2012 FIAT FREEMONT wiper blades

Rotate the end of the lever upward to the second
detent past the intermittent settings for high-speed
wiper operation. (fig. 55)
NOTE:The wipers will automatically return to the
“park” position if you turn OFF the ignition switch
while they are operating. The wipers will resume op-
eration when you turn the ignition switch back to the
ON position.
 Turn the windshield wipers OFF when
driving through an automatic car wash.
Damage to the windshield wipers may
result if the wiper control is left in any position
other than OFF.
 In cold weather, always turn OFF the wiper
switch and allow the wipers to return to the park
position before turning OFF the engine. If the
wiper switch is left ON and the wipers freeze to
the windshield, damage to the wiper motor may
occur when the vehicle is restarted.
 Always remove any buildup of snow that pre-
vents the windshield wiper blades from returning
to the “park” position. If the windshield wiper
control is turned OFF, and the blades cannot
return to the “park” position, damage to the wiper
motor may occur.
WINDSHIELD WASHERS
To use the windshield washer, push the washer knob,
located on the end of the multifunction lever, inward to
the second detent.
If you activate the washer while the wiper control is in
the delay range, the wipers will operate in low-speed
for two or three wipe cycles after releasing the lever
and then resume the intermittent interval previously
selected.
(fig. 55) Front Wiper Control
77
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(*) Change the automatic transmission fluid and fil-
ter(s) at 96 000 km or 48 months if using your vehicle
for any of the following: city driving, short (less than
7-8 km) and repeated journeys, or frequent trailer or
caravan towing.
Periodic Checks
Every1 000 km or before long journeys, check and, if
necessary, restore:
• engine coolant;
• brake fluid;
• windshield washer fluid level;
• tire inflation pressure and condition;
• operation of lighting system (headlights, direction
indicators, hazard warning lights, etc.);
• operation of windshield washer/wiper system and positioning/wear of windshield/rear window wiper
blades.
Every 3 000 km , check and top up, if required, the
engine oil level. Heavy-Duty Use Of The Car
If the car is used mainly under one of the followingconditions:
• towing a trailer or caravan;
• dusty roads;
• short, repeated journeys (less than 7-8 km) at sub-
zero outside temperatures;
• engine often idling or driving long distances at low speeds or long periods of idleness.
You should perform the following inspections more
frequently than shown on the Scheduled Servicing Plan:
• check front disc brake pad conditions and wear;
• check cleanliness of hood and trunk locks, cleanli- ness and lubrication of linkage;
• visually inspect conditions of: engine, transmission, pipes and hoses (exhaust - fuel system - brakes) and
rubber elements (boots - sleeves - bushes - etc.);
• check battery charge and battery fluid level (electro- lyte);
• visually inspect condition of the accessory drive belts;
• check and, if necessary, change engine oil and replace oil filter;
• check and, if necessary, replace pollen filter;
• check and, if necessary, replace air cleaner.
266
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MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE — DIESEL ENGINE
Required Maintenance Intervals
Refer to the Maintenance Schedules on the following pages for the required maintenance intervals.
Thousands Of Kilometers30 60 90 120 150 180
Months 24 48 72 96 120 144
Check tire condition/wear and adjust pressure if required. • • • • • •
Check lighting system operation (headlights, direction indicators,
hazard lights, passenger compartment lights, instrument panel
warning lights, etc.). • • • • • •
Check windshield wiper/washer operation. • • • • • •
Check the position/wear of the windshield/rear window wiper
blades. • • • • • •
Check condition and wear of front disc brake pads and operation
of pad wear indicator. • • • • • •
Check rear disc brake pad condition and wear. • • • • • •
Conditions and visual check: bodywork exterior, underbody
protection, pipes and hoses (exhaust - fuel system - braking
system), rubber elements (boots - sleeves - etc.), CV joints, front
suspension, tie rod ends and boot seals, and replace if necessary. • • • • • •
Check cleanliness of hood latches, as well as cleanliness and
lubrication of linkages. • • • • • •
Check all fluid levels (engine coolant, brake/hydraulic clutch fluid,
windshield washer fluid, battery fluid, etc.), add if necessary. • • • • • •
Check the parking brake lever travel and adjust it, if necessary. • • • • • •
267
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** If the car is used for less than 10 000 km per year, it
is necessary to replace engine oil and cartridge every
12 months.
*** The actual interval for replacement of engine oil
and cartridge depends by vehicle usage conditions and
is shown through a gauge or a message (if available) on
the dashboard or at least every 24 months.
Failure to perform the required mainte-
nance items may result in damage to the
vehicle.
Regular Checks
Every 1,000 km or before long journeys, check and top
up the following if necessary:
• engine coolant fluid, brake fluid, windshield washer fluid and power steering fluid;
• tire pressure and condition;
• operation of lighting system (headlights, direction indicators, hazard lights, etc.);
• operation of the windshield wiper/washer system, position and wear of windshield/rear window wiper
blades;
• Check and add, if required, the engine oil level every 3,000 km. Use Of The Car Under Heavy Conditions
If you use the car mainly under one of the followingconditions:
• trailer or caravan towing;
• dusty roads;
• short (less than 7-8 km) and repeated journeys in
sub-zero temperatures;
• frequent engine idling, travelling long distances at low speeds or long term inactivity, perform the following
inspections more frequently than shown on the
Maintenance Schedule;
• check front disc brake pad condition and wear;
• check cleanliness of hood latches, as well as cleanli- ness and lubrication of linkages;
• visually inspect the conditions of: engine, transmis- sion, pipes and tubes (exhaust - fuel - brakes), rubber
parts (boots, sleeves, etc.);
• check battery charge and liquid level (electrolyte);
• visually inspect the condition of auxiliary drive belts;
• check and if necessary change engine oil and oil filter;
• check pollen filter and replace it, if required;
• check air filter and replace, if required;
• check fuel filter and replace, if required.
269
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The A/C air filter is identified with an
arrow to indicate airflow direction
through the filter. Failure to install the
filter properly will result in the need to replace it
more often.
7. Reinstall the glove box door. Make sure that the hinges 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.
277
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When refilling the washer fluid reservoir, apply some
washer fluid to a cloth or towel and wipe the wiper
blades clean. This will help blade performance.
To prevent freeze-up of your windshield washer system
in cold weather, select a solution or mixture that meets
or exceeds the temperature range of your climate. This
rating information can be found on most washer fluid
containers.
The fluid reservoir will hold nearly 4 Liters of washer
fluid when the “Washer Fluid Low” message appears in
the EVIC display.
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.
INTERVENTION REGENERATION
STRATEGY – 2.0L DIESEL ENGINE
This vehicle is equipped with a state-of-the-art engine
and exhaust system containing a diesel particulate
filter. The engine and exhaust after-treatment system
work together to meet the Emission standards. The
system manages engine combustion to allow the ex-
haust system’s catalyst to trap and burn Particulate
Matter (PM) pollutants with no input or interaction on
your part. Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC)” in “Knowing Your Vehicle” for further
information.
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.
279
KNOWING
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WARNING LIGHTSAND
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IN AN
EMERGENCYSERVICING AND
CARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS

Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113,284Anti-Lock (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113,114
Fluid Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284,303
Master Cylinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Brake, Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Brake/Transmission Interlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113,284
Break-In Recommendations, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . 195
Brightness, Interior Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248,249
Bulbs, Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194,248
Camera, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Capacities, Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Caps, Filler Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Oil (Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271,273
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Radiator (Coolant Pressure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Car Washes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Carbon Monoxide Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Cargo (Vehicle Loading) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Cargo Area Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Cargo Area Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Cargo Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Luggage Carrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Cargo Load Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Cargo Management System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Rollaway Tonneau Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Tri-Fold Load Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Cargo Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Cellular Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Changing A Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Checking Your Vehicle For Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Checks, Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Child Booster Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Child Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170,173,175,177,179
Child Restraint Tether Anchors . . . . . . . . . . . . 176,177
Child Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Clean Air Gasoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299Cleaning Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Windshield Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Climate Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Coin Holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Cold Weather Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Compact Disc (CD) Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Computer, Trip/Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Connector UCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Universal Consumer Interface (UCI) . . . . . . . . . . 154
Conserving Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Console, Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Console, Overhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Cool Down, Turbo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Coolant Pressure Cap (Radiator Cap) . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Adding Coolant (Antifreeze) . . . . . . . . . . . . 281,282
Coolant Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Coolant Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280,283
Diesel Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
308
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Washers, Windshield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76,77,278
Washing Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
WaterDriving Through . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Wheel and Wheel Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Wheel and Wheel Trim Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Wind Buffeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95,105
Window Fogging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Windshield Defroster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Windshield Washers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76,77
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Windshield Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Windshield Wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Wiper, Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Wiper, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Wipers, Intermittent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Wrecker Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
318
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