Page 49 of 154

48GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
EXTENSION
How to extend the boot:
1)Remove the rear window shelf by
releasing the two tie rod tips A-
fig. 67 from their housings B. Pull the shelf outwards to release the
pins A-fig. 68.
The rear window shelf can be posi-
tioned behind the rear seat backs
while not in use.
2)Grip the back of the cushion and
tilt it forward against the seat backs of
the front seats fig. 69.
3)Raise the levers A-fig. 70(two,
on the outer side of the seat back)
and tilt the seat back forward moving
aside the side seat belt devices.
fig. 68
P4Q00068
fig. 67
P4Q00067
fig. 69
P4Q01014
Adding things on the
rear window shelf or the
tailgate (speakers, spoiler,
etc.) can interfere with the cor-
rect operation of the tailgate side
gas-struts.
Follow the laws in force
if you are travelling in ar-
eas where refuelling is dif-
ficult and you want to carry a can
of petrol. Use a homologated can
only and secure it to the load an-
choring hooks. Even given these
precautions, the risk of fire in the
event of an accident is increased.
Page 50 of 154

49GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
To bring the seat to its normal posi-
tion again:
– Tip the seat back fig. 71back-
wards while holding the seat belts in
front of the seat back. Ensure it clicks
into place.
– Bring the cushion to a horizontal
position making sure the seat belts do
not remain underneath.
fig. 70
P4Q00159
The car can be fitted with separate
rear seats.
With separate seats the boot exten-
sion possibilities are various and can
be decided according to the number
of passengers and how much luggage
is to be transported:
– all extended, by tilting both sides -
left and right - of the rear seat as de-
scribed above;
– partial extension with the left side
of the rear seat tilted and a back seat
for one passenger;Anchoring the load
There are two brackets with holes
A-fig. 72 in the boot to fasten ropes
for anchoring the load. These brack-
ets are located at the base of the rear
seat (one on each side).
Other luggage anchoring holes are
located on the rear crossmember and
are closed with rubber caps.
To use the holes, remove the caps.
fig. 71
P4Q00135
fig. 72
P4Q00170
Page 51 of 154
50GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
Heavy loads which are
not securely anchored
could seriously injure pas-
sengers in the event of an acci-
dent.
IMPORTANTCheck and adjust
the height of the dipped headlight
beam when travelling at night with a
rather heavy load in the boot (see
HEADLIGHTSin this chapter).
When refitting the rear
window shelf, fasten the
two side tie-rods fig. 67
passing them on the outside of
the struts.
Some versions are fitted with rear
speakers located on the rear window
shelf.
When removing the rear window
shelf disconnect also the connector
between speakers and sound system.
Proceed as follows: disconnect con-
nector A-fig. 73from its seat Blo-
cated on the side wall under the seat
belt hole. When refitting the rear window shelf,
reconnect connector to B-fig. 73to
reset speaker operation.
IMPORTANTProper radio oper-
ation is not impaired when the rear
speakers (on the rear window shelf)
are not connected.
fig. 73
P4Q01081
Page 52 of 154
51GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
BONNETTo open the bonnet:
1) Pull the lever shown infig. 74in
the direction of the arrow.
2)Press tab B as shown in fig. 75.
3) Lift the bonnet and release the
support rod B-fig. 76from its clip A.
4)Place the tip of the support rod
in recess C of the bonnet.Important. The bonnet
might fall violently if the
support rod is not posi-
tioned properly.
This should only be
done when the car is sta-
tionary.
Before opening the bon-
net, check the wind-
screen wiper arms are
not lifted from the windscreen.
When the engine is hot,
mind your hands when
working inside the engine
compartment to avoid burning
yourself. Never put your hands
near the fan: it could start up
even without the key in the
switch. Wait until the engine
cools down.
fig. 74
P4Q00025
fig. 75
P4Q01015
Page 53 of 154

52GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
Take care that scarves,
ties or loose clothing do
not accidentally come
near moving parts; they could
become entangled with serious
danger for the wearer. To close the bonnet:
1)keep the bonnet lid raised with
one hand and remove the rod B-
fig. 76from the recess with the other
Cthen secure it in its clip A.
2) lower the bonnet until approx. 20
cm from the engine compartment and
then let it drop, ensuring it is fully
closed and not just held in position by
the safety catch.
If the bonnet does not close properly
do not push it down but open it again
and repeat the above procedure.ROOF RACK/
SKI RACK
ANCHORING
ARRANGEMENT fig. 77
The anchoring seats for roof racks
are shown in the illustration.
The rear clips are to be secured in
the area immediately above the side
window rubbers.
Specific roof/ski racks are available in
the Fiat Lineaccessori range.
For safety reasons the
bonnet shall always be
perfectly closed when
travelling. Always check for
proper bonnet locking. If the bon-
net is left inadvertently open, stop
the car immediately and close the
bonnet.
fig. 76
P4Q00070
fig. 77
P4Q00071
Page 54 of 154

53GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
After travelling a few
kilometres, check that
the screws securing the
attachments are tight.
Never exceed the per-
mitted weight (see
TECH-
NICAL SPECIFICATIONS). SLANT COMPENSATION
When the car is loaded, it slopes
backwards. This means that the head-
light beam rises. In this case, it is nec-
essary to return it to the correct po-
sition.
The headlight beam adjuster is lo-
cated inside the car on the right side
of the steering column fig. 78.
Position 0- one or two occupants in
the front seats.
Position 1- five occupants.
Position 2- five occupants + load in
boot.
Position 3- driver + maximum per-
missible load stowed in boot.
Be careful not to knock
objects on the roof rack
when opening the tail-
gate.
HEADLIGHTS
ADJUSTING THE
HEADLIGHT BEAM
The correct positioning of the head-
light beams is very important for the
comfort and safety, not only of the
person driving the car but also all
other road users.
This is also covered by a specific law.
To ensure you and other drivers
have the best visibility conditions
when travelling with the headlights on,
the headlights must be set properly.
Have the headlight positioning
checked at a Fiat Dealershipand
adjusted if necessary.
fig. 78
P4Q01016Check the positioning of
the headlight beams
every time you change
the load to be carried.
Page 55 of 154

54GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
ADJUSTING THE FRONT
FOGLIGHTS
The foglight beam can be adjusted by
means of screw A-fig. 79.
Have the lights checked at a Fiat
Dealershipand adjusted if necessary. If you have never driven a car with
ABS before, you should practice using
the system on slippery terrain, obvi-
ously with the necessary safety pre-
cautions and keeping to the Highway
Code of the country you are in. It is
also a good idea to read the following
information carefully.
The advantage in using the ABS sys-
tem is that it continues to give you
maximum manoeuvrability even when
braking hard in conditions of poor grip
by preventing the wheels locking.
You should, however, not expect
the braking distance to always de-
crease: for example surfaces with
gravel or fresh snow on a slippery
road will in fact increase the braking
distance.
To exploit the ABS system to the full
in the event of necessity, you should
take heed of the following advice:ABS
The car is fitted with an ABS braking
system, which prevents the wheels
from locking when braking, makes the
most of road grip and gives the best
control when emergency braking un-
der difficult road conditions.
The driver can tell the ABS system
has come into play because the brake
pedal pulsates slightly and the system
gets noisier.
This should not be interpreted as a
fault in the brakes; on the contrary it
is a sign that the ABS system is work-
ing: it tells the driver that the car is
travelling at the limit of its road grip
and that the speed should be altered
to fit the type of road surface.
The ABS is an addition to the basic
braking system. If there is a malfunc-
tion, the system turns off automati-
cally and only the ordinary brakes
continue to work.
If a failure occurs, and, consequently,
the wheel anti-locking system is not
effective, the braking system will con-
tinue to work as usual.
fig. 79 Versione S and Active
P4Q01017
Page 56 of 154

55GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
The ABS exploits the
road hold available as
much as possible but can-
not increase it. You should al-
ways drive carefully on slippery
surfaces and avoid any unneces-
sary risks.Braking while cornering always re-
quires extreme care even when using
ABS.
The most important advice to follow
is this:
If the ABS intervenes, it
means that the grip be-
tween the type and the
road is reduced with respect to
the normal conditions. Reduce
speed immediately to match the
poor road conditions.
If there is a fault in the
system and the instru-
ment panel warning light
>comes on, drive you car
slowly to a Fiat Dealership, to
have the system checked and put
right.When the ABS cuts in,
and you feel the brake
pedal pulsating, do not
remove your foot, but keep it
pressed. In doing so you will stop
in the shortest amount of space
possible under the current road
conditions.
If you follow these tips you will be
able to brake better in any situation.
IMPORTANTCars with ABS may
only be fitted with wheel rims, tyres
and brake pads of the make and
model approved by the manufacturer.The system is completed with an
electronic brake force distributor
called EBD which improves braking
system performance by means of the
ABSsystem control unit and sensors.
The car is fitted with an
electronic braking device
(EBD). The >and x
warning light will come on at the
same time when the engine is
running to indicate that there is
an EBD system failure. In this
case violent braking may be ac-
companied by early rear wheel
locking with the possibility of
skidding. Drive the car extremely
carefully to the nearest Fiat Deal-
ership to have the system
checked.