2011 Abarth Punto Evo ESP

123
Front airbags may not be activated in the following
situations:
❒in collisions against highly deformable objects that do
not affect the front surface of the car (e.g. bumper
collision against guard rail, piles of gravel etc.);
❒jamming of the car underneath other vehicles or
protective barriers (e.g. underneath a truck or a
guard rail); in this case, the bags would offer no
additional protection with respect to the seat belt
and their deployment is unnecessary. Therefore,
failure to activate in the above circumstances does
not mean that the system is not working properly.FRONT AIR BAGS
The car is fitted with front air bags for the driver and
the passenger, and with a knee bag on the driver’s side.
The front driver / passenger airbags and the driver’s
knee bag have been designed to protect the occupants
in the event of head-on crashes of medium/high severity,
by placing a cushion between the occupant and the
steering wheel or dashboard.
Non-activation in other types of crash (side-on
collisions, rear shunts, roll-overs, etc.) is therefore not a
sign of system malfunction.
An electronic control unit will make the bag inflate in
the event of a frontal impact. The bag will inflate
instantaneously placing itself between the front
occupants body and the structures which could cause
injury. It will deflate immediately afterwards.
The front driver/passenger airbags and the driver’s knee
bag are not a replacement for, but rather complement,
the use of belts, which should always be worn, as
specified by law in Europe and most non-European
countries.
The volume of the front airbags at maximum inflation
fills most of the space between the steering wheel and
the driver and between the dashboard and the
passenger.
In the event of an impact, someone not wearing a seat
belt could move forward and come into contact with a
bag which is still in the opening phase. The protection
offered by the cushion is reduced in such a case.
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Do not apply stickers or other objects on
the steering wheel, passenger side airbag
cover or upper side upholstery. Do not place
objects (e.g. mobile phones) on the passenger
side dashboard because these could interfere
with the correct opening of the airbag and
cause severe injury to occupants.
WARNING
The airbags are not deployed in the event of minor
collisions (for which the withholding action of the seat
belts is sufficient). For this reason, the seat belt must be
worn at all times. In the case of side collisions, the seat
belts hold occupants in the correct position and prevent
them being thrown out of the car by a very violent
collision.

131
STARTING THE ENGINE
The car is fitted with an electronic engine lock device: if
the engine fails to start, see the paragraph “The Fiat
CODE system” in section “Dashboard and controls”.
The engine may be noisier during the first few seconds
of operation, especially after a long period of inactivity.
This is a feature of hydraulic tappets, the timing system
chosen to reduce the number of servicing interventions,
and effects neither functionality nor reliability.
KNOWING
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STARTING AND DRIVING
It is dangerous to let the engine run in
enclosed spaces. The engine consumes
oxygen and produces carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and other toxic gases.
WARNING
In the first period of use, we recommend
that you do not demand maximum
performance from the car (e.g. excessive
acceleration, extended travel at maximum revs,
heavy braking etc.).
With the engine off, do not leave the key
in the ignition to prevent draining the
battery.
Remember that the brake booster and
power steering are not operational until
the engine has been started, therefore you need
to apply much more force than usual to the
brake pedal and steering wheel.
WARNING

133
STOPPING THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition key to STOP while the engine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a taxing drive, you should allow the
engine to “catch its breath” before turning it off by
letting it idle to allow the temperature in the engine
compartment to fall.
KNOWING
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A quick burst on the accelerator before
turning off the engine serves absolutely
no practical purpose, it wastes fuel and is
damaging especially to turbocharged engines.
F0U124Abfig. 124
PARKING THE VEHICLE
Proceed as follows:
❒Stop the engine and engage the handbrake;
❒Engage a gear (on a slope, engage first gear if the
vehicle is faced uphill or reverse if it is facing
downhill) and leave the wheels steered.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a stone if the car is
parked on a steep slope. Do not leave the key in the
ignition switch to prevent draining the battery. Always
remove the key when you leave the vehicle.
Never leave children unattended in the
car. Always remove the ignition key
when leaving the car and take it with you.
WARNING

135
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Press the clutch pedal fully to change
gears correctly. For this reason, there
must be no obstacles on the floor under the
pedals: ensure that rubber mats (if any) are
lying flat and do not interfere with the pedals.
WARNING
Do not drive with your hand resting on
the shifting lever, because this pressure,
even if light, over time can wear out the
gearbox internal components.
MPORTANT Use of the clutch pedal must be limited
solely to gear changes. Do not drive with your foot
resting on the clutch pedal, however slightly. For
versions/markets where provided, the electronic clutch
control can intervene if it interprets incorrect driving
style as a fault.CONTAINING RUNNING COSTS
Here are some suggestions which may help you to keep
the running costs of your vehicle down and lower the
amount of toxic emissions released into the
atmosphere.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried out in accordance
with the “Scheduled Servicing Plan”.
Tyres
Check the pressure of the tyres routinely at an interval
of no more than 4 weeks: if the pressure is too low,
consumption levels increase as resistance to rolling is
higher.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with an overloaded boot. The weight of
the car (especially when driving in town) and the way in
which it is laden greatly affect fuel consumption and
stability.

