2007 Alfa Romeo GT Owner handbook (in English)

CAR MAINTENANCE
231
– After charging, turn off the charger be-
fore disconnecting it from the battery.
– Re-connect the battery negative termi-
nal (–).
Never attempt to charge
a frozen battery: it must
firstly be thawed, other-
wise it may burst. If freezing has
occurred, the battery should be
checked before charging by spe-
cialised personnel, to make sure
that the internal elements are not
damaged and that the body is not
cracked, with the risk of leaking
poisonous and corrosive acid.CHARGING THE BATTERY
IMPORTANTThe battery charging pro-
cedure is described only for information pur-
poses. This operation should be carried out
by Alfa Romeo Authorised Services.
Charging should be slow at a low amp rat-
ing for 24 hours. Charging for a longer time
may damage the battery.
Charge the battery as follows:
– Disconnect the battery negative termi-
nal (–).
– Connect the charger cables to the bat-
tery terminal ensuring that the bias is cor-
rect.
– Turn on the charger.
CHECKING THE CHARGE
The battery charge may be checked
through the indicator A(where required)
set on the battery cover and acting accord-
ing to the colour the indicator shows.
Should the battery be not fitted with bat-
tery charge inspection device (optical elec-
trolyte indicator), inspection operations shall
be carried out by skilled personnel only.
Refer to the table below or to the label
(fig. 15) on the battery itself.Working with a low fluid
level may damage the bat-
tery irreversibly, even
causing it to burst.
Brilliantwhite colour
Dark colour
without green
area in the centre
Dark colour with green
area in the centre
Top up the electrolyte
Low charge level
Sufficient electrolyte
level and chargeContact Alfa Romeo
Authorised Services
Charge the battery
(you are advised to contact
Alfa Romeo Authorised Services)
No action
fig. 15
A0A0393b

CAR MAINTENANCE
232
Proceed as follows with doors closed:
1.open completely the driver’s window
keeping the button pressedfor at
least 3 seconds after full opening;
2.close completely the driver’s window
keeping the button pressedfor at
least 3 seconds after full closing;
3.proceed as described in points 1 and
2 also for the passenger’s side;
4.check for proper initialisation by oper-
ating the windows in automatic.
USEFUL HINTS TO EXTEND
THE LIFE OF YOUR BATTERY
To avoid rapidly draining the battery and
ensure that it continues to work correctly,
the following should be noted:
– The terminals must always be firmly
tightened.
– As far as possible, avoid keeping ser-
vices on for a long time with the engine
stopped (radio, hazard lights, parking lights,
etc.). IMPORTANTIf the battery is kept with
a charge of below 50% it is damaged by sul-
phation, its starting capability is reduced and
it is also more subject to the possibility of
freezing (this may occur already at -10 °C).
In the event of a prolonged inactivity, refer
to the paragraph “car inactivity”, in the
chapter “Correct use of the car”.
CHANGING
THE BATTERY
When changing the battery it should be re-
placed with another original one with the
same characteristics. If it is replaced by a
battery with different characteristics, the
maintenance intervals given in the Sched-
uled Maintenance Programme in this chap-
ter are no longer valid and for maintenance
it will be necessary to follow the battery
Manufacturer’s instructions.
IMPORTANTLacking power to control
units (e.g. battery change/disconnection
and replacement of power window control
unit protection fuses), window automatism
must be reset.– When leaving the car parked in a
garage, make sure that the doors, bonnet,
boot and interior lids are properly shut to
prevent lights from staying on.
– Before carrying out any work on the
electric system, disconnect the negative ca-
ble from the battery.
– If after buying the car, you wish to in-
stall electric accessories which require a per-
manent electric supply (alarm, voice feature,
radionavigator with satellite antitheft func-
tion etc.) or accessories that burden the elec-
tric system, contact Alfa Romeo Authorised
Services whose qualified personnel, in ad-
dition to suggesting the most suitable de-
vices belonging to Lineaccessori Alfa Romeo,
will evaluate the overall electric absorption,
checking whether the car’s electric system
is capable of withstanding the load required,
or whether it should be integrated with a
more powerful battery. In fact, as some of
these devices continue absorbing energy
even when the ignition key is off (car sta-
tionary, engine off), they gradually drain the
battery.

