
124
ACCESSORIES PURCHASED
BY THE OWNER
If, after buying the vehicle, you decide to install electrical
accessories that require a permanent electrical supply
(sound system, satellite anti-theft system, etc.) or ones that
drain the battery, contact a Fiat Dealership, whose quali-
fied personnel, besides suggesting the most suitable de-
vices from Lineaccessori Fiat, will also check whether the
vehicle’s electrics are able to withstand the load required,
or whether they need to be integrated with a more pow-
erful battery.
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Take care when fitting additional spoilers,
alloy wheels or non-standard wheel hubs:
they could reduce the ventilation of the brakes
and affect efficiency under sharp, repeated brak-
ing or on long descents. Make sure that nothing
obstructs the pedals (mats, etc.)
WARNING
INSTALLING ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC
DEVICES
Electrical and electronic devices installed after buying the
car in the context of after-sales service must carry the fol-
lowing label:
F0U0110mfig. 127
SATELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEM
CAPABILITY
(for versions/markets where available)
On cars equipped with the Blue&Me
™system, there may
be (on request) capacity to install the Blue&Me
™Tom-
Tom®satellite navigation system, which is available from
Lineaccessori Fiat.
Install the navigation system by inserting the specific sup-
port bracket into the housing shown in fig. 127.
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131
CONOSCENZA
DELLA
VETTURA
AVVIAMENTO
E GUIDA
SPIE E
MESSAGGI
IN EMERGENZA
MANUTENZIONE
E CURA
DATI TECNICI
INDICE
PRETENSIONERS
To increase the efficiency of the seat belts, the car is fit-
ted with front pretensioners. These devices, in the event
of a violent crash, rewind the seat belts by a few cen-
timetres. In this way, they ensure that the seat belt adheres
perfectly to the wearer before the restraining action be-
gins.
The seat belt reel locks to indicate that the pretension-
ers have intervened; the seat belt cannot be drawn back
up even when guiding it manually.
This car is equipped with a second pretensioner (in the
kick plate area). Its activation is signalled by the shorten-
ing of the metal cable.
IMPORTANT To obtain the highest degree of protection
from the action of the pretensioning device, wear the seat
so it fits snugly over the chest and hips.
A slight amount of smoke may be detected during opera-
tion of the pretensioners. This smoke is not harmful and
does not indicate a fire.
The pretensioner does not require any maintenance or lu-
brication.
Anything that modifies its original conditions invalidates its
efficiency.
If, due to unusual natural events (floods, sea storms, etc.),
the device has been affected by water and mud, it must
be replaced.
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
The pretensioner can be used only once.
Go to a Fiat Dealership to have it replaced
after it has been deployed. Consult the label in
the glove box to check the status of the preten-
sioners. Go to a Fiat Dealership to have the de-
vice replaced when the expiration date ap-
proaches.
WARNING
Operations which lead to knocks, vibrations
or localised heating (over 100°C for a max-
imum of 6 hours) in the area around the
pretensioners may cause damage or trigger them.
These devices are not affected by vibrations caused
by irregularities of the road surface or low obsta-
cles such as kerbs, etc. Contact a Fiat Dealership
for any assistance.
LOAD LIMITERS
To increase passenger safety, the front seat belt reels con-
tain a load limiter which controls the force acting on the
chest and shoulders during the belt restraining action in
the event of a head-on collision.
129-148 PUNTO FL EN 3ed 9-12-2009 13:39 Pagina 131

135
F0U0119mfig. 136
GROUP 1
From 9 kg to 18 kg of weight, children may be carried fac-
ing forwards.
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Do not place a cradle seat facing back-
wards on the front seat if the passenger
side airbag is enabled. Deployment of the airbag
in an accident could cause fatal injuries to the ba-
by regardless of the severity of the collision. It is
advisable to always carry children in dedicated
child seats on the rear seat, which is the most pro-
tected position in the event of an accident.
WARNING
SERIOUS HAZARD Should it be ab-
solutely necessary to carry a child on the
front seat in a backwards-facing cradle
seat, the passenger’s front and side
airbags should be deactivated through the
setup menu. Deactivation can be verified by
checking the “warning light on the instrument
panel. Also, the passenger seat should be as far
back as possible to avoid contact between the
child seat and the dashboard.
WARNING
The diagrams are indicative and provid-
ed for assembly purposes only. Refer to
the instructions supplied with the child seat.
WARNING
Some child restraint systems for weight
groups 0 and 1 have a rear attachment
and seat belts for securing the child. Due to their
weight, they may be dangerous if incorrectly
mounted (e.g. if fastened to the car seat belts with
a cushion in between). Follow the assembly in-
structions carefully.
WARNING
129-148 PUNTO FL EN 3ed 9-12-2009 13:39 Pagina 135

