STARTING AND DRIVING
STARTING THE ENGINE
The vehicle is fitted with an immobiliser: if the engine
fails to start, see the paragraph on “The Fiat CODE
system” in the “Knowing your vehicle” section.
The engine may be noisier during the first few
seconds of operation, particularly after a long period
of inactivity. This is due to the hydraulic tappets,
the timing system chosen for petrol engine versions
to reduce the number of servicing interventions,
and affects neither functionality nor reliability.
It is advisable not to demand maximum
performance from your vehicle (e.g.
excessive acceleration, long distances at
high speeds, excessive intense braking, etc .) during
the initial period of use.
When the engine is switched off never
leave the key on (at MAR) to prevent
unnecessary consumption and draining
the battery.
WARNING
It is dangerous to have the engine
runnin
g indoors.The engine takes in
oxygen and discharges carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and other toxic gases.
WARNING
Remember that the brake booster and
elect
ric power steering are not
operational until the engine has been started,
so you need to apply much more force than
usual to the brake pedal and steering wheel.
STARTING PROCEDURE FOR DIESEL
VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❒apply the handbrake;
❒put the gear lever into neutral;
❒turn the key on (MAR position): instrument panel
warning light
will light up;
❒wait for the warning lights
andto go out.
The hotter the engine is, the quicker this will
happen;
❒press the clutch pedal down to the floor without
touching the accelerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVV as soon as the
warning light goes out. Waiting too long will
waste the heating work carried out by the glow
plugs.
Release the key as soon as the engine starts.
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KNOW YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN AN EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
HANDBRAKE
The handbrake lever fig. 112is located between the
two front seats.
Pull the lever upwards to engage the handbrake and
ensure that the vehicle does not move.
WARNING
The vehicle should be secured after
se
veral clicks of the lever. If it is not ,
contact a Fiat Dealership to have it adjusted.
When the handbrake lever is engaged and the
ignition key is on MAR, the instrument panel warning
light
will light up.
Proceed as follows to release the handbrake:❒slightly lift the handbrake and press release button
Afig. 112;
❒hold button A pressed and lower the lever. The
instrument panel warning light
will go out.
Press the brake pedal when carrying out this
operation to prevent the vehicle from moving
accidentally.
PARKING THE CAR
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the handbrake;
❒engage a gear (1
stgear if parked uphill or reverse if
facing downhill) and leave the wheels turned.
If the vehicle is parked on a steep slope, it is
advisable to block the wheels with a wedge or stone.
To prevent draining the battery, do not leave the
ignition key turned to MAR. Always remove the key
when you leave the vehicle.
Never leave children unattended in the vehicle.
Always remove the ignition key when leaving the
vehicle, and take it with you.
fig. 112F0T0043
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KNOW YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN AN EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
SNOW CHAINS
The use of snow chains should be in compliance with
local regulations.
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.
Keep your speed down when snow chains
are fitted: do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid
potholes, steps and pavements and also
avoid driving for long distances on roads not
covered with snow to avoid damaging the car and
the road surface.
PROLONGED VEHICLE INACTIVITY
If the vehicle needs to be off the road for longer than
one month, the following precautions must be
taken:
❒park the vehicle indoors in a dry and, if possible,
well-ventilated place;
❒engage a gear and check that the handbrake is not
on;
❒disconnect the battery negative terminal and check
the charge (see “Battery” in the “Maintenance and
care”);
❒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;
❒slightly open the windows;
❒cover the vehicle with a piece of fabric or
perforated plastic sheet. Do not use compact
plastic tarpaulins, which prevent humidity from
evaporating from the surface of the vehicle;
❒inflate tyres to +0.5 bar above the normal specified
pressure and check it at intervals;
❒do not drain the engine cooling system.
119
KNOW YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN AN EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
WARNING
Failure of the warning lightis
indicated by warning light
.In
addition, the air bag system automatically
disables the passenger air bags (both front and
side air bags, for versions/markets, where
provided). Contact a Fiat Dealership
immediately to have the system checked.
OVERHEATED ENGINE COOLANT
(red)
When the ignition key is turned to MAR, the warning
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 follows:
❒When travelling normally: stop the vehicle, stop
the engine and check that the coolant level in
the vessel is not under the MIN line. If it is, wait
for a few minutes to allow the engine to cool
down, then slowly and carefully open the vessel
cap. Top up with coolant fluid making sure that the
liquid level is included between the MIN and
MAX lines on the vessel. Also check for leaks. Go
to a Fiat Dealership if the warning light comeson 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 vehicle.
