2009 FIAT BRAVO technical specifications

204
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MAINTENANCE
REPLACING THE BATTERY
If required, replace the battery with a gen-
uine spare part having the same specifi-
cations.
If a battery with different specifications is
fitted, the service intervals given in the
“Service schedule” in this section will no
longer be valid.
Refer to the instructions provided by the
battery manufacturer.
The liquid in the battery is
poisonous and corrosive.
Avoid contact with eyes and skin. Do
not bring naked flames or possible
sources of sparks near to the battery:
risk of fire and explosion.
WARNING
Running the battery with
low fluid level can damage
the battery beyond repair and could
also cause its explosion.
WARNING
Incorrect fitting of electrical
and electronic accessories can
seriously damage the car. If af-
ter buying the car, you want
to install electric accessories which re-
quire permanent electric supply
(alarm, free-hand phone kit, etc.) con-
tact Fiat Dealership whose qualified
personnel, in addition to suggesting the
most suitable devices, will evaluate the
overall electric absorption, checking
whether the car electric system is ca-
pable of withstanding the load re-
quired, or whether it should be inte-
grated with a more powerful battery.
Make sure that the highly cor-
rosive brake fluid does not drip
onto the paintwork; if it does,
wash it off immediately with
water.
Symbol π, on the container
indicates synthetic brake flu-
id, distinguishing it from the mineral
kind. Using mineral fluids irreversibly
damages the special braking system
rubber seals.
WARNING
Brake fluid is poisonous and
highly corrosive. In the event
of accidental contact, wash the parts
involved immediately with neutral
soap and water, then rinse thor-
oughly. Call the doctor immediately
if the fluid is swallowed.
WARNING
AIR CLEANER/
POLLEN FILTER
Air cleaner or pollen filter replacement
shall be carried out at Fiat Dealership.
BATTERY
The battery is of the “Limited mainte-
nance” type: under normal conditions of
use the electrolyte does not need topping
up with distilled water.
However, to make sure that it is in effi-
cient conditions at routine intervals have
it checked at Fiat Dealership only.
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SAFETY
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LIGHTS AND
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TECHNICAL
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DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CAR
MAINTENANCE
Batteries contain substances
that are very harmful for the
environment. You are advised
to have the battery changed
at a Fiat Dealership, which is properly
equipped for disposing of used batter-
ies respecting nature and the law.
If the car is left inactive for
long periods at cold, remove
the battery and store it in a warm
place to prevent freezing.
WARNING
When working on the bat-
tery or near it, always wear
the proper goggles.
WARNING
USEFUL ADVICE
FOR LENGTHENING THE LIFE
OF YOUR BATTERY
To avoid draining your battery and length-
en its life, observe the following indica-
tions:
❒ when you park the car, ensure the
doors, tailgate and bonnet are closed
properly;
❒ the ceiling lights must be off. The car
is however provided with an automat-
ic system for switching off internal
lights;
❒ do not keep accessories (e.g.: sound
system, hazard lights, etc.) switched on
for a long time when the engine is not
running;
❒ before performing any operation on the
electrical system, disconnect the bat-
tery negative cable;
❒ battery terminals shall always be per-
fectly tightened.Moreover, this might lead to a higher risk
of the battery electrolyte freezing (this
may even occur at –10°C). If the car is in-
active for a long period of time, refer to
“Car inactivity”, in section “Correct use
of the car”.
If after buying the car, you want to install
electric accessories which require per-
manent electric supply (alarm, etc.) con-
tact Fiat Dealership whose qualified per-
sonnel, in addition to suggesting the most
suitable devices, will evaluate the overall
electric absorption, checking whether the
car’s electric system is capable of with-
standing the load required, or whether it
should be integrated with a more power-
ful battery.
In fact, since these devices continue ab-
sorbing energy even when the ignition key
is off, they gradually run down the battery.
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206
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WHEELS AND TYRES
Check the pressure of each tyre, includ-
ing the spare, every two weeks and before
long journeys. The pressure should be
checked with the tyre rested and cold.
For the correct tyre inflation pressure, see
“Wheels” in “Technical specifications”
section.
Incorrect pressure causes abnormal tyre
wearfig. 15:
A: normal pressure: tread evenly worn.
B: low pressure: tread particularly worn
at the edges.
C: high pressure: tread particularly worn
in the centre.
Tyres must be replaced when the tread
wears down to 1.6 mm. In any case, com-
ply with the laws in the country where the
car is being driven.IMPORTANT NOTES
❒ As far as possible, avoid sharp braking
and screech starts, etc. Be careful not
to hit the kerb, potholes or other ob-
stacles hard. Driving for long stretch-
es over bumpy roads can damage the
tyres;
❒ Periodically check that the tyres have
no cuts in the side wall, abnormal
swelling or irregular tyre wear. If any of
these occur, have the car seen to at a
Fiat Dealership;
❒avoid overloading the car when travel-
ling: this may cause serious damage to
the wheels and tyres;
fig. 15F0Q0101m
❒if a tyre is punctured, stop immediate-
ly and charge it to avoid damage to the
tyre, the rim, suspensions and steering
system;
❒ Tyres age even if they are not used
much. Cracks in the tread rubber are a
sign of ageing. In any case, if the tyres
have been on the car for over 6 years,
they should be checked by specialised
personnel, to see if they can still be
used. Also remember to check the
space-saver spare wheel;
❒ In the case of replacement, always fit
new tyres, avoiding those of dubious
origin;
❒ If a tyre is changed, also change the in-
flation valve;
❒To allow even wear between the front
and rear tyres, it is advisable to change
them over every 10-15 thousand kilo-
metres, keeping them on the same side
of the car so as to not reverse the di-
rection of rotation.
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AND CONTROLS
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MAINTENANCE
Remember that road holding
depends also on the correct
tyre inflating pressure.
WARNING
If the pressure is too low the
tyre overheats and this can
cause it serious damage.
WARNING
Do not cross switch the
tyres, moving them from the
right of the car to the left and vice
versa.
WARNING
Never submit alloy rims to
repainting treatments re-
quiring to use temperatures exceed-
ing 150°C since the mechanical prop-
erties of the wheels could be im-
paired.
WARNING
RUBBER HOSES
As far as the brake system and fuel rubber
hoses are concerned, carefully follow the
“Service schedule” in this section.
Indeed ozone, high temperatures and pro-
longed lack of fluid in the system may
cause hardening and cracking of the hoses,
with possible leaks. Careful control is
therefore necessary.
WINDSCREEN/
REAR WINDOW
WIPERS
BLADES
Periodically clean the rubber part using
special products; TUTELA PROFES-
SIONAL SC 35is recommended.
Change the blades if the rubber edge is
warped or worn out. You should in any case
change them approximately once a year.
A few simple notions can reduce the pos-
sibility of damage to the blades:
❒ if the temperature fall below zero,
make sure that ice has not frozen the
rubber against glass. If necessary, thaw
using an antifreeze product;
❒ remove any snow from the glass: in ad-
dition to protecting the blades, this pre-
vents effort on the motor and over-
heating;
❒do not operate the windscreen and
rear window wipers on dry glass.
Driving with worn wiper
blades is a serious hazard,
because visibility is reduced in bad
weather.
WARNING
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208
SAFETY
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LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
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AND CONTROLS
CAR
MAINTENANCEChanging the windscreen
wiper blades
Proceed as follows:
❒raise the windscreen wiper arm and po-
sition the blade so that it forms an an-
gle of 90° with the arm;
❒press tab A-fig. 16of the coupling
spring and remove the blade to be re-
placed from the arm;
❒fit the new arm, inserting the tab into
the arm seat. Check for proper locking.
fig. 16F0Q0662m
Changing the rear
window blade
Proceed as follows:
❒raise the cover A-fig. 17and remove
the arm from the car, slackening the nut
Bthat fastens it to the pivot pin;
❒ fit the new arm, positioning it correct-
ly, and fully tighten the nut;
❒ lower the cover.SPRAY NOZZLES
Windscreen wiper fig. 18
If the jet of fluid is inadequate, firstly check
that there is fluid in the reservoir: see
“Checking fluid levels” in this section).
Then check that the nozzle holes are not
clogged, if necessary use a needle.
The windscreen jets are fixed.
Rear window wiper fig. 19
Rear window washer jets are fixed.
The nozzle holder is on the rear window.fig. 17F0Q0663m
fig. 18F0Q0661mfig. 19F0Q0660m
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MAINTENANCE
BODYWORK
PROTECTION FROM
ATMOSPHERIC AGENTS
The main causes of corrosion are the fol-
lowing:
❒ atmospheric pollution;
❒ salty air and humidity (coastal areas, or
hot humid climates);
❒ seasonal environment conditions.
Not to be underestimated is also the abra-
sive action of wind-borne atmospheric
dust and sand and mud and gravel raised
by other cars.
On your Fiat Bravo, Fiat implemented the
best manufacturing technologies to effec-
tively protect the bodywork against cor-
rosion.These include:
❒ Painting products and systems which
give the car particular resistance to cor-
rosion and abrasion;
❒ Use of galvanised (or pretreated) steel
sheets, with high resistance to corro-
sion;
❒ Spraying the underbody, engine com-
partment, wheelhouse internal parts
and other parts with highly protective
wax products;
❒ Spraying of plastic parts, with a pro-
tective function, in the more exposed
points: underdoor, inner fender parts,
edges, etc.;
❒Use of “open” boxed sections to pre-
vent condensation and pockets of mois-
ture from triggering rust inside.
BODY AND UNDERBODY
WARRANTY
Your car is covered by warranty against
perforation due to rust of any original el-
ement of the structure or body. For the
general terms of this warranty, refer to
the Fiat Warranty booklet.ADVICE FOR PRESERVING
THE BODYWORK
Paint
Paintwork does not only serve an aesteth-
ic purpose, but also protects the under-
lying sheet metal.
In the case of deep scrapes or scores, you
are advised to have the necessary touch-
ing up carried out immediately to avoid
the formation of rust. Use only original
paint products for touching up (see “Body-
work paint identification plate” in section
“Technical specification”).
Normal paint maintenance consists in
washing at intervals depending on the con-
ditions and environment of use. For ex-
ample, in highly polluted areas, or if the
roads are sprayed with salt, it is wise to
wash the car more frequently.
To wash the car correctly proceed as fol-
lows:
❒soak the body with a low pressure wa-
ter jet;
❒pass on the body a sponge with a light
cleansing solution, frequently rinsing
the sponge;
❒rinse accurately with water and dry
with air jet or suede.
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SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CAR
MAINTENANCE
If the vehicle is washed in an automatic car
wash, follow these recommendations:
– remove the antenna from the roof to
avoid damages;
– water with a cleansing solution must be
used for washing;
– rinse accurately to avoid cleansing so-
lution residues which may remain on the
body or hidden parts.When drying, take particular care with the
less visible parts like door surrounds, bon-
net and around the headlights where wa-
ter may stagnate. The car should not be
taken to a closed area immediately, but left
in the open so that residual water can
evaporate.
Do not wash the car after it has been left
in the sun or with the bonnet hot: this may
alter the shine of the paintwork.
Exterior plastic parts must be cleaned in
the same way as the rest of the car.
Where possible, do not park under trees;
the resinous substance many species re-
lease give the paint a dull appearance and
increase the possibility of triggering rust
processes.
IMPORTANT Bird droppings must be
washed off immediately and thoroughly as
the acid they contain is particularly ag-
gressive. Some automatic systems pro-
vided with old generation
and/or not correctly main-
tained brushes may damage
the varnish, easing the creation of mi-
cro-scratches, especially on dark
colours. To remove those scratches,
slightly polish with a specific product.
Detergents cause water pol-
lution. Therefore the car
should be washed in areas
equipped for collecting and
purifying the liquid used in the washing
process.
Front headlights
IMPORTANT Never use aromatic sub-
stances (e.g.: petrol) or ketones (e.g.: ace-
tone) for cleaning front headlight plastic
lens.
Windows
Use specific window cleaner product. Use
also clean cloths to avoid scratching the
glass or damaging the transparency.
IMPORTANT The inside of the rearscreen
should be wiped gently with a cloth in the
direction of the filaments to avoid damag-
ing the heating device.
Engine compartment
At the end of the winter the engine com-
partment should be carefully washed,
without directing the jet against electron-
ic control units. Contact a specialised
workshop to have this done.
IMPORTANT The car should be washed
with the engine cold and the ignition key
at STOP. After washing make sure that
the various protections (e.g. rubber caps
and various covers) have not been dam-
aged or removed.
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SAFETY
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WARNING
LIGHTS AND
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IN AN
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AND CONTROLS
CAR
MAINTENANCE
INTERIORS
Periodically check that water is not trapped
under the mats (due to water dripping off
shoes, umbrellas, etc.) which could cause
oxidisation of the sheet metal.
Replace the worn carpet mats, if present,
with genuine products or however that
remain securely fastented to the passen-
ger compartment carpet. It is not advis-
able to use non genuine mats that could
move whilst driving.
CLEANING SEATS AND FABRIC
AND VELVET PARTS
Use a soft brush or vacuum cleaner to re-
move dust. Velvet is cleaned better if the
brush is moistened.
Rub the seats with a sponge moistened
with a solution of water and neutral de-
tergent.Fabric upholstery of your car
is purpose-made to withstand
common wear resulting from
normal use of the car. It is
however absolutely necessary to pre-
vent hard and/or prolonged scratch-
ing/scraping caused by clothing acces-
sories like metallic buckles, studs, “Vel-
cro” fixings, etc. that stressing locally
the fabric could break yarns and dam-
age the upholstery as a consequence.INTERIOR PLASTIC PARTS
For routine cleaning of interior plastic
parts use a soft cloth moistened with wa-
ter and neutral soap. Remove grease or
persisting stains using appropriate solvent-
free products designed to preserve ap-
pearance and colour of plastic compo-
nents.
IMPORTANT Never use spirit or petro-
leum to clean the instrument panel.
Never use flammable prod-
ucts like oil ether or rectified
petrol for cleaning car interiors. Elec-
trostatic discharges generated by rub-
bing during cleaning operations could
cause fire.
WARNING
CLEANING LEATHER SEATS
Remove dried on dirt with lightly moist-
ened chamois leather or cloth without
pressing too hard.
Remove liquid or grease stains with a dry
absorbent cloth without rubbing. Then
wipe with a soft cloth or chamois leather
with water and neutral soap.
If the stain persists, use specific products,
carefully following the instructions for use.
IMPORTANT Never use spirit or alcohol-
based products.
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