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
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
S
TARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
CARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS
Thousands Of Kilometers24 48 72 96 120 144 168 192
Months 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96
Inspect and replace PCV valve if necessary.
Check battery charge status and possibly recharge.
Check tire condition/wear and adjust pressure, if
necessary.
Check operation of lighting system (headlamps, direction
indicators, hazard warning lights, luggage compartment,
passenger compartment, glove compartment, instrument
panel warning lights, etc.).
Check windshield/rear window wiper blade
position/wear.
Check operation of windscreen washer system and
adjust jets if necessary.
Check cleanliness of hood and tailgate locks and
cleanliness and lubrication of linkages.
Visually inspect condition of: exterior bodywork,
underbody protection, pipes and hoses (exhaust - fuel
system - brakes), rubber elements (boots, sleeves,
bushes, etc.).
Check condition and wear of front disc brake pads.
Check condition and wear of rear disc brake pads.
Check and, if necessary, top up fluid levels
(brakes/hydraulic clutch, windshield washer, battery,
engine coolant, etc.).
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KNOWING YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
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WARNING LIGHTSAND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
C
ARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS
Periodic Checks
Every1,000 km or before long journeys, check and, if
necessary, restore:
engine coolant;
brake fluid;
windshield washer fluid level;
power steering fluid;
tire inflation pressure and condition;
operation of lighting system (headlights, 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 temperatures; engine often idling or driving long distances at low
speeds or long periods of idleness.
You should perform the following inspections more
frequently than shown on the Scheduled Servicing Plan:
check front disc brake pad conditions and wear;
check cleanliness of hood and trunk locks, cleanli- ness and lubrication of linkage;
visually inspect conditions of: engine, transmission, pipes and hoses (exhaust - fuel system - brakes) and
rubber elements (boots - sleeves - bushes - etc.);
check battery charge and battery fluid level (electro- lyte);
visually inspect condition of the accessory drive belts;
check and, if necessary, change engine oil and replace oil filter;
check and, if necessary, replace pollen filter;
check and, if necessary, replace air cleaner.
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE — DIESEL
ENGINE
Required Maintenance Intervals
Refer to the Maintenance Schedules on the following
pages for the required maintenance intervals.
286
KNOWING YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTSAND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
C
ARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS
Thousands Of Kilometers30 60 90 120 150 180
Months 24 48 72 96 120 144
Check tire condition/wear and adjust pressure if required.
Check lighting system operation (headlights, direction indicators,
hazard lights, passenger compartment lights, instrument panel
warning lights, etc.).
Check the position/wear of the windshield/rear window wiper
blades.
Check operation of windscreen washer system and adjust jets if
necessary.
Check condition and wear of front disc brake pads.
Check condition and wear of rear disc brake pads.
Conditions and visual check: bodywork exterior, underbody
protection, pipes and hoses (exhaust - fuel system - braking
system), rubber elements (boots - sleeves - etc.), CV joints, front
suspension, tie rod ends and boot seals, and replace if necessary.
Check cleanliness of hood latches, as well as cleanliness and
lubrication of linkages.
Check all fluid levels (engine coolant, brake/hydraulic clutch fluid,
windshield washer fluid, battery fluid, etc.), add if necessary.
Check exhaust fumes/emissions.
Check battery charge status and possibly recharge.
Check engine control system operation (via diagnostic socket).
287
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
CARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS
* Regardless of the distance covered, the timing belt
must be changed every 4 years for particularly demand-
ing use (cold climates, city driving, long periods of
idling) or at least every 5 years.
** If the car is used for less than 10,000 km per year, it
is necessary to replace engine oil and cartridge every
12 months.
*** The actual interval for replacement of engine oil
and cartridge depends by vehicle usage conditions and
is shown through a gauge or a message (if available) on
the dashboard.
Failure to perform the required mainte-
nance items may result in damage to the
vehicle.Periodic Checks
Every
1,000 km or before long journeys, check and, if
necessary, restore:
engine coolant;
brake fluid;
windshield washer fluid level;
power steering fluid;
tire inflation pressure and condition;
operation of lighting system (headlights, 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.
289
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
CARETECHNICAL
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.
305
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
CARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS
Cooling System Pressure Cap
The cap must be fully tightened to prevent loss of
engine coolant (antifreeze), and to ensure that engine
coolant (antifreeze) will return to the radiator from the
coolant recovery tank.
The cap should be inspected and cleaned if there is any
accumulation of foreign material on the sealing sur-
faces.
WARNING!
Th
e warning words “DO NOT OPEN
HOT” on the cooling system pressure
cap are a safety precaution. Never add engine
coolant (antifreeze) when the engine is over-
heated. Do not loosen or remove the cap to cool
an overheated engine. Heat causes pressure to
build up in the cooling system.To prevent scalding
or injury, do not remove the pressure cap while
the system is hot or under pressure.
Do not use a pressure cap other than the one
specified for your vehicle. Personal injury or en-
gine damage may result .
Disposal Of Used Coolant
Used ethylene glycol-based engine coolant is a regu-
lated substance requiring proper disposal. Check with
your local authorities to determine the disposal rules
for your community. To prevent ingestion by animals or children, do not store ethylene glycol-based engine
coolant in open containers or allow it to remain in
puddles on the ground. If ingested by a child, contact a
physician immediately. Clean up any ground spills im-
mediately.
Coolant Level
The radiator normally remains completely full, so there
is no need to remove the radiator cap unless checking
for coolant freeze point or replacing coolant. Advise
your service attendant of this. As long as the engine
operating temperature is satisfactory, the coolant
bottle need only be checked once a month. When
additional coolant 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 com-
ing from the front of the engine compartment. This is
normally a result of moisture from rain, snow, or high
humidity accumulating on the radiator and being vapor-
ized when the thermostat opens, allowing hot coolant
to enter the radiator.
If an examination of your engine compartment shows
no evidence of radiator or hose leaks, the vehicle may
be safely driven. The vapor will soon dissipate.
306
KNOWING YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTSAND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
C
ARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS
Do not overfill the coolant recovery bottle.
Check coolant freeze point in the radiator and in thecoolant recovery bottle. If antifreeze needs to be
added, contents of coolant recovery bottle must also
be protected against freezing.
If frequent coolant additions are required, or if the level in the coolant recovery bottle does not drop
when the engine cools, the cooling system should be
pressure tested for leaks.
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 Win- ter operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install
ONLY the correct type thermostat. Other designs
may result in unsatisfactory coolant performance,
poor gas mileage, and increased emissions.
BRAKE SYSTEM
In order to assure brake system performance, all brake
system components should be inspected periodically.
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule” for the proper
maintenance intervals.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake fail-
ure
and possibly an accident . Driving
with your foot resting or riding on the brake
pedal can result in abnormally high brake tem-
peratures, excessive lining wear, and possible
brake damage.You would not have your full brak-
ing capacity in an emergency.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.
Master Cylinder – Brake Fluid Level Check
Check the fluid level in the master cylinder immediately
if the “Brake 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. If necessary, add fluid to bring the
fluid level up to the requirements described on the
brake fluid reservoir.
307
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
CARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS