2006 Lancia Thesis brake

255
SAFE DRIVING
In designing THESIS, LANCIA has
made every effort to come up with a
car able to provide driver and pas-
senger with top-class levels of safety.
Nevertheless it is always the behav-
iour of the person at the wheel that
determines road safety.
Below you will find some simple
tips to help you travel in safety
under different conditions. You will
no doubt be familiar with many of
them already, but it will be useful to
read them all carefully.
BEFORE GETTING BEHIND
THE WHEEL
– Make sure all lights, including
the headlights, are working proper-
ly.
– Adjust the position of the seats,
steering wheel, driving and door
mirrors properly for the best driving
position.
– Carefully adjust the head
restraints so that the back of the
head and not the nape of the neck is
supported. Make sure that nothing (mats etc.)
gets in the way of the pedals when
they are pushed down.
– Make sure that any child
restraint systems (child seats, carri-
ers etc.) are properly fixed on the
rear seat.
– Place any objects in the boot in
such a way that they cannot be
thrown forwards in the event of an
accident.
– Do not eat a heavy meal before
travelling. Light eating will help
keep your reflexes prompt. Above
all, do not have anything alcoholic to
drink.
Periodically, remember to check:
– tyre pressure and conditions;
– engine oil level;
– coolant level and cooling system
conditions;
– brake fluid level;
– power steering fluid level;
– windscreen washer fluid level. WHEN TRAVELLING
– The first rule of safe driving is
prudence.
– Prudence also means putting
yourself into a position where you
can predict wrong or imprudent
behaviour from other drivers.
– Stick closely to the rules of the
road in the particular country where
the vehicle is being driven and,
above all, do not exceed speed limits.
– Ensure that, besides yourself, all
the other passengers in the vehicle
have their seat belts fastened, that
children are sitting in the appropri-
ate child seats and any animals in
the car are placed in suitable com-
partments.
– You should be physically fit and
mentally alert before setting out on
long journeys.

256
Make sure that any mats
are appropriate in size:
any hindrance, even
slight, to the braking system may
require a higher pedal stroke
than normal.
Water, ice and salt on
the road may deposit on
brake disks, reducing
braking efficiency the first time
they are used.Driving while drunk or
under the influence of
drugs or certain medi-
cines is dangerous both for you
and other road users.
Always fasten both front
and back seat belts,
including child restraint
systems if there are children trav-
elling with you. Travelling with
seat belts unfastened increases
the risk of injury or death if you
are involved in a collision. Take care when fitting
additional spoilers, alloy
rims and wheel caps: they
might reduce ventilation of the
brakes, thus their efficiency dur-
ing abrupt braking or long down-
hill slopes.
Never drive with objects
on the floor in front of the
driver’s seat: they might
get stuck under the pedals mak-
ing it impossible to accelerate or
brake.

257
– Keep a greater safety distance
from the cars in front of you than
during daylight hours: it is hard to
judge how fast other cars are going
when all you can see are their lights.
– Only use main beam headlights
when you are driving outside town
and when you are sure they do not
annoy other drivers.
– Dip your headlights as soon as
you see cars coming in the other
direction and pass them with the
headlights dipped.
– Keep all lights clean.
– Be careful of animals crossing the
road when driving in the country.
DRIVING IN THE RAIN
Rain and wet road surfaces spell
danger.
All manoeuvres are more difficult
on a wet road because the grip of the
wheels on the tarmac is greatly
reduced. This is why braking dis-
tances are much longer and road-
holding is lower.Here is some advice for driving in
the rain:
– Reduce speed and maintain a
greater safety distance from the cars
in front.
– If it is raining particularly heavi-
ly, visibility is also reduced. In these
cases, switch on the dipped head-
lights even if it is still daylight so you
can be seen more easily.
– Do not drive through puddles at
speed and hold on tightly to the
wheel if you do: a puddle taken at
high speed might cause you to lose
control of the car (“aquaplaning”).
– Move the ventilation controls to
the position for demisting the win-
dows (see the section “Getting to
know your car”), so to avoid visibil-
ity problems.
– Periodically check the condition
of the windscreen wiper blades. – Do not drive too many hours at a
time but stop at intervals to stretch
your legs and recoup your energy.
– Make sure the air in the car is
being changed continuously.
– Never coast downhill (i.e.: with
the engine off): if you do, you lose
the aid of engine braking and power
brakes so that braking requires
greater effort.
DRIVING AT NIGHT
There are the main rules to follow
when you are driving at night.
– Drive especially carefully: it is
harder to drive at night.
– Slow down especially if the road
is not lit.
– At the first signs of sleepiness,
stop: continuing would be a risk for
yourself and everybody else. Only
start driving again when you have
had enough rest.

