2012 FIAT 500 ABARTH battery

CAUTION!
•Many accessories that can be plugged in draw
power from the vehicle’s battery, even when not in
use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.). Eventually, if
plugged in long enough, the vehicle’s battery will
discharge sufficiently to degrade battery life
and/or prevent the engine from starting.
•Accessories that draw higher power (i.e., coolers,
vacuum cleaners, lights, etc.) will degrade the
battery even more quickly. Only use these inter-
mittently and with great caution.
•After the use of high power draw accessories, or
long periods of the vehicle not being started (with
accessories still plugged in), the vehicle must be
driven a sufficient length of time to allow the
generator to recharge the vehicle’s battery.
CIGAR LIGHTER — IF EQUIPPED
WARNING!
When the cigar lighter is in use it becomes very hot.
To avoid serious injury, handle the cigar lighter with
care. Always check that the cigar lighter has turned
off.
114 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

REAR WINDOW FEATURES
Rear Window Defroster
The rear window defroster button is located in the
center of the instrument panel, below the radio.
Press this button to turn on the rear window defroster.
An indicator in the button will illuminate when the rear
window defroster is on. The rear window defroster
automatically turns off after approximately 20 minutes.
To manually shut the defroster off, push the button a
second time.
NOTE: To prevent excessive battery drain, use the rear
window defroster only when the engine is operating.
CAUTION!
Failure to follow these cautions can cause damage to
the heating elements:
•Use care when washing the inside of the rear
window. Do not use abrasive window cleaners on
the interior surface of the window. Use a soft cloth
and a mild washing solution, wiping parallel to
the heating elements. Labels can be peeled off
after soaking with warm water.
•Do not use scrapers, sharp instruments, or abra-
sive window cleaners on the interior surface of the
window.
•Keep all objects a safe distance from the window.
118 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE

2. Fully depress the accelerator pedal slowly, three times
within 10 seconds.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF/LOCK position.
NOTE:If the indicator message illuminates when you
start the vehicle, the oil change indicator system did not
reset. If necessary, repeat this procedure.
Trip Computer
The Trip Computer is located in the instrument cluster. It
features a driver-interactive display (displays informa-
tion such as; trip information, range, fuel consumption,
average speed and travel time).
Trip Button
The TRIP button, located on the right steering column
stalk, can be used to display and to reset the previously
described values.
•A short button press displays the different values.
•A long button press resets the system and then starts a
new trip.
New Trip
To reset:
•Press and hold the TRIPbutton to reset the system
manually.
•When the “Trip distance” reaches 9999.9 miles or
kilometers or when the “Travel time” reaches 99.59
(99 hours and 59 minutes), the system is reset auto-
matically.
•Disconnecting/Reconnecting the battery resets the
system.
NOTE: If the reset operation occurs in the presence of
the screens concerning Trip A or Trip B, only the infor-
mation associated with Trip A or Trip B functions will be
reset.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 139

On Volume Limit
This function makes it possible to activate/deactivate the
maximum volume limit when turning the radio on.
The display shows the function status:
•“On volume limit: on” – when the radio is turned on
the volume level will be:
If the volume level is equal to or higher than the
maximum value, the radio will come on at the maxi-
mum volume.
If the volume level is between the minimum and
maximum values, the radio will come on at the same
volume as before it was switched off.
If the volume level is equal to or lower than the
minimum value, the radio will come on at the mini-
mum volume.
•“On volume limit: off” – The radio will come on at the
same volume as before it was switched off. The
volume level can be between 0 and 40.
Use the buttons
orto change the setting.
NOTE:
•Using the Menu it is only possible to adjust the
activation/deactivation of the function and not the
minimum or maximum volume value.
•If the battery charge is too low, the volume cannot be
adjusted between the minimum and the maximum
level.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 165

