2012 Lancia Thema warning

When additional engine coolant (an-
tifreeze) is needed to maintain the
proper level, it should be added to the
coolant bottle. Do not overfill.
Points To Remember
NOTE:
When the vehicle is stopped after a
few kilometers of operation, you
may observe vapor coming from
the front of the engine compart-
ment. This is normally a result of
moisture from rain, or high hu-
midity accumulating on the radia-
tor and being vaporized when the
thermostat opens, allowing hot en-
gine coolant (antifreeze) to enter
the radiator.
If an examination of your engine com-
partment shows no evidence of radia-
tor or hose leaks, the vehicle may be
safely driven. The vapor will soon dis-
sipate.
 Do not overfill the coolant recoverybottle.
 Check engine coolant (antifreeze) freeze point in the radiator and in
the coolant recovery bottle. If en-
gine coolant (antifreeze) needs to be added, contents of coolant re-
covery bottle must also be pro-
tected against freezing.
 If frequent engine coolant (anti- freeze) additions are required, or if
the level in the coolant recovery
bottle does not drop when the en-
gine cools, the cooling system
should be pressure tested for leaks.
 Maintain engine coolant (anti- freeze) concentration at 50% en-
gine coolant (antifreeze) (mini-
mum) and distilled water for
proper corrosion protection of your
engine, which contains aluminum
components.
 Make sure that the radiator and coolant recovery bottle overflow
hoses are not kinked or obstructed.
 Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your vehicle is equipped with air
conditioning, keep the front of the
condenser clean.
 Do not change the thermostat for Summer or Winter operation. If re-
placement is ever necessary, install
ONLY the correct type thermostat.
Other designs may result in unsat- isfactory engine coolant (anti-
freeze) performance, poor gas mile-
age, and increased emissions.
BRAKE SYSTEM
In order to assure brake system per-
formance, all brake system compo-
nents should be inspected periodi-
cally. Refer to the “Maintenance
Schedule” for the proper maintenance
intervals.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake
failure and possibly an accident.
Driving with your foot resting or rid-
ing on the brake pedal can result in
abnormally high brake tempera-
tures, excessive lining wear, and pos-
sible brake damage. You would not
have your full braking capacity in an
emergency.
268

CAUTION!
Car maintenance should be done at
a LANCIA Dealership. For routine
and minor maintenance operations
you wish to carry out yourself, we do
recommend you have the proper
equipment, genuine LANCIA spare
parts and the necessary fluids; do
not however carry out these opera-
tions if you have no experience.
Master Cylinder – Brake Fluid
Level Check
Check the fluid level in the master
cylinder immediately if the brake sys-
tem warning light indicates system
failure.
Check the fluid level in the master
cylinder when performing underhood
services.
Clean the top of the master cylinder
area before removing the cap. Add
fluid to bring the level up to the
“MAX” mark on the side of the master
cylinder reservoir.
Add enough fluid to bring the level up
to the requirements described on the
brake fluid reservoir. With disc brakes, fluid level can be expected to
fall as the brake pads wear. However,
low fluid level may be caused by a
leak and a checkup may be needed.
Use only manufactur
er's recom-
mended brake fluid. Refer to “Fluids,
Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for fur-
ther information.
WARNING!
 Use only manufactur er's recom-
mended brake fluid. Refer to
“Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine
Parts” in “Maintaining Your Ve-
hicle” for further information. Us-
ing the wrong type of brake fluid
can severely damage your brake
system and/or impair its perfor-
mance. The proper type of brake
fluid for your vehicle is also iden-
tified on the original factory in-
stalled hydraulic master cylinder
reservoir.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
 To avoid contamination from for-
eign matter or moisture, use only
new brake fluid or fluid that has
been in a tightly closed container.
Keep the master cylinder reservoir
cap secured at all times. Brake
fluid in a open container absorbs
moisture from the air resulting in
a lower boiling point. This may
cause it to boil unexpectedly dur-
ing hard or prolonged braking,
resulting in sudden brake failure.
This could result in a accident.
 Overfilling the brake fluid reser-
voir can result in spilling brake
fluid on hot engine parts, causing
the brake fluid to catch fire. Brake
fluid can also damage painted and
vinyl surfaces, care should be
taken to avoid its contact with
these surfaces.
 Do not allow petroleum based
fluid to contaminate the brake
fluid. Brake seal components
could be damaged, causing partial
or complete brake failure. This
could result in an accident.
269

Your leather upholstery can be best
preserved by regular cleaning with a
damp soft cloth. Small particles of
dirt can act as an abrasive and dam-
age the leather upholstery and should
be removed promptly with a damp
cloth. Stubborn soils can be removed
easily with a soft cloth and appropri-
ate products. Care should be taken to
avoid soaking your leather upholstery
with any liquid. Please do not use
polishes, oils, cleaning fluids, sol-
vents, detergents, or ammonia-based
cleaners to clean your leather uphol-
stery. Application of a leather condi-
tioner is not required to maintain the
original condition.WARNING!
Do not use volatile solvents for
cleaning purposes. Many are poten-
tially flammable, and if used in
closed areas they may cause respira-
tory harm.Cleaning Headlights
Your vehicle has plastic headlights
that are lighter and less susceptible to
stone breakage than glass headlights.
Plastic is not as scratch resistant as
glass and therefore different lens
cleaning procedures must be fol-
lowed.
To minimize the possibility of scratch-
ing the lenses and reducing light out-
put, avoid wiping with a dry cloth. To
remove road dirt, wash with a mild
soap solution followed by rinsing.
Do not use abrasive cleaning compo-
nents, solvents, steel wool or other
aggressive material to clean the
lenses.
Glass Surfaces
All glass surfaces should be cleaned
on a regular basis with any commer-
cial household-type glass cleaner.
Never use an abrasive type cleaner.
Use caution when cleaning the inside
rear window equipped with electric
defrosters or the right rear quarter
window equipped with the radio an- tenna. Do not use scrapers or other
sharp instrument that may scratch
the elements.
When cleaning the rear view mirror,
spray cleaner on the towel or rag that
you are using. Do not spray cleaner
directly on the mirror.
Cleaning Plastic Instrument
Cluster Lenses
The lenses in front of the instruments
in this vehicle are molded in clear
plastic. When cleaning the lenses,
care must be taken to avoid scratch-
ing the plastic.
1. Clean with a wet soft rag or micro-
fiber towel. A mild soap solution may
be used, but do not use high alcohol
content or abrasive cleaners. If soap is
used, wipe clean with a clean damp
rag.
2. Dry with a soft cloth.
273

BULB REPLACEMENT
LOW BEAM HEADLAMP,
HIGH BEAM HEADLAMP,
PARK/TURN LAMP, INNER
PARK LAMP, AND OUTER
PARK LAMP
High Intensity Discharge
Headlamps (HID) (for
versions/markets, where
provided)CAUTION!
Where possible, it is advisable to
have bulbs changed at a LANCIA
Dealership. Proper operation and
orientation of the external lights are
essential for driving safety and com-
plying with the law.
The headlamps are a type of high
voltage discharge tube. High voltage
can remain in the circuit even with the headlamp switch off and the key re-
moved.
Because of this, you should
not attempt to service a headlamp
bulb yourself. If a headlamp bulb
fails, take your vehicle to an au-
thorized dealer for service.
WARNING!
A transient high voltage occurs at
the bulb sockets of HID headlamps
when the headlamp switch is turned
ON. It may cause serious electrical
shock or electrocution if not serviced
properly. See your authorized dealer
for service.
NOTE:
On vehicles equipped with HID
headlamps, when the headlamps
are turned on, there is a blue hue
to the lights. This diminishes and
becomes more white after ap-
proximately 10 seconds, as the sys-
tem charges. Standard Low Beam Headlamp,
High Beam Headlamp, Park/Turn
Lamp, Inner Park Lamp, And
Outer Park Lamp
CAUTION!
Where possible, it is advisable to
have bulbs changed at a LANCIA
Dealership. Proper operation and
orientation of the external lights are
essential for driving safety and com-
plying with the law.
1. Open the hood.
NOTE:
Removal of the air cleaner filter
housing may be necessary prior to
replacing bulbs in the headlamp
assembly on the driver side of the
vehicle.
281

Thousands Of Kilometers24 48 72 96 120 144 168 192
Months 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96
Check tire condition/wear and adjust pressure, if neces-
sary.        
Check operation of lighting system (headlamps, direction
indicators, hazard warning lights, luggage compartment,
passenger compartment, glove compartment, instrument
panel warning lights, etc.).        
Check operation of windscreen washer system and adjust
jets if necessary.        
Check windshield/rear window wiper blade position/
wear.        
Check cleanliness of hood and tailgate locks and cleanli-
ness and lubrication of linkages.        
Visually inspect condition of: exterior bodywork, under-
body protection, pipes and hoses (exhaust - fuel system -
brakes), rubber elements (boots, sleeves, bushes, etc.).        
Check conditions and wear of front disc brake pads.        
Check conditions and wear of rear disc brake pads.        
Check and, if necessary, top up fluid levels (brakes, wind-
shield washer, battery, engine coolant, etc.).        
Visually inspect the condition of accessory drive belt/s. 
Adjust parking brake shoes as necessary. 
Check exhaust gas emissions.        
Check engine management system operation (via diag-
nostic socket).        
Change the automatic transmission fluid and filter (*) 
291

Thousands Of Kilometers24 48 72 96 120 144 168 192
Months 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96
Replace spark plugs. 
Replace air filter cartridge.    
Change engine oil and replace oil filter. Every 12.000 km or 12 months whichever comes first
Change brake fluid (or every 24 months). 
Replace pollen filter.        
(*) Change the automatic transmis-
sion fluid and filter(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 cara-
van towing.
Periodic Checks
Every 1 000 km or before long jour-
neys, check and, if necessary, restore:
 engine coolant;
 brake fluid;
 windshield washer fluid level;
 tire inflation pressure and condi- tion;
 operation of lighting system (head- lights, 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 following conditions:
 towing a trailer or caravan;
 dusty roads;
 short, repeated journeys (less than 7-8 km) at sub-zero outside tem-
peratures;
 engine often idling or driving long distances at low speeds or long pe-
riods of idleness. You should perform the following in-
spections more frequently than shown
on the Scheduled Servicing Plan:
 check front disc brake pad condi-
tions and wear;
 check cleanliness of hood and trunk locks, cleanliness and lubrication of
linkage;
 visually inspect conditions of: en- gine, transmission, pipes and hoses
(exhaust - fuel system - brakes) and
rubber elements (boots - sleeves -
bushes - etc.);
 check battery charge and battery fluid level (electrolyte);
 visually inspect condition of the ac- cessory drive belts;
 check and, if necessary, change en- gine oil and replace oil filter;
292

 check and, if necessary, replace pol-len filter;
 check and, if necessary, replace air cleaner filter.
MAINTENANCE
SCHEDULE – DIESEL
ENGINE
To help you have the best driving
experience possible, the manufacturer
has identified the specific vehicle
maintenance service intervals that are
required to keep your vehicle operat-
ing properly and safely. The manufacturer recommends that
these maintenance intervals be per-
formed at your selling dealer. The
technicians at your dealership know
your vehicle best, and have access to
factory trained information, genuine
LANCIA parts, and specially designed
electronic and mechanical tools that
can help prevent future costly repairs.
The maintenance intervals shown
should be performed as indicated in
this section.
NOTE:
Under no circumstances should oil
change intervals exceed 20 000 km
or 12 months, whichever comes
first.
CAUTION!
Failure to perform the required
maintenance items may result in
damage to the vehicle.
Required Maintenance Intervals
Refer to the Maintenance Schedules on the following pages for the required maintenance intervals.
Thousands Of Kilometers 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Months 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96
Flush and replace the engine coolant (or at 60 months). 
Check battery charge status and possibly recharge.        
Check tire condition/wear and adjust pressure, if neces-
sary.        
Check operation of lighting system (headlamps, direction
indicators, hazard warning lights, luggage compartment,
passenger compartment, glove compartment, instrument
panel warning lights, etc.).        
293

(*) Change the automatic transmis-
sion fluid and filter(s) at 100 000 km
or 60 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 cara-
van towing.
(**) The actual oil and oil filter re-
placement interval depends on the car
usage conditions and is indicated by a
warning light or message on the in-
strument panel, or in any case every
12 months.
Periodic Checks
Every1 000 km or before long jour-
neys, check and, if necessary, restore:
 engine coolant;
 brake fluid;
 windshield washer fluid level;
 tire inflation pressure and condi- tion;  operation of lighting system (head-
lights, 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 following conditions:
 towing a trailer or caravan;
 dusty roads;
 short, repeated journeys (less than 7-8 km) at sub-zero outside tem-
peratures;
 engine often idling or driving long distances at low speeds or long pe-
riods of idleness. You should perform the following in-
spections more frequently than shown
on the Scheduled Servicing Plan:
 check front disc brake pad condi-
tions and wear;
 check cleanliness of hood and trunk locks, cleanliness and lubrication of
linkage;
 visually inspect conditions of: en- gine, transmission, pipes and hoses
(exhaust - fuel system - brakes) and
rubber elements (boots - sleeves -
bushes - etc.);
 check battery charge and battery fluid level (electrolyte);
 visually inspect condition of the ac- cessory drive belts;
 check and, if necessary, change en- gine oil and replace oil filter;
 check and, if necessary, replace pol- len filter;
 check and, if necessary, replace air cleaner filter.
295