2007 Alfa Romeo 166 maintenance

202 PROGRAMMED
MAINTENANCE
PRECAUTIONS
Many moving parts, high voltage cables
and parts that reach high temperatures
which may cause serious injury to unquali-
fied persons are located in the engine
compartment.
The following precautions should there-
fore be taken:
– Switch off the engine and wait until
it cools.
– Be particularly cautious when work-
ing near the engine cooling fan as this
may cut in unexpectedly on the basis of
the engine coolant temperature.
– Do not smoke or use naked flame.
– Always keep a fire extinguisher to
hand.
– Do not use the jack supplied with the
car for checking underneath it.Vehicle maintenance
should be entrusted to
an Alfa Romeo Author-
ized Service. For interventions of
routine maintenance and small
repairs you wish to carry out
your-self, make sure you always
have the proper equipment, gen-
uine Alfa Romeo spare parts and
the necessary liquids; do not,
however, carry out these opera-
tions if you have no experience.
The jack with which the
vehicle is fitted must on-
ly be used when changing a wheel.
All other operations where the ve-
hicle must be lifted require the use
of specific procedures and should
be carried out by Alfa Romeo Au-
thorized Services.
WARNING
Ensure that scarves, ties
and loose clothing cannot
get caught by moving parts.
WARNING
DANGER-SERIOUS INJU-
RY. When carrying out
checks or maintenance operations
in the engine compartment, take
special care not to bump the head
on the raised bonnet.
WARNING
Never smoke when
working in the engine
compartment: inflammable gas and
vapours may be present which con-
stitute a fire hazard.
WARNING

203
It is possible to ask the Alfa Romeo Or-
ganisation for an estimate of the cost of
service coupon operations.
IMPORTANTYou are advised to con-
tact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services in
the event of any minor operating faults,
without waiting for the next service cou-
pon.
IMPORTANTThe programmed main-
tenance coupons are specified by the
Manufacturer. The failure to have them
carried out may invalidate the warranty.GENERALITIES
Perfect performance and the life of eve-
ry car are strictly connected with correct
use of it, but above all on the care with
which routine maintenance operations are
carried out for which new programming
criteria have been adopted owing to prod-
uct development.
The mileage for programmed mainte-
nance coupons is 20,000 km.
It is however wise to remember that the
car still needs routine care such as for in-
stance checking and topping up the
fluids, checking the tyre pressure, etc.
Correct vehicle maintenance is surely
the best way to preserve its performance
levels, safety and environment protection
features and low running costs over the
years.
Also remember that strictly observing
the maintenance instructions given in this
Handbook marked by the symbol
—can be a necessary condition for the guar-
antee. If the car is frequently
used for towing trailers,
the interval between
programmed maintenance opera-
tions should be reduced.
Warning, when topping
up never confuse the
various types of fluids
which are incompatible and could
seriously damage the vehicle.

204
PROGRAMMED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
thousands of kilometres
Check tyre conditions/wear and adjust pressure if required
Check light system operation (headlights, direction indicators, hazard lights, boot lights,
passenger compartment lights, glovebox lights, warning lights, etc.)
Check windscreen wiper/washer operation, adjust nozzles if required
Check windscreen/rear window blade position/wear
Check front disk brake pad conditions and wear and wear indicator operation
Check rear disk brake pad conditions and wear
Sight inspect the conditions of: body external parts, underbody protection, pipes and hoses
(exhaust - fuel - brakes), rubber parts (boots, sleeves, bushes, etc.)
Check cleanness of locks, bonnet and boot and lever cleanness and lubrication
Check condition of timing drive belt
Sight check for conditions of Poly-V accessory drive belt
Check and adjust handbrake lever stroke
Check engine exhaust emissions (petrol versions)
Check exhaust emissions/smoke (diesel versions)
Check antievaporation system (petrol versions)20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
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207
IMPORTANT - Engine oil
Change the engine oil more frequently
than stated in the Scheduled Mainte-
nance Programme if the car is used pre-
vailingly in one of the following particular-
ly harsh conditions:
– trailer or caravan towing
– dusty roads
– short, repeated journeys (less than 7-
8 km) with an outside temperature of be-
low freezing point.
– engine idling frequently or driving
long distances at low speed (e.g. taxi or
door-to-door deliveries) or in the case of
prolonged inactivity.
IMPORTANT - Air cleaner
Using the car on dusty roads, change
the air cleaner more frequently than stat-
ed in the Scheduled Maintenance Pro-
gramme.
For any doubts about the intervals be-
tween engine oil and air cleaner changes
in relation to how the car is used, contact
Authorised Alfa Romeo Services.IMPORTANT - Fuel oil filter
The variety of the degree of purity of
the fuel oil in commerce may make it
necessary to change the fuel oil filter
more frequently than stated in the Sched-
uled Maintenance Programme. If the en-
gine is “sobbing” it is a sign that the fil-
ter needs changing.
IMPORTANT - Pollen filter
If the car is used frequently in dusty or
heavily polluted environments, you are
recommended to change the activated
carbon filtering element more frequently;
in particular, it should be changed if a
lower flow of air admitted to the passen-
ger compartment is noted.IMPORTANT - Batteries
You are recommended to have the bat-
tery charge conditions checked, prefer-
ably at the onset of winter, to avoid the
possibility of freezing the electrolyte.
This check should be carried out more
frequently if the car is used prevailingly
for short journeys, or if it is fitted with
services that absorb high amounts of cur-
rent permanently with the ignition key
off, especially if installed in the after mar-
ket.
In the case of use of the car in hot cli-
mates or particularly harsh conditions, it
is wise to check the level of the battery
fluid (electrolyte) at more frequent inter-
vals than stated in the Scheduled Mainte-
nance Programme.
IMPORTANT - Remote control
If when pressing the remote control but-
ton of the key, the operating led on the
key flashes briefly only once, the battery
need replacing with other of the same
type.

