2007 Lancia Thesis check engine

245
EOBD SYSTEM
The EOBD (European On Board
Diagnosis) system continuously
monitors the engine emission system
components. Furthermore, the sys-
tem warns the driver of deterioration
concerning the emission system
components by means of the instru-
ment panel warning light Ucoming
on with message “ENGINE CON-
TROL SYSTEM FAULT”.The objective is to:
– monitor system efficiency;
– warn when failures can increase
emissions over the threshold estab-
lished by the European regulations;
– warn of the need to replace dete-
riorated components.
Furthermore, the system is
equipped with a connector for inter-
facing with specific tools used to
read the error codes stored in the
control unit memory along with a set
of diagnostic and engine specific
parameters. This check can also be
performed by traffic controller
agents.Contact a Lancia
Dealership as soon as
possible if the instrument
panel Uwarning light either
does not come on when the key is
turned to MAR or comes on, with
fixed or flashing light, when trav-
elling together with message
“ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM
FAULT”. Warning light Uoper-
ation can be checked by traffic
controller agents. Comply with
the regulations in force in the
country where you are travelling.
IMPORTANTAfter eliminating
the problem, your Lancia
Dealershipwill run a bench test to
fully check the system. In some
cases, a long road test may be
required.

247
The car is fitted with an
electronic brake force
distributor (EBD). The x
and >warning lights come on at
the same time on the multifunc-
tion display, together with mes-
sage “EBD SYSTEM FAULT”,
when the engine is running to
indicate that there is an EBD sys-
tem failure. In this case violent
braking may be accompanied by
early rear wheel locking with the
possibility of skidding. Drive the
car extremely carefully to the
nearest Lancia Dealership to
have the system checked.
If warning light x
comes on together with
message “LOW BRAKE
FLUID LEVEL”, on the multi-
function display, stop the car
immediately and contact a Lancia
Dealership. Fluid leakage will
compromise efficiency of both the
traditional brake system and the
ABS system.The system performance
in terms of active safety
must not lead the driver
to take unnecessary or unjusti-
fied risks. Always suit your dri-
ving style to the weather, visibili-
ty and traffic conditions.
Excessive use of engine
braking (gears tooshort
and limited grip) may
make the wheels slip. The ABS
will have no effect on this type of
skidding.
The maximum possible
deceleration always
depends on the available
road grip. Obviously, grip will be
considerably decreased in the
presence of snow and ice. In these
conditions, the braking space
will still be high, even with the
ABS.The coming on of the
>warning light on the
multifunction display,
together with message “ABS SYS-
TEM FAULT”, when the engine is
running, normally indicates a
fault in the ABS system. In this
case the braking system will still
be effective although without the
anti-lock device assistance. In
these conditions, EBD system
operation may also be reduced.
Drive the car extremely carefully
to the nearest Lancia Dealership
to have the ABS system checked.

253
Remember that until the
engine has started, the
brake booster and power
steering systems will not work
and a greater effort will therefore
be required to press the brake
pedal and turn the steering
wheel. For cars equipped with
turbosupercharger in
particular, but generally
for any kind of cars, avoid abrupt
accelerations immediately before
turning the engine off. A quick
burst on the accelerator serves
absolutely no practical purpose,
wastes fuel and may damage seri-
ously the turbosupercharger
rotor bearings.EMERGENCY START-UP
If the Lancia CODE system fails to
recognise that code transmitted by
the ignition key (symbol Ytogeth-
er with message “VEHICLE PRO-
TECTION SYSTEM FAULT” on the
multifunction display) the emer-
gency start-up can be performed by
using the CODE card code.
For the correct procedure see chap-
ter “In an emergency”.
Before opening the lug-
gage compartment bonnet
to reload the battery or to
connect an auxiliary battery,
carefully read and comply with
the instructions contained in the
paragraph “If battery is to be dis-
connected” in the chapter “In an
emergency”. Never bump start the
engine (by pushing, tow-
ing or coasting downhill)
as this could cause fuel to flow
into the catalytic exhaust system
and damage it beyond repair.
IMPORTANTIf the engine turns
off while the car is running, the
Lancia CODE symbol Yand the
message “VEHICLE PROTECTION
SYSTEM FAULT” may appear on
the multifunction display when the
engine starts again. In this case
check that the warning light switch-
es off when turning the engine off
and on again with the car stationary.
Otherwise contact aLancia
Dealership.

