73DRIVING YOUR CAR
IMPORTANT Reverse gear can
only be engaged when the car is com-
pletely stationary. With the engine
running, before engaging the reverse
gear, wait for at least two seconds
with the clutch pedal pressed fully
down to avoid damaging or grating the
gears.
To change the gear
properly (with mechani-
cal clutch) you must push
the clutch pedal fully down. It is
therefore essential that there is
nothing under the pedals. Make
sure mats are lying flat and do
not get in the way of the pedals.CONTAINING
RUNNING COSTS
AND POLLUTION
Some suggestions which may help
you to keep the running costs of the
vehicle down and lower the amount
of toxic emissions released into the
atmosphere are given below.
GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
The overall state of the car is an im-
portant factor which has a marked in-
fluence over fuel consumption and
driving comfort and on the life span of
your car. For this reason care should
be taken to maintain your car by car-
rying out the necessary checks and
regulations in accordance with the
specifications given in the
SERVICE
SCHEDULE
(see sections: SPARK PLUGS,
IDLING, AIR CLEANERS, TIMING). Tyres
Tyre pressure should be checked at
least once every four weeks: if the
pressure is too low fuel consumption
increases as the resistance to the
rolling movement of the tyre is
greater. In this state, tyre wear is in-
creased and vehicle handling suffers
which will effect safety.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with too much luggage
stowed in the boot. The weight of the
vehicle and its trim greatly effects con-
sumption and stability.
070-082 Seicento GB 22-11-2007 10:50 Pagina 73
76DRIVING YOUR CAR
LOOKING AFTER EMISSION
CONTROL DEVICES
The correct use of pollution control
devices not only ensures respect for
the environment but also has an effect
on the car’s performance. Keeping
these devices in good condition is
therefore a fundamental rule for dri-
ving that is easy on your pocket and
on the environment too.
The first step to take is to follow the
Service Schedule to the letter.
If your car has a petrol engine use
only unleaded petrol.
If you have trouble starting, do not
keep turning the ignition key for long
periods. Be especially careful to avoid
bump starting the car by pushing, tow-
ing or rolling down hill: these are all
manoeuvres that can damage the cat-
alytic exhaust. For emergency starts
use only an auxiliary battery.If the engine begins to “lose its
smoothness” when travelling, con-
tinue your journey but reduce the de-
mands you are making on the engine
and go to a Fiat Dealershipas soon
as you can.
When the instrument panel fuel re-
serve warning light comes on, fill up as
soon as possible. A low level of fuel
can cause an uneven supply of fuel to
the engine with the inevitable increase
in the temperature of the exhaust gas
and serious damage to the catalytic
converter.
Never run the engine with one or
more spark plugs disconnected, even
for testing purposes.
Do not warm up the engine by let-
ting it idle for a while before moving
off unless the outside temperature is
very low and, even in this case, only
do so for less than 30 seconds.Do not install other heat shields
and do not remove those already fit-
ted to the catalytic converter and
exhaust pipe.
When functioning nor-
mally the catalytic con-
verter reaches high tem-
peratures. For this reason do not
park the car over flammable ma-
terial (grass, dry leaves, pine nee-
dles etc.): fire hazard.
Ignoring the above rules
may lead to fire.
Do not allow anything to
be sprayed onto the cat-
alytic converter, Lambda
sensor or exhaust pipe.
070-082 Seicento GB 22-11-2007 10:50 Pagina 76
105CAR MAINTENANCE
If the vehicle is often
used for towing a trailer,
the scheduled servicing
will be required more frequently.
C C
A A
R R
M M
A A
I I
N N
T T
E E
N N
A A
N N
C C
E E
SCHEDULED
SERVICING
Correct maintenance of the car is
essential for ensuring it stays in tip-top
condition for a long time to come.
This is why Fiat has programmed a
number of service checks and opera-
tions every twenty thousand kilome-
tres.
It is however important to remem-
ber that
SCHEDULED SERVICINGis not all
your vehicle requires. Regular
checked - also in the initial period be-
fore the 20,000 kilometre coupon and
later between coupons - ordinary care
is required, such as checking fluid lev-
els and topping up, checking tyre in-
flation pressure, etc. IMPORTANTThe Manufacturer
requires the Service Schedule coupon-
related checks to be carried out. Fail-
ure to do so could result in the war-
ranty being cancelled for those defects
that can be attributed to such failure.
S
CHEDULED SERVICINGis performed at
all Fiat Dealerships, and there is a
set time scale for such operations.
If it is seen that further replacements
or repairs are necessary in addition to
the work being carried out, these will
only be done after the customer has
given his/her consent.IMPORTANT You are recom-
mended to get in touch with a Fiat
Dealershipimmediately if any minor
running problems crop up without
waiting for the next coupon.
105-123 Seicento GB 22-11-2007 10:51 Pagina 105
106CAR MAINTENANCE
SERVICE SCHEDULE
These coupons are to be used every 20,000 km.
thousands of kilometres
Check tyre conditions and wear and adjust pressure, if required
Check lighting system operation (headlights, direction indicators, hazard lights,
boot light, ceiling lights, glove compartment light, instrument panel warning
lights, etc.)
Check windscreen washer/wiper system and adjust nozzles
Check windscreen/rear window wiper blade position/wear
Check front disc brake pad conditions and wear
Check rear drum brake linings and wear
Inspect: conditions of: outside bodywork, underbody protection, piping/hosing
(exhaust - fuel lines - brake lines), rubber parts (boots, sleeves, bushings, etc.)
Check for bonnet and boot lock cleanness, lever cleanness and lubrication
Check tension of accessory drive belts and adjust, if required
Inspect accessory drive belt conditions
Check tappet clearance and adjust, if required
Check/adjust handbrake stroke20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
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105-123 Seicento GB 22-11-2007 10:51 Pagina 106
109CAR MAINTENANCE
IMPORTANT - Remote control
If when the remote control button
is pressed the doors are not
locked/unlocked or the performed
operation signal (indicator lights on)
does not appear, change the battery,
using spare batteries of the same kind.
IMPORTANT - Engine oil
Should the prevailing use of the car
be under one of the following specially
heavy conditions:
– trailer towing
– dusty roads
– short distances (less than 7-8 km)
repeated and with external tempera-
tures below zero.
– frequently idling engines or long
distance low speed driving (e.g. taxis
or door-to-door deliveries) or in case
of a long term inactivity replace engine
oil more frequently than required on
SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PLAN.IMPORTANT - Air cleaner
Replace the air cleaner more fre-
quently if the car is used on dusty
roads.
If you are in doubt about how often
the engine oil or the air cleaner should
be changed in relation to how you use
the car, contact a Fiat Dealership.
IMPORTANT - Battery
The charge in your battery should be
checked, where possible at the start
of the winter, to limit the risk of the
battery electrolyte freezing. This
check should be carried out more fre-
quently if the car is mainly used for
short trips or if it is fitted with acces-
sories that permanently take in elec-
tricity even when the ignition key is
removed, especially in the case of af-
ter market accessories.You should check the battery fluid
(electrolyte) level more frequently
than shown in the
SERVICE SCHEDULEin
this chapter if the vehicle is used in
hot climates or particularly demand-
ing conditions.
Maintenance of your car
should be entrusted to a
Fiat Dealership. For ordi-
nary routine maintenance oper-
ations which you are able to
carry out yourself, ensure that
you have the necessary tools and
original Fiat spare parts and flu-
ids available. Do not carry out
servicing operations if you have
no experience.
105-123 Seicento GB 22-11-2007 10:51 Pagina 109
The symbol πon the
container indicates syn-
thetic brake fluid distin-
guishing it from mineral fluid. Us-
ing mineral type fluid would
damage the special rubber brak-
ing system gaskets beyond re-
pair.
113CAR MAINTENANCE
Brake fluid is poisonous
and highly corrosive.
