154
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
SAVING FUEL
Here are some suggestions which may help you to save fu-
el and reduce the amount of toxic emissions released in-
to the atmosphere.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried out in accordance
with the “Scheduled Servicing Plan”.
Tyres
Check the tyre pressures at least once every 4 weeks: if
the pressure is too low, consumption levels increase as re-
sistance to rolling is higher.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with an overloaded boot. The weight of
the car (especially when driving in town) and its arrange-
ment greatly affect fuel consumption and stability.
Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or ski rack from the roof after use.
These accessories decrease aerodynamic penetration and
have a negative effect on fuel consumption. It is better to
use a trailer to transport particularly bulky objects.Electrical devices
Use electrical devices only for the amount of time need-
ed. The heated rear window, auxiliary headlights, wind-
screen wipers and fan heater use up a considerable amount
of current, causing increased fuel consumption (up to
+25% in the urban cycle).
Air conditioning
Air conditioning leads to higher fuel consumption (on av-
erage up to +20%). If the temperature outside is not too
extreme, try and use the air vents.
Spoilers
The use of non-certified spoilers may adversely affect aero-
dynamics and fuel consumption.
DRIVING STYLE
Starting
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 and emissions.
It is advisable to set off immediately and slowly, avoiding high
revs: this allows the engine to warm up more quickly.
Unnecessary actions
Avoid revving up when stationary at traffic lights or before
stopping the engine. The latter action, like double de-
clutching, is entirely unnecessary and causes increased fu-
el consumption and pollution.
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❒clean and protect the painted parts using protective
wax;
❒clean and protect the shiny metal parts using special
compounds readily available;
❒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 perforated plastic sheet.
Do not use compact plastic sheets which do not allow
humidity to evaporate from the surface of the car;
❒inflate tyres to a pressure of +0.5 bar above the nor-
mal 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 indicator shows a dark colour without the cen-
tral green area;
❒do not drain the engine cooling system.
IMPORTANT Where relevant, switch off the car alarm
with the remote control.
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 possible, well-ven-
tilated premises;
❒engage a gear;
❒check that the handbrake is engaged;
❒disconnect the clip for the negative battery 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;
160
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
16” and 17” tyres cannot be fitted with
chains.
WARNING
Keep your speed down when snow chains
are fitted: do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid
potholes, steps and pavements, and do
not drive for long distances on roads not
covered with snow to prevent damaging
the car and the road surface.
WARNING
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162
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
AIRBAG FAILURE (red)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR position,
the warnintg light turns on but should go off af-
ter a few seconds.
The warning light stays on constantly if there is a failure
in the airbag system. A specific message is displayed on cer-
tain versions.
¬
If the warning light ¬does not come on
when turning the key to MAR or stays on
during car travel, a failure may be present in the
restraint systems. If this is the case, the airbags
or pretensioners may not be deployed after an im-
pact or, in a minor number of cases, they may be
deployed accidentally. Contact a Fiat Dealership
immediately to have the system checked before
driving off.
WARNING
A problem with the warning light ¬(light
off) is indicated by the warning light “,
which indicates the front passenger airbag is de-
activated, flashing for more than the usual four
seconds.
WARNING
OVERHEATED ENGINE COOLANT
(red)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR position,
the warnintg light turns on but should go off after a few
seconds. The warning light turns on when the engine is
overheated. If the warning light comes on, proceed as fol-
lows:
❒when driving normally: stop the car, switch off the en-
gine and check that the water level in the reservoir is
not below the MIN mark. If it is not, wait for a few min-
utes for the engine to cool down then slowly and care-
fully open the cap, top-up with coolant and check that
the level is between the MIN and MAX marks. Also
visually check for leaks. Go to a Fiat Dealership if the
warning light comes on again when the engine is next
started.
❒if the vehicle is used under demanding 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 min-
utes with the engine running and slightly accelerated to
assist better coolant circulation. Then switch the en-
gine off. Check correct fluid level as described above.
