2009 Alfa Romeo MiTo gearbox

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR7
1DASHBOARD
The presence and position of controls, instruments and gauges may vary according to different versions.
1. Air vent for side windows - 2. Adjustable air vent - 3. Exterior lighting control lever - 4. Instrument panel - 5. Windscreen wiper/rearscreen
wiper/trip computer control lever - 6. Radio (where provided) - 7. Adjustable air vents - 8. Hazard warning lights, door lock/unlock button -
9. Passenger front air bag - 10. Glove compartment - 11. Heating/ventilation/climate control system controls - 12. Gearbox lever -
13. “Alfa dna” system - 14. Ignition device - 15. Driver front knee air bag (where provided) - 16. Driver front air bag - 17. Steering lock
lever - 18. Fuse box access flap - 19. Control panel.
A0J0330mfig. 1
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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.
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STARTING UP AND DRIVING149
3
Starting the engine................................................................................ 150
Parking............................................................................................... 152
Using of the gearbox............................................................................. 153
Saving fuel .......................................................................................... 154
Towing trailers ...................................................................................... 156
Snow tyres .......................................................................................... 157
Snow chains ......................................................................................... 158
Car inactivity......................................................................................... 158
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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
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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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CARE AND MAINTENANCE203
5
PERIODIC CHECKS
Every 1,000 km or before long journeys, check and top up the fol-
lowing if necessary:
❍engine coolant level, brake fluid and windscreen washer fluid
❍tyre pressure and condition;
❍operation of lights (headlights, direction indicators, hazard
lights, etc.);
❍operation of the windscreen wiper/washer system, position
and wear of windscreen/rearscreen wiper blades;
Every 3,000 km check the following and top-up, if necessary: en-
gine oil level.
We recommend the use of FL Selenia products, designed and pro-
duced specifically for Alfa Romeo cars (see “Consumables” table
in chapter 6).
DEMANDING USE OF THE CAR
If you use the vehicle mainly under one of the following conditions:
❍trailer or caravan towing;
❍dusty roads;
❍repeated short distances (less than 7-8 km) and with exter-
nal temperatures below zero;
❍frequently idling the engine, travelling long distances at low
speeds or long term inactivity;
❍in cities;
perform the following inspections more frequently than shown on
the Scheduled Servicing Plan:
❍check front disc brake pad condition and wear;
❍check cleanliness of bonnet and boot locks, and cleanliness and
lubrication of linkages;
❍visually inspect the condition of: engine, gearbox, transmission,
pipes and hoses (exhaust – fuel supply - brakes) rubber ele-
ments (gaiters – hoses - bushes etc.);
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222TECHNICAL DATA
IDENTIFICATION DATA
The vehicle identification details are:
❍Identification plate (located in the engine compartment, next
to the upper attachment for the right-hand shock absorber);
❍Bodywork marking (located on the passenger compartment
floor panel, next to the front passenger seat);
❍Body paintwork identification label (located on the inside of
the tailgate);
❍Engine marking (located in the rear left-hand part, gearbox-
side).
IDENTIFICATION PLATE fig. 1
This plate is applied to the engine compartment front beam and
shows the following identification data:
A. Space reserved for national type approval
B. Space for stamped chassis number
C. Free space for maximum permitted weight data required by
various national laws
D. Space for version information and any additional information
E. Space for fume coefficient (only for diesel versions)
F. Space for punching manufacturer’s name.
fig. 1A0J0000m
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