2008 Alfa Romeo Brera/Spider clutch

MUST BE READ!
REFUELLING
Petrol engines:only refuel with unleaded petrol with octane rating (RON) not less than 95.
Diesel engines: only refuel with diesel fuel conforming to the European specification EN590. The use of
other products or mixtures may irreparably damage the engine with invalidation of the warranty due to the
damage caused.
K
ENGINE STARTING
Petrol engines: make sure that the handbrake is engaged; set the gearshift lever to neutral; fit the electronic key in-
to the ignition switch to the stop limit; fully depress the clutch or the brake pedal without pressing the accelerator; press
buttonSTART/STOPand release it as soon as the engine has started.
Diesel engines:make sure that the handbrake is engaged; set the gearshift lever to neutral; fit the electronic key in-
to the ignition switch to the stop limit; wait for the
mwarning light to go off; fully depress the clutch or the brake ped-
al without pressing the accelerator; press buttonSTART/STOPand release it as soon as the engine has started.
PARKING ON FLAMMABLE MATERIAL
While working, the catalyst develops a very high temperature. Do not park the car over grass, dry leaves, pine
needles or any other inflammable materials: risk of fire.

RESPECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
A system for continuously monitoring emission system components to ensure greater environmental protec-
tion is fitted in your car.

20
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
IMPORTANTIf when fitting the elec-
tronic key into the ignition device, sym-
bol
Yis displayed (on certain versions
together with a message) check
whether the electronic key is the prop-
er one and then try to refit it into the
ignition device. If the problem persists
contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services.
TURNING THE INSTRUMENT
PANEL OFF
With the engine off and brake and clutch
pedal released, press button
START/STOPor take the electronic
key out of the ignition device.
Few seconds after the instrument pan-
el will gradually turn off.
IMPORTANTIf when removing the
electronic key from the ignition device
the instrument panel stays on, contact
Alfa Romeo Authorized Services.
TURNING THE INSTRUMENT
PANEL ON
Proceed as follows:
❒fit the electronic key into the ignition
device;
❒if the electronic key is fitted yet,
press button START/STOPwith-
out pressing the clutch or brake ped-
al.
To safeguard the battery, when leaving
the car with the instrument panel on,
electric and electronic devices will be de-
activated after approx. 1 hour.
IMPORTANT Fit the electronic key in-
to the ignition device completely until
it locks into place.
IMPORTANTIf when fitting the elec-
tronic key into the ignition device the in-
strument panel stays off, contact Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services.
A0F0028mfig. 14
ENGINE STARTING
See paragraph “Engine starting” in sec-
tion “Correct use of the car”.
START/STOP BUTTON
fig. 14
ButtonSTART/STOP, set on the
dashboard, controls car electric systems
and engine starting/stopping.
ButtonSTART/STOPis fitted with
knurled ring and led. When the led and
the instrument panel are on, the engine
can be started.

TO INCREASE THE
MEMORISED SPEED
The speed memorised can be increased
in two ways:
❒pressing the accelerator and then
memorising the new speed reached;
or
❒moving the stalk upwards (+).
Each operation of the stalk will corre-
spond to a slight increase in speed
(about 1.5 km/h), while keeping the
stalk upwards will correspond to a con-
tinuous speed increase.
TO REDUCE MEMORISED
SPEED
The speed memorised can be increased
in two ways:
❒disengaging the device and then
memorising the new speed;
or
❒moving the stalk downwards (–) un-
til reaching the new speed which will
be memorised automatically.
Each operation of the stalk will corre-
spond to a slight decrease in speed
(about 1.5 km/h), while keeping the
stalk downwards will correspond to a
continuous speed decrease.
TO RESET THE MEMORISED
SPEED
If the device has been disengaged for
example pressing the brake or clutch
pedal, the memorised speed can be re-
set as follows:
❒accelerate gradually until reaching a
speed approaching the one memo-
rised;
❒engage the gear selected at the time
of speed memorising (4th or high-
er gear);
❒press button RES(set at stalk end).
73
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR

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

102
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
HILL HOLDER SYSTEM
This system is an integral part of the VDC
system and it is provided to facilitate
starting on slopes:
❒uphill: car at a standstill on a road
with a gradient higher than 6%, en-
gine running, clutch and brake ped-
al depressed, gearbox to neutral or
engaged gear other than reverse;
❒downhill: car at a standstill on a road
with a gradient higher than 6%, en-
gine running, clutch and brake ped-
al depressed and reverse gear en-
gaged.
At pickup the VDC system control unit
will keep brake force on wheels until
reaching the torque suitable for starting,
or in any case for about 1 second in or-
der to pass easily from the brake pedal
to the accelerator pedal.
This time elapsing without starting, the
system will deactivate automatically by
releasing gradually the brake force.
At releasing, the typical brake disen-
gagement noise indicating that the car
is going to move will be heard.Failure warnings
System failure is indicated by the dedi-
cated message on the display (see sec-
tion “Warning lights and messages”).
IMPORTANT The Hill Holder system
is not a parking brake. Never get out
of the car without engaging the hand-
brake, switching the engine off and en-
gaging the first gear.
ASR SYSTEM
(AntiSlip Regulation)
This system is an integral part of the VDC
system, it controls car drive and cuts in
automatically every time one or both dri-
ving wheels slip.
According to slipping conditions, two dif-
ferent control systems are activated:
❒if slipping involves both driving
wheels, the ASR function intervenes
reducing the power transmitted by
the engine;
❒if slipping involves only one driving
wheel, the ASR system cuts in au-
tomatically braking the wheel that is
slipping.
The action of the ASR is particularly help-
ful in the following circumstances:
❒slipping of the inner wheel due to
the effect of dynamic load changes
or excessive acceleration;
❒too much power transmitted to the
wheels also in relation to the condi-
tions of the road surface;

139
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
STARTING PROCEDURE FOR
PETROL VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❒pull up the handbrake;
❒put the gear lever neutral;
❒fit the electronic key into the ignition
device to stop limit;
❒press the clutch (or brake) pedal
down to the floor without pressing the
accelerator;
❒press button START/STOP and re-
lease it as soon as the engine starts.
STARTING PROCEDURE FOR
DIESEL VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❒pull up the handbrake;
❒put the gear lever neutral;
❒fit the electronic key into the ignition
device to stop limit. The warning
light
mon the instrument panel
will turn on;
❒wait for the warning light mto turn
off. The hotter the engine is, the quick-
er this will happen;
❒press the clutch (or brake) down to
the floor without pressing the accel-
erator;
❒press button START/STOPas soon
as warning light
mgoes out. If you
wait too long you will lose the bene-
fit of the work done by the glow plugs.
Release the button as soon as the en-
gine starts.WARNINGS
If at start-up the engine turns off, restart
it by pressing the clutch or brake pedal
and then press button START/STOP.
If after a few attempts the engine does
not start, do not insist but contact Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services.
With car started the electronic key is
locked into the ignition device and it can
be removed only after switching the en-
gine off. With car running and key locked
into the ignition device, forced key re-
moval could damage the ignition device.

Start-up failures
The system can recognise start-up fail-
ures.
In the event of failure, the electronic key
can be removed from the ignition device to
enable the driver to carry out the follow-
ing operations:
❒turn the instrument panel off by
pressing button START/STOPor
removing the electronic key from the
ignition device;
❒start the engine again by pressing the
clutch/brake pedal and button
START/STOP.
IMPORTANT With engine raced while
the car is running, due to safety reasons
it is not possible to remove the electronic
key from the ignition device. To remove
it, press buttonSTART/STOPwith
brake pedal (or clutch pedal) released and
car stopped. Start-up failures, if any, are indicated by
the turning on of the warning light
Yon
the instrument panel (on certain versions
a dedicated message is displayed). In this
case contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Ser-
vices.
If the engine will not start after pressing
buttonSTART/STOPrepeat the start-
up procedure by pressing the other pedal
(clutch or brake).
140
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
HOW TO WARM UP THE
ENGINE AFTER IT HAS JUST
STARTED (petrol and diesel
engines)
Proceed as follows:
❒Drive off slowly, letting the engine
turn at medium revs. Do not accel-
erate abruptly;
❒Do not drive at full performance for
the initial kilometres. Wait until the
coolant temperature gauge starts
moving.

141
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
STOPPING THE ENGINE
With car stopped press button
START/STOP. When the engine is off
it will be possible to remove the electronic
key from the ignition device.
In an emergency and
also for safety rea-
sons, it is possible to kill the
engine while the car is running
by pressing repeatedly (three
times in 2 seconds) or keeping
pressed the START/STOP but-
ton for a few seconds. In this
case the power steering is no
longer available.
WARNING
IMPORTANTTurning the car off will
deactivate the electronic safety systems
and turn off the external lights.
IMPORTANTKilling the engine while
the car is running, due to safety reasons,
it will not be possible to take the elec-
tronic key out of the ignition device. To
remove it, turn the instrument panel on
and off by pressing button
START/STOPwith brake pedal (or
clutch pedal) released and car stopped. A quick burst on the ac-
celerator before turning
off the engine serves
absolutely no practical purpose,
it wastes fuel and is damaging
especially to turbocharged en-
gines.
IMPORTANTAfter a taxing drive, you
should allow the engine to “catch its
breath” before turning it off by letting it
idle to allow the temperature in the en-
gine compartment to fall.