28GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
If the ¬warning light
does not turn on when
turning the ignition key
to MAR or if it stays on when
travelling, this could indicate a
failure in safety retaining sys-
tems; under this condition air
bags or pretensioners could not
trigger in the event of collision
or, in a restricted number of
cases, they could trigger acci-
dentally. Stop the car and con-
tact Fiat Dealership to have the
system checked immediately.ELECTRICAL
POWER STEERING
FAILURE (red)
In the following two cases:
1- When the power steering elec-
trical motor is overheated by repeat-
ed, complete steering. In this case,
hold the steering wheel still and wait
for the light to go out.
2- When there is an electrical
power steering system failure.
When the key is turned to MARthe
warning light should come on for ap-
proximately four seconds only. If the
warning lights stays on, the power
steering system will not be working.
The effort on the steering wheel will
increase without compromising steer-
ability. Contact a Fiat Dealership.
g
HANDBRAKE
ENGAGED / LOW
BRAKE FLUID
LEVEL (red)
In three cases:
1.When the handbrake is engaged.
2.When the brake fluid level falls
below the minimum
3. With the
>warning light to in-
dicate an EBDelectronic brake force
corrector failure.
x
If the xwarning light
comes on when travel-
ling, check whether the
handbrake is engaged. If the
warning light stays on and the
handbrake is not engaged, stop
immediately and contact a Fiat
Dealership.
AIRBAG FAILURE
(red)
This warning light is
found in cars fitting two airbags (dri-
ver’s side and passenger’s side) and in
cars fitting an electronic driver’s side
û
BATTERY NOT
RECHARGING
PROPERLY (red)
When there is a fault in the current
generating system.
When the key is turned to MAR the
light comes on but should go out the
moment the engine is started.
w
airbag system. The warning light will
come on to indicate a system failure.
29GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
ENGINE COOLANT
TOO HOT
(Red)
Turning the ignition key to MARthe
warning light turns on, but it should
go off after four seconds.
If it turns on when travelling, stop
the car, leaving the engine on and
slightly accelerated to further activate
the circulation of the coolant fluid.
If the warning light does not go off
within the next 2 or 3 minutes, stop
the engine and contact Fiat Deal-
ership.
u
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE TOO
LOW (red)
When the engine oil pressure drops
under the normal value.
When the key is turned to MAR,
the warning light should come on but
should go out as soon as the engine is
started.
A delay in the light going out is ac-
ceptable only when the engine is
idling.
If the engine has been taxed heavily,
the light might flash when idling but
should go out on accelerating slightly.
If the warning light
comes on while the car is
moving, stop the engine
and contact a Fiat Dealership.
v
INDIVIDUAL
SETTINGS
FRONT SEATS
All adjustments must be
made when the car is sta-
tionary.
Moving the seat backwards
or forwards
Lift the lever A-fig. 25and push the
seat forwards or backwards. You are
in the correct position for driving
when your hands are resting on the
steering wheel rim and your arms are
slightly bent.
fig. 25
P4Q00005
35GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
VENTILATION
1)Central and side vents: com-
pletely open.
2)Air temperature knob A-fig. 34:
pointer in the blue sector.
3)Slider Dat
U.
4)Fan knob B: pointer at required
speed.
5)Air distribution knob C: pointer
at ¥.
RECIRCULATION
When the slider Dis in position
Tonly air already inside the pas-
senger compartment is recirculated.
IMPORTANTThis function is par-
ticularly useful when the outside air is
heavily polluted (in a traffic jam, tun-
nel etc.). You are advised against us-
ing this function for long periods how-
ever, especially if there are a lot of
people in the car. Do not use the re-
circulation function during cold/wet
weather as this will increase the like-
lihood of the windows misting up.
MANUAL CLIMATE
CONTROL SYSTEM
The climate control system is ad-
justed manually.
CONTROLS fig. 35
Switch E automatically sets the fan
to the 1
stspeed.
A- Air temperature knob (mixing
hot and cold air).
B- Fan knob.
C- Air distribution knob.
