2009 Alfa Romeo MiTo clutch

REFUELLING
Petrol engines: only use unleaded petrol with an octane
value (RON) of no lower than 95.
Diesel engines: only use diesel fuel compliant with European
specification EN590. The use of other products or mixtures may
damage the engine beyond repair and consequently invalidate the
warranty.
STARTING THE ENGINE
Petrol engines: make sure that the handbrake is
engaged; set the gearshift lever to neutral; fully depress the
clutch pedal without pressing the accelerator, then turn the
ignition key to AVV and release it as soon as the engine has
started.
Diesel engines: turn the ignition key to MAR and wait for the
warning lights to go out; Ythenmturn the ignition key to AVV
and release it as soon as the engine has started.
PARKING ON FLAMMABLE MATERIAL
The catalytic converter reaches high temperatures
during operation. Do not park on grass, dry leaves,
pine needles or other flammable material: fire risk.
RESPECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
The car is fitted with a system that carries out a
continuous diagnosis of the emission-related components
in order to help protect the environment.
ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES
If after having purchased your car you decide to add
accessories requiring electrical power (that may
otherwise cause the battery to gradually lose power),
please consult an Alfa Romeo Authorised Service. They
can calculate the overall electrical requirement and
check that the car’s electrical system can support the
required load
CODE CARD
(for versions/markets where provided)
Keep this in a safe place, not in the car. We
recommend that you always carry the electronic code
provided on the CODE card with you, in case you need
to perform an emergency start.
PROGRAMMED MAINTENANCE
Correct car maintenance is essential to ensure that the
performance, safety features, environmental
friendliness and low running costs stay in tip-top
condition over the years.
THE OWNER MANUAL CONTAINS…
... important information, tips and warnings on the
correct use and maintenance of your car over time as
well as safe driving. Particular attention should be paid
to information marked with the following symbols:
"(personal safety) #(environmental protection) â(car
integrity).
READ THIS CAREFULLY!
K


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82GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
INCREASING THE MEMORISED SPEED
Press the accelerator and store the new speed or move the lever
upwards (+). Each movement of the lever will correspond to a
slight reduction in speed (about 1 km/h), while keeping the lever
held downwards will reduce the speed continuously.
REDUCING THE MEMORISED SPEED
Deactivate the device and store the new speed or move the lever
downwards (–) until the new speed is reached. It will then auto-
matically be memorised. Each movement of the lever will corre-
spond to a slight reduction in speed (about 1 km/h), while keep-
ing the lever held downwards will correspond to a continuous speed
reduction.
DISENGAGING THE DEVICE
To disengage the device:
❍turn selector wheel A-fig. 36 to OFF;
❍switch off the engine;
❍press the brake pedal, the clutch or the accelerator; in this
last case the system is not effectively disengaged but the sys-
tem gives priority to the acceleration request. The device still
remains active, without the need to press the RES button to re-
turn to the previous condition once acceleration is concluded. When travelling downhill with the device engaged, the car may
slightly exceed the preset speed. When the device is activated
the
Üwarning light comes on, together with the relevant mes-
sage on the instrument panel (where provided).
MEMORISING VEHICLE SPEED
Proceed as follows:
❍turn selector wheel A-fig. 36 to ON and press the accelerator
until the vehicle reaches the desired speed;
❍push the lever up (+) for at least one second and release it:
the car speed will be stored. The accelerator pedal may be re-
leased.
If needed (e.g. for overtaking), press the accelerator pedal to ac-
celerate: the car will return to the previously set speed when the
pedal is released.
RESTORING STORED SPEED
If the device has been disengaged - for example by pressing the
brake or clutch pedal - the memorised speed can be reset as fol-
lows:
❍accelerate gradually until reaching a speed approaching the one
memorised;
❍engage the gear selected at the time of speed memorising;
❍press button B-fig. 36 (RES).
001-126 Alfa MiTo GB 13-11-2008 10:08 Pagina 82

108GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
VDC SYSTEM
(Vehicle Dynamics Control)
This is an electronic system that controls car stability in the event
of tyre grip loss.
The VDC system also includes the following systems:
❍Hill Holder
❍ASR
❍Brake Assist
❍MSR
❍CBC
❍“ELECTRONIC Q2” (“E-Q2”)
❍DST
SYSTEM INTERVENTION
This is indicated by the áwarning light flashing in the instru-
ment panel: this indicates that the vehicle is in critical stability
and tyre grip conditions.
SYSTEM ACTIVATION
The VDC system switches on automatically each time the engine
is started and cannot be switched off.
HILL HOLDER SYSTEM
This system is an integral part of the VDC system and it is provided
to facilitate starting on slopes.
It is activated automatically in the following instances:
❍uphill: car at a standstill on a road with a gradient higher than
5%, engine running, clutch and brake pedal pressed, gearbox
to neutral or engaged gear other than reverse;
❍downhill: car at a standstill on a road with a gradient higher
than 5%, engine running, clutch and brake pedal pressed and
reverse gear engaged.
At take-off the VDC system control unit will keep brake force on
the wheels until reaching the torque suitable for starting, or in
any case for 1 second in order to move easily from the brake ped-
al to the accelerator pedal.
If the vehicle has not departed after this time, the system will de-
activate automatically by gradually releasing the brake force. A
sound may be heard during this stage: this indicates that the ve-
hicle is about to move off.
IMPORTANT the Hill Holder system should not be used as a hand-
brake. Do not leave the vehicle without having engaged the hand-
brake, switched off the engine and engaged a gear.
001-126 Alfa MiTo GB 13-11-2008 10:08 Pagina 108

150STARTING UP AND DRIVING
STARTING THE ENGINE
STARTING PROCEDURE FOR PETROL VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❍engage the handbrake and place the gearbox in neutral;
❍press the clutch pedal down to the floor without touching the
accelerator;
❍turn the ignition key to AVV and let it go the moment the en-
gine starts.
IMPORTANT NOTES
❍If the engine does not start on the first attempt, turn the igni-
tion key to STOP before repeating the operation.
❍If, when the ignition key is on MAR, the Ywarning light (or
symbol in the display) remains lit together with the
Uwarn-
ing light, turn the key to STOP and then back to MAR; if the
warning light remains on, try using the other keys provided
with the car. If you are still unable to start the engine carry
out the emergency starting procedure (see “Emergency Start-
up” in chapter 4) and contact an Alfa Romeo Authorised Ser-
vice Provider.
❍Never leave the ignition key on MAR when the engine is off.
PROCEDURE FOR DIESEL VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❍engage the handbrake and place the gearbox in neutral;
❍turn the ignition key to MAR: the mandYwarning lights
(or symbol in the display) will come on;
❍wait for the warning light (or symbol in the display) to go
out;
❍press the clutch pedal down to the floor without touching the
accelerator;
❍turn the ignition key to AVV as soon as the mwarning light
goes out. Waiting too long will waste the work done by the
glow plugs. Release the key as soon as the engine starts.
If warning light mblinks for 60 seconds after
starting or during prolonged cranking, this indi-
cates a fault in the glow plug pre-heating system.
Use the car normally if the engine starts and contact an
Alfa Romeo Authorised Services provider as soon as pos-
sible.
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STARTING UP AND DRIVING153
3
IMPORTANT Carry out these manoeuvres with the brake pedal pressed.
IMPORTANT For vehicles equipped with a front armrest, lift this
up to ensure that it does not interfere with the action of the hand-
brake.USING THE GEARBOX
To engage reverse gear from neutral, lift the ring A-fig. 2 under the
knob and, at the same time, move the lever to the left and then
forwards (1.4 Turbo Petrol and 1.6 JTDm versions) or move the
lever to the right and then backwards (1.4 Petrol versions). Re-
lease the ring after having engaged reverse gear. It is not neces-
sary to lift up the ring when passing from reverse to another gear.
IMPORTANT Reverse may only be engaged when the car is at a
standstill. With the engine on, wait at least 3 seconds with the
clutch pressed down before engaging reverse gear to prevent it
from scraping.
The vehicle should be secured after several clicks
of the lever: if this is not the case, contact an Alfa
Romeo Authorised Service Provider to have it ad-
justed.
fig. 2A0J0109m
149-158 Alfa MiTo GB 12-11-2008 15:41 Pagina 153

