2013 FIAT FREEMONT Owner handbook (in English)

DOWNSHIFTING
Proper downshifting will improve fuel economy and
prolong engine life.
If you skip a gear while downshifting or
downshift at too high a vehicle speed, you
could damage the engine, transmission,
or clutch.
To maintain a safe speed and prolong brake life, shift
down to second or first when descending a steep
grade.
When turning a corner, or driving up a steep grade,
downshift early so that the engine will not be overbur-
dened. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (for
versions/markets, where
provided)
Damage to the transmission may occur if
the following precautions are not ob-
served:
 Shift into PARK only after the vehicle has come
to a complete stop.
 Shift into or out of REVERSE only after the
vehicle has come to a complete stop and the
engine is at idle speed.
 Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is above idle
speed.
 Before shifting into any gear, make sure your
foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal
down while shifting out of PARK.
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WARNING!
 It
is dangerous to shift out of PARK or
NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing
the brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse.You could lose con-
trol of the vehicle and hit someone or something.
Only shift into gear when the engine is idling
normally and when your foot is firmly pressing
the brake pedal.
 Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply
the parking brake, shift the transmission into
PARK, and turn the engine off.When the ignition
is in the OFF position, the shift lever is locked in
PARK, securing the vehicle against unwanted
movement .
 When leaving the vehicle, always lock your
vehicle.
 Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle.
(Continued)(Continued)
 Allowing children to be in a vehicle unattended
is dangerous for a number of reasons. A child or
others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.
 Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle,
and do not leave Keyless Enter-N-Go™ in the
ACC or ON/RUN mode. A child could operate
power windows, other controls, or move the ve-
hicle.
KEY IGNITION PARK INTERLOCK
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Inter-
lock which requires the shift lever to be placed in PARK
before the engine can be turned off. This helps the
driver avoid inadvertently leaving the vehicle without
placing the transmission in PARK.
This system also locks the shift lever in PARK when-
ever the ignition switch is in the OFF position.
BRAKE/TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK
SYSTEM
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock System (BTSI) that holds the shift lever in the
PARK position unless the brakes are applied. To move
the shift lever out of PARK, the ignition switch must be
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turned to the ON/RUN position (engine running or
not) and the brake pedal must be pressed.
GEAR RANGES
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
NOTE:After selecting any gear range, wait a mo-
ment to allow the selected gear to engage before
accelerating. This is especially important when the
engine is cold.
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking
the transmission. The engine can be started in this
range. Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is
in motion. Apply the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle in this range.
When parking on a level surface, you may place the
shift lever in PARK first, and then apply the parking
brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise the load on
the transmission locking mechanism may make it diffi-
cult to move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added
precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a
downhill grade and away from the curb on an uphill
grade.
WARNING!
 N
ever use the PARK position as a
substitute for the parking brake. Always
apply the parking brake fully when parked to
guard against vehicle movement and possible
injury or damage.
 Your vehicle could move and injure you and
others if it is not completely in PARK. Check by
trying to move the shift lever rearward (with the
brake pedal released) after you have placed it in
PARK. Make sure the transmission is in PARK
before leaving the vehicle.
 It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of
PARK or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing
the brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse.You could lose con-
trol of the vehicle and hit someone or something.
Only shift into gear when the engine is idling
normally and your foot is firmly pressing the
brake pedal.
(Continued)
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(Continued)
 Unintended movement of a vehicle could in-
jure those in or near the vehicle. As with all
vehicles, you should never exit a vehicle while the
engine is running. Before exiting a vehicle, always
apply the parking brake, shift the transmission
into PARK, and turn the engine off. When the
ignition is in the OFF position, the shift lever is
locked in the PARK, securing the vehicle against
unwanted movement . Furthermore, you should
never leave unattended children inside a vehicle.
 Never leave children alone in a vehicle. Leav-
ing children in a vehicle unattended is dangerous
for a number of reasons. A child or others could
be seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake
pedal or the shift lever. Do not leave the key fob
in or near the vehicle, and do not leave the
ignition in the in the ACC or RUN position.A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
 Before moving the shift lever out of
PARK, you must turn the ignition switch
from the LOCK/OFF position to the ON/
RUN position, and also press the brake pedal.
Otherwise, damage to the shift lever 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 posi-
tion:
 When shifting into PARK, firmly 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 display 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 complete
stop.
NEUTRAL
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for pro-
longed periods with the engine running. The engine
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may be started in this range. Apply the parking brake
and shift the transmission into PARK if you must leave
the vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never
t
urn off the ignition to coast down a hill.
These are unsafe practices that limit your re-
sponse to changing traffic or road conditions.You
might lose control of the vehicle and have a
collision.Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving
for any other reason with the transmis-
sion in NEUTRAL can result in severe
transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational Tow-
ing” in “Starting and Driving” and “Towing A Dis-
abled Vehicle” in “In An Emergency” 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 characteris-
tics 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
®
shift control (refer to “AutoStick
®” in this section) to
select a lower gear. Under these conditions, using a
lower gear will improve performance and extend trans-
mission life by reducing excessive shifting and heat
buildup.