142
KNOWING
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CONTENTS
ABS SYSTEM FAILURE (amber)
Turning the key to the MAR position illuminates
the warning light, but it should switch off after a
few seconds.
The warning light will light up when the system is either
not working or not available. Under these circumstances
the braking system will work as normal without the extra
performance offered by the ABS system. Drive carefully
and contact an Abarth Dealership as soon as possible.
The display will show a dedicated message.
>
EBD FAULT
(red/amber)
Warning lights
xand >lit at the
same time with the engine running
indicate 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 an Abarth Dealership to
have the system inspected immediately.
The display will show a dedicated message.> x
ESP SYSTEM FAILURE
(amber)
When the key is turned to the MAR position
the warning light comes on but should go out
after a few seconds.
ESP-ASR system failure
If the warning light does not go out or remains on while
driving, it indicates a fault in the ESP-ASR system. In this
case, contact an Abarth Dealership as soon as possible.
The display shows the dedicated message.
Note Warning light flashing when driving indicates that
the ESP system has intervened.
Hill Holder system fault
(for versions/markets, where provided)
The warning light will turn on when the Hill Holder
system is faulty. In this case, contact an Abarth
Dealership as soon as possible.
The display shows the dedicated message.
á
AIRBAG FAILURE (red)
When the key is turned to the MAR position
the warning light comes on but should go out
after a few seconds.
The warning light stays on constantly if there is a fault in
the air bag system.
The display shows the dedicated message.
¬

149
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TYRE PRESSURE CHECK
(amber)
TYRE PRESSURE LOW (amber)
TYRE PRESSURE UNSUITABLE FOR
SPEED
(amber)
(for versions/markets where provided)
Check tyre pressures
The symbol is shown on the display to indicate the flat
tyre. Should two or more tyres be flat, the display will
show the indications corresponding to each tyre in
sequence.
Restore correct tyre pressures as soon as possible (see
“Cold tyre pressures” in the “Technical specifications”
section).
Tyre pressure low
The symbol is shown on the display if the pressure of
one or more tyres drops below the preset level. In this
way the TPMS system warns the driver that one or
more tyres may be dangerously flat and liable to
puncture.
n
IMPORTANT Do not continue driving with one or
more flat tyres as handling may be compromised. Stop
the car, avoiding harsh braking or steering manoeuvres.
Repair using the dedicated kit (see the “Automatic
Fix&Go quick tyre repair kit” paragraph in the “In an
emergency” section) and contact an Abarth Dealership
as soon as possible.
Tyre pressure unsuitable for speed
Should travelling at a higher speed than 160 km/h be
required, inflate tyres to pressures values specified in
paragraph “Inflation pressures”.
If the TPMS system (where provided) detects that the
pressure of one or more tyres is unsuitable for the
current speed, the symbol will be shown on the display
together with the dedicated message (see paragraph
“Low tyre pressure” in this section) and it will stay on
until the car speed returns within the preset threshold.
IMPORTANT In this case, slow down immediately
because tyre overheating could compromise tyre
performance and durability beyond repair, and may even
make the tyre explode.

CHANGING A BULB
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
❒When a light is not working, check that the
corresponding fuse is intact before changing a bulb.
For the location of fuses, refer to the paragraph “If a
fuse blows” in this section;
❒before changing a bulb check the contacts for
oxidation;
❒burnt bulbs must be replaced by others of the same
type and power;
❒always check the height of the headlight beam after
changing a bulb for safety reasons.
158
KNOWING
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Changes or repairs to the electrical
system (electronic control units) carried
out incorrectly and without due consideration
for the technical specifications of the system
may lead to malfunctioning and generate a fire
hazard.
WARNING
Halogen lamps contain pressurised gas.
If they break, glass fragments could fly
everywhere.
WARNING
F0U135Abfig. 134
CYLINDER REPLACEMENT
PROCEDURE
To replace the cylinder, proceed as follows:
❒disconnect A-fig. 134;
❒turn the bottle anticlockwise to replace and raise it;
❒fit the new cylinder and turn it clockwise;
❒connect connection A to the canister and fit the
transparent tube B in the special compartment.

169
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F0U156Abfig. 154
BOOT LIGHT fig. 154
To change the bulb, proceed as follows:
❒open the boot;
❒remove the light A by levering on the point shown
by the arrow.
❒open the protective cover B and replace the press-
fitted bulb;
❒re-close the protective cover B over the lens;
❒refit the light A by inserting it in its correct position
firstly on one side and then on the other until it
clicks into place.
F0U159Abfig. 155
REPLACING FUSES
GENERAL INFORMATION
Fuses protect the electric system: they cut in (i.e. they
blow) in the event of a failure or improper action on the
system.
Check the state of the corresponding fuse when a
device does not work: the filament A-fig. 155 must be
intact. If it is, replace the blown fuse with another with
the same amperage (same colour).
B intact fuse;
C fuse with damaged filament.