2007 FIAT IDEA warning

177
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
ENGINE STARTING ............................................................ 178
PARKING ................................................................................ 181
USING THE GEARBOX...................................................... 182
CONTAINING RUNNING COSTS ................................ 183
TOWING TRAILERS ........................................................... 185
SNOW TYRES ....................................................................... 188
SNOW CHAINS ................................................................... 189
CAR INACTIVITY ................................................................ 190
C C
O O
R R
R R
E E
C C
T T
U U
S S
E E
O O
F F
T T
H H
E E
C C
A A
R R

ENGINE STARTING
The car is fitted with an electronic engine lock device.
If the engine fails to start, see paragraph “Fiat CODE
system” in section “Dashboard and controls”.
The engine may be noisier than usual during the first
seconds of operation, especially after it has not been
used for a while. This characteristic feature of the
hydraulic tappet system does not compromise
functionality or reliability. The system devised for the
Fiat Idea was designed to limit maintenance
interventions.STARTING PROCEDURE FOR PETROL
VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❒Ensure that the handbrake is up;
❒Put the gear lever into neutral;
❒Press the clutch pedal down to the floor without
touching the accelerator;
❒Turn the ignition key to AVV and let it go the
moment the engine starts.
If the engine does not start at the first attempt, return
the ignition key to STOP before repeating starting.
If, when the ignition key is on MAR, warning light
Y
remains 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 provided with
the car.
178
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
We recommend that during the initial period you do not drive to full vehicle performance (e.g.:
excessive acceleration, long journeys at top speed, sharp braking, etc.).
When the engine is switched off never leave the ignition key in the MAR position to prevent
pointless current absorption from draining the battery.
WARNINGRunning the engine in confined areas is extremely dangerous. The engine consumes
oxygen and produces carbon monoxide which is a highly toxic and lethal gas.

If you are still unable to start the engine, perform the
emergency start-up procedure (see “Emergency start-
up” in section “In an emergency”) and contact Fiat
Dealership.
IMPORTANT Never leave the ignition key at MAR
when the engine is off.
STARTING PROCEDURE FOR MULTIJET
VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❒Ensure that the handbrake is up;
❒Put the gear lever into neutral;
❒Turn the ignition key to MAR: the warning lights
m, Uand Ywill light up on the instrument
panel;
❒Wait for the warning lights
Yand m. The
hotter the engine is, the quicker this will happen;
❒Press the clutch pedal down to the floor without
touching the accelerator;❒Turn the ignition key to AVV as soon as warning
light
mgoes out. If you wait too long you will
lose the benefit of the work done by the glow
plugs. Release the key as soon as the engine starts.
IMPORTANT With cold engine, the accelerator pedal
shall be completely released while turning the ignition
key to AVV.
If the engine does not start at the first attempt, return
the ignition key to STOP before repeating starting.
If, when the ignition key is on MAR, warning light Y
remains lit, turn the key to STOP and then back to
MAR; if the warning light remains on, try with the
other keys provided with the car.
If you still cannot start the engine, contact Fiat
Dealership.
IMPORTANT Never leave the ignition key at MAR
when the engine is off.
179
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
The warning light mwill flash for 60 seconds at start-up or during prolonged cranking to signal a
fault in the glow plug heating system. You can use the car as usual if the engine starts but you should
contact a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.

HOW TO WARM UP THE ENGINE AFTER IT
HAS JUST STARTED (petrol and Multijet
versions)
Proceed as follows:
❒Drive off slowly, letting the engine turn at medium
revs. Do not accelerate abruptly;
❒Do not drive at full performance for the initial
kilometres. Wait until the coolant temperature
gauge starts moving.
EMERGENCY START-UP
If the instrument panel warning light
Ystays on with
fixed light, the emergency start-up can be performed
by using the CODE card code (see section “In an
emergency”).STOPPING THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition to STOP while the engine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a taxing drive, you should allow
the engine to “catch its breath” before turning it off by
letting it idle to allow the temperature in the engine
compartment to fall.
180
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
Never bump start the engine by pushing, towing or coasting downhill. This could cause fuel to flow
into the catalytic exhaust system and damage it beyond repair.
A quick burst on the accelerator before turning off the engine serves absolutely no practical
purpose, it wastes fuel and is damaging especially to turbocharged engines.
Remember that the servobrake and power steering are not operational until the
engine has been started, therefore much effort than usual is required on the brake
pedal and steering wheel.WARNING

