120IN AN EMERGENCY
If the battery is flat, you can use an-
other battery to start the engine. Its
capacity must be the same or slightly
greater than the flat battery.
Proceed as follows fig. 1:
1) Connect positive terminals (+) of
the two batteries with a jump lead.
2)With a second lead, connect the
negative terminal (–) of the auxiliary
battery and to an earthing point E
on
the engine or the gearbox of the ve-
hicle to be started.
IMPORTANTDo not directly
connect the two negative terminals:
sparks could ignite the flammable gas
from the battery. If the other battery
is fitted in a vehicle, prevent acciden-
tal contacts between the metal parts
of the two vehicles.
3) Start the engine.
4)When the engine has been start-
ed, remove the leads reversing the or-
der above.If the engine fails to start after a few
attempts, do not keep turning the key
but have the vehicle seen to at a Fiat
Dealership.
JUMP STARTING
fig. 1
F0A0106b
Do not carry out this
procedure if you lack ex-
perience; if it is not done
correctly it can cause very in-
tense electrical discharges. In ad-
dition, the fluid contained in the
battery is poisonous and corro-
sive. Avoid contact with skin and
eyes. You are also advised not to
put naked flames or lighted cig-
arettes near the battery and not
to cause sparks.
Under no circumstances
should a battery charger
be used to start the en-
gine: it could damage the elec-
tronic systems and in particular
the ignition and injection control
units.
144IN AN EMERGENCY
IF THE BATTERY
IS FLAT
First of all, read the “Vehicle main-
tenance” section for the steps to be
taken to avoid the battery running
down and to ensure it has a long life.
IF THE BATTERY IS FLAT
Charging should be slow at a low
amp rating for 24 hours. Charging for
a longer time may damage the battery.
Proceed as follows:
1) Disconnect the electrical system
from the battery terminals.
IMPORTANTWhere relevant,
switch the electronic alarm off with
the remote control.2)Connect the charger cables to the
battery terminals.
3)Turn on the charger.
4)When you have finished, turn the
charger off before disconnecting the
battery.
5)Reconnect the cables to the bat-
tery terminals. Make sure the polari-
ty is correct.JUMP STARTING
See “Jump starting”, in this chapter.
The liquid in the battery
is poisonous and corro-
sive. Do not let it touch
the skin or eyes. Recharging the
battery should be done in a well-
ventilated area away from naked
flames or possible sources of
sparks: explosion and fire risk.
Do not attempt to
recharge a frozen bat-
tery. Thaw it first other-
wise it could explode. If the bat-
tery froze, make sure that the in-
ternal elements are not broken
(short-circuit risk) and that the
casing is not cracked (risk of
spilling the poisonous and corro-
sive fluid).
Under no circumstances
should a battery charger
be used to start the en-
gine: it could damage the elec-
tronic systems and in particular
the ignition and injection control
units.
