2009 FIAT SEDICI brake

150
DAILY INSPECTION
CHECKLIST
BEFORE DRIVING
Make sure that windows, mirrors,
lights, and reflectors are clean and un-
obstructed.
Visually check the tires for the fol-
lowing points:
– the depth of the tread groove
– abnormal wear, cracks and damage
– loose wheel bolts
– existence of foreign material such as
nails, stones, etc.
Refer to “Tires” in “INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE” section for details.
Look for fluid and oil leaks.
NOTE It is normal for water to drip from
the air conditioning system after use.
Make sure the hood is fully closed and
latched.
Check the headlights, turn signal lights,
brake lights and horn for proper oper-
ation.
EXHAUST GAS
WARNING
52D334
Avoid breathing exhaust gas-
es. Exhaust gases contain
carbon monoxide, a potentially lethal
gas that is colorless and odorless.
Since carbon monoxide is difficult to
detect by itself, be sure to take the
following precautions to help prevent
carbon monoxide from entering your
vehicle.
– Do not leave the engine running in
garages or other confined areas.
– Do not park with the engine run-
ning for a long period of time, even in
an open area. If it is necessary to sit
for a short time in a parked vehicle
with the engine running, make sure
the air intake selector is set to
“FRESH AIR” and the fan is at high
speed.
– Avoid operating the vehicle with the
tail gate or trunk open. If it is neces-
sary to operate the vehicle with the
tail gate or trunk open, make sure the
sunroof (for versions/markets, where
provided) and all windows are closed,
and the blower is at high speed with
the air intake selector set to “FRESH
AIR”.
WARNING
– To allow proper operation
of your vehicle’s ventilation
system, keep the air inlet grille in
front of the windshield clear of snow,
leaves, or other obstructions at all
times.
– Keep the exhaust tailpipe area
clear of snow and other material to
help reduce the buildup of exhaust
gases under the vehicle. This is par-
ticularly important when parked in
blizzard conditions.
– Have the exhaust system inspect-
ed periodically for damage and leaks.
Any damage or leaks should be re-
paired immediately.
WARNING
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151
Brake fluid level
Power steering (for versions/markets,
where provided) fluid level
Windshield washer fluid level
Battery solution level
Hood latch operation
Pull the hood release handle inside the
vehicle. Make sure that you cannot
open the hood all the way without re-
leasing the secondary latch. Be sure to
close the hood securely after check-
ing for proper latch operation. See “All
latches, hinges & locks” of “CHASSIS
AND BODY” in the “Periodic Main-
tenance Schedule” in the “INSPEC-
TION AND MAINTENANCE” section
for lubrication schedule.
Once a month, or each time you fill your
fuel tank, check the tire pressure using a
tire pressure gauge. Also check the tire
pressure of the spare tire.
Adjust the seat and adjustable head re-
straint (for versions/markets, where
provided).
Check the brake pedal and the park-
ing brake lever.
Adjust the mirrors.
Make sure that you and all passengers
have properly fastened your seat belts.
Make sure that all warning lights come
on as the key is turned to the “ON” or
“START” position.
Check all gauges.
Make sure that the BRAKE SYSTEM
WARNING light turns off when the
parking brake is released.
Once a week, or each time you fill your
fuel tank, perform the following under-
hood checks:
Engine oil level
Coolant level
60A187S
Make sure the hood is fully
closed and latched before
driving. If it is not, it can fly up un-
expectedly during driving, obstructing
your view and resulting in an acci-
dent.
WARNING
ENGINE OIL
CONSUMPTION
It is normal for the engine to consume
some engine oil during normal vehicle op-
eration.
The amount of engine oil consumed de-
pends on the viscosity of the oil, the qual-
ity of the oil and the conditions the vehi-
cle is driven under.
More oil is consumed during high- speed
driving and when there is frequent accel-
eration and deceleration. Under high
loads, your engine also will consume more
oil.
A new engine also consumes more oil,
since its pistons, piston rings and cylinder
walls have not yet become conditioned.
New engines reach the normal level of oil
consumption only after approximately
5000 km (3000 miles) driving.
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152
Oil consumption: Max. 1.0 L per
1000 km (1 Qt. per 600 miles)
When judging the amount of oil con-
sumption, note that the oil may become
diluted and make it difficult to accurately
judge the true oil level.
As an example, if a vehicle is used for re-
peated short trips, and consumes a nor-
mal amount of oil, the dipstick may not
show any drop in the oil level at all, even
after 1000 km (600 miles) or more of dri-
ving. This is because the oil is gradually be-
coming diluted with fuel or moisture, mak-
ing it appear that the oil level has not
changed.
You should also be aware that the dilut-
ing ingredients evaporate out when the ve-
hicle is subsequently driven at high speeds,
such as on an expressway, making it ap-
pear that oil is excessively consumed af-
ter high- speed driving.STARTING THE ENGINE
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
NOTE Gearshift levers shown in the
above illustration are examples of 5-
speed manual transaxle (for gasoline en-
gine model) and automatic transaxle.

Make sure the parking brake is set fully.