Stop for two or three minutes with the engine
running and slightly accelerated to assist better
coolant circulation. Then switch the engine off.
Check correct fluid level in the vessel as described
above.
IMPORTANT On particularly demanding journeys, it
is advisable to keep the engine on and slightly
accelerated for a few minutes before switching it off.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
LOW BATTERY CHARGE (red)
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).
If the warning light stays on, contact a Fiat
Dealership immediately.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
122
KNOW YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN AN EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
IN AN EMERGENCY
In an emergency, we recommend that you call the freephone number found in the Warranty
Booklet.You can also go to the www.fiat.com website to find your nearest Fiat Dealership.
STARTING THE ENGINE
Go to a Fiat Dealership immediately if warning light
comes on steady on the instrument panel.
JUMP STARTING
If the battery is flat, the engine may be started using
an auxiliary battery with capacity either the same
or a little higher than the flat one.
Proceed as follows to start the engine fig. 114:
❒connect positive terminals (+ near the terminal) of
the two batteries with a jump lead;
❒with a second lead, connect the negative terminal
(-) of the auxiliary battery to an earthing point
on the engine or the gearbox of the vehicle to
be started;
❒start the engine;
❒when the engine has been started, remove the
leads reversing the order above.
If after a few attempts the engine does not start, do
not keep trying but contact a Fiat Dealership.IMPORTANT Do not directly connect the negative
terminals of the two batteries: sparks could ignite
explosive gas released from the battery. If the
auxiliary battery is installed on another vehicle,
prevent accidental contact between metallic parts of
the two vehicles.
Strictly avoid using a rapid battery
charger for jump starting: this could
damage the system electronics and the
ignition and engine supply control units.
fig. 114F0T0189
131
KNOW YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA
TIONS
INDEX
WARNING
This procedure must be performed by
e
xperts because incorrect actions may
cause considerable electrical discharge.
Furthermore, battery fluid is poisonous and
corrosive: avoid contact with skin and eyes.
Keep naked flames and lit cigarettes away from
the battery. Do not create sparks.
BUMP STARTING
Never bump start the engine by pushing, towing or
driving downhill. This could cause fuel to flow into
the catalytic converter and damage it beyond repair.
IMPORTANT Remember that the brake booster
and the power steering system are not active until
the engine is started, so you will need to apply much
more force to the brake pedal or steering wheel.
CHANGING A TYRE
The vehicle is originally equipped with the Fix&Go
automatic quick tyre repair kit (see instructions
in the next chapter). As an alternative, the vehicle
may have a normal-sized spare wheel.
Changing the wheel and correct use of the jack and
spare wheel require some precautions, which are
listed below.
WARNING
The spare wheel (for versions/markets,
w
here provided) is specific for your
vehicle.Therefore, it must not be used on other
models. Do not use spare wheels of other
models on your vehicle.The spare wheel must
be used only in an emergency. Use of the spare
wheel must kept to the minimum necessary.
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KNOW YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA
TIONS
INDEX
ENGINE BAY FUSE BOX
The fuse box is on the right-hand side of the engine.
Removing the fuse box lid
Proceed as follows:
❒remove protective lid A fig. 158 from the positive
battery terminal by lifting it upwards;
❒press the tab A fig. 159 and remove the fuse box
protective lid B;❒move the lid towards the headlight, turning it
anticlockwise (as shown by the arrow) and then
remove it fig. 159;
fig. 158F0T0171fig. 159F0T0172
156
KNOW YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA
TIONS
INDEX
RECHARGING THE BATTERY
IMPORTANT The battery recharging procedure is
provided for information purposes only. You are
recommended to go to a Fiat Dealership to have this
operation performed.
We recommend recharging the battery slowly for
approximately 24 hours at low amperage. A
prolonged recharge might damage the battery.
Charge the battery as follows:
❒disconnect battery negative terminal;
❒connect the charger cables to the battery
terminals, observing the polarity;
❒turn on the charger;
❒when you have finished, turn the charger off before
disconnecting it from the battery;
❒reconnect battery negative terminal.
WARNING
Battery fluid is poisonous and corrosive:
av
oid contact with your skin and eyes.
The battery must be recharged in a ventilated
place away from naked flames or possible
sources of sparks to avoid the risk of explosion
and fire.
WARNING
Do not try to recharge a frozen battery;
defros
t it first to prevent the risk of
explosion. If the battery was frozen, have it
inspected by specialised personnel before
recharging to check that the internal elements
are not damaged and that the casing is not
cracked, which could cause poisonous, corrosive
acid to leak.
163
KNOW YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA
TIONS
INDEX