3
ACCESSORY ELECTRICAL DEVICES
If after purchasing the car you wish to install accessories that need an electrical supply (with the risk of gradually draining
the battery), contact Alfa Romeo Authorised Services who will assess the overall electrical absorption and check whether the
car system is able to withstand the load required.
CODE CARD (for versions/markets where applicable)
Keep it in a safe place, not in the car. IT is advisable to always keep the electronic code on the CODE card with you in case
emergency starting is necessary.
SCHEDULED SERVICING
Correct maintenance makes it possible to preserve car performance levels and safety, respect for the environment and low
running costs unaltered over the course of time.
THE OWNER HANDBOOK…
…you will find important information, advice and warnings for correct use, driving safety and car maintenance over time.
Pay particular attention to the symbols
"(personal safety) #(protecting the environment) â(car safety).
RESPECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
The car is fitted with a system that allows continuous diagnosis of the components correlated with emissions to ensure bet-
ter respect for the environment.
U
It is absolutely forbidden
to carry out whatever af-
ter-market operation in-
volving steering system or steer-
ing column modifications (e.g.: in-
stallation of anti-theft device) that
could badly affect performance and
safety, cause the lapse of warran-
ty and also result in non-compli-
ance of the car with homologation
requirements.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
15
STEERING LOCK
Engaging:
– move the key to STOPorPARK, then
remove the key and turn the steering wheel
slightly to facilitate the locking action.
Disengaging:
– turn the key to MARgently rocking the
steering wheel from side to side.
Never remove the ignition
key with the car on the
move. The steering wheel
would lock automatically the first
time the steering wheel is turned.
This also occurs if the car is towed.
DOORS
Before opening a door, al-
ways make sure that it can
be done safely.
OPENING/CLOSING
FROM OUTSIDE
Front doors
– To open the door, turn the key (clockwise
for the driver’s door and, upon request for ver-
sions/markets where applicable, counter-
clockwise for the passenger’s door), then re-
move the key and pull the lever (A-fig. 9).
– To close the door, turn the key in the
lock in the opposite direction to the one for
opening.
fig. 9
A0A0017b
fig. 10
A0A0018b
OPENING/CLOSING
FROM INSIDE
Front doors
– To open the door, pull the handle
(A-fig. 10).
– To close the door, pull it; then to prevent
opening from the outside, press the button
(A-fig. 11) on the dashboard, the deter-
rent led (B) on the button lights up with a
yellow light to confirm that locking has tak-
en place.
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.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
16
FRONT SEATSCENTRAL LOCKING
This allows central locking of the door
locks.
To engage central locking, the doors must
be perfectly shut, otherwise locking is de-
nied.
IMPORTANTWith central locking en-
gaged, pulling the inside lever for opening
one of the front doors causes the unlock-
ing of all the doors.
In the event of a power cut off (blown
fuse, battery disconnected, etc.) it is still pos-
sible to work the lock by hand.
fig. 11
A0A0019b
Only make adjustments
when the car is stationary.
LENGTHWISE ADJUSTMENT
(fig. 12)
Raise the lever (A) and push the seat
backwards or forwards; in the driving posi-
tion the arms should be slightly flexed and
the hands should rest on the rim of the steer-
ing wheel.
fig. 12
A0A0602b
After releasing the ad-
justment lever, always
check that the seat is
locked on the runners, trying to
move it to and fro. The lack of this
clamping action could cause the
seat to move unexpectedly and
cause loss of car control.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
19
REAR SEATS
If a particularly heavy
load is placed in the boot,
when travelling at night, it
is wise to check the height of the
high beams (see “Headlamps”
paragraph).
fig. 18
A0A0605b
Removing the rear parcel shelf
Proceed as follows:
– free the ends of the two rods (A-fig. 18)
supporting the parcel shelf (B) pulling the
eyelets (C) off the pins (D);
– release the pins (A-fig. 19) at the out-
side of the shelf from their housings (B) ob-
tained in the side supports, then remove the
shelf pulling it outwards.
fig. 19
A0A0255b
EXTENDING THE
LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT
The split of rear seat makes it possible to
extend the luggage compartment totally or
partially, acting separately on one of the two
parts, thereby offering different possibilities
of load depending on the number of rear
passengers. 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.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
32
CARRYING
CHILDREN SAFELY
For optimal protection in the event of a
crash, all passengers must be seated and
wearing adequate restraint systems. This is
even more important for children.
This prescription is compulsory in all EC
countries according to EC Directive
2003/20/EC.
Compared with adults, their head is pro-
portionally larger and heavier than the rest
of the body, while the muscles and bone
structure are not completely developed.
Therefore, correct restraint systems are nec-
essary, other than adult seat belts.
The results of research on the best pro-
tection for a child are summarised in Euro-
pean Standard ECE- R44, which in addition
to making them compulsory, subdivides re-
straint systems into five groups:
Group 0 0 - 10 kg in weight
Group 0+ 0 - 13 kg in weight
Group 1 9 - 18 kg in weight
Group 2 15 - 25 kg in weight
Group 3 22 - 36 kg in weightAs it may be noted, the groups overlap
partly and in fact, in commerce it is possible
to find devices that cover more than one
weight group. All restraint devices must bear
the certification data, together with the con-
trol brand, on a solidly fixed label which
must absolutely never be removed.
Over 1.50 m in height, from the point of
view of restraint systems, children are con-
sidered as adults and wear the seat belts
normally. Lineaccessori Alfa Romeo offers
seats for each weight group, which are the
recommended choice, as they have been de-
signed and experimented specifically for Al-
fa Romeo cars.
Never place cradle child’s
seats facing backwards on
the front passenger seat of
cars fitted with passenger’s air bag
since the air bag activation could
cause serious injuries, even mortal.
You are advised to carry children
always on the rear seat, as this is
the most protected position in the
case of a crash.
SERIOUS DANGER
Children may placed
on the front seat of
cars fitted with passenger’s air bag
deactivation. In this case, it is ab-
solutely necessary to check the
warning light Fon the instru-
ment panel to make sure that de-
activation has actually took place
(see paragraph “Front passenger
air bag”). The front passenger’s
seat shall be adjusted in the most
backward position to prevent any
contact between child’s seat and
dashboard.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
40
PASSENGER’S
FRONT AIRBAG
It consists of an instant-inflating cushion
contained in a special recess in the dash-
board; its volume is bigger than the driver’s
one (fig. 51).
MANUAL DEACTIVATION OF
PASSENGER’S FRONT AIRBAG
(
fig. 52)
(upon request for versions /
markets where applicable)
Should it be absolutely necessary to car-
ry a child on the front seat, the passenger’s
font air bag can be deactivated.
Deactivation/reactivation takes place with
ignition key at STOP, and operating it in
the special key switch set in the glovebox. SERIOUS DANGER
Children may placed
on the front seat of
cars fitted with passenger’s air bag
deactivation. In this case, it is ab-
solutely necessary to check the
warning light Fon the instru-
ment panel to make sure that de-
activation has actually took place
(see paragraph “Front passenger
air bag”). The front passenger’s
seat shall be adjusted in the most
backward position to prevent any
contact between child’s seat and
dashboard.
fig. 51
A0A0392b
fig. 52
A0A0392b
Never place cradle child’s
seats facing backwards on
the front passenger seat of
cars fitted with passenger’s air bag
since the air bag activation could
cause serious injuries, even mortal.
You are advised to carry children
always on the rear seat, as this is
the most protected position in the
case of a crash.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
41
The key can be inserted and removed in
both positions.
IMPORTANTOperate the switch only
when the engine is not running and the ig-
nition key is removed.
The key-operated switch has two positions:
– passenger’s front airbag activated (ON
positionP): warning light
Fon instru-
ment cluster off; it is absolutely prohibited
to carry a child on the front seat.
– passenger’s front airbag deactivated
(OFFposition
F): warning light Fon
instrument cluster on; it is possible to carry
a child protected by special restraint system
on the front seat.
The warning light
Fon the cluster stays
on permanently until the passenger’s air bag
is reactivated.
Deactivation of the passenger’s front air
bag does not inhibit operation of the side air
bag.
SIDE AIR BAGS
(SIDE BAG - WINDOW BAG)
SIDE BAG (
fig. 53)
The side bag is formed of an instanta-
neously-inflating cushion housed in the back
rest of the front seat and protects the chest
of occupants in case of a side crash of medi-
um-high severity.
WINDOW BAG (fig. 54)
The window bag is formed of two “cur-
tain” cushions housed in the side roof lining
covered by a special trim, which protects the
head of front and rear occupants in the event
of a side crash thanks to the wide cushion
inflation surface.
IMPORTANTIn the event of side crash,
you can obtain the best protection by the
system keeping a correct position on the
seat, thus allowing correct window bag un-
folding.
fig. 53
A0A0614b
fig. 54
A0A0615b
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
77
INEFFICIENT ABS
SYSTEM (where
provided) (amber)
Turning the ignition key to MARthe warn-
ing light turns on, but it should go off after
few seconds.
The warning light turns on (together with
message + symbol on the display) when the
system is inefficient. In this case the brak-
ing system keeps its effectiveness un-
changed, but without the potential offered
by the ABS system.
Caution is advisable, particularly in all cas-
es of less than perfect grip. It is necessary
to contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services
as soon as possible.
INEFFICIENT EBD
ELECTRONIC
BRAKING
DISTRIBUTOR (red)
(amber)
The turning on at the same
time of warning lights
xand>(togeth-
er with message + symbol on the display)
with the engine running indicates an EBD
system failure; in this case heavy braking
may cause the rear wheels to lock before
time, with the possibility of skidding.
Drive with the utmost care to the nearest
Alfa Romeo Authorized Service to have the
system checked.
INERTIAL FUEL
CUT-OFF SWITCH
Message + symbol are displayed when the
inertial fuel cut-off switch is triggered.
s>x
>
If after the message you
smell fuel or see leaks from
the fuel system, do not re-
set the switch to avoid fire risk.