2008 FIAT SEDICI ESP

139
FRONT SEAT HEATER
(if equipped)
With the ignition switch in the “ON” po-
sition, push in one or both of the seat
heater switches to warm the correspond-
ing seat(s). The indicator light below the
switch will also come on. To turn off the
seat heater, push in the switch again. The
indicator light below the switch will go off.
IMPORTANT To avoid damaging the
heater element:
❒Do not subject the front seats to heavy
impacts, such as children jumping on
them.
❒Do not cover the seat with any insu-
lating materials such as blankets or
cushions.
79J074
79J076
Improperly using the seat
heater can be hazardous. An
occupant can suffer burns even if the
heating temperature is fairly low, if the
occupant is wearing thin pants, a thin
skirt or shorts and leaves the heater on
for long periods.
Avoid using the seat heater for these
occupants:
– People who have reduced feeling in
their legs, including the elderly or
those with certain disabilities.
– Small children, or anyone with sen-
sitive skin.
– People who are asleep or under the
influence of alcohol or other drugs
which make them tired.
WARNING
86G064
129-148 Fiat16 New GB 3-09-2008 8:16 Pagina 139

149
O O
P P
E E
R R
A A
T T
I I
N N
G G
Y Y
O O
U U
R R
V V
E E
H H
I I
C C
L L
E E
60G408
EXHAUST GAS WARNING ............................................. 150
DAILY INSPECTION CHECKLIST .................................. 150
ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION ....................................... 152
STARTING THE ENGINE ................................................. 152
USING THE TRANSAXLE ................................................. 156
USING THE 2WD/ 4WD SWITCH (if equipped) ........ 157
BRAKING .............................................................................. 160
ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP
®)
(if equipped) ........................................................................... 162
RUNNING-IN ....................................................................... 165
CATALYTIC CONVERTER (if equipped)...................... 165
IMPROVING FUEL ECONOMY ...................................... 166
5
149-166 Fiat16 New GB 3-09-2008 8:15 Pagina 149

162
HOW THE ABS WORKS
A computer continuously monitors wheel
speed. The computer compares the
changes in wheel speed when braking. If
the wheels slow suddenly, indicating a
skidding situation, the computer will
change braking pressure several times
each second to prevent the wheels from
locking. When you start your vehicle af-
ter a stop you may hear a momentary mo-
tor noise as the system checks itself.
The ABS may not work
properly if tires or wheels
other than those specified in the own-
er’s manual are used. This is because
the ABS works by comparing changes
in wheel speed. When replacing tires
or wheels, use only the size and type
specified in this owner’s manual.
WARNING
ELECTRONIC STABILITY
PROGRAM (ESP®)
(if equipped)
ESP®is a registered trademark of Daim-
lerChrysler AG.
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®)
helps to control the vehicle during cor-
nering if the vehicle is understeering or
oversteering. It also assists you in main-
taining traction while accelerating on loose
or slippery road surfaces. It does this by
regulating the engine’s output, and by se-
lectively applying the brakes. In addition,
ESP
®helps to avoid skidding by controlling
braking pressure.
The ESP®cannot enhance
the vehicle’s driving stabili-
ty in all situations and does not con-
trol your vehicle’s entire braking sys-
tem. The ESP
®cannot prevent acci-
dents, including those resulting from
excessive speed in turns, or hy-
droplaning. Only a safe and attentive
driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ESP
®- equipped ve-
hicle must never be used as a substi-
tute for careful driving.
WARNING
The ESP®has the following three systems:
STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM
The vehicle stability control system helps
provide integrated control of systems such
as anti- lock brakes, traction control, en-
gine control, etc. This system automati-
cally controls the brakes and engine to
help prevent the vehicle from skidding
when cornering on a slippery road surface
or when turning the steering wheel
abruptly.
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
The traction control system automatical-
ly helps prevent the spinning of wheels
when the vehicle is started or accelerated
on slippery road surfaces. The system op-
erates only if it senses that some of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction. When this happens, the system
operates the front or rear brakes and re-
duces engine power to limit wheel spin.
NOTE You may hear a clicking sound in
the engine compartment for a few seconds
when you start the engine or just after the
vehicle begins to move. This means that
the above systems are in the self-check
mode. This sound does not indicate a mal-
function.
149-166 Fiat16 New GB 3-09-2008 8:15 Pagina 162

163
The ESP may not work prop-
erly if tires or wheels other
than those specified in the Owner’s
Manual are used. When replacing
tires or wheels, use only the size and
type specified in this Owner’s Man-
ual.
The ESP
®may not work properly if
tires are not inflated to the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure.
The ESP
®may not work properly if
tires are fitted with tire chains.
The ESP
®may not work properly if
the tires are excessively worn. Be sure
to replace tires when the tread wear
indicators in the grooves appear on
the tread surface.
The ESP
®is not a substitute for win-
ter tires or tire chains on a snow cov-
ered road.
WARNING
The ESP®may not work
properly if engine related
parts such as the muffler are not
equivalent to standard equipment or
are extremely deteriorated.
Do not modify the vehicle’s suspen-
sion since the ESP
®may not operate
correctly.
WARNING
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM
(ABS)
ABS will help you avoid skidding by elec-
tronically controlling braking pressure. It
will also help you maintain steering con-
trol when braking on slippery surfaces or
when braking hard. The ABS works au-
tomatically, so you do not have to use any
special braking technique. Just push the
brake pedal down without pumping. The
ABS will operate whenever it senses that
wheels are locking up. You may feel the
brake pedal pulsate while the ABS is op-
erating.
(For more information on ABS, see “Brak-
ing” in the “OPERATING YOUR VEHI-
CLE” section.)
NOTE If the ABS system is activated, you
may hear a clunking noise and/ or feel pul-
sating in the brake pedal. This is normal
and indicates that the brake fluid pressure
is being controlled properly.The ESP®indicator lights are described be-
low:
SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT
66J033
When one of the ESP®systems other than
ABS is activated, the SLIP indicator light in
the instrument cluster blinks 5 times per
second.
IMPORTANT If the SLIP indicator light
comes on and stays on while driving, there
may be a malfunction of the ESP
®systems
(other than ABS). You should have the
systems inspected by an authorized Fiat
Dealership.
NOTE When the SLIP indicator light
comes on and stays on while driving, in-
dicating a malfunction of the ESP
®systems
(other than ABS), the brake system will
function as an ordinary ABS with no ad-
ditional ESP
®functions.
149-166 Fiat16 New GB 3-09-2008 8:15 Pagina 163

164
NOTE
When you disconnect and re- connect the
battery, ESP
®system functions other than
ABS will be deactivated and the slip indi-
cator light will blink 1 time per second.
In this case, use the following procedure
to reactivate the ESP
®systems:
❒Drive your vehicle straight ahead with-
out tire slippage at a speed greater than
approximately 15 km/ h (9 mph) for a
few seconds
❒The slip indicator light will go out and
the ESP®systems (other than ABS) will
be re- activated
It may take more than few seconds before
the slip indicator light goes out depending
on the road surface condition.
“ESP” Warning LightIMPORTANT If the “ESP” warning light
comes on, or stays on while driving, there
may be a malfunction of the ESP
®systems
(other than ABS). You should have the
systems inspected by an authorized Fiat
Dealership.
NOTE When the “ESP” warning light
comes on, or stays on while driving, indi-
cating a malfunction of the ESP
®systems
(other than ABS), the brake system will
function as an ordinary ABS that has no
additional ESP
®functions.
“ESP OFF” Indicator Light“ESP OFF” switch
When the “ESP OFF” switch located at
the center of the instrument panel is
pushed and held to turn off the ESP
®sys-
tems (other than ABS), the “ESP OFF” in-
dicator light in the instrument cluster
comes on.
When you have turned the ESP
®systems
(other than ABS) off, make sure to turn
them back on before resuming ordinary
driving.
When you push and hold the “ESP OFF”
switch again, the “ESP OFF” indicator light
will go out and all of the ESP
®systems will
be activated.
ABS Warning Light / Brake
System Warning Light
See “Braking” in the “OPERATING
YOUR VEHICLE” section.66J031
When the ESP®systems (other than ABS)
have a system malfunction, the “ESP”
warning light in the instrument cluster
comes on.
66J032
You should turn the ESP®on during your
ordinary driving, so that you have the ben-
efits of all of the ESP
®systems.
It may be required to turn the ESP
®sys-
tems (other than ABS) off if your vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, or snow where
wheel spin is necessary.
62J142
149-166 Fiat16 New GB 3-09-2008 8:15 Pagina 164