Manual transaxle – Shift into “N” (Neu-
tral) and depress the clutch pedal all the
way to the floor. Hold the clutch ped-
al while starting the engine.
Automatic transaxle – If the gearshift
lever is not in “P” (Park) position, shift
into “P” (Park). (If you need to re- start
the engine while the vehicle is moving,
shift into “N”.)
NOTE Automatic transaxle vehicles have
a starter interlock device which is de-
signed to keep the starter from operat-
ing if the transaxle is in any of the drive
positions.
Make sure that the parking
brake is set fully and the
transaxle is in Neutral (or Park for ve-
hicles with an automatic transaxle)
before attempting to start the engine.
WARNING
IMPORTANT We recommend that dur-
ing the initial period you do not drive to
full vehicle performance (e.g.: excessive ac-
celeration, long journeys at top speed,
sharp braking, etc.).
IMPORTANT When the engine is
switched off never leave the key into the
ignition switch to prevent pointless cur-
rent absorption from draining the battery.
MT
80JS008
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156
77J021
77J028Gearshift lever positions
4- Speed Automatic Transaxle
USING THE
TRANSAXLE
4-SPEED AUTOMATIC
TRANSAXLE
Gearshift lever
The gearshift lever is designed so that it
cannot be shifted out of the “P” position
unless the ignition switch is in the “ON”
position and the brake pedal is depressed.
Always depress the brake
pedal before shifting from
“P” (Park) (or “N” (Neutral) if the ve-
hicle is stationary) to a forward or re-
verse gear, to help prevent the vehi-
cle from moving unexpectedly when
you shift.
WARNING
N (Neutral)
Use this position for starting the engine
if the engine stalls and you need to restart
it while the vehicle is moving. You may al-
so shift into Neutral and depress the brake
pedal to hold the vehicle stationary dur-
ing idling.
D (Drive)
Use this position for all normal driving.
With the gearshift lever in “D” range you
can get an automatic downshift by pressing
the accelerator pedal. The higher the ve-
hicle speed is, the more you need to press
the accelerator pedal to get a downshift.
3 (Low 3)
Use this position for driving on moder-
ate uphill and downhill gradients. The en-
gine braking effect on moderate downhills
can be used in this position. The transaxle
shifts up only to 3rd gear.
2 (Low 2)
Use this position to provide extra power
when climbing hills, or to provide engine
braking when going down hills.
L (Low 1)
Use this position to provide maximum
power when climbing steep hills or driving
through deep snow or mud, or to provide
maximum engine braking when going
down steep hills. Use the gearshift lever positions as de-
scribed below:
P (Park)
Use this position to lock the transaxle
when the vehicle is parked or when start-
ing the engine. Shift into Park only when
the vehicle is completely stationary.R (Reverse)
Use this position to reverse the vehicle
from stop. Make sure that vehicle is com-
pletely stationary before shifting into Re-
verse.
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157
NOTE If you move the gearshift lever to
a lower gear while driving faster than the
maximum allowable speed for the lower
gear, the transaxle will not actually down-
shift until your speed drops below the
maximum speed for the lower gear.
IMPORTANT Be sure to take the follow-
ing precautions to help avoid damage to
the automatic transaxle:
Make sure that the vehicle is completely
stationary before shifting into “P” or
“R”.
Do not shift from “P” or “N” to
“R”,“D”, “3”, “2”, or “L” when the en-
gine is running above idle speed.
Do not rev the engine with the
transaxle in a drive position (“R”,
“D”,“3”, “2”, or “L”) and the front
wheels not moving.
Do not use the accelerator to hold the
vehicle on a hill. Use the vehicle’s
brakes.MANUAL TRANSAXLE
Starting off
To start off, push in the clutch pedal and
shift into 1st gear. After releasing the park-
ing brake, gradually release the clutch.
When you hear a change in the engine’s
sound, slowly press the accelerator while
continuing to gradually release the clutch.
Shifting
All forward gears are synchronized, which
provides for quiet, easy shifting. Always
push in the clutch pedal fully before shift-
ing gears.
79J0025-speed manual transaxle (for Gasoline engine)
80J20336-speed manual transaxle (for Diesel engine)
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158
– Reduce your speed and
downshift to a lower gear
before going down a long or steep hill.
A lower gear will allow the engine to
provide braking.
– Avoid riding the brakes or they may
overheat, resulting in brake failure.
_ When driving on slippery roads, be
sure to slow down before downshift-
ing. Excessive and or sudden changes
in engine speed may cause loss of
traction, which could cause you to
lose control.
– Make sure that the vehicle is com-
pletely stationary before you shift in-
to reverse.
WARNING
79J217
To change gears properly
you must push the clutch
pedal fully down. It is therefore es-
sential that there is nothing under the
pedals: make sure the mats are lying
flat and do not get in the way of the
pedals.
WARNING
For vehicle with tachometer
Keep the engine speed so it does not get
into the red zone of tachometer. Downshifting maximum allowable
speeds
For 1.6 L engine
DownshiftingKm/h (mph)
2nd to 1st50 (31)
3rd to 2nd90 (56)
4th to 3rd135 (84)
5th to 4th180 (113)*
Downshifting Km/h (mph)
2nd to 1st40 (25)
3rd to 2nd70 (43)
4th to 3rd120 (74)
5th to 4th160 (99)
6th to 5th200 (124)*
For 2.0 L Diesel engine
(*) NOTE You may not accelerate to the
maximum allowable speed because of the
driving situation and/or the vehicle con-
dition.
