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.
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.
110
SAFETY
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARDAND CONTROLS
STARTING
AND DRIVING
SNOW CHAINS
Use of snow chains should be in compli-
ance with local regulations.
The snow chains may be applied only to
the front wheel tyres (drive wheels).
Check the tension of the chains after the
first few metres have been driven.
PROLONGED VEHICLE
INACTIVITY
If the vehicle needs to be stopped for longer
than one month, the following precautions
must be taken:
❒park the vehicle indoors in a dry and, pos-
sibly, well-ventilated place;
❒engage a gear and check that the hand-
brake is not engaged;
❒disconnect the negative terminal of the
battery and check charge (see paragraph
“Battery” in section “Maintenance and
care”);
❒clean and protect the painted parts using
protective wax;❒clean and protect the shiny metal parts
using special compounds readily available;
❒sprinkle talcum powder on the rubber
windscreen and rear window wiper
blades and lift them off the glass;
❒slightly open the windows;
❒cover the vehicle with a piece of fabric or
perforated plastic sheet; do not use com-
pact plastic tarpaulins, which prevent hu-
midity from evaporating from the surface
of the vehicle;
❒inflate tyres to a pressure of +0.5 bar
above the normal specified pressure and
check it at intervals;
❒do not drain the engine cooling system. Keep your speed down when
snow chains are fitted. Do not
exceed 50 km/h. Avoid pot-
holes, steps and pavements
and also avoid driving long distances on
roads not covered with snow in order
to prevent damaging the vehicle and
the roadbed.
111
SAFETY
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARDAND CONTROLS
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
GENERAL WARNINGS..................................................... 112
LOW BRAKE FLUID........................................................... 112
HANDBRAKE ON.............................................................. 112
AIRBAG FAILURE................................................................ 113
FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG/
SIDE BAGS DISABLED....................................................... 113
ENGINE COOLANT HIGH TEMPERATURE............... 114
LOW BATTERY CHARGE................................................ 114
ABS SYSTEM FAILURE....................................................... 115
EBD SYSTEM FAILURE....................................................... 115
LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE........................................ 115
EXHAUSTED OIL................................................................ 115
SEAT BELTS NOT FASTENED......................................... 116
INCOMPLETE DOOR LOCKING.................................. 116
MINIMUM ENGINE OIL LEVEL....................................... 116
INJECTION SYSTEM FAILURE......................................... 117
EOBD ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE ........... 117
PARTICULATE FILTER CLOGGED................................ 118FUEL RESERVE...................................................................... 118
GLOW PLUG HEATING................................................... 118
GLOW PLUG HEATING FAILURE................................. 118
WATER IN DIESEL FUEL FILTER.................................... 119
VEHICLE PROTECTION SYSTEM
FAILURE - FIAT CODE ...................................................... 119
EXTERNAL LIGHTS FAILURE.......................................... 119
GENERIC FAILURE INDICATION................................. 120
BRAKE PAD WEAR............................................................ 120
PARKING SENSOR FAILURE........................................... 121
SIDE/TAILLIGHTS................................................................ 121
FOLLOW ME HOME.......................................................... 121
FRONT FOG LIGHTS........................................................ 121
REAR FOG LIGHTS............................................................ 121
LEFT-HAND DIRECTION INDICATOR....................... 122
RIGHT-HAND DIRECTION INDICATOR................... 122
MAIN BEAMS........................................................................ 122
W W
A A
R R
N N
I I
N N
G G
L L
I I
G G
H H
T T
S S
A A
N N
D D
M M
E E
S S
S S
A A
G G
E E
S S
114
SAFETY
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARDAND CONTROLS
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
ENGINE COOLANT
HIGH TEMPERATURE
(red)
When the ignition key is moved
to MAR, the warning light turns on and
should go off after a few seconds.
The warning light turns on when the en-
gine is overheated.
If the warning light comes on, proceed as
follows:
❒during normal travel: stop the ve-
hicle, stop the engine and check that the
water level in the vessel is not under
the MIN reference line. In this case, wait
for a few minutes for the engine to cool
down, then slowly and carefully open
the cap, top-up with coolant and check
that the level is between the MIN and
MAX references on the vessel itself. Al-
so check for leakages. Go to a Fiat
Dealership if the warning should come
on when the engine is started again.❒In demanding vehicle use condi-
tions (e.g. towing trailers uphill or ve-
hicle at full load): slow down and stop
the vehicle if the warning light stays on.
Stop for 2 or 3 minutes with the engine
running and slightly accelerated to
favour better coolant circulation. Then
stop the engine. Check correct liquid
level as described above.
IMPORTANT Under severe use of the ve-
hicle, keep the engine on and slightly ac-
celerated for a few minutes before switch-
ing it off. On certain versions the dedi-
cated message is displayed.LOW BATTERY
CHARGE (red)
When the ignition key is moved
to MAR, the warning light turns on and
should go out as soon as the engine is
started (with the engine running at idle
speed a brief delay in going out is allowed).
If the warning light stays on glowing steadi-
ly, immediately contact the Fiat Dealer-
ship.
On certain versions the dedicated mes-
sage is displayed.
çw
115
SAFETY
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARDAND CONTROLS
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
ABS SYSTEM FAILURE
(amber)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR,
the warning light turns on and should go
off after a few seconds.
The warning light lights up when the sys-
tem is either not working or not available.
In this case, the braking system preserves
its efficiency unaltered without, howev-
er, offering the extra operating capacity of
the ABS system. Drive carefully and go to
a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
On certain versions the dedicated mes-
sage is displayed.EBD SYSTEM
FAILURE
(red) (amber)
Simultaneous turning on of the warning
lights
xwhile >the engine is running
indicates an EBD system failure or non-
availability of the system. Early locking of
the rear wheels may occur in the event of
violent braking causing the vehicle to
swerve.
Drive very carefully to a Fiat Dealership
to have the system inspected.
On certain versions the dedicated mes-
sage is displayed.
>x>v
LOW ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE (red)
EXHAUSTED OIL
(Multijet versions
with DPF, where
provided) (red)
Low engine oil pressure
When the ignition key is moved to MAR,
the warning light turns on and should go
out as soon as the engine is started.
On certain versions the dedicated mes-
sage is displayed.
If the warning light
vturns
on when the vehicle is travel-
ling (on certain versions to-
gether with the message on
the display) stop the engine immediately
and contact a Fiat Dealership.