165
IMPORTANT To minimize the possibili-
ty of catalyst or other vehicle damage:
❒Maintain the engine in the proper op-
erating condition.
❒In the event of an engine malfunction,
particularly one involving engine misfire
or other apparent loss of performance,
have the vehicle serviced promptly.
❒Do not turn off the engine or interrupt
the ignition when the transaxle is in
gear and the vehicle is in motion.
❒Do not try to start the engine by push-
ing or towing the vehicle, or coasting
down a hill.
CATALYTIC CONVERTER
(if equipped - Petrol
Engine Model)
The purpose of the catalytic converter is
to minimize the amount of harmful pollu-
tants in your vehicle’s exhaust. Use of
leaded fuel in vehicles equipped with cat-
alytic converters is prohibited, because
lead deactivates the pollutant- reducing
components of the catalyst system.
The converter is designed to last the life
of the vehicle under normal usage and
when unleaded fuel is used. No special
maintenance is required on the convert-
er. However, it is very important to keep
the engine properly tuned. Engine misfir-
ing, which can result from an improperly
tuned engine, may cause overheating of
the catalyst. This may result in permanent
heat damage to the catalyst and other ve-
hicle components.
54G236
RUNNING-IN
IMPORTANT The future performance
and reliability of the engine depends on the
care and restraint exercised during its ear-
ly life. It is especially important to observe
the following precautions during the initial
960 km (600 miles) of vehicle operation.
❒After starting, do not race the engine.
Warm it up gradually.
❒Avoid prolonged vehicle operation at a
constant speed. Moving parts will break
in better if you vary your speed.
❒Start off from a stop slowly. Avoid full
throttle starts.
❒Avoid hard braking, especially during
the first 300 km (200 miles) of driving.
❒Do not drive slowly with the transaxle
in a high gear.
❒Drive the vehicle at moderate engine
speeds.
❒Do not tow a trailer during the first
960 km (600 miles) of vehicle opera-
tion.
149-166 Fiat16 New GB 3-09-2008 8:15 Pagina 165

177
TOWING YOUR
VEHICLE
Your vehicle may be towed behind an-
other vehicle (such as a motorhome), pro-
vided your vehicle is 2 wheel drive (2WD)
and you use the proper towing method
specified for your vehicle. The towing
method you must use depends on the
specifications of your vehicle: whether it
is a manual transaxle vehicle or an auto-
matic transaxle vehicle.
Use the towing instruction table to select
the proper towing method for your vehi-
cle, and carefully follow the correspond-
ing instructions. Be sure to use proper
towing equipment designed for recre-
ational towing and make sure that tow-
ing speed does not exceed 90 km/ h (55
mph). Maximum vertical load on trailer
hitch point
50 kg (110 lbs)
Maximum permissible overhang “a”
810 mm (31.9 in.)
When you tow your vehicle,
follow the instructions below
to avoid accidents and damage to
your vehicle. In addition, be sure to
observe government and local re-
quirements regarding vehicle lighting
and trailer hitches or tow bars.
WARNING
A safety chain should always
be used when you tow your
vehicle.
WARNING
TOWING INSTRUCTION TABLE
DRIVE TRAIN
2WD
4WDTOWING
METHOD
A B
B TRANSAXLE
M/T
M/T
79J158
171-180 Fiat16 New GB 3-09-2008 8:42 Pagina 177

182
660B128
You should take extreme
care when working on your
vehicle to prevent accidental injury.
Here are a few precautions that you
should be especially careful to ob-
serve:
– To prevent damage or unintended
activation of the air bag system or
seat belt pretensioner system, be sure
the battery is disconnected and the
ignition switch has been in the
“LOCK” position for at least 90 sec-
onds before performing any electrical
service work on your Fiat. Do not
touch air bag system components,
seat belt pretensioner system com-
ponents or wires.
The wires are wrapped with yellow
tape or yellow tubing, and the cou-
plers are yellow for easy identifica-
tion.
– Do not leave the engine running in
garages or other confined areas.
WARNING
– When the engine is run-
ning, keep hands, clothing,
tools, and other objects away from
the fan and drive belt. Even though
the fan may not be moving, it can au-
tomatically turn on without warning.
– When it is necessary to do service
work with the engine running, make
sure that the parking brake is set ful-
ly and the transaxle is in Neutral (for
manual transaxle vehicles) or Park
(for automatic transaxle vehicles).
– Do not touch ignition wires or oth-
er ignition system parts when starting
the engine or when the engine is run-
ning, or you could receive an electric
shock.
– Be careful not to touch a hot en-
gine, exhaust manifold and pipes,
muffler, radiator and water hoses.
– Do not allow smoking, sparks, or
flames around gasoline or the bat-
tery. Flammable fumes are present.
– Do not get under your vehicle if it is
supported only with the portable jack
provided in your vehicle.
WARNING
– Be careful not to cause ac-
cidental short circuits be-
tween the positive and negative bat-
tery terminals.
– Keep used oil, coolant, and other
fluids away from children and pets.
Dispose of used fluids properly; nev-
er pour them on the ground, into sew-
ers, etc.
WARNING
181-224 Fiat16 New GB 3-09-2008 8:17 Pagina 182