If the transmission temperature exceeds normal oper-
ating limits, the powertrain controller will modify the
transmission shift schedule and expand the range of
torque converter clutch engagement. This is done to
prevent transmission damage due to overheating.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation may
be modified depending on engine and transmission
temperature as well as vehicle speed. This feature
improves warm up time of the engine and transmission
to achieve maximum efficiency. Engagement of the
torque converter clutch is inhibited until the transmis-
sion fluid is warm (refer to the “Note” under “Torque
Converter Clutch” in this section). During extremely
cold temperatures (­27°C or below), operation may
briefly be limited to second gear only. Normal opera-
tion will resume once the transmission temperature
has risen to a suitable level.
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Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for
abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected that
could result in transmission damage, Transmission
Limp Home Mode is activated. In this mode, the trans-
mission remains in second gear regardless of which
forward gear is selected. PARK, REVERSE, and NEU-
TRAL will continue to operate. The Malfunction Indi-
cator Light (MIL) may be illuminated. Limp Home Mode
allows the vehicle to be driven to an authorized dealer
for service without damaging the transmission.
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 nolonger detected, the transmission will return to
normal operation. 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 diagnostic equipment to determine if the
problem could recur.
If the transmission cannot be reset, authorized dealer
service is required.
Override Operation
The automatic transmission includes an electronically
controlled Overdrive (fourth gear). The transmission
will automatically shift into Overdrive if the following
conditions are present:
 the shift lever is in the DRIVE position,
 the transmission fluid has reached an adequate tem- perature,
 the engine coolant has reached an adequate tem- perature, and
 vehicle speed is sufficiently high, and
 the driver is not heavily pressing the accelerator.
Torque Converter Clutch
A feature designed to improve fuel economy has been
included in the automatic transmission on your vehicle.
A clutch within the torque converter engages auto-
matically at calibrated speeds. This may result in a
slightly different feeling or response during normal
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operation in the upper gears. When the vehicle speed
drops or during some accelerations, the clutch auto-
matically disengages.
NOTE:The torque converter clutch will not engage
until the transmission fluid and engine coolant are
warm [usually after 2 to 5 km of driving]. Because the
engine speed is higher when the torque converter
clutch is not engaged, it may seem as if the transmission
is not shifting into Overdrive when cold. This is normal.
Using the AutoStick
®shift control, when the transmis-
sion is sufficiently warm, will demonstrate that the
transmission is able to shift into and out of Overdrive.
SIX-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
(for versions/markets, where provided)
The shift lever position display (located in the instru-
ment cluster) indicates the transmission gear range.
You must press the brake pedal to move the shift lever
out of PARK (refer to “Brake/Transmission Shift Inter-
lock System” in this section). To drive, move the shift
lever from PARK or NEUTRAL to the DRIVE position.
The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics are
self-calibrating; therefore, the first few shifts on a new
vehicle may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and precision shifts will develop within a few
hundred kilometers. Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE when the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.
Be sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when
shifting between these gears.
The transmission shift lever has PARK, REVERSE,
NEUTRAL, DRIVE, and AutoStick
®
shift positions.
Manual shifts can be made using the AutoStick
®shift
control (refer to “AutoStick
®” in “Starting And Driv-
ing” for further information). Moving the shift lever to
the left or right (-/+) while in the AutoStick
®position
(below the Drive position) will manually select the
transmission gear, and will display the current gear in
the instrument cluster as 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
GEAR RANGES
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
NOTE: After selecting any gear range, wait a mo-
ment to allow the selected gear to engage before
accelerating. This is especially important when the
engine is cold.
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking
the transmission. The engine can be started in this
range. Never attempt to use PARK while the vehicle is
in motion. Apply the parking brake when leaving the
vehicle in this range.
217
KNOWING
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When parking on a level surface, you may place the
shift lever in PARK first, and then apply the parking
brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake before
placing the shift lever in PARK, otherwise the load on
the transmission locking mechanism may make it diffi-
cult to move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added
precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a
downhill grade and away from the curb on an uphill
grade. (fig. 140)
WARNING!
 N
ever use the PARK position as a
substitute for the parking brake. Always
apply the parking brake fully when parked to
guard against vehicle movement and possible
injury or damage.
 Your vehicle could move and injure you and
others if it is not completely in PARK. Check by
trying to move the shift lever rearward (with the
brake pedal released) after you have placed it in
PARK. Make sure the transmission is in PARK
before leaving the vehicle.
 It is dangerous to move the shift lever out of
PARK or NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing
the brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse.You could lose con-
trol of the vehicle and hit someone or something.
Only shift into gear when the engine is idling
normally and your foot is firmly pressing the
brake pedal.
(Continued)
(fig. 140)Shift Lever
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