2014 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Owner's Manual

139) If the engine oil is being topped
up, wait for the engine to cool
down before loosening the filler
plug, particularly for cars with
aluminium plug (for versions/
markets, where provided).
WARNING: risk of burns!
140) The cooling system is
pressurised. If necessary, only
replace the plug with another
original or the operation of the
system may be adversely affected.
Do not remove the reservoir plug
when the engine is hot: you risk
burns.
141) Do not travel with the
windscreen washer reservoir
empty: the windscreen washer is
essential for improving visibility.
Repeated operation of the system
without fluid could damage or
cause rapid deterioration of some
system components.
142) Certain commercial additives
for windscreen washer fluids are
inflammable. The engine
compartment contains hot
components which may set it on
fire.143) Brake fluid is poisonous and
highly corrosive. In the event of
accidental contact, immediately
wash the affected parts with
water and mild soap. Then rinse
thoroughly. Call a doctor
immediately if swallowed.
144) The symbol
on the container
indicates a synthetic brake fluid,
which is different from a mineral
fluid. Using a mineral-type fluid
will damage the special rubber
seals of the braking system
beyond repair.
IMPORTANT
3) Used engine oil and oil filters
contain substances which are
harmful to the environment. You
are advised to contact an Alfa
Romeo Dealership to have the oil
and filters changed.
4) Used transmission fluid contains
substances that are harmful to
the environment. You are advised
to contact an Alfa Romeo
Dealership for oil changes.
AIR CLEANER/
POLLEN
FILTER/DIESEL
FILTERFor filter replacement, contact an Alfa
Romeo Dealership.
213

BATTERYBattery F (see previous pages) does not
require the electrolyte to be topped up
with distilled water. A periodic check
carried out at an Alfa Romeo Dealership
is, however, necessary to check
efficiency.
REPLACING THE
BATTERY
145) 146) 147) 148)36)5)
If necessary, replace the battery with
another original battery with the same
specifications. Follow the battery
manufacturer's instructions for
maintenance.
USEFUL ADVICE FOR
EXTENDING THE LIFE OF
YOUR BATTERY
To avoid draining your battery and
make it last longer, observe the
following instructions:
❒when you park the car, ensure that
the doors, tailgate and bonnet are
closed properly, to prevent any lights
from remaining on inside the
passenger's compartment;❒switch off all roof lights inside the car:
the car is however equipped with a
system which switches all internal
lights off automatically;
❒do not keep accessories (e.g. sound
system, hazard lights, etc.) switched
on for a long time when the engine
is not running;
❒before performing any operation on
the electrical system, disconnect
the negative battery cable.
IMPORTANT After the battery is
disconnected, the steering must be
initialised. The warning light switches
on to indicate this. To carry out this
procedure, simply turn the steering
wheel all the way from one end to the
other or drive in a straight line for about
a hundred metres.
IMPORTANT If the charge level remains
under 50% for a long time, the battery
is damaged by sulphation, reducing
its capacity and efficiency at start-up.
The battery will also be more at risk
of freezing (this can happen as early as
–10°C). Refer to the paragraph "Car
inactivity" in "Starting and driving"
chapter if the car is left parked for a
long time.If, after purchasing the car, you wish to
install electrical accessories which
require permanent electrical supply (e.g.
alarm, etc.) or accessories which
influence the electrical supply
requirements, contact an Alfa Romeo
Dealership, whose qualified staff will
evaluate the overall electrical
consumption.
WARNING
145) Battery liquid is poisonous and
corrosive. Avoid contact with the
skin and eyes. Keep naked flames
and sources of sparks away from
the battery: risk of explosion and
fire.
146) Using the battery with
insufficient fluid irreparably
damages the battery and may
cause an explosion.
147) If the car must remain unused
for a long time at a very low
temperature, remove the battery
and take it to a warm place, to
avoid freezing.
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE

148) When performing any
operation on the battery or near it,
always protect your eyes with
special goggles.
IMPORTANT
36) Incorrect assembly of electrical
and electronic accessories may
cause severe damage to your car.
Go to an Alfa Romeo Dealership
if you want to install accessories
(e.g. anti-theft, radio phone, etc.):
they will suggest the most
suitable devices and advise you
whether a higher capacity battery
needs to be installed.
IMPORTANT
5) Batteries contain substances
which are very dangerous for the
environment. For battery
replacement, contact an Alfa
Romeo Dealership.
WHEELS AND TYRESBefore embarking on a long trip, and
every two weeks, check the tyre
inflation pressure. Check the tyres when
cold.
149) 150) 151) 152)
It is normal for the pressure to increase
when the car is used; for the correct
tyre inflation pressure, see “Wheels” in
the “Technical specifications” chapter.
Incorrect pressure causes abnormal
tyre wear fig. 189:
A normal pressure: tread evenly worn;
B low pressure: tread particularly worn
at the edges;
C high pressure: tread particularly
worn in the centre.The tyres must be replaced when the
tread is less than 1.6 mm thick. In
any case, follow the laws in force in the
country you are in.
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION
Take the following precautions to
prevent damage to the tyres:
❒avoid violent impact against the kerb,
potholes or obstacles as well as
driving for extended periods on
uneven road surfaces;
❒periodically check that the tyres have
no cuts in the side walls, abnormal
swelling or irregular tread wear;
❒avoid travelling with the car
overloaded. If a tyre is punctured,
stop immediately and change it;
❒tyres age even if they are not used a
great deal. Cracks in the tread and
on the side walls are a sign of ageing.
Have the tyres checked by
specialised personnel if they have
been fitted for longer than 6 years;
❒in case of replacement, always fit
new tyres, avoiding those of dubious
origin;
❒if a tyre is changed, also change the
inflation valve.189
A0K0531
215

WARNING
149) The road holding qualities of
the car also depend on the correct
inflation pressure of the tyres.
150) If tyre pressure is too low, it
may overheat and be severely
damaged as a result.
151) Do not switch tyres from the
left to the right side and vice
versa, in order to prevent
inversion of the rotation direction.
152) Do not repaint alloy wheel rims
at temperatures higher than
150°C. The mechanical
characteristics of the wheels
might be compromised.
WINDSCREEN/REAR
WINDOW WIPERSBLADES
It is advisable to replace the blades
about once a year.
153)
A few simple precautions can reduce
the possibility of damage to the blade:
❒if the temperature falls below zero,
make sure that ice has not frozen
the rubber to the glass. Use an
antifreeze product to release it if
required;
❒remove any snow from the glass;
❒do not operate the windscreen/rear
window wipers on dry glass.
Replacing the
windscreen wiper
blades
Proceed as follows:
❒raise the wiper arm, press tab A fig.
190 of the attachment spring and
remove the blade from the arm;
❒fit the new blade by inserting the tab
into the special slot in the arm. Make
sure that it is properly locked into
place.
❒lower the wiper arm on the
windscreen.Raising the windscreen
wipers
If it is necessary to lift the blade from
the windscreen (e.g. in the event of
snow or if the blade needs
replacement) proceed as follows:
❒turn the ignition key to the MAR-ON
position;
❒operate the lever to the right of the
steering wheel to activate a
windscreen wiper stroke (see
paragraph "Window washing" in
chapter "Getting to know your car");
❒turn the ignition key to the STOP
position when the driver's side wiper
blade reaches the windscreen side
pillar and lift the windscreen wiper to
the rest position;
❒bring the wiper blades back into
contact with the windscreen before
activating the windscreen wiper.
190
A0K0532
216
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
37)

Replacing the rear
window wiper blade
Proceed as follows:
❒raise cover A fig. 191, undo nut B
and remove arm C;
❒correctly position the new arm, fully
tighten the nut B then lower the
cover A.
NOZZLES
Windscreen washer
The windscreen washer nozzles are
fixed fig. 192.
If there is no jet of fluid, firstly check
that there is some fluid in the reservoir
(see paragraph "Checking fluid levels"
in this chapter).Then check that the nozzle holes are
not clogged, if necessary use a needle.
Rear window washer
The nozzle holder is located on the rear
window fig. 193.
The rear window washer jets are fixed.HEADLIGHT WASHERS
(for versions/markets, where provided)
These are located within the front
bumper fig. 194.
They are activated when the dipped
beam and/or main beam headlights are
on and the windscreen washer is
activated.
Check the correct condition and
cleanliness of nozzles at regular
intervals.
WARNING
153) Driving with worn windscreen/
rear window wiper blades is a
serious hazard, because visibility
is reduced in bad weather.
191
A0K0533
192
A0K0139
193
A0K0102
194
A0K0534
217

