2009 FIAT IDEA service

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SCHEDULED SERVICING
Correct maintenance is essential for en-
suring long car life under the best condi-
tions.
This is why Fiat has planned a series of
checks and maintenance operations every
20,000 km.
Scheduled servicing will not however ful-
ly cover all of the need of your car: It is
however important to remember that
scheduled servicing does not completely
cover all the car’s requirements: also in
the initial period before 20.000 km servi-
ce coupon and later, between one coupon
and another, ordinary care is still required
such as for example routine check and
topping up the level of fluids, tyre pres-
sure check, etc.IMPORTANT Scheduled service coupons
are required by the manufacturer. Failu-
re to carry them out may invalidate the
warranty.
Scheduled Servicing is performed by all
Fiat Dealerships at pre-established times.
If during each operation, in addition to the
ones programmed, the need arises for
further replacements or repairs, these
may only be carried out with the explicit
agreement of the Customer.IMPORTANT You are advised to contact
the Fiat Dealership in the event of any mi-
nor operating faults, without waiting for
the next service coupon.
If your car is used frequently for towing,
the interval between one service coupon
and the other must be reduced.

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20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
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SERVICE SCHEDULE
Thousands of kilometres
Check tyre condition/wear and, if necessary,
adjust pressure
Check lighting system operation
(headlights, direction indicators, hazard lights, boot, passenger
compartment, oddment compartments, instrument panel warning
lights, etc.)
Check windscreen wiper/washer
(nozzle direction and blade wear)
Check conditions and wear of front disk brake pads and
operation of pad wear indicator
Check rear drum brake linings
and wear
Check condition and wear of rear brake discs
(where provided)
Visually inspect the condition of: exterior bodywork, underbody
protection, flexible and stiff piping (exhaust, fuel
feed, brakes), rubber parts (boots, sleeves, bushings, etc.)
Check cleanness of locks, bonnet and boot and lever
cleanness and lubrication
Check tension and conditions of various accessory drive belts
except for engines with automatic take-up devices)
Inspect conditions of various drive belts
Check and adjust tappets
(1.48Vversions)

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IMPORTANT - Engine oil
Should prevailing use of the car be under
one of the following specially heavy con-
ditions:
❒trailer or caravan towing;
❒dusty roads;
❒short repeated distances (less than 7-
8 km) and with external temperatures
below zero;
❒frequently idling engines or long di-
stance low speed driving (e.g. taxis or
door-to-door deliveries) or in case of
a long term inactivity;
change engine oil more frequently than
shown on the “Service Schedule”.
IMPORTANT - Air cleaner
When the car is used on dusty roads,
change the air cleaner more frequently
than shown on the “Service Schedule”.
Call a Fiat Dealership for doubts regarding
engine oil and air cleaner replacement.IMPORTANT - Pollen filter
It is advisable to replace the filtering ele-
ment more frequently if the car is used in
dusty or very polluted places. Specifical-
ly, replace if a lower air flow into the pas-
senger compartment is found.
IMPORTANT - Diesel filter
Using diesel not complying with European
Specification EN590 may lead to the need
to replace the diesel fuel filter more fre-
quently than shown in the “Service Sche-
dule”.IMPORTANT - Battery
Check the battery charge once a year,
preferably before the beginning to winter,
to prevent freezing of the electrolyte.
Perform this inspection more frequently
if the car is mainly used for short distan-
ces or if electrical devices running with the
key off are installed, particularly after-
market. Check the battery level (elec-
trolyte) more frequently than shown on
the “Service Schedule” if the car is used in
hot climates or in particularly demanding
conditions.
Take the car to a Fiat Dea-
lership for servicing. Make su-
re you have the right equip-
ment, genuine Fiat spare
parts and consumables for ordinary,
minor interventions. Do not attempt
the operations if you lack the expe-
rience.

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BRAKE FLUID fig. 14
Release cap: Check that the liquid contai-
ned in the tank is at the maximum level.
Fluid level in the reservoir must not ex-
ceed the MAXmark.
Use the brake fluid shown in the “Fluids
and lubricants” table (see “Technical Spe-
cifications”).
NOTE Carefully clean the cap of reservoir
A and the surrounding surface.
When opening the cap, make sure that no
dirt gets into the reservoir.
Always use a funnel with a built-in filter
with a mesh of 0.12 mm or less for top-
ping up.
IMPORTANT Brake fluid absorbs moi-
sture. For this reason, if the car is mainly
used in areas with a high degree of atmo-
spheric humidity, the fluid should be re-
placed at more frequent intervals than
specified in the “Service schedule”.
fig. 14F0H0213m
Brake fluid is poisonous and
highly corrosive. In the event
of accidental contact, wash the parts
immediately with water and mild
soap and rinse with plenty of water.
Call a doctor immediately if swal-
lowed.
WARNING
Symbol πon the contain
indicates a synthetic brake
fluid, which is different from a mine-
ral fluid. Use of a mineral type fluid
will damage the special rubber seals
of the braking system beyond repair.
WARNING
Prevent brake fluid which is
highly corrosive from coming
into contact with painted
parts. Should this occur, im-
mediately wash with water.
Do not travel with the wind-
screen washing reservoir
empty: the action of the windscreen
washer is essential for improving vi-
sibility.
WARNING
Some commercial additives
for windscreen washing are
flammable. The engine compartment
contains hot parts which could start
a fire if they come into contact.
WARNING
fig. 13F0H0212m

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FUEL FILTER
(green filter)
DRAINING CONDENSATION
(Multijet versions)
The presence of water in the
feeding circuit may cause se-
vere damage to the injection system
and irregular engine operation. If the
warning lights
con the cluster lights
up or a message appears on the re-
configurable multifunctional display
(some versions), contact a Fiat Dea-
lership to have the system bled. Wa-
ter may have been introduced in the
tank if this appears immediately af-
ter refuelling: in this case, stop the en-
gine immediately and contact a Fiat
Dealership.
WARNING
BATTERY
The car fits a low-maintenance battery: in
normal usage conditions the electrolyte
does not need topping up with distilled
water.
CHECKING CHARGE
AND ELECTROLYTE LEVEL
The operations must be carried out as de-
scribed in this Owner’s Handbook only by
specialised personnel. Topping must be
carried out by specialised personnel at a
Fiat Dealership.
The battery fluid is poiso-
nous and corrosive. Avoid
contact with the skin and eyes. Keep
naked flames and sources of sparks
away from the battery: risk of explo-
sion and fire.
WARNING
CHANGING THE BATTERY
If required, replace the battery with a ge-
nuine 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 apply.
Follow the battery manufacturer’s in-
structions for maintenance.
Running the battery with an
excessively low liquid level
will damage the battery beyond re-
pair and even cause an explosion.
WARNING
Incorrect assembly of electric
and electronic devices may
cause severe damage to your
car. Go to a Fiat Dealership if
you want to install accessories (alarms,
mobile phone, etc.): they will suggest
the most suitable devices and advise
you if a higher capacity battery needs
to be installed.

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RUBBER HOSES
Carefully follow the information contai-
ned in the “Service schedule” in this sec-
tion for maintenance of brake system and
fuel feed rubber hoses.
Ozone, high temperatures and prolonged
lack of fluid in the system may cause har-
dening and cracking of the hoses, with
possible leaks. Careful inspections are the-
refore necessary.
WINDSCREEN/REAR
WINDOW
WIPER/WASHER
BLADES
Periodically clean the rubber part using
special products; TUTELA PROFES-
SIONAL SC 35is recommended.
Replace the blades if the rubber edge is
deformed or worn. In all cases, it is advi-
sable to replace them approximately on-
ce a year.
A few simple precautions can reduce the
possibility of damage to the blades:
❒make sure that the rubber part is not
stuck to the windscreen at sub-zero
temperatures. Use an antifreeze pro-
duct to release it if required;
❒remove the snow from the window:
this will avoid overstressing the elec-
trical motor and causing it to overheat
in addition to protecting the blades;
❒do not operate the windscreen and
rear window wipers on dry glass.
Driving with worn wiper bla-
des is a serious hazard, be-
cause visibility is reduced in bad
weather.
WARNING
Replacing the windscreen wiper
blades fig. 16
Proceed as follows:
❒lift the arm Aof the wiper and posi-
tion the blade so that it forms an an-
gle of 90° with the arm itself;
❒press the tab Bon the clip and extract
the blade from the arm A;
❒fit the new blade, inserting the tab in
the specific set on the arm. Make su-
re that it is locked.
fig. 16F0H0217m

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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 du-
st and sand and mud and gravel raised by
other cars.
On your car, Fiat implemented the best
manufacturing technologies to effectively
protect the bodywork against corrosion.
These are the most important:
❒painting products and systems which
give the car particular resistance to
corrosion and abrasion;
❒use of galvanised (or pre-treated) steel
sheets, with high resistance to corro-
sion;
❒spraying of plastic parts with a pro-
tective function in the more exposed
points: under door, inner wing parts,
edges, etc.;
❒boxed parts are designed to prevent
condensation and pooling of water
which can cause corrosion from the
inside.BODY AND UNDERBODY
WARRANTY
Your car is covered by warranty against
perforation due to rust of any original ele-
ment of the structure or body. For the ge-
neral terms of this warranty, refer to your
“FIAT SERVICE” Booklet.
ADVICE FOR PRESERVING THE
BODYWORK
Paint
Paintwork does not only serve an aesthe-
tic purpose, but also protects the un-
derlying sheet metal.
Touch up abrasions and scratches imme-
diately to prevent the formation of rust.
Only use genuine spare paint products for
touch-ups (see “Bodywork paint identifi-
cation plate” in the “Technical Specifica-
tions” section).Normal maintenance of paintwork consi-
sts in washing the vehicle: the frequency
depends on the conditions and environ-
ment where the vehicle is used. For exam-
ple, it is advisable to wash the car more
often in areas with a high environmental
pollution or on roads sprinkled with salt.
To correctly wash the car:
❒remove the aerial from the roof to
prevent damage to it if the car is wa-
shed 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.
Dry the parts less in sight particularly ca-
refully, such as the door frames and the
headlight frames, where water may sta-
gnate more easily. It is a good idea to lea-
ve the car in the open for a while after wa-
shing it to give time for the water to eva-
porate.
Do not wash the car after it has been
parked in the sun or when the engine is
bonnet is hot: this could take the shine off
the paint.

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SUSPENSIONS
Front
Rear
(◊) Engine version for some versions/markets only1.2
16V - 1.48V (◊) - 1.416V- 1.3 Multijet - 1.6 Multijet
McPherson independent wheels
Semi-independent wheels interconnected by means of torque axle
STEERING SYSTEM
Type
Steering circle
(kerb to kerb) m
(◊) Engine version for some versions/markets only1.2
16V - 1.48V (◊) - 1.416V- 1.3 Multijet - 1.6 Multijet
Rack and pinion with electric power steering
10,0
BRAKES
Service brakes:– front
– rear
Parking brake
IMPORTANT Water, ice and salt sprinkled on the roads may deposit on the brake disks reducing braking efficiency the first time the brakes are
applied.
(◊) Engine version for some versions/markets only1.2
16V - 1.48V (◊)- 1.416V- 1.3 Multijet 70CV
Self-ventilating discs (257 mm x 22 mm)
Drum (203 mm x 38 mm)
Operated by hand lever, acting on
rear brakes1.3 Multijet 90 CV - 1.3 Multijet 95 CV
1.6 Multijet
Self-ventilating discs (284 mm x 22 mm)
1.3 Multijet 90 CV - 1.3 Multijet 95 CV: drum
(228 mm x 40 mm)
1.6 Multijet: disc (240 mm x 11 mm)
Operated by hand lever, acting on
rear brakes