154STARTING UP AND DRIVING
SAVING FUEL
Here are some suggestions which may help you to save fuel and
lower the amount of toxic emissions released into the atmosphere.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried out in accordance with the
“Scheduled servicing plan”.
Tyres
Check tyre pressure regularly, at least once every four weeks: ex-
cessively low pressure will increase fuel consumption because rolling
resistance will be higher.
Unnecessar y loads
Do not travel with an overloaded boot. The weight of the car and
its ride setting greatly affect fuel consumption and stability.
Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or the ski rack from the roof after use. These
accessories decrease aerodynamic penetration of the car and have
a negative effect on fuel consumption. It is better to use a trailer,
particularly for transporting bulky objects.
Press the clutch pedal fully to change gears cor-
rectly. For this reason, there must be no obstacles
on the floor under the pedals: ensure that any rub-
ber mats are correctly positioned, and do not interfere
with the pedals
Do not drive with your hand resting on the gear
lever, because this pressure, even if light, can wear
out the gearbox internal components over time.
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STARTING UP AND DRIVING155
3
Electric devices
Use electric devices only for the amount of time needed. The heat-
ed rear windscreen, additional headlights, windscreen wipers and
heater fan require a considerable amount of energy; increasing the
current uptake increases fuel consumption (by up to +25% in an
urban cycle).
Climate control
Using the climate control system increases fuel consumption: use
the air vents when outdoor temperature permits.
Spoilers
The use of non-certified spoilers may adversely affect air drag and
fuel consumption.
DRIVING STYLE
Starting
Do not warm the engine up with the car at a standstill and do not
use excessive engine speeds: the engine warms up very slowly in
these conditions, increasing fuel consumption and emissions. It is
advisable to start off immediately and slowly, keeping the engine
speed down: the engine will warm up much faster this way.
Unnecessar y actions
Avoid revving up when starting at traffic lights or before stopping
the engine. The latter action, like double-declutching, is unneces-
sary and causes increased fuel consumption and pollution.
Gear selection
When traffic and road conditions allow, use a high gear. Using a
low gear for faster acceleration will increase fuel consumption. In
the same way improper use of a high gear increases consump-
tion, emissions and engine wear.
Top speed
Fuel consumption considerably increases as speed increases. Keep
your speed as even as possible, avoiding unnecessary braking
and acceleration which cause excessive fuel consumption and in-
creased emissions.
Acceleration
Sudden acceleration has a very negative effect on fuel consump-
tion and emissions: accelerate gradually and do not go over the
maximum torque ratio.
149-158 Alfa MiTo GB 12-11-2008 15:41 Pagina 155

5
7.5
5
5
15
10
15
20
IN AN EMERGENCY191
4
43
43
43
43
45
45
45
45F49
F50
F51
F53
F4
F5
F6
F1
CONSUMERS FUSE AMPERE FIGURE
Parking sensors control unit, Tyre pressure
detection control unit, Rain/dusk sensor
on rear-view mirror, Electro-chrome sensor
on rear-view mirror, Seat belts fastened
warning light display on rear-view mirror,
Control panel illumination (Central control
panel, Driver-side control panel, Steering wheel
control panel, Blue&Me
TMcontrol panel),
Front seat heating pad activation switch,
Alarm system volume-sensing sensors control unit,
Electric sunroof control unit,
PND socket on dashboard
Air Bag system control unit
Clutch switch, Brake light
switch, relay coils on
engine fuse box, Control system on
internal heater/air conditioning unit,
Blue&Me
TMcontrol unit,
Radio wiring, Air flow meter,
Water in diesel fuel sensor
Instrument panel
Bose HI-FI system amplifier control unit
Bassbox subwoofer in spare wheel compartment
Left and right front seat heater
Electric sunroof opening system
159-196 Alfa MiTo GB 12-11-2008 15:46 Pagina 191