177
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE
VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
IF A FUSE BLOWS
GENERAL
The fuse is a protective device for the
electric system: it comes into action (i.e.
it cuts off) mainly due to a fault or im-
proper action on the system.
When a device does not work, check the
efficiency of its fuse: the conductor ele-
ment A-fig. 38must be intact. If not, re-
place the fuse with one of the same amp
rating (same colour).
Bundamaged fuse
Cfuse with damaged filament.
fig. 38F0N0094m
Never change a fuse with
another with a higher amp
rating, DANGER OF FIRE.
WARNING
Never replace a broken fuse
with anything other than a
new fuse.
If a general fuse (MEGA-
FUSE, MIDI-FUSE, MAXI-
FUSE) cuts in, do not attempt any re-
pair and contact Fiat Dealership. Be-
fore changing a fuse, check the igni-
tion key has been removed and that
all the other electric devices have
been turned off/disabled.
WARNING
If a fuse blows again, contact
a Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
195
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
HEAVY-DUTY
Should prevailing use of the vehicle be un-
der one of the following specially heavy
conditions:
❒trailer or caravan towing;
❒dusty roads;
❒short distances (less than 7-8 km) re-
peated and with external tempera-
tures below zero;
❒frequently idling engines or long dis-
tance low speed driving (e.g. door-to-
door deliveries) or in case of a long
term inactivity;
❒driving in the city;
carry out the following checks more fre-
quently than required in the Service
Schedule:
❒check front disk brake pad conditions
and wear;
❒check cleanness of locks, bonnet and
boot and lever cleanness and lubri-
cation;
❒sight inspect the conditions of: engine,
gearbox, transmission, pipes and
hoses (exhaust - fuel - brakes), rub-
ber parts (boots, sleeves, bushes,
etc.);
❒check battery charge and fluid level
(electrolyte);
❒visual check on various drive belt con-
ditions;
❒check and replace pollen filter, if re-
quired;
❒check and replace air cleaner, if re-
quired.
ROUTINE
MAINTENANCE
Every 1,000 km or before long journeys,
check and top up if required:
❒engine coolant fluid level;
❒brake fluid level;
❒windscreen washer fluid level;
❒tyre pressure and conditions;
❒light system operation (headlights, di-
rection indicators, hazard lights, etc.);
❒windscreen wiper/washer operation
and windscreen/rear window blade
position/wear;
Every 3,000 km check and top up if re-
quired: engine oil level.
You are recommended to use FL
Selenia, products, designed and pro-
duced specifically for Fiat vehicles (see
table “Capacities” in section “Technical
specifications”).
201
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
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
The symbol πon the con-
tainer indicates synthetic
brake fluid, distinguishing it from the
mineral kind. Using mineral fluids ir-
reversibly damages the special brak-
ing system rubber seals.
WARNING
POWER STEERING
FLUID fig. 10
Check whether the fluid level in the tank
is at max. level. This operation should be
carried out with the vehicle on level
ground, engine not running and cold.
Check whether the fluid level is at MAX
mark on the dipstick integral with the tank
cap (for cold check use the level shown
on the 20 °C side on the dipstick).If the fluid level in the reservoir is below
the specified level, top up with one of the
products specified in table “Fluids and lu-
bricants” in section “Technical Specifica-
tions”, proceed as follows:
❒Start the engine and wait until the flu-
id level in the reservoir has stabilized.
❒With the engine started, turn repeat-
edly the steering wheel fully right-
wards and leftwards.
❒Top up until reaching the MAXmark
then refit the cap.
fig. 10F0N0109m
Do not allow the power
steering fluid to touch the
hot parts of the engine: it is inflam-
mable.
WARNING
Do not press down the pow-
er steering with the engine
running for over 8 seconds,
noise and risk of damages will
result.
Power steering fluid con-
sumption is extremely low. If
the fluid level needs topping
up again after a short period
of time, have the system checked for
leakage at a Fiat Dealership.
AIR CLEANER
Air cleaner replacement shall be carried
out at Fiat Dealership.
AIR FILTER – DUSTY ROADS
(where necessary)
The air filter specific for dusty areas is
equipped with a visual blockage signalling
device A-fig. 11. It is therefore necessary
to periodically check the blockage sensor
indicator (Please refer to the “Pro-
grammed Maintenance Plan” shown in the
Chapter “Maintenance and care”)
206
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEICHLE
MAINTENANCE
WINDSCREEN
BLADES
Periodically clean the rubber part using
special products; TUTELA PROFES-
SIONAL SC 35is recommended.
If the rubber blades are bent or worn they
should be replaced. In any case they should
be changed 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
prevents effort on the motor and
overheating;
❒do not operate the windscreen
wipers on dry glass.
Driving with worn wiper
blades is a serious hazard,
because visibility is reduced in bad
weather.
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.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 vehicle 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
208
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEICHLE
MAINTENANCE
BODY AND UNDERBODY
WARRANTY
Your vehicle is covered by warranty
against perforation due to rust of any orig-
inal element of the structure or body.
For the general terms of this warranty, re-
fer to 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 touching
up carried out immediately to avoid the for-
mation of rust. For touching up use only
original products (see “Bodywork paint
identification plate” in section “Technical
specifications”).
Normal paint maintenance consists in
washing at intervals depending on the con-
ditions and environment of use. For exam-
ple, in highly polluted areas, or if the roads
are sprayed with salt, it is wise to wash the
vehicle more frequently. These include:
❒Painting products and systems which
give the vehicle particular resistance
to corrosion and abrasion;
❒Use of galvanised (or pretreated)
steel sheets, with high resistance to
corrosion;
❒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
moisture from triggering rust inside.
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 vehicles.
On your vehicle, Fiat implemented the
best manufacturing technologies to effec-
tively protect the bodywork against cor-
rosion.
209
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
CORRECT USE
OF THE VEHICLE
IN AN
EMERGENCY
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
To correctly wash the vehicle:
❒remove the aerial from the roof to
prevent damage to it if the vehicle is
washed in an automatic system;
❒wash the body using a low pressure jet
of water;
❒wipe a sponge with a slightly soapy so-
lution over the bodywork, frequently
rinsing with the sponge;
❒rinse well with water and dry with a
jet of air or a chamois leather.
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 vehicle should not
be taken to a closed area immediately, but
left in the open so that residual water can
evaporate.Do not wash the vehicle 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 vehicle.
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.
For best paint protection, from time to
time polish the bodywork with special
waxes; when paint becomes mat due to
smog, polish the bodywork with polish
waxes that have also a light abrasive effect.
IMPORTANT Bird droppings must be
washed off immediately and thoroughly as
the acid they contain is particularly ag-
gressive.
Detergents cause water pollu-
tion. Therefore the engine
compartment should be
washed in areas equipped for
collecting and purifying the liquid used
in the washing process.
Windows
Use specific window cleaner products.
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 vehicle should be
washed with the engine cold and the ig-
nition key at STOP. After washing make
sure that the various protections (e.g. rub-
ber caps and various covers) have not
been damaged or removed.
Front headlights
IMPORTANT Never use aromatic sub-
stances (e.g.: petrol) or ketones (e.g.: ace-
tone) for cleaning front headlight plastic
lens.