2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Owner handbook (in English)

152
GETTING
TO KNOW
YOUR CAR
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
It is advisable not to demand maximum perfor-
mance from your car (e.g. excessive acceleration,
long distances at top rpm, excessively intense brak-
ing, etc.) when it is first used.
Remember that the brake servo and electro-
mechanical power steering are not operational un-
til the engine has been started, therefore much
more effort than usual is required on the brake pedal and
steering wheel.
Never jump start the engine by pushing, towing or
driving downhill. These manoeuvres may damage
the catalytic converter.
When the engine is switched off never leave the
key in the MAR position to prevent useless cur-
rent absorption from draining the battery.
HOW TO WARM UP THE ENGINE
AFTER IT HAS JUST STARTED
Proceed as follows:
❍drive off slowly, letting the engine turn at medium speed. Do
not accelerate abruptly;
❍do not demand maximum performance for the first few kilo-
metres. Wait until the engine coolant temperature indicator
starts moving.
STOPPING THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition key to STOP while the engine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a taxing drive, before turning the engine off you
should allow it to idle to allow the temperature in the engine com-
partment to fall.
A quick burst on the accelerator before turning off
the engine serves absolutely no practical purpose;
it wastes fuel and is especially damaging to tur-
bocharged engines.
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GETTING
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YOUR CAR
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
IMPORTANT Carry out these manoeuvres with the brake pedal pressed.
IMPORTANT For cars equipped with a front armrest, lift this up to
ensure that it does not interfere with the action of the handbrake.
fig. 110A0K0073m
The car should be locked after a few notches: if this
is not so, contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services to
have the handbrake adjusted.
PARKING THE CAR
Switch off the engine and pull up the handbrake. Engage a gear
(1stif the car is facing uphill or reverse if it is facing downhill) and
leave the wheels steered to one side.
If the car is parked on a steep slope block the wheels with a wedge
or stone. Always remove the ignition key when leaving the car.
HANDBRAKE fig. 110
To engage the handbrake pull lever A upwards until the car is se-
cured. To disengage slightly raise lever A, press and hold down but-
ton B and lower the lever.
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GETTING
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SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
USING THE GEARBOX
To engage the gears, press the clutch pedal down fully and shift
the gear lever into the required position (a diagram is shown
on the knob fig. 111).
To engage 6th gear, operate the lever by pressing it towards the
right in order to avoid engaging 4th gear by mistake. Similar ac-
tion to pass from sixth to fifth gear.
To engage reverse gear (R) from the neutral position, lift up ring
A-fig. 111 and simultaneously move the lever to the left and then
forwards.
IMPORTANT Reverse may be engaged only when the car is at a
standstill.
fig. 111A0K0082m
Press the clutch pedal fully to change gears cor-
rectly. Therefore, the floor area under the pedals
must be clear: ensure that any rubber mats are flat
and do not interfere with the pedals.
Do not drive with your hand resting on the gear
lever, because this pressure, even if light, can wear
out the inner components of the gearbox over
time.
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GETTING
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STARTING
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IN AN
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SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
SAVING FUEL
Here are some suggestions which may help you to save fuel and
lower the amount of harmful emissions released into the atmos-
phere.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried out in accordance with the
“Scheduled Servicing Plan” (see chapter “Servicing and mainte-
nance”).
Tyres
Check the tyre pressure at least once every 4 weeks: if the pres-
sure is too low, consumption levels increase as resistance to rolling
is higher.
Unnecessar y loads
Do not travel with an overloaded boot. The weight of the car and
its arrangement greatly affect fuel consumption and stability.
Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or the ski rack from the roof after use. These
accessories decrease aerodynamic penetration and have a nega-
tive effect on fuel consumption. It is better to use a trailer to trans-
port particularly bulky objects.
Electric devices
Use electric devices only for the amount of time needed. The heat-
ed rear windscreen, additional headlights, windscreen wipers and
heater fan require a considerable amount of energy; increasing the
current uptake increases fuel consumption (by up to +25% in an
urban cycle).
Climate control system
Using the climate control system will increase consumption: use
the air vents when the external temperature so allows.
Spoilers
The use of non-certified spoilers may adversely affect aerodynam-
ics and fuel consumption.
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GETTING
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SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
IN AN
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SERVICING AND
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TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
DRIVING STYLE
Starting
Do not warm up the engine at low or high revs when the car is
stationary; this causes the engine to warm up more slowly, there-
by 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.
Unnecessar y actions
Avoid revving up when starting at traffic lights or before stopping
the engine. The latter action, like double-declutching, is unneces-
sary and causes increased fuel consumption and pollution.
Gear selection
Use a high gear when traffic and road conditions allow. Using a
low gear for faster acceleration will increase fuel consumption. In
the same way, improper use of a high gear increases fuel con-
sumption, emissions and engine wear.
