Page 108 of 238

107
CORRECT USE
OF THE
VEHICLE
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
To sum up the safety precautions
to follow when transporting
children:
1) The recommended position for in-
stalling child’s seat is on the rear seat, as
it is the most protected in the case of a
crash.
2) If the passenger’s air bag is deactivat-
ed always check the amber warning light
on the cluster to make sure that it has ac-
tually been deactivated.
3) Attain to the instructions for fastening
the specific child restraint system which
you are using. These instructions must be
provided by the manufacturer. Keep the
child restraint system installation instruc-
tions with the vehicle documents and with
this Handbook. Never use a child restraint
system without installation instructions.
4) Always check the seat belt is well fas-
tened by pulling the webbing.5) Only one child is to be strapped to
each retaining system.
6) Always check the seat belts do not fit
around the child’s throat.
7) While travelling, do not let the child
sit incorrectly or release the belts.
8) Passengers should never carry children
on their laps. No-one, however strong
they are, can hold a child in the event of
a crash.
9) In case of an accident, replace the
child’s seat with a new one.
With front passenger’s air
bag active do not place cra-
dle child’s seats facing backwards on
the front passenger seat since the air
bag activation could cause serious in-
juries, even mortal regardless of the
seriousness of the crash. You are ad-
vised to carry children always on the
rear seat, as this is the most protect-
ed position in the case of a crash.
WARNING
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110
CORRECT USE
OF THE
VEHICLE
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
IINDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
MANUAL DEACTIVATION OF
PASSENGER’S FRONT AIR BAG
AND SIDE BAG
(where provided)
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.
The instrument panel warning light Fwill
stay on glowing steadily until reactivating
the passenger’s front air bag and the Side
Bag (where provided).
SERIOUS DANGER: With
passenger’s air bag active
(ON), never place child’s
seats with the cradle facing
backwards since the air bag
activation could cause to
the child serious injuries, even mortal.
In the case of need, always deactivate
the passenger’s air bag when a child’s
seat is placed on the front seat. The
front passenger’s seat shall be ad-
justed in the most backward position
to prevent any contact between
child’s seat and dashboard. Even if
not compulsory by law, you are rec-
ommended to reactivate the air bag
immediately as soon as child trans-
port is no longer necessary.
WARNING
To deactivate the passen-
ger’s front air bag and the
side bag (where provided), refer to
paragraphs “Digital display” and
“Multifunction display” in section
“Dashboard and controls”.
WARNING
SIDE AIR BAGS
The vehicle is fitted with front side bags
for driver and passenger (where provid-
ed) for protecting the chest and window
bags (where provided) for protecting front
passengers’ head.
Side bags (where provided) protect vehi-
cle occupants from side crashes of medi-
um-high severity, by placing the cushion
between the occupant and the internal
parts of the side structure of the vehicle.
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.
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118
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLEWhen the handbrake lever is pulled up
and the ignition key is at MAR, the in-
strument panel warning light
xwill turn
on.
To release the handbrake:
❒slightly lift the handbrake and press the
release button A;
❒keep button Apressed and lower the
lever. Warning light xwill turn off.
Press the brake pedal when carrying out
this operation to prevent the vehicle mov-
ing accidentally.
IMPORTANT Pull the handbrake only
when the vehicle is stationary or, with
vehicle running only if the hydraulic sys-
tem is failing. Should it be necessary to
use the handbrake with the vehicle run-
ning, pull it slowly to prevent rear axle
locking and vehicle side skid as a conse-
quence.
PARKING THE VEHICLE
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the hand-
brake;
❒engage a gear (on a slope, engage
first gear if the vehicle is faced uphill
or reverse if it is faced downhill) and
leave the wheels steered.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a
stone if the vehicle is parked on a steep
slope. Do not leave the key in the igni-
tion switch to prevent draining the bat-
tery. Always remove the key when you
leave the vehicle.
HANDBRAKE fig. 1
The handbrake lever is located on the left-
hand side of the driver’s seat.
Pull the handbrake lever upwards until the
vehicle cannot be moved. Four or five
clicks are generally enough when the ve-
hicle is on level ground while nine or ten
may be required if the vehicle is on a steep
slope or laden.
IMPORTANT If this is not the case, con-
tact Fiat Dealership to have the handbrake
adjusted.
Never leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle. Always
remove the ignition key when leaving
the vehicle and take it out with you.
WARNING
fig. 1F0N0073m
USING THE MANUAL
GEARBOX
To engage the gears, press the clutch ped-
al fully and shift the gear lever into one of
the required positions (the diagram is
shown on the knob fig. 2).
To engage the 6th gear (where provided)
move the gearshift lever pressing slightly
rightwards to prevent engaging the 4th
gear accidentally. Do the same for shifting
from 6th to 5th gear.
IMPORTANT The vehicle can only be put
into reverse gear when it has stopped
moving completely. With the engine run-
ning, before engaging the reverse, wait at
least 2 seconds with the clutch pedal ful-
ly down to prevent damage and grating of
the gears.