2014 Alfa Romeo 4C Owner handbook (in English)

STARTING THE
ENGINEProcedure
84) 85) 86)
❒press the brake pedal;
❒ turn the ignition key to AVV and
release it as soon as the engine
starts.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
8) 9)
❒ If the engine does not start at the first
attempt, return the ignition key to
STOP before repeating the
procedure.
❒ If, when the ignition key is at
MAR-ON, the
instrument panel
warning light stays on together with
the
warning light, turn the key
to STOP and then back to MAR-ON;
if the warning light stays on, try the
other keys provided with the vehicle.
If it is still not possible to start the
engine, contact a dedicated Alfa
Romeo Dealership.
❒ Do not leave the ignition key at
MAR-ON when the engine is
stopped. WARMING UP THE
ENGINE JUST AFTER IT
HAS STARTED
Procedure
❒
drive off slowly, letting the engine turn
at medium revs. Do not accelerate
abruptly;
❒ do not demand full performance at
first. It is advisable to wait until the
digital engine coolant temperature
indicator starts moving.
SWITCHING OFF THE
ENGINE
Procedure
Turn the ignition key to STOP while the
engine is idling.
10)
IMPORTANT After a demanding drive,
keep the engine idling for at least a
couple of minutes before stopping it, in
order to permit the temperature inside
the engine compartment to lower.
WARNING
84) It is dangerous to run the engine in enclosed areas. The engine
takes in oxygen and releases
carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide
and other toxic gases.
85) The brake servo is not active until the engine is started, so
you would need to apply much
more force than usual to the
brake pedal.
86) Do not start the engine by pushing, towing or driving
downhill. These manoeuvres may
damage the catalytic converter.
IMPORTANT
8) It is advisable not to demandmaximum performance from your
car (e.g. excessive acceleration,
long distances at maximum rpm,
excessively intense braking, etc.)
when it is first used.
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9) When the engine is off, do notleave the ignition key turned to
MAR-ON to prevent unnecessary
electrical consumption from
draining the battery.
10) A quick burst on the accelerator before turning off the engine
serves absolutely no practical
purpose; it wastes fuel and is
especially damaging to
turbocharged engines.
PARKINGAlways remove the ignition key when
leaving the car.
When parking and leaving the car,
proceed as follows:
❒engage a gear (first gear if parked
uphill or reverse if facing downhill)
and leave the wheels turned;
❒ stop the engine and engage the
handbrake.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a
stone if the car is parked on a steep
slope.
Wait until the indication of the gear
engaged disappears on the display
before releasing the brake pedal.
87)
IMPORTANT: NEVERleave the car with
the gearbox in neutral.
HANDBRAKE
To engage it, pull lever A fig. 73
upwards until the car is secured. When
the handbrake is engaged and the
ignition key is at MAR-ON, the
warning light will switch on in the
instrument panel.
To release the handbrake, raise lever A
slightly, hold down button B and lower
the lever. The
warning light in the
instrument panel will switch off. Four or five clicks are generally enough
when the car is on level ground, while
ten or eleven may be required if the car
is on a steep slope and laden.
88)
IMPORTANT Carry out these
manoeuvres with the brake pedal
pressed.
WARNING
87) Never leave children unattended
in the car. Always remove the key
from the ignition device when
leaving the car and take it with
you.73
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88) The car must be locked after afew clicks of the parking brake: if
this is not so, contact the
dedicated Alfa Romeo Dealership
to have it adjusted. Always park
the vehicle safely as indicated by
the Highway Code and as
described above.
USING THE
TRANSMISSIONThe 4C features the TCT 6-speed twin
dry clutch transmission with steering
wheel controls. This is an advanced
technical solution which combines the
control of a manual gearbox, the
immediacy of a sequential system and
the convenience of being able to select
an automatic selection programme
without the slowdown of a conventional
automatic transmission.
With the key removed from the ignition,
the system will not implement any
action when the buttons on the
transmission control panel on the
central tunnel fig. 74 are pressed,
irrespective of the pressure applied to
the brake pedal. Therefore, the
transmission will remain in the condition
that it was in when the engine was
switched off. With car stationary and key at MAR-ON
(ignition-operated electrical services
activated), the screen displays the gear
engaged and the active operating
mode (automatic =
AUTOor manual =
no display).
OPERATING MODES
The transmission can operate in two
operating modes (except when the
"Race" mode is selected):
❒ the first manual type (MANUAL), in
which the driver decides directly
when to change gear;
❒ the second completely automatic
(AUTO), in which the system decides
when to change gear.
When the "Race" mode is selected, the
only allowed operating mode is
MANUAL.
Manual operation
(MANUAL)
In this operating mode, the driver is
responsible for choosing the best gear
to engage, depending on the car
operating conditions.
Use the “+” steering wheel stalk to
engage a higher gear, or the “–” stalk to
engage a lower gear (see the following
paragraph, "Steering wheel stalks").74
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If the request is accepted by the
system, the display shows the new
gear engaged.
