Page 161 of 270

❒clean and protect the painted parts using protective
wax;
❒clean and protect the shiny metal parts using special
compounds readily available;
❒sprinkle talcum powder on the rubber windscreen
and rear window wiper blades and lift them off the
glass;
❒open the windows slightly;
❒cover the car with a fabric or perforated plastic sheet.
Do not use compact plastic sheets which do not allow
humidity to evaporate from the surface of the car;
❒inflate tyres to a pressure of +0.5 bar above the nor-
mal specified pressure and check regularly;
❒if you don’t disconnect the battery from the electrical
system, check its charge every month and recharge it
if the indicator shows a dark colour without the cen-
tral green area;
❒do not drain the engine cooling system.
IMPORTANT Where relevant, switch off the car alarm
with the remote control.
CAR INACTIVITY
If the car is to be left inactive for longer than a month,
the following precautions should be observed:
❒park the car in covered, dry and, if possible, well-ven-
tilated premises;
❒engage a gear;
❒check that the handbrake is engaged;
❒disconnect the clip for the negative battery terminal
and check battery charge. Repeat this check once
every three months during storage. Recharge the
battery if the indicator is dark and the middle area is
not green;
160
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
16” and 17” tyres cannot be fitted with
chains.
WARNING
Keep your speed down when snow chains
are fitted: do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid
potholes, steps and pavements, and do
not drive for long distances on roads not
covered with snow to prevent damaging
the car and the road surface.
WARNING
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161
WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
GENERAL WARNINGS
Warning lights are accompanied by a specific message
and/or sound when applicable. These indications are brief
and precautionary and as such must not be considered as
exhaustive and/or alternative to the information contained
in the Owner’s Handbook, which you are recommended
to read carefully in all cases. Always refer to the informa-
tion in this chapter in the event of a failure indication.
IMPORTANT The fault indicators appearing on the dis-
play are divided into two categories: very serious and less
serious failures.
Serious failures prompt a prolonged cycle of signals.
Less serious failures prompt a shorter cycle of signals.
Press MENU ESC to stop the warning cycle in both cas-
es. Warning lights on the instrument panel will stay on un-
til the cause of the failure is eliminated.
For messages relevant to the versions equipped with
a Dualogic gearbox, see the attached Supplement.
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
If the warning light xturns on when trav-
elling (on certain versions together with
the message on the display) stop the car imme-
diately and contact a Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
BRAKE FLUID LOW (red)
HANDBRAKE ENGAGED (red)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR posi-
tion, the warnintg light turns on but should go off
after a few seconds.
Brake fluid low
The warning light turns on when the level of the brake flu-
id in the reservoir falls below the minimum level, possi-
bly due to a leak in the circuit.
On some versions the display shows the associated mes-
sage.
x
Handbrake engaged
The warning light turns on when the handbrake is on.
If the car is moving, an audible warning will also sound on
certain versions.
IMPORTANT If the warning light turns on when travel-
ling, check that the handbrake is not engaged.
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162
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
AIRBAG FAILURE (red)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR position,
the warnintg light turns on but should go off af-
ter a few seconds.
The warning light stays on constantly if there is a failure
in the airbag system. A specific message is displayed on cer-
tain versions.
¬
If the warning light ¬does not come on
when turning the key to MAR or stays on
during car travel, a failure may be present in the
restraint systems. If this is the case, the airbags
or pretensioners may not be deployed after an im-
pact or, in a minor number of cases, they may be
deployed accidentally. Contact a Fiat Dealership
immediately to have the system checked before
driving off.
WARNING
A problem with the warning light ¬(light
off) is indicated by the warning light “,
which indicates the front passenger airbag is de-
activated, flashing for more than the usual four
seconds.
WARNING
OVERHEATED ENGINE COOLANT
(red)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR position,
the warnintg light turns on but should go off after a few
seconds. The warning light turns on when the engine is
overheated. If the warning light comes on, proceed as fol-
lows:
❒when driving normally: stop the car, switch off the en-
gine and check that the water level in the reservoir is
not below the MIN mark. If it is not, wait for a few min-
utes for the engine to cool down then slowly and care-
fully open the cap, top-up with coolant and check that
the level is between the MIN and MAX marks. Also
visually check for leaks. Go to a Fiat Dealership if the
warning light comes on again when the engine is next
started.
