2012 Alfa Romeo MiTo Owner handbook (in English)

120GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING
This only works with the key turned to MAR and the engine start-
ed. Power steering allows the force required at the steering wheel
to adapt to driving conditions.
The different power assistance modes can be selected via the d,n,a
positions of the“Alfa DNA System” lever (see paragraph “Alfa DNA
System”).
EOBD SYSTEM
(for versions/markets, where provided)
The aim of the EOBD system (European On Board Diagnosis) is to:
❍keep the system efficiency under control;
❍indicate an increase in emissions;
❍indicate the need to replace deteriorated components.
The vehicle also has a diagnostic connector that can be interfaced
with appropriate tools, which makes it possible to read the error
codes stored in the electronic control units together with a series
of specific parameters for engine operation and diagnosis. This check
can also be carried out by the traffic police.
IMPORTANT After eliminating a fault, to check the system com-
pletely, Alfa Romeo Authorised Services are obliged to run tests
and, if necessary, road tests which may also call for a long journey.
It is absolutely forbidden to carry out any after-
market operation involving steering system or
steering column modifications (e.g.: installation of
anti-theft device). This could badly affect performance and
safety, invalidate the warranty and also result in the non-
compliance of the car with approval requirements.
Before carrying out any maintenance operation
switch off the engine and remove the ignition key
to activate the steering lock. This is particularly im-
portant if the vehicle’s wheels are raised from the ground.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR121
1RADIO WIRING SYSTEM
(for versions/markets, where provided)
If no radio was requested at the time of purchase, the vehicle is
provided with a double oddment compartment on the dashboard
fig. 78.
The radio wiring system is composed of:
❍radio power supply cables, front and rear loudspeakers and
an aerial;
❍car radio housing;
❍an aerial on the vehicle roof.
fig. 78A0J0087m
The radio should be fitted in the dedicated compartment
A-fig. 78 , which should be removed by pressing on the two retaining
tabs in the compartment: the power supply cables can be found
here.
When connecting a car radio to the radio wiring
contact an Alfa Romeo Authorised Service to pre-
vent any faults from occurring that might com-
promise the safety of your vehicle.

122GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
INSTALLATION OF ELECTRICAL/
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Electrical and electronic devices installed after buying the car by af-
ter-market services must carry the following label:
e CE.
Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. authorises the installation of trans-
ceiving devices provided that they are installed according to rules
of good engineering practice in accordance with the manufactur-
er’s instructions and at a specialised centre.
IMPORTANT Traffic police may not allow the car on the road if de-
vices have been fitted which modify the features of the car. This
may also invalidate the warranty if faults occur that are either di-
rectly or indirectly related to the installation of these devices.
Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. shall not be liable for damage caused
by the installation of accessories either not supplied or recommended
by Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. and/or not installed in compli-
ance with the provided instructions.
WIRING FOR NAVIGATION SYSTEM
(for versions/markets, where provided)
On cars equipped with the Blue&Me™system, a setup for in-
stalling a Blue&Me™TomTom
®portable navigation system may
be provided (optional). The system is available from Lineacces-
sori Alfa Romeo.
Insert the Navigation system into the housing shown in fig. 79.
fig. 79A0J0107m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR123
1
RADIO TRANSMITTERS AND CELLULAR PHONES
Radio transceiver equipment (vehicle mobile phones, CB radios,
amateur radio and similar equipment) shall not be used inside
the car unless a separate aerial is mounted on the roof.
IMPORTANT The use of these devices inside the passenger com-
partment (without a separate aerial) may cause the vehicle elec-
trical systems to malfunction. This could compromise safety in ad-
dition to constituting a potential hazard for passengers.
In addition, transmission and reception of these devices may be af-
fected by the shielding effect of the car body. With regards to the
use of EC-approved mobile phones (GSM, GPRS, UMTS), adhere
strictly to the instructions for use provided by the mobile phone
manufacturer.
PARKING SENSORS
(for versions/markets, where provided)
The parking sensors are located in the rear bumper fig. 80 and their
function is to inform the driver, through an intermittent buzzer, of
the presence of obstacles behind the car.
ACTIVATION
The sensors are activated by engaging reverse gear. As the distance
from the obstacle behind the car decreases, the acoustic alarm
becomes more frequent.
fig. 80A0J0088m

124GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
INDICATIONS ON DISPLAY
(for versions/markets where provided)
When the sensor is activated, the "Reconfigurable multifunctional
display" (for versions/markets where provided) shows the screen
illustrated in fig. 81; the information about the presence of and
distance from the obstacle is given by the buzzer and also by a
visual indication on the instrument panel display. If there are
several obstacles the closest one is indicated.
BUZZER WARNINGS
When reverse gear is engaged a buzzer warning is automatically
activated if there is an obstacle within the range of operation. The acoustic signal:
❍becomes louder as the distance between the car and the obsta-
cle decreases;
❍becomes continuous when the distance between the car and
the obstacle is less than 30 cm and stops immediately if the
distance increases;
❍is constant if the distance is unchanged; if this situation con-
cerns the side sensors, the buzzer will stop after about 3 sec-
onds to avoid, for example, warning indications in the event of
manoeuvres along walls.
IMPORTANT The volume of the audible signal can be adjusted
through the option "Warning volume" of the "Set-Up menu".
Detection distances
Central action range: 140 cm
Side action range: 60 cm
If several obstacles are detected, the control unit indicates the near-
est one.
OPERATION WITH TRAILER
Parking sensor operation is deactivated automatically when the
trailer electric cable plug is fitted into the car tow hook socket.
The sensors are automatically enabled again when the trailer ca-
ble plug is removed.
fig. 81A0J0370m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR125
1
The ultimate responsibility when parking and car-
rying out other dangerous manoeuvres still rests
with the driver. When carrying out such manoeu-
vres, always ensure that the manoeuvring area is free
of people (particularly children) and animals. Parking sen-
sors are designed to assist drivers: in all cases, you must
always pay the utmost attention during potentially dan-
gerous manoeuvres, even when these are carried out at
low speed.
GENERAL WARNINGS
During parking manoeuvres, pay the utmost attention to any ob-
stacles that could be located above or below the sensors. Some-
times, objects located close to the rear part of the vehicle may
not be detected by the system and may damage the vehicle or
become damaged themselves.
Here below are some conditions that may influence the perfor-
mance of the parking system:
❍reduced sensor sensitivity and reduced parking aid system per-
formance could be caused by the presence of the following
on the sensors: ice, snow, mud, multiple layers of paint;
❍the sensors detect objects that are not there (“echo disturbance”)
caused by mechanical disturbances, for example: washing the
car, rain (extreme wind conditions), hail;
❍the indications sent by the sensors can also be altered by the
presence of ultrasound devices (e.g. pneumatic brake systems
or pneumatic drills) near the car;
❍sensor performance can also be influenced by the position of
the sensors. For example by a change in the ride setting (caused
by the wear of the shock absorbers, suspension), overloading
the vehicle and carrying out specific tuning operations that re-
quire the vehicle to be lowered;
❍the detection of obstacles to the upper part of the vehicle is not
guaranteed as the system is designed to detect obstacles that
could impact the lower part of the vehicle.
The sensor must be free of mud, dirt, snow or ice
in order for the system to work. Be careful not to
scratch or damage the sensors while cleaning them.
Avoid using dry, rough or hard cloths. Clean the sensors
with clean water with the addition of car shampoo if nec-
essary. In washing stations, clean sensors quickly keeping
the vapour jet/high pressure washing nozzles at a dis-
tance of at least 10 cm from the sensors.
For repainting the bumpers or retouching the paint-
work around the sensors contact an Alfa Romeo
Authorised Service. The incorrect application of
paint may compromise the operation of the parking sen-
sors.

126GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
T.P.M.S. SYSTEM
(Tyre Pressure Monitoring System)
(for versions/markets, where provided)
The vehicle can be fitted with a tyre pressure monitoring system
(T.P.M.S.), which informs the driver of the tyre inflation pressure
via the “Check the tyre inflation pressure” and “Insufficient tyre in-
flation pressure” warning messages.
This system comprises of a radio frequency transmitter fitted to
each wheel (on the wheel rim inside the tyre), which is able to
send information on the tyre inflation pressure of each wheel to
the control unit.
IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT
THE T.P.M.S. SYSTEM
The fault indications are not stored and will therefore not be dis-
played after the engine has been switched off and then on again.
If the fault conditions persist, the control unit will send fault infor-
mation to the instrument panel only after the vehicle has been in
motion for a short time.
Take the greatest of care when checking and top-
ping up the tyre inflation pressure. Excessive pres-
sure compromises road holding, increases the stress
on the suspension and wheels as well as increasing the risk
of the tyres wearing out un-evenly.
The tyre inflation pressure should be measured
with the tyres at rest and cold; if for any reason
the pressure is checked when the tyres are warm,
do not reduce the pressure if it is excessive but rather wait
until the tyres have cooled down and carry out the check
again.
The presence of the T.P.M.S. system does not mean
the driver should not carry out regular checks on
the tyre inflation pressure and spare wheel.
Should one or more wheels be fitted without sen-
sors, the display will show a warning message and
the system will no longer be available until 4
wheels fitted with sensors are fitted.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR127
1The T.P.M.S.system is not able to detect sudden tyre
inflation pressure losses (for example when a tyre
explodes). In this case stop the car, braking with
care and avoiding sharp steering actions.
Replacing the normal tyres with winter tyres and
vice versa requires the inspection of the T.P.M.S.
system, which should only be carried out by an Al-
fa Romeo Authorised Service.
The T.P.M.S. system requires the use of specific equip-
ment. Contact an Alfa Romeo Authorised Service to
find out which accessories are compatible with the
system (wheels, hub caps etc.). The use of other accessories
may affect the normal operation of the system.
When a tyre is removed, it is advisable to replace
the rubber gasket for the valve. Contact an Alfa
Romeo Authorised Service. Tyre and wheel fit-
ting/removal operations require specific precautions; to
avoid damaging or fitting the sensors incorrectly, tyre and
wheel fitting/removal operations should only be carried
out by specialists. Contact an Alfa Romeo Authorised Ser-
vice Provider.
Strong radio frequency disturbance can compro-
mise the correct operation of the T.P.M.S. system.
The driver is warned of this condition via a mes-
sage on the display. The warning message will go off au-
tomatically as soon as the radio-frequency noise ceases to
disturb the system.
Tyre inflation pressure can vary according to out-
door temperature. The T.P.M.S. system may tem-
porarily indicate insufficient pressure. In this case
check the tyre inflation pressure with the tyres cold and,
if necessary top up the inflation pressure.