IN AN EMERGENCY
213
IF THE CAR IS TO BE TOWED
The tow ring supplied with the car is
housed in the tool box under the boot mat.
To install the tow ring, proceed as follows:
– Take the tow ring from the tool box.
– Remove the cover (A) snap-fitted on
the front (fig. 55) or rear (fig. 56)
bumper. To do this, using the flat-bladed
screwdriver provided, protect the tip with a
soft cloth to avoid damaging the car.– Firmly screw the ring in its housing.
fig. 55 - front
A0A0650b
fig. 56 - rear
A0A0670b
Before tightening the ring
carefully clean the thread-
ed housing. Before begin-
ning to tow the car, make sure that
the ring is firmly tightened in its
threaded housing.
Before starting to tow,
turn the ignition key to
MAR and back to STOP,
again without removing it. Re-
moving the key automatically en-
gages the steering lock resulting in
the impossibility to steer the
wheels. When towing remember
that without the help of the engine
brake and power steering greater
effort is required on the pedal and
steering wheel. Do not use flexible
cables for towing and avoid jerks.
During towing operations make
sure that fastening the joint to the
car does not damage the compo-
nents in contact with it. When tow-
ing the car, it is compulsory to fol-
low specific traffic regulations con-
cerning both the towing device and
behaviour on the road.
IN AN EMERGENCY
214
Take care when position-
ing the arms of the lift or
workshop lift to avoid dam-
aging the side strips.
USING AN ARM LIFT OR
WORKSHOP LIFT
The car must only be lifted laterally posi-
tioning the ends of the arms or the workshop
lift in the areas illustrated, approx. 40 cm from
the profile of the wheelhouse (fig. 57).These points are identified by symbol
▼
on the bottom of the sidemember.
The car may fall if the jack
is not positioned correctly.
Never use the jack for
higher capacities than the one stat-
ed on the label.
IMPORTANTFor versions with Sele-
speed transmission, make sure that the
gears are in neutral (N) (checking that the
car moves if pushed) and then proceed as
for towing a normal car with mechanical
transmission, following the instructions giv-
en previously.
Should it be impossible to set the gears to
neutral, do not tow the car and contact Al-
fa Romeo Authorised Services.Do not start the engine
when towing the car.
IF THE CAR IS TO BE LIFTED
fig. 57
A0A0672b
CAR MAINTENANCE
219
ADDITIONAL
OPERATIONS
Every 1000 kmor before long journeys,
check and if necessary top up:
– engine coolant fluid level
– brake/hydraulic clutch control fluid level
– power steering fluid level
– windscreen washer and headlamp wash-
er fluid level
– tyre pressure and conditions.
Every 3000 kmcheck and if necessary
top up the engine oil level.
The use of FL Seleniaproducts is rec-
ommended which have been designed and
made expressly for Alfa Romeo cars (see
“Refuelling” in the “Technical Specifica-
tions” chapter).
ANNUAL INSPECTION
PROGRAMME
For cars with an annual mileage
of below 20,000 km (for example
about 10,000 km) the following
yearly inspection programme is ad-
vised:
– Check tyre conditions/wear and if nec-
essary adjust the pressure (including spare
wheel)
– Check operation of lighting system
(headlights, direction indicators, hazard
warning lights, boot, passenger compart-
ment, glovebox lights, warning lights, etc.)
– Check operation of windscreen wiper
system, spray jet adjustment
– Check windscreen blade position/wear
– Check front disk brake pad conditions
and wear
– Check cleanness of bonnet and boot
locks, and lever cleanness and lubrication.– Sight check for conditions of: engine,
gearbox, transmission, pipes (exhaust - fu-
el supply - brakes), rubber parts (boots -
sleeves - bushes etc..), brake and fuel sup-
ply system hoses
– Check battery charge
– Sight check for conditions of various dri-
ve belts
– Check and if necessary top up fluid lev-
els (engine coolant, brakes, windscreen
washer, battery etc. )
– Change engine oil and oil filter
– Change pollen filter.
CAR MAINTENANCE
227
Oil consumption is very
low; if topping up again is
needed shortly afterwards,
have the system checked for pos-
sible leaks by Alfa Romeo Autho-
rised Services.Do not allow the power
steering fluid to touch hot
parts of the engine: it is in-
flammable.
fig. 12
A0A0217b
fig. 11
A0A0400b
BRAKE AND HYDRAULIC
CLUTCH FLUID
(fig. 12)
Check that the fluid level in the reservoir
is at maximum. Top up with the brake fluid
specified in the table “Fluids and lubricants”
(see section “Technical specifications").
NOTEClean accurately the tank cap A
and the surrounding surface. When opening
the cap take the utmost care to prevent im-
purities entering the tank. When topping up,
always use a funnel with built-in filter with
mesh equal to or lower than 0.12 mm.
IMPORTANTFor this operation it is
however recommended to contact Alfa
Romeo Authorised Services.
POWER STEERING FLUID
(fig. 11)
Check that the level of the oil in the reser-
voir is at maximum.
This operation should be carried out with
the car on a level surface and the engine
switched off and cold.
Check that the level reaches the MAX
mark on the reservoir or coincides with the
upper notch (maximum level) on the dip-
stick (A) integral with the reservoir cap.If the oil level in the reservoir is below the
specified one, top up only with one of the
products listed in the “Fluids and lubricants”
table in the “Technical specifications” chap-
ter proceeding as follows:
– Start the engine and wait for the oil lev-
el in the reservoir to stabilise.
– With the engine running, turn the steer-
ing wheel lock to lock a few times.
– Top up to the MAXlevel notch, then
refit the cap.
CAR MAINTENANCE
233
Incorrect pressure causes abnormal tyre
wear:
(A): normal pressure: tread evenly worn.
(B): low pressure: tread particularly worn
at the edges.
(C): high pressure: tread particularly worn
in the centre.
Tyres should be changed when the tread
thickness is reduced to 1.6 mm.
In any case follow local regulations.
You are also reminded that services with
high current absorption switched on by the
user, such as for example: baby bottle warm-
ers, vacuum cleaner, mobile phone, mini
fridge, etc., quicken the battery drain-
ing processif they are turned on with the
engine off or running at idle speed.
IMPORTANTWhen installing addition-
al systems on the car, bear in mind that im-
proper branches on connections of the car
wiring are dangerous, particularly if safety
devices are involved.
WHEELS AND TYRES
TYRE PRESSURE
Check the tyre pressure of every wheel, in-
cluding the spare, every two weeks and be-
fore a long journey. The pressure should be
checked with the tyre rested and cold.
It is normal for the pressure to increase
when the car is in use; for the correct tyre
inflation pressure, see “Wheels” in the
“Technical Specifications” chapter.
Battery
60 Ah
70 AhMaximum permissible
loadless absorption
36 mA
42 mA
The maximum absorption of all the ac-
cessories (standard and fitted afterwards)
should be 0,6 mA x Ah (of the battery), as
shown in the following table:
fig. 16
A0A0225b
CAR MAINTENANCE
234
Alloy rim painting involv-
ing temperatures exceed-
ing 150 °C should be
avoided since wheel mechanical
characteristics could be impaired. Do not cross switch the
tyres, moving them from
the right of the car to the
left and vice versa.Excessive low pressure
causes overheating of the
tyre with the possibility of
serious damage to it.Remember that car road
holding also depends on
correct tyre inflation pres-
sure.
RUBBER HOSES
As far as the brake system and fuel sup-
ply rubber hoses are concerned, carefully fol-
low the Scheduled Maintenance Pro-
gramme. Indeed, ozone, high temperatures
and the prolonged lack of fluid in the sys-
tem may cause hardening and cracking of
the hoses, with possible leaks. Careful con-
trol is therefore necessary.
IMPORTANT NOTES
– Where possible, avoid sudden braking,
tyre squealing starts, violent bumps against
kerbs, potholes or obstacles of various kinds.
