2012 FIAT 500C Owners Manual

WARNING!
•Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan when-
ever the hood is raised. It can start anytime the
ignition switch is ON. You can be injured by
moving fan blades.
•Remove any metal jewelry such as watch bands or
bracelets that might make an inadvertent electrical
contact. You could be seriously injured.
•Batteries contain sulfuric acid that can burn your
skin or eyes and generate hydrogen gas which is
flammable and explosive. Keep open flames or
sparks away from the battery.
1. Set the parking brake, shift the automatic transmission
into PARK and turn the ignition to OFF/LOCK.
2. Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnecessary electri-
cal accessories. 3. If using another vehicle to jump-start the battery, park
the vehicle within the jumper cables reach, set the
parking brake and make sure the ignition is OFF.
WARNING!
Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as this
could establish a ground connection and personal
injury could result.
Jump-Starting Procedure
WARNING!
Failure to follow this procedure could result in per-
sonal injury or property damage due to battery ex-
plosion.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 295

CAUTION!
Failure to follow these procedures could result in
damage to the charging system of the booster vehicle
or the discharged vehicle.
1. Connect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable to the
positive (+)post of the discharged vehicle.
2. Connect the opposite end of the positive (+)jumper
cable to the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
3. Connect the negative end (-)of the jumper cable to the
negative (-)post of the booster battery.
4. Connect the opposite end of the negative (-)jumper
cable to a good engine ground (exposed metal part of the
discharged vehicle’s engine) away from the battery and
the fuel injection system.
WARNING!
Do not connect the cable to the negative post (-) of the
discharged battery. The resulting electrical spark
could cause the battery to explode and could result in
personal injury.
5. Start the engine in the vehicle that has the booster
battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, and then start
the engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery.
Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables in
the reverse sequence:
6. Disconnect the negative (-)jumper cable from the
engine ground (-)of the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
7. Disconnect the negative end (-)of the jumper cable
from the negative (-)post of the booster battery.
296 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

8. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive(+)jumper
cable from the positive (+)post of the booster battery.
9. Disconnect the positive (+)end of the jumper cable
from the positive (+)post of the discharged vehicle.
If frequent jump-starting is required to start your vehicle,
you should have the battery and charging system in-
spected at your authorized dealer.
CAUTION!
Accessories that can be plugged into the vehicle
power outlets 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.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it
can often be moved by a rocking motion. Turn your
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
(automatic transmission) or 1st gear (manual transmis-
sion) and REVERSE. Using minimal accelerator pedal
pressure to maintain the rocking motion, without spin-
ning the wheels, is most effective.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to
transmission overheating and failure. Allow the en-
gine to idle with the shift lever in NEUTRAL for at
least one minute after every five rocking-motion
cycles. This will minimize overheating and reduce
the risk of transmission failure during prolonged
efforts to free a stuck vehicle.6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 297

NOTE:If your vehicle is equipped with Traction Con-
trol or Electronic Stability Control (ESC), turn the system
OFF before attempting to “rock” the vehicle.
CAUTION!
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving be-
tween DRIVE (automatic transmission) or 1st gear
(manual transmission) and REVERSE, do not spin
the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drive-
train damage may result.
•Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast
may lead to transmission or clutch (manual trans-
mission) overheating and failure. It can also dam-
age the tires. Do not spin the wheels above 30 mph
(48 km/h) while in gear (no transmission shifting
occurring).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause damage, or
even failure, of the axle and tires. A tire could
explode and injure someone. Do not spin your vehi-
cle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
SHIFT LEVER OVERRIDE
If a malfunction occurs and the shift lever cannot be
moved out of the PARK position, you can use the
following procedure to temporarily move the shift lever:
1. Firmly set the parking brake.
2. Remove the shift lever override access cover located
on the right side of the shift lever housing.
298 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