If the request is not accepted by the
system, the display shows the gear
engaged before the request and emits
an acoustic signal.
If the gear change request may
adversely affect the correct operation of
the engine and the transmission, the
system will not allow it. The system will
also automatically change down if the
engine is idling (e.g. during
deceleration).Automatic operation
(AUTO)
To activate/deactivate automatic
operation (AUTO) press the
A/M
button on the transmission control
panel fig. 74; activation is signalled by
the word AUTOon the display, next
to the gear engaged fig. 76.
In AUTO mode the system changes
gear depending on the car speed, the
engine rpm and the intensity with which
the accelerator pedal is pressed.
To move the stationary car, 1st gear or
reverse (R) must always be engaged
(with brake pedal depressed). “Kick Down” function
The system also has the“Kick Down”
function: if necessary (e.g. when
overtaking), the system changes down
one or more gears when the
accelerator pedal is depressed beyond
the point where it becomes stiff (and
if the rpm allow it) in order to provide
suitable power and torque for the
acceleration requested by the driver.
When implementing the "Kick Down"
function, the system ensures varying
transmission management in
accordance with the selected DNA
mode.75
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76
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LEVERS ON THE
STEERING WHEEL
These enable sequential gear shifting
fig. 77.
– steering wheel stalk "+(pulling stalk
towards driver, see fig. 78): engage
higher gear;
– steering wheel stalk "– (pulling stalk
towards driver, see fig. 78): engage
lower gear. The engagement of a lower (or higher)
gear is only permitted if the engine
rpm allow it.
STARTING THE CAR
To start the engine press the brake
pedal: the system engages neutral (N)
automatically.
After the starting procedure, 1st gear
(1) or reverse (R) can be engaged.
Irrespective of the mode selected
(AUTO/MANUAL), to engage 1st gear
or reverse (R), it is necessary to press
the brake pedal and press the
1button
on the transmission control panel (or
the "+" steering wheel stalk) to engage
1st gear or the Rbutton to engage
reverse.
When 1st gear is engaged, the system
sets itself to AUTOmode.
Neutral (N) can be engaged again by
pressing the Nbutton with the brake
pedal pressed.
When the 1,Nor Rbuttons are
pressed (or "+" steering wheel stalk is
operated) without pressing the brake
pedal, no gear change request is
implemented by the system.
IMPORTANT Reverse cannot be
engaged by pressing the "-" stalk on
the steering wheel. Important information
If starting is requested with a
transmission failure (see "Warning lights
and messages" paragraph), carry out
the “Delayed start-up” procedure: when
the key is turned to AVV for at least 7
seconds with brake pedal pressed, the
engine will be started. The system will
remain in “recovery” condition.
If the engine does not start, contact a
dedicated Alfa Romeo Dealership.
When the driver's door is opened, the
system activates the hydraulic
components so that they are prepared
for the subsequent engine starting.
MOVING THE CAR
The car can set off both in 1st gear and
reverse (R).
Notes (concerning car
start-up)
The gears can only be engaged by
pressing the brake pedal. If the brake
pedal is not depressed, the display will
show a dedicated message.
It is not possible to set off in a higher
gear than 1st: if this is attempted,
the display shows a dedicated
message.77
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78
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When setting off on a medium-steep
incline, it is advisable to engage the
handbrake.
Engaging 1st gear
Proceed as follows:
❒press the brake pedal;
❒ press the 1button on the
transmission control panel;
❒ release the brake pedal and press
the accelerator pedal.
Engaging reverse (R)
Reverse (R) can only be engaged with
car stationary and brake pedal pressed.
Proceed as follows:
❒ press the brake pedal (car completely
stationary);
❒ press the R button on the
transmission control panel;
❒ release the brake pedal and press
the accelerator pedal. When reverse
is engaged, the system emits an
acoustic signal (for versions/markets,
where provided).
If the brake pedal is not depressed (and
the car is stationary), the display will
show a dedicated message and the
system will automatically engage
neutral (N). IMPORTANT With the car running, the
request is accepted and executed if the
car speed drops below 3 km/h within
3 seconds from the request: if the
request is not executed, the system will
maintain the gear engaged or, if the
speed of the car drops below 10 km/h,
will put the transmission in neutral (N)
and the manoeuvre will have to be
repeated.
ENGAGING NEUTRAL (N)
With car stationary and ignition key at
MAR-ON (irrespective of the condition
of the engine), neutral (N) can only
be engaged with the brake pedal
pressed.
If the car is in motion, neutral (N) can
always be engaged, irrespective of the
pressure applied to the brake and
accelerator pedals.
The display will show the letter
N
together with the active operating
mode.
With car in motion, to engage a gear
from the neutral (N) position, press the
1 button on the transmission control
panel (it is not necessary to press
the brake pedal): the transmission will
immediately engage the correct gear
according to the car’s speed. With car stationary and ignition key at
MAR-ON (irrespective of the condition
of the engine), 1st gear can only be
engaged with the brake pedal pressed.
