2008 Alfa Romeo GT key

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
41
The key can be inserted and removed in
both positions.
IMPORTANTOperate the switch only
when the engine is not running and the ig-
nition key is removed.
The key-operated switch has two positions:
– passenger’s front airbag activated (ON
positionP): warning light
Fon instru-
ment cluster off; it is absolutely prohibited
to carry a child on the front seat.
– passenger’s front airbag deactivated
(OFFposition
F): warning light Fon
instrument cluster on; it is possible to carry
a child protected by special restraint system
on the front seat.
The warning light
Fon the cluster stays
on permanently until the passenger’s air bag
is reactivated.
Deactivation of the passenger’s front air
bag does not inhibit operation of the side air
bag.
SIDE AIR BAGS
(SIDE BAG - WINDOW BAG)
SIDE BAG (
fig. 53)
The side bag is formed of an instanta-
neously-inflating cushion housed in the back
rest of the front seat and protects the chest
of occupants in case of a side crash of medi-
um-high severity.
WINDOW BAG (fig. 54)
The window bag is formed of two “cur-
tain” cushions housed in the side roof lining
covered by a special trim, which protects the
head of front and rear occupants in the event
of a side crash thanks to the wide cushion
inflation surface.
IMPORTANTIn the event of side crash,
you can obtain the best protection by the
system keeping a correct position on the
seat, thus allowing correct window bag un-
folding.
fig. 53
A0A0614b
fig. 54
A0A0615b

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
43
GENERAL CAUTIONS
If when turning the ignition
key to MAR, the warning
light
¬does not turn on or
if it stays on when travelling there
could be a failure in safety sys-
tems; in this event air bags or pre-
tensioners could not trigger in case
of impact or, in a minor number of
cases, they could trigger acciden-
tally. Contact Alfa Romeo Autho-
rized Services immediately to have
the system checked.
Do not cover the backrest
of front seats with trims or
covers that are not suitable
to be used with side bags.Never travel with objects
on your lap, in front of
your chest or with a pipe,
pencil, etc. between your lips; in-
jury may result in the event of the
air bag being triggered.
Always keep your hands
on the steering wheel rim
when driving, so that if the
air bag is triggered, it can inflate
without meeting any obstacles
which could cause serious harm to
you. Do not drive with the body
bent forwards, keep the seat back
rest in the erect position and lean
your back well against it.
If the car has been stolen
or an attempt to steal it
has been made, if it has
been subjected to vandals or
floods, have the air bag system
checked by Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services.
Remember that with the
key engaged and at MAR,
even if the engine is not
running, the air bags may be trig-
gered on a stationary car if it is
bumped by another moving car.
Therefore, never seat children on
the front seat even when the car is
stationary. On the other hand re-
member that if the key is at STOP,
no safety system (air bags or pre-
tensioners) is triggered in the
event of an impact; in this case,
failure to come into action cannot
be considered as a sign that the
system is not working properly.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
44
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 for 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 sidelights and number plate lights stay on.
Position (1or2-fig. 60) of the lever
causes the turning on only of the sidelights
(front and rear), on the right or left respec-
tively.
Lights switched off
(fig. 55)
When the pointer in the knurled ring is op-
posite the symbol O, the outer lights are
switched off. When the ignition key is
turned to MAR, the warn-
ing light
F(with passen-
ger’s front air bag deactivation
switch at ON) turns on and flash-
es for few seconds to remind that
passenger’s air bag will be de-
ployed in a crash, after which it
should go off.The front air bag is trig-
gered for shocks greater in
magnitude than the pre-
tensioners. For impacts between
these two thresholds, it is there-
fore normal that only the preten-
sioners are triggered.
Do not hook rigid objects
to the coat hooks and to
the support handles.
The air bag does not sub-
stitute the seat belts, but
only increases their effec-
tiveness. Moreover, since the front
air bags do not come into operation
in the event of front impact at low
speed, side collisions, bumps from
behind or overturning, in these cir-
cumstances the occupants would
only be protected by the seat belts
which must therefore always be
fastened. Never wash seat back-
rests with pressurised wa-
ter or steam (by hand or at
automatic seat washing stations).

