2009 FIAT SEDICI engine

131
PEDAL
Clutch Pedal (1)
(For manual transaxle)
The clutch pedal is used to disengage the
drive to the wheels when starting the en-
gine, stopping, or shifting the gearshift
lever. Depressing the pedal disengages the
clutch.
IMPORTANT Do not drive with your
foot resting on the clutch pedal. It could
result in excessive clutch wear, clutch
damage, or unexpected loss of engine
braking.
Brake Pedal (2)
Your Fiat vehicle is equipped with either
front and rear disc brakes or front disc
brakes and rear drum brakes. Depress-
ing the brake pedal applies both sets of
brakes.
You may hear occasional brake squeal
when you apply the brakes. This is a nor-
mal condition caused by environmental
factors such as cold, wet, snow, etc.Accelerator Pedal (3)
This pedal controls the speed of the en-
gine. Depressing the accelerator pedal in-
creases power output and speed.
(1) (2) (3)
79J072
If brake squeal is excessive
and occurs each time the
brakes are applied, you should have
the brakes checked by your Fiat
Dealership.
WARNING
Do not “ride” the brakes by
applying them continuously
or resting your foot on the pedal. This
will result in overheating of the brakes
which could cause unpredictable
braking action, longer stopping dis-
tances, or permanent brake damage.
WARNINGManual transaxle
79J154Automatic transaxle
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132
FUEL FILLER CAP
The fuel filler cap is located on the left rear
side of the vehicle. The fuel filler lid can be
unlocked by pulling up the opener lever lo-
cated on the outboard side of the driver’s
seat and locked by simply closing the lid.
GEARSHIFT LEVER
Your vehicle is equipped with either a
manual transaxle or automatic transaxle.
The gearshift lever for each transaxle type
is shown in the illustrations. For details on
how to use the transaxle, refer to “Using
the Transaxle” in the “OPERATING
YOUR VEHICLE” section.
63J051
80J2033
Remove the fuel filler cap
slowly. The fuel may be un-
der pressure and may spray out, caus-
ing injury.
WARNING
Gasoline is extremely flam-
mable. Do not smoke when
refueling, and make sure there are no
open flames or sparks in the area.
WARNING
Manual transaxle: to change
gears properly you must
push the clutch pedal fully down. It is
therefore essential that there is noth-
ing under the pedals: make sure the
mats are lying flat and do not get in
the way of the pedals.
WARNING
IMPORTANT Do not drive with your
hand resting on the gear lever as the force
exerted, even if slight, could lead over time
to premature wear on the gearbox inter-
nal components.
5-speed manual transaxle (for Gasoline engine)
77J021Automatic transaxle
6-speed manual transaxle (for Diesel engine)
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❒Push the under-hood release lever
sideways with your finger, as shown
in the illustration. While pushing the
lever, lift up the engine hood.
ENGINE HOOD
To open the engine hood:
❒Pull the hood release handle located on
the outboard side of the driver’s side
of the instrument panel. This will dis-
engage the engine hood lock halfway.
140
ASSIST GRIPS
(for versions/markets, where provided)
Assist grips are provided for convenience.
IMPORTANT To avoid damaging the as-
sist grip and the molded headlining, do not
hang down the assist grip.
54G24979J077
80J045
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141
Continue to lift up the hood until it is
high enough to support with the prop
rod.
79JM022
If the supporting rod is not
positioned correctly the bon-
net may fall violently.
WARNING
To close the engine hood:
Lift the hood up slightly and remove the
prop rod from the hole. Put the prop
rod back to the holding clip.
Lower the hood close to the bumper,
then let it drop down. Make sure the
hood is securely latched after closing.
For safety reasons the bon-
net must be closed properly
to avoid its opening while the vehi-
cle is travelling. Therefore, always
check it is properly closed and the
catch engaged. Should you notice
that the catch is not perfectly en-
gaged when travelling, stop the vehi-
cle immediately and close the bonnet.
WARNING
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149
O O
P P
E E
R R
A A
T T
I I
N N
G G
Y Y
O O
U U
R R
V V
E E
H H
I I
C C
L L
E E
60G408
EXHAUST GAS WARNING ............................................. 150
DAILY INSPECTION CHECKLIST ................................... 150
ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION......................................... 151
STARTING THE ENGINE................................................... 152
USING THE TRANSAXLE .................................................. 156
USING THE 2WD/4WD SWITCH
(for versions/markets, where provided)........................... 159
BRAKING................................................................................ 161
ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP
®)
(for versions/markets, where provided)........................... 164
RUNNING-IN........................................................................ 167
CATALYTIC CONVERTER
(for versions/markets, where provided)........................... 167
IMPROVING FUEL ECONOMY........................................ 168
5
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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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