2008 FIAT DUCATO warning

201
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
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
The symbol πon the con-
tainer indicates synthetic
brake fluid, distinguishing it from the
mineral kind. Using mineral fluids ir-
reversibly damages the special brak-
ing system rubber seals.
WARNING
POWER STEERING
FLUID fig. 10
Check whether the fluid level in the tank
is at max. level. This operation should be
carried out with the vehicle on level
ground, engine not running and cold.
Check whether the fluid level is at MAX
mark on the dipstick integral with the tank
cap (for cold check use the level shown
on the 20 °C side on the dipstick).If the fluid level in the reservoir is below
the specified level, top up with one of the
products specified in table “Fluids and lu-
bricants” in section “Technical Specifica-
tions”, proceed as follows:
❒Start the engine and wait until the flu-
id level in the reservoir has stabilized.
❒With the engine started, turn repeat-
edly the steering wheel fully right-
wards and leftwards.
❒Top up until reaching the MAXmark
then refit the cap.
fig. 10F0N0109m
Do not allow the power
steering fluid to touch the
hot parts of the engine: it is inflam-
mable.
WARNING
Do not press down the pow-
er steering with the engine
running for over 8 seconds,
noise and risk of damages will
result.
Power steering fluid con-
sumption is extremely low. If
the fluid level needs topping
up again after a short period
of time, have the system checked for
leakage at a Fiat Dealership.
AIR CLEANER
Air cleaner replacement shall be carried
out at Fiat Dealership.
AIR FILTER – DUSTY ROADS
(where necessary)
The air filter specific for dusty areas is
equipped with a visual blockage signalling
device A-fig. 11. It is therefore necessary
to periodically check the blockage sensor
indicator (Please refer to the “Pro-
grammed Maintenance Plan” shown in the
Chapter “Maintenance and care”)
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202
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEICHLE
MAINTENANCE
ATTENTION: Use a jet of air so as to
clean the air filter, do not use water or liq-
uid detergents.
Such filter is specific for the versions suit-
able for dusty areas; therefore it is advis-
able to seek help from the Fiat Assistance
Network for the substitution of the filter.
POLLEN FILTER
Pollen filter replacement shall be carried
out at Fiat Dealership.
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.
The battery is located inside the passen-
ger’s compartment in front of the pedal as-
sy. Remove the protection cover to find it.
Contact Fiat Dealership to have the bat-
tery checked/replaced.
CHECKING
THE CHARGE fig. 12
The battery charge may be checked
through the indicator A(where required)
set on the battery cover and acting ac-
cording to the colour the indicator shows.
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 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
Should the battery be not fitted with bat-
tery charge inspection device (optical elec-
trolyte indicator), inspection operations
shall be carried out by skilled personnel
only.
To check the battery charge, loosen the
two fastening screws and open the cov-
er. Then, close the cover accurately avoid-
ing pinching and short circuits.
Refer to the table below.
Upon reaching the calibration value, the
indicator is activated B-fig. 11aand it
switches to the red light position, even
when the engine is switched off. In order
to reset the signalling device, proceed with
the cleaning/substitution of the cartridge
as with normal equipment and reset the
indicator by pressing button C-fig. 11a.
fig. 11F0N0253m
fig. 11aF0N0254m
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203
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCEIMPORTANTThe charge in the battery
should be checked at the start of winter
to limit the risk of electrolyte freezing.
This check should be carried out more
frequently if the vehicle is used mainly for
short trips, or if it is fitted with accessories
that permanently absorb electricity even
with the ignition key removed, especially
in the case of after market accessories.
fig. 12F0N0110m
Bright whiteTop up electrolyte Contact Fiat
colourDealership
Dark colourLow charge level Charge the battery
without green area (advisable to
in the centrecontact Fiat Dealership)
Dark colour Electrolyte level and No action
with green area charge sufficient
in the centre
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 therefore to the instructions pro-
vided by the battery manufacturer.Incorrect fitting of electrical
and electronic accessories can
seriously damage the vehicle.
If after buying the vehicle, you
want to install electric accessories
which require permanent electric sup-
ply (alarm, free-hand phone kit, etc.)
contact Fiat Dealership whose qualified
personnel, in addition to suggesting the
most suitable devices, will evaluate the
overall electric absorption, checking
whether the vehicle electric system is
capable 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 vehicle is left inactive
for long periods at cold, re-
move the battery and store it in a
warm place to prevent freezing.
WARNING
IMPORTANT When a tachograph is fit-
ted and the vehicle has been parked for
longer than 5 days, it is advisable to dis-
connect the battery negative terminal to
preserve the charge status.
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204
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEICHLE
MAINTENANCE
❒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.
