2011 FIAT FREEMONT service

 It is essential when replacing the cables
on the battery that the positive cable is
attached to the positive post and the
negative cable is attached to the negative post .
Battery posts are marked positive (+) and nega-
tive (-) and identified on the battery case. Cable
clamps should be tight on the terminal posts and
free of corrosion.
 If a “fast charger ” is used while the battery is in
the vehicle, disconnect both vehicle battery cables
before connecting the charger to the battery. Do
not use a “fast charger ” to provide starting volt-
age as battery damage can result .
AIR CONDITIONER MAINTENANCE
For best possible performance, your air conditioner
should be checked and serviced by an authorized
dealer at the start of each warm season. This service
should include cleaning of the condenser fins and a
performance test. Drive belt tension should also be
checked at this time.Do not use chemical flushes in your air
conditioning system as the chemicals can
damage your air conditioning compo-
nents. Such damage is not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
WARNING!
 Use only refrigerants and compressor
lubricants approved by the manufac-
turer for your air conditioning system. Some un-
approved refrigerants are flammable and can
explode, injuring you. Other unapproved refrig-
erants or lubricants can cause the system to fail,
requiring costly repairs.
 The air conditioning system contains refriger-
ant under high pressure.To avoid risk of personal
injury or damage to the system, adding refriger-
ant or any repair requiring lines to be discon-
nected should be done by an experienced
technician.
Refrigerant Recovery And Recycling
R-134a Air Conditioning Refrigerant is a hydrofluoro-
carbon (HFC) that is endorsed by the Environmental
Protection Agency and is an ozone-saving product.
However, the manufacturer recommends that air con-
ditioning service be performed by authorized dealers
or other service facilities using recovery and recyclingequipment.
NOTE: Use only manufacturer approved A/C system
sealers, stop leak products, seal conditioners, com-
pressor oil, and refrigerants.
A/C AIR FILTER — IF EQUIPPED
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals. 221
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7. Reinstall the glove box door. Make sure that thehinges are seated fully as you raise the door. Other-
wise, the door latch will not align properly.
BODY LUBRICATION
Locks and all body pivot points, including such items as
seat tracks, door hinge pivot points and rollers, liftgate,
tailgate, sliding doors and hood hinges, should be
lubricated periodically with a lithium based grease to
assure quiet, easy operation and to protect against rust
and wear. Prior to the application of any lubricant, the
parts concerned should be wiped clean to remove dust
and grit; after lubricating excess oil and grease should
be removed. Particular attention should also be given
to hood latching components to ensure proper func-
tion. When performing other underhood services, the
hood latch, release mechanism and safety catch should
be cleaned and lubricated.
The external lock cylinders should be lubricated twice
a year, preferably in the Fall and Spring. Apply a small
amount of a high quality lubricant directly into the lock
cylinder.
WIPER BLADES
Clean the rubber edges of the wiper blades and the
windshield and rear window periodically with a sponge
or soft cloth and a mild nonabrasive cleaner. This will
remove accumulations of salt, waxes, or road film, and
help reduce streaking and smearing. Operation of the wipers on dry glass for long periods
may cause deterioration of the wiper blades. Always
use washer fluid when using the wipers to remove salt
or dirt from a dry windshield or rear window.
Avoid using the wiper blades to remove frost or ice
from the windshield or rear window. Make sure that
they are not frozen to the glass before turning them on
to avoid damaging the blade. Keep the blade rubber out
of contact with petroleum products such as engine oil,
gasoline, etc.
NOTE:
Life expectancy of wiper blades varies de-
pending on geographical area and frequency of use.
Poor performance of blades may be present with chat-
tering, marks, water lines or wet spots. If any condition
is present please proceed to clean wiper blades with
humid cloth removing any debris that may be affecting
its function.
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rating information can be found on most washer fluid
containers.
The fluid reservoir will hold nearly 4 Liters of washer
fluid when the message “LoWASH” appears in the
instrument cluster.
WARNING!
Commercially available windshield
washer solvents are flammable. They
could ignite and burn you. Care must be exer-
cised when filling or working around the washer
solution.
EXHAUST SYSTEM
The best protection against carbon monoxide entry
into the vehicle body is a properly maintained engine
exhaust system.
Whenever a change is noticed in the sound of the
exhaust system, when exhaust fumes can be detected
inside the vehicle, or when the underside or rear of the
vehicle is damaged, have a competent technician in-
spect the complete exhaust system and adjacent body
areas for broken, damaged, deteriorated, or misposi-
tioned parts. Open seams or loose connections could
permit exhaust fumes to seep into the passenger com-
partment. In addition, inspect the exhaust system each
time the vehicle is raised for lubrication or oil change.
Replace as required.
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They
contain carbon monoxide (CO), which is
colorless and odorless. Breathing it can make you
unconscious and can eventually poison you. To
avoid breathing CO, refer to “Safety Tips/Exhaust
Gas” in “Safety” for further information.
NOTE: Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
WARNING!
A hot exhaust system can start a fire if
you park over materials that can burn.
Such materials might be grass or leaves coming
into contact with your exhaust system. Do not
park or operate your vehicle in areas where your
exhaust system can contact anything that canburn.
In unusual situations involving grossly malfunctioning
engine operation, a scorching odor may indicate severe
and abnormal catalyst overheating. If this occurs, safely
bring the vehicle to a complete stop, shut the engine
OFF, and allow the vehicle to cool. Thereafter, obtain
service, including a tune-up to manufacturer's specifi-
cations immediately.
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Coolant Level
The radiator normally remains completely full, so there
is no need to remove the radiator cap unless checking
for coolant freeze point or replacing coolant. Advise
your service attendant of this. As long as the engine
operating temperature is satisfactory, the coolant
bottle need only be checked once a month. When
additional coolant is needed to maintain the proper
level, it should be added to the coolant bottle. Do not
overfill.
Points To Remember
NOTE:When the vehicle is stopped after a few miles
(kilometers) of operation, you may observe vapor
coming from the front of the engine compartment.
This is normally a result of moisture from rain, snow, or
high humidity accumulating on the radiator and being
vaporized when the thermostat opens, allowing hot
coolant to enter the radiator.
If an examination of your engine compartment shows
no evidence of radiator or hose leaks, the vehicle may
be safely driven. The vapor will soon dissipate.
• Do not overfill the coolant recovery bottle.
• Check coolant freeze point in the radiator and in the coolant recovery bottle. If antifreeze needs to be
added, contents of coolant recovery bottle must also
be protected against freezing.
• If frequent coolant additions are required, or if the level in the coolant recovery bottle does not drop
when the engine cools, the cooling system should be
pressure tested for leaks. • Make sure that the radiator and coolant recovery
bottle overflow hoses are not kinked or obstructed.
• Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your vehicle is equipped with air conditioning, keep the front of the
condenser clean.
• Do not change the thermostat for Summer or Win- ter operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install
ONLY the correct type thermostat. Other designs
may result in unsatisfactory coolant performance,
poor gas mileage, and increased emissions.
BRAKE SYSTEM
In order to assure brake system performance, all brake
system components should be inspected periodically.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake fail-
ure and possibly an accident . Driving
with your foot resting or riding on the brake
pedal can result in abnormally high brake tem-
peratures, excessive lining wear, and possible
brake damage.You would not have your full brak-
ing capacity in an emergency.
Master Cylinder – Brake Fluid Level Check
Check the fluid level in the master cylinder immediately
if the “Brake Warning Light” indicates system failure.
Check the fluid level in the master cylinder when
performing underhood services.
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LIMITED-USE SPARE – IF EQUIPPED
The limited-use spare tire is for temporary emergency
use only. This tire is identified by a label located on the
limited-use spare wheel. This label contains the driving
limitations for this spare. This tire may look like the
original equipped tire on the front or rear axle of your
vehicle, but it is not. Installation of this limited-use
spare tire affects vehicle handling. Since it is not the
same as your original equipment tire, replace (or re-
pair) the original equipment tire and reinstall on the
vehicle at the first opportunity.
WARNING!
Limited-use spares are for emergency
use only. Installation of this limited-use
spare tire affects vehicle handling.With this tire,
do not drive more than the speed listed on the
limit-use spare wheel. Keep inflated to the cold
tire inflation pressure listed on your Tire and
Loading Information Placard located on the driv-
er ’s side door opening. Replace (or repair) the
original equipment tire at the first opportunity
and reinstall it on your vehicle. Failure to do so
could result in loss of vehicle control.
TIRE SPINNING
When stuck in mud, sand, snow, or icy conditions, do
not spin your vehicle's wheels faster than 30 mph
(48 km/h) or for longer than 30 seconds continuously
without stopping. Refer to “Freeing A Stuck Vehicle” in “In An Emer-
gency” for further information.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous.
Forces generated by excessive wheel
speeds may cause tire damage or failure. A tire
could explode and injure someone. Do not spin
your vehicle's wheels faster than 48 km/h or for
more than 30 seconds continuously when you are
stuck, and do not let anyone near a spinning
wheel, no matter what the speed.
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS
Tread wear indicators are in the original equipment
tires to help you in determining when your tires should
be replaced. (fig. 172)
These indicators are molded into the bottom of the
tread grooves. They will appear as bands when the
tread depth becomes 2 mm. When the tread is worn to
the tread wear indicators, the tire should be replaced.
LIFE OF TIRE
The service life of a tire is dependent upon varying
factors including but not limited to:
• Driving style
• Tire pressure
• Distance driven
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ARRANGEMENTS FOR DEALING WITH THE VEHICLE AT THE END OF ITS LIFE
FIAT has been committed for many years to safeguarding the environment through the constant improvement of its
production processes and manufacturing products that are increasingly “eco-compatible”.
To give customers the best possible service in terms of respecting environmental laws and in response to European
Directive 2000/53/EC governing vehicles at the end of their life, FIAT is offering its customers the opportunity of handing
over their vehicle* at the end of its life without incurring any additional costs.
The European Directive sets out that when the vehicle is handed over the last keeper or owner should not incur any
expenses as a result of it having a zero or negative market value.
In all European Union countries, until 1st January 2007, only vehicles registered after 1st July 2002 were collected free of
charge, while since 2007 collection has been free of charge irrespective of the year of registration as long as the vehicle
contains its basic components (in particular, the engine and bodywork) and has no additional waste.
To hand your vehicle over at the end of its life without extra cost, go to one of our Dealerships or FIAT-authorized
collection and scrapping centres.
These centres have been carefully chosen to offer high quality service for the collection, treatment and recycling of unused
vehicles with respect to the environment.
You can find further information on these collection and scrapping centres either from a FIAT or FIAT Commercial Vehicle
Dealership or by calling the freephone number 00800 3428 0000 or by going on the FIAT website.
(*) Vehicle for transporting passengers with a maximum of nine seats and a total permitted weight of 3.5 t.244

Dimmer Switch, Headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 DipsticksOil (Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Disabled Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213Disposal Antifreeze (Engine Coolant) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Door Locks, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Downshifting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170Driving
On Slippery Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Through Flowing, Rising, or Shallow Standing
Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Driving to Achieve Maximum Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 22
DVD Player (Video Entertainment System™) . . . . . . 128
Electric Remote Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Electrical Outlet, Auxiliary (Power Outlet) . . . . . . . . 82
Electrical Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Electronic Brake Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Anti-Lock Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Brake Assist System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Electronic Roll Mitigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Electronic Stability Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Traction Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Electronic Speed Control (Cruise Control) . . . . . . . . 75
Electronic Stability Program (ESP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) . . . 18,124
Emergency, In Case of Freeing Vehicle When Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Hazard Warning Flasher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Jacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166,218 Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Break-In Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Checking Oil Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Coolant (Antifreeze) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226,242
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Exhaust Gas Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99,163
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219,241,242
Oil Change Interval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,219
Oil Filler Cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218,219
Oil Filter Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Oil Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Engine Oil Viscosity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Enhanced Accident Response Feature . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Entry System, Illuminated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Event Data Recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Exhaust Gas Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99,163,225
Exhaust System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163,225
Express Down Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Exterior Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Exterior Light Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Exterior Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165,201
Fabric Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Filters
Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 249
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Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65,221
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Engine Oil Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Flash-To-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Flashers Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Turn Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68,165,186
Floor Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Fluid Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Fluid Leaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Fluid Level Checks Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228,243
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Manual Transaxle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113,243
Fluid, Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Fluids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Fluids, Lubricants and Genuine Parts . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Fog Light Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201,202
Fog Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67,186,201,202
Fog Lights, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189,202
Folding Rear Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47,51
Freeing A Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Adding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Conserving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240,242
Filler Cap (Gas Cap) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Octane Rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Saver Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Tank Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Fuel Optimizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Fuel Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Fueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Gas Cap (Fuel Filler Cap) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112,130
Gas Gauge (Fuel Gauge) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Gasoline (Fuel)
Conserving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Gauges Coolant Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,14,119
General Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Glass Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Gross Axle Weight Rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Hazard Driving Through Flowing, Rising, or Shallow
Standing Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Hazard Warning Flasher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Headlight Washers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Headlights Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
High Beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
High Beam/Low Beam Select Switch . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Leveling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Lights On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
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