123GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE
– if you are forced to stop your ve-
hicle (breakdown, limited visibility,
etc.) try to stop off the road. Turn on
the hazard lights and, if possible, the
dipped beam headlights. Rhythmically
sound the horn if you release anoth-
er vehicle is coming.
DRIVING IN THE
MOUNTAINS
– Check fluid levels (oil, brake fluid,
coolant) and tyre wear before driving
in the mountains;
– when driving downhill use the en-
gine braking effect by engaging a low
gear so as not to overheat the brakes;
– under no circumstances should you
drive downhill with the engine off or
with the gear in neutral, let alone with
the ignition key out;
– drive at moderate speed and avoid
“cutting” corners;
– remember that overtaking while
going uphill is slower and therefore re-
quires more free road. If you are be-
ing overtaken while driving uphill,
make it easier for the other vehicle
to pass.DRIVING ON SNOW
AND ICE
Here are some tips for driving in
these conditions:
– keep your speed down;
– use chains if the roads are covered
with snow;
– do not park the vehicle with the
engine running for long periods of
time: snow could divert exhaust fumes
into the passenger compartment;
– mainly use the braking effect of the
engine and under all circumstances
avoid braking sharply;
– when braking a vehicle not fitted
with ABS, reduce the possibility of the
wheels locking by varying the pressure
you exert on the brake pedal;
– do not accelerate suddenly and
avoid swerving;– in the winter, even apparently dry
roads may have icy patches. Be care-
ful therefore when driving over
stretches that do not get much expo-
sure to the sun or are lined with trees
or rocks where ice might not have
melted;
– keep a good distance from the ve-
hicles in front.
DRIVING WITH ABS
– ABS is a braking system that es-
sentially offers two advantages:
1) It prevents wheel lock and con-
sequent skidding in emergency stops,
particularly when the road does not
offer much grip.
2) it makes it possible to brake and
steer at the same time and direct the
vehicle where you want while braking.
163VEHICLE MAINTENANCE
SERVICE SCHEDULE
thousands of kilometres
Check tyre conditions and wear and adjust pressure, if required
Check lighting system operation (headlights, direction indicators, hazard lights,
load compartment light, ceiling lights, warning lights, etc.)
Check windscreen wiper/washer operation, adjust nozzles
Check windscreen/rear window wiper blade position/wear
Check front and rear (where fitted) disc brake pad conditions and wear
Check rear drum brake linings conditions and wear (where fitted)
Inspect conditions and soundness of:
– outer bodywork and underbody protection;
– piping (exhaust - fuel feed and brakes)
– rubber parts (boots, sleeves, bushings, etc.)
– fuel feed and braking system hosing
Check tension and conditions of various control belts and adjust, if required
(excluding engines with automatic belt tighteners)
Check accelerator pedal stroke and adjust, if required
Check handbrake lever stroke and adjust, if required
Check tappet clearance and adjust, if required (2.8 JTD version)
Check tappet clearance and adjust, if required (petrol versions)
Check exhaust emissions
30 60 90 120 150 180
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175VEHICLE MAINTENANCE
When working on the bat-
tery or near it, always wear
the proper goggles.
WARNING
Running the battery with
low fluid level can damage
the battery beyond repair and
could also cause its explosion.
WARNING
If the vehicle is to stand for
a long time in the cold, re-
move the battery and store it in a
warm place to avoid it freezing.
WARNINGCHECKING THE CHARGE
The battery charge may be checked
satisfactorily through the indicator and
acting according to the colour the in-
dicator shows.
Refer to the table below or to the la-
belB-fig. 15on the battery.USEFUL ADVICE FOR
LENGTHENING THE LIFE OF
YOUR BATTERY
When you park the vehicle, ensure
the doors are closed properly. The
ceiling lights must be off.
Do not keep accessories (e.g.: sound
system, hazard lights, etc.) switched
on for a long time when the engine is
not running.
IMPORTANTA battery which is
kept at a charge of less than 50% for
any length of time will be damaged by
sulphation leading to a reduction in
cranking power and a higher risk of the
battery electrolyte freezing (this may
even occur at –10 °C).
Bright white colour
Dark colour without green
area in the centre
Dark colour with green
area in the centreTop up electrolyte
Low charge level
Electrolyte level
and charge sufficientContact a
Fiat Dealership
Charge the battery
(advisable to contact a Fiat
Dealership)
No action
177VEHICLE MAINTENANCE
ELECTRONIC
CONTROL UNIT
When the vehicle is being used nor-
mally, special measures are not nec-
essary.