D- Air recirculation slider. IMPORTANTWhen the outside
temperature is very high, the air will
be cooled more quickly if the air re-
circulation function is turned on. This
function is also particularly useful
when the outside air is heavily pol-
luted (in a traffic jam, tunnel etc.). You
are advised against using this function
for long periods however, especially if
there are a lot of people in the car.
E- Climate control on/off switch.
The system uses refrig-
erating fluid R134a which
will not pollute the envi-
ronment if it accidentally leaks.
Under no circumstances should
fluid R12 be used as this is in-
compatible with the system’s
component parts.
fig. 35
P4Q00020
36GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
CLIMATE CONTROL
(Cooling)
1)Air temperature knob A-fig. 35:
pointer in the blue sector.
2)Climate control: press button √E.
3)Slider D: at T.
4)Fan knob B: pointer at required
speed.
5)Air distribution knob C: pointer
at ¥.
To decrease cooling effects: set
pointer to
U, increase temperature
and decrease fan speed.
For normal heating and ventila-
tion , do not use the manual climate
control system. Use the normal heat-
ing and ventilation system instead (see
following chapter).IMPORTANTThe manual climate
control system is very useful for
speeding up the demising process be-
cause it dries the air. Simply adjust the
controls for the demistingfunction
(see previous section) and switch the
manual climate control system on by
pressing knob √. SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
During the winter, the climate con-
trol system must be turned on at least
once a month for about ten minutes.
Have the system and pollen filter ef-
ficiency checked before the summer
at a Fiat Dealership.
The system is filled with
R134a refrigerant which
will not pollute the envi-
ronment in the event of leakage.
Under no circumstances should
R12 fluid be used as it is incom-
patible with the system compo-
nents and contains CFC.
56GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
Warning light >alone,
with the engine running,
normally indicates a fault
in the ABS system only. In this
case, the braking system is still
efficient, though without the
anti-locking device. Under these
conditions, performance of the
EBD system may be reduced.
Also in this case, you are advised
to go immediately to the nearest
Fiat Dealership, driving in such a
way to avoid sharp braking to
have the system checked. FRONT AIRBAGS
The car is fitted with front air bags
(for versions/markets where applica-
ble) for the driver and the passenger.
FRONT AIR BAGS fig. 80
The front air bag (driver and pas-
senger) has been designed to protect
the occupants in the event of head-
on crashes of medium-high severity,
by placing the cushion between the oc-
cupant and the steering wheel or dash-
board.
Front air bags are designed to pro-
tect car’s occupants in front crashes
and therefore non-activation in other
types of collision (side collisions, rear
shunts, roll-overs, etc.) is not a system
malfunction.In case of front crash, an electronic
control unit, when required, triggers
the inflation of the cushion.
The cushion immediately inflates,
placing itself as a protection between
the body of the front occupants and
the structure that could cause injuries.
Immediately after, the cushion deflates.
The front air bag (driver and pas-
senger) is not a replacement of but
complementary to the use of belts,
which should always be worn, as spec-
ified by law in Europe and most non-
European countries.
In case of crash, a person not wear-
ing the seat belt moves forward and
may come into contact with the cush-
ion while it is still inflating. Under this
circumstance the protection offered
by the air bag is reduced.
Front air bag can be activated in the
following situations:
– in collisions against highly
deformable objects not affecting
the vehicle front surface (e.g.
bumper collision against guard
rail); If the xbrake fluid low
warning light comes on,
stop the vehicle immedi-
ately and contact the nearest
Fiat Dealership. Fluid leaks from
the hydraulic system, in fact, can
compromise brake system oper-
ation, both traditional systems
and systems with ABS.
fig. 80
P4Q00074
73DRIVING YOUR CAR
IMPORTANT Reverse gear can
only be engaged when the car is com-
pletely stationary. With the engine
running, before engaging the reverse
gear, wait for at least two seconds
with the clutch pedal pressed fully
down to avoid damaging or grating the
gears. SAFE DRIVING
In designing the Fiat 600, Fiat has
made every effort to come up with a
car able to provide driver and pas-
sengers with top-class levels of safety.
