2008 Lancia Delta Owner handbook (in English)

144SAFETY
GENERAL WARNINGS
If when turning the key to MAR the warning
light ¬does not turn on or stays on during
car travel (together with the message on the
multifunctional display, where provided), a fail-
ure may have occurred in the restraint systems. In
this case the airbags or pretensioners may not be
deployed after an impact or, in a minor number of
cases, they may be deployed accidentally. Contact
a Lancia Dealership immediately to have the sys-
tem checked before driving off.
Do not cover the front seat backrest with covers if
a Side-bag is fitted.
Do not travel with objects in your lap, in front
of your chest, or between your lips (pipes,
pencils, etc.). In the event of crash with airbag
activation, you may be seriously injured.
Always drive keeping your hands on the
steering wheel crown so that, in the event of
airbag activation, it can inflate without find-
ing obstacles. Do not drive with your body bent for-
ward. Keep the backrest an upright position, cor-
rectly resting your back on it.
If someone tried to steal or damage your car,
and in the event of floods, have the air bag
system checked by a Lancia Dealership.

SAFETY145
2
With ignition key inserted and turned to
MAR, the air bags can activate even if the en-
gine is off and the car is at a standstill, if it
is hit by another vehicle. For this reason, children
must never sit on the front seat, even if the car is not
moving. We remind you that if the key is inserted
and turned to STOP, no safety device (air bag or
pretensioner) activates following a collision; non-
deployment in such cases is consequently not the
sign of a fault.
When the key is turned to MAR, the warn-
ing light “turns on, blinking for a few sec-
onds, to remind you that the passenger air
bag will activate in the event of a collision, then it
turns off.
Do not wash the seats with pressurized wa-
ter or steam (manually or at the automatic
washing stations).
The front airbags deploy in the event of more
severe collisions than those required for de-
ploying the pretensioners. For collisions in
the range between the two activation thresholds,
pretensioner activation is normal.
Do not hook rigid objects to clothes hangers
and support handles.
The airbag does not replace the seat belts, it
increases their effectiveness. Furthermore,
since front airbags are not deployed in low
speed collisions, side collisions, rear-end shunts
or roll-overs, the passengers are only protected by
the seat belts which must be fastened at all times.

146SAFETY
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STARTING UP AND DRIVING147
3
Starting the engine .......................................................................... 148
Handbrake ...................................................................................... 150
Using the manual gearbox ............................................................... 151
Reducing running costs..................................................................... 152
Towing trailers ................................................................................. 154
Snow tyres ....................................................................................... 155
Snow chains .................................................................................... 156
Storing the car ................................................................................. 156

148STARTING UP AND DRIVING
STARTING THE ENGINE
The car is provided with an electronic engine lock device:
refer to “The Lancia CODE system” paragraph in chap-
ter “1” if you cannot start the engine.
The engine may be noisier during the first few seconds
of operation, particularly after a long period of inactivi-
ty. This does not impair functionality and reliability and
is typical of hydraulic tappets: the distribution system
selected for the petrol engine of your car in order to lim-
it the maintenance required.
In the first period of use, we recommend
avoiding excessive stress for the car (for in-
stance excessive accelerations, extended trav-
el at maximum speed, sudden braking etc.).
With engine off, do not leave the key in the ig-
nition switch on MAR to prevent draining the
battery.
Is is dangerous to let the engine run in en-
closed spaces. The engine depletes oxygen and
discharges carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide
and other toxic gases.
Remember that the brake servo and electric
power steering are not operational until the
engine has been started, therefore more effort
than usual is required on the brake pedal and steer-
ing wheel.