IMPORTANT On particularly demanding journeys, it is ad-
visable to keep the engine on and slightly accelerated for
a few minutes before switching it off.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
ç
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165
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
SEAT BELT NOT FASTENED (red)
The warning light on the display lights up per-
manently when the car is not moving and the dri-
ver’s seat belt is not correctly fastened. It will flash,
and be accompanied by an audible warning, if the front seat
belts are not correctly fastened when the vehicle is mov-
ing. The SBR (Seat Belt Reminder) system’s audible warn-
ing can be disabled only by a Fiat Dealership. On some ver-
sions the system can be reactivated from the setup menu.
<
LOW ENGINE OIL LEVEL (red)
(for versions/markets where provided)
When turning the ignition key to MAR, the
warning light turns on but it should go off after a
few seconds. This warning light where provided comes on
when the engine oil level falls below the minimum rec-
ommended value. Restore the correct engine oil level (see
“Checking fluid levels” in the “Servicing and care” section).
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
k
EBD FAULT (red)
(amber)
Warning lights
xand >lit at the
same time with the engine running in-
dicates an EBD system failure or that the system is not
available. This may cause premature locking of the rear
wheels in the event of violent braking, causing the car to
swerve. Drive very carefully to a Fiat Dealership to have
the system inspected immediately.
On some versions the display shows the associated mes-
sage.> x
INJECTION SYSTEM FAULT
(Multijet versions – amber)
EOBD SYSTEM FAULT
(petrol versions – amber)
Injection system failure
Under normal conditions, turning the ignition key to MAR,
the warning light turns on but it should go off after the en-
gine starts.
If the warning light stays on or comes on when travelling,
it means there is a fault in the injection system which could
cause loss of performance, poor handling and high fuel con-
sumption levels.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions. Un-
der these conditions, the vehicle can continue travelling at
moderate speed without demanding excessive effort from
the engine. In any case, you should go to a Fiat Dealer-
ship as soon as possible.
U
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166
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Go to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possi-
ble if warning light Udoes not light up
when the key is turned to MAR or if, while trav-
elling, the warning light comes on either perma-
nently or flashing (along with a message on the
display on certain versions). The operation of the
Uwarning light may be checked by traffic police
using appropriate equipment. Follow the laws in
force in the country where you are driving.
WARNING
FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG
DEACTIVATED (amber)
The warning light
“comes on when the front
passenger airbag is disabled.
With the front passenger air bag enabled, when the igni-
tion key is turned to MAR the
“warning light comes on
constantly for about 4 seconds, flashes for another 4 sec-
onds and then should go out.
“
Engine management system failure – EOBD
Under normal conditions, turning the ignition key to MAR,
the warning light turns on but it should go off after the en-
gine starts. This indicates that the warning light is work-
ing correctly. If the warning light either stays on or comes
on during car travel:
❒on permanently: this means there is a fault in the sup-
ply/ignition system which could cause high exhaust
emissions, loss of performance, poor handling and high
fuel consumption levels.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
Under these conditions, the vehicle can continue travel-
ling at moderate speed without demanding excessive ef-
fort from the engine. Prolonged use of the car with the
warning light on may cause damage. Go to a Fiat Dealer-
ship as soon as possible. The warning light goes out after
the fault disappears, but the indication is stored in the sys-
tem.
❒flashing: this indicates possible damage to the catalytic
converter (see “EOBD system” in the “Dashboard and
controls” section).
If the light flashes, come off the accelerator pedal to re-
duce engine revs until the warning light stops flashing; con-
tinue the journey at moderate speed, trying to avoid dri-
ving conditions that may cause further flashing, and get
to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.For versions/markets, where provided, the
Uwarning
light in the instrument panel does not have the EOBD func-
tion (European On Board Diagnosis) but only that of sig-
nalling that the injection system is not working perfectly.
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KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
FUEL RESERVE (amber)
Turning the key to the MAR position illuminates
the warning light, but it will switch off after a few
seconds.
The warning light turns on when about 7 litres of fuel are
left in the tank.
IMPORTANT The warning light will blink to indicate a sys-
tem failure. If this happens, go to a Fiat Dealership to have
the system checked.
Warning light “indicates a failure of warn-
ing light ¬. This condition is indicated by
intermittent blinking of warning light “for longer
than 4 seconds. In this case, warning light ¬may
not be indicating that there is a fault in the restraint
systems. Before driving off, contact a Fiat Dealer-
ship to have the system checked immediately.
