2009 FIAT GRANDE PUNTO Light switch

80
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CONTROLS
AND DEVICES
FAILURE INDICATIONS
Any failure of the electric power steering
system is indicated by instrument panel
warning light
gcoming on together with
a message on the multifunction display (for
versions/markets where provided) (see
section “Warning lights and messages”).
In the event of electric power steering sys-
tem failure, the car can be driven with me-
chanical steering.
IMPORTANT In some circumstances, fac-
tors independent of the electric power
steering could cause the
gwarning light
in the instrument panel to come on.
In this case, stop the car immediately,
switch off the engine for about 20 seconds
and then restart the car. If the warning
light
gis still on, along with the message
on the multifunction display (for ver-
sions/markets where provided), contact
a Fiat Dealership.IMPORTANT The steering may become
stiffer during parking manoeuvres that re-
quire a lot of turns of the wheel. This is
normal and is caused by the electric con-
trol motor overheating protection system.
No repairs are needed. The power steer-
ing system will start working properly
again the next time the car is used.
It is absolutely forbidden to
carry out any after-market
operation involving steering system or
steering column modifications (e.g. in-
stallation of anti-theft device) that
could badly affect performance and
safety, invalidate the warranty and
also result in the car failing to com-
ply with regulations.
WARNING
Before servicing the car,
switch off the engine and re-
move the key from the ignition to ac-
tivate the steering lock. This is espe-
cially important when the car wheels
are not touching the ground. If this
is not possible (for example if the key
needs to be turned to MAR or the en-
gine must be running), remove the
main fuse that protects the electric
power steering.
WARNING
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103
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CONTROLS
AND DEVICES
SAFETY
GENERAL WARNINGS
If when turning the key to
MAR the warning light ¬does not turn on or if it stays on when
travelling (together with the message
on the multifunction display, where
provided), there could be a failure in
the safety systems; in this event,
airbags or pretensioners may not trig-
ger in case of impact or, in a minor
number of cases, they could trigger
accidentally. Contact a Fiat Dealer-
ship immediately to have the system
checked.
WARNING
Do not cover the backrest of
front and rear seats with
trims or covers that are not suitable
to be used with side bags.
WARNING
Never travel with objects on
your lap, in front of your
chest or with a pipe, pencil, etc. be-
tween your lips; serious injury may re-
sult in the event of the airbag being
triggered.
WARNING
Always drive with your hands
on the steering wheel rim so
that the airbag can inflate freely if
needed. Do not drive with your body
bent forward. Keep your back straight
against the backrest.
WARNING
If the key is turned to MAR,
even if the engine is switched
off, airbags may be deployed when
the car is stationary and hit by an-
other vehicle. For this reason, children
must never occupy the front seat,
even if the car is not moving. Con-
versely, remember that when the key
is inserted in the STOP position, no
safety device (air bag or pretension-
ers) will activate following an impact;
non-activation of these devices in such
cases cannot therefore be considered
an indicator of system malfunction.
WARNING
If the vehicle has been sub-
ject to theft or a theft at-
tempt, or if it has been affected by
vandalism or flooding, have the airbag
system checked at a Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
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106
SAFETY
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CONTROLS
AND DEVICES
STARTING
AND DRIVING
STARTING THE ENGINE
The car is fitted with an electronic engine
lock device: if the engine fails to start, see
the paragraph on “The Fiat CODE sys-
tem” in the “Dashboard and controls”
section.
The engine may be noisier during the first
few seconds of operation, particularly af-
ter a long period of inactivity. This is a fea-
ture of hydraulic tappets, the timing sys-
tem chosen to reduce the number of
servicing interventions, and effects neither
functionality nor reliability.
We recommend that during
the initial period you do not
drive to full car performance
(e.g. excessive acceleration,
long journeys at top speed, sharp brak-
ing etc.).
When the engine is switched
off, never leave the key in
the ignition switch to prevent
draining the battery.
It is dangerous to have the
engine running indoors. The
engine consumes oxygen and pro-
duces carbon dioxide, carbon monox-
ide and other toxic gases.
WARNING
Remember that the brake
booster and power steering
are not operational until the engine
has been started, therefore you need
to apply much more force than usu-
al to the brake pedal and steering
wheel.