CAR MAINTENANCE
233
Incorrect pressure causes abnormal tyre
wear:
(A): normal pressure: tread evenly worn.
(B): low pressure: tread particularly worn
at the edges.
(C): high pressure: tread particularly worn
in the centre.
Tyres should be changed when the tread
thickness is reduced to 1.6 mm.
In any case follow local regulations.
You are also reminded that services with
high current absorption switched on by the
user, such as for example: baby bottle warm-
ers, vacuum cleaner, mobile phone, mini
fridge, etc., quicken the battery drain-
ing processif they are turned on with the
engine off or running at idle speed.
IMPORTANTWhen installing addition-
al systems on the car, bear in mind that im-
proper branches on connections of the car
wiring are dangerous, particularly if safety
devices are involved.
WHEELS AND TYRES
TYRE PRESSURE
Check the tyre pressure of every wheel, in-
cluding the spare, every two weeks and be-
fore a long journey. The pressure should be
checked with the tyre rested and cold.
It is normal for the pressure to increase
when the car is in use; for the correct tyre
inflation pressure, see “Wheels” in the
“Technical Specifications” chapter.
Battery
60 Ah
70 AhMaximum permissible
loadless absorption
36 mA
42 mA
The maximum absorption of all the ac-
cessories (standard and fitted afterwards)
should be 0,6 mA x Ah (of the battery), as
shown in the following table:
fig. 16
A0A0225b

CAR MAINTENANCE
234
Alloy rim painting involv-
ing temperatures exceed-
ing 150 °C should be
avoided since wheel mechanical
characteristics could be impaired. Do not cross switch the
tyres, moving them from
the right of the car to the
left and vice versa.Excessive low pressure
causes overheating of the
tyre with the possibility of
serious damage to it.Remember that car road
holding also depends on
correct tyre inflation pres-
sure.
RUBBER HOSES
As far as the brake system and fuel sup-
ply rubber hoses are concerned, carefully fol-
low the Scheduled Maintenance Pro-
gramme. Indeed, ozone, high temperatures
and the prolonged lack of fluid in the sys-
tem may cause hardening and cracking of
the hoses, with possible leaks. Careful con-
trol is therefore necessary.
IMPORTANT NOTES
– Where possible, avoid sudden braking,
tyre squealing starts, violent bumps against
kerbs, potholes or obstacles of various kinds.
Prolonged driving on rough roads may dam-
age the tyres;
– Routinely check the tyres for cuts on the
sides, swellings or uneven tread wear. If nec-
essary contact Alfa Romeo Authorised Ser-
vices;
– Avoid overloading the car when travel-
ling: this may cause serious damage to the
wheels and tyres;
– If a tyre is punctured, stop immediate-
ly and change it to avoid damage to the tyre
itself, the rim, suspensions and steering sys-
tem;
– Tyres age even if they are not used
much. Cracks in the tread rubber are a sign
of aging. In any case, if the tyres have been
on the car for over 6 years, they should be
checked by specialised personnel, to see if
they can still be used. Also remember to
check the compact spare wheel;
– In case of replacement, always fit new
tyres, avoiding those of dubious origin;

CAR MAINTENANCE
235
SPRAY NOZZLES (fig. 18)
If the jet of fluid is inadequate, firstly check
that there is fluid in the reservoir: see
“Checking levels” in this chapter.
Then check that the nozzle holes are not
clogged, if necessary use a needle.
If necessary, direct the jet of fluid work-
ing on the adjustment screw.
fig. 17
A0A0728b
Changing the windscreen
wiper blade (fig. 17)
How to remove the blade
Proceed as follows:
– raise the windscreen wiper arm (A);
– turn the blade (B) 90° around the pin
(C) set at wiper arm end;
– remove the blade from pin (C).
How to refit the blade
Proceed as follows:
– fit pin (C) into the hole set in the mid-
dle of the blade (B);
– refit the wiper arm with the blade on
the windscreen.
Driving with worn wiper
blades is a serious hazard,
because visibility is re-
duced in bad weather.WINDSCREEN/REAR
SCREEN WIPERS
BLADES
Periodically clean the rubber part using spe-
cial products; TUTELA PROFESSIONAL
SC 35is recommended.
If the rubber blades are bent or worn they
should be replaced. In any case they should
be changed once a year.
A few simple notions can reduce the pos-
sibility of damage to the blades:
– If the temperature falls below zero make
sure that ice has not frozen the rubber
against the glass. If necessary, thaw using
an antifreeze product.
– Remove any snow from the glass: in ad-
dition to protecting the blades, this prevents
effort on the motor and overheating.
– Do not operate the windscreen and
rearscreen wipers on dry glass.
fig. 18
A0A0696b

