2009 Alfa Romeo MiTo battery

88GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
FUEL CUT-OFF SYSTEM
This system intervenes in the event of a collision, activating:
❍switch off of fuel supply with resultant engine switch off;
❍automatic door lock release;
❍switch on of all lights inside the car.
The intervention of the system is indicated by a message shown
on the display.
Carefully check the car for fuel leaks, for instance in the engine
compartment, below the car or near the tank area.
After a collision, turn the ignition key to STOP to avoid draining the
battery.
If, after a collision, you smell fuel or notice leaks
from the fuel system, do not reset the system to
avoid fire risk.
To reset car operation, follow this procedure:
❍turn the ignition key to MAR;
❍activate the right-hand direction indicator;
❍deactivate the right-hand direction indicator;
❍activate the left-hand direction indicator;
❍deactivate the left-hand direction indicator;
❍activate the right-hand direction indicator;
❍deactivate the right-hand direction indicator;
❍activate the left-hand direction indicator;
❍deactivate the left-hand direction indicator;
❍turn the ignition key to STOP.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR95
1DOORS
DOOR CENTRAL LOCKING/UNLOCKING
Locking from the outside
With the doors closed press button Áon the remote control or
turn the metal insert (located inside the key) in the driver-side door
lock. Locking is signalled by the LED on button A-fig. 56 coming
on.
Door locking is activated:
❍when all the doors are closed;
❍when all the doors are closed and the luggage compartment
is open;
fig. 56A0J0030m
Door unlocking from the outside
Press button Ëon the remote control or turn the metal insert (lo-
cated inside the key) in the driver-side door lock.
Door locking/unlocking from the inside
Press button A. The button is equipped with an LED that indicates
the vehicle status (doors locked or unlocked).
LED lit up: doors locked. Press button A once again to centrally
unlock all doors. The LED will go out.
LED off: doors unlocked. Press button A once again to centrally lock
all doors. The doors will be locked only if all doors are closed.
Once the doors have been locked via the remote control or the key
pawl, it will no longer be possible to unlock them by pressing but-
ton A.
IMPORTANT When the central locking system is on, lifting the in-
terior opening lever of one of the doors causes the door to unlock
(in the case of the passenger door, the led on button A-fig. 56 re-
mains lit).
If there is no power (blown fuse, battery disconnected, etc.) the
doors can still be locked manually.
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98GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
Electric window system initialisation
The safety system must be re-initialised after disconnecting the bat-
tery or if the relevant protection fuse is blown.
Initialisation procedure:
❍fully close the window to be initialised manually;
❍after the window has reached the upper end of travel, hold the
up button pressed for at least one second.
IMPORTANT For versions/markets where provided, following the
disconnection of the power supply (replacing or disconnecting the
battery or replacing the protection fuse for the electric windows
control units), the automatic setting for the electric windows must
be reset.The reset operation should be carried out with the doors closed
according to the following procedure:
1. completely lower the driver-side window and keep the button
pressed for at least 3 seconds once the end of travel position
has been reached;
2. completely raise the driver-side window and keep the button
pressed for at least 3 seconds once the end of travel position
has been reached;
3. repeat stages 1 and 2 for the passenger-side window
4. check that the initialisation has taken place correctly by check-
ing the automatic operation of the windows.
IMPORTANT With central locking on, operating the internal handle
of one of the doors will unlock all the doors. If there is no power
(blown fuse, battery disconnected, etc.) the doors can still be locked
manually. As in this case the automatic window opening function
is not available, to open or close the door with the window closed,
apply pressure to the window towards the vehicle interior (see fig.
58), to aid the passage of the window against the trim.
fig. 58A0J0170m
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100GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT INITIALISATION
IMPORTANT If the battery is disconnected or the protection fuse
blows, the luggage compartment opening/closing mechanism must
be reinitialised as follows:
❍close all the doors and the luggage compartment;
❍press button Áon the remote control;
❍press button Ëon the remote control.
CLOSING
Pull tab A-fig. 61 and lower the tailgate by pressing near the lock
until a click is heard.
IMPORTANT Before closing the luggage compartment make sure
that you have the keys. The luggage compartment is locked au-
tomatically.
fig. 61A0J0079m
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STARTING UP AND DRIVING151
3
In the initial period of use, it is advisable to avoid
placing the car under excessive stress (for instance
excessive acceleration, extended travel at maxi-
mum speed, sharp braking etc.).
