2012 Lancia Thema towing

 Transmission TemperatureWarning Telltale This telltale indicates that
the transmission fluid tem-
perature is running hot.
This may occur with severe
usage, such as trailer towing. If this
telltale turns on, safely pull over and
stop the vehicle. Then, shift the trans-
mission into PARK and run the engine
at idle or faster until the light turns
off.CAUTION!
Continuous driving with the Trans-
mission Temperature Warning Tell-
tale illuminated will eventually
cause severe transmission damage or
transmission failure.WARNING!
If the Transmission Temperature
Warning Telltale is illuminated and
you continue operating the vehicle,
in some circumstances you could
cause the fluid to boil over, come in
contact with hot engine or exhaust
components and cause a fire.  Electric Power Steering
Malfunction This telltale is on when the
Electric Power Steering is
not operating and needs
service.
OIL CHANGE DUE
Your vehicle is equipped with an en-
gine oil change indicator system. The
“Oil Change Due” message will flash
in the EVIC display for approxi-
mately 10 seconds after a single chime
has sounded to indicate the next
scheduled oil change interval. The en-
gine oil change indicator system is
duty cycle based, which means the
engine oil change interval may fluctu-
ate dependent upon your personal
driving style.
Unless reset, this message will con-
tinue to display each time you cycle
the ignition to the ON/RUN position.
To turn off the message temporarily,
press and release the BACK button.
To reset the oil change indicator sys-
tem please refer to a Lancia Dealer-
ship. DIESEL PARTICULATE
FILTER (DPF) MESSAGES
 Exhaust System — Regeneration
Required Now. Under conditions of
exclusive short duration and low
speed driving and low speed driv-
ing cycles, the engine and exhaust
after-treatment system may never
reach the conditions required to re-
move the trapped PM. If this occurs
the “Exhaust System Regeneration
Required Now” message will be
displayed on the EVIC. By driving
your vehicle at highway speeds for
as little as 30 minutes, you can rem-
edy the condition in the particulate
filter system by allowing the
trapped PM to be removed to re-
store the system to normal operat-
ing condition.
 Exhaust Service Require — See Dealer Now. The engine will be de-
rated to prevent permanent dam-
age to the after-treatment system. If
this condition occurs, it is necessary
to have your vehicle serviced by
your local authorized dealer.164

 OVERLOADING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
 LOADING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
 TRAILER TOWING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228  COMMON TOWING DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . 228
 BREAKAWAY CABLE ATTACHMENT . . . . . . . 230
 TRAILER TOWING WEIGHTS (MAXIMUMTRAILER WEIGHT RATINGS) . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
 TRAILER AND TONGUE WEIGHT . . . . . . . . . 231
 TOWING REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
 TOWING TIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
 TRAILER HITCH ATTACHING POINTS . . . . . 236
 RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
190

until it stops. When released, the
lever will return to its home posi-
tion.
 With brake pedal released, look at the shift lever position display and
verify that it indicates the PARK
position.
REVERSE
This range is for moving the vehicle
backward. Shift into REVERSE only
after the vehicle has come to a com-
plete stop.
NEUTRAL
Use this range when the vehicle is
standing for prolonged periods with
engine running. The engine may be
started in this range. Set the parking
brake and shift the transmission into
PARK if you must leave the vehicle.WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and
never turn off the ignition to coast
down a hill. These are unsafe prac-
tices that limit your response to
changing traffic or road conditions.
You might lose control of the vehicle
and have a collision.
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or
driving for any other reason with the
transmission in NEUTRAL can re-
sult in severe transmission damage.
Refer to “Recreational Towing” in
“Starting And Operating” and
“Towing A Disabled Vehicle” in
“What To Do In Emergencies” for
further information.
DRIVE
This range should be used for most
city and highway driving. It provides
the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The
transmission automatically upshifts
through all forward gears. The
DRIVE position provides optimum
driving characteristics under all nor-
mal operating conditions.
During extremely cold temperatures
(­30°C or below), transmission op-
eration may be modified depending
on engine and transmission tempera-
ture as well as vehicle speed. Normal
operation will resume once the trans-
mission temperature has risen to a
suitable level. LOW
This range should be used for engine
braking when descending very steep
grades. In this range, the transmission
will downshift for increased engine
braking. To switch between DRIVE
and LOW modes, tap the shift lever
rearward. LOW mode is only acces-
sible from DRIVE.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored
electronically for abnormal condi-
tions. If a condition is detected that
could result in transmission damage,
Transmission Limp Home Mode is ac-
tivated. In this mode, the transmis-
sion may operate only in certain
gears, or may not shift at all. Vehicle
performance may be severely de-
graded and the engine may stall. In
some situations, the transmission may
not re-engage if the engine is turned
off and restarted. The Malfunction In-
dicator Light (MIL) may be illumi-
nated. A message in the instrument
cluster will inform the driver of the
more serious conditions, and indicate
what actions may be necessary.
198