254
Never leave unsuper-
vised children in the car;
always remove the keys
and take them with you when you
leave the car.
If the CID device is
inside the car, the engine
can be started: therefore,
we recommend that you take the
greatest care since, in this cir-
cumstances, the engine could be
started unlawfully or by children
left unattended inside the car.PARKING
To park the car, proceed as fol-
lows:
– Stop the engine.
– Check for electric parking brake
engagement.
– Engage the 1
stgear if the car is
facing uphill or reverse if facing
downhill.
– In automatic gearbox versions
put selector to P.
– Leave the front wheels steered so
to stop the car immediately if the
parking brake is accidentally
released.
On versions equipped with sunroof
(where provided), the upper part of
the sunroof incorporates a set of
solar cells that feed the climate con-
trol system fan at first speed when
the car is parked to reduce the tem-
perature inside the passenger com-
partment.Never leave the ignition
key at MAR when the
engine is off to prevent
draining the battery.
IMPORTANT Best operation of
the fan when the car is parked is
obtained by closing completely the
windows and sunroof. Furthermore,
to check operation at first speed of
the fan, disengage air vents and set
air distribution from central dash-
board vents only before leaving the
car.

255
SAFE DRIVING
In designing THESIS, LANCIA has
made every effort to come up with a
car able to provide driver and pas-
senger 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 different 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 proper-
ly.
– Adjust the position of the seats,
steering wheel, driving and door
mirrors properly for the best driving
position.
– Carefully adjust the head
restraints so that 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, carri-
ers etc.) are properly fixed on the
rear 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 conditions;
– engine oil level;
– coolant level and cooling system
conditions;
– brake fluid level;
– power steering fluid level;
– windscreen washer fluid level. WHEN TRAVELLING
– The first rule of safe driving is
prudence.
– Prudence also means putting
yourself into a position where you
can predict wrong or imprudent
behaviour from other drivers.
– Stick closely to the rules of the
road in the particular country where
the vehicle is being driven and,
above all, do not exceed speed limits.
– Ensure that, besides yourself, all
the other passengers in the vehicle
have their seat belts fastened, that
children are sitting in the appropri-
ate child seats and any animals in
the car are placed in suitable com-
partments.
– You should be physically fit and
mentally alert before setting out on
long journeys.

257
– Keep a greater safety distance
from the cars in front of you than
during daylight hours: it is hard to
judge how fast other cars are going
when all you can see are their lights.
– Only use main beam headlights
when you are driving outside town
and when you are sure they do not
annoy other drivers.
– Dip your headlights as soon as
you see cars coming in the other
direction and pass them with the
headlights dipped.
– Keep all lights clean.
– Be careful of animals crossing the
road when driving in the country.
DRIVING IN THE RAIN
Rain and wet road surfaces spell
danger.
All manoeuvres are more difficult
on a wet road because the grip of the
wheels on the tarmac is greatly
reduced. This is why braking dis-
tances are much longer and road-
holding is lower.Here is some advice for driving in
the rain:
– Reduce speed and maintain a
greater safety distance from the cars
in front.
– If it is raining particularly heavi-
ly, visibility is also reduced. In these
cases, switch on the dipped head-
lights even if it is still daylight so you
can be seen more easily.
– Do not drive through puddles at
speed and hold on tightly to the
wheel if you do: a puddle taken at
high speed might cause you to lose
control of the car (“aquaplaning”).
– Move the ventilation controls to
the position for demisting the win-
dows (see the section “Getting to
know your car”), so to avoid visibil-
ity problems.
– Periodically check the condition
of the windscreen wiper blades. – Do not drive too many hours at a
time but stop at intervals to stretch
your legs and recoup your energy.
– Make sure the air in the car is
being changed continuously.
– Never coast downhill (i.e.: with
the engine off): if you do, you lose
the aid of engine braking and power
brakes so that braking requires
greater effort.
DRIVING AT NIGHT
There are the main rules to follow
when you are driving at night.
– Drive especially carefully: it is
harder to drive at night.
– Slow down especially if the road
is not lit.
– At the first signs of sleepiness,
stop: continuing would be a risk for
yourself and everybody else. Only
start driving again when you have
had enough rest.

