INSTRUMENTS(fig. 3)
1. Tachometer
This gauge measures engine revolutions per minute
(RPM x 1000). Before the pointer reaches the red area,
ease up on the accelerator to prevent engine damage.
2. Speedometer
Shows the vehicle speed. 3. Fuel Gauge
The fuel gauge shows the level of fuel in the tank when
ignition switch is in the ON/RUN position.
4. Coolant Temperature Gauge
The temperature gauge indicates engine coolant tem-
perature. Any reading within the normal range indi-
cates that the cooling system is operating satisfactorily.
The gauge pointer will likely indicate a high tempera-
ture when driving in hot weather, up mountain grades,
in heavy traffic, or when towing a trailer. If the pointer(fig. 3)
7
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make sure to select only Panel, Bi-Level or Floor
modes.
NOTE:
For Manual Climate Controls, if the system is in Mix,Floor or Defrost Mode, the A/C can be turned off,
but the A/C system shall remain active to prevent
fogging of the windows.
If fog or mist appears on the windshield or side glass, select Defrost mode and increase blower speed.
If your air conditioning performance seems lower than expected, check the front of the A/C condenser
(located in front of the radiator), for an accumulation
of dirt or insects. Clean with a gentle water spray
from the front of the radiator and through the
condenser.
MAX A/C
MAX A/C sets the control for maximum cooling per-
formance.
Press and release to toggle between MAX A/C and the
prior settings. The soft-key illuminates when MAX A/C
is ON.
In MAX A/C, the blower level and mode position can
be adjusted to desired user settings. Pressing other
settings will cause the MAX A/C operation to switch to the prior settings and the MAX A/C indicator will turn
off.
Recirculation Control
When outside air contains smoke, odors, or
high humidity, or if rapid cooling is desired,
you may wish to recirculate interior air by
pressing the Recirculation control button.
The recirculation indicator will illuminate when this
button is selected. Push the button a second time to
turn off the Recirculation mode and allow outside air
into the vehicle.
NOTE: In cold weather, use of Recirculation mode
may lead to excessive window fogging. The recircula-
tion feature may be unavailable (soft button greyed out)
if conditions exist that could create fogging on the
inside of the windshield. The Recirculation mode is not
allowed in Defrost mode to improve window clearing
operation. Recirculation will be disabled automatically
if these modes are selected. Attempting to use Recir-
culation while in these modes will cause the LED in the
control button to blink and then turn off.
AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL
(ATC) (for versions/markets, where provided)
ATC Hard-keys are located in the center of the instru-
ment panel.
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Summer Operation
The engine cooling system in air-conditioned vehicles
must be protected with a high-quality antifreeze cool-
ant to provide proper corrosion protection and to
protect against engine overheating. A solution of 50%
ethylene glycol antifreeze coolant and 50% water is
recommended. Refer to “Maintenance Procedures” in
“Servicing And Care” for proper coolant selection.
Winter Operation
Use of the air Recirculation mode during Winter
months is not recommended because it may cause
window fogging.
Vacation Storage
Any time you store your vehicle or keep it out of
service (i.e., vacation) for two weeks or more, run the
air conditioning system at idle for about five minutes in
the fresh air and high blower setting. This will ensure
adequate system lubrication to minimize the possibility
of compressor damage when the system is started
again.
Window Fogging
Interior fogging on the windshield can be quickly re-
moved by turning the mode selector to Defrost. The
Defrost/Floor mode can be used to maintain a clear
windshield and provide sufficient heating. If side win-
dow fogging becomes a problem, increase the blowerspeed. Vehicle windows tend to fog on the inside in
mild but rainy or humid weather.
NOTE:
Recirculation mode without A/C should not
be used for long periods, as fogging may occur.
Outside Air Intake
Make sure the air intake, located directly in front of the
windshield, is free of obstructions such as leaves.
Leaves collected in the air intake may reduce airflow,
and if they enter the plenum, they could plug the water
drains. In winter months, make sure the air intake is
clear of ice, slush, and snow.
A/C Air Filter
The climate control system filters outside air contain-
ing dust, pollen and some odors. Strong odors cannot
be totally filtered out. Refer to “Maintenance Proce-
dures” in “Servicing And Care” for filter replacement
instructions.
