WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury
ac
cident . Follow these guidelines to
make your trailer towing as safe as possible:
Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer
and that it will not shift during travel.When trailering
cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load shifts can
occur that may be difficult for the driver to control.
You could lose control of your vehicle and have an
accident .
All trailer hitches should be professionally
installed on your vehicle.
When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can
cause a loss of control, poor performance, or
damage to brakes, axle, engine, transmission,
steering, suspension, chassis structure, or tires.
Safety chains must always be used between
your vehicle and trailer. Always connect the
chains to the frame or hook retainers of the
vehicle hitch. Cross the chains under the trailer
tongue and allow enough slack for turning cor-
ners.
(Continued)(Continued)
Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on
a grade. When parking, apply the parking brake
on the tow vehicle. Always, block or "chock" the
trailer wheels.
GCWR must not be exceeded.
Total weight must be distributed between the
tow vehicle and the trailer such that the following
four ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4. Tongue weight rating for the trailer hitch uti- lized.
Towing Requirements – Tires
– Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a compact spare tire.
– Proper tire inflation pressures are essential for the safe and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Refer
to “Tires – General Information” in “Technical Speci-
fications” for proper tire inflation procedures.
– Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation pres- sures before trailer usage.
230
KNOWING YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTSAND
MESSA
GES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
CARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS
Do not use sling type equipment when
towing. Damage to the fascia will occur.
When securing the vehicle to a flatbed
truck, do not attach to front or rear suspension
components. Damage to your vehicle may result
from improper towing.
Do not push or tow this vehicle with another
vehicle as damage to the bumper fascia and trans-
mission may result .
If the vehicle being towed requires steering, the
ignition switch must be in the ON/RUN position,
not in the OFF or ACC position.
WITHOUT THE KEY FOB
Special care must be taken when the vehicle is towed
with the ignition in the OFF position. Flatbed towing is
the preferred towing method. However, if a flatbed
towing vehicle is not available, wheel lift towing equip-
ment may be used. Rear towing (with the front wheels
on the ground) is not allowed, as transmission damage
will occur. If rear towing is the only alternative, the
front wheels must be placed on a towing dolly. Proper
towing equipment is necessary to prevent damage to
the vehicle. All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Models
The manufacturer requires towing with all four wheels
OFF
the ground. Acceptable methods are to tow the
vehicle on a flatbed, or with one end of vehicle raised
and the opposite end on a towing dolly.
Failure to follow these towing methods
can cause severe damage to the trans-
mission and/or transfer case. Such dam-
age is not covered by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
281
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS
AND
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
WARNING!
Tires and spare tire should be replaced
af
ter six years, regardless of the remain-
ing tread. Failure to follow this warning can result
in sudden tire failure.You could lose control and
have a collision resulting in serious injury or
death.
Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry place with as little
exposure to light as possible. Protect tires from con-
tact with oil, grease, and gasoline.
REPLACEMENT TIRES
The tires on your new vehicle provide a balance of
many characteristics. They should be inspected regu-
larly for wear and correct cold tire inflation pressure.
The manufacturer strongly recommends that you use
tires equivalent to the originals in size, quality and
performance when replacement is needed (refer to the
paragraph on “Tread Wear Indicators”). Refer to the
“Tire and Loading Information” placard for the size
designation of your tire. The Load Index and Speed
Symbol for your tire will be found on the original
equipment tire sidewall.
It is recommended to replace the two front tires or
two rear tires as a pair. Replacing just one tire can
seriously affect your vehicle’s handling. If you ever replace a wheel, make sure that the wheel’s specifica-
tions match those of the original wheels.
It is recommended you contact your original equip-
ment or an authorized tire dealer with any questions
you may have on tire specifications or capability. Failure
to use equivalent replacement tires may adversely af-
fect the safety, handling, and ride of your vehicle.
NOTE:
Always respect the sizes of tires given in the
Registration Document/Certificate.
WARNING!
Do
not use a tire, wheel size or rating
other than that specified for your ve-
hicle. Some combinations of unapproved tires
and wheels may change suspension dimensions
and performance characteristics, resulting in
changes to steering, handling, and braking of your
vehicle. This can cause unpredictable handling
and stress to steering and suspension compo-
nents.You could lose control and have a collision
resulting in serious injury or death. Use only the
tire and wheel sizes with load ratings approved
for your vehicle.
(Continued)
322
KNOWING YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTSAND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
CARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS
(Continued)
Never use a tire with a smaller load index or
capacity, other than what was originally
equipped on your vehicle. Using a tire with a
smaller load index could result in tire overloading
and failure. You could lose control and have a
collision.
Failure to equip your vehicle with tires having
adequate speed capability can result in sudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
Replacing original tires with tires of a
different size may result in false speed-
ometer and odometer readings. TIRE CHAINS
Use of Security Chain Company (SCC) Super Z6
SZ143 or Iceman Z6 IZ-643 cables or equivalent are
recommended on 225/65R17 tires.
NOTE:
These chains can be found referring to an authorized
FIAT Dealership.
Do not use tire chains on a compact spare tire.
To avoid damage to your vehicle or tires,
observe the following precautions:
Use chains on 225/65R17 tires only.
Because of restricted chain clearance between
tires and other suspension components, it is im-
portant that only chains in good condition are
used. Broken chains can cause serious damage.
Stop the vehicle immediately if noise occurs that
could indicate chain breakage. Remove the dam-
aged parts of the chain before further use.
Install chains on the front wheels as tightly as
possible and then retighten after driving about
0.8 km.
(Continued)
323
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS
AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
CARETECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONSCONTENTS