2008 Alfa Romeo 166 Owner handbook (in English)

144
– Two or more spare wheels should never
be used together. Have the wheel changed
repaired and refitted as soon as possible.
Rims
The bolts should be tightened to a
torque of 86 Nm (8.8 kgm).
Tyres
The tyres installed on the vehicle are of
the tubeless type and do not have an in-
ner tube. To obtain the greatest degree of
comfort, safety and length of life of the
tyres, the following recommendations
should be observed.
– With new tyres do not drive at full
speed until the first 100 km have been
reached.
– Before entering a tight bend, even if
the vehicle permits it, reduce speed.
– Avoid sharp acceleration and unneces-
sary braking.
– Do not travel for long periods at sus-
tained high speed especially on rough
roads.– Have the wheels balanced and the
front and rear axles set correctly.
– Avoid hitting the side walls of the
tyres, for example when parking.
– Never tamper with the valve on the
tyre.
– Do not insert anything between the
rim and the tyre.
– If the rim is bent, have it replaced.
– In the event of an abnormal drop in
the tyre pressure replace the wheel and
have it checked.
– When balancing the wheels use the
counterweights which are specifically de-
signed for tubeless tyres. To balance light
alloy rims only Alfa Romeo original
weights should be used.
– The tyre pressure, including that of
the spare wheel must reflect the indica-
tions given in the “Technical specifica-
tions” of this manual.
– Have the tyres checked periodically to
ensure that they are not damaged in any
way.– Second-hand tyres of unknown origin
or over 6 years old must only be used in
emergencies and with great care.
– Inner tubes must not be fitted to
tubeless tyres.
– Avoid parking the vehicle on the edge
of a step or other irregularities in the road
surface.
– Have the tyre tread checked periodi-
cally and replace when the legal mini-
mum is reached.
IMPORTANT Some types of tyres are
fitted with wear indicators. As soon as
these wear indicators appear on the tyre
tread, the tyres must be replaced.
Periodically check that the tyres are not
showing signs of irregular tread wear. If
they are, contact Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services who will eliminate the cause of
irregular wear.
Tread wear increases the danger of
aquaplaning on wet surfaces.

145
To ensure uniform wear between the
tyres on the front axle and those on the
rear axle, the tyres should be switched
around every 10,000 - 15,000 km keep-
ing the tyres on the same side of the ve-
hicle to avoid inverting the direction of ro-
tation (fig. 1).Note for one way tyres: There
are arrows on the side of one-way tyres
indicating the direction of rotation. When
a wheel is changed (for example after a
puncture, the direction of the arrow on
the spare wheel might not coincide with
the direction of rotation of the wheel to
be changed. Even in these conditions the
tyre is still safe but you are advised to
have the tyre repaired and refitted as
soon as possible, because top perfor-
mance is obtained when all the wheels
turn in the direction of the arrow.Tyre pressure and wear
The correct tyre pressure will not only
ensure that your tyres last longer but will
also make your vehicle safer as they have
a direct influence over road holding.
The pressure of each tyre, including that
of the spare tyre should be checked regu-
larly and always before a long journey.
The tyres should be checked when cold
using a pressure gauge and inflated to
the pressure given in the chapter “Techni-
cal specifications”.
Incorrect tyre pressure causes tyre wear
(fig. 2):
Do not cross the tyres
over.
WARNING
3212CAm
fig. 2
A0D0037m
fig. 1

146
A - Normal pressure: tread uniform-
ly worn.
A correct pressure will ensure a longer
life for your tyre and improve perfor-
mance as the tread will then be working
along the entire width of the tread and
wear will be more uniform.
These conditions also lead to:
– better road holding of the vehicle
– easier and more precise steering
– reduced fuel consumption due to a
lower resistance against the rolling of the
tyre.
B - Insufficient pressure: tread
worn more along the edge.
Low tyre pressure will cause irregular
wearing of the tread (greater along the
sides) and cause the tyre to overheat
which could lead to parts of the tyre
breaking off and cause damage to the
shell of the tyre itself.
This type of damage could lead to sud-
den loss of pressure or cause the tyre to
burst.C - Excessive pressure: tread worn
more towards the centre.
Overinflating the tyres leads to:
– irregular wearing of the tread, con-
centrated more towards the centre of the
tread
– a reduction in the level of comfort
– a greater vulnerability of the tyre to
knocks
IMPORTANT When the vehicle is be-
ing used the pressure increases naturally.
In exceptional cases when checking tyre
pressure when hot, do not reduce the
pressure.Wheel balancing
Each wheel together with its tyre is bal-
anced, both satirically and dynamically, in
the factory. When the tyres are replaced
the wheels must be rebalanced to prevent
vehicle instability, wearing of the compo-
nents of the steering system and irregular
tyre wear.
When balancing wheels
made of light alloy only
original Alfa Romeo
counterweights should be used.