PARKING
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the handbrake;
❒engage a gear (on a slope, engage first gear if the car is faced uphill or
reverse if it is faced downhill) and leave the wheels steered.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a stone if the car is parked on a steep
slope. Avoid leaving the car parked with a wheel on the sidewalk or
steered against the kerb. Do not leave the ignition key at MAR to
prevent draining the battery. Always remove the key when you leave
the car.
181
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
HANDBRAKE
The handbrake lever is located between the two front seats.
Pull the handbrake lever upwards until the car cannot be moved.
Four or five clicks are generally enough when the car is on level ground while nine or ten may be required if the car
is on a steep slope or laden.
IMPORTANT If this is not the case, contact Fiat Dealership to have the handbrake adjusted.
When the handbrake lever is pulled up and the ignition key is at MAR the panel warning light xwill come on.
To release the handbrake:
❒slightly lift the handbrake and press release button (A);
❒keep button (A) pressed in and lower the lever. Warning light xwill go out.
Press the brake pedal when carrying out this operation to prevent the car from moving accidentally.
IMPORTANT If the handbrake lever tends to approach the end of stroke (slot on central console), contact Fiat
Dealership to have the handbrake adjusted.
WARNINGNever leave children unattended in the car. Always remove the ignition key when
leaving the car and take it out with you.
F0H0149m

USING THE GEARBOX
To engage the gears, press the clutch pedal fully and shift the gear lever
into one of the required positions (the diagram is shown on the knob).
IMPORTANT The car can only be put into reverse gear when it has
stopped moving completely. With the engine running, before engaging the
reverse, wait at least 2 seconds with the clutch pedal fully down to
prevent damage and grating of the gears.
To engage 6
thgear (where fitted), press the lever to the right to prevent
engaging 4thgear by mistake. A similar action is required to shift down
from 6thto 5th
To engage reverse (R) from neutral, lift the sliding ring (A) under the
knob and shift the lever to the right and back (only for petrol versions).
For Multijet versions, just shift lever to the right and back.
182
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
F0H0150m
F0H0353m
To change gears properly 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.WARNING
Do not drive with your hand resting on the gear lever as the force exerted, even if slight, could lead
over time to premature wear on the gearbox internal components.

CONTAINING RUNNING COSTS
Here are some suggestions which may help you to
keep the running costs of your car down and lower
the amount of toxic emissions released into the
atmosphere.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried out in
accordance with the “Service schedule”.
Tyres
Check the pressure of the tyres routinely at an
interval of no more than 4 weeks: if the pressure is
too low, consumption levels increase as resistance to
rolling is higher.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with too much luggage stowed in the
boot. The weight of the car (especially when driving in
town) and its trim greatly affects consumption and
stability.Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or the ski rack from the roof as
soon as they are no longer used. These accessories
lower air penetration and adversely affect
consumption levels. When needing to carry
particularly voluminous objects, preferably use a
trailer.
Electric devices
Use electric devices only for the amount of time
needed. Rear heated window, additional headlights,
windscreen wipers and heater fan need a considerable
amount of energy, therefore increasing the
requirement of current increases fuel consumption (up
to +25% in the urban cycle).
Climate control
The air conditioner is an additional load which greatly
affects the engine leading to higher consumption (on
average up to +20%). When the temperature outside
the vehicle permits it, use the air vents where possible.
Spoilers
The use of non-certified aerodynamic items may
adversely affect air drag and consumption levels.
183
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR

DRIVING STYLE
Starting
Do not warm the engine with the car at a standstill or
at idle or high speed: under these conditions the
engine warms up much more slowly, increasing
electrical consumption and emissions. It is therefore
advisable to move off immediately, slowly, avoiding
high speeds. This way the engine will warm faster.
Unnecessary actions
Avoid accelerating when waiting at traffic lights or
before switching off the engine. This and also double
declutching is absolutely pointless on modern cars and
also increase consumption and pollution.
Gear selection
As soon as the conditions of the traffic and road allow,
use a higher gear. Using a low gear to obtain brilliant
performance increases consumption.
In the same way improper use of a high gear increases
consumption, emissions an engine wear.
Top speed
Fuel consumption considerably increases with speed.
Keep speed as constant as possible, avoid superfluous
braking and accelerating, which cost in terms of both
fuel and emissions. Acceleration
Accelerating violently increasing the revs will greatly
affect consumption and emissions: acceleration should
be gradual and should not exceed the maximum
torque.
CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Short journeys and frequent cold starts do not allow
the engine to reach optimum operating temperature.
This results in a significant increase in consumption
levels (from +15 to +30% on the urban cycle) and
emission of harmful substances.
Traffic situations and road conditions
Rather high consumption levels are tied to situations
with heavy traffic, for example in queues with frequent
use of the lower gears or in cities with many traffic
lights. Also winding mountain roads and rough road
surfaces adversely affect consumption.
Traffic hold-ups
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g.: level crossings) the
engine should be switched off.
184
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR