114
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
PARKING
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the hand-
brake;
❒engage a gear (on a slope, engage first
gear if the car is faced uphill or reverse
if it is faced downhill) and leave the
wheels steered.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a stone
if the car is parked on a steep slope. Avoid
leaving the car parked with a wheel on the
sidewalk or steered against the kerb. Do
not leave the ignition key at MARto pre-
vent draining the battery. Always remove
the key when you leave the car.
HANDBRAKE
The handbrake lever is located between
the two front seats.
Pull the handbrake lever upwards until the
car cannot be moved.
Four or five clicks are generally enough
when the car is on level ground while nine
or ten may be required if the car is on a
steep slope or laden.
IMPORTANT If this is not the case, con-
tact Fiat Dealership to have the handbrake
adjusted.When the handbrake lever is pulled up
and the ignition key is at MARthe panel
warning light
xwill come on.
To release the handbrake:
❒slightly lift the handbrake and press re-
lease button A-fig. 1;
❒keep button Apressed in and lower
the lever. Warning light xwill go out.
Press the brake pedal when carrying out
this operation to prevent the car from
moving accidentally.
IMPORTANT If the handbrake lever tends
to approach the end of stroke (slot on
central console), contact Fiat Dealership
to have the handbrake adjusted.
fig. 1F0H0149m
Never leave children unat-
tended in the car. Always re-
move the ignition key when leaving
the car and take it out with you.
WARNING
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117
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
Top speed
Fuel consumption considerably increases
with speed. Keep speed as constant as
possible, avoid superfluous braking and ac-
celerating, which cost in terms of both fu-
el and emissions.
Acceleration
Accelerating violently increasing the revs
will greatly affect consumption and emis-
sions: acceleration should be gradual and
should not exceed the maximum torque.CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Short journeys and frequent cold starts do
not allow the engine to reach optimum
operating temperature. This results in a
significant increase in consumption levels
(from +15 to +30% on the urban cycle)
and emission of harmful substances.
Traffic situations
and road conditions
Rather high consumption levels are tied to
situations with heavy traffic, for example
in queues with frequent use of the lower
gears or in cities with many traffic lights.
Also winding mountain roads and rough
road surfaces adversely affect consump-
tion.
Traffic hold-ups
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g.: level
crossings) the engine should be switched
off.TOWING TRAILERS
IMPORTANT NOTES
For towing caravans or trailers the car
must be fitted with a certified tow hook
and an adequate electric system. Installa-
tion should be carried out by specialised
personnel who release a special document
for circulation on the road.
Install any specific and/or additional rear-
view mirrors as specified by law.
Remember that when towing a trailer,
steep hills are harder to climb, the brak-
ing spaces increase and overtaking takes
longer depending on the overall weight.
Engage a low gear when driving downhill,
rather than constantly using the brake.
The weight the trailer exerts on the car
tow hook reduces by the same amount
the actual vehicle loading capacity. To
make sure the maximum towable weight
is not exceeded (given in the log book) ac-
count should be taken of the fully laden
trailer, including accessories and person-
al belongings.
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WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
Do not exceed the speed limits of the
country you are driving in. In any case do
not exceed 100 km/h.
The ABS system with which
the car may be fitted does
not control the trailer braking system.
Great care should therefore be taken
when driving on slippery road sur-
faces.
Under no circumstances
should the vehicle brake sys-
tem be altered to control the trailer
brake. The trailer braking system
must be fully independent of the ve-
hicle’s hydraulic system.
WARNING
WARNING
INSTALLING THE TOW HOOK
The towing device should be fastened to
the body by specialised personnel ac-
cording to any additional and/or integra-
tive information supplied by the Manufac-
turer of the device.
The towing device must meet current reg-
ulations with reference to 94/20/EC Di-
rective and subsequent amendments.
For any version the towing device used
must match the towable weight of the ve-
hicle on which it is to be installed.
For the electric connection a unified con-
nector should be used which is generally
placed on a special bracket normally fas-
tened to the towing device, and a special
ECU for external trailer light control shall
be installed on the car. For the electrical connection 7 or 13 pins
12VDC connection is to be used (CU-
NA/UNI and ISO/DIN Standards). Follow
the instructions provided by the car man-
ufacturer and/or the tow hitch manufac-
turer.
An electric brake should be supplied di-
rectly by the battery through a cable with
a cross section of no less than 2.5 mm
2.
IMPORTANT Electric brake or other de-
vice shall be used with running engine.
In addition to the electrical branches, the
car’s electric system can only be con-
nected to the supply cable for an electric
brake and to the cable for an internal light,
though not above 15W.
For connections use a preset control unit
with battery cable no less than 2.5 mm
2.
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122
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
CAR INACTIVITY
If the car is to be left inactive for longer
than a month, the following precautions
should be noted:
❒park the car in covered, dry and if pos-
sible well-ventilated premises;
❒engage a gear;
❒check that the handbrake is not en-
gaged;
❒disconnect battery terminals (first dis-
connect the negative terminal) and
check the battery charge. This check
is to be repeated every three months
when the car is left inactive. Recharge
if the optical indicator shows a dark
colour without the central green area;
❒clean and protect the painted parts us-
ing protective wax;
❒clean and protect the shiny metal
parts using special compounds readi-
ly available;
❒sprinkle talcum powder on the rub-
ber windscreen and rear window
wiper blades and lift them off the
glass;
❒slightly open the windows;
❒cover the car with a cloth or perfo-
rated plastic sheet. Do not use sheets
of non-perforated plastic as they do
not allow moisture on the car body to
evaporate;
❒inflate tyres to +0.5 bar above the
normal specified pressure and check it
at intervals;
❒if you don’t disconnect the battery
from the electric system, check its
charge every month and recharge it if
the optical indicator shows a dark
colour without the central green area;
❒do not drain the engine cooling sys-
tem.
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123
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
GENERAL WARNINGS ...................................................... 124
LOW BRAKE FLUID LEVEL .............................................. 124
HANDBRAKE ON ............................................................... 124
AIRBAG FAILURE ................................................................. 124
HOT ENGINE COOLANT ................................................ 125
LOW BATTERY CHARGE................................................. 125
LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE ......................................... 126
EXHAUSTED OIL ................................................................. 126
“DUALDRIVE” ELECTRIC POWER
STEERING FAILURE............................................................. 126
INCOMPLETE DOOR LOCKING ................................... 126
SEAT BELTS NOT FASTENED ......................................... 126
EBD FAILURE......................................................................... 127
INJECTION SYSTEM FAILURE ......................................... 127
EOBD ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE ........... 127
FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG DISABLED .................... 128
ABS SYSTEM FAILURE ........................................................ 128
FUEL RESERVE....................................................................... 128
GLOW PLUG HEATING.................................................... 129
GLOW PLUG HEATING FAILURE.................................. 129
WATER IN DIESEL FUEL FILTER ..................................... 129
CAR PROTECTION SYSTEM FAULT - FIAT CODE .. 129
REAR FOG LIGHTS ............................................................. 129
GENERAL FAILURE INDICATION ................................. 130
WW W
A A
R R
N N
I I
N N
G G
L L
I I
G G
H H
T T
S S
A A
N N
D D
M M
E E
S S
S S
A A
G G
E E E
S S
BRAKE PAD WEAR ............................................................. 131
PARTICULATE FILTER CLOGGED................................. 131
SIDE/TAIL LIGHTS AND LOW BEAMS ......................... 131
FOLLOW ME HOME ......................................................... 131
FRONT FOG LIGHTS ......................................................... 131
LEFT-HAND DIRECTION INDICATOR ....................... 132
RIGHT-HAND DIRECTION INDICATOR ................... 132
“DUALDRIVE” ELECTRIC POWER STEERING
ACTIVATION ........................................................................ 132
CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM ............................................ 132
MAIN BEAMS ......................................................................... 132
POSSIBLE ICE ON ROAD.................................................. 132
LIMITED RANGE .................................................................. 132
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IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
GENERAL WARNINGS
Lighting of a warning light is associated to
a specific message and/or buzzer when ap-
plicable. These indications are brief and
precautionaryand as such must not be
considered as exhaustive and/or alterna-
tive to the information contained in the
Owner’s Handbook, which you are rec-
ommended to read carefully in all cases.
Always refer to the information in
this chapter in the event of a failure
indication.
IMPORTANT Failure indications on the
display fall into either of two categories:
seriousfailure and less seriousfailure.
Seriousfailures indicate a “cycle” of
warning messages that stay on until the
cause of the failure is eliminated.
Less seriousfailures are indicated by a
limited warning “cycle”.
Press MODEto stop the warning cycle in
both cases. The warning light on the in-
strument panel will stay on until the cause
of the failure is eliminated.LOW BRAKE FLUID
LEVEL (red)
HANDBRAKE ON (red)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR
the warning light turns on and should go
off after a few seconds.
Low brake fluid level
The warning light turns on when the lev-
el of the brake fluid in the reservoir falls
below the minimum level due to possible
leaks in the circuit.
The display will show the dedicated mes-
sage.
x
Handbrake on
The warning light turns on when the hand-
brake is on.
On certain versions, if the car is moving
the buzzer also triggers.
IMPORTANT If the warning light turns on
when travelling, check that the handbrake
is not engaged.
AIRBAG
FAILURE (red)
When the ignition key is
moved to MAR, the warning
light turns on and should go off after a few
seconds.
The warning light stays on steady if there
is a failure in the airbag system.
The display will show the dedicated mes-
sage.
¬
If the warning light xturns
on when the car is travelling
(together with the message on the dis-
play on certain versions) stop the en-
gine immediately and contact a Fiat
Dealership.
WARNING
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131
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
BRAKE PAD WEAR
(amber)
The warning light goes on if the
front brake pads are worn. In this
case replace them as soon as possible.
The display will show the dedicated mes-
sage.
d
PARTICULATE FILTER
CLOGGED
(1.3 Multijet
90 HP version) (amber)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR,
the warning light turns on and should go
off after a few seconds.
The warning light turns on when the par-
ticulate filter is clogged and the driving
conditions do not enable automatic acti-
vation of the regeneration procedure.
To allow the regeneration procedure,
keep the car running until the warning light
turns off.
The display will show the dedicated mes-
sage.
h
SIDE/TAIL LIGHTS
AND LOW BEAMS
(green)
FOLLOW ME HOME (green)
Side/tail lights and low beams
The warning light comes on when side/tail
lights or low beams are turned on.
Follow me home
The warning light turns on when this de-
vice is active (see “Follow me home” in
section “Dashboard and controls”).
The display will show the dedicated mes-
sage.
3
FRONT FOG
LIGHTS (green)
The warning light comes on
when the front fog lights are
turned on.
5
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CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
fig. 2F0H0718m
IMPORTANT Do not directly connect the
two negative terminals: sparks could ignite
the flammable gas from the battery. If the
other battery is fitted in a vehicle, prevent
accidental contacts between the metal
parts of the two vehicles.Do not carry out this proce-
dure if you lack experience;
if it is not done correctly it can cause
very intense electrical discharges. In
addition, the fluid contained in the
battery is poisonous and corrosive.
Avoid contact with skin and eyes. You
are also advised not to put naked
flames or lighted cigarettes near the
battery and not to cause sparks.
WARNING
Under no circumstances
should a battery charger be
used to start the engine: it
could damage the electronic
systems and in particular the ignition
and injection control units.BUMP STARTING
Never bump start the engine (bu push-
ing, towing, or coasting downhill) as this
could cause fuel to flow into the catalytic
exhaust system and damage it beyond re-
pair.
IMPORTANT Remember that until the
engine has started the brake booster and
electrical power steering systems will not
work and a greater effort will therefore
be required to press the brake pedal or
turn the steering wheel.
Alert other drivers that the
car is stationary in compli-
ance with local regulations: hazard
warning lights, warning triangle etc.
Any passengers on board should leave
the car, especially if it is heavily laden.
Passengers should stay away from on-
coming traffic while the wheel is be-
ing changed on. If the wheel is being
changed on a steep or badly surfaced
road, place the wedges or other suit-
able material under the wheel to stop
the car.
WARNING
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