by hand or at
automatic seat washing stations).
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
45
Sidelights(fig. 56)
The sidelights are switched on by turning
the knurled ring from Oto
6.
The
3warning light on the instrument
cluster will come on at the same time.
Dipped-beam headlights (fig. 57)
These are switched on by turning the
knurled ring from
6to2.
fig. 55
A0A0063b
fig. 56
A0A0064b
Main beams (fig. 58)
To turn the main beams on, set the
knurled ring to position
2and push the
lever towards the dashboard (stable posi-
tion); warning light
1on the instrument
panel will turn on.
To set dipped-beams back pull the lever
towards the steering wheel.
fig. 57
A0A0065b
fig. 58
A0A0066b
When the dipped beam headlights and
the fog lamps are switched on, the outer
light control unit (integrated in the Body
Computer) works according to the follow-
ing logics:
– turning on the main beams, the
dipped beams turn off while the fog lamps
stay on, when restoring the starting con-
dition at dipped beam setting;
or
– turning on the main beams, the fog
lamps turn off and then turn on again
automatically as the main beams are
switched off.
Therefore, in the event of Body
Computer replacement, the outer light
operating logic may be different.
fig. 59
A0A0067b
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
46
“Follow me home” device
(fig. 61)
This function allows the illumination of
the space in front of the car for the length
of time set, and is activated with the igni-
tion key at STOPor removed, pulling the
left-hand lever towards the steering
wheel.
This function is activated pulling the lever
within 2 minutes from when the engine is
turned off. At each single movement of
the lever, the staying on of the dipped
beams and sidelights is extended by 30
seconds up to a maximum of 3.5 min-
utes; the lights switch off automatically
after the time set.
Each time the lever is operated, the
1
warning light on the cluster turns on. Flashing(fig. 59)
The headlights are flashed pulling the
lever towards the steering wheel (instable
position) regardless of the position of the
knurled ring. The
1warning light on the
cluster will come on at the same time.
IMPORTANTOnly the main-beam
lights are flashed. To avoid penalties follow
local regulations.
Direction indicators (fig. 60)
Regardless of the position of the knurled
ring, moving the lever to the stable posi-
tion will:
up, position (1) - engage the right-hand
direction indicators.
down, position (2) - engage the left-
hand direction indicators.One of the warning lights (
RorE) will
come on on the instrument cluster at the
same time.
The lever is returned to its position auto-
matically and the indicators are switched
off when the steering wheel is straight-
ened.
IMPORTANTIf you wish to signal a
rapid change of direction involving only a
minimal movement of the steering wheel,
the lever can be removed up or down
without it clicking (unstable position).
When released, the lever will return to its
home position.
fig. 61
A0A0067b
fig. 60
A0A0068b
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
50
TO MEMORISE THE SPEED
Move the ring (A) to ONand take the
car to the required speed normally. Turn
the ring (B) to (+) for at least three sec-
onds, then release it. The car speed is
memorised and it is therefore possible to
release the accelerator pedal.
The car will continue to travel at the
memorised constant speed until one of
the following conditions takes place:
– pressing the brake pedal;
– pressing the clutch pedal;
– if the ASR, MSR or VDC system cuts
in;
– with Selespeed transmission if a gear
is changed;
– inadvertent movement of the
Selespeed gear control lever to position
N.
IMPORTANTIn the case of need
(when overtaking for instance) accelera-
tion is possible simply pressing the accel-
erator pedal; later, releasing the accelera-
tor pedal, the car will return to the speed
memorised previously.
TO RESET THE
MEMORISED SPEED
If the device has been disengaged for
example pressing the brake or clutch
pedal, the memorised speed can be reset
as follows:
– accelerate gradually until reaching a
speed approaching the one memorised;
– engage the gear selected at the time
of speed memorising (4th, 5th or 6th
speed);
– press the RESbutton (C).
TO INCREASE THE
MEMORISED SPEED
The speed memorised can be increased
in two ways:
1) pressing the accelerator and then
memorising the new speed reached (turn-
ing the ring to (B) for more than three sec-
onds);
or
2) momentaneously turning the ring (B)
to (+): each pulse of the ring will corre-
spond to a slight increase in speed (about
1.5 km/h) while pressing continuously
will correspond to a continuous speed
increase. Releasing the ring (B) the new
speed will be memorised automatically. –ONis the normal operating position
of the device. When the ring (A) is in this
position, the warning light
Üon the
instrument cluster turns on.
Ring (B) serves for memorising and
maintaining the car sped or for increasing
or lowering the speed memorised.
Turn the ring (B) to (+) to memorise
the speed reached or increase the speed
memorised.
Turn the ring (B) to (–) to lower the
speed memorised.
Each time the ring is actuated (B) the
speed increases or lowers by about 1.5
km/h.
Keeping the ring turned the speed
changes continuously. The new speed
reached will be maintained automatically.
TheRESbutton (C) resets the memo-
rised speed.
IMPORTANTTurning the ignition key
toSTOPor the ring (A) to OFF, the
speed memorised is cleared and the sys-
tem is switched off.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
52
DASHBOARD
(As concerns right-hand drive versions, see dashboard and instrument panel controls described in the dedicated paragraph at the end of this
manual)
1. Side swivel air vents - 2. Fixed side window air vents - 3. Outer light control lever - 4. Speedometer with mileage recorder and trip recorder and headlamp
aiming display - 5. Fuel level gauge with reserve warning light - 6. Multifunction display - 7. Engine coolant fluid temperature gauge - 8. Rev counter - 9. Tail-
gate release button - 10. Car holder (for versions/markets where applicable) - 11. Radio (for versions/markets where applicable) - 12. Centre swivel air
vents - 13. Fixed upper vent - 14. Glass holder (for versions/markets where applicable) - 15. Fog lamp button - 16. Hazard warning light switch - 17. Rear
fog guard button - 18. Passenger’s front Air bag - 19. Glove-box - 20. Door locking button - 21. Controls for heating, ventilation and climate control - 22. Cig-
ar lighter/ashtray cover - 23. Temperature sensor - 24. Windscreen wiper control lever - 25. Ignition key and switch - 26. Horn - 27. Steering wheel lock-
ing/release lever - 28. Driver’s front Air bag - 29. Set of controls: trip meter reset, headlamp aiming device, trip computer - 30. Bonnet opening lever.
fig. 67
A0A0618b
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
53
A. Fuel level gauge with reserve warning
light - B. Engine coolant fluid temperature
gauge with maximum temperature warn-
ing light - C. Speedometer - D. Odometer
display (mileage recorder, trip recorder with
headlamp position display - E. Reconfigu-
rable multifunction display - F. Rev counter
Petrol version
A. Fuel level gauge with reserve warning
light - B. Engine coolant fluid temperature
gauge with maximum temperature warn-
ing light - C. Speedometer - D. Odometer
display (mileage recorder, trip meter with
headlamp position display) - E. Reconfigu-
rable multifunction display - F. Rev counter
INSTRUMENT PANEL
Petrol versions
fig. 68 - 1.8 T. SPARK - 2.0 JTS
fig. 69 - 2.0 JTS Selespeed
A0A0656b
A0A0655b