
138
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
STOPPING THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition to STOPwhile the en-
gine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a taxing drive, you
should allow the engine to “catch its
breath” before turning it off by letting it
idle to allow the temperature in the en-
gine compartment to fall.
Never bump start the engine
by pushing, towing or coasting
downhill as this could cause
fuel to flow into the catalytic
exhaust system and damage it beyond
repair.
Remember that the servo-
brake and power steering
are not operational until the engine
has been started, therefore much ef-
fort than usual is required on the
brake pedal and steering wheel.
WARNING
A quick burst on the acceler-
ator before turning off the en-
gine serves absolutely no prac-
tical purpose, it wastes fuel
and is damaging especially to tur-
bocharged engines.
HOW TO WARM UP
THE ENGINE AFTER IT
HAS JUST STARTED
(petrol and diesel engines)
Proceed as follows:
❒Drive off slowly, letting the engine turn
at medium revs. Do not accelerate
abruptly;
❒Do not drive at full performance for the
initial kilometres. Wait until the coolant
temperature gauge starts moving.
EMERGENCY START-UP
If the instrument panel warning light
Ystays on with fixed light, contact Fiat Deal-
ership.

149
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
CONTAINING
RUNNING COSTS
Here are some suggestions which may
help you to keep the running costs of your
car down and lower the amount of toxic
emissions released into the atmosphere.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried out
in accordance with the “Service schedule”.
Tyres
Check the pressure of the tyres routine-
ly at an interval of no more than 4 weeks:
if the pressure is too low, consumption
levels increase as resistance to rolling is
higher.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with too much luggage
stowed in the boot. The weight of the car
(especially when driving in town) and its
trim greatly affects consumption and sta-
bility.Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or the ski rack from
the roof as soon as they are no longer
used. These accessories lower air pene-
tration and adversely affect consumption
levels. When needing to carry particular-
ly voluminous objects, preferably use a
trailer.
Electric devices
Use electric devices only for the amount
of time needed. Rear heated window, ad-
ditional headlights, windscreen wipers and
heater fan need a considerable amount of
energy, therefore increasing the require-
ment of current increases fuel consump-
tion (up to +25% in the urban cycle).Climate control
The air conditioner is an additional load
which greatly affects the engine leading to
higher consumption (on average up to
+20%). When the temperature outside
the car permits it, use the air vents where
possible.
Spoilers
The use of non-certified aerodynamic
items may adversely affect air drag and
consumption levels.

150
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
Top speed
Fuel consumption considerably increases
with speed. Avoid superfluous braking and
accelerating, which cost in terms of both
fuel and emissions.
Acceleration
Accelerating violently increasing the revs
will greatly affect consumption and emis-
sions: acceleration should be gradual and
should not exceed the maximum torque.CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Short journeys and frequent cold starts do
not allow the engine to reach optimum
operating temperature. This results in a
significant increase in consumption levels
(from +15 to +30% on the urban cycle)
and emission of harmful substances.
Traffic situations and road
conditions
Rather high consumption levels are tied to
situations with heavy traffic, for example
in queues with frequent use of the lower
gears or in cities with many traffic lights.
Also winding mountain roads and rough
road surfaces adversely affect consump-
tion.
Traffic hold-ups
During prolonged hold-ups (traffic lights,
level crossings) the engine should be
switched off. DRIVING STYLE
Starting
Do not warm the engine with the car at
a standstill or at idle or high speed: under
these conditions the engine warms up
much more slowly, increasing electrical
consumption and emissions. It is therefore
advisable to move off immediately, slow-
ly, avoiding high speeds. This way the en-
gine will warm faster.
Unnecessary actions
Avoid accelerating when waiting at traffic
lights or before switching off the engine.
This and also double declutching is ab-
solutely pointless on modern cars and al-
so increase consumption and pollution.
Gear selection
As soon as the conditions of the traffic and
road allow, use a higher gear. Using a low
gear to obtain brilliant performance in-
creases consumption.
In the same way improper use of a high
gear increases consumption, emissions an
engine wear.

