2013 Alfa Romeo Giulietta maintenance

AIR CLEANER/POLLEN
FILTER/DIESEL FILTERContact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services to replace the filters.
BATTERYBattery F (see previous pages) does not require the electrolyte to be
topped up with distilled water. A periodic check carried out at Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services is, however, necessary to check efficiency.REPLACING THE BATTERYIf necessary, replace the battery with another genuine battery with the
same specifications. Follow the battery manufacturer's instructions
for maintenance.USEFUL ADVICE FOR EXTENDING THE
LIFE OF YOUR BATTERYTo avoid draining your battery rapidly and maintain its efficiency over
time, carefully observe the following instructions:
❒when you park the car, ensure that the doors, bonnet and flaps are
closed correctly, to prevent any roof lights from remaining on inside
the passenger compartment;
❒switch off all roof lights inside the car: the car is however equipped
with a system which switches all internal lights off automatically;
❒do not keep accessories (e.g. sound system, hazard lights, etc.)
switched on for a long time when the engine is not running;
❒before performing any operation on the electrical system, disconnect
the negative battery pole;
IMPORTANT After the battery is disconnected, the steering must be
initialised. The
warning light switches on to indicate this. To carry
out this procedure, simply turn the steering wheel all the way from one
end to the other or drive in a straight line for about a hundred metres.
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IMPORTANT If the charge level remains under 50% for a long time, the
battery is damaged by sulphation, reducing its capacity and
efficiency at start-up.
The battery will also be more at risk of freezing (this can happen as
early as –10°C). Refer to “Storing the car” in “Starting and driving” if
the car is left parked for a long time.
If after having purchased your car you decide to add accessories
requiring permanent electrical power (alarm etc.) or accessories that
require large amounts of power, contact Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services. They can calculate the overall electrical requirement.
Battery liquid is poisonous and corrosive. Avoid
contact with the skin and the eyes. Keep naked flames
and sources of sparks away from the battery: risk of
explosion and fire.Using the battery with insufficient fluid irreparably
damages the battery and may cause an explosion.
Incorrect installation of electric and electronic devices may
cause severe damage to your car. After purchasing your
car, if you wish to install any accessories (anti-theft, radio
phone etc.), contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services, who will suggest
the most appropriate devices for your vehicle and will, most
importantly, advise you if a higher capacity battery needs to be
installed.Batteries contain substances which are very dangerous for
the environment. For the replacement of the battery,
contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services.If the car will be unused for an extended period of
time in extremely cold weather conditions, remove the
battery and store it in a heated area to prevent it
from freezing.When performing any operation on the battery or near
it, always protect your eyes with special goggles.
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WHEELS AND TYRESBefore embarking on a long trip, and every two weeks, check the tyre
inflation pressure and space-saver wheel. Check the tyres when cold.
While driving the car, the pressure increases under standard
conditions: for the correct tyre inflation pressure, see "Wheels"
paragraph in the "Technical specifications" chapter.
Incorrect pressure causes abnormal tyre wear fig. 171:
A normal pressure: tread evenly worn;
B low pressure: tread particularly worn at the edges;
C high pressure: tread particularly worn in the centre.
The tyres must be replaced when the tread is less than 1.6 mm thick.IMPORTANT
Take the following precautions to prevent damage to the tyres:
❒avoid braking suddenly, racing starts and violent impact against the
curb, potholes or other obstacles and driving for extended periods
on uneven road surfaces;
❒periodically check that the tyres have no cuts in the side wall,
abnormal swelling or irregular tyre wear;
❒avoid travelling with the car overloaded. If you puncture a tyre, stop
immediately and replace it;
❒change the position of the tyres every 10-15 thousand kilometres,
keeping them on the same side of the car to avoid inverting the
direction of rotation;
❒tyres age even if they are not used much. Cracks in the tread and on
the sidewalls are a sign of ageing. Have the tyres checked by
specialised personnel if they have been fitted for longer than 6
years. Remember to check the space-saver wheel very carefully;
❒In the case of replacement, always fit new tyres, avoiding those of
dubious origin;
❒if a tyre is replaced, also replace the inflation valve.
Remember that the road holding qualities of your car
also depend on the correct inflation pressure of the
tyres.
fig. 171
A0K0023
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If the pressure is too low the tyre overheats and can be
seriously damaged.Do not cross switch the tyres, moving them from the
right of the car to the left and vice versa.Never submit alloy rims to repainting treatments
requiring the use of temperatures exceeding 150°C.
The mechanical properties of the wheels could be
impaired.
WINDSCREEN/REAR WINDOW
WIPERBLADESWe recommend replacing the blades once a year.
A few simple precautions can reduce the possibility of damage to the
blades:
❒if the temperature falls below zero, make sure that ice has not frozen
the rubber against the glass. Use a de-icing product to release it if
required;
❒remove any snow from the window;
❒do not operate the windscreen/rear window wipers on dry glass.
Driving with worn windscreen/rear window wiper
blades is a serious hazard, because visibility is reduced
in bad weather.