138
Below is a summary of the safety rules to be
followed when carrying children:
1) The recommended position for installing child seats is
on the rear seat, as it is the most protected area in the
event of a crash.
2) When disengaging the passenger airbag, always check
the amber warning light on the instrument panel is per-
manently on to make sure that the airbag has actually been
deactivated.
3) Carefully follow the instructions that came with the
child seat, which the manufacturer must supply by law.
Keep the instructions in the car along with the other doc-
uments and this handbook. Do not use second hand child
seats without instructions.
4) Always check the seat belt is well fastened by pulling
on it.
5) Only one child is to be strapped into each retaining sys-
tem; never carry two children using one child seat.
6) Always check the seat belts do not rest on the child’s
neck.
7) While travelling, do not let the child sit incorrectly or
release the belts.
8) Never carry children on your lap, even newborns. No
one, however strong, can hold a child in the event of an
accident.
9) In the event of an accident, replace the child seat with
a new one.KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Do not place a child seat facing backwards
on the front seat if the passenger side
airbag is enabled. Deployment of the airbag in an
accident could cause fatal injuries to the baby re-
gardless of the severity of the collision. It is ad-
visable to always carry children in a child seat on
the rear seat, which is the most protected posi-
tion in the event of a collision.
WARNING
“UNIVERSAL ISOFIX”
CHILD RESTRAINT ASSEMBLY
SETUP
The car is provisioned for a Universal Isofix child restraint,
a new European standardised system for carrying children
safely. An example of such a seat is shown in fig. 139. The
Universal Isofix child seat covers weight group 1.
Due to its different attachment system, the Universal Isofix
child seat must be anchored to the special low metal rings
A-fig. 140, located between the backrest and rear cushion.
The upper belt (provided with the child seat) must be then
secured to ring B-fig. 141 located on the back of the back-
rest at child seat level. It is possible to have a mixed as-
sembly of the traditional child seats and the Universal Isofix
ones.
Remember that, in the case of Universal Isofix child seats,
you can use all those seats bearing the marking ECE R44/03
Universal Isofix.
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146
IMPORTANT Should an accident occur in which any of
the safety devices are activated, take the vehicle to a Fiat
Dealership to have the activated devices replaced and to
have the whole system checked.
Every control, repair and replacement operation con-
cerning the airbags must be carried out only at Fiat Deal-
erships.
If you are having the car scrapped, have the airbag sys-
tem deactivated at a Fiat Dealership first. If the car changes
ownership, the new owner must be informed of the
method of use of the airbags and the above warnings, and
also be given this “Owner’s Handbook”.
IMPORTANT Pretensioners, front airbags and front side
bags are deployed differently according to the type of col-
lision. Non-deployment of one or more of these devices
does not therefore indicate a system fault. IMPORTANT In the event of a side-on crash, the system
offers the best protection if you have a correct position
on the seat because this allows the side bags to inflate cor-
rectly.
IMPORTANT The front airbags and/or side bags may be
deployed if the car is subject to heavy knocks involving the
underbody area, such as violent shocks against steps, kerbs
or low obstacles, the car falling into big holes or hollows
in the road.
IMPORTANT A small amount of dust will be released
when the airbags are deployed. The dust is not harmful
and does not indicate the beginning of a fire. Furthermore,
the surface of the deployed bag and the interior of the
car may be covered in a dusty residue: this may irritate
skin and eyes. Wash with mild soap and water in the event
of exposure.
The expiration dates of the explosive charge and the clock
wire are shown on a label contained in the glove box. Go
to a Fiat Dealership to have the devices replaced when the
expiration date approaches.KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
129-148 PUNTO FL EN 3ed 9-12-2009 13:40 Pagina 146

147
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Do not rest your head, arms or elbows on
the doors, windows or window bag de-
ployment area as you could be injured during the
inflation phase.
WARNING
Never lean you head, arms or elbows out
of the window.
WARNING
Do not cover the front seat backrest with
sheets or covers that are not compatible
with side bags.
WARNING
If, when turning the key to MAR, the warn-
ing 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; if this is
the case, the airbags or pretensioners may not trig-
ger in the event of an accident or, in a minor num-
ber of cases, they could activate incorrectly. Con-
tact a Fiat Dealership immediately to have the
system checked before driving off.
WARNING
GENERAL WARNINGS
Do not travel with objects in your lap,
in front of your chest, or between your lips
(pipes, pencils, etc.). In the event of a crash when
the airbag is deployed, you may be seriously in-
jured.
WARNING
Always drive keeping your hands on the
steering wheel rim so that, in the event of
airbag activation, it can inflate without obstruc-
tion. Do not drive with your body slouched for-
wards; keep the backrest upright and lean back
into it.
WARNING
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148
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
If the key is turned to MAR, even if the en-
gine is switched off, airbags may be de-
ployed when the car is stationary and hit by an-
other vehicle. For this reason, young children must
never sit on the front seat, even if the car is not
moving. We remind you that if the key is turned
to the STOP position, no safety device (airbag or
pretensioner) activates following a collision. Non-
deployment in such cases should not be consid-
ered as the sign of a malfunction.
WARNING
If the car has been stolen or has been the
subject of an attempted theft, if it has
been vandalised or flooded, have the airbag sys-
tem checked at a Fiar Dealership.
WARNING
When the ignition key is turned to MAR,
the warning light “turns on (with front
airbag on passenger’s side enabled) and blinks for
a few seconds to remind you that the passenger
airbag will activate in the event of a collision. Then
it turns off.
WARNING
Do not pressure wash the seats with steam
or water (either by hand or at automatic
seat washing stations).
WARNING
The front airbags deploy in the event of
more severe collisions than those required
for deploying the pretensioners. For collisions in
the range between the two activation thresholds,
pretensioner activation alone is normal.
WARNING
Do not hook rigid objects to clothes hang-
ers and support handles.
WARNING
The airbag does not replace seat belts; it
increases their effectiveness. Furthermore,
since front airbags are not deployed in low speed
collisions, side-on collisions, rear-end shunts or
roll-overs, the passengers are protected only by
the seat belts which must therefore be fastened
at all times.
WARNING
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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.
149-160 PUNTO FL EN 3ed 9-12-2009 13:41 Pagina 154