IMPORTANT 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 vehicle
is inactive for a long period of time, refer
to “Vehicle inactivity”, in section “Correct
use of the vehicle”. 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 vehicle, ensure the
doors are closed properly. The ceiling
lights must be off;
❒turn the ceiling lights off. The vehicle
however, is provided with an auto-
matic system for switching off internal
lights;
When working on the bat-
tery or near it, always wear
the proper goggles.
WARNINGIf after buying the vehicle, you want to in-
stall electric accessories which require
permanent electric supply (alarm, etc.)
contact Fiat Dealership whose qualified
personnel, in addition to suggesting the
most suitable devices, will evaluate the
overall electric absorption, checking
whether the vehicle’s electric system is ca-
pable of withstanding the load required,
or whether it should be integrated with
a more powerful battery.
In fact, since these devices continue ab-
sorbing energy even when the ignition key
is off, they gradually run down the battery.
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205
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
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.
It is normal for pressure to rise when you
are driving. For the correct tyre inflation
pressure, see “Wheels” in section “Tech-
nical specifications”.
Incorrect pressure causes abnormal tyre
wearfig. 13:
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
vehicle is being driven.
fig. 13F0N0111m
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 vehicle seen
to at a Fiat Dealership;
❒avoid overloading the vehicle when
travelling: this may cause serious dam-
age to the wheels and tyres;
❒if a tyre is punctured, stop immediately
and change it to avoid damage to the
tyre, the rim, suspensions and steer-
ing 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 vehicle for
over 6 years, they should be checked
by specialised personnel, to see if they
can still be used. Also remember to
check the 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 vehicle so as to not reverse
the direction of rotation.
Remember that road holding
depends also on the correct
tyre inflating pressure.
WARNING
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206
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEICHLE
MAINTENANCE
WINDSCREEN
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
wipers on dry glass.
Driving with worn wiper
blades is a serious hazard,
because visibility is reduced in bad
weather.
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.If the pressure is too low the
tyre overheats and this can
cause it serious damage.
WARNING
Do not cross switch the
tyres, moving them from the
right of the vehicle to the left and vice
versa.
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
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207
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
Changing the windscreen wiper
blades fig. 14
Proceed as follows:
❒raise the windscreen wiper arm Aand
set the blade at 90° with the arm;
❒remove the snap-fitted blade Bfrom
the arm A;
❒refit the new blade and lock it.
fig. 14F0N0137m
SPRAY NOZZLES
Windscreen wiper fig. 15
If the jet of fluid is inadequate, firstly check
that there is fluid in the reservoir: see
“Checking fluid levels” in this section.
Then check that the nozzle holes are not
clogged, if necessary use a needle.
The windscreen jets are directed by ad-
justing the angle of the nozzles using the
special screwdriver.
Fluid jets shall be directed at about
1/3height from the window upper edge.
fig. 15F0N0112m
HEADLIGHT WASHERS
Regularly check that the spray jets are in-
tact and clean.
The headlight washers are automatically
switched on when the windscreen wash-
er is operated and the headlights are on.
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208
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEICHLE
MAINTENANCE
BODY AND UNDERBODY
WARRANTY
Your vehicle is covered by warranty
against perforation due to rust of any orig-
inal element of the structure or body.
For the general terms of this warranty, re-
fer to Fiat Warranty Booklet.
ADVICE FOR PRESERVING THE
BODYWORK
Paint
Paintwork does not only serve an aesteth-
ic purpose, but also protects the under-
lying sheet metal.
In the case of deep scrapes or scores, you
are advised to have the necessary touching
up carried out immediately to avoid the for-
mation of rust. For touching up use only
original products (see “Bodywork paint
identification plate” in section “Technical
specifications”).
Normal paint maintenance consists in
washing at intervals depending on the con-
ditions and environment of use. For exam-
ple, in highly polluted areas, or if the roads
are sprayed with salt, it is wise to wash the
vehicle more frequently. These include:
❒Painting products and systems which
give the vehicle particular resistance
to corrosion and abrasion;
❒Use of galvanised (or pretreated)
steel sheets, with high resistance to
corrosion;
❒Spraying the underbody, engine com-
partment, wheelhouse internal parts
and other parts with highly protective
wax products;
❒Spraying of plastic parts, with a pro-
tective function, in the more exposed
points: underdoor, inner fender parts,
edges, etc;
❒Use of “open” boxed sections to pre-
vent condensation and pockets of
moisture from triggering rust inside.
BODYWORK
PROTECTION FROM
ATMOSPHERIC AGENTS
The main causes of corrosion are the fol-
lowing:
❒atmospheric pollution;
❒salty air and humidity (coastal areas,
or hot humid climates);
❒seasonal environment conditions.
Not to be underestimated is also the abra-
sive action of wind-borne atmospheric
dust and sand and mud and gravel raised
by other vehicles.
On your vehicle, Fiat implemented the
best manufacturing technologies to effec-
tively protect the bodywork against cor-
rosion.
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