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
46
“Follow me home” device
(fig. 61)
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 lever 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. Flashing
(fig. 59)
The headlights are flashed pulling the lever
towards the steering wheel (instable posi-
tion) regardless of the position of the
knurled ring. The
1warning light on the
cluster will come on at the same time.
IMPORTANTOnly the main-beam lights
are flashed. To avoid penalties follow local
regulations.
Direction indicators
(fig. 60)
Regardless of the position of the knurled
ring, moving the lever to the stable position
will:
up, position (1) - engage the right-hand
direction indicators.
down, position (2) - engage the left-hand
direction indicators.One of the warning lights (
RorE) will
come on on the instrument cluster at the
same time.
The lever is returned to its position auto-
matically and the indicators are switched off
when the steering wheel is straightened.
IMPORTANTIf you wish to signal a
rapid change of direction involving only a
minimal movement of the steering wheel,
the lever can be removed up or down with-
out it clicking (unstable position). When re-
leased, the lever will return to its home po-
sition.
fig. 61
A0A0067b
fig. 60
A0A0068b

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
48
At each start, the rain sensor automatically
stabilises at a temperature of about 40°C
to eliminate any condensation from the con-
trol surface and prevent the formation of ice.
The rain sensor is able to detect and au-
tomatically adapt to the presence of the fol-
lowing particular conditions which require
different sensitivity:
– impurities on the control surface (salt,
dirt, etc.);
– streaks of water caused by worn wiper
blades;
– difference between day and night (the
human eye is more disturbed during the
night by the wet glass surface). Rain sensor (fig. 64)
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. 62) 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. 62) 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.
fig. 64
A0A0331b

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
50
TO MEMORISE
THE SPEED
Move the ring (A) to ONand take the car
to the required speed normally. Turn the ring
(B) to (+) for at least three seconds, then
release it. The car speed is memorised and
it is therefore possible to release the accel-
erator pedal.
The car will continue to travel at the mem-
orised constant speed until one of the fol-
lowing conditions takes place:
– pressing the brake pedal;
– pressing the clutch pedal;
– if the ASR, MSR or ESP system cuts in;
– with Selespeed transmission if a gear is
changed;
– inadvertent movement of the Selespeed
gear control lever to position N.
IMPORTANTIn the case of need (when
overtaking for instance) acceleration is pos-
sible simply pressing the accelerator pedal;
later, releasing the accelerator pedal, the car
will return to the speed memorised previ-
ously.
TO RESET THE
MEMORISED SPEED
If the device has been disengaged for ex-
ample pressing the brake or clutch pedal,
the memorised speed can be reset as fol-
lows:
– accelerate gradually until reaching a
speed approaching the one memorised;
– engage the gear selected at the time
of speed memorising (4th, 5th or 6th
speed);
– press the RESbutton (C).
TO INCREASE THE
MEMORISED SPEED
The speed memorised can be increased
in two ways:
1) pressing the accelerator and then mem-
orising the new speed reached (turning the
ring to (B) for more than three seconds);
or
2) momentaneously turning the ring (B)
to (+): each pulse of the ring will correspond
to a slight increase in speed (about 1.5
km/h) while pressing continuously will cor-
respond to a continuous speed increase. Re-
leasing the ring (B) the new speed will be
memorised automatically. –ONis the normal operating position of
the device. When the ring (A) is in this
position, the warning light
Üon the in-
strument cluster turns on.
Ring (B) serves for memorising and main-
taining the car sped 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.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
52
fig. 67
A0A0748b
DASHBOARD
(For right-hand drive versions see dashboard and instruments in the dedicated paragraph at the end of the manual)
1. Adjustable side air vents - 2. Fixed side window air vents - 3. External lights control lever - 4. Instrument panel - 5. Tailgate release button - 6. Cards holder
(for versions/markets where applicable) - 7. Sound system (for versions/markets where applicable) - 8. Adjustable central air vents - 9. Upper fixed vent - 10.
Glass/can holder (for versions/markets where applicable) - 11. Front fog light button - 12. Hazard light switch - 13. Rear fog light button - 14. front passen-
ger’s air bag - 15. Glovebox - 16. Door locking button - 17. Heating/ventilation/climate controls - 18. Cigar lighter/ashtray housing lid - 19. Temperature sen-
sor - 20. Windscreen wiper stalk - 21. Ignition key and ignition switch - 22. Horn - 23. Steering wheel locking/release lever - 24. Driver’s air bag - 25. Set of
controls - 26. Bonnet opening lever.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
57
FUEL LEVEL GAUGE WITH
RESERVE INDICATOR
This shows the amount of fuel left in the
fuel tank.
The warning light
K(A-fig. 76) turns 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 at
STOP. If the engine is off but the key is at
MAR, a wrong fuel level could temporarily
be indicated. This is due to the internal sys-
tem control logic and cannot be considered as
a system malfunctioning.
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
section, or white on certain versions) the re-
quest for car performance should be de-
creased.
The turning on of the
u(B-fig. 76)
warning light (on some versions together
with the message shown on the reconfig-
urablemultifunctiondisplay) indicates that
the coolant fluid temperature is too high;
in this case, stop the engine and contact
Alfa Romeo Authorised Services.IMPORTANTThe temperature of the en-
gine coolant may rise towards the maximum
values (red section, or white on certain ver-
sions) when the car is driven at low speeds,
especially when the ambient air tempera-
ture is high. In this case it is advisable to
stop the car and switch off the engine for
a few minutes, after which the journey can
be resumed, preferably at a higher speed.
fig. 76
A0A0758b