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Replacing the wiper bladesProceed as follows:
❒raise the wiper arm, press tab A fig. 172 of the attachment spring
and remove the blade from the arm;
❒fit the new blade by inserting the tab into the special slot in the arm.
Make sure that it is properly locked into place;
❒lower the windscreen wiper arm on the windscreen.
Do not operate the windscreen wiper with the blades lifted
from the windscreen.
Lifting the wiper bladesWhen the wiper blades have to be lifted from the windscreen (i.e. in
the event of snow), proceed as follows:
❒turn the ignition key to the MAR position;
❒operate the lever to the right of the steering wheel to activate a
windscreen wiper stroke (see paragraph "Window washing" in
chapter "Getting to know your car");
❒turn the ignition key to the STOP position when the driver's side
wiper blade reaches the windscreen side pillar and lift the
windscreen wiper to the rest position;
❒bring the wiper blades back into contact with the windscreen before
activating the windscreen wiper.
fig. 172
A0K0144
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Replacing the rear window wiper
bladeProceed as follows:
❒raise cover A fig. 173, undo nut B and remove arm C;
❒correctly position the new arm, fully tighten nut B then lower cover
A.SPRAY NOZZLESWindscreen washer
The window washer jets are fixed fig. 174.
If the jet of fluid is inadequate, firstly check that there is fluid in the
reservoir: see “Checking fluid levels” in this section).
Then check that the nozzle holes are not clogged, if necessary using a
needle.Rear Window Washer
The nozzle holder is on the rear window fig. 175.
The rear window washer jets are fixed.
fig. 173
A0K0101
fig. 174
A0K0139
fig. 175
A0K0102
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HEADLIGHT WASHERS(for versions/markets, where provided)
They are located inside the front bumper fig. 176.
They are activated when the dipped beam and/or main beam
headlights are on and the windscreen washer is activated.
Check the correct operation and cleanliness of nozzles at regular
intervals.
BODYWORKPROTECTION AGAINST ATMOSPHERIC
AGENTSThe car is equipped with the best available technological solutions to
effectively protect the bodywork against corrosion.
These are the most important:
❒painting products and systems which give the car resistance to
corrosion and abrasion
❒use of galvanised (or pretreated) steel sheets, with high resistance to
corrosion;
❒spraying of plastic parts, with a protective function in the more
exposed points: underdoor, inner wing, edges, etc;
❒use of “open” boxed sections to prevent condensation and pockets of
moisture which could favour the formation of rust inside;
❒use of special films to protect against abrasion in exposed areas
(e.g. rear wing, doors, etc.).BODY AND UNDERBODY WARRANTYThe car is covered by warranty against perforation due to corrosion of
any original element of the structure or body. For the general terms
of this warranty, refer to the Warranty Booklet.
fig. 176
A0K0138
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PRESERVING THE BODYWORKPaint
Touch up abrasions and scratches immediately to prevent the formation
of rust.
Maintenance of paintwork consists of washing the car: the frequency
depends on the conditions and environment where the car is used. For
example, it is advisable to wash the car more often in areas with
high levels of atmospheric pollution or salted roads.
To correctly wash the car, follow these instruction:
❒remove the aerial from the roof when using a carwash;
❒if high pressure jets or cleaners are used to wash the car, maintain a
distance of at least 40 cm from the bodywork to avoid damage or
alteration. Bear in mind that a build up of water could cause
damage to the car in the long term.
❒wash the body using a low pressure jet of water;
❒wipe a sponge with a slightly soapy solution over the bodywork,
frequently rinsing the sponge;
❒rinse well with water and dry with a jet of air or a chamois leather.
Dry the less visible parts (e.g. door frames, bonnet, headlight frames
etc.) with special care, as water may stagnate more easily in these
areas. Do not wash the car after it has been left in the sun or with the
bonnet hot: this may alter the shine of the paintwork.
Exterior plastic parts must be cleaned in the same way as the rest of
the car.
Detergents pollute the environment. Only wash your car in
areas equipped to collect and treat wastewater from this
type of activity.
In order to preserve the aesthetic properties of the
paintwork, abrasive products and/or polishes should not
be used to clean the car.
IMPORTANT
Avoid parking under trees; the resin dropped by trees makes the
paintwork go opaque and increases the possibility of corrosion.
Bird droppings must be washed off immediately and thoroughly as the
acid they contain is particularly aggressive.
Windows
Use specific detergents and clean cloths to prevent scratching or
altering the transparency.
IMPORTANT Wipe the inside surface of the rear window gently with a
cloth in the direction of the filaments to avoid damaging the heating
device.
Front headlights
Use a soft, damp cloth soaked in water and detergent for washing
cars.
IMPORTANT Never use aromatic substances (e.g. petrol) or ketenes
(e.g. acetone) for cleaning the plastic lenses of the front headlights.
IMPORTANT When cleaning the car with a pressure washer, keep the
water jet at least 20 cm away from the headlights.
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