GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
119
ESP SYSTEM
(for versions/markets, where provided)
The ESP (Electronic Stability Pro-
gram) system controls the vehicle sta-
bility. It brakes drive wheels in a dif-
ferent way from the other wheels and
if grip is lost, it helps the car recover
stability and the correct travelling di-
rection.
While travelling the vehicle is subject
to side and longitudinal forces which
can be controlled by the driver as long
as the tyre grip is good. When the tyre
grip falls below the minimum level, the
vehicle starts deviating from the dri-
ver’s wished direction.
Especially when travelling on uneven
roads (paving, water, ice or earth) or
irregular roads (bends or other ob-
stacles) the tyre grip may be greatly
reduced.When the sensors detect such con-
ditions, the ESP system intervenes on
the engine and the brakes and makes
the vehicle recover stability.
The system perfor-
mance, in terms of active
safety, should not make
the driver run useless risks. Dri-
ving must suit road conditions, vis-
ibility and traffic. Nevertheless it
is always the behaviour of the dri-
ver that determines road safety.
The ESP system helps the driver keep
the vehicle control in the event of tyre
grip loss. Anyway, the ESP operation
depends on the grip between tyre and
roadbed.
ESP SYSTEM OPERATION
The ESP system is activated when-
ever the engine is started; it can be
turned on/off manually by pressing
button A-fig. 165on the dashboard.
fig. 165
F0B0112b
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Cars with ESP may only
be fitted with tyres of the
same make, model and
size and be in good conditions.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
120
ESP SYSTEM ACTION
The ESP system action is signalled by
warning light
ñflashing to inform the
driver that the vehicle stability and grip
are critical.
ESP failure indication
In the event of an ESP system failure,
it turns off automatically and warning
light
ñcomes on together with the
relative message on the multifunction
display.
In the event of an ESP system failure,
the vehicle behaves as the version
without this type of system. We rec-
ommend you to contact a Fiat Deal-
ership as soon as possible. The ESP main components are:
– an electronic control unit which
processes the sensor signals and ap-
plies the best strategy;
– an angle sensor which detects the
steering position;
– four sensors which detect each
wheel rotation speed;
– a braking system pressure sensor;
– a yawing sensor which detects the
vehicle spinning around a vertical axis;
– a sensor which detects side accel-
eration (centrifugal force).
The ESP heart is the control unit
which processes the centrifugal forces
deriving from cornering on the basis
of the data coming from the sensors
installed on the vehicle. The yawing
sensor detects the vehicle spinning
around its vertical axis. Centrifugal
forces resulting from cornering are de-
tected by a highly sensible side accel-
eration sensor.
The ESP stabilising action is based on
the control unit processing of data
coming from the steering wheel rota-
tion sensors, side acceleration sensors
and wheel rotation speed sensors.These signals make the control unit
recognise the driver’s manoeuvre
when he/she turns the steering wheel.
The control unit processes such in-
formation and is able to detect the ve-
hicle position at any time and compare
it with the driver’s wished direction. If
they do not match, the control unit is
able to adjust the vehicle’s position in-
stantly, by choosing the best strategy:
it can brake one or more wheels with
different force and reduce the engine
power, if needed.
Adjustments are made for continu-
ously adapting to the driver’s wished
travelling direction.
The ESP system action improves the
vehicle safety in many critical situations
and is useful especially when the
roadbed grip changes.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
121
TC and ASR FUNCTIONS
The TC (Traction Control) and ASR
(Anti Slip Regulation), integrated in the
ESP system, prevent drive wheel slip
in poor grip conditions.
Two different control systems inter-
vene:
– if both drive wheels slip because of
excessive power, the ASR system re-
duces the engine power;
– if only one drive wheel slips, the TC
function brakes the slipping wheel as
a self-locking differential would do.
The TC and ASR functions are par-
ticularly useful in the following condi-
tions:
– inside wheel slipping due to load
variations and excessive acceleration;too much power to the wheels de-
pending also on the road conditions;
– acceleration on snowy or icy roads;
– wet road grip loss.
The TC and ASR system
performance, in terms of
active safety, should not
make the driver run useless risks.
Driving must suit road condi-
tions, visibility and traffic. Never-
theless it is always the behaviour
of the driver that determines
road safety.
