2006 FIAT CROMA Owners Manual

113
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
IINDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
MANUAL DEACTIVATION OF
PASSENGER’S FRONT AIR BAG
AND SIDE BAG
(where provided) fig. 17
Should it be absolutely necessary to car-
ry a child on the front seat, the passenger’s
front air bag and the side bag (where pro-
vided) can be deactivated.
Deactivation/activation takes place by op-
erating the special key switch located on
the dashboard on passenger side with the
emergency metal insert inside the remote
control. You can reach the switch only if
the door is open.When the door is open, the key can be in-
serted and removed in both positions.
IMPORTANT Operate the switch only
when the engine is not running and the ig-
nition key is removed.
The key-operated switch has two posi-
tions:
❒passenger’s front air bag and side bag
(where provided) activated (ON po-
sition): warning light
Fon instru-
ment cluster off; it is absolutely pro-
hibited to carry a child on the front
seat.
❒passenger’s front air bag and side bag
(where provided) deactivated (OFF
position): warning light
Fon instru-
ment cluster on; it is possible to car-
ry a child protected by special restraint
system on the front seat.
fig. 17F0L0144m
The warning light on the cluster stays on
permanently until reactivating the passen-
ger’s front air bag and side bag (where
provided).

114
CORRECT USE
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WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
FRONT AND REAR SIDE BAGS -
CHEST PROTECTION
(where provided) fig. 18
These side bags consist of two types of in-
stant inflation cushions housed in the seat
back rests and designed to increase pro-
tection of the occupants’ chest in the
event of a side crash of medium-high
severity.SIDE WINDOW BAGS - HEAD
PROTECTION (where provided)
fig. 19
They are “curtain” cushions located be-
hind the side coverings of the roof and
covered by proper finishings, studied for
the head protection to offer the best pro-
tection to the front and rear occupants
in the event of side crash, thanks to the
wide cushion inflation surface.
IMPORTANT In the event of side crash,
you can obtain the best protection by the
system keeping a correct position on the
seat, allowing thus correct side bag unfold-
ing.
fig. 18F0L0125m
fig. 19F0L0069m
SIDE AIR BAGS
The car is fitted with front side bags for
driver and passenger (where provided),
front and rear window bags (where pro-
vided) for protecting front and rear oc-
cupant’s head, rear side bags for driver and
passenger (where provided).
Side bags (where provided) protect car
occupants from side crashes of medium-
high severity, by placing the cushion be-
tween the occupant and the internal parts
of the side structure of the car.
Non-activation of side bags in other types
of collisions (front collisions, rear shunts,
roll-overs, etc...) is not a system malfunc-
tion.
In case of side crash, an electronic control
unit, when required triggers the inflation
of the cushion. The cushion immediately
inflates, placing itself as a protection, be-
tween the occupant’s body and the struc-
ture that could cause injuries. Immediate-
ly after, the cushion deflates.
Side bags (where provided) are not a re-
placement of but complementary to the
belts, which you are recommended to al-
ways wear, as specified by law in Europe
and most non-European countries.

115
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
IINDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
All control, repair and replacement op-
erations concerning the air bags must on-
ly be carried out c/o Fiat Dealership.
If you are having the car scrapped, have
the air bag system deactivated at a Fiat
Dealership first. If the car changes own-
ership, the new owner must be informed
of the method of use of air bags and the
above warnings and also be given this
“Owner Handbook”.
IMPORTANT The triggering of preten-
sioners, front air bags and side bags (front
and rear) is decided in a differentiated
manner by the electronic control unit, de-
pending on the type of crash. The failure
to deploy one or more of them does not
mean that the system is not working prop-
erly IMPORTANT The front air bags and/or
side bags may be deployed if the car is sub-
ject to heavy knocks or accidents involv-
ing the underbody area, such as for ex-
ample violent shocks, against steps, kerbs
or low obstacles, falling of the car in big
holes or sags in the road.
IMPORTANT When the airbag inflates it
emits a small amount of dusts. These dusts
are harmless and is not the beginning of
a fire; then the unfold cushion surface and
the car interiors can be covered by a dusty
remains: this dust can irritate skin and
eyes. In case of contact, wash yourself us-
ing neutral soap and water. Expiration
dates of pyrotechnic charge and coil con-
tact are indicated on the label set on the
door edge plate. As these dates approach,
contact Fiat Dealership to have them re-
placed.
IMPORTANT Should an accident occur in
which any of the safety devices is activat-
ed, take the car to a Fiat Dealership to
have the devices activated replaced and to
have the system checked.
Never rest head, arms and
elbows on the door, on the
windows and in the window bag area
to prevent possible injuries during in-
flation phase.
WARNING
Never lean head, arms and
elbows out of the window.
WARNING

116
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
MANUAL DEACTIVATION OF
REAR SIDE BAGS
(where provided) fig. 20
Should it be absolutely necessary to car-
ry a child on the rear seats, the rear side
bags (where provided) can be deactivat-
ed.
To deactivate/reactivate rear side bags,
use the emergency metal insert set inside
the remote control to operate the key
switch located in the boot under the rear
parcel shelf, as shown in the figure.
fig. 20F0L0175m
The switch can be reached only with tail-
gate open.
IMPORTANT Operate the switch only
when the engine is not running and the ig-
nition key is removed. The key-operated
switch has two positions:
❒rear side bags activated (ON position):
warning light Àon instrument panel
off; it is absolutely forbidden to carry
children on rear seats;
❒rear side bags deactivated (OFF posi-
tion): warning light Àon instrument
panel on; it is possible to transport
children protected by proper re-
straints on the rear seats.The warning light on the instrument pan-
el stays on permanently until the rear side
bags are reactivated.

