2008 Alfa Romeo Brera/Spider ABS

6
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
D D
A A
S S
H H
B B
O O
A A
R R
D D
A A
N N
D D
C C
O O
N N
T T
R R
O O
L L
S S
CEILING LIGHTS ................................................. 75
CONTROLS ........................................................ 77
INTERIOR FITTINGS............................................. 80
FIXED PANORAMA ROOF ..................................... 84
DOORS ............................................................ 86
POWER WINDOWS ............................................ 88
BOOT ............................................................... 90
BONNET............................................................ 96
ROOF RACK/SKI RACK ....................................... 97
HEADLIGHTS...................................................... 97
ABS SYSTEM .................................................... 99
VDC SYSTEM .................................................... 100
EOBD SYSTEM .................................................. 104
SOUND SYSTEM ................................................ 104
ACCESSORIES PURCHASED BY THE OWNER .......... 105
INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC/ELECTRONIC DEVICES .. 105
PARKING SENSORS ............................................ 106
TYRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (T.P.M.S.) .. 109
AT THE FILLING STATION ..................................... 112
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT ......................... 114 DASHBOARD...................................................... 7
INSTRUMENT PANEL .......................................... 8
SYMBOLS ........................................................ 9
THE ALFA ROMEO CODE SYSTEM.......................... 9
ELECTRONIC KEY ............................................... 11
ALARM ............................................................ 17
IGNITION DEVICE................................................ 19
INSTRUMENTS ................................................... 22
RECONFIGURABLE MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAY .......... 26
SEATS .............................................................. 41
HEAD RESTRAINTS.............................................. 44
STEERING WHEEL .............................................. 45
REARVIEW MIRRORS .......................................... 46
CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM ................................ 49
MANUAL CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM ................... 51
AUTOMATIC TWO-ZONE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM 54
ADDITIONAL HEATER .......................................... 64
EXTERNAL LIGHTS ............................................. 65
WINDOW WASHING .......................................... 68
CRUISE CONTROL .............................................. 72

21
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
It is absolutely forbidden
to carry out whatever
after-market operation involv-
ing steering system or steering
column modifications (e.g.: in-
stallation of anti-theft device)
that could badly affect perfor-
mance and safety, cause the
lapse of warranty and also re-
sult in non-compliance of the car
with homologation require-
ments.
WARNING
Disengaging
The steering column lock will disengage
after fitting the electronic key into the
ignition device.
IMPORTANTSwitching the engine off
when the car is running will not engage
the steering column lock till next switch-
ing off of the engine with car stopped. In
this event a dedicated message will be dis-
played.
IMPORTANTSteering column lock fail-
ure is indicated by symbol + message on
the display. In this event contact Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services.STEERING COLUMN LOCK
Engaging
The steering column lock will engage
5 seconds after removing the electron-
ic key from the ignition device and if the
following conditions are present:
❒engine off;
❒ instrument panel off with car at a
standstill;
❒electronic key removed from ignition
device.IMPORTANTIf after turning the in-
strument panel on and/or starting the en-
gine, the display shows the message “Car
protection system not available”, repeat
the operation using the moving the steer-
ing wheel to facilitate steering column un-
locking. Displaying of the warning mes-
sage will not impair steering column lock
regular operation.

45
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
STEERING WHEEL
The steering wheel can be adjusted both
axially and in height.
It is absolutely forbid-
den to carry out what-
ever after-market operation
involving steering system or
steering column modifications
(e.g.: installation of anti-theft
device) that could badly affect
performance and safety, cause
the lapse of warranty and al-
so result in non-compliance of
the car with homologation re-
quirements.
WARNING
A0F0136mfig. 31
Any adjustment of the
steering wheel position
must be carried out only with
the car stationary and the en-
gine turned off.
WARNING
Release the lever A-fig. 31pushing it
downwards, then adjust the steering
wheel as required. To lock the steering
wheel, push lever Aupwards.

Automatic Cruise Control
deactivation
The Cruise Control is temporarily deac-
tivated when the ABS or VDC systems
come into operation (above a max. pre-
set time): in this case the last set speed
will stay memorised, to recall it press
buttonRES.
In the event of Cruise Control or engine
control system failure, the device is de-
activated until removing the electronic
key from the ignition device. In this
event contact Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services.
The device is automatically deactivated
when operating accidentally or incor-
rectly the stalk, the knurled ring Aor
buttonRES: in this event to reactivate
the device: bring the car to the required
speed and then move the stalk upwards
(+) or downwards (–).DEVICE DISENGAGEMENT
The device is disengaged in one of the
following cases:
❒turning the knurled ring A-fig. 50
toO;
❒turning the engine off or removing
the electronic key from the ignition
device;
❒pressing the brake pedal, pressing
the clutch pedal (in these cases the
last stored speed will stay memo-
rised, to resume it press button
RES);
❒pressing the accelerator pedal; in this
case the system is disengaged only
temporarily; device operation will be
resumed automatically when re-
leasing the pedal;
❒with car speed below the preset lim-
it (in these cases the last stored
speed will stay memorised, to re-
sume it press button RES);
74
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
In the event of device
malfunction or failure,
turn the knurled ring A-fig. 50
to O and contact Alfa Romeo
Authorized Services after
checking the protection fuse in-
tegrity.
WARNING
When travelling with
the device on, never
set the gearshift lever to neu-
tral.
WARNING