260
CONTAINING RUNNING COSTS AND
POLLUTION
Some suggestions which may help
you to keep the running costs of the
car down and lower the amount of
toxic emissions released into the
atmosphere are given below.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
The overall state of the car is an
important factor which has a
marked influence over fuel con-
sumption and driving comfort and
on the life span of your car. For this
reason care should be taken to main-
tain your car by carrying out the
necessary checks and regulations in
accordance with the specifications
given in the “Service Schedule” (see
sections: spark plugs, air cleaners,
timing...).Tyres
Tyre pressure should be checked at
least once every four weeks: if the
pressure is too low fuel consumption
increases as the resistance to the
rolling movement of the tyre is
greater. In this state, tyre wear is
increased and handling suffers,
which will effect safety.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with too much load in
the boot. The weight of the car (in
town traffic above all), and its trim
greatly effect consumption and sta-
bility.Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof or ski racks from
the car as soon as they are no longer
needed. These accessories reduce the
aerodynamic penetration of the car
and will increase consumption.
When transporting particularly
large objects, use a trailer, where
possible.
Electrical devices
Use electrical devices for the neces-
sary time only. The heated rear win-
dow, fog lights, windscreen wipers,
heater fan require large amounts of
electricity and increasing the request
for power will also increase fuel con-
sumption (up to +25% when driving
in towns).
Climate control system
The climate control system is an
additional load which greatly effects
the engine leading to higher con-
sumption (up to +20% in average).
When the temperature outside
allows, use the air vents where pos-
sible.

269
USING THE CAR AGAIN
Before using the car again after a
prolonged period of inactivity, the
following operations are recom-
mended:
– Do not dry-dust the car body.
– Check for fluid leaks (oil, brake
and clutch fluid, engine coolant
etc.).
– Change engine oil and filter.
– Check the level of:
– brake and clutch fluid
– engine coolant.
– Check the air cleaner and change
it, if required.
– Check the tyre pressure and the
tyres for signs of damage, cuts or
cracks. If this is the case, have them
replaced.
– Check the engine belt conditions.STORING THE CAR
The following precautions should
be taken if the car will not be used
for several months:
– Park the car in covered, dry and
if possible well-ventilated premises.
– Engage a gear.
– If the car is parked on flat
ground, disengage the electric park-
ing brake as described in the rele-
vant paragraph.
– Clean and protect the painted
parts using protective wax.
– Sprinkle talcum powder on the
rubber windscreen and rear window
wiper blades and lift them off the
glass.
– Slightly open the windows.
– Inflate the tyres to 0.5 bar above
the normal specified pressure, lean
them on wood boards, if possible
and check it at intervals.– Do not switch the electronic
alarm system on.
– Remove the negative cable (-)
from the battery terminal and check
the battery charge. This check
should be performed every month if
the car is to be stored for long peri-
ods. Recharge the battery if it falls
below 12.5V.
IMPORTANT Before opening the
luggage compartment bonnet to dis-
connect the battery, carefully read
and comply with instructions con-
tained in the paragraph “If battery is
to be disconnected” in the chapter
“In an emergency”.
– Do not drain the engine cooling
system.
– Cover the car with a cloth or per-
forated plastic sheet. Do not use
sheets of non-perforated plastic as
they do not allow moisture on the
body to evaporate.