IMPORTANT When downshifting to a
lower gear, make sure not to operate with
the speed faster than the maximum al-
lowable speeds for the next lower gear,
or severe engine damage can result.IMPORTANT
 To help avoid clutch damage, do not
use the clutch pedal as a footrest while
driving or use the clutch to keep the ve-
hicle stationary on a slope. Depress the
clutch fully when shifting.
 When shifting or starting off, do not
race the engine. Racing the engine can
shorten engine life and affect smooth
shifting.
6-speed manual transaxle (for Diesel engine)
Reverse engagement for 6-speed
Manual Transaxle model (For
Diesel Engine Model)
Reverse gear: with lifting up ring, shift the
gearshift lever to the right, engage gear.
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161
Any forcible operation while driving of-
froad in the sand or water or when a
wheel has run off the road, the differ-
ence of the revolution between front
wheels and rear wheels increases
(wheels run idle). If this state continues,
the oil temperature of the driving sys-
tem parts rises.
In such case, the “4WD AUTO” indi-
cator light blinks and the driving mode
changes to the 2WD mode to protect
the driving system parts.
When you operate your vehicle in the
4WD mode continuously, park the ve-
hicle at a safe place and run the engine
idle. After some time, the “4WD AU-
TO” indicator light turns on again and
the driving mode returns to the “4WD
AUTO” mode.
IMPORTANT
Never use the “4WD LOCK” mode
when driving on dry paved roads.
Avoid using the “4WD LOCK” mode
when driving on wet paved roads as
much as possible. Use of the “4WD
LOCK” mode in above conditions will
apply excessive force to the driving sys-
tem and may cause a critical failure. Also,
the tires may wear faster and fuel con-
sumption may be affected adversely.
BRAKING
The distance needed to bring any vehicle
to a halt increases with the speed of the
vehicle. The braking distance needed, for
example, at 60 km/h (37 mph) will be ap-
proximately 4 times greater than the brak-
ing distance needed at 30 km/h (19 mph).
Start to brake the vehicle when there is
plenty of distance between your vehicle
and the stopping point, and slow down
gradually.
60G165A
Note that 4WD vehicles are not al-
laround vehicles. Be sure to observe
following instructions when driving
your vehicle.
– Do not drive through water like
crossing a river.
– Do not drive continuously where
front wheels tend to race such as in
the sand and mud.
– When any wheel is in the air for such
reason as running off the road, do
not race it needlessly.
If the “4WD AUTO” and the “4WD
LOCK” indicator lights stay on and come
on simultaneously when driving, there
may be something wrong the 4WD sys-
tem. Have the system inspected by an au-
thorized Fiat Dealership.
IMPORTANT Unevenly worn tires can
cause problems in the operation of the
2WD/4WD switch. Be sure to rotate the
tires according to the maintenance sched-
ule. Refer to “Tires” and “Maintenance
Schedule” in the “INSPECTION AND
MAINTENANCE” section for proper tire
rotation procedures.
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162
POWER-ASSISTED BRAKES
Your vehicle has power-assisted brakes. If
power assistance is lost due to a stalled
engine or other failures, the system is still
fully operational on reserve power and
you can bring the vehicle to a complete
stop by pressing the brake pedal once and
holding it down. The reserve power is
partly used up when you depress the
brake pedal and reduces each time the
pedal is pressed. Apply smooth and even
pressure to the pedal. Do not pump the
pedal.ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
(ABS)
(for versions/markets, where provided)
ABS will help you avoid skidding by elec-
tronically controlling braking pressure. It
will also help you maintain steering con-
trol when braking on slippery surfaces or
when braking hard.
The ABS works automatically, so you do
not need any special braking technique.
Just push the brake pedal down without
pumping. The ABS will operate whenev-
er it senses that the wheels are locking up.
You may feel the brake pedal moves a lit-
tle while the ABS is operating.
NOTE The ABS will not work if vehicle
speed is under about 6 km/h (4 mph).
If water gets into the brake
drums, brake performance
may become poor and unpredictable.
After driving through water or wash-
ing the underside of the vehicle, test
the brakes while driving at a slow
speed to see if they have maintained
their normal effectiveness. If the
brakes are less effective than normal,
dry them by repeatedly applying the
brakes while driving slowly until the
brakes have regained their normal ef-
fectiveness.
WARNING
Even without reserve power
in the brake system, you can
still stop the vehicle by pressing the
brake pedal harder than normally re-
quired. However, the stopping dis-
tance may be longer.
WARNING
Brake Assist System
When you slam the brakes on, the brake
assist system judges as an emergency stop
and provides more powerful braking for a
driver who cannot hold down the brake
pedal firmly.
NOTE If you quickly and forcefully de-
press the brakes, you may hear a clicking
sound in the brake pedal. This is normal
and indicates that the brake assist system
is activated properly.
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