Prolonged driving on rough roads may dam-
age the tyres;
– Routinely check the tyres for cuts on the
sides, swellings or uneven tread wear. If nec-
essary contact Alfa Romeo Authorised Ser-
vices;
– Avoid overloading the car when travel-
ling: this may cause serious damage to the
wheels and tyres;
– If a tyre is punctured, stop immediate-
ly and change it to avoid damage to the tyre
itself, the rim, suspensions and steering sys-
tem;
– Tyres age even if they are not used
much. Cracks in the tread rubber are a sign
of aging. In any case, if the tyres have been
on the car for over 6 years, they should be
checked by specialised personnel, to see if
they can still be used. Also remember to
check the compact spare wheel;
– In case of replacement, always fit new
tyres, avoiding those of dubious origin;
CAR MAINTENANCE
236
HEADLIGHT WASHERS
(fig. 19)
Regularly check that the spray jets are in-
tact and clean.
If it is necessary to direct the jet, contact
an Alfa Romeo Authorized Service.
BODYWORK
PROTECTION FROM
ATMOSPHERIC AGENTS
The main causes of corrosion are:
– atmospheric pollution
– salty air and humidity (coastal areas, or
hot humid climates)
– seasonal environment conditions.
Not to be underestimated is also the abra-
sive action of wind-borne atmospheric dust
and sand and mud and gravel raised by oth-
er cars.
On your car, Alfa Romeo has implement-
ed the best manufacturing technologies to
effectively protect the bodywork against cor-
rosion.
fig. 19
A0A0704b
These include:
– Painting products and systems which
give the car particular resistance to corrosion
and abrasion.
– Use of galvanised (or pretreated) steel
sheets, with high resistance to corrosion.
– Spraying of the underbody, engine com-
partment, wheel arches and other parts with
highly protective wax products.
– Spraying of plastic parts, with a protec-
tive function, in the more exposed points:
underdoor, inner wheel arch linings, etc.
– Use of “open” boxed sections to pre-
vent condensation and pockets of moisture
from triggering rust inside.
CAR EXTERIOR AND
UNDERBODY WARRANTY
Your car is covered by warranty against
perforation due to rust of any original ele-
ment of the structure or body. For the gen-
eral terms of this warranty, refer to Alfa
Romeo Warranty booklet.
CAR MAINTENANCE
239
Do not keep aerosol cans
in the car. There is the risk
they might explode. Aerosol
cans must never be exposed to a
temperature above 50°C. The tem-
perature inside the car might go well
beyond that figure when exposed
to the sun’s rays.
INTERIOR PLASTIC PARTS
For routine cleaning of interior plastic parts
use a soft cloth moistened with water and
neutral soap. Remove grease or persisting
stains using appropriate solvent-free prod-
ucts designed to preserve appearance and
colour of plastic components.
IMPORTANTNever use spirit or petro-
leum to clean the glass of the instrument
panel or other plastic components.
STEERING WHEEL/GEAR LEVER
KNOB WITH GENUINE LEATHER
COVERING
These components shall only be cleaned
with water and neutral soap. Never use spir-
it or alcohol-based products.
Before using special products for cleaning
interiors, read carefully label instructions and
indications to make sure they are free from
spirit and/or alcohol-based substances. If
when cleaning the windscreen with special
glass products, some drops fall on the
leather covering of the steering wheel/gear
lever knob remove them immediately and
then clean with water and neutral soap.
IMPORTANTTake the utmost care
when engaging the steering lock to prevent
scratching the leather covering.
CLEANING LEATHER SEATS
– Remove dried on dirt with a lightly
moistened chamois leather or cloth with-
out pressing too hard.
– Remove liquid and grease stains with
a dry absorbent cloth without rubbing. Then
wipe with a soft cloth or chamois leather
with water and neutral soap. If the stain per-
sists, use specific products, carefully follow-
ing the instructions for use.
IMPORTANTNever use spirit or alco-
holbased products, even in small percentage.
Fabric upholstery of your
car is purpose-made to
withstand common wear
resulting from normal use of the
car. It is however absolutely nec-
essary to prevent hard and/or pro-
longed scratching/scraping caused
by clothing accessories like metal-
lic buckles, studs, “Velcro” fixings,
etc. that stressing locally the fabric
could break yarns and damage the
upholstery as a consequence.