258
DRIVING IN FOG
If the fog is thick, do not start out
on a journey unless you absolutely
have to. If driving in mist, blanket
fog or when there is danger of fog
patches:
– Keep your speed down.
– Turn on the dipped headlights,
rear fog lights and front fog lights
even during the day. Do not drive
with your headlights at main beam.
IMPORTANTOn stretches of road
with good visibility, switch off your
rear fog lights; the brightness of
these lights could annoy the people
travelling in the cars behind.
– Remember that fog also means
the tarmac is very wet and therefore
manoeuvres of all kinds are more
difficult and stopping distances are
longer.
– Keep a good distance from the
cars in front of you.
– As far as possible, avoid spurts of
speed or sudden decelerations. – Do not overtake other vehicles if
you can help it.
– If you are forced to stop your car
(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
realise another car is coming. DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS
– When driving downhill use the
engine 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 a moderate speed with-
out cutting corners.
– Remember that overtaking while
going uphill is slower and therefore
requires more free road. If you are
being overtaken while driving
uphill, make it easier for the other
vehicle to pass.

259
DRIVING ON SNOW AND ICE
– Here are some tips for driving in
these conditions:
– Keep your speed down.
– Use winter tyres or snow chains
for driving on snow covered roads;
see the respective paragraphs in this
chapter.
– Prevalently use the engine brake
and avoid sudden braking.
– Do not accelerate suddenly and
avoid swerving.
– In 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
vehicles in front.DRIVING WITH ABS
The ABS is a braking system that
essentially 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 possible to brake and
steer at the same time so you can
avoid unexpected obstacles and
direct the car where you want while
braking.
To get the most out of ABS:
– During emergency stops or when
grip conditions are very poor, you
will feel a slight pulsation on the
brake pedal. This is the sign that the
ABS is working. Do not release the
brake pedal but continue to press so
as not to interrupt the braking
action.– The ABS prevents the wheels
from locking, but it does not
increase actual grip conditions
between tyre and road. Therefore,
even if your car is fitted with ABS,
keep a safe distance from the car in
front of you and keep your speed
down when driving into bends.
ABS serves to increase your control
over the car, not to enable you to go
faster.

265
TOW HITCH INSTALLATION
The tow hitch must be fixed to the
body by an expert in accordance
with the following instructions and
respecting the additional and/or
integrative information provided by
the tow hitch manufacturer.
The tow hitch to be fitted must
comply with the current regulations
in force, with reference to Directive
94/20/EEC and subsequent modifi-
cations.
Use a tow hitch suited for the max-
imum towable load of the car ver-
sion on which the tow hitch is to be
fitted.
Use a unified coupling for the elec-
trical connections. The coupling is
generally fitted on a specific mount
fastened to the tow hitch. A specific
trailer lights control unit shall be
installed on the car.For the electric connections, a 7
pole 12VDC coupling must be used
(CUNA/UNI and ISO/DIN stan-
dards). Follow the instructions pro-
vided by the manufacturer of the car
and/or the tow hitch.
The electrical brake (where rele-
vant) or other device (electrical
winch, etc.) must be powered direct-
ly from the battery by means of a
lead with a cross-section area no
smaller than 2.5 mm
2.
IMPORTANTUse the electrical
brake or winch only when the engine
is running.
In addition to the electrical connec-
tions, only the power wire for an
additional electrical brake and for
internal trailer lighting with a power
not exceeding 15W can be connect-
ed to the car’s electrical system.
For connections use the specific
control unit with battery cable not
less than 2.5 mm
2.INSTALLATION DIAGRAM (fig. 1)
Fasten the tow hitch in the points
marked with (1) using 18 M10
screws and, in the points marked
with (2) use four M8 screws.
Fasten the tow hitch to the body
avoiding any type of drilling and
trimming of the rear bumpers that
remains visible when the tow hitch is
removed.
IMPORTANTFasten a tag in a
clearly visible position at the same
height as the tow hitch. The tag is
compulsory. It must be adequately
sized, made of suitable material and
carry the following information:
MAX LOAD ON BALL COUPLING
75 kg.
After assembly, seal the fastening
screws holes to prevent exhaust fumes
from entering the passenger compart-
ment.

