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125
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CARHANDBRAKE fig. 1
The handbrake lever is located between
the two front seats.
Pull the lever upwards to operate the
handbrake. Four or five notches are nor-
mally sufficient to lock the car on flat ter-
rain, while nine or ten may be necessary
on a steep slope with the car loaded.
IMPORTANT If this is not the case, con-
tact Fiat Dealership to have the handbrake
adjusted.
When the handbrake lever is pulled up
and the ignition key is atMAR, the in-
strument panel warning light
xwill turn
on.
PARKING THE CAR
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the hand-
brake;
❒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.
If the car is parked on a steep slope, it is
further advisable to block the wheels with
a wedge or stone. Do not leave the key in
the ignition switch to prevent draining the
battery. Always remove the key when you
leave the car.
Never leave children unat-
tended in the car. Always re-
move the ignition key when leaving
the car and take it out with you.
WARNING
fig. 1F0R0103m
Proceed as followed to release the hand-
brake:
❒slightly lift the handbrake and press re-
lease button A;
❒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 car from
moving accidentally.
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136
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE
CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
LOW ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE (red)
Turning the ignition key to
MARthe warning light turns on, but it
should go out as soon as the engine is
started.
On certain versions the dedicated message
is displayed.
v
If the warning light vturns on when the car is trav-
elling (on certain versions together
with the message on the display) stop
the engine immediately and contact
a Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
❒In the case of demanding use (e.g.
towing trailers uphill or car at full
load): slow down and stop the car if
the warning light stays on. Stand for
2 or 3 minutes with the engine running
and slightly accelerated to promote a
better circulation of coolant. Then
stop the engine. Check correct liquid
level as described above.
IMPORTANT Under severe use of the
car, keep the engine on and slightly accel-
erated for few minutes before switching it
off.
On certain versions the dedicated message
is displayed.LOW BATTERY
CHARGE (red)
Turning the ignition key to
MARthe warning light turns on, but it
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).
Go to a Fiat Dealership immediately if the
warning light stays on either steady or
blinking.
w
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190
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
IMPORTANT Check the battery charge
once a year, preferably before the begin-
ning to winter, to prevent freezing of the
electrolyte. Perform this inspection more
frequently if the car is mainly used for
short distances or if electrical devices run-
ning with the key off are installed, partic-
ularly after-market.
fig. 9F0R0140m
CHANGING THE BATTERY
If required, replace the battery with a gen-
uine spare part having the same specifi-
cations.
If a battery with different specifications is
fitted, the service intervals given in the
“Service schedule” in this section will no
longer apply.
Follow the battery manufacturer’s in-
structions for maintenance.Incorrect assembly of electric
and electronic devices may
cause severe damage to your
car. Go to a Fiat Dealership if
you want to install accessories (alarms,
mobile phone, etc.): they will suggest
the most suitable devices and advise
you if a higher capacity battery needs
to be installed.
Batteries contain very dan-
gerous substances for the en-
vironment. You are recom-
mended to go to a Fiat Deal-
ership to have the battery replaced
where the old battery will be disposed
of respecting both the environment and
the laws in force.
If the car is left for long peri-
ods in very cold environ-
ments, remove the battery and store it
in a warm place to prevent freezing.
WARNING
IMPORTANT If the battery is not pro-
vided with the visual indicator to verify
electrolyte charge and level, control op-
erations and any top-up operation must
be carried out by specialised personnel
and by Fiat Dealership.
Battery liquid is poisonous
and corrosive. Avoid contact
with the skin and eyes. Keep naked
flames and sources of sparks away
from the battery: risk of fire and ex-
plosion.
WARNING
Running the battery with an
excessively low liquid level
will damage the battery beyond re-
pair and even cause an explosion.
WARNING
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191
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
The total intake of these systems (facto-
ry and after-market) must be less than 0.6
mA x Ah (of the battery) as shown in the
following table:
Battery Maximum
permissible
loadless
consumption
40 Ah 24 mA
50 Ah 30 mA
60 Ah 36 mA
IMPORTANT A battery which is kept at
a charge of less than 50% (optical indica-
tor with dark colour without green area
in the middle) for any length of time will
be damaged by sulphation leading to a re-
duction in cranking power.
The battery will also be more at risk of
freezing (e.g. already at -10°C). Refer to
the paragraph “Car inactivity” in “Starting
and driving” if the car is left parked for a
long time.
If after buying the car, you want to install
electric accessories which require per-
manent electric supply (alarm, etc.) con-
tact Fiat Dealership whose qualified per-
sonnel, in addition to suggesting the most
suitable devices, will evaluate the overall
electric absorption, checking whether the
car’s electric system is capable of with-
standing the load required, or whether it
should be integrated with a more power-
ful battery.
Since these devices continue absorbing en-
ergy even when the ignition key is off, they
gradually run down the battery. USEFUL ADVICE FOR
LENGTHENING THE LIFE OF
YOUR BATTERY
To avoid draining your battery and length-
en its life, observe the following indica-
tions:
❒when you park the car, ensure the
doors, tailgate and bonnet are closed
properly;
❒switch off all lights inside the car: the
car is however equipped with a system
which switches all internal lights off au-
tomatically;
❒do not keep accessories (e.g. sound sys-
tem, hazard lights, etc.) switched on for
a long time when the engine is not run-
ning;
❒before performing any operation on the
electrical system, disconnect the bat-
tery negative cable;
❒make sure that battery terminals are al-
ways be perfectly tight.
Always wear the proper pro-
tective eyewear when work-
ing on the battery or near it.
WARNING