3. Turn the ignition switch to the ON/RUN position
without starting the engine.
4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
5. Using a small screwdriver or similar tool, push and
hold the override release lever in.6. Move the shift lever into the NEUTRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
8. Reinstall the shift lever override access cover.
TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
With Ignition Key
Automatic Transmission
•
Vehicle can be towed with the front wheels elevated.
•Vehicle can be towed on a flatbed truck (all wheels off
the ground).
CAUTION!
DO NOT flat tow any vehicle equipped with an
automatic transmission. Damage to the drivetrain
will result.
Shift Lever Override Access Cover6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 299

Manual Transmission
•
Vehicle can be flat towed (all four wheels on the
ground) with the transmission in NEUTRAL.
•Vehicle can be towed with the front wheels elevated.
•Vehicle can be towed on a flatbed truck (all wheels off
the ground).
All Transmissions
If it is necessary to use the accessories while being towed
(wipers, defrosters, etc.), the key must be in the ON/
RUN position. Make certain the transmission remains in
NEUTRAL.
CAUTION!
•If the vehicle being towed requires steering, the
ignition switch must be in the ON/RUN position.(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
•Do not attempt to use sling-type equipment when
towing. When securing the vehicle to a flatbed
truck, do not attach to front or rear suspension
components. Damage to your vehicle may result
from improper towing.
Without The Ignition Key
Special care must be taken when the vehicle is towed
with the ignition in the OFF/LOCK position. A dolly
should be used under the front wheels if the rear wheels
are raised. Proper towing equipment is necessary to
prevent damage to the vehicle.
Battery power is required to release the brake/
transmission interlock system (automatic transmission
only). There is a removable plug in the right side of the
shift lever housing that allows you to insert your finger to
300 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

override the system. The ignition key must be in the
ON/RUN position to use the override lever.
CAUTION!
Failure to follow these towing methods can cause
severe transmission damage. Such damage is not
covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
ENHANCED ACCIDENT RESPONSE SYSTEM
In the event of an impact causing airbag deployment, if
the communication network remains intact, and the
power remains intact, depending on the nature of the
event the ORC will determine whether to have the
Enhanced Accident Response System perform the follow-
ing functions:
•Cut off fuel to the engine.
•Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power or
until the ignition key is turned off.
•Turn on the interior lights, which remain on as long as
the battery has power or until the ignition key is
removed.
•Unlock the doors automatically.
After the event occurs, when the system is active, the
message Fuel Cutoff See Handbook is displayed.
Carefully check the vehicle for fuel leaks in the engine
compartment and on the ground near the engine com-
partment and fuel tank before resetting the system and
starting the engine.
System Reset Procedure
After an impact causing airbag deployment, the left and
right turn signal lights, located in the instrument panel
cluster, will both be blinking, until the ignition is turned
off.
In order to move your vehicle to the side of the road you
must follow the system reset procedure.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 301

Customer Action Customer Will See
1. Turn ignition OFF.
(Turn Signal Switch Must
be placed in Neutral
State).
2. Turn ignition ON. Left Turn Light is OFF. Right Turn Light BLINKS.
3. Turn Right Turn Signal
Switch ON. Right Turn Light is ON
SOLID. Left Turn Light
BLINKS.
4. Turn Left Turn Signal
Switch ON. Left Turn Light is ON
SOLID. Right Turn Light
BLINKS.
5. Turn Right Turn Signal
Switch ON. Right Turn Light is ON
SOLID. Left Turn Light
BLINKS.
6. Turn Left Turn Signal
Switch ON. Left Turn Light is ON
SOLID. Right Turn Light
is ON SOLID.7. Turn Left Turn Signal
Switch OFF. (Turn Signal
Switch Must be placed in
Neutral State).Left Turn Light is OFF.
Right Turn Light is OFF.
8. Turn ignition OFF. System is now reset and the engine may be
started.
9. Turn Hazard Flashers
OFF (Manually).
If a reset procedure step is not completed within 45 sec-
onds, then the turn signal lights will turn off and the reset
procedure must be performed again in order to be
successful.
302 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES