2011 FIAT STRADA maintenance

115
LONG VEHICLE
INACTIVITY
If the vehicle needs to be off the
road for longer than a month, the
following precautions should be
taken:
– Park the vehicle indoors in a dry
and, if possible, well-ventilated
place.
– Engage a gear.
– Check that the handbrake is not
engaged.
– Disconnect the negative battery
terminal and check the state of
charge (see “Battery” in the
“Vehicle maintenance” section).
– Clean and protect the painted
parts using protective waxes.– Clean and protect the shiny metal
parts using specific commercially
available compounds.
– Sprinkle talcum powder on the
rubber windscreen 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
standard prescribed pressure and
check it at intervals.
– Do not drain the engine cooling
system.

137
IF THE BATTERY
RUNS DOWN
First of all, you are advised to
consult the “Vehicle maintenance”
section, which contains a list of
precautions to prevent the battery
from running down and ensure long
battery life.
RECHARGING THE BATTERY
IMPORTANT The battery
recharging procedure is given for
information purposes only. You are
advised to contact a Fiat Dealership
to have this operation performed.
Charging should be slow at a low
ampere rating for approximately 24
hours. Charging for a longer time
may damage the battery.To recharge, proceed as follows:
– disconnect the negative battery
terminal;
– connect the charger cables to the
battery terminals, observing the
polarity;
– switch on the charger;
– when it is recharged, turn the
charger off before disconnecting it
from the battery;
– reconnect the negative battery
terminal.
Battery fluid is
poisonous and
corrosive: avoid contact with
skin and eyes. The battery
should be charged in a well
ventilated place, away from
naked flames or possible
sources of sparks: danger of
explosion and fire.
WARNING
Do not attempt to
charge a frozen battery:
it must be thawed first,
otherwise it may explode.
If freezing has occurred, the
battery should be checked by
skilled personnel to make sure
that the internal elements are
not damaged and that the
body is not cracked, with the
risk of leaking poisonous and
corrosive acid.
WARNING

141
Before screwing on the
tow hook, clean the
threaded pin thoroughly.
Before towing the vehicle,
make sure that the tow ring is
fully screwed onto the
threaded pin.
WARNING
Do not start the engine
whilst the vehicle is
being towed.
WARNING
The brake servo and
power steering will not
work while the vehicle is being
towed. You will therefore need
to apply more force to the brake
pedal and steering wheel. Do
not use flexible cables when
towing and avoid jerky
movements. During towing
operations, make sure that the
fixing of the joint does not
damage adjoining components.
WARNINGEXTINGUISHER
(for versions/markets,
where provided)
Some versions may feature an
extinguisher A-fig. 152.
For use and maintenance, follow the
instructions on the extinguisher
itself.
fig. 152
F0X0135m

143
VEHICLE MAINTENANCE
SCHEDULED SERVICING
Correct servicing is essential for
ensuring long vehicle life under the
best conditions.
This is why Fiat has planned a series
of checks and services every 35,000
km.
It is, however, important to
remember that scheduled servicing
does not completely cover all the
requirements of the vehicle: even in
the initial period before 35,000 km,
and then subsequently, between one
service and another, ordinary care is
always required such as routine
checks involving topping up fluid
levels, checking tyre pressures etc.IMPORTANT Scheduled Servicing
coupons are required by the
Manufacturer.
Failure to comply with the schedule
may invalidate the warranty.
Scheduled Servicing can be carried
out by any Fiat Dealership, at pre-
established times.If during each operation, in addition
to those scheduled, the need arises
for further replacements or repairs,
these may only be carried out with
the explicit agreement of the
Customer. IMPORTANT You are
advised to contact a Fiat Dealership
in the event of any minor operating
faults, without waiting for the next
service coupon.
If the vehicle is used frequently for
towing, the interval between
scheduled servicing must be
reduced.

154
DIESEL FILTER fig. 158
DRAINING CONDENSATION
fig. 158
F0X0142m
fig. 159
F0X0143m
BATTERY
The battery is “limited maintenance”
type: under normal conditions of
use, the electrolyte does not need
topping up with distilled water.
It does, however, need to be
checked periodically at a Fiat
Dealership or by specialist personnel
to make sure it is working correctly.
The presence of water in
the supply circuit may
cause severe damage to
the injection system and
irregular engine operation. If the
cwarning light switches on,
contact a Fiat Dealership as
soon as possible to have the
system bled. If this problem is
indicated immediately after
refueling, water may have
entered the fuel tank. In this
case, stop the engine
immediately and contact a Fiat
Dealership.
Dispose of the
diesel/water mixture
discharged by the filter
correctly. You are advised to
contact a Fiat Dealership to
drain the condensation. They
are equipped to dispose of it in
full respect of the environment
and in compliance with legal
regulations.
The bleeding operation,
if not carried out
correctly taking the necessary
precautions, may compromise
the driving safety of the vehicle
as well as leading to dangerous
fuel leaks.
WARNING