147
WINTER TYRES
These tyres are specially designed for
driving on snow and ice, to be fitted in re-
placement of those fitted on the car.
Use winter tyres of the same size as the
normal tyres provided on the car.
Alfa Romeo Authorised Services will be
pleased to advise you on the choice of
the car most suited to the use the Cus-
tomer intends to make of it.
For the type of tyre to be used, inflation
pressures and the specifications of winter
tyres, follow the instructions given in the
“Technical Specifications” chapter.
The winter features of these tyres are
reduced considerably when the tread
depth is below 4 mm. In this case, they
should be replaced.
Due to the winter features, under nor-
mal conditions of use or on long motor-
way journeys, the performance of these
tyres is lower than that of normal tyres.
It is necessary therefore to limit their
use to the purposes for which they are
certified.WARNINGWhen winter tyres are
used with a maximum speed index below
the one that can be reached by the vehi-
cle (increased by 5%), place a notice in
the passenger compartment, plainly in
the driver’s view which states the maxi-
mum permissible speed of the winter
tyres (as per CE Directive).
Fit the same type of tyre on all four
wheels (brand and profile) to ensure
higher driving safety when braking and
good handling.
Remember that it is inappropriate to
change the direction of rotation of tyres.
SNOW CHAINS
Use of snow chains should be in compli-
ance with local regulations. Snow chains
should only be applied to the drive
wheels (front). The sport connotation of
the vehicle requires the use of specific
types of snow chain. Alfa Romeo Autho-
rized Services should first be contacted
before purchasing or using snow chains.
Check the tension of the chain after the
first few dozen metres have been driven.
IMPORTANTWhen driving on snow
with snow chains fitted, it might be
helpful to turn off the ASR function of
the VDC system (if present): in fact, in
these conditions, skidding of the driving
wheels when moving off makes it pos-
sible to obtain higher traction.

148ECONOMY AND
ENVIRONMENT-
FRIENDLY DRIVING
How you use and how you drive your
vehicle directly influence fuel consump-
tion and environmental impact.
By following a few simple guidelines
and without incising on the “liveliness”
of the vehicle, it is possible to avoid dam-
aging the environment and often, at the
same time, to limit fuel consumption.
The following helpful suggestions will al-
low you to save in running costs and re-
duce harmful emissions.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Vehicle maintenance
The conditions of the vehicle are an im-
portant factor which affects fuel consump-
tion as well as driving tranquillity and the
life of the car itself. For this reason, care
should be given to maintenance, having
the checks and adjustments given in the
scheduled maintenance programme car-
ried out (see ... spark plugs, idle speed,
air/fuel oil filter, timing).
Tyres
Check the tyre pressure at least every 4
weeks: if the pressure is too low, consump-
tion increases as resistance to rolling is
higher. It should also be underlined that in
these conditions, tyre wear increases re-
sulting in poor handling and lower safety. Drive at a moderate
speed when snow chains
have been fitted to the
wheels. Avoid potholes, steps and
pavements, and do not drive for
long stretches on snow-free roads,
otherwise you risk damaging the
tyres, suspension and steering.
Snow chains can be fit-
ted only on wheels with
6.5J x 16” rims and
215/55 R16 tyres or 7.5J x 17”
rims and 225/45 R17 tyres.
(*) Pour versions/marchè lorsqu’il
est prèvu pneus 205/55 R16.