WARNING
STARTING PROCEDURE
FOR PETROL VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❒ensure that the handbrake is on;
❒put the gear lever into neutral;
❒press the clutch pedal all the way down
without touching the accelerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVVand re-
lease it the moment the engine starts.
If the engine does not start at the first at-
tempt, return the ignition key to STOP
before repeating the starting procedure.
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109
SAFETY
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CONTROLS
AND DEVICES
STARTING
AND DRIVINGHANDBRAKE fig. 1
The handbrake is located between the
two front seats.
Pull the lever upwards to operate the
handbrake. Four or five notches are nor-
mally sufficient to secure the car on flat
terrain, while nine or ten may be neces-
sary on a steep slope with the car loaded.
IMPORTANT If this is not the case, con-
tact a Fiat Dealership to have the hand-
brake adjusted.
When the handbrake is on and the igni-
tion key is at MAR, the instrument panel
warning light
xwill come on.
PARKING THE VEHICLE
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the hand-
brake;
❒engage a gear (first gear if the vehicle
is parked uphill or reverse if it is facing
downhill) and leave the wheels turned.
If the car is parked on a steep slope, it is
also advisable to block the wheels with
a wedge or stone. Do not leave the key in
the ignition switch as this drains the bat-
tery. Always remove the key when you
leave the car.
Never leave children unat-
tended in the car. Always re-
move the ignition key when leaving
the car and take it with you.
WARNING
fig. 1F0M0115m
To release the handbrake, proceed as
follows:
❒pull up slightly on the lever and press
release button A;
❒hold button Adown and lower the
lever. The xwarning light on the in-
strument panel will go out.
Press the brake pedal when carrying out
this operation to prevent the car from
moving accidentally.
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112
SAFETY
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CONTROLS
AND DEVICES
STARTING
AND DRIVING
CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Short distances and frequent cold start-
ups will prevent the engine from reach-
ing optimal running temperature. Conse-
quently, both fuel consumption (from +15
to +30% on the urban cycle) and emis-
sions 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, caus-
es fairly high fuel consumption. Mountain
roads and uneven surfaces also have a neg-
ative effect on consumption.
Traffic hold-ups
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g. at level
crossings) the engine should be switched
off.TOWING TRAILERS
IMPORTANT NOTES
The car must be equipped with an ap-
proved tow hook and adequate electrical
system to tow caravans or trailers. Instal-
lation must be performed by specialised
personnel who will issue the required pa-
pers for travelling on roads.
Install any specific and/or additional rear
view mirrors in accordance with the high-
way code of the country in which you are
travelling.
Remember that, when towing a trailer,
steep hills are harder to climb, braking dis-
tances increase and overtaking takes
longer relative to the overall weight of the
trailer.
Engage a low gear when driving downhill,
rather than constantly using the brake.
The weight of the trailer on the car’s tow
hook will reduce the load capacity of the
car by the same amount. Consider the
weight of the trailer fully laden, including
accessories and luggage, to make sure you
do not exceed the maximum towable
weight (shown on the vehicle registration
document). Top speed
Fuel consumption considerably increases
as speed increases. Keep your speed as
even as possible, avoiding unnecessary
braking and acceleration, which cause ex-
cessive fuel consumption and increased
emissions.
Acceleration
Accelerating violently severely affects con-
sumption and emissions: acceleration
should be gradual and should not exceed
the maximum torque.
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116
SAFETY
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CONTROLS
AND DEVICES
STARTING
AND DRIVING
CAR INACTIVITY
If the car is to be left inactive for longer
than a month, the following precautions
should be observed:
❒park the car in covered, dry and, if pos-
sible, well-ventilated premises;
❒engage a gear;
❒check that the handbrake is engaged;
❒disconnect the clip for the negative bat-
tery terminal and check battery charge.
Repeat this check once every three
months during storage. Recharge the
battery if the indicator is dark and the
middle area is not green;
❒clean and protect the painted parts us-
ing protective wax;
❒clean and protect the shiny metal parts
using special compounds readily avail-
able;
❒sprinkle talcum powder on the rubber
windscreen and rear window wiper
blades and lift them off the glass;
❒open the windows slightly;
❒cover the car with a fabric or perfo-
rated plastic sheet. Do not use compact
plastic sheets which do not allow hu-
midity to evaporate from the surface of
the car;
❒inflate tyres to a pressure of +0.5 bar
above the normal specified pressure
and check regularly;
❒if you don’t disconnect the battery from
the electrical system, check its charge
every month and recharge it if the in-
dicator shows a dark colour without
the central green area;
❒do not drain the engine cooling system.