157
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
GENERAL WARNINGS ...................................................... 158
LOW BRAKE FLUID.............................................................. 158
HANDBRAKE ON ................................................................. 158
BRAKE PAD WEAR ............................................................... 158
AIR BAG FAILURE ................................................................. 159
FRONT PASSENGER’S AIR BAG DEACTIVATED ....... 159
REAR SIDE BAGS DEACTIVATED .................................. 160
SEAT BELTS NOT FASTENED ........................................... 160
LOW BATTERY CHARGE .................................................. 160
LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE........................................... 161
EXHAUST OIL ....................................................................... 161
SELESPEED TRANSMISSION FAILURE ............................ 161
“DUALDRIVE” ELECTRIC POWER STEERING
FAILURE .................................................................................... 162
HIGH TEMPERATURE ENGINE COOLANT FLUID ... 162
INCOMPLETE DOOR LOCKING..................................... 163
GENERIC FAILURE INDICATION .................................. 163
DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER CLOGGED ................... 163
FUEL RESERVE......................................................................... 164
ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE (EOBD) ......... 164
ESP SYSTEM ............................................................................ 165
GLOW PLUG WARMING FAILURE ................................ 165
GLOW PLUGS ........................................................................ 165
WATER IN DIESEL FUEL FILTER ...................................... 166INEFFICIENT ABS SYSTEM ................................................. 166
INEFFICIENT EBD
(ELECTRONIC BRAKING DISTRIBUTOR) .................. 166
CAR PROTECTION SYSTEM FAILURE -
FIAT CODE .............................................................................. 167
ALARM FAILURE ................................................................... 167
BREAK-IN ATTEMPT ........................................................... 167
EXTERNAL LIGHT FAILURE .............................................. 167
REAR FOGLIGHTS ................................................................ 167
FRONT FOG LIGHTS ........................................................... 167
LEFT-HAND DIRECTION INDICATOR ........................ 168
RIGHT-HAND DIRECTION INDICATOR .................... 168
SIDELIGHTS AND LOW BEAMS ...................................... 168
FOLLOW ME HOME ............................................................ 168
MAIN BEAMS ........................................................................... 168
CRUISE CONTROL............................................................... 168
POSSIBLE PRESENCE OF ICE ON THE ROAD ............ 168
LIMITED RANGE ................................................................... 168
ASR SYSTEM ........................................................................... 168
SPEED LIMIT EXCEEDED ................................................... 168
W W
A A
R R
N N
I I
N N
G G
L L
I I
G G
H H
T T
S S
A A
N N
D D
M M
E E
S S
S S
A A
G G
E E
S S

163
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
INCOMPLETE DOOR
LOCKING (red)
The warning light turns on
when one or more doors, the
boot or the bonnet are not properly shut.
The display will show the dedicated mes-
sage.
The buzzer will sound when one or more
doors are open and the car is moving.GENERIC FAILURE
INDICATION
(amber)
The warning light turns on in the
following circumstances.
Inertial fuel cut-off switch
intervened
The warning light turns on when the in-
ertial fuel cut-off switch is triggered. The
display will show the dedicated message.
Sensor failure
The warning light turns on when a fault
is detected to one of the following sensors
(where provided):
❒window anti-pinch sensors;
❒engine oil pressure sensor;
❒twilight sensor;
❒rain sensor;
❒parking sensors;
The display will show the dedicated mes-
sage (excluding in the event of engine oil
pressure sensor failure).
Contact Fiat Dealership as soon as possi-
ble to have the fault removed.
´è
DIESEL PARTICULATE
FILTER CLOGGED
(amber)
(Multijet versions)
The warning light turns on when the diesel
particulate filter is clogged and the driving
conditions do not enable to activate au-
tomatically the reclaiming procedure.
To enable the cleaning procedure, keep
the car running until the warning light
turns off.
The display will show the dedicated mes-
sage.
h