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EXHAUST GAS
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They
c
ontain carbon monoxide (CO), which is
colorless and odorless. Breathing it can make you
unconscious and can eventually poison you. To
avoid breathing (CO), follow these safety tips:
Do not run the engine in a closed garage or in
confined areas any longer than needed to move your
vehicle in or out of the area.
If you are required to drive with the trunk/
liftgate open, make sure that all windows are
closed and the climate control BLOWER switch is
set at high speed. DO NOT use the recirculation
mode.
If it is necessary to sit in a parked vehicle with
the engine running, adjust your heating or cooling
controls to force outside air into the vehicle. Set
the blower at high speed.
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 mechanic inspect the complete exhaust system and adjacent body areas
for broken, damaged, deteriorated, or mispositioned
parts. Open seams or loose connections could permit
exhaust fumes to seep into the passenger compart-
ment. In addition, inspect the exhaust system each time
the vehicle is raised for lubrication or oil change.
Replace as required.
SAFETY CHECKS YOU SHOULD MAKE
INSIDE THE VEHICLE
Seat Belts
Inspect the seat belt system periodically, checking for
cuts, frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be
replaced immediately. Do not disassemble or modify
the system.
Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a
collision. Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced
after a collision if they have been damaged (i.e., bent
retractor, torn webbing, etc.). If there is any question
regarding belt or retractor condition, replace the seat
belt.
Air Bag Warning Light
The light should turn on and remain on for
four to six seconds as a bulb check when the
ignition switch is first turned ON. If the light
is not lit during starting, or if the light stays
199KNOWING
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– Extended driving at high RPM should be avoided toprevent excess heat generation. A reduction in ve-
hicle speed may be required to avoid extended
driving at high RPM. Return to a higher gear or
vehicle speed when grade and road conditions allow.
Cooling System
To reduce potential for engine and transmission over-
heating, take the following actions:
City Driving
When stopped for short periods, shift the transmission
into NEUTRAL and increase engine idle speed.
Highway Driving
Reduce speed.
Air Conditioning
Turn off temporarily.
TRAILER HITCH ATTACHING POINTS
Your vehicle will require extra equipment to tow a
trailer safely and efficiently. The trailer tow hitch must
be attached to your vehicle using the provided attach-
ing points on the vehicle's frame. Refer to the following
chart to determine the accurate attaching points.
Other equipment, such as trailer sway controls and
braking equipment, trailer equalizing (leveling) equip- ment and low profile mirrors, may also be required or
strongly recommended.
(fig. 147)
Trailer Tow Hitch Attaching Points And Overhang
Dimensions
A N/A
B 366.71 mm
C 501.62 mm
D 628.69 mm
E (maximum overhang) 1051.93 mm
F 472.00 mm(fig. 147)
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WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They
c
ontain 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.
NOTE: Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
WARNING!
A hot exhaust system can start a fire if
y
ou park over materials that can burn.
Such materials might be grass or leaves coming
into contact with your exhaust system. Do not
park or operate your vehicle in areas where your
exhaust system can contact anything that can
burn.
In unusual situations involving grossly malfunctioning
engine operation, a scorching odor may indicate severe
and abnormal catalyst overheating. If this occurs, safely
bring the vehicle to a complete stop, shut the engine
OFF, and allow the vehicle to cool. Thereafter, obtain
service, including a tune-up to manufacturer’s specifi-
cations immediately. To minimize the possibility of catalyst damage:
Do not shut OFF the engine or interrupt the ignition
when the transmission is in gear and the vehicle is in
motion.
Do not try to start the engine by pushing or towing the vehicle.
Do not idle the engine with any ignition coil connec- tors disconnected for prolonged periods.
COOLING SYSTEM
WARNING!
Wh
en working near the radiator cool-
ing fan, disconnect the fan motor lead or
turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position.The
fan is temperature controlled and can start at
any time the ignition switch is in the ON position.
You or others can be badly burned by hot
engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from your
radiator. If you see or hear steam coming from
under the hood, do not open the hood until the
radiator has had time to cool. Never try to open a
cooling system pressure cap when the radiator is
hot .
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Car maintenance should be done at a
FIAT Dealership. For routine and minor
maintenance operations you wish to
carry out yourself, we do recommend you have
the proper equipment , genuine FIAT spare parts
and the necessary fluids; do not however carry out
these operations if you have no experience.
Coolant Checks
Check engine coolant (antifreeze) protection every 12
months (before the onset of freezing weather, where
applicable). If coolant is dirty or rusty in appearance,
the system should be drained, flushed, and refilled with
fresh coolant. Check the front of the A/C condenser
for any accumulation of bugs, leaves, etc. If dirty, clean
by gently spraying water from a garden hose vertically
down the face of the condenser.
Check the coolant recovery bottle tubing for brittle
rubber, cracking, tears, cuts, and tightness of the con-
nection at the bottle and radiator. Inspect the entire
system for leaks.
Cooling System – Drain, Flush, And Refill
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
If the solution is dirty or contains a considerable
amount of sediment, clean and flush with a reliable
cooling system cleaner. Follow with a thorough rinsing to remove all deposits and chemicals. Properly dispose
of the old engine coolant (antifreeze) solution.
Selection Of Coolant – Gasoline Engine
Use only the manufacturer's recommended coolant.
Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts” in
“Technical Specifications” for further information.
Mixing of engine coolant (antifreeze)
other than specified engine coolant (an-
tifreeze), may result in engine damage
and may decrease corrosion protection. If a non-
specified engine coolant (antifreeze) is intro-
duced into the cooling system in an emergency, it
should be replaced with the specified engine cool-
ant (antifreeze) as soon as possible.
Do not use plain water alone or alcohol-based
engine coolant (antifreeze) products. Do not use
additional rust inhibitors or antirust products, as
they may not be compatible with the radiator
engine coolant (antifreeze) and may plug the
radiator.
This vehicle has not been designed for use with
Propylene Glycol based engine coolant (anti-
freeze). Use of Propylene Glycol based engine
coolant (antifreeze) is not recommended.
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ARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS
Selection Of Coolant – Diesel Engine
Use only the manufacturer's recommended coolant
(antifreeze). Refer to “Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine
Parts” in “Technical Specifications” for further informa-
tion.
Do not use HOAT (Hybrid Organic
Additive Technology) products in the Die-
sel Engine.
Do not use OAT (Organic Additive Technology)
products containing 2-EH (2–ethyl hexanol).
Do not use plain water alone or alcohol base
engine coolant (antifreeze) products. Do not use
additional rust inhibitors or antirust products, as
they may not be compatible with the radiator
engine coolant and may plug the radiator.
This vehicle has not been designed for use with
Propylene Glycol based coolants. Use of Propyl-
ene Glycol based coolants is not recommended.
Adding Coolant – Gasoline Engine
Your vehicle has been built with an improved engine
coolant (antifreeze) that allows extended maintenance
intervals. This coolant (antifreeze) can be used up to
ten years or 240 000 km before replacement. To
prevent reducing this extended maintenance period, it
is important that you use the same coolant throughout
the life of your vehicle. Use only high purity water such as distilled or deion-
ized water when mixing the water/engine coolant (an-
tifreeze) solution. The use of lower quality water will
reduce the amount of corrosion protection in the
engine cooling system.
Please note that it is the owner's responsibility to
maintain the proper level of protection against freezing
according to the temperatures occurring in the area
where the vehicle is operated.
NOTE:
Mixing coolant types will decrease the life of
the engine coolant (antifreeze) and will require more
frequent coolant changes.
Adding Coolant – Diesel Engine
Your vehicle has been built with an improved engine
coolant (antifreeze) that allows extended maintenance
intervals. To prevent reducing this extended mainte-
nance period, it is important that you use the same
coolant throughout the life of your vehicle.
Please note that it is the owner's responsibility to
maintain the proper level of protection against freezing
according to the temperatures occurring in the area
where the vehicle is operated.
NOTE: Mixing coolant types will decrease the life of
the engine coolant (antifreeze) and will require more
frequent coolant changes.
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WARNING
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CARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS