100
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARDAND CONTROLS
SAFETY
When the ignition key is tur-
ned to MAR, the warning li-
ght
¬turns on (front airbag on pas-
senger’s side enabled) and blinks for
a few seconds to remind that the pas-
senger airbag will activate in the
event of a collision. Then it turns off.
WARNING
The front airbags deploy in
the event of more severe col-
lisions than those required for de-
ploying the pretensioners. When the
shock is within the two deployment
thresholds, it is normal that preten-
sioners only are engaged.
WARNING
The airbag does not replace
seat belts, but increases their
efficiency. Furthermore, since front
airbags are not deployed after low
speed collisions, side collisions, rear-
end shunts or roll-overs, the vehicle
occupants are only protected by the
seat belts, which must be fastened at
all times.
WARNING
When the ignition key is in
and turned in the MAR posi-
tion and the engine is off, the airbags
may deploy if the vehicle is crashed by
another moving vehicle. For this rea-
son, children must never sit on the
front seat, even if the vehicle is not
moving. We remind you that if the key
is inserted and turned in the STOP po-
sition, no safety device (airbag or pre-
tensioner) activates following a colli-
sion. Non-deployment in such cases
must not be considered as the sign of
a malfunction.
WARNING
If the vehicle is stolen or an
attempt is made to steal it, if
it is subject to criminal attacks or
flooding, have the airbag system
checked by the Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
101
SAFETY
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARDAND CONTROLS
STARTING
AND DRIVING
ENGINE STARTING ........................................................... 102
HANDBRAKE ....................................................................... 104
USING THE GEARBOX ..................................................... 105
CONTAINING RUNNING COSTS................................. 106
TOWING TRAILERS............................................................ 108
SNOW TYRES....................................................................... 109
SNOW CHAINS................................................................... 110
PROLONGED VEHICLE INACTIVITY ........................... 110
S S
T T
A A
R R
T T
I I
N N
G G
A A
N N
D D
D D
R R
I I
V V
I I
N N
G G
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SAFETY
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARDAND CONTROLS
STARTING
AND DRIVING
ENGINE STARTING
The vehicle is provided with an electron-
ic engine lock device: refer to “The Fiat
CODE system” paragraph in the section
“Dashboard and controls” if the engine
will not start.
The engine may be noisier during the first
seconds of operation, particularly after a
long period of inactivity. This does not im-
pair engine operation and reliability, and is
typical of hydraulic tappets: the distribu-
tion system for the petrol engine of your
vehicle has been selected to minimise
maintenance.ENGINE START-UP
PROCEDURE FOR
PETROL VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❒ensure that the handbrake is up;
❒put the gear lever into neutral;
❒press the clutch pedal all the way down
without touching the accelerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVVand let it
go the moment the engine starts.
If the engine does not start at the first at-
tempt, return the ignition key to STOP
before repeating starting.
If with the ignition key on MARthe warn-
ing light Yremains lit together with
warning light
U, turn the key to STOP
and then back to MAR; if the warning light
remains on, try with the other keys pro-
vided with the vehicle.
If the engine still will not start, perform an
emergency start (see “Emergency start”
in section “In an emergency”) and then
contact a Fiat Dealership. It is advisable not to demand
maximum performance from
your vehicle (e.g. excessive
accelerations, long distances
at top rpm, excessive intense braking,
etc.) as soon as the engine is started.
When the engine is switched
off, never leave the ignition
key in the MAR position to
prevent pointless current ab-
sorption from draining the battery.
Remember that the servo-
brake and electric power
steering are not operational until the
engine is started. Therefore, more ef-
fort than usual is required on the
brake pedal and steering wheel.
WARNING
It is dangerous to have the
engine running indoors. The
engine depletes oxygen and dis-
charges carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and other toxic gases.
WARNING
103
SAFETY
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARDAND CONTROLS
STARTING
AND DRIVING
ENGINE START-UP
PROCEDURE FOR
DIESEL VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❒ensure that the handbrake is up;
❒put the gear lever into neutral;
❒turn the ignition key to MAR: warning
lights Yand
mwill light up on the
instrument panel;
❒wait until the warning lights Yand
mturn off. The hotter the engine, the
quicker this will happen;
❒press the clutch pedal all the way down
without touching the accelerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVVas soon
as the warning light
mturns off. Wait-
ing too long will waste the work done
by the glow plugs.
Release the key as soon as the engine
starts.
IMPORTANT When the engine is cold,
rotate the ignition key to AVVto com-
pletely release the accelerator pedal.If the engine does not start at the first at-
tempt, return the ignition key to STOP
before repeating starting.
If with the ignition key on MAR, the in-
strument panel warning light Yremains
on, turn the key to STOPand then back
to MAR; if the warning light remains on,
try with the other keys provided with the
vehicle.
Contact the Fiat Dealership if the engine
still will not start.
The warning light
mblinks
for 60 seconds after starting
or during prolonged cranking
to indicate a fault to the glow
plug heating system. Use the vehicle
normally if the engine starts, but con-
tact the Fiat Dealership as soon as pos-
sible.
WARMING THE
ENGINE IMMEDIATELY AFTER
START-UP
Proceed as follows:
❒drive off slowly, letting the engine turn
at medium speed. Do not accelerate
abruptly;
❒do not demand maximum performance
for the first few kilometres. Wait until
the engine coolant gauge starts moving.
EMERGENCY START
If the warning light Ystays on steadily on
the instrument panel, you can perform an
emergency start using the code on the
CODE card (see section “In an emer-
gency”).
Never jump start the engine
by pushing, towing or driving
downhill. This could cause a
flow of fuel into the catalyt-
ic converter and damage it beyond re-
pair.