❒if the vehicle is used under demanding conditions (e.g.
towing trailers uphill or fully loaded): slow down and,
if the light stays on, stop the car. Stop for 2 or 3 min-
utes with the engine running and slightly accelerated to
assist better coolant circulation. Then switch the en-
gine off. Check correct fluid level as described above.
IMPORTANT On particularly demanding journeys, it is ad-
visable to keep the engine on and slightly accelerated for
a few minutes before switching it off.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
ç
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163
Degraded engine oil
(only Multijet versions with DPF)
The warning light will flash and a specific message will ap-
pear on the display (for versions/markets where provid-
ed). The warning light may flash in the following ways, de-
pending on the version:
– for 1 minute every two hours;
– for 3 minute cycles with the warning light off for inter-
vals of 5 seconds until oil is changed.
After the initial warning, each time the engine is started
up, the warning light will continue to flash in the same ways
as described above, until the oil is changed. A specific mes-
sage will appear on the display (for versions/markets where
provided) in addition to the warning light.
If the warning light flashes, this does not mean that the car
is defective, but simply informs the driver that it is now
necessary to change the oil as a result of regular vehicle
use.
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
LOW BATTERY CHARGE (red)
(for versions/markets where provided)
The warning light comes on when the ignition
key is turned to MAR, but it should go out as soon
as the engine has started (with the engine running at idle
speed a brief delay before going out is acceptable). Con-
tact a Fiat Dealership immediately if the warning light stays
on, either permanently or flashing.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
w
LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE (red)
DEGRADED OIL (red)
(for versions/markets where provided)
When the ignition key is turned to MAR, the warn-
ing light switches on, but it should go out as soon as the
engine is started.
v
If the warning light vturns on when the
car is travelling (on certain versions to-
gether with the message on the display), stop the
car immediately and contact a Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
PARKING SENSOR FAILURE (amber)
(for versions/markets where provided)
The warning light turns on when a fault is de-
tected in the parking sensors.
On certain versions warning light èturns on as an alter-
native.
In this case, contact a Fiat Dealership.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
t
Low engine oil pressure
The warning light turns on and stays on constantly along
with a message on the display (for versions/markets where
provided) when the system detects that engine oil pres-
sure is low.
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164
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Degraded engine oil should be replaced as
soon as possible after the warning light
comes on, and never more than 500 km after it
first comes on.
Failure to change the oil within the first 1000 km
may result in severe damage to the engine and in-
validate the warranty. Remember that when the
warning light comes on, it does not mean that the
level of engine oil is low, so if the light flashes you
do not need to top up the engine oil.
WARNING
DOOR/BOOT/BONNET OPEN (red)
On certain versions, the warning light turns on
when one or more doors or the boot are not
properly closed.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions. You
will hear a warning sound if a door is open and the car is
moving.
´
DUALDRIVE ELECTRIC POWER
STEERING FAILURE (red)
(for versions/markets where provided)
This warning light comes on when the ignition key
is turned to MAR, but it should go off after a few sec-
onds.
If the warning light stays on, you will not get the benefit
from the electric power steering and the effort needed
to turn the wheel will be greatly increased, although it will
still be possible to steer the car. Contact a Fiat Dealership.
On some versions the display shows the associated mes-
sage.
g
Note that engine oil degrades faster under the following
circumstances:
– use of the vehicle mainly for city driving, requiring more
frequent regeneration of the DPF
– use of the vehicle for short drives, in which the engine
does not have time to reach its regular operating tem-
perature
– repeated interruption of the regeneration process, sig-
nalled by the DPF warning light coming on.
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165
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
SEAT BELT NOT FASTENED (red)
The warning light on the display lights up per-
manently when the car is not moving and the dri-
ver’s seat belt is not correctly fastened. It will flash,
and be accompanied by an audible warning, if the front seat
belts are not correctly fastened when the vehicle is mov-
ing. The SBR (Seat Belt Reminder) system’s audible warn-
ing can be disabled only by a Fiat Dealership. On some ver-
sions the system can be reactivated from the setup menu.
<
LOW ENGINE OIL LEVEL (red)
(for versions/markets where provided)
When turning the ignition key to MAR, the
warning light turns on but it should go off after a
few seconds. This warning light where provided comes on
when the engine oil level falls below the minimum rec-
ommended value. Restore the correct engine oil level (see
“Checking fluid levels” in the “Servicing and care” section).