WARNING
ç
ABS SYSTEM FAULT (amber)
Turning the key to the MAR position illuminates
the warning light, but it will switch off after a few
seconds.
The warning light comes on when the system is either not
working properly or not available. Under these circum-
stances, the braking system will work as normal but without
the extra performance offered by the ABS system. Drive
carefully and go to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
On some versions the display shows the associated message.
>
GLOW PLUG PREHEATING
(Multijet versions – amber)
GLOW PLUG PREHEATING FAULT
(Multijet versions – amber)
Glow plugs
This warning light comes on when the key is turned to
MAR. It will go out as soon as the glow plugs have reached
a preset temperature. Start the engine as soon as the
warning light goes out.
IMPORTANT When it is particularly warm outside, the
warning light stays on for an extremely short time.
Glow plug preheating fault
The warning light flashes if there is a fault in the preheat-
ing system. Go to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
m
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STARTING THE ENGINE
EMERGENCY STARTING
If the instrument panel warning light
Ystays on perma-
nently, contact a Fiat Dealership immediately.
JUMP STARTING fig. 150
If the battery is flat, the engine may be started using an aux-
iliary battery with an equal or slightly higher capacity than the
flat one. It is advisable to contact a Fiat Dealership so the bat-
tery can be checked/replaced.
IN AN EMERGENCY
In an emergency we recommend that you call the freephone number found in the Warranty Booklet. You can
also go to the www.fiat.com website to find your nearest Fiat Dealership.
This procedure must be performed by ex-
perts because incorrect actions may cause
considerable electrical discharge. Furthermore,
battery fluid is poisonous and corrosive: avoid con-
tact with skin and eyes. Keep naked flames and
lit cigarettes away from the battery. Do not cre-
ate sparks.
WARNING
Proceed as follows to start the car:
❒connect the positive terminals (+ sign near the termi-
nal) of the two batteries with a jump lead;
❒with a second lead, connect the negative terminal (–) of
the auxiliary battery to an earthing point Eon the en-
gine or the gearbox of the car to be started;
❒ start the engine;
❒when the engine has been started, follow the sequence
above in reverse order to remove the leads.
If after a few attempts the engine does not start, do not
keep trying but contact a Fiat Dealership.
fig. 150F0U00134m
175
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
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Repair and refit the standard wheel as
soon as possible. Do not apply grease to
the bolt threads before assembly: they might spon-
taneously unscrew.
WARNING
The jack may be used to replace wheels
only on the car which it equips or other
cars of the same model. Never use the jack for
other purposes, such as lifting other models. Nev-
er use the jack to carry out repairs under the car.
Incorrect positioning of the jack may cause the
car to fall. Do not use the jack for loads higher
than the one shown on its label.
WARNING
If the hub cap is not fitted correctly, it may
come off when the car is travelling. Nev-
er tamper with the inflation valve. Never intro-
duce tools of any kind between the rim and the
tyre. Check tyre and spare wheel pressures regu-
larly, referring to the values shown in the “Tech-
nical specifications” section.
WARNING
Important notes:
❒the jack weight is 1.76 kg;
❒the jack requires no adjustment;
❒the jack cannot be repaired. If it breaks, it must be re-
placed with the same type;
❒no tool other than its cranking device may be fitted on
the jack.
To change a tyre, proceed as follows:
❒stop the car where it is not a danger to other road users
and you can replace the wheel safely. The ground should
be flat and solid;
❒turn the engine off and engage the handbrake;
❒engage first gear or reverse;
❒wear the reflective safety jacket (compulsory by law in
certain countries) before getting out of the car;
❒open the boot and lift the carpet or remove the cargo
box (for versions/markets where provided);
❒ unscrew the locking device A-fig. 151;
❒take out the tool container C-fig. 151 and put it along-
side the wheel to be changed;
❒take out the spare wheel B-fig. 151;
❒loosen the bolts of the wheel to be replaced by about
one turn with the wrench provided E-fig. 152; if you
have alloy wheels, rock the car to make it easier to sep-
arate the rim from the wheel hub;
177
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
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