2007 Alfa Romeo 156 Owner handbook (in English)

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR47
You are reminded that
when the ignition key is
engaged and in the MAR position,
the Air bags can be triggered also
on a stationary vehicle, if it is
bumped by another moving vehi-
cle. Therefore, even with the car
stationary, never allow children on
the front seat. You are also re-
minded that with the car station-
ary, without the key engaged and
turned, the Air bags are not trig-
gered in the event of an impact; in
this case the failure to trigger the
air bags should not be considered
a system failure.
WARNING
Turning the ignition key to
MAR the
F
warning light
(with the passenger’s front Air bag
deactivation switch at ON) turns
on for about 4 seconds, and then
flashes for another 4 seconds to
remind that the passenger’s Air
bag and corresponding side Air
bags will be activated in the event
of a crash, then it goes off.
WARNING
Do not wash the seat back
with pressurised water or
steam (by hand or at automatic
seat washing stations).
WARNING
The front Air bags are de-
signed to be triggered for
heavier crashes than the preten-
sioners. It is therefore normal for
the pretensioners only to be trig-
gered for crashes within the two
activation thresholds.
WARNING
Do not hook rigid objects to
the coat hooks and to the
support handles.
WARNING
The air bag does not re-
place the seat belts, but in-
creases their effectiveness. Addi-
tionally, as the front air bags are
not triggered for head-on collision
at low speed, side crashes, crashes
from behind or overturning, in
these cases the occupants are pro-
tected only by the seat belts, which
must, therefore, always be fas-
tened.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR48
fig. 70
A0B0373m
STEERING WHEEL
LEVERSThe devices and services controlled by the
levers on the steering wheel can only be ac-
tivated when the ignition key is in the MAR
position.LEFT-HAND LEVERThe left-hand lever controls the external
lights except the foglamps and the rear fog-
light.
When the external lights are switched on
the various controls located on the dash-
board are illuminated.
The sidelights will come on if the ignition
key is in the PARKposition, regardless of
the position of the knurled ring.Lights switched off (fig. 68)
When the pointer on the knurled ring is op-
posite the symbol O, the external lights are
switched off.
Sidelights (fig. 69)
The sidelights are switched on by turning
the knurled ring from Oto
6.
The
3
warning light on the instrument
panel will come on at the same time.
Dipped-beam headlights (fig. 70)
These are switched on by turning the
knurled ring from
6
to 2
.Main-beam headlights (fig. 71)
When the knurled ring is in the
2
posi-
tion, the headlights can be changed from
dipped-beam to main-beam by pushing the
lever towards the dashboard (stable posi-
tion). The
1
warning light will come on
on the instrument panel.
To return from main-beam to dipped-beam,
once again pull the lever towards the steer-
ing wheel and then release.
fig. 68
A0B0371m
fig. 69
A0B0372m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR49
Flashing (fig. 72)
The headlights are flashed by pulling the
lever towards the steering wheel (unstable
position) regardless of the position of the
knurled ring. The
1
warning light on the
instrument panel will come on at the same
time.
WARNINGOnly the main-beam lights
are flashed. To avoid penalties, follow lo-
cal regulations.Direction indicators (fig. 73)
Moving the lever to the stable position will:
up - engage the right-hand direction indi-
cators.
down - engage the left-hand direction in-
dicators.
One of the warning lights (
R
or
E) will
come on on the instrument panel at the
same time.
The lever is returned to its home position
automatically and the indicators are
switched off when the steering wheel is
straightened.WARNINGIf you wish to signal a rapid
change of direction involving only a mini-
mum movement of the steering wheel, the
lever can be moved up or down without
clicking (unstable position). When released
the lever will return to its home position.
fig. 73
A0B0376m
fig. 71
A0B0374m
fig. 72
A0B0375m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR50
RIGHT-HAND LEVERThe right-hand lever is used to operate the
windscreen wiper and windscreen washer.
The control used to activate the windscreen
washers also activates the headlights wash-
ers, if fitted.Windscreen wiper - windscreen
washer (fig. 74-75)
The lever can be moved to five different
positions corresponding to:
A- Stationary (off).
B- Intermittent.
With the lever in position (B), turning the
ring (F) four possible intermittent speeds
are obtained:
■
= intermittent slow.
■■
= intermittent medium.
■■■
= intermittent medium-fast.
■■■■
= intermittent fast.C- Continuous, slow.
D- Continuous, fast.
E- Fast, temporary (unstable position).
Operation in position (E) is limited to the
time the lever is held in this position. When
the lever is released, it returns to position
(A) automatically stopping the wiper.
fig. 75
A0B0377m
fig. 74
A0B0250m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR51
“INTELLIGENT WASHING” FUNCTION
Pulling the lever towards the steering
wheel (fig. 76) (unstable position) oper-
ates the windscreen washer.
Keeping the lever pulled, with only one
movement it is possible to operate the
washer jet and the wiper at the same time;
indeed, the latter comes into action auto-
matically if the lever is pulled for more than
half a second.
The wiper stops working a few strokes af-
ter releasing the lever; a further “cleaning
stroke” after a few seconds completes the
wiping operation.Rain sensor
(for versions/markets where
applicable) (fig. 77)
The rain sensor (A), fitted only on cer-
tain versions, is an electronic device com-
bine with the windscreen wiper which has
the purpose of automatically adjusting the
number of wipes during intermittent opera-
tion, to intensity of the rain.
All the other functions controlled by the
right-hand lever remain unchanged.
The rain sensor is activated automatically
moving the right-hand lever to position (B-
fig. 74) and it has a range of adjustment
that gradually varies between wiper sta-
tionary (no wiping) when the windscreen is
dry, to wiper at first continuous speed (con-
tinuous, slow) with heavy rain.Turn ring (F-fig. 75) to set the rain sen-
sor sensitivity level:
■■
= low sensitivity
■■■
= medium ensitivity
■■■■
= high sensitivity.
Operating the windscreen washer with the
rain sensor activated (lever at position B)
the normal washing cycle is performed at
the end of which the rain sensor resumes its
normal automatic function.
Turning the ignition key to STOPthe rain
sensor is deactivated and the next time the
engine is started (MAR position) it will not
be reactivated even if the lever has remained
in position (B). In this case to activate the
rain sensor, simply move the lever to (A)
or (C) and then back to (B).
fig. 76
A0B0374m
fig. 77
A0B0012m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR52
When the rain sensor is reactivated, the
wiper performs at least one stroke, even if
the windscreen is dry, to indicate that reac-
tivation has occurred.
WARNINGIn case of failure of the right-
hand stroke or rain sensor, windscreen wiper
operation with the right-hand lever at (B)
shall take place in intermittent mode.
The rain sensor is located behind the inner
rear-view mirror in contact with the wind-
screen and inside the area cleaned by the
wiper and it controls an electronic control
unit which in turns controls the wiper motor.At each start, the rain sensor automatically
stabilises at a temperature of about 40°C
to eliminate any condensation from the con-
trol surface and prevent the formation of ice.
The rain sensor is able to detect and au-
tomatically adapt to the presence of the fol-
lowing particular conditions which require
different sensitivity:
– impurities on the control surface (salt,
dirt, etc.);
– streaks of water caused by worn wiper
blades;
– difference between day and night (the
human eye is more disturbed during the
night by the wet glass surface).Headlight washers (fig. 78)
(optional for versions/markets
where applicable)
These are operated when the sidelights
are on and the windscreen washer is
switched on.
fig. 78
A0B0581m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR53
CRUISE CONTROL(optional for versions/
markets where applicable)
GENERALThe speed regulator (CRUISE CON-
TROL), with electronic control, makes it
possible to drive the car at the required
speed without pressing the accelerator
pedal. This reduces driving fatigue on mo-
torways, especially during long journeys be-
cause the speed memorised is automatically
maintained.
WARNINGThe device can only be en-
gaged at speeds between 30 and 190
km/h.
The device may only be engaged in the
4th, 5
thor 6
thgear. Travelling downhill with
the device engaged, the car speed may in-
crease more than the memorised one, due
to the change in the engine load.The device is disengaged automatically in
any one of the following cases:
– pressing the brake pedal;
– pressing the clutch pedal;
– if the VDC, ASR system cuts in;
– with Selespeed or Q-System transmis-
sion if a gear is changed;
– if car speed is below the set limit.
CONTROLS
(fig. 79)
Cruise Control is controlled by the
ON/OFFknurled ring (A), by the +/-
ring (B) and by the RCLbutton (C).
Ring (A) has two positions:
– OFF: in this position the device is de-
activated;
– ON: is the normal operating position of
the device: the warning light
Ü
on the check
panel turns on.
Ring (B) serves for memorising and main-
taining the car speed or for increasing or low-
ering the speed memorised.
Turn the ring (B) to (+) to memorise the
speed reached or increase the speed mem-
orised.
fig. 79
A0B0055m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR54
Turn the ring (B) to (–) to lower the speed
memorised.
Each time the ring is actuated (B) the
speed increases or lowers by about 1.5
km/h.
Keeping the ring turned the speed changes
continuously. The new speed reached will
be maintained automatically.
The RCLbutton (C) resets the memorised
speed.
WARNINGTurning the ignition key to
STOPor the ring (A) to OFF, the speed
memorised is cleared and the system is
switched off.
The ring (A) can be constantly left to ON
without damaging the device. However, we
suggest to disconnect the device when it is
not used, turning the ring to OFF, to avoid
fortuituous speed memorisations.
TO MEMORISE THE SPEEDMove the ring (A) to ONand take the car
to the required speed normally. Turn the ring
(B) to (+) for at least three seconds, then
release it. The car speed is memorised and
it is therefore possible to release the accel-
erator pedal.
The car will continue to travel at the mem-
orised constant speed until one of the fol-
lowing condition takes place:
– pressing the brake pedal;
– pressing the clutch pedal;
– if the VDC, ASR system cuts in;
– with Selespeed or Q-System transmis-
sion if a gear is changed.
WARNINGIn the case of need (when
overtaking for instance) acceleration is pos-
sible simply pressing the accelerator pedal;
later, releasing the accelerator pedal, the car
will return to the speed memorised previ-
ously.
TO RESET THE MEMORISED
SPEEDIf the device has been disengaged for ex-
ample pressing the brake or clutch pedal,
the memorised speed can be reset as fol-
lows:
– accelerate gradually until reaching a
speed approaching the one memorised;
– engage the gear selected at the time
of speed memorising (4
th, 5
thor 6
thspeed);
– press the RCLbutton (C).