Cars with TC and ASR
functions may only be fit-
ted with tyres of the same
make, model and size and be in
good conditions.IMPORTANTWhen travelling on
snowy roads with the snow chains ap-
plied, we suggest turning the ESP sys-
tem off and switching on the TC and
ASR functions, so that the drive action
is increased in the event the drive
wheels slip.
MSR FUNCTION
The MSR (Motor Schleppmoment
Regelung) function controls automat-
ically the engine braking torque while
shifting the gears. In the event of sud-
den gear shifting, this function prevents
the drive wheel dragging, especially in
poor grip conditions, and restores the
vehicle stability.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
122
EOBD SYSTEM
The EOBD (European On Board
Diagnosis) system fitted in this car
complies with Directive 98/69/CE
(EURO 3).
This system continuously monitors
the engine emission system compo-
nents. Furthermore, the system warns
the driver of deterioration concerning
the emission system components by
means of
Uwarning light on the in-
strument panel.
The objective is to:
– monitor system efficiency;
– warn when failures can increase
emissions over the threshold estab-
lished by the European regulations;
– warn of the need to replace dete-
riorated components.
Furthermore, the system is equipped
with a connector for interfacing with
specific tools used to read the error
codes stored in the control unit mem-
ory along with a set of diagnostic and
engine specific parameters. This check can also be performed by
traffic controller agents.
If, turning the ignition
key to M, the warning
light
Udoes not turn on
or if, while travelling it turns on
glowing steadily or flashing, con-
tact a Fiat Dealership as soon as
possible. Dealership as soon as
possible. Warning light
Uoper-
ation can be checked by traffic
controller agents by means of
special equipment. Always com-
ply with the traffic regulations in
force in the country where you
are travelling.
IMPORTANTAfter eliminating the
problem, your Fiat Dealershipwill
run a bench test to fully check the sys-
tem. In some cases, a long road test
may be required.
TYRE PRESSURE
MONITORING
SYSTEM - T.P.M.S.
(for versions/markets, where provided)
The car can be equipped with the
T.P.M.S. (Tyre Pressure Monitoring
System). This system consists of a ra-
dio-frequency sensor, installed on each
wheel (on the rim inside the tyre) that
sends pressure information to the
control unit.
IMPORTANTSystem control unit
monitors the pressure of the four car
tyres but not the space-saver spare
wheel. It is therefore recommended
to always check also the space-saver
spare wheel pressure.
IMPORTANTPay the attention
when checking or inflating tyres. Ex-
cessive pressure impairs road holding,
increases suspension and wheel stress
and causes abnormal tyre wear.
078-135 ULYSSE ING 10-03-2009 11:39 Pagina 122
The T.P.M.S. system
does not exempt the dri-
ver to check tyre and
space-saver spare wheel pressure
at regular intervals.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
123
IMPORTANTTyre pressure
should be checked with tyres rested
and cold. Should it become necessary
for whatever reason to check pres-
sure with hot tyres, do not reduce
pressure although it is higher than the
prescribed value but repeat the check
when tyres are cold.IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT
THE T.P.M.S. SYSTEM
Failure indications will not be stored
and therefore will not be displayed
when turning the engine off and on
again. If failure persists, the control
unit will send warning indications to
the instrument panel only after a few
seconds when the car is moving.
IMPORTANTT.P.M.S. system can-
not indicate sudden tyre pressure
drops (e.g.: tyre burst). In this event,
brake the car cautiously and avoid sud-
den steering.
IMPORTANTReplacing standard
tyres with winter tyres and vice ver-
sa involves T.P.M.S. system set-up that
shall be performed at Fiat Dealer-
ships only.
IMPORTANT The T.P.M.S. system
requires special equipment. Consult
Fiat Dealership to know what type
of accessories are compatible with the
system (wheels, wheel caps, etc.). Us-
ing other accessories could cause sys-
tem malfunctioning.IMPORTANTTyre pressure could
change according to outside temper-
ature. For this reason the T.P.M.S. sys-
tem could temporarily indicate low
tyre pressure. In this event check pres-
sure with cold tyres and restore prop-
er inflation values if required.
IMPORTANTIf the car is fitted
with T.P.M.S. system, tyre and/or rim
removal and refitting operations in-
volve special precautions; to prevent
damages or wrong sensor refitting,
contact Fiat Dealership to have tyre
and/or rim changed.
IMPORTANTIf the car is fitted
with T.P.M.S. system, when changing a
tyre, change also the rubber seal of the
valve. Contact a Fiat Dealership.