117
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
IINDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
GENERAL WARNINGS
If when turning the ignition
key to ON, the warning light
ûdoes not turn on or if it stays on
when travelling (together with the
message on the display) there could
be a failure in safety systems; in this
event air bags or pretensioners could
not trigger in case of impact or, in a
minor number of cases, they could
trigger accidentally. Contact Fiat
Dealership immediately to have the
system checked.
WARNING
Do not cover the backrest of
front and rear seats with
trims or covers that are not suitable
to be used with side bags.
WARNING
Never travel with objects on
your lap, in front of your
chest or with a pipe, pencil, etc. be-
tween your lips; injury may result in
the event of the air bag being trig-
gered.
WARNING
Always keep your hands on
the steering wheel rim when
driving, so that if the air bag is trig-
gered, it can inflate without meeting
any obstacles which could cause seri-
ous harm to you. Do not drive with the
body bent forwards, keep the seat
back rest in the erect position and lean
your back well against it.
WARNING
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 Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
Remember that with the key
fitted into the ignition device
even if the engine is not running, the
air bags may be triggered on a sta-
tionary car if it is bumped by anoth-
er moving car. Therefore, never seat
children on the front seat even when
the car is stationary. On the other
hand remember that if the key is not
fitted into the ignition device, no safe-
ty system (air bags or pretensioners)
is triggered in the event of an impact;
in this case, failure to come into ac-
tion cannot be considered as a sign
that the system is not working prop-
erly.
WARNING

118
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
When the ignition key is
turned to ON, the warning
light
F(with passenger’s rear side
air bag deactivation switch at ON)
will first turn on with fixed light and
then will start flashing for few seconds
to remind that passenger’s rear side
bags will be deployed in a crash, af-
ter which it should go off.
WARNING
Do not wash the seat back
rest with pressurised water
or steam (by hand or at automatic
seat washing stations).
WARNING
The front air bag is triggered
for shocks greater in magni-
tude that the pretensioners. For im-
pacts between these two thresholds,
it is therefore normal that only the
pretensioners are triggered.
WARNING
The air bag does not substi-
tute the seat belts, but only
increases their effectiveness.
Moreover, since the front air bags do
not come into operation in the event
of front impact at low speed, side col-
lisions, bumps from behind or over-
turning, in these circumstances the
occupants would only be protected
by the seat belts which must therefore
always be fastened.
WARNING
Do not hook rigid objects to
the coat hooks and to the
support handles.
WARNING
When the ignition key is
turned to ON, the warning
light
F(with passenger’s front and
side air bag deactivation switch at
ON) will first turn on with fixed light
and then will start flashing for few
seconds to remind that passenger’s air
bag will be deployed in a crash, af-
ter which it should go off.
WARNING

119
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
STARTING THE ENGINE ................................................... 120
PARKING .................................................................................. 123
USING THE MANUAL GEARBOX .................................. 124
ELECTRONIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ........... 125
CONTAINING RUNNING COSTS ................................. 130
TOWING TRAILERS ............................................................. 131
SNOW TYRES ......................................................................... 134
SNOW CHAINS ..................................................................... 135
CAR INACTIVITY .................................................................. 136
C C
O O
R R
R R
E E
C C
T T
U U
S S
E E
O O
F F
T T
H H
E E
C C
A A
R R

STARTING PROCEDURE FOR
PETROL VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❒Ensure that the handbrake is up;
❒put the gear lever into neutral (posi-
tions P or N for automatic transmis-
sion);
❒press the clutch pedal (or brake ped-
al with automatic transmission) down
to the floor without pressing the ac-
celerator;
❒turn the ignition key to STARTand
let it go the moment the engine starts.
If the engine does not start at the first at-
tempt, return the ignition key to OFFbe-
fore repeating starting.
IMPORTANT In the event of fast engine
start-up (i.e.: fitting the ignition key and
turning it to ON), any slight jamming is to
be attributed to correct recognition of the
electronic key by the ignition switch.
ENGINE STARTING
The car is fitted with an electronic engine
lock device: if the engine fails to start, see
the paragraph “The Fiat CODE system” in
section “Dashboard and controls”.
The engine may be noisier than usual dur-
ing the first seconds of operation, espe-
cially after it has not been used for a while.
This characteristic feature of the hydraulic
tappet system does not compromise func-
tionality or reliability. This timing system
for petrol engines was adopted to limit
servicing.
120
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
We recommend that during
the initial period you do not
drive to full car performance
(e.g.: excessive acceleration,
long journeys at top speed, sharp brak-
ing, etc.).
When the engine is switched
off never leave the key into
the ignition switch to prevent
pointless current absorption
from draining the battery.
Running the engine in con-
fined areas is extremely dan-
gerous. The engine consumes oxygen
and produces carbon monoxide
which is a highly toxic and lethal gas.
WARNING