155
REPLACING THE BATTERY
If required, replace the battery with
an original spare part with the same
specifications.
If a battery with different
specifications is fitted, the service
intervals given in the “Scheduled
Servicing Plan” will no longer be
valid.
Follow the battery manufacturer’s
instructions for maintenance.
Battery liquid is
poisonous and
corrosive. Avoid contact with
skin and eyes. Keep naked
flames and sources of sparks
away from the battery: risk of
explosion and fire.
WARNING
Using the battery with
insufficient battery fluid
may irreparably damage the
battery and may cause an
explosion.
WARNING
When performing any
operation on the
battery or near it, always
protect your eyes with special
goggles.
WARNING
Incorrect assembly of
electrical and electronic
devices may cause
severe damage to your vehicle.
Contact a Fiat Dealership if you
want to install accessories after
purchasing the vehicle (alarms,
radiophone, etc.): they will
suggest the most suitable
devices and advise you whether
a higher capacity battery needs
to be installed.
If the vehicle will be
unused for an extended
period of time in
extremely cold weather
conditions, remove the battery
and store it in a heated area to
prevent it from freezing.
Batteries contain
substances which are very
dangerous for the
environment. To replace your
battery, we recommend
contacting a Fiat Dealership to
dispose of your old battery in full
respect of the environment and in
compliance with legal regulations.

161
– spraying the underbody, engine
compartment, inside of wheel
arches and other parts with highly
protective wax products;
– spraying of plastic materials for
protective purposes in the most
exposed points: under the doors,
inside the wings, along the edges,
etc.;
– use of “open” boxed sections to
prevent condensation and pockets
of moisture from triggering rust
inside.
VEHICLE BODY AND
UNDERBODY WARRANTY
Your vehicle is covered by warranty
against perforation due to corrosion
of any original element of the
structure or body.
For the general terms of this
warranty, refer to the Warranty
Booklet.ADVICE FOR PRESERVING
THE BODYWORK
Paintwork
Paintwork does not only serve an
aesthetic purpose, but also protects
the underlying sheet metal.
Touch up abrasions and scratches
immediately to prevent the
formation of rust. Only use genuine
spare paint products for touch-ups
(see “Bodywork paint identification
plate” in the “Technical
Specifications” section).
Normal maintenance of paintwork
consists in washing the car: the
frequency depends on the conditions
and environment where the car is
used.
For example, it is advisable to wash
the vehicle more often in areas with
high levels of environmental
pollution or on roads spread with
salt.To correctly wash the vehicle,
proceed as follows:
– wash the body using a low
pressure jet of water;
– wipe a sponge with a slightly soapy
solution over the bodywork,
frequently rinsing the sponge;
– rinse well with water and dry with
a jet of air or a chamois leather.
If you put the vehicle through a car
wash, follow these
recommendations:
– remove the aerial from the roof so
that it does not get damaged;
– the vehicle should be washed with
water added to a soapy solution;
– rinse thoroughly to avoid soap
marks remaining on the bodywork
or less visible parts.

187
ALPHABETICAL INDEX
ABS ............................................................................................... 90
- fault indications ...................................................................... 91
Air cleaner .................................................................................... 153
Air diffusers .................................................................................. 66
Air vents ........................................................................................ 66
Airbags ........................................................................................... 92
- deactivation ........................................................................... 94
- driver ...................................................................................... 93
- important information ...........................................95-96-97
- passenger ............................................................................... 93
Ashtray............................................................................................ 78
Battery
- maintenance .......................................................................... 156
- recharging .............................................................................. 137
- replacement .......................................................................... 155
Bodywork
- bodywork type code ........................................................... 167
- maintenance .......................................................................... 160
Bonnet ........................................................................................... 85
Brake fluid level ............................................................................. 152
Brake lights
- bulb replacement ............................................................128-129
Brakes
- fluid level ................................................................................ 152
- service and parking brakes ..........................................108-170
Bulb replacement.......................................................................... 123
Bulbs
- changing.............................................................................125-130- general information.............................................................. 123
- specifications.......................................................................... 124
- types ....................................................................................... 123
Capacities ...................................................................................... 178
Changing a wheel....................................................119-120-121-122
Chassis marking............................................................................ 166
Checking fluid levels..................................................................... 148
Cigar lighter (power socket) ....................................................77-78
Compass......................................................................................... 30
- recalibration .......................................................................... 31
Control buttons......................................................32-39-42-73-74
Correct use of the vehicle .................................................. 105
Dashboard ...................................................................................12-13
Diesel filter (draining condensation) ....................................... 154
Diesel
- filter ........................................................................................ 154
- specification............................................................................ 178
Digital display ............................................................................... 39
- control buttons .................................................................... 32
- set-up menu .......................................................................... 40
Dimensions .............................................................................175-176
Dipped beam headlights
- bulb replacement ................................................................. 125
- control ..................................................................................... 70
Dipped headlights
- bulb replacement ................................................................. 125
- control ................................................................................... 70
Direction indicators
- control ................................................................................... 71