208
When topping up take
care not to confuse the
various types of fluids:
they are all incompatible and
could seriously damage the car.
If the vehicle is fre-
quently used for towing
trailers, the interval be-
tween one programmed mainte-
nance and the next should be re-
duced.
Vehicle maintenance
should be entrusted to
the Alfa Romeo Service
Network. For ordinary and minor
operations you can do yourself,
always make sure you have ade-
quate tools, original Alfa Romeo
spares and the correct fluids. Do
not carry out these operations if
you have no experience.
Never smoke during
work in the engine com-
partment: there is the possibility
of inflammable gas and vapours
with the risk of fire.
WARNING

When the cap (B) is
screwed off the reser-
voir ensure that the
electrical connections are not dis-
connected. Make sure that the
highly corrosive brake fluid
does not drip onto the paint-
work. If it does, wash it off
immediately with water.
IMPORTANT Contact Alfa Romeo Au-
thorized Services for maintenance and re-
pair operations.Oil consumption is very
low; if topping up again
is needed shortly after-
wards, have the system checked
for possible leaks by Alfa Romeo
Authorized services.
CHECKING AND TOPPING UP
THE BRAKE AND CLUTCH
FLUID
(fig. 11)
Check that the fluid level in the reservoir
is at maximum. Top up with the brake flu-
id specified in the table “Fluids and lubri-
cants” (see section “Technical Specifica-
tions ").
NOTEClean accurately the tank cap A
and the surrounding surface. When open-
ing the cap take the utmost care to pre-
vent impurities entering the tank. When
topping up, always use a funnel with
built-in filter with mesh equal to or lower
than 0.12 mm. On JTD 20V Multijet versions insert the
tube on the cap and refit the cover fasten-
ing with the three screws.
Do not allow power
steering fluid to touch hot
engine parts: it is inflammable.
WARNING
A0D0102m
fig. 11
216
IMPORTANTFor this operation it is
however recommended to contact Alfa
Romeo Authorised Services.
From time to time check the instrument
panel warning light by pressing cover (B)
of the reservoir (A) (with the ignition
key at MAR) the instrument warning
panel light
xshould come on.

218
Any attempt to clean
the air cleaner may
cause serious engine
damage.
If they are not carried
out correctly and with
the due precautions, the
operations involving cleaner re-
placement described herein may
compromise the safety of the
car. This operation should be car-
ried out by Alfa Romeo Autho-
rized Services.
AIR CLEANER
The air cleaner is connected to the tem-
perature and air flow sensors which send
the electrical signals needed for correct
operation of the injection and ignition sys-
tem to the control unit.
It must therefore always be in perfect
conditions to ensure correct operation of
the engine, low consumption and exhaust
emission levels.When the car is habitu-
ally driven in dusty ar-
eas, the cleaner should
be changed at shorter intervals
than those given in the Pro-
grammed Maintenance Schedule.
IMPORTANT When topping up use
the special detergents available in the
shops ensuring that they contain antis-
cale and antifreeze properties.
If in doubt contact Alfa Romeo Autho-
rized Services who will be able to recom-
mend the most suitable products.
Do not travel with the
windscreen washer
reservoir empty: the action of the
windscreen washer is fundamental
for improving vision.
WARNING

219
DUST/POLLEN FILTER
The filter mechanically/electrostatically
filters the air provided that the windows
are shut.
The dust/pollen filter should be checked
over once a year by Alfa Romeo Autho-
rized Service station preferably at the be-
ginning of the summer.
If the vehicle is habitually driven in
cities, motorways or on dusty roads the
system should be checked over more of-
ten than specified in the Programmed
Maintenance Schedule.
IMPORTANT If the filter is not re-
placed the efficiency of the climate con-
trol system may be seriously compro-
mised.
DIESEL FILTER
DRAINING CONDENSATION
WATER
BATTERY
The battery is housed on the left-hand
side of the boot, protected by a cover.
On versions without navigation system
and without CD player, access to the bat-
tery is gained by slackening the knob
(A-fig. 14) and removing the battery
cover.
On versions with navigation system and
/or CD player, access to the battery is
gained by slackening the knobs (A-fig.
15) and removing the cover (B). Water in the supply cir-
cuit can seriously dam-
age the whole injection
system and cause malfunctions
to engine operation. Should the
warning lamp c, contact as
soon as possible the Alfa Romeo
Authorised Service for drainage
operations.
fig. 14
341PGSm