IMPORTANT Where relevant, switch off
the car alarm with the remote control.
Keep your speed down when
snow chains are fitted – do
not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid
potholes, steps and pave-
ments and also avoid driving
for long distances on roads
not covered with snow to avoid dam-
aging the car and the road surface.
WARNING
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119
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CONTROLS
AND DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
AIRBAG FAULT
(red)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR,
the warning light turns on but should go
off after a few seconds.
The warning light stays on constantly if
there is a failure in the airbag system.
A specific message is displayed on certain
versions.
¬If the warning light ¬does
not turn on when turning the
key to MAR or stays on during car
travel, there may be a failure in the
restraint systems. If this is the case,
the airbags or pretensioners may not
be deployed in an accident or, in a
minor number of cases, they may be
deployed incorrectly. Contact a Fiat
Dealership immediately to have the
system checked before driving off.
WARNING
A problem with the warning
light
¬(light off) is indicat-
ed by the warning light
“, which in-
dicates the front passenger airbag is
deactivated, flashing for more than
the usual four seconds.
WARNING
OVERHEATED ENGINE
COOLANT (red)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR,
the warning light turns on but should go
off after a few seconds.
The warning light turns on when the en-
gine is overheated.
If the warning light comes on, proceed as
follows:
❒when driving normally: stop the car,
switch off the engine and check that the
water level in the reservoir is not be-
low the MIN mark. If it is not, wait for
a few minutes for the engine to cool
down then slowly and carefully open
the cap, top-up with coolant and check
that the level is between the MIN and
MAX marks. Also visually check for
leaks. Should the warning light turn on
again at the next start-up, contact a Fiat
Dealership.
ç
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120
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CONTROLS
AND DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
LOW ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE (red)
DEGRADED OIL (red)
(Multijet versions
with DPF)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR,
the warning light turns on but should go
out as soon as the engine is started.
Low engine oil pressure
The warning light turns on and stays on
constantly along with a message on the
display (in versions/markets where pro-
vided) when the system detects that en-
gine oil pressure is low.
v
If the warning light vturns on when the vehicle is
travelling (on certain versions to-
gether with a message on the display)
stop the engine immediately and con-
tact a Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
❒if the vehicle is used under de-
manding conditions (e.g. towing
trailers uphill or fully loaded): slow
down and, if the light stays on, stop the
car. Stop for 2 or 3 minutes with the
engine running and slightly accelerated
to assist better coolant circulation.
Then switch the engine off. Check cor-
rect fluid level as described above.
IMPORTANT On particularly demanding
journeys, it is advisable to keep the engine
on and slightly accelerated for a few min-
utes before switching it off.
A specific message is displayed on certain
versions.
LOW BATTERY
CHARGE (red)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR,
the warning light turns on but should go
out as soon as the engine is started (with
the engine idling, a brief delay can be ex-
pected).
If the warning light comes on, either per-
manently or intermittently, contact a Fiat
Dealership immediately.
w
Engine oil degraded
The warning light flashes and a specific
message appears on the display (for ver-
sions/markets where provided). The
warning light may flash in the following
ways, depending on the version:
– for 1 minute every two hours;
– for 3 minute cycles with the warning
light off for intervals of 5 seconds until oil
is changed.
After the initial warning, each time the en-
gine is started up, the warning light will
continue to flash in the same ways as de-
scribed above, until the oil is changed.
A specific message will appear on the dis-
play (for versions/markets where provid-
ed) in addition to the warning light.
If the warning light flashes, this does not
mean that the car is defective, but simply
informs the driver that it is now necessary
to change the oil as a result of regular
vehicle use.
Note that engine oil degrades faster un-
der the following circumstances:
– use of the vehicle mainly for city driving,
requiring more frequent regeneration of
the DPF
– use of the vehicle for short drives, in
which the engine does not have time to
reach its regular operating temperature
– repeated interruption of the regenera-
tion process, signalled by the DPF warn-
ing light coming on.
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