Cold Weather Operation
To prevent possible engine damage while starting at low
temperatures, this vehicle will inhibit engine cranking
when the ambient temperature is less than –22° F (–30° C)
and the oil temperature sensor reading indicates an
engine block heater has not been used. An externally-
powered electric engine block heater is available as
optional equipment or from your authorized dealer.
The messageplug in engine heater will be displayed in
the instrument cluster when the ambient temperature is
below 5° F (–15° C) at the time the engine is shut off as a
reminder to avoid possible crank delays at the next cold
start.CAUTION!
Use of the recommended SAE 5W-40 synthetic en-
gine oil and adhering to the prescribed oil change
intervals is important to prevent engine damage and
ensure satisfactory starting in cold conditions.
Extended Park Starting
NOTE: Extended Park condition occurs when the ve-
hicle has not been started or driven for at least 35 days.
1. Install a battery charger or jumper cables to the battery
to ensure a full battery charge during the crank cycle.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the START position and
release it when the engine starts.5
STARTING AND OPERATING 197

Problems that result from using methanol/gasoline
blends are not the responsibility of the manufacturer.
While MTBE is an oxygenate made from Methanol, it
does not have the negative effects of Methanol.
E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles
Non-FFV vehicles are compatible with gasoline contain-
ing 10% Ethanol (E10). Gasoline with higher Ethanol
content may void the vehicle’s warranty.
If a Non-FFV vehicle is inadvertently fueled with E-85
fuel, the engine will have some or all of these symptoms:
•operate in a lean mode
•OBD II “check engine light” on
•poor engine performance
•poor cold start and cold driveability
•increased risk for fuel system component corrosionTo recover from a Non-FFV vehicle inadvertently fueled
once with E-85 perform the following:
•drain the fuel tank
•change the engine oil
•replace the fuel filter and oil filter
•disconnect the battery to reset the engine controller
long term adaptive memory
More extensive repairs will be required for prolonged
exposure to E-85 fuel.
MMT In Gasoline
MMT is a manganese containing metallic additive that is
blended into some gasoline to increase the octane num-
ber. Gasoline blended with MMT offers no performance
advantage beyond gasoline of the same octane number
without MMT. Gasoline blended with MMT has been
shown to reduce spark plug life and reduce emission
240 STARTING AND OPERATING

HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located on the
instrument panel below the radio.Press the switch to turn on the Hazard Warning
flashers. When the switch is activated, all direc-
tional turn signals will flash on and off to warn
oncoming traffic of an emergency. Press the switch a
second time to turn off the Hazard Warning flashers.
Do not use this emergency warning system when the
vehicle is in motion. Use it when your vehicle is disabled
and it is creating a safety hazard for other motorists.
If it is necessary to leave the vehicle to go for service, the
Hazard Warning flashers will continue to operate with
the ignition key removed and the vehicle locked.
NOTE: With extended use, the Hazard Warning flashers
may wear down your battery.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate ac-
tion.
•On the highways — slow down.
•In city traffic — while stopped, place the transmission
in NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle speed.
NOTE: There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition:
•If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off. The A/C
system adds heat to the engine cooling system and
turning the A/C off can help remove this heat.
•You can also turn the temperature control to maximum
heat, the mode control to floor and the blower control
to high. This allows the heater core to act as a
supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
248 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

JUMP-STARTING PROCEDURE
If your vehicle has a discharged battery, it can be jump-
started using a set of jumper cables and a battery in
another vehicle or by using a portable battery booster
pack. Jump-starting can be dangerous if done improperly
so please follow the procedures in this section carefully.
NOTE:When using a portable battery booster pack,
follow the manufacturer ’s operating instructions and
precautions.
WARNING!
Do not attempt jump-starting if the battery is frozen.
It could rupture or explode and cause personal injury.
CAUTION!
Do not use a portable battery booster pack or any
other booster source with a system voltage greater
than 12 Volts or damage to the battery, starter motor,
alternator or electrical system may occur.
Preparations For Jump-Start
The battery in your vehicle is located on the left side of
the engine compartment.
266 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES