2009 FIAT DOBLO Owners Manual

136
KNOW
YOUR
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SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
F0V0069mfig. 127F0V0087mfig. 126
PARKING THE VEHICLE
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the handbrake;
❒engage a gear (first gear if parked uphill or reverse if
facing downhill) and leave the wheels turned.
If the vehicle is parked on a steep slope, it is advisable to
block the wheels with a wedge or stone.
To prevent draining the battery, do not leave the ignition
key turned to MAR. Always remove the key when you
leave the vehicle.
Never leave children unattended in the vehicle. Always
remove the ignition key when leaving the vehicle, and take
it with you.
USING THE GEARBOX
To engage the gears, depress the clutch pedal fully and
shift the gear lever A-fig. 127 into the required position
(the diagram is shown on the gear knob fig. 127).
IMPORTANT Reverse may be engaged only when the ve-
hicle is at a standstill. With the engine running, wait for
at least 2 seconds with the clutch pedal fully depressed
before engaging reverse to prevent damage to the gears
and grating.
To engage reverse R from neutral, lift ring B under the
knob and at the same time move the gearstick to the right
and then backwards (as shown in the diagram).

137
KNOW
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AND
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MAINTENANCE
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INDEXDepress the clutch pedal fully to change
gear correctly. Therefore, the floor area
under the pedals should be clear: ensure that any
rubber mats are flat and do not interfere with the
pedals.
WARNING
Do not drive with your hand resting on the
gear lever, because this pressure, even if
light, can wear out the inner components
of the gearbox over time. The clutch pedal should
be used only for gear changes. Do not drive with
your foot resting on the clutch pedal, however
slightly. For versions/markets where provided, the
electronic clutch control could cut in by interpret-
ing the incorrect driving style as a fault.
SAVING FUEL
Here are some useful tips to save fuel and minimise harm-
ful emissions of CO
2and other pollutants (nitric oxides,
unburnt hydrocarbons, fine dusts etc…).
PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR REDUCING FUEL
CONSUMPTION AND HARMFUL EMISSIONS
Vehicle conditions
1. Have checks and adjustments carried out in
accordance with the “Scheduled Servicing Plan”.
2. Check tyre pressures regularly, at least once every
four weeks. Excessively low pressures will increase
consumption because rolling resistance will be high-
er. In addition, this wears the tyre more quickly and
impairs performance.
3. Only use snow tyreswhen the weather conditions
make them absolutely necessary. They increase con-
sumption and noise.
4. Do not travel with a heavy load: the weight of the
vehicle (especially when driving in town) and its trim
greatly affect fuel consumption and stability.

138
KNOW
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SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
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MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX2. Avoid pointless actions such as revving up when at
traffic lights or before stopping the engine. The latter
action, like double-declutching, is unnecessary and
causes increased fuel consumption and pollution.
3.Gear selection: select a high gear as soon as possi-
ble (taking into account normal engine operation and
traffic conditions) without pushing the engine to high
revs during the intermediate gears. Using low gears
at high revs to get lively acceleration increases fuel
consumption, harmful emissions and engine wear.
4.Vehicle speed: fuel consumption increases expo-
nentially as the speed of the vehicle increases. Keep
your speed moderate and as even as possible, avoid-
ing unnecessary braking and acceleration, which
cause excessive fuel consumption and increased
emissions. Keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in
front helps to maintain a steady speed.
5.Acceleration: accelerating violently severely affects
consumption and emissions. Acceleration should be
gradual and should not exceed the maximum engine
torque rate. 5. Remove roof racks or ski racksafter use. These
accessories reduce the vehicle’s aerodynamic pene-
tration and have a negative effect on fuel consump-
tion.
6. It is better to use a trailer to transport particularly
bulky objects.
7. Use the vehicle’s air vents if possible: travelling with
the windows open impairs the aerodynamics.
8. Only use electrical devices for the amount of time
needed. The heated rear window, auxiliary head-
lights, windscreen wipers and fan heater use up
a considerable amount of current, causing increased
fuel consumption (up to +25% in the urban cycle).
9. Using the climate control leads to higher fuel con-
sumption (on average up to +30%). If the tempera-
ture outside is not too extreme, try and use the air
vents.
Driving style
1. After starting the engineyou should drive away
immediately and slowly, avoiding high revs. Do not
warm up the engine at low or high revs when the
vehicle is stationary; this causes the engine to warm
up more slowly, thereby increasing fuel consumption,
emissions and mechanical component wear.

139
KNOW
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SAFETY
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WARNING
LIGHTS AND
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MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEXTOWING TRAILERS
IMPORTANT NOTES
The vehicle must be provided with a type-approved tow
hitch and adequate electrical system to tow trailers. In-
stallation must be performed by specialised personnel who
will issue the required papers for travelling on roads.
Install any specific and/or additional rear-view mirrors in
accordance with the highway code of the country in which
you are travelling.
Remember that when towing a trailer, steep hills are hard-
er to climb, braking distances increase and overtaking takes
longer depending on the overall weight of the trailer.
Engage a low gear when driving downhill, rather than con-
stantly using the brake.
The weight of the trailer on the vehicle tow hitch will re-
duce the loading capacity of the vehicle by the same
amount.
Consider the weight at full load, including accessories and
luggage, to make sure you do not exceed the maximum
towable weight (shown in the log book).
Respect each country’s speed limits for vehicles towing
trailers. In all cases, the top speed must not exceed
80 km/h. CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Short distances and frequent cold start-ups prevent the
engine from reaching its optimum running temperature.
Consequently, both consumption (from +15 to +30% on
the urban cycle) and emissions will increase.
Traffic and road conditions
Heavy traffic, for instance when travelling in a queue with
frequent use of low gears or in cities with lots of traffic
lights, causes fairly high fuel consumption. Mountain roads
and uneven surfaces also have a negative effect on con-
sumption.
Traffic hold-ups
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g. at level crossings) the
engine should be switched off.

140
KNOW
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SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
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MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEXSNOW TYRES
A Fiat Dealership will be happy to provide advice con-
cerning the most suitable type of tyre for the customer’s
requirements.
For the type, pressures and specifications of the snow
tyre to be used, follow carefully the instructions given in
the “Wheels” paragraph of the “Technical specifications”
section.
The winter performance of these tyres is considerably
reduced when the tread thickness is less than 4 mm. If
this is the case, replace them.
Due to their specific features, the performance of snow
tyres is much lower than that of standard tyres in normal
conditions or on long motorway stretches. You should
therefore use them only in the conditions for which they
were designed.
IMPORTANT When using snow tyres with a maximum
speed index below the one that can be reached by the
vehicle (increased by 5%), place a notice in the passenger
compartment, plainly in view, which states the maximum
speed allowed by the snow tyres (as per EC Directive).
All four tyres should be the same (brand and profile) to
ensure greater safety when driving and braking as well as
making the car more responsive.
Remember that you should not change the rotation di-
rection of the tyres.The ABS with which the vehicle may be
equipped will not control the braking sys-
tem of the trailer. Particular caution is therefore
required on slippery roads.
WARNING
Never modify the braking system of the
vehicle to control the trailer brake. The
trailer braking system must be fully independent
from the hydraulic system of the vehicle.
WARNING

141
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EMERGENCY
SERVICING
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MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEXSNOW CHAINS
The use of snow chains should be in compliance with lo-
cal regulations.
Snow chains may be fitted only to the front wheel tyres
(drive wheels).
Check the tension of the chains after the first few metres
have been driven.You must not exceed 160 km/h on snow
tyres with a “Q” mark; in any case, make
sure you stick to the rules of the highway code.
WARNING
Keep your speed down when snow chains
are fitted – do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid
potholes, steps and pavements and also
avoid driving for long distances on roads not cov-
ered with snow to avoid damaging the car and the
road surface.

142
KNOW
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SAFETY
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EMERGENCY
SERVICING
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MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX❒sprinkle talcum powder on the rubber windscreen and
rear window wiper blades and lift them off the glass;
❒open the windows slightly;
❒cover the vehicle with a piece of fabric or perforated
plastic sheet; Do not use compact plastic tarpaulins,
which prevent humidity from evaporating from the sur-
face of the vehicle;
❒inflate tyres to a pressure of +0.5 bar above the nor-
mal specified pressure and check regularly;
❒do not drain the engine cooling system.
VEHICLE INACTIVITY
If the vehicle needs to be off the road for longer than one
month, the following precautions must be taken:
❒park the vehicle indoors in a dry and, if possible, well-
ventilated place;
❒engage a gear and check that the handbrake is not on;
❒disconnect the battery negative terminal and check the
charge (see “Battery” in the “Servicing and mainte-
nance”)
❒clean and protect the painted parts using protective
wax;
❒clean and protect the shiny metal parts using special
compounds readily available;

143
KNOW
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
GENERAL WARNINGS
Warning lights are accompanied by a specific message
and/or sound when applicable. These indications are brief
and precautionary and as such must not be considered as
exhaustive and/or alternative to the information contained
in the Owner’s Handbook, which you are recommended
to read carefully in all cases. Always refer to the informa-
tion in this chapter in the event of a failure indication.
IMPORTANT The fault indicators appearing on the dis-
play are divided into two categories: very serious and less
serious failures.
Very serious failures prompt a prolonged cycle of signals.
Less serious failures prompt a shorter cycle of signals.
Press SET ESC to stop the warning cycle in both cases.
Warning lights (or the symbol on the display) on the in-
strument panel will stay on until the cause of the failure
is eliminated.
WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
If the warning light xturns on when trav-
elling (on certain versions together with
the message on the display), stop the car imme-
diately and contact a Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
BRAKE FLUID LOW (red)
HANDBRAKE ON (red)
When the ignition key is turned to MAR,
the warning light turns on but should go off after a few
seconds.
Brake fluid low
The warning light turns on when the level of the brake
fluid in the reservoir falls below the minimum level, pos-
sibly due to a leak in the circuit.
On some versions the display shows the associated
message.
x
Handbrake on
The warning light turns on when the handbrake is engaged.
On certain versions, there is also an audible warning if
the vehicle is moving.
IMPORTANT If the warning light turns on when travel-
ling, check that the handbrake is not engaged.