STARTING UP AND DRIVING149
3
STARTING PROCEDURE FOR PETROL
VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake;
put the gear lever into neutral;
press the clutch pedal down to the floor without touch-
ing the accelerator;
turn the ignition key to AVV and release it the moment
the engine starts.
If the engine does not start at the first attempt, return
the ignition key to STOP before repeating the procedure.
If, when the ignition key is at MAR the
Ywarning light
remains lit together with warning light U, turn the key
to STOP and then back to MAR; if the warning light re-
mains lit, try with the other keys provided with the car.
Contact a Lancia Dealership if you still cannot start the
engine.
PROCEDURE FOR DIESEL VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake;
put the gear lever into neutral;
turn the ignition key to MAR: instrument panel warn-
ing lights
mandYwill light up;
wait for warning lights
Yandm, to turn off. The
hotter the engine is, the quicker this will happen;press the clutch pedal down to the floor without touch-
ing the accelerator;
turn the ignition key to AVV as soon as the
mwarn-
ing light goes out. Waiting too long will waste the work
done by the glow plugs.
Release the key as soon as the engine starts.
IMPORTANT When the engine is cold, the accelerator
pedal must be completely released when the key is turned
to AVV.
If the engine does not start at the first attempt, return the
ignition key to STOP before repeating the procedure. If,
when the ignition key is at MAR the
Ywarning light re-
mains lit, turn the key to STOP and then back to MAR; if
the warning light remains lit, try with the other keys pro-
vided with the car. Contact a Lancia Dealership if you still
cannot start the engine.
Warning light mwill blink for 60 seconds
after starting or during prolonged cranking
to indicate a fault in the glow plug preheat-
ing system. Use the car normally if the engine starts
and contact the Lancia Dealership as soon as pos-
sible.

150STARTING UP AND DRIVING
Never jump start the engine by pushing, tow-
ing or driving downhill. This could cause a
flow of fuel into the catalytic converter and
damage it beyond repair.
HOW TO WARM UP THE ENGINE AFTER
IT HAS JUST STARTED
Proceed as follows:
drive off slowly, letting the engine turn at medium
speed. Do not accelerate abruptly;
do not demand maximum performance for the first few
kilometres. Wait until the engine coolant gauge starts
moving.
STOPPING THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition key to STOP while the engine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a taxing drive, you should allow the
engine to “catch its breath” before turning it off by letting
it idle to allow the temperature in the engine compartment
to fall.
A quick burst on the accelerator before turn-
ing off the engine serves absolutely no prac-
tical purpose, it wastes fuel and is damaging
especially to turbocharged engines.
HANDBRAKE
The handbrake lever is located between the two front seats.
Pull the lever upwards to operate the handbrake.
The car should be braked after a few snaps
of the lever, if it is not, contact a Lancia Deal-
ership to have it adjusted.
When the handbrake lever is engaged and the ignition key
is on MAR, the instrument panel warning light xwill
light.
Proceed as follows to release the handbrake:
slightly lift the handbrake and press release button
A-fig. 1;
hold button A pressed and lower the lever. The x
warning light on the instrument panel will go out.
Press the brake pedal when carrying out this operation
to prevent the car from moving accidentally.

STARTING UP AND DRIVING151
3
PARKING THE CAR
Proceed as follows:
stop the engine and engage the handbrake;
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.
If the car is parked on a steep slope, it is further advisable
to block the wheels with a wedge or stone.
Do not leave the ignition key on MAR to prevent drain-
ing the battery. Always remove the key when you leave the
car.
Never leave children unattended in the car. Always remove
the ignition key when leaving the car and take it out with
you.
fig. 1L0E0072m
USING THE MANUAL GEARBOX
To engage the gears, press the clutch pedal fully and shift
the gear lever into one of the required positions (the gear
diagram varies according to the different versions and is
shown on the knob or on the plate below the lever fig. 2).
To engage sixth gear, operate the lever by pressing it to-
wards the right in order to avoid engaging fourth gear by
mistake. Use the same action to pass from sixth to fifth
gear.
IMPORTANT Reverse may only be engaged when the car
is at a standstill. With the engine running, wait at least 2
seconds before engaging reverse gear with the clutch
pressed down to the floor in order to avoid damaging or
scraping the gears.
fig. 2L0E0073m