Is is dangerous to let the engine run in enclosed
spaces. The engine depletes oxygen and discharges
carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and other toxic
gases.
Remember that the servo brake and electric pow-
er steering are not operational until the engine has
been started, therefore more effort than usual is
required on the brake pedal and steering wheel.
Avoid jump starting the engine by pushing, towing
or driving downhill. These manoeuvres may dam-
age the catalytic converter.
When the engine is off, do not leave the key in
the ignition switch turned to MAR to avoid drain-
ing the battery.
HOW TO WARM UP THE ENGINE AFTER IT HAS
JUST STARTED (petrol and diesel engines)
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 kilo-
metres. Wait until the engine coolant gauge starts moving.
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158STARTING UP AND DRIVING
SNOW CHAINS
The use of snow chains should be in compliance with local regu-
lations. The snow chains may be applied only to the front wheel
tyres (drive wheels).
Check the tension of the chains after the first few metres have been
driven.
Use reduced bulk snow chains: for 195/55 R16” and 205/45
R17” tyres. Use reduced bulk snow chains with a maximum pro-
trusion from the tyres of 9 mm.
IMPORTANT The spare wheel cannot be fitted with snow chains.
If a front (drive) wheel is punctured and snow chains must be used,
you must remove a normal wheel from the rear and replace this
one with the small spare wheel. In this way, with two normal dri-
ve wheels, it is possible to use snow chains.
CAR INACTIVITY
If the car is to be left inactive for longer than a month, the following
precautions should be noted:
❍park the vehicle in a dry, covered and, if possible, ventilated
area; engage a gear and check that the handbrake is not en-
gaged;
❍disconnect the negative battery terminal and check battery
charge. Repeat this check once every three months during stor-
age;
❍clean and protect painted areas using protective wax;
❍clean and protect the shiny metal areas using special com-
mercially-available products;
❍sprinkle talcum powder on the rubber windscreen and rear win-
dow wiper blades and lift them off the glass;
❍slightly open the windows;
❍cover the car with a fabric or perforated plastic sheet. Do not
use compact plastic sheets which do not allow humidity to evap-
orate from the surface of the car.
❍inflate tyres to a pressure of +0.5 bar above the normal spec-
ified pressure and check the pressure at regular intervals;
❍if you have not disconnected the battery, check the battery
charge every thirty days;
❍do not drain the engine cooling system.
Keep your speed down when snow chains are fit-
ted. Do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid potholes, steps
and pavements and also avoid driving long dis-
tances on roads not covered with snow to prevent dam-
aging the car and the roadbed.
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IN AN EMERGENCY159
4
In an emergency we recommend that you call the freephone number found in the Warranty Booklet.
You can also consult www.alfaromeo.com to find Alfa Romeo Authorised Services your nearest
Starting the engine..................................................................... 160
Replacing a wheel....................................................................... 161
“Fix&Go Automatic” Kit............................................................... 169
Changing a bulb.......................................................................... 174
Replacing exterior bulbs................................................................ 176
Replacing an interior bulb.............................................................. 180
Replacing fuses........................................................................... 183
Recharging the battery ................................................................. 193
Lifting the car............................................................................. 193
Towing the car ............................................................................ 194
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160IN AN EMERGENCY
STARTING THE ENGINE
If the Ywarning light in the instrument panel remains on con-
stantly, contact an Alfa Romeo Authorised Service Provider imme-
diately.
STARTING WITH AN AUXILIARY BATTERY
If the battery is flat, the engine may be started using an auxiliary
battery with the same capacity or a little higher than the flat one.
For engine starting follow the procedure below, fig. 1:
❍connect the positive terminals (+ sign near the terminal) of the
two batteries with a jump lead;
❍with a second lead, connect the negative terminal – of the aux-
iliary battery to an earth point
Eon the engine or the gear-
box of the car to be started;
❍start the engine; when engine has started, remove the cables
by reversing the sequence described for connection.If after several attempts the engine will not start, contact an Alfa
Romeo Authorised Service Provider.
IMPORTANT Never connect the negative terminals of the two bat-
teries directly! If the auxiliary battery is installed on another car,
prevent accidental contact between metallic parts of the two cars.
BUMP STARTING
Never start the engine by pushing, towing or driving downhill.
fig. 1A0J0111m
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