62GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE
fig. 87
F0D0132m
fig. 88
F0D0134m
fig. 89
F0D0136m
“Heat now” function fig. 87
To turn the heater on manually,
press timer button 8. The display and
warning light 1will stay on while the
heater is in use.
Programming the heater
Before programming the heater, set
the clock.Setting the clock
– Press button 4: display and warn-
ing light 9-fig. 88will light up.
– Within 10 seconds, press button 5
or 7to select the correct time.
Keeping button 5or 7pressed will
fast forward or backward the clock.
Reading the clock fig. 88
To read the clock, press button 4:
current time will be displayed for ap-
proximately 10 seconds. Warning light
9will come on.Programmed heating fig. 89
Heater ignition can be delayed from
1 minute to 24 hours. Three different
times can be programmed but only
one will be used.
To program starting time:
– press button 6: either symbol 10
or the previously programmed time
and number 3 (corresponding to the
preset function recalled) will light up
for 10 seconds;
72GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE
fig. 104
F0D00164m
fig. 105
F0D105m
All direction indicators will flash and
the instrument panel warning lights r
and ycome on when the button is
pressed regardless of the ignition key
position.FUEL CUT-OFF SWITCH
This a safety cut-off switch located in
the engine compartment on the dash-
board bulkhead fig. 105which comes
into operation in the case of an acci-
dent to block the supply of fuel there-
by stopping the engine.
D- Rear fog lights on/off.
E- ASR system (Antislip Regulation)
on/off.LEFT-HAND BUTTON
PANEL
Button panel in fig. 104is used on
Minibus, Ambulance and 4WD ver-
sions for adding special optional equip-
ment.
The use of hazard lights is
governed by the Highway
Code of the country you are in.
Keep to the rules.
WARNING
If, after an accident, you
can smell petrol or see that
the fuel feed system is leaking, to
avoid the risk of fire, do not reset
the switch.
WARNING
80GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE
SIDE SLIDING DOOR
When leaving the vehicle
parked with the sliding
doors open, always check that the
door hooks are properly fastened
into the retaining device.
WARNING
fig. 123
F0D0084m
Do not move the vehicle
with side doors open.
WARNING
The sliding door opens in the same
way as the driver’s cab door.
The side sliding door is equipped
with a lock that stops it at the end of
its opening run. Push the outer handle
A-fig. 123(or the corresponding in-
ner one) to arrow direction.
In any case, always make sure that
the door is correctly fastened in the
door open catch.
fig. 124
F0D0658m
MOBILE FOOT BOARD
fig. 124 (where provided)
When opening cab or load com-
partment side door, a foot board will
come out under the vehicle floor to
make easier to get into the vehicle.
Always make sure the foot
board is fully retracted be-
fore moving off. Since the foot
board is interlocked with the side
sliding door, if the foot board is not
fully retracted or rear doors are not
perfectly closed will cause instru-
ment panel warning light ´com-
ing on.
WARNING
88GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE
If you have never driven a vehicle
with ABS before, you should practice
using the system on slippery terrain,
obviously with the necessary safety
precautions and keeping to the High-
way Code of the country you are in.
It is also a good idea to read the fol-
lowing information carefully.
The advantage in using the ABS sys-
tem is that it continues to give you
maximum manoeuvrability even when
braking hard in conditions of poor grip
by preventing the wheels locking.
You should, however, not expect the
braking distance to always decrease:
for example surfaces with gravel or
fresh snow on a slippery road will in
fact increase the braking distance.
To exploit the ABS system to the full
in the event of necessity, you should
take heed of the following advice:ABS
The vehicle is fitted with an ABS
braking system (optional), which pre-
vents the wheels from locking when
braking, makes the most of road grip
and gives the best control when emer-
gency braking under difficult road con-
ditions.
The driver can tell the ABS system
has come into play when he feels the
brake pedal pulsating slightly and the
system gets noiser.
This should not be interpreted as a
fault in the brakes; on the contrary it
is a sign that the ABS system is work-
ing: it tells the driver that the vehicle
is travelling at the limit of its road grip
and that he should alter his speed to
fit the type of road surface.
The ABS system is an addition to the
basic braking system. If there is a mal-
function, the system turns off auto-
matically and only the ordinary brakes
continue to work.
If a failure occurs, and consequently
the anti-lock function is not effective,
the braking system will continue to
work as usual.
If the ABS system cuts in it
is a sign that the grip be-
tween the tyre and the road surface
has reached the limit: you must
slow down to match the speed to
the road grip available.
WARNING
If there is a fault, the warn-
ing light >will light up on
the dashboard. At this point, reduce
speed and go to a Fiat Dealership
to have your vehicle checked and
put right immediately.
WARNING
The ABS exploits the tyre-
road grip available to the
full, but it cannot improve it; you
should therefore take every care
when driving on slippery surfaces,
and not take unnecessary risks.
WARNING
89GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE
Warning light >alone,
with the engine running,
normally indicates a fault in the
ABS system only. In this case, the
braking system is still efficient,
though without the anti-locking de-
vice. Under these conditions, per-
formance of the EBD system may
be reduced. In this case too, you are
advised to go immediately to the
nearest Fiat Dealership, driving in
such a way to avoid sharp braking
to have the system checked over.
WARNING
If the xbrake fluid low
warning light comes on,
stop the vehicle immediately and
contact the nearest Fiat Dealership.
Fluid leaks from the hydraulic sys-
tem, in fact, can compromise brake
system operation, both traditional
systems and systems with ABS.
