205
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
POWER STEERING FLUID fig. 14
1.8 petrol and Multijet versions
Check that the fluid level in the reservoir
is at maximum level.
This operation shall be carried out with
the car on level surface, engine not run-
ning and cold.
Check that the fluid level is at the MAX
mark on the dipstick integral with reser-
voir cap A-fig. 14.
If the fluid level in the reservoir is below
the specified level, contact Fiat Dealership. WINDSCREEN/REAR
WINDOW/HEADLIGHT
WASHER FLUID
To top up, remove the cap A-fig. 12and
then pour a mixture of water and
TUTELA PROFESSIONAL SC 35, in
the following concentrations:
❒30% TUTELA PROFESSIONAL
SC 35 and 70% water in summer;
❒50% TUTELA PROFESSIONAL
SC 35 and 50% water in winter.
In case of temperatures below –20°C, use
undiluted TUTELA PROFESSIONAL
SC 35.
Check level through the reservoir.
Proper dipstick shows the fluid level fig.
13in the windscreen washer reservoir.
fig. 12F0L0192mfig. 13F0L0193m
Do not travel with the wind-
screen washer reservoir
empty. The windscreen washer is fun-
damental for improving visibility.
WARNING
Certain commercial addi-
tives for windscreen washers
are inflammable. The engine com-
partment contains hot components
which may set it on fire.
WARNING
fig. 14 - Multijet -
1.8 petrol versionsF0L0212m
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WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
BRAKE FLUID fig. 15
Unscrew cap A: check that the fluid level
in the reservoir is at maximum.
Fluid level in the reservoir shall not exceed
the MAXmark.
If fluid has to be added, it is suggested to
use the brake fluid in table "Fluids and lu-
bricants" (see chapter "Technical charac-
teristics").
NOTE Clean accurately the tank cap A
and the surrounding surface. 2.2 versions
Contact Fiat Dealership for topping up or
changing the power steering fluid.
Do not allow the power
steering fluid to touch the
hot parts of the engine: it is inflam-
mable.
WARNING
fig. 15F0L0196m
Make sure that the highly cor-
rosive brake fluid does not drip
onto the paintwork; if it does,
wash it off immediately with
water.
At plug opening, pay maximum attention
in order to prevent any impurities from
entering the tank.
For topping up, always use a funnel with
integrated filter with mesh equal to or
lower than 0.12 mm.
IMPORTANT Brake fluid absorbs mois-
ture, for this reason, if the vehicle is main-
ly used in areas with a high degree of at-
mospheric humidity, the fluid should be
replaced at more frequent intervals than
specified in the “Service schedule”.
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WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
DIESEL FUEL FILTER
DRAINING THE CONDENSE
(Multijet versions)
AIR FILTER/POLLEN
FILTER
Air cleaner or pollen filter replacement
shall be carried out at a Fiat Dealership.
Brake fluid is poisonous and
highly corrosive. In the event
of accidental contact, wash the parts
involved immediately with neutral
soap and water, then rinse thor-
oughly. Call the doctor immediately
if the fluid is swallowed.
WARNING
0Symbol πon the container
indicates synthetic brake flu-
id, distinguishing it from the mineral
kind. Using mineral fluids irreversibly
damages the special braking system
rubber seals.
WARNING
The presence of water in the
fuel circuit can severely dam-
age the injection system and
make the engine misfire. If the
warning light cturns on, contact a Fi-
at Dealership as soon as possible to
have the bleeding operation carried
out. Should the warning light turn on
after refuelling, water has probably
been poured into the tank: turn the en-
gine off immediately and contact a Fi-
at Dealership.
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CHANGING THE BATTERY
If required, replace the battery with a gen-
uine spare part having the same specifi-
cations.
If a battery with different specifications is
fitted, the service intervals given in the
“Service schedule” in this section will no
longer be valid.
Refer to the instructions provided by the
battery manufacturer.