WARNING!(Continued)
 Do not leave the key fob in or near
the vehicle, and do not leave Key-
less Enter-N-Go in the ACC or
ON/RUN mode. A child could op-
erate power windows, other con-
trols, or move the vehicle.CAUTION!
 Before moving the shift lever outof PARK, you must turn the igni-
tion switch from the LOCK/OFF
position to the ON/RUN position,
and also press the brake pedal.
Otherwise, damage to the shift le-
ver could result.
 DO NOT race the engine when
shifting from PARK or NEUTRAL
into another gear range, as this
can damage the drivetrain.
The following indicators should be
used to ensure that you have engaged
the shift lever into the PARK position:
 When shifting into PARK, move the shift lever all the way forward and
to the left until it stops and is fully
seated.  Look at the shift lever position dis-
play and verify that it indicates the
PARK position.
 With brake pedal released, verify that the shift lever will not move out
of PARK.
REVERSE
This range is for moving the vehicle
backward. Shift into REVERSE only
after the vehicle has come to a com-
plete stop.
NEUTRAL
Use this range when the vehicle is
standing for prolonged periods with
engine running. The engine may be
started in this range. Set the parking
brake and shift the transmission into
PARK if you must leave the vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and
never turn off the ignition to coast
down a hill. These are unsafe prac-
tices that limit your response to
changing traffic or road conditions.
You might lose control of the vehicle
and have a collision.
CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or
driving for any other reason with the
transmission in NEUTRAL can re-
sult in severe transmission damage.
Refer to “Recreational Towing” in
“Starting And Operating” and
“Towing A Disabled Vehicle” in
“What To Do In Emergencies” for
further information.
DRIVE
This range should be used for most
city and highway driving. It provides
the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The
transmission automatically upshifts
through underdrive first, second, and
third gears, direct fourth gear and
overdrive fifth gear. The DRIVE posi-
tion provides optimum driving char-
acteristics under all normal operating
conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting
occurs (such as when operating the
vehicle under heavy loading condi-
tions, in hilly terrain, traveling into
strong head winds, or while towing
heavy trailers), use the “AutoStick®”
201