Nevertheless it is always the behav-
iour of the person at the wheel that
determines road safety.
Below you will find some simple tips
to help you travel in safety under dif-
ferent conditions. You will no doubt
be familiar with many of them already
but it will be useful to read them all
carefully.
BEFORE GETTING BEHIND
THE WHEEL
– Make sure all lights including the
headlights are working properly.
– Adjust the position of the seats,
steering wheel, inside and outside rear
view mirrors properly for the best
driving position.
– Carefully adjust the head restraints
so the back of the head and not the
nape of the neck is supported. – Make sure that nothing (mats etc.)
gets in the way of the pedals when
they are pushed down.
– Make sure that any child restraint
systems (child seats, carriers etc.) are
properly fixed preferably on the back
seat.
– Place any objects in the boot in
such a way that they cannot be
thrown forwards in the event of an
accident.
– Do not eat a heavy meal before
travelling. Light eating will help keep
your reflexes prompt. Above all, do
not have anything alcoholic to drink.
Periodically, remember to check:
– tyre pressure and condition
– level of battery electrolyte
– engine oil level
– coolant level and condition of the
system
– brake fluid level
– windscreen washer fluid level. To change the gear
properly (with mechani-
cal clutch) 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.
88IN AN EMERGENCY
JUMP STARTING
If the battery is flat, you can use an-
other battery to start the engine. Its
capacity must be the same or slightly
greater than the flat battery (see the
chapter
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS).
Proceed as follows:
1)connect positive terminals Aand
B-fig. 1of the two batteries with a
jump lead.
2)With a second lead, connect the
negative terminal Cof the auxiliary
battery to an earth point Dof the car.IMPORTANTDo not directly
connect the two negative terminals:
sparks could ignite the flammable gas
from the battery.
If the auxiliary battery is fitted in an-
other vehicle, prevent accidental con-
tact of metallic parts.
3)Start the engine.
4)When the engine has been
started, remove the leads in the re-
verse order: D, C, Band finally A.
If the engine fails to start after a few
attempts, do not keep on but have the
car seen to at a Fiat Dealership. Do not carry out this
procedure if you lack ex-
perience; if it is not done
correctly it can cause very in-
tense electrical discharges. In ad-
dition, the fluid contained in the
battery is poisonous and corro-
sive. Avoid contact with skin and
eyes.
You are also advised not to put
naked flames or lighted ciga-
rettes near the battery and not
to cause sparks.
fig. 1
P4Q00087
Under no circumstances
should a battery charger
be used to start the en-
gine: it could damage the elec-
tronic systems and in particular
the ignition and injection control
units.
109CAR MAINTENANCE
If the vehicle is often
used for towing a trailer,
the scheduled servicing
will be required more frequently.
C C C C
A A A A
R R R R
M M M M
A A A A
I I I I
N N N N
T T T T
E E E E
N N N N
A A A A
N N N N
C C C C
E E E E
SCHEDULED
SERVICING
Correct maintenance of the car is
essential for ensuring it stays in tip-top
condition for a long time to come.
This is why Fiat has programmed a
number of service checks and opera-
tions every twenty thousand kilome-
tres.
It is however important to remem-
ber that
SCHEDULED SERVICINGis not all
your vehicle requires. Regular
checked - also in the initial period be-
fore the 20,000 kilometre coupon and
later between coupons - ordinary care
is required, such as checking fluid lev-
els and topping up, checking tyre in-
flation pressure, etc. IMPORTANTThe Manufacturer
requires the Service Schedule coupon-
related checks to be carried out. Fail-
ure to do so could result in the war-
ranty being cancelled for those defects
that can be attributed to such failure.
S
CHEDULED SERVICINGis performed at
all Fiat Dealerships, and there is a
set time scale for such operations.
If it is seen that further replacements
or repairs are necessary in addition to
the work being carried out, these will
only be done after the customer has
given his/her consent.IMPORTANT You are recom-
mended to get in touch with a Fiat
Dealershipimmediately if any minor
running problems crop up without
waiting for the next coupon.