149
Useless loads
Do not overload the boot (especially in
town), as this will heavily affect fuel con-
sumption and stability of the vehicle.
Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or ski rack imme-
diately after use. These accessories lower
air drag and adversely affect consumption
levels. For particularly bulky loads the use
of a trailer is preferable.
Electric services
Use electric devices only for the neces-
sary time. Rearscreen heating, additional
headlights, wipers and the heater fan
consume a considerable amount of ener-
gy, increasing the need for current highers
fuel consumption (up to +25% in the ur-
ban cycle).Climate control system
The climate control system is a further
load that weighs considerably on the en-
gine inducing higher consumption levels
(on average up to +20%). Outside tem-
perature permitting, preferably use the air
vents.
Spoilers
The use of spoilers that have not been
certified by Alfa Romeo can adversely af-
fect air drag and fuel consumption.DRIVING STYLE
Starting
Do not warm the engine stationary at i-
dle speed or high speed: in these condi-
tions the engine warms much more slow-
ly, increasing consumption and emissions.
It is therefore advisable to move off im-
mediately and slowly, avoiding high
speeds. This will warm up the engine
more quickly.
Pointless manoeuvres
Avoid revving the engine when waiting
at traffic lights and before switching the
engine off. This, like revving before
changing gear, serves absolutely no pur-
pose on modern cars and increases con-
sumption and emission levels.
Gearshifting
As soon as the road and traffic condi-
tions permit it, engage a higher gear. The
use of a low gear to obtain lively acceler-
ating increases fuel consumption.
In the same way, incorrect use of a gear
increases consumption, emission and en-
gine wear.

150
CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Brief and frequent cold starts do not al-
low the engine to reach the optimum op-
erating temperature. This leads to a sig-
nificant increase in consumption (from
+15% up to +30% in the urban cycle)
and in the emission of pollutants.
Traffic situations and road
conditions
Rather high consumption levels are
linked with heavy traffic situations, for ex-
ample in slow-moving queues with the
frequent use of low gears or in big towns
with many traffic lights.
Also winding mountain roads and rough
roads adversely affect consumption lev-
els.
Halts in the traffic
During prolonged halts (e.g. level cross-
ings) it is advisable to switch the engine
off.
PROTECTING EMISSION
REDUCING DEVICES
The correct operation of the anti-pollu-
tion devices not only guarantees respect
for the environment but also has a great
influence on vehicle performance.
These devices should be kept in good
condition to permit economical and eco-
logical use of your vehicle.
The programmed Maintenance Schedule
should be carefully followed.
For petrol engines, only unleaded fuel
should be used.
If starting is difficult,
do not insist with pro-
longed attempts. Do not
push, tow or coast start the ve-
hicle: these may all damage the
catalysts. Top speed
Fuel consumption increases considerably
with the speed of the car: it is helpful to
observe that passing from 90 to 120
km/h consumption increases by + 30%.
Also maintain the most uniform possible
speed, avoiding superfluous braking and
accelerating which cost fuel while increas-
ing emission levels. You are therefore ad-
vised to adopt a “smooth” driving style.
trying to anticipate manoeuvres to avoid
imminent danger and respect safety dis-
tances to avoid having to slow down
abruptly.
Acceleration
Violent accelerating bringing the engine
to high rpm has a considerable adverse
effect on consumption and emission lev-
els; it is wise to accelerate gradually with-
out exceeding the maximum permissible
torque.

151
Use an auxiliary battery to start the ve-
hicle in an emergency.
If the engine is not “running smoothly”
when the vehicle is travelling, reduce the
request for performance to a minimum
and contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Ser-
vices as soon as possible.
When the fuel reserve warning light
comes on fill up as soon as possible. A
low fuel level may cause an irregular sup-
ply to the engine with inevitable increase
of the exhaust gas temperature.
When travelling downhill for long
stretches slightly rev the engine every
now and again. This action will extend
the life of the catalyzer.
Never run the engine, even as a test,
with one or more spark plugs disconnect-
ed.
During normal operation
the catalytic converter
reaches high temperatures. Do not
therefore park the vehicle over in-
flammable materials (grass, dry
leaves, pine needles etc.): fire haz-
ard. Do not install other heat
shields and do not remove the ex-
isting ones on the catalyst and on
the exhaust pipe.
Do not spray anything on the cat-
alyst, lambda sensor and exhaust
pipe.
WARNING
The failure to follow
these rules may cause a
fire hazard.
WARNING