IMPORTANT Strong radio-fre-
quency disturbances could inhibit
proper TPMS system operation. This
condition is indicated by a dedicated
massage on the display. This indication
will go off automatically as soon as the
radio-frequency disturbance ceases.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
134
REFUELLING
To guarantee full tank filling, carry
out two refuelling operations after the
first click of the fuel delivery gun.
Avoid further topping up operations
that could cause damages to the fuel
system.
FUEL FILLER CAP fig. 172
The fuel filler cap Ais locked; to ac-
cess it, open the fuel tank flap Bwith
the ignition key and turn it anticlock-
wise while releasing the cap.
During filling, hang the cap to the
hook inside the flap, as illustrated.
fig. 172
F0B0116b
The vehicle must only
be filled with diesel fuel
for motor vehicles, in
compliance with European Stan-
dard EN590. The use of other
products or mixtures may ir-
reparably damage the engine
with invalidation of the warran-
ty due to the damage caused. In
the event of accidentally filling
with another type of fuel, do not
start the engine and empty the
tank. If the engine has been run
even for only a very short time,
in addition to the tank, it is also
necessary to drain out the whole
fuel circuit.
If driving or parking the vehicle for
a long period in cold areas/mountains,
refuel with the diesel fuel available at
local filling stations.
In this situation you are also recom-
mended to have in the tank an amount
of fuel 50% higher than usable capac-
ity.AT THE FILLING
S TAT I O N
OPERATION AT LOW
TEMPERATURES
If the outside temperature is very
low, the diesel thickens due to the for-
mation of paraffin and could cause the
malfunctioning of the fuel system.
In order to avoid these problems, dif-
ferent types of diesel are distributed
according to the season: summer type,
winter type and arctic type (cold,
mountain areas). If refuelling with
diesel fuel not suitable for the current
temperature, mix diesel fuel with
TUTELA DIESEL ART additive in the
proportions stated on the can, putting
first the antifreeze in the tank and then
the diesel fuel.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
135
PROTECTING THE
ENVIRONMENT
Protecting the environment has been
a constant guiding factor of the
Ulysse’s design and manufacture at
every stage. The result of this atten-
tion is to be seen in the choice of ma-
terials and installation of devices able
to drastically limit or reduce harmful
influences on the environment.
Devices for reducing emissions from
JTD engines are:
– oxidising catalytic converter;
– exhaust gas recirculation system
(E.G.R.);
– particulate filter (for versions/mar-
kets, where provided): its purpose is
to trap and burn particulate (unburnt
particles) to reduce harmful exhaust
emissions.
The vehicle, therefore, has great ad-
vantages with respect to the strictest
international anti-pollution directives. Do not put open flames
or lighted cigarettes near
the fuel filler hole as there
is a danger of fire. Do not lean out
too close to the hole either so as
not to breathe in harmful
vapours.
Where necessary, to
avoid compromising the
efficiency of the fuel
vapour recovery system, replace
the fuel cap with another genuine
spare part.
IMPORTANTThe waterproof fu-
el filler cap lock may be slightly pres-
surised. Therefore, do not worry if
some air comes out when the cap is
released.
After filling, drive in the cap by turn-
ing it clockwise until it clicks twice or
thrice, then turn the key clockwise and
remove it. Close the flap.
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DRIVING YOUR CAR
136
It is dangerous to let the
engine run in a garage or
other closed area. The
engine consumes oxygen and
gives off dioxide, carbon monox-
ide and other poisonous fumes.
IMPORTANTThe ignition switch
is fitted with a safety device which
obliges the driver to return the key to
Sbefore repeating the starting oper-
ation if the engine does not start im-
mediately.
D D
R R
I I
V V
I I
N N
G G
Y Y
O O
U U
R R
C C
A A
R R
STARTING
THE ENGINE
IMPORTANTThe vehicle is fitted
with an electronic engine locking de-
vice. If the engine cannot be started,
see the “Fiat CODE system” in “Get-
ting to know your car” chapter.
We recommend that
during the initial period
you do not drive to full ve-
hicle performance (e.g.: excessive
acceleration, long journeys at top
speed, hard braking, etc.).When the engine is
switched off never leave
the ignition key at M to
prevent pointless current ab-
sorption from draining the bat-
tery.
136-152 ULYSSE ING 10-03-2009 11:40 Pagina 136