The following instructions must be
followed very carefully however, if
you work on the electrical system or
in cases where emergency starting is
necessary:
– never disconnect the battery from
the electric system while the engine is
running;
– disconnect the battery from the
electric system if you are recharging it;
– never perform emergency starting
with a battery charger. Always use an
auxiliary battery;
– be particularly careful when con-
necting the battery to the electric sys-
tem. Make sure that the polarity is
correct and that the connection is ef-
ficient;
– do not connect or disconnect the
terminals of the electronic units while
the ignition key is at MAR;
– do not check polarity through
sparking;– disconnect the electronic control
units if you are electrically welding the
vehicle body. Remove the units if tem-
peratures exceed 80 °C (special op-
erations on the bodywork, etc.).
IMPORTANTIf the sound system
or vehicle alarm systems are not in-
stalled correctly, they can interfere
with the working of the electronic
control units.
Modifications or repairs to
the electrical system car-
ried out incorrectly and without
bearing the features of the system
in mind can cause malfunctions
with the risk of fire.
WARNING
SPEED LIMITER
On certain version, the injection con-
trol unit is set to limit the vehicle
speed at a max. preset limit.
Speed limits are the following:
– for Minibus versions (M2 homolo-
gation category): 100 km/h;
– for good Transport versions (ve-
hicle dead weight: > 3.5 t) (N2 ho-
mologation category): 90 km/h;
Label (fig.16) with admitted top
speed (90 or 100 km/h according to
versions) is applied on the wind-
screen.
This limit has been established by Eu-
ropean Directive 2002/85/EC, what-
ever violation is therefore punishable
by law.
IMPORTANTWhen the device
comes into action, the speed value
displayed on the instrument panel
could be approx. 10% higher than the
actual one.
fig. 16
F0D0299m
215TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
FUEL SUPPLY/IGNITION
Petrol version
Electronic Multipoint sequential
phased integrated electronic injection
and ignition; a single injection system
controls both functions. It processes
both the time the injection lasts (for
fuel metering) and the ignition advance
angle.FUEL SUPPLY
JTD/JTD POWER versions
UNIJET (Common Rail) electronic
control direct injection, turbosuper-
charger with WASTEGATE valve and
intercooler (2.3 JTD, 2.8 JTD and 2.8
JTD POWER versions).SPARK PLUGS
The cleanness and soundness of the
spark plugs are very important for
keeping the engine efficient and pol-
luting emissions down.
The appearance of the spark plug, if
examined by an expert eyes, is a good
way of pinpointing a problem even if it
has nothing to do with the ignition sys-
tem. Therefore, if the engine has prob-
lems, it is important to have the spark
plugs checked at a Fiat Dealership.
The spark plugs must be
changed at the times
specified in the
SERVICE
SCHEDULE
. Only use the type of
plugs indicated: if the heat ratio
is less than required or the life
specified is not guaranteed, prob-
lems can arise.
Modifications or repairs to
the fuel feed system that
are not carried out properly or do
not take the system’s technical
specifications into account can
cause malfunctions leading to the
risk of fire.
WARNING
250INDEX
Rev counter ................................. 30
Reversing light replacement ..... 146
Rims
- understanding rim markings .. 219
Roof rack/ski rack (presetting) .. 101
Rubber tubing .............................. 179
Safe driving.................................. 119
Scheduled Service ....................... 162
Seat belts ....................................... 15
Seats ............................................... 42
Self-standing supplementary
heater .......................................... 59
Service indicator .......................... 33
Service Schedule .......................... 163
Side central windows (opening) 78
Side/taillights ................................. 65
- front bulb replacement ......... 146
Smart wash ................................... 67
Snow chains .......................... 133-218
Snow tyres ............................ 132-221Sound system ............................... 98
- aerial ......................................... 100
- heavy set-up ............................ 98
- light set-up ............................... 98
Spare wheel .................................. 218
Spark plugs .................................... 215
Speed limiter ................................ 177
Speedometer ................................ 30
Spray nozzles ............................... 181
Starting the engine ...................... 105
- bump starting .......................... 137
- Diesel engine procedure ...... 106
- emergency starting ......... 107-135
- ignition switch ......................... 28
- jump starting .................... 136-157
- petrol engine procedure ...... 105
- stopping the engine ................ 108
- warming up the engine after
it has just started ................... 107
Steering ......................................... 218
Steering column lock .................. 28Steering column stalks ............... 65
Steering wheel ............................. 51
Sun visors ...................................... 78
Suspensions .................................. 217
Symbols ......................................... 7
Tank cap ................................ 99-103
Technical specifications........ 185
Third brake light
replacement ................................. 146
Tools ................................................ 138
Top speeds ..................................... 226
Tow hitch
(fitting diagrams)................... 130-131
Tow hitch installation .................. 129
Towing a trailer ............................. 129
Towing the vehicle ....................... 159
Transmission .................................. 216
Transporting children in safety .. 22
Tyre pressure ................................. 220
Tyres ......................................... 178-220