LAUNCH CONTROL
The "Launch Control" strategy permits
high-performance starting.
This strategy can be activated with
vehicle at a standstill, Dynamic or Race
mode selected and 1st gear engaged.
The sequence of operations to perform
is as follows:
❒
press the brake pedal and hold it
down;
❒ press the accelerator pedal and hold
it down;
❒ press the "–" stalk behind the
steering wheel;
When the brake pedal is released, the
car will start with maximum
acceleration.
89)
To abandon the strategy, simply
interrupt the above sequence
of operations or release the accelerator
pedal.
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DISPLAYED
INFORMATION
When the key is turned to MAR-ON,
after about 1 second, the display
shows the transmission in neutral
indication (N). When driving, the display
shows the gear engaged and the active
mode (AUTOorMANUAL). The
indications on the display have the
following meanings:
N = neutral;
1 = first gear;
2 = second gear
3 = third gear;
4 = fourth gear;
5 = fifth gear;
6 = sixth gear;
R = reverse.
The car always starts in neutral. When
1st gear is requested, the system
forces the selection of AUTOmode.
IMPORTANT If 10 seconds elapse with
the ignition key in the MAR-ON
position and the display does not show
the gear engaged, turn the key to the
STOP position, wait for the display
to switch off and then repeat the
procedure. If the fault persists, contact
a dedicated Alfa Romeo Dealership. ACOUSTIC SIGNAL
For safety reasons, an acoustic signal is
emitted when the car is parked with
the transmission in neutral (N) (the
signal can be heard when the ignition
key is turned to
STOP).
With the car stationary, the engine
started and (1st) gear or (R) engaged,
the system activates the acoustic signal
and automatically places the
transmission in neutral (N) when:
❒ the accelerator and/or brake pedal
are not operated for at least 3
minutes;
❒ the brake pedal is pressed for longer
than 10 minutes;
❒ the driver's door is opened and the
accelerator pedal or the brake pedal
are not operated for at least one
and a half seconds;
❒ a fault has been detected in the
transmission.
PARKING THE CAR
When parking and leaving the car,
proceed as follows:
❒ engage a gear (1st gear if facing
uphill or reverse if facing downhill)
and leave the wheels turned;
❒ stop the engine and engage the
handbrake. Block the wheels with a wedge or a
stone if the car is parked on a steep
slope.
Wait until the indication of the gear
engaged disappears on the display
before releasing the brake pedal.
IMPORTANT:
NEVERleave the car with
the transmission in neutral.
GENERAL WARNINGS
❒ With car stationary and gear
engaged, always keep the brake
pedal pressed until you decide to set
off, then release the brake and
accelerate gradually.
❒ During prolonged stops with the
engine running, it is advisable to keep
the transmission in neutral (N).
❒ In order to safeguard the efficiency of
the clutch, do not use the accelerator
to keep the car stationary (e.g. when
stopped on an incline). The clutch
could overheat and be damaged: use
the brake pedal or the handbrake
and only operate the accelerator
pedal when you decide to set off.
❒ If, with reverse gear (R) engaged, you
have to engage 1st gear or vice
versa, only do this when the car is
completely stationary and with the
brake pedal pressed.
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❒If it is necessary to proceed downhill
with transmission in neutral (N) for
unexpected reasons, bearing in mind
that this practice is highly inadvisable,
remember that when gear
engagement is requested, the
system will automatically engage the
best gear to permit the correct
transmission of drive torque to the
wheels, according to the speed
of the car.
❒ When necessary, it is possible to
engage 1st gear, reverse (R) or
neutral (N) with the engine off, the
key at MAR-ON and the brake
pressed. In this case, change gear
leaving at least 5 seconds between
one gear change and the next, in
order to safeguard the operation of
the hydraulic system, and the pump
in particular.
❒ For uphill departures, it is advisable
to accelerate gradually but fully
immediately after releasing the
handbrake or the brake pedal; this
allows the engine to temporarily
increase the number of revs and
tackle the steepest gradients with
more torque at the wheels.
SAVING FUELAlfa Romeo has designed and built the
vehicle using technologies, materials
and devices able to reduce negative
environmental impact. Here are some
suggestions to further contribute to
environmental protection.
GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried
out in accordance with the “Scheduled
Servicing Plan”.
Tyres
Check the tyre pressures at least once
every four weeks: if the pressure is
too low, consumption levels increase as
resistance to rolling is higher.
Climate control system
The use of the climate control system
leads to higher fuel consumption. If the
temperature outside permits, try to
use ventilation only.
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WARNING
89) The Launch control function is
only available in the Dynamic or
Race mode. Regardless of what is
explicitly indicated in the
description of these modes, the
ESC and ASR systems are
deactivated during operation of
the Launch Control function. This
means that vehicle dynamic
control is always the responsibility
of the driver. Therefore pay the
utmost attention when using the
Launch Control. Take into account
traffic and road surface conditions
and during manoeuvres make
sure there is enough room in the
area concerned.