Wash the concerned
parts immediately with water
and mild soap in the event of an
accidental contact. Call a doctor
immediately if swallowed. If fluid has to be added, it is sug-
gested to use the brake fluid in table
"Fluids and lubricants" (see chapter
"Technical characteristics").
NOTE Clean accurately the tank cap
and the surrounding surface.
At plug opening, pay maximum at-
tention in order to prevent any impu-
rities from entering the tank.
For topping up, always use a funnel
with integrated filter with mesh equal
to or lower than 0.12 mm.
IMPORTANTBrake fluid absorbs
moisture, for this reason, if the vehi-
cle is mainly used in areas with a high
degree of atmospheric humidity, the
fluid should be replaced at more fre-
quent intervals than specified in the
“Service schedule”.
Make sure that the
highly corrosive brake
fluid does not drip onto
the paintwork. If it does, wash it
off immediately with water.
AIR CLEANER
REPLACEMENT
Loosen the screws A-fig. 6, remove
the cover B and remove the filtering
element C-fig. 7 to be replaced.
fig. 6
P4Q01043
fig. 7
P4Q01044
From time to time check the instru-
ment panel warning light by pressing
the reservoir cover (with the ignition
key at MAR) instrument panel warn-
ing light
xshould come on.
105-123 Seicento GB 22-11-2007 10:51 Pagina 113
114CAR MAINTENANCE
BATTERY
The car fits a low-maintenance bat-
tery: no top-ups with distilled water
are needed in normal conditions of
use.
INSPECTING THE CHARGE
AND THE ELECTROLYTE
LEVEL
Inspection operations must be car-
ried out by specialised personnel, fol-
lowing the prescriptions contained in
the Use and maintenance booklet. Any
top-up operations must be carried out
by specialised personnel and by Fiat
Dealership.Battery liquid is poiso-
nous and corrosive. Avoid
contact with the skin and
eyes. Keep naked flames and
sources of sparks away from the
battery: risk of explosion and fire.
Running the battery
with an excessively low
liquid level will damage
the battery beyond repair and
even cause an explosion.CHANGING THE BATTERY
If required, replace the battery with
a genuine spare part having the same
specifications.
If a battery with different specifica-
tions is fitted, the service intervals giv-
en in the “Service schedule” in this
section will no longer be valid.
Refer therefore to the instructions
provided by the battery manufacturer.
105-123 Seicento GB 22-11-2007 10:51 Pagina 114
118CAR MAINTENANCE
RUBBER TUBING
Follow the SERVICE SCHEDULEto the
letter as concerns braking, power
steering and fuel line rubber tubing.
Ozone, high temperatures and long
absence of fluid in the system can in
fact cause the hardening and cracking
of the pipes with possible loss of fluid.
A careful check is therefore essential.
WINDSCREEN AND
REAR WINDOW
WIPERS
BLADES
Periodically clean the rubber part
with suitable products. We recom-
mendTUTELA PROFESSIONAL
SC35.
Change the blades if the rubber edge
is warped or worn out. You should in
any case change them approximately
once a year. If a replacement is necessary, always
use new tyres and avoid using ones
the origin of which you are not cer-
tain about.
The Fiat 600 fits tubeless tyres. Un-
der no circumstances use an inner
tube with these tyres.
If you replace a tyre it is a good idea
to change the inflation valve, too.
To ensure the front and rear tyres
all wear evenly, you are advised to
change the tyres over every 10-15
thousand kilometres keeping them on
the same side of the car so as not to
reverse the direction of rotation.
Do not change the tyres
over in criss-cross fashion
by moving a tyre from
the left hand side of the car to
the right and vice versa.
Travelling with worn
wiper blades is dangerous
because it reduces visibil-
ity in bad weather.
In winter if the temperature falls be-
low zero, make sure the blades are
not frozen to the windscreen. If nec-
essary, free them with a de-icing com-
pound.
105-123 Seicento GB 22-11-2007 10:51 Pagina 118