2008 Alfa Romeo 147 ignition

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
42
STEERING
WHEEL LEVERS
The devices and services controlled by the
levers on the steering wheel can only be ac-
tivated with the ignition key at MAR.
LEFT-HAND LEVER
The left-hand lever controls the outer lights
except the fog lamps and rear fog guards.
When the outer lights are switched on, the
various controls on the dashboard are illu-
minated.
Only with the ignition key at PARK, re-
gardless of the position of the knurled ring,
the side lights and number plate lights stay
on.
Position (1or2-fig. 57) of the lever
causes the turning on only of the side lights
(front and rear), on the right or left respec-
tively.
Lights switched off (fig. 52)
When the pointer on the knurled ring is op-
posite the symbol Othe outer lights are
switched off.Sidelights(fig. 53)
The sidelights are switched on by turning
the knurled ring from Oto
6.
The
3warning light on the instrument
cluster will come on at the same time.
Dipped-beam headlights (fig. 54)
These are switched on by turning the
knurled ring from
6to2.
fig. 52
A0A0063m
fig. 53
A0A0064m
Main beams (fig. 55)
To turn main beams on, set knurled ring
to position
2, push the lever towards the
dashboard (stable position); warning light
1on the instrument panel will turn on.
To set dipped-beams back pull the lever to-
wards the steering wheel.
fig. 54
A0A0065m
fig. 55
A0A0066m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
44
“Follow me home” device
(fig. 58)
This function allows the illumination of the
space in front of the car for the length of
time set, and is activated with the ignition
key at STOPor removed, pulling the left-
hand stalk towards the steering wheel.
This function is activated pulling the lever
within 2 minutes from when the engine is
turned off. At each single movement of the
lever, the staying on of the dipped beams
and sidelights is extended by 30 seconds up
to a maximum of 3.5 minutes; the lights
switch off automatically after the time set.
Each time the lever is operated, the
1
warning light on the cluster turns on.
This function can be interrupted by keep-
ing the lever pulled towards the steering
wheel for more than 2 seconds.
RIGHT-HAND LEVER
The right-hand lever is used to operate the
windscreen wiper-washer and rearscreen
wiper-washer. The windscreen washer con-
trol also activates the headlamp washers,
if fitted.
fig. 59
A0A0070m
Windscreen wiper - washer
(fig. 59-60)
The lever can be moved to five different
positions, corresponding to:
A- Windscreen wiper off.
B- Intermittent.
With the lever in position (B), turning the
ring (F) four possible intermittent speeds
are obtained:
■= intermittent slow.
■■= intermittent medium.
■■■= intermittent medium-fast.
■■■■= fast intermittent.
C- Continuous, slow.
D- Continuous, fast.
E- Fast, temporary (unstable position).
Operation in position (E) is limited to the
time the lever is held in this position. When
the lever is released, it returns to position
(A) automatically stopping the wiper.
IMPORTANTWhen the wiper is on, en-
gaging reverse gear automatically turns on
the rearscreen wiper.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
45
Rain sensor (fig. 61)
The rain sensor (A), fitted only on cer-
tain versions, is an electronic device com-
bined with the windscreen wiper which has
the purpose of automatically adjusting the
number of wipes during intermittent opera-
tion, to the intensity of the rain.
All the other functions controlled by the
right-hand lever remain unchanged.
The rain sensor is activated automatically
moving the right-hand lever to position (B-
fig. 59) and it has a range of adjustment
that gradually varies between wiper sta-
tionary (no wiping) when the windscreen is
dry, to wiper at first continuous speed (con-
tinuous, slow) with heavy rain.Turning the knurled ring (F-fig. 59) it
is possible to increase the sensitivity of the
rain sensor, obtaining a quicker change from
stationary when the windscreen is dry, to
first continuous speed (continuous, slow).
Operating the windscreen washer with the
rain sensor activated (lever at position B)
the normal washing cycle is performed at
the end of which the rain sensor resumes its
normal automatic function.
Turning the ignition key to STOPthe rain
sensor is deactivated and the next time the
engine is started (MARposition) it will not
be reactivated even if the lever has remained
in position (B). In this case to activate the
rain sensor, simply move the lever to (A)
or (C) and then back to (B).
When the rain sensor is reactivated in this
way, the wiper performs at least one stroke,
even if the windscreen is dry, to indicate that
reactivation has occurred.
The rain sensor is located behind the inner
rear-view mirror in contact with the wind-
screen and inside the area cleaned by the
wiper and it controls an electronic control
unit which in turn controls the wiper motor. “INTELLIGENT WASHING” FUNCTION”
Pulling the lever towards the steering
wheel (instable position) operates the wind-
screen washer.
Keeping the lever pulled, with only one
movement it is possible to operate the wash-
er jet and the wiper at the same time; in-
deed, the latter comes into action auto-
matically if the lever is pulled for more than
half a second.
The wiper stops working a few strokes af-
ter releasing the lever; a further “cleaning
stroke” after a few seconds completes the
wiping operation.
fig. 60
A0A0071m
fig. 61
A0A0489m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
47
The device is disengaged automatically in
any one of the following cases:
– pressing the brake pedal;
– pressing the clutch pedal;
– if the ASR or VDC, MSR system cuts in.
CONTROLS(fig. 65)
Cruise Control is controlled by the
ON/OFFknurled ring (A), by the +/–
ring (B) and by the RESbutton (C).
Ring (A) has two positions:
–OFFin this position the device is deac-
tivated;
–ONis the normal operating position of
the device. When the knurled ring (A) is
in this position, the warning light
Üon the
instrument cluster turns on.Ring (B) serves for memorising and main-
taining the car speed or for increasing or low-
ering the speed memorised.
Turn the ring (B) to (+) to memorise the
speed reached or increase the speed mem-
orised.
Turn the ring (B) to (–) to lower the speed
memorised.
Each time the ring is actuated (B) the speed
increases or lowers by about 1.5 km/h.
Keeping the ring turned the speed changes
continuously. The new speed reached will
be maintained automatically.
TheRESbutton (C) resets the memorised
speed.
IMPORTANTTurning the ignition key to
STOPor the ring (A) to OFF, the speed
memorised is cleared and the system is
switched off.
CRUISE CONTROL
GENERAL
The speed regulator (CRUISE CON-
TROL), with electronic control, makes it
possible to drive the car at the required
speed without pressing the accelerator ped-
al. This reduces driving fatigue during long
journeys because the speed memorised is
automatically maintained.
IMPORTANTThe device can only be en-
gaged at speeds above 30 km/h.
fig. 65
A0A0077m
Cruise control must be ac-
tivated only when the
route and traffic allow a constant
speed for a sufficiently long dis-
tance completely safely.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
50
DASHBOARD
1. Side swivel air vents - 2. Fixed side window air vents - 3. Outer light control lever - 4. Speedometer with mileage recorder and trip recorder
and headlamp aiming display - 5. Fuel level gauge with reserve warning light - 6. Multifunction display - 7. Engine coolant fluid temperature
gauge - 8. Rev counter - 9. Tailgate release button - 10. Card holder - 11. Radio - 12. Centre swivel air vents - 13. Fixed upper vent - 14.
Glass holder - 15. Fog lamp button - 16. Hazard warning light switch - 17. Rear fog guard button - 18. Passenger’s front Air bag - 19. Glove-
box - 20. Door locking button - 21. Controls for heating, ventilation and climate control - 22. Cigar lighter - 23. Ashtray - 24. Temperature
sensor - 25. Windscreen/rearscreen wiper control lever - 26. Ignition key and switch - 27. Horn - 28. Steering wheel locking/release lever -
29. Driver’s front Air bag - 30. Set of controls: trip meter reset, headlamp aiming device, trip computer - 31. Bonnet opening lever. fig. 66
A0A0426m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
52
IMPORTANTThe temperature of the en-
gine coolant may rise towards the maximum
values (red zone) when the vehicle is dri-
ven at low speeds, especially when the am-
bient air temperature is high. In this case it
is advisable to stop the vehicle and switch
off the engine for a few minutes, after which
the journey can be resumed, preferably at
a higher speed.ENGINE COOLANT FLUID
TEMPERATURE GAUGE WITH
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE
WARNING LIGHT
This shows the temperature of the engine
coolant fluid and begins when the fluid tem-
perature exceeds approx. 50°C.