269
USING THE CAR AGAIN
Before using the car again after a
prolonged period of inactivity, the
following operations are recom-
mended:
– Do not dry-dust the car body.
– Check for fluid leaks (oil, brake
and clutch fluid, engine coolant
etc.).
– Change engine oil and filter.
– Check the level of:
– brake and clutch fluid
– engine coolant.
– Check the air cleaner and change
it, if required.
– Check the tyre pressure and the
tyres for signs of damage, cuts or
cracks. If this is the case, have them
replaced.
– Check the engine belt conditions.STORING THE CAR
The following precautions should
be taken if the car will not be used
for several months:
– Park the car in covered, dry and
if possible well-ventilated premises.
– Engage a gear.
– If the car is parked on flat
ground, disengage the electric park-
ing brake as described in the rele-
vant paragraph.
– Clean and protect the painted
parts using protective wax.
– Sprinkle talcum powder on the
rubber windscreen and rear window
wiper blades and lift them off the
glass.
– Slightly open the windows.
– Inflate the tyres to 0.5 bar above
the normal specified pressure, lean
them on wood boards, if possible
and check it at intervals.– Do not switch the electronic
alarm system on.
– Remove the negative cable (-)
from the battery terminal and check
the battery charge. This check
should be performed every month if
the car is to be stored for long peri-
ods. Recharge the battery if it falls
below 12.5V.
IMPORTANT Before opening the
luggage compartment bonnet to dis-
connect the battery, carefully read
and comply with instructions con-
tained in the paragraph “If battery is
to be disconnected” in the chapter
“In an emergency”.
– Do not drain the engine cooling
system.
– Cover the car with a cloth or per-
forated plastic sheet. Do not use
sheets of non-perforated plastic as
they do not allow moisture on the
body to evaporate.

273
7) Start the engine.
8) When the engine has started,
remove the leads in the reverse order
to before: D, C, Band finally A.
IMPORTANT If the engine fails to
start after a few attempts, do not keep
turning the key but have the car seen
to at a Lancia Dealership.
9) Put the cover back on the bat-
tery positive terminal by fitting the
lock flanges in.
10) Put the cover back and retight-
en the knob.
11) Close the boot tailgate.IMPORTANTWhen the tailgate is
closed, the boot latch is not locked.
To lock it, turn the metal insert of
the key anticlockwise in the latch.
Do not carry out this
procedure if you lack
experience: if it is not
done correctly it can cause very
intense electrical discharges and
the battery might even explode.
Do not to put naked flames or
lighted cigarettes near the battery
and do not cause sparks: risk of
explosion and fire.
Never use a battery
charger to jump start the
engine: you could damage
the electronic system, with spe-
cial reference to ignition and
injection control unit.
BUMP STARTING
Do not bump start by pushing,
towing or coasting downhill. This
way of starting could cause a rush of
fuel into the catalytic converter and
damage it beyond repair.
Remember that ifthe engine is not
running, the brake booster and the
power steering will not work. You
therefore have to use considerably
more effort on both the brake pedal
and the steering wheel.
Never connect the nega-
tive terminals of the two
batteries directly: sparks
could ignite the flammable gas
from the battery. If the auxiliary
battery is installed on another
car, prevent accidental contact
between the metal parts of the
two vehicles.