164
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
FUEL RESERVE
(amber)
Turning the ignition key to
MARthe warning light turns on,
but it should go off after few seconds.
The warning light turns on when about 8
litres fuel are left in the tank. The display
will show the dedicated message.
IMPORTANT The warning light flashes to
indicate a failure, contact Fiat Dealership
as soon as possible to have the system
checked.ENGINE CONTROL
SYSTEM FAILURE
(EOBD) (amber)
In normal conditions, turning the
ignition key to MAR, the warning light
turns on, but it should go off when the en-
gine has started. The initial turning on in-
dicates that the warning light is working
properly. If the warning light stays on or
turns on when travelling:
❒glowing steadily: means a fault in the sup-
ply/ignition system which could cause
high emissions at the exhaust, possible
lack of performance, poor handling and
high consumption levels.
The display will show the dedicated mes-
sage.
In these conditions it is possible to con-
tinue driving without however requiring
heavy effort or high speed from the en-
gine. Prolonged use of the car with the
warning light on may cause damages. Con-
tact Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
çU
If, turning the ignition key to
MAR, the warning light Udoes not turn on or if it turns
on glowing steadily or flashing
when travelling, contact Fiat Dealer-
ship. Warning light
Uoperation can
be checked by traffic agents by prop-
er equipments, therefore comply with
laws and regulations of the country
where you are driving.
The warning light turns off if the fault dis-
appears, but it is still stored by the system.
❒flashing: indicates the possibility of dam-
age to the catalyst (see “EOBD system”
in section “Dashboard and controls”).
If the light flashes, it is necessary to release
the accelerator pedal to lower the speed
of the engine until the warning light stops
flashing; continue the journey at moder-
ate speed, trying to avoid driving condi-
tions that may cause further flashing and
contact Fiat Dealership as soon as possi-
ble.

INEFFICIENT
EBD
(ELECTRONIC
BRAKING
DISTRIBUTOR) (red) (amber)
The turning on at the same time of warn-
ing lights
xand >with the engine run-
ning indicates an EBD system failure or
that the system is unavailable; in this case
heavy braking may cause the rear wheels
to lock before time, with the possibility of
skidding.
Drive with the utmost care to the near-
est Fiat Dealership to have the system
checked.
The display will show the dedicated mes-
sage.
166
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
WATER IN DIESEL
FUEL FILTER
(Multijet versions)
(amber)
Turning the ignition key to MARthe
warning light turns on, but it should go off
after few seconds.
The warning light turns on when there is
water in the diesel fuel filter.
The display will show the dedicated mes-
sage.INEFFICIENT ABS
SYSTEM (amber)
Turning the ignition key to
MARthe warning light turns on,
but it should go off after few seconds.
The warning light turns on when the sys-
tem is inefficient or unavailable. In this case
the braking system keeps its effectiveness
unchanged, but without the potential of-
fered by the ABS system.
Caution is advisable and it is necessary to
contact Fiat Dealership.
The display will show the dedicated mes-
sage.
c
The presence of water in the
fuel circuit may cause serious
damage to the entire injection
system and cause irregular en-
gine operation. If the warning light
cturns on (together with the message on
the display), contact Fiat Dealership as
soon as possible to have the system re-
lieved. If the above indications come on
immediately after refuelling, water has
probably been poured into the tank:
turn the engine off immediately and
contact Fiat Dealership.
>x>

170
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
IINDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
IN AN
EMERGENCY
ENGINE STARTING
JUMP STARTING
If the battery is flat, it is possible to start
the engine using an auxiliary battery with
the same capacity or a little higher than
the flat one.
Proceed as follows fig. 1:
❒Connect positive terminals (+ near the
terminal) of the two batteries with a
jump lead;
❒With a second lead, connect the nega-
tive terminal (–) of the auxiliary battery
and to an earthing point
Eon the en-
gine or the gearbox of the car to be
started;
❒Start the engine;
❒When the engine has been started, re-
move the leads reversing the order
above.
If after a few attempts the engine does not
start, do not insist but contact the near-
est Fiat Dealership.IMPORTANT Do not directly connect the
negative terminals of the two batteries:
sparks could ignite the flammable gas from
the battery. If the other battery is fitted in
another car, prevent accidental contacts
between the metal parts of the two cars.BUMP STARTING
Never bump start the engine (by pushing,
towing, or coasting downhill) as this could
cause fuel to flow into the catalytic ex-
haust system and damage it beyond repair.
IMPORTANT Remember that the servo-
brake and electrical power steering sys-
tem are not operating until the engine is
started, a greater effort will therefore be
required to press the brake pedal or turn
the steering wheel.
fig. 1F0C0194m
Under no circumstances
should a battery charger be
used to start the engine: it
could damage the electronic
systems and in particular the ignition
and injection control units.
Do not carry out this proce-
dure if you lack experience;
if it is not done correctly it can cause
very intense electrical discharges. In
addition, the fluid contained in the
battery is poisonous and corrosive.
Avoid contact with skin and eyes. You
are also advised not to put naked
flames or lighted cigarettes near the
battery and not to cause sparks.
WARNING