WARNING
Braking while cornering always re-
quires extreme care even when using
ABS.
The most important advice to follow
is this:
If you follow these tips you will be
able to brake better in any situation.
IMPORTANTVehicles fitted with
ABS shall only be fitted with wheel rims,
tyres and brake pads of the make and
model approved by the vehicle manu-
facturer.The system is completed with an elec-
tronic brakeforce distributor called
EBD which improves braking system
performance by means of the ABSsys-
tem control unit and sensors.
When the ABS cuts in, and
you feel the brake pedal
pulsating, do not remove your foot,
but keep it pressed. In doing so you
will stop in the shortest amount of
space possible under the current
road conditions.
WARNING
The vehicle is fitted with an
electronic brakeforce dis-
tributor (EBD). The >and x
warning lights come on at the same
time when the engine is running to
indicate that there is an EBD sys-
tem failure. In this case violent
braking may be accompanied by
early rear wheel locking with the
possibility of skidding. Drive ex-
tremely carefully to the nearest Fi-
at Dealership to have the system
checked.
WARNING
108GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE
SWITCHING OFF
THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition key to STOPwhile
the engine is idling.
IMPORTANTAfter a taxing drive
you should allow the engine to “catch
its breath” before turning it off by let-
ting it idle to allow temperature in the
engine compartment to fall.PARKING
Switch off the engine, pull up the
handbrake and engage a gear (1st gear
or reverse, according to whether the
vehicle is facing up or downhill) and
leave the wheels turned. If the vehi-
cle is left on a steep slope, wedges or
a rock should be used to lock the
wheels.
Do not leave the ignition key at
MAR to prevent running the battery
down. Always remove the key when
you leave the vehicle.HANDBRAKE
The handbrake lever is located on
the left-hand side of the driver’s seat.
Pull the lever upwards as far as it will
go to apply the handbrake. Instrument
panel warning light xwill come on
when the key is turned to MAR.
IMPORTANTThe vehicle must be
blocked after three or four lever re-
leases when the vehicle is empty; the
number of releases necessary to block
it depend on the load and on the road
slope.
In case of problems, contact a Fiat
Dealershipto have it adjusted. A quick burst on the ac-
celerator before turning
off the engine serves ab-
solutely no practical purpose and
wastes fuel. It can also damage
turbo-charged engines.
fig. 1
F0D0044m
Never leave children unsu-
pervised in the vehicle.
WARNING
109GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE
To release the handbrake:
1)slightly lift the handbrake and press
release button A-fig. 1;
2)keep the button pressed and low-
er the lever. Warning light xwill go
out;
3)press the brake pedal when car-
rying out this operation to prevent the
vehicle moving accidentally.
IMPORTANTPull the handbrake
lever only when the vehicle is at a
standstill, or when the vehicle is run-
ning, but however only in case of a fail-
ure of the hydraulic system.
Should the handbrake be exception-
ally used when the vehicle is running, it
is suggested to keep a moderate trac-
tion to avoid causing the rear axle
block, entailing vehicle side skidding.USING THE
MANUAL GEARBOX
Press the clutch fully before shifting
the gear stick into one of the positions
shown in the diagram fig. 2(the dia-
gram is also on the gear lever knob).
To engage reverse, lift the sliding ring
Aunder the knob and shift the lever
to the left and forth.IMPORTANTOnly engage the re-
verse gear when the vehicle is com-
pletely stationary.
With the engine running, before en-
gaging reverse, wait for at least 2 sec-
onds with the clutch pedal pressed to
avoid damaging the gears and grating.
fig. 2
F0D0057m
You must press the clutch
fully down to change gear
properly. It is therefore essential
that there is nothing under the ped-
als. Make sure that mats are lying
flat and do not get in the way of
pedals.
WARNING
116GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE
BUMP STARTING
Starting by pushing or towing the ve-
hicle is not possible. In the event of an
emergency, when the battery is flat,
start the vehicle with a suitable emer-
gency battery, following the instruc-
tions given in section “In an emer-
gency” at paragraph “Jump starting”.
TOWING THE VEHICLE
IMPORTANTFor towing the ve-
hicle comply with current local regu-
lations and follow the instructions giv-
en in section “In an emergency” at
paragraph “Towing the vehicle”.If the vehicle is to be towed, adhere
to the following recommendations:
– if possible, carry the vehicle on the
floor of a rescue vehicle;
– if this is not possible, tow the ve-
hicle raising the driving wheels (front)
from the ground;
– if this, too, is not possible, the ve-
hicle should not be towed for more
than 200 km at a speed of no more
than 50 km/h.
When towing, the gearshift lever
should be at N.
Do not start the engine
while the vehicle is being
towed.
The failure to comply
with these instructions
may cause serious dam-
age to the automatic gearbox.
When travelling with the
gearbox faulty, drive with
the utmost care in consideration of
the limited performance (in terms
of acceleration and speed) that the
vehicle can offer.
WARNING
When travelling with the
gearbox faulty, the revers-
ing gear lock might not be active:
absolutely never move the lever to
the R position with the vehicle on
the move.
WARNING– Warning light flashing= auto-
matic gearbox fault.
Warning light flashing at starting or
when travelling indicates a fault in the
automatic gearbox.
The automatic control system sets
an “emergency programme” engaging
the 3
rdgear.
Switching the engine off and then on
again, the self-test system could ex-
clude the fault and therefore turn off
the warning light. The failure is how-
ever stored and the automatic gear-
box shall be checked at a Fiat Deal-
ership.