Top speed
Fuel consumption considerably increases as speed increases. Keep
your speed as even as possible, avoiding unnecessary braking
and acceleration which cause excessive fuel consumption and in-
creased emissions.
Acceleration
Accelerating violently severely affects consumption and emissions:
acceleration should be gradual and should not exceed the maxi-
mum torque.
CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Short distances and frequent cold start-ups prevent the engine from
reaching its optimum running temperature. Consequently, both con-
sumption (from +15 to +30% on the urban cycle) and emissions
will increase.
Traffic and road conditions
High fuel consumption is caused by heavy traffic, for instance when
travelling in a queue with frequent use of low gears or in cities with
many traffic lights. Mountain roads and uneven surfaces also have
a negative effect on consumption.
Traffic hold-ups
During prolonged hold-ups (level crossings) the engine should be
switched off.
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TOWING TRAILERS
IMPORTANT
The car must be provided with a type-approved tow hook and ad-
equate electric system to tow caravans or trailers. Installation must
be carried out by a specialist.
Install any specific and/or additional rear-view mirrors in accor-
dance with the highway code of the country in which you are trav-
elling.
Remember that when towing a trailer, steep hills are harder to climb,
braking distances increase and overtaking takes longer depending
on the overall weight.
Engage a low gear when driving downhill, rather than constantly
using the brake.
The weight of the trailer reduces the load capacity of the car by the
same amount. Consi
der the weight at full load, including acces-
sories and luggage, to make sure you do not exceed the maximum
towable weight (shown in the registration document).
Respect the speed limits specific to each country for vehicles tow-
ing trailers. In any event do not exceed 100 km/h.
INSTALLING A TOW HOOK
Contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services to install a tow hook.
The ABS with which the car is equipped will not con-
trol the braking system of the trailer. Take extra
care when travelling on slippery roads.
Never modify the braking system of the car to con-
trol the trailer brake. The trailer braking system
must be fully independent from the hydraulic sys-
tem of the car.
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SNOW TYRES
Use snow tyres of the same size as the normal tyres provided
with the car. Alfa Romeo Authorized Services will advise you on the
most appropriate tyre for use.
Only use these tyres in the event of ice or snow on the roads.
For the type, pressures and specifications of the snow tyre to be
used, follow carefully the instructions given in the “Wheels” para-
graph of the “Technical specifications” chapter.
The performance of these tyres is considerably reduced when the
tread depth is less than 4 mm. If this is the case, replace them.
Due to their specific features, the performance of snow tyres is
much lower than that of standard tyres in normal conditions or on
long motorway stretches. You should therefore use them only in
the conditions for which they were designed. The performance of these tyres is considerably reduced when the
tread depth is less than 4 mm. If this is the case, replace them.
All four tyres should be the same (brand and track) to ensure greater
safety when driving, during braking and better driveability. Re-
member that it is inappropriate to change the direction of rotation
of tyres.
The maximum speed for snow tyres marked “Q”
is 160 km/h, while it is 190 km/h for “T” tyres
and 210 km/h for “H” tyres. You should, howev-
er, always stick to the speed limits of the highway code.
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GETTING
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CONTENTS
Keep your speed down when snow chains are fit-
ted - do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid potholes, steps
and pavements and also avoid driving for long dis-
tances on roads not covered with snow to avoid damag-
ing the car and the road surface.
SNOW CHAINS
The use of snow chains should be in compliance with local regu-
lations. Snow chains may be fitted only to the front wheel tyres
(drive wheels).
Check the tension of the chains after the first few metres have been
driven.
Use reduced bulk snow chains:
– All versions: for 195/55 R16”, 205/55 R16” and 225/45
R17” size tyres use low-clearance snow chains with a maximum
protrusion beyond the tyre profile of 9 mm.
IMPORTANT The space-saver wheel cannot be fitted with snow
chains. If a front (drive) wheel is punctured and snow chains must
be used, you must remove a normal wheel from the rear and re-
place this one with the space-saver wheel. In this way, with two
normal drive wheels, it is possible to use snow cha
ins.
STORING THE CAR
If the car is to be left inactive for longer than a month, the following
precautions should be noted:
❍park the car in a dry, covered and, if possible, ventilated area;
engage a gear and check that the handbrake is not engaged;
❍disconnect the negative battery terminal and check battery
charge. Repeat this check once every three months during stor-
age;
❍clean and protect painted areas using protective wax;
❍clean and protect the shiny metal areas using special com-
mercially-available products;
❍sprinkle talcum powder on the rubber windscreen and rear win-
dow wiper blades and lift them off the glass;
❍slightly open the windows;
❍cover the car with a fabric or perforated plastic sheet. Do not
use compact plastic sheets which do not allow humidity to evap-
orate from the surface of the car.
❍inflate tyres to a pressure of +0.5 bar above the normal spec-
ified pressure and check the pressure at regular intervals;
❍if you have not disconnected the battery, check the battery
charge every thirty days;
❍do not drain the engine cooling system.
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