208
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
fig. 16F0L0191m
BATTERY
The battery is of the “Limited mainte-
nance” type: under normal conditions of
use the electrolyte does not need topping
up with distilled water.
CHECKING THE CHARGE fig. 16
The battery charge may be checked sat-
isfactorily through the inspection slot us-
ing the indicator A (where provided) and
acting according to the colour the indica-
tor shows.
If the battery does not fit a charge and
electrolyte level gauge, the corresponding
operations must be performed by spe-
cialised personnel only.
Refer to the table below or to the label
Bon the battery.
The liquid in the battery is
poisonous and corrosive.
Avoid contact with eyes and skin. Do
not bring naked flames or possible
sources of sparks near to the battery:
risk of fire and explosion.
WARNING
Running the battery with
low fluid level can damage
the battery beyond repair and could
also cause its explosion.
WARNING
Bright white colourTop up electrolyte Contact Fiat Dealership
Dark colour withoutLow charge level Charge the battery
green area in the centre(advisable to contact
Fiat Dealership)
Dark colour with Electrolyte level and charge No action
green area in the centresufficient
IMPORTANT Check the battery charge
once a year, preferably before the begin-
ning to winter, to prevent freezing of the
electrolyte. Perform this inspection more
frequently if the car is mainly used for
short distances or if electrical devices run-
ning with the key off are installed, partic-
ularly after-market.
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WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
USEFUL ADVICE FOR
LENGTHENING THE LIFE OF
YOUR BATTERY
To avoid draining your battery and length-
en its life, observe the following indica-
tions:
❒when you park the car, ensure the
doors, tailgate and bonnet are closed
properly;
❒the ceiling lights must be off. The car
is however provided with an auto-
matic system for switching off internal
lights;
❒do not keep accessories (e.g.: sound
system, hazard lights, etc.) switched on
for a long time when the engine is not
running;
❒before performing any operation on
the electrical system, disconnect the
battery negative cable;
❒battery terminals shall always be per-
fectly tightened. Incorrect fitting of electrical
and electronic accessories can
seriously damage the car. If af-
ter buying the car, you want
to install electric accessories which re-
quire permanent electric supply
(alarm, free-hand phone kit, etc.) con-
tact Fiat Dealership whose qualified
personnel, in addition to suggesting the
most suitable devices, will evaluate the
overall electric absorption, checking
whether the car electric system is ca-
pable of withstanding the load re-
quired, or whether it should be inte-
grated with a more powerful battery.
Batteries contain substances
that are very harmful for the
environment. You are advised
to have the battery changed
at a Fiat Dealership, which is properly
equipped for disposing of used batter-
ies respecting nature and the law.
If the car is left inactive for
long periods at cold, remove
the battery and store it in a warm
place to prevent freezing.
WARNING
When working on the bat-
tery or near it, always wear
the proper goggles.
WARNINGIMPORTANT A battery which is kept at
a charge of less than 50% (optical indica-
tor with dark colour without green area
in the middle) for any length of time will
be damaged by sulphation leading to a re-
duction in cranking power.
Moreover, this might lead to a higher risk
of the battery electrolyte freezing (this
may even occur at -10°C). If the car is in-
active for a long period of time, refer to
“Car inactivity”, in section “Correct use
of the car”.
If after buying the car, you want to install
electric accessories which require per-
manent electric supply (alarm, etc.) con-
tact Fiat Dealership whose qualified per-
sonnel, in addition to suggesting the most
suitable devices, will evaluate the overall
electric absorption, checking whether the
car’s electric system is capable of with-
standing the load required, or whether it
should be integrated with a more power-
ful battery.
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WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
In fact, since these devices continue ab-
sorbing energy even when the ignition key
is off, they gradually run down the battery.
The total intake of these systems (facto-
ry and after-market) must be less than 0,6
mA x Ah (of the battery) as shown in the
following table:
IMPORTANT NOTES
❒As far as possible, avoid sharp brak-
ing and screech starts, etc. Be careful
not to hit the kerb, potholes or oth-
er obstacles hard. Driving for long
stretches over bumpy roads can dam-
age the tyres;
❒Periodically check that the tyres have
no cuts in the side wall, abnormal
swelling or irregular tyre wear. If any
of these occur, have the car seen to at
a Fiat Dealership;
❒Avoid overloading the car when trav-
elling: this may cause serious damage
to the wheels and tyres;
Battery Maximum
admitted
stand-by intake
70 Ah 42 mA
90 Ah (*) 54 mA
(*) Versions fitted with alarm.
WHEELS AND TYRES
Check the pressure of each tyre, includ-
ing the spare, every two weeks and before
long journeys. The pressure should be
checked with the tyre rested and cold.
For the correct tyre inflation pressure, see
“Wheels” in “Technical specifications”
section.
Incorrect pressure causes abnormal tyre
wear:
Anormal pressure: tread evenly worn.
Blow pressure: tread particularly worn
at the edges.
Chigh pressure: tread particularly worn
in the centre.
Tyres must be replaced when the tread
wears down to 1.6 mm. In any case, com-
ply with the laws in the country where the
car is being driven.
fig. 17F0L0159m
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WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
❒If a tyre is punctured, stop immediate-
ly and change it to avoid damage to the
tyre, the rim, suspensions and steering
system;
❒Tyres age even if they are not used
much. Cracks in the tread rubber are
a sign of ageing. In any case, if the tyres
have been on the car for over 6 years,
they should be checked by specialised
personnel, to see if they can still be
used. Also remember to check the
space-saver spare wheel;
❒In the case of replacement, always fit
new tyres, avoiding those of dubious
origin;
❒If a tyre is changed, also change the in-
flation valve;
❒To allow even wear between the front
and rear tyres, it is advisable to change
them over every 10-15 thousand kilo-
metres, keeping them on the same
side of the car so as to not reverse the
direction of rotation.
Remember that road holding
depends also on the correct
tyre inflating pressure.
WARNING
Do not cross switch the
tyres, moving them from the
right of the car to the left and vice
versa.
WARNING
If the pressure is too low the
tyre overheats and this can
cause it serious damage.
WARNING
Never submit alloy rims to
repainting treatments re-
quiring to use temperatures exceed-
ing 150°C since the mechanical prop-
erties of the wheels could be im-
paired.
WARNING
RUBBER HOSES
As far as the brake system and fuel rubber
hoses are concerned, carefully follow the
“Service schedule” in this section.
Indeed ozone, high temperatures and pro-
longed lack of fluid in the system may
cause hardening and cracking of the hoses,
with possible leaks. Careful control is
therefore necessary.
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WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
Changing the windscreen wiper
blades fig. 18
Proceed as follows:
❒raise the windscreen wiper arm Aand
position the blade so that it forms an
angle of 90° with the arm;
❒remove the snap fitted blade Afrom
arm B;
❒fit the new blade and check it is prop-
erly locked into place.Changing the rear window blade
fig. 19
Proceed as follows:
❒raise the cover Aand remove the arm
from the car, slackening the nut Bthat
fastens it to the pivot pin;
❒fit the new arm, positioning it cor-
rectly, and fully tighten the nut;
❒lower the cover.
WINDSCREEN/
REAR WINDOW
WIPERS
BLADES
Periodically clean the rubber part using
special products; TUTELA PROFES-
SIONAL SC 35is recommended.
If the rubber blades are bent or worn they
should be replaced. In any case they should
be changed once a year.
A few simple notions can reduce the pos-
sibility of damage to the blades:
❒if the temperature fall below zero,
make sure that ice has not frozen the
rubber against glass. If necessary, thaw
using an antifreeze product;
❒remove any snow from the glass: in ad-
dition to protecting the blades, this
prevents effort on the motor and
overheating;
❒do not operate the windscreen and
rear window wipers on dry glass.
fig. 18F0L0203m
Driving with worn wiper
blades is a serious hazard,
because visibility is reduced in bad
weather.
WARNING
fig. 19F0L0150m
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