CAR MAINTENANCE
236
HEADLIGHT WASHERS
(fig. 19)
Regularly check that the spray jets are in-
tact and clean.
If it is necessary to direct the jet, contact
an Alfa Romeo Authorized Service.
BODYWORK
PROTECTION FROM
ATMOSPHERIC AGENTS
The main causes of corrosion are:
– atmospheric pollution
– salty air and humidity (coastal areas, or
hot humid climates)
– seasonal environment conditions.
Not to be underestimated is also the abra-
sive action of wind-borne atmospheric dust
and sand and mud and gravel raised by oth-
er cars.
On your car, Alfa Romeo has implement-
ed the best manufacturing technologies to
effectively protect the bodywork against cor-
rosion.
fig. 19
A0A0704b
These include:
– Painting products and systems which
give the car particular resistance to corrosion
and abrasion.
– Use of galvanised (or pretreated) steel
sheets, with high resistance to corrosion.
– Spraying of the underbody, engine com-
partment, wheel arches and other parts with
highly protective wax products.
– Spraying of plastic parts, with a protec-
tive function, in the more exposed points:
underdoor, inner wheel arch linings, etc.
– Use of “open” boxed sections to pre-
vent condensation and pockets of moisture
from triggering rust inside.
CAR EXTERIOR AND
UNDERBODY WARRANTY
Your car is covered by warranty against
perforation due to rust of any original ele-
ment of the structure or body. For the gen-
eral terms of this warranty, refer to Alfa
Romeo Warranty booklet.

CAR MAINTENANCE
237
Detergents cause water
pollution. Therefore the car
should be washed in areas
equipped for collecting and purify-
ing the liquid used in the washing
process.Where possible, do not park under trees;
the resinous substances many species re-
lease give the paint a dull appearance and
increase the possibility of triggering the rust
processes.
IMPORTANTBird droppings must be
washed off immediately and thoroughly as
the acid they contain is particularly aggressive.
To correctly wash the car:
1) Remove the aerial from the roof to pre-
vent damage to it if the car is washed in
an automatic system.
2) Spray the car with a low pressure jet of
water.
3) Pass a sponge moistened with a light
detergent solution, rinsing the sponge fre-
quently.
4) Rinse well with water and dry with a
jet of air or chamois leather.
When drying, take particular care with the
less visible parts like door surrounds, bon-
net and around the headlights where wa-
ter may stagnate. The car should not be tak-
en to a closed area immediately, but left in
the open so that residual water can evapo-
rate.
Do not wash the car after it has been left
in the sun or with the bonnet hot: this may
alter the shine of the paintwork.
Exterior plastic parts must be cleaned in
the same way as the rest of the car.ADVICE FOR PRESERVING
THE BODYWORK
Paint
The paintwork does not only serve an
aestethic purpose but also protects the un-
derlying sheet metal.
In the case of deep scrapes or scores, you
are advised to have the necessary touch-
ing up carried out immediately to avoid the
formation of rust.
Only original products should be used for
touching up paint (see “Body paint identi-
fication plate” in the “Technical Specifica-
tions” chapter).
Normal paint maintenance consists in
washing at intervals depending on the con-
ditions and environment of use. For exam-
ple, in highly polluted areas, or if the roads
are sprayed with salt, it is wise to wash the
car more frequently.

CAR MAINTENANCE
238
Engine compartment
At the end of the winter the engine com-
partment should be carefully washed, with-
out directing the jet against electronic con-
trol units. Contact a specialised workshop to
have this done.
Detergents cause water
pollution. Therefore the en-
gine compartment should
be washed in areas equipped for
collecting and purifying the liquid
used in the washing process.
IMPORTANTThe car should be washed
with the engine cold and the ignition key at
STOP. After washing make sure that the
various protections (e.g. rubber caps and
various covers) have not been damaged or
removed. Windows
Use specific products to clean the windows.
Use clean cloths to avoid scratching or al-
tering the transparency of the glass.
IMPORTANTThe inside of the
rearscreen should be wiped gently with a
cloth in the direction of the filaments to
avoid damaging the heating device.
Front headlights
IMPORTANTDo not use aromatic sub-
stances (e.g. petroleum) or ketones (e.g.
acetone) to clean the front headlight plas-
tic transparents.
Never use inflammable
products like fuel oil ether
or rectified petrol for clean-
ing inside the car. The electrostat-
ic charges generated when rubbing
to clean may cause fire.
INTERIOR FITTINGS
Periodically check that water is not trapped
under the mats (due to water dripping off
shoes, umbrellas, etc.) which could cause
oxidisation on the sheet metal.
CLEANING SEATS AND FABRIC
AND VELVET PARTS
– Use a soft brush or a vacuum cleaner to
remove dust. Velvet is cleaned better if the
brush is moistened.
– Rub the seat with a sponge moistened
with a solution of water and neutral deter-
gent.