104
SAFETY
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARDAND CONTROLS
STARTING
AND DRIVING
HANDBRAKE
The handbrake lever is located between
the two front seats.
Pull the lever upwards until the vehicle is
blocked to operate the handbrake.
When the handbrake lever is pulled up
and the ignition key is on MAR, the in-
strument panel warning light xwill turn
on.
Proceed as follows to release the hand-
brake:
❒slightly lift the handbrake and press the
release button A-fig. 1;
❒hold button Apressed and lower the
lever. Warning light xon the instru-
ment panel will go out.
Press the brake pedal when carrying out
this operation to prevent the vehicle from
moving accidentally.PARKING THE VEHICLE
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the hand-
brake;
❒engage a gear (on a slope, engage first
gear if the vehicle faces uphill or reverse
if it faces downhill) and leave the wheels
steered.
If the vehicle is parked on a steep slope,
it is advisable to further block the wheels
with a wedge or stone.
Do not leave the ignition key on MARto
prevent draining the battery. Always re-
move the key when you leave the vehi-
cle.
Never leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle. Always remove the ignition key
when leaving the vehicle and take it out
with you. STOPPING THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition to STOPwhile the en-
gine is idling.
IMPORTANTAfter a demanding dri-
ve, you should allow the engine to “catch
its breath” before turning it off by letting
it idle to allow the temperature in the en-
gine compartment to fall.
A quick burst on the acceler-
ator before turning off the en-
gine serves absolutely no
practical purpose, it wastes
fuel and is damaging especially to tur-
bocharged engines.
fig. 1FF0T0043m
The vehicle must be braked
after a few snaps of the
lever, otherwise, contact the Fiat
Dealership for regulation.
WARNING
105
SAFETY
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARDAND CONTROLS
STARTING
AND DRIVING
USING THE GEARBOX
To engage the gears, press the clutch ped-
al fully and shift the gear lever A-fig. 2
into one of the required positions (the di-
agram is shown on the knob fig. 2).
fig. 2F0T0055m
Press the clutch pedal fully
to shift the gears correctly.
For this reason, there must be no ob-
stacles on the floor under the pedals:
make sure that the mats are always
flat and do not interfere with the ped-
als.
WARNING
Do not drive with your hand
resting on the gear lever as
the force exerted, even if
slight, could lead to prema-
ture wear on the gearbox internal com-
ponents over time.IMPORTANT Reverse may only be en-
gaged when the vehicle is at a standstill.
With the engine running, wait for at least
2 seconds with the clutch pedal fully
pressed before engaging reverse to pre-
vent damage to the gears and grating.
106
SAFETY
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARDAND CONTROLS
STARTING
AND DRIVING
CONTAINING
RUNNING COSTS
Here are some useful tips to save fuel and
minimize polluting emissions of CO
2and
other pollutants (nitric oxide, unburnt hy-
drocarbons, fine dusts etc…).GENERAL REMARKS
Vehicle maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried out
in accordance with the “Scheduled Service
Plan”.
Tyres
Check tyre pressure regularly at least
once every four weeks: excessively low
pressure will increase consumption be-
cause rolling resistance will be higher.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with an overloaded boot.
The weight of the vehicle (especially when
driving in town) and its trim greatly affect
fuel consumption and stability.
Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or the ski rack from
the roof after use. These accessories de-
crease aerodynamic penetration of the ve-
hicle and have a negative effect on fuel
consumption. It is better to use a trailer
to transport particularly bulky objects.Electric devices
Use electric devices only for the amount
of time needed. The rear heated window,
additional headlights, windscreen wipers
and heater fan need a considerable
amount of energy, therefore increasing fu-
el consumption (up to +25% in the urban
cycle).
Climate control
The climate control system leads to high-
er fuel consumption (up to +20% on av-
erage): use air vents only when the ex-
ternal temperature allows it.
Spoilers
The use of non-certified spoilers may ad-
versely affect air drag and fuel consump-
tion levels.
107
SAFETY
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARDAND CONTROLS
STARTING
AND DRIVING
DRIVING STYLE
Starting
Do not warm the engine up with the ve-
hicle running at min. or max. rpm: the en-
gine warms up very slowly in these con-
ditions, increasing consumption and emis-
sions. It is advisable to start off immedi-
ately and slowly keeping the engine speed
down: the engine will warm up much
faster this way.
Unnecessary manoeuvres
Avoid revving up when starting at traffic
lights or before stopping the engine. The
latter manoeuvre, like doubling the clutch,
is unnecessary and causes increased fuel
consumption and pollution.Gear selection
Use a higher gear as soon as traffic and road
conditions allow. Using a low gear for faster
acceleration will increase consumption.
In the same way improper use of a high gear
increases fuel consumption, emissions and
engine wear.
Top speed
Fuel consumption considerably increases as
speed increases. Keep your speed as uni-
form as possible, avoiding unnecessary
braking and acceleration which cause ex-
cessive fuel consumption and increase emis-
sions.
Acceleration
Sudden acceleration has a very negative
effect on consumptions and emissions: ac-
celerate gradually.CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Short distances and frequent cold start-
ups will prevent the engine from reach-
ing optimal running temperature.
Consequently, both consumption (from
+15 to +30% on urban cycle ) and emis-
sions will increase.
Traffic and road conditions
Quite high consumption is caused by
heavy traffic, for instance when travelling
in a queue with frequent use of low gears
or in cities with many traffic lights. Moun-
tain and rough roads also have a negative
effect on consumption.
Traffic hold-ups
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g. level cross-
ings) the engine should be switched off.