mode (refer to “AutoStick®” in this
section) to select a lower gear. Under
these conditions, using a lower gear
will improve performance and extend
transmission life by reducing exces-
sive shifting and heat buildup.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored
electronically for abnormal condi-
tions. If a condition is detected that
could result in transmission damage,
Transmission Limp Home Mode is ac-
tivated. In this mode, the transmis-
sion remains in the current gear until
the vehicle is brought to a stop. After
the vehicle has stopped, the transmis-
sion will remain in second gear re-
gardless of which forward gear is se-
lected. PARK, REVERSE, and
NEUTRAL will continue to operate.
The Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) may be illuminated. Limp
Home Mode allows the vehicle to be
driven to an authorized dealer for ser-
vice without damaging the transmis-
sion.In the event of a momentary problem,
the transmission can be reset to regain
all forward gears by performing the
following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Turn the engine OFF.
4. Wait approximately 10 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range. If
the problem is no longer detected, the
transmission will return to normal op-
eration.
NOTE:
Even if the transmission can be
reset, we recommend that you visit
your authorized dealer at your
earliest possible convenience.
Your authorized dealer has diag-
nostic equipment to determine if
the problem could recur.
If the transmission cannot be reset,
authorized dealer service is required.
Overdrive Operation
The automatic transmission includes
an electronically controlled Overdrive(fifth gear). The transmission will au-
tomatically shift into the Overdrive
gear if the following conditions are
present:
 the shift lever is in the DRIVE po-
sition,
 vehicle speed is sufficiently high, and
 the driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator.
AUTOSTICK®
AutoStick® is a driver-interactive
transmission feature that offers
manual gear shifting to provide you
with more control of the vehicle.
AutoStick® allows you to maximize
engine braking, eliminate undesirable
upshifts and downshifts, and improve
overall vehicle performance.
This system can also provide you with
more control during passing, city
driving, cold slippery conditions,
mountain driving, trailer towing, and
many other situations.
202

HSA Activation Criteria
The following criteria must be met in
order for HSA to activate:
 Vehicle must be stopped.
 Vehicle must be on a 6% (approxi-mate) grade or greater hill.
 Gear selection matches vehicle up- hill direction (i.e., vehicle facing
uphill is in forward gear; vehicle
backing uphill is in REVERSE
gear).
HSA will work in REVERSE and all
forward gears when the activation cri-
teria have been met. The system will
not activate if the vehicle is placed in
NEUTRAL or PARK.WARNING!
There may be situations on minor
hills (i.e., less than 8%), with a
loaded vehicle, or while pulling a
trailer, when the system will not ac-
tivate and slight rolling may occur.
This could cause a collision with an-
other vehicle or object. Always re-
member the driver is responsible for
braking the vehicle. Towing With HSA
HSA will provide assistance when
starting on a grade when pulling a
trailer.
WARNING!
 If you use a trailer brake control-
ler with your trailer, your trailer
brakes may be activated and de-
activated with the brake switch. If
so, when the brake pedal is re-
leased, there may not be enough
brake pressure to hold the vehicle
and trailer on a hill and this could
cause a collision with another ve-
hicle or object behind you. In or-
der to avoid rolling down the hill
while resuming acceleration,
manually activate the trailer
brake prior to releasing the brake
pedal. Always remember the
driver is responsible for braking
the vehicle.
 HSA is not a parking brake. Al-
ways apply the parking brake
fully when leaving your vehicle.
Also, be certain to leave the trans-
mission in PARK.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
 Failure to follow these warnings
may cause the vehicle to roll down
the incline and could collide with
another vehicle, object or person,
and cause serious or fatal injury.
Always remember to use the park-
ing brake while parking on a hill
and that the driver is responsible
for braking the vehicle.
HSA Off
If you wish to turn off the HSA sys-
tem, it can be done using the Cus-
tomer Programmable Features in the
Uconnect Touch™ System. Refer to
“Uconnect TOUCH™ SETTINGS” in
“Understanding Your Instrument
Panel” for further information.
READY ALERT BRAKING
Ready Alert Braking may reduce the
time required to reach full braking
during emergency braking situations.
It anticipates when an emergency
braking situation may occur by moni-
toring how fast the throttle is released
by the driver. When the throttle is
released very quickly, Ready Alert
Braking applies a small amount of
212

vice as long as you do not exceed the
GVWR and the front and rear GAWR.
The best way to figure out the total
weight of your vehicle is to weigh it
when it is fully loaded and ready for
operation. Weigh it on a commercial
scale to ensure that it is not over the
GVWR.
Figure out the weight on the front and
rear of the vehicle separately. It is
important that you distribute the load
evenly over the front and rear axles.
Overloading can cause potential
safety hazards and shorten useful ser-
vice life. Heavier axles or suspension
components do not necessarily in-
crease thevehicle's GVWR.
LOADING
To load your vehicle properly, first
figure out its empty weight, axle-by-
axle and side-by-side. Store heavier
items down low and be sure you dis-
tribute their weight as evenly as pos-
sible. Stow all loose items securely
before driving. If weighing the loaded
vehicle shows that you have exceeded
either GAWR, but the total load is
within the specified GVWR, you must redistribute the weight. Improper
weight distribution can have an ad-
verse effect on the way your vehicle
steers and handles and the way the
brakes operate.
NOTE:
 Refer to the “Vehicle Certifica-
tion Label” affixed to the rear of
the driver's door for your vehi-
cle's GVWR and GAWRs.
 Refer to the “Tire Placard” for your vehicle's proper tire pres-
sure.
TRAILER TOWING
In this section, you will find safety tips
and information on limits to the type
of towing you can reasonably do with
your vehicle. Before towing a trailer,
carefully review this information to
tow your load as efficiently and safely
as possible.
To maintain warranty coverage, fol-
low the requirements and recommen-
dations in this manual concerning ve-
hicles used for trailer towing. COMMON TOWING
DEFINITIONS
The following trailer towing related
definitions will assist you in under-
standing the following information:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR)
The GVWR is the total allowable
weight of your vehicle. This includes
driver, passengers, cargo, and tongue
weight. The total load must be limited
so that you do not exceed the GVWR.
Refer to “Vehicle Loading/Vehicle
Certification Label” in “Starting and
Operating” for further information.
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer
plus the weight of all cargo, consum-
ables, and equipment (permanent or
temporary) loaded in or on the trailer
in its "loaded and ready for opera-
tion" condition.
The recommended way to measure
GTW is to put your fully loaded trailer
on a vehicle scale. The entire weight of
the trailer must be supported by the
scale.
228

Gross Combination Weight Rating
(GCWR)
The GCWR is the total permissible
weight of your vehicle and trailer
when weighed in combination.
NOTE:
The GCWR rating includes a 68 kg
allowance for the presence of a
driver.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
The GAWR is the maximum capacity
of the front and rear axles. Distribute
the load over the front and rear axles
evenly. Make sure that you do not
exceed either front or rear GAWR.
Refer to “Vehicle Loading/Vehicle
Certification Label” in “Starting and
Operating” for further information.WARNING!
It is important that you do not ex-
ceed the maximum front or rear
GAWR. A dangerous driving condi-
tion can result if either rating is ex-
ceeded. You could lose control of the
vehicle and have a collision.Tongue Weight (TW)
The tongue weight is the downward
force exerted on the hitch ball by the
trailer. In most cases, it should not be
more than 5% of the trailer load. You
must consider this as part of the load
on your vehicle.
Frontal Area
The frontal area is the maximum
height multiplied by the maximum
width of the front of a trailer.
Trailer Sway Control
The trailer sway control is a telescop-
ing link that can be installed between
the hitch receiver and the trailer
tongue that typically provides adjust-
able friction associated with the tele-
scoping motion to dampen any un-
wanted trailer swaying motions while
traveling.
Weight-Carrying Hitch
A weight-carrying hitch supports the
trailer tongue weight, just as if it were
luggage located at a hitch ball or some
other connecting point of the vehicle.
These kinds of hitches are the most
popular on the market today and they are commonly used to tow small- and
medium-sized trailers.
Weight-Distributing Hitch
A weight-distributing system works
by applying leverage through spring
(load) bars. They are typically used
for heavier loads to distribute trailer
tongue weight to the tow
vehicle's
front axle and the trailer axle(s).
When used in accordance with the
manufacturer's directions, it provides
for a more level ride, offering more
consistent steering and brake control
thereby enhancing towing safety. The
addition of a friction / hydraulic sway
control also dampens sway caused by
traffic and crosswinds and contrib-
utes positively to tow vehicle and
trailer stability. Trailer sway control
and a weight distributing (load equal-
izing) hitch are recommended for
heavier Tongue Weights (TW) and
may be required depending on vehicle
and trailer configuration / loading to
comply with Gross Axle Weight Rat-
ing (GAWR) requirements.
229