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
k
EBD FAULT (red)
(amber)
Warning lights
xand >lit at the
same time with the engine running in-
dicates an EBD system failure or that the system is not
available. This may cause premature locking of the rear
wheels in the event of violent braking, causing the car to
swerve. Drive very carefully to a Fiat Dealership to have
the system inspected immediately.
On some versions the display shows the associated mes-
sage.> x
INJECTION SYSTEM FAULT
(Multijet versions – amber)
EOBD SYSTEM FAULT
(petrol versions – amber)
Injection system failure
Under normal conditions, turning the ignition key to MAR,
the warning light turns on but it should go off after the en-
gine starts.
If the warning light stays on or comes on when travelling,
it means there is a fault in the injection system which could
cause loss of performance, poor handling and high fuel con-
sumption levels.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions. Un-
der these conditions, the vehicle can continue travelling at
moderate speed without demanding excessive effort from
the engine. In any case, you should go to a Fiat Dealer-
ship as soon as possible.
U
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166
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Go to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possi-
ble if warning light Udoes not light up
when the key is turned to MAR or if, while trav-
elling, the warning light comes on either perma-
nently or flashing (along with a message on the
display on certain versions). The operation of the
Uwarning light may be checked by traffic police
using appropriate equipment. Follow the laws in
force in the country where you are driving.
WARNING
FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG
DEACTIVATED (amber)
The warning light
“comes on when the front
passenger airbag is disabled.
With the front passenger air bag enabled, when the igni-
tion key is turned to MAR the
“warning light comes on
constantly for about 4 seconds, flashes for another 4 sec-
onds and then should go out.
“
Engine management system failure – EOBD
Under normal conditions, turning the ignition key to MAR,
the warning light turns on but it should go off after the en-
gine starts. This indicates that the warning light is work-
ing correctly. If the warning light either stays on or comes
on during car travel:
❒on permanently: this means there is a fault in the sup-
ply/ignition system which could cause high exhaust
emissions, loss of performance, poor handling and high
fuel consumption levels.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
Under these conditions, the vehicle can continue travel-
ling at moderate speed without demanding excessive ef-
fort from the engine. Prolonged use of the car with the
warning light on may cause damage. Go to a Fiat Dealer-
ship as soon as possible. The warning light goes out after
the fault disappears, but the indication is stored in the sys-
tem.
❒flashing: this indicates possible damage to the catalytic
converter (see “EOBD system” in the “Dashboard and
controls” section).
If the light flashes, come off the accelerator pedal to re-
duce engine revs until the warning light stops flashing; con-
tinue the journey at moderate speed, trying to avoid dri-
ving conditions that may cause further flashing, and get
to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.For versions/markets, where provided, the
Uwarning
light in the instrument panel does not have the EOBD func-
tion (European On Board Diagnosis) but only that of sig-
nalling that the injection system is not working perfectly.
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167
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
FUEL RESERVE (amber)
Turning the key to the MAR position illuminates
the warning light, but it will switch off after a few
seconds.
The warning light turns on when about 7 litres of fuel are
left in the tank.
IMPORTANT The warning light will blink to indicate a sys-
tem failure. If this happens, go to a Fiat Dealership to have
the system checked.
Warning light “indicates a failure of warn-
ing light ¬. This condition is indicated by
intermittent blinking of warning light “for longer
than 4 seconds. In this case, warning light ¬may
not be indicating that there is a fault in the restraint
systems. Before driving off, contact a Fiat Dealer-
ship to have the system checked immediately.
WARNING
ç
ABS SYSTEM FAULT (amber)
Turning the key to the MAR position illuminates
the warning light, but it will switch off after a few
seconds.
The warning light comes on when the system is either not
working properly or not available. Under these circum-
stances, the braking system will work as normal but without
the extra performance offered by the ABS system. Drive
carefully and go to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
On some versions the display shows the associated message.
>
GLOW PLUG PREHEATING
(Multijet versions – amber)
GLOW PLUG PREHEATING FAULT
(Multijet versions – amber)
Glow plugs
This warning light comes on when the key is turned to
MAR. It will go out as soon as the glow plugs have reached
a preset temperature. Start the engine as soon as the
warning light goes out.
IMPORTANT When it is particularly warm outside, the
warning light stays on for an extremely short time.
Glow plug preheating fault
The warning light flashes if there is a fault in the preheat-
ing system. Go to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
m
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