82
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CARASHTRAY AND CIGAR
LIGHTER
Ashtray
To use the ashtray, lift cover A-fig. 61.
The ashtray can be removed. Pull it up-
wards to removeit.
IMPORTANTDo not use the ashtray
as paper bin: it could set on fire on con-
tact with cigarette stubs.
A0F0140mfig. 61
Cigar lighter
It is located inside the cigar lighter. To
use the cigar lighter, lift cover A-fig.
61.
Press button Bto switch on the cigar
lighter with key fitted into ignition de-
vice.
IMPORTANTAlways check that the
cigar lighter has turned off.
IMPORTANTThe cigar lighter gets
very hot. Handle it with care and make
sure that it is not used by children: dan-
ger of fire and/or burns.
IMPORTANTDo not plug electric ac-
cessories with power exceeding 100W
to the cigar lighter seat.
IMPORTANTPlugs too big could
damage the cigar lighter outlet tabs.
Do not plug electric ac-
cessories with absorp-
tion exceeding the max.
specified value. Prolonged cur-
rent absorption could drain the
battery and impair next engine
start up.
IMPORTANTTo safeguard the light-
ing life of certain internal devices (e.g.:
cigar lighter ring and ashtray), when
switching on the external lights, these
devices will switch on according to the
passenger's compartment brightness:
with enough daylight these devices will
not switch on. On the contrary they will
switch on with poor daylight.

99
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
ABS SYSTEM
The car is fitted with ABS braking sys-
tem, which prevents the wheels from
locking when braking, makes the most
of road grip and gives the best control
when emergency braking under difficult
road conditions.
System is completed by EBD (Electron-
ic Braking Force Distribution), which dis-
tributes the braking action between front
and rear wheels.
IMPORTANT To have the maximum
efficiency of the braking system, it is
necessary a setting period of about 500
km: during this period it is better to
avoid sharp, repeated and prolonged
brakes.
ABS SYSTEM
INTERVENTION
The driver can tell the ABS system has
come into action because the brake ped-
al pulsates slightly and the system gets
noisier: it means that the car speed
should be altered to fit the type of road
surface.
If the ABS system cuts
in, it is a sign that the
grip between tyre and the
road surface has reached the
limit: you must slow down to
match the speed to the road
grip available.
WARNING
The ABS exploits the
tyre-road grip at the
best, but it cannot improve it;
you should therefore take
every care when driving on
slippery surfaces without tak-
ing unnecessary risks.
WARNING
When the ABS cuts in,
and you feel the brake
pedal pulsating, do not re-
move your foot, but keep it
pressed; in doing so you will
stop in the shortest amount of
space possible under the cur-
rent road conditions.
WARNING

100
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
BRAKE ASSIST
(emergency braking
assistance)
The system, which cannot be cut out,
recognizes emergency braking (on the
ground of the brake pedal operation
speed) and considerably increases the
pressure in the brake circuit.
Brake Assist is deactivated on the ver-
sions equipped with VDC system in the
event of VDC system failure, indicated
by the turning on of warning light
áon
the instrument panel (together with a
message on the display).
FAILURE WARNING LIGHTS
ABS failure
ABS failure is indicated by the turning
on of warning light
>on the instru-
ment panel (together with a message
on the display) (see section “Warning
lights and messages”). In this case the
braking system is still efficient, though
without the aid of the ABS system.
Drive carefully to the closest Alfa Romeo
Authorized Services to have the system
checked.
EBD failure
EBD failure is indicated by the turning
on of warning lights
>+xon the in-
strument panel (together with a mes-
sage on the display) (see section
“Warning lights and messages”).
In this case with sharp braking the rear
wheels might lock too early, with the
possibility of skidding. Drive extremely
carefully to the closest Alfa Romeo Au-
thorized Services to have the system
checked.
VDC SYSTEM
(Vehicle Dynamics
Control)
The VDC system is an electronic system
controlling the car stability in the event
of tyre grip loss.
The VDC system is therefore particular-
ly useful when grip conditions of the
road surfaces changes.
VDC SYSTEM
INTERVENTION
It is indicated by the blinking of the
warning light
áon the instrument pan-
el, to inform the driver that the car is
in critical stability and grip conditions.

101
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CARTURNING THE VDC SYSTEM
ON/OFF
The VDC system is automatically acti-
vated when the engine is started. When
travelling, to turn the VDC off press the
ASR/ VDC button on the central console
for 2 seconds fig. 85. Turning off the
VDC will also turn off the ASR. Both func-
tions can be reactivated by pressing the
ASR/VDC button.
VDC system deactivation is indicated
by the dedicated message on the dis-
play.
If the VDC has been turned off when
travelling, at next engine start-up it will
turn on again automatically.
A0F0026mfig. 85
Performance of the
VDC system, in terms
of active safety should not in-
duce the driver to take point-
less and unnecessary risks.
The style of driving must in
any case always be adapted to
the conditions of the road sur-
face, visibility an traffic. Road
safety is always the driver’s
responsibility.
WARNING
During the use of the
space-saver spare wheel
(where provided), the VDC
system carries on working.
However, you must remind
that the space-saver spare
wheel has dimensions smaller
than the standard tyre and
therefore its grip is reduced as
to the other car tyres.
WARNING
For correct operation of
the VDC system, the
tyres must absolutely be of
the same brand and type on all
wheels, in perfect conditions
and, above all, of type, brand
and size specified.
WARNING
FAILURE WARNING LIGHTS
In the event of failure, the VDC system
is automatically disconnected and the
warning light
ácomes on with fixed
light on the instrument panel (together
with a message on the display) (see sec-
tion “Warning lights and messages”). In
this case contact Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services as soon as possible.