Normally the pointer should be towards
the middle of the scale. If the pointer reach-
es the higher temperatures of the scale (red
area) the request for vehicle performance
should be decreased.
The turning on of the
uwarning light (on
some versions together with the message
shown on the reconfigurablemultifunction
display) indicates that the coolant fluid tem-
perature is too high; in this case, stop the
engine and contact Alfa Romeo Authorised
Services.
FUEL LEVEL GAUGE WITH
RESERVE INDICATOR
This shows the amount of fuel left in the
fuel tank.
The warning light
Kturns on to indicate that
approx. 7 litres of fuel are left in the tank.
IMPORTANTUnder certain conditions
(heavy slopes, for instance), the reading on
the gauge may differ from the actual amount
of fuel in the tank and changes in level may
be indicated late.
This condition falls within the operation log-
ics of the electronic control circuit to avoid
highly unstable readings due to swaying of
the fuel when travelling.
IMPORTANTRefuelling shall always be
performed with engine off and ignition key
toSTOP. If the engine is off but the key
is to MAR, a wrong fuel level could tem-
porarily be indicated. This is due to the in-
ternal system control logic and cannot be
considered as a system malfunctioning.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
54
CONTROL BUTTONS (fig. 69-70)
To use the information the reconfigurable multifunction display is able to give (with the ignition key at MAR) you should firstly familiarise
with the control buttons (on the plate at the side of the steering column and on the top of the right lever) using them as described below. Be-
fore doing anything you are also advised to read this chapter in full.
fig. 69
fig. 70
Press for less than 1 second (pulse) indicated withTin the following dia-
grams to move to the next screen
Press for more than 4 seconds indicated with
Uin the following diagrams, to
reset and then start a new journey
To scroll the display and the related options, upwards or to increase the value
displayed depending on the case
To scroll the display and the related options, down wards or decrease the value
displayed according to the case Press for less than 1 second (pulse) indicated with
Qin the following dia-
grams, to confirm the choice required and/or move to the next screen or ac-
cess the Menu
Press for more than 2 seconds indicated with
Rin the following diagrams,
to confirm the choice required and return to the standard screen
A0A0022m
A0A0021m
IMPORTANTButtonsâandãactivate different functions depending on the following
situations:
- When the standard screen is activated, they allow adjustment of the inner lighting
- Within the menu they allow scrolling up or down
- They make it possible to increase or decrease during setting operations.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
56
If the display shows a failure message, see the details given in the
“Warning lights” chapter; if there are two or more failures, the display
shows them in cycle, one after the other. To eliminate the display of the
message and/or of the warning light repeated on the rev counter
by the reconfigurable multifunction display, press button
Q.
INITIAL CHECK
Turning the ignition key to MAR, the reconfigurable multifunction display shows the message CHECK ACTIVE: the diagnostic phase of all the
electronic systems on the car has started, this lasts for about 4 seconds. If no faults are detected when the engine has started, the display shows
the OK message.
IMPORTANT If the reconfigurable multifunction display shows a failure message, see the details given in the “Warning lights” chapter.
Standard screen
The Programmed Maintenance
Schedule includes vehicle
maintenance every 20,000
km; this is shown
automatically, with the ignition
key at MAR, starting from
2,000 km (or miles) from this
deadline and it is shown again
every 200 km.
If no
failures
are
presentIs the
engine
started?YES
NO