IMPORTANT
37) Do not operate the windscreen
wiper with the blades lifted from
the windscreen.
BODYWORKPROTECTION AGAINST
ATMOSPHERIC AGENTS
The car is equipped with the best
available technological solutions to
effectively protect the bodywork against
corrosion.
These include:
❒painting products and systems which
give the car resistance to corrosion
and abrasion
❒use of galvanised (or pretreated) steel
sheets, with high resistance to
corrosion;
❒spraying of plastic parts, with a
protective function in the more
exposed points: underdoor, inner
wing, edges, etc;
❒use of “open” boxed sections to
prevent condensation and pockets of
moisture which could favour the
formation of rust inside;
❒use of special films to protect against
abrasion in exposed areas (e.g. rear
wing, doors, etc.).BODY AND UNDERBODY
WARRANTY
Your car is covered by warranty against
perforation due to rust of any original
element of the structure or bodywork.
For the general terms of this warranty,
refer to the Warranty Booklet.
PRESERVING THE
BODYWORK
Paintwork
6)
38)
Touch up abrasions and scratches
immediately to prevent the formation of
rust.
Maintenance of paintwork consists of
washing the car: the frequency
depends on the conditions and
environment where the car is used. For
example, it is advisable to wash the
car more often in areas with high levels
of atmospheric pollution or salted
roads.
On some versions the car may be
equipped, on request, with an exclusive
opaque paint on the roof which, in
order to be maintained intact, requires
special care: see the instructions in
the warning.
39)
To correctly wash the car, follow these
instructions:
218
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE

❒remove the aerial from the roof when
using a carwash;
❒if high pressure jets or cleaners are
used to wash the car, keep a
distance of at least 40 cm from the
bodywork to avoid damage or
alteration. Bear in mind that a build
up of water could cause damage
to the car in the long term;
❒wash the bodywork using a low
pressure jet of water;
❒wipe a sponge with a slightly soapy
solution over the bodywork,
frequently rinsing the sponge;
❒rinse well with water and dry with a
jet of air or a chamois leather.
Dry the less visible parts (e.g. door
frames, bonnet, headlight frames, etc.)
with special care, as water may
stagnate more easily in these areas. Do
not wash the car after it has been left
in the sun or with the bonnet hot:
this may alter the shine of the
paintwork.
Exterior plastic parts must be cleaned
in the same way as the rest of the car.IMPORTANT
Avoid parking under trees; the resin
dropped by trees makes the paintwork
go opaque and increases the possibility
of corrosion.
Bird droppings must be washed off
immediately and thoroughly as the acid
they contain is particularly aggressive.
Windows
Use specific detergents and clean
cloths to prevent scratching or altering
the transparency.
IMPORTANT Wipe the rear window
inside gently with a cloth following the
direction of the filaments to avoid
damaging the heating device.
Front headlights
Use a soft cloth soaked in water and
detergent for washing cars.
IMPORTANT Never use aromatic
substances (e.g. petrol) or ketenes (e.g.
acetone) for cleaning the plastic lenses
of the front headlights.
IMPORTANT When cleaning with a
pressure washer, keep the water jet at
least 20 cm away from the headlights.Engine compartment
At the end of every winter, wash the
engine compartment thoroughly, taking
care not to aim the jet of water directly
at the electronic control units or at
the windscreen wiper motors. Have this
operation performed at a specialised
workshop.
IMPORTANT The washing should take
place with the engine cold and the
ignition key in the STOP position. After
the washing operation, make sure
that the various protections (e.g. rubber
caps and guards) have not been
removed or damaged.
IMPORTANT
6) Detergents cause water pollution.
Only wash your car in areas
equipped to collect and treat
wastewater from this type
of activity.
219

IMPORTANT
38) In order to preserve the aesthetic
appearance of the paint abrasive
products and/or polishes should
not be used for cleaning the car.39) Avoid washing with rollers
and/or brushes in washing
stations. Wash the car only by
hand using neutral pH detergents;
dry it with a wet chamois leather.
Abrasive products and/or polishes
should not be used for cleaning
the car. Bird droppings must
be washed off immediately and
thoroughly as the acid they
contain is particularly aggressive.
Avoid (if at all possible) parking
the car under trees; remove
vegetable resins immediately as,
when dried, it may only be
possible to remove them with
abrasive products and/or polishes,
which is highly inadvisable as
they could alter the typical opacity
of the paint. Do not use pure
windscreen washer fluid for
cleaning the front windscreen and
rear window; dilute it min. 50%
with water. Only use pure screen
washer fluid when strictly
necessary due to outside
temperature conditions.
INTERIORS
154) 155) 156)
Periodically check the cleanliness of the
interior, beneath the mats, which could
cause oxidation of the sheet metal.
SEATS AND FABRIC
PARTS
Remove dust with a soft brush or a
vacuum cleaner. It is advisable to use a
moist brush on velvet upholstery. Rub
the seats with a sponge moistened with
a solution of water and neutral
detergent.
LEATHER SEATS
(for versions/markets, where provided)
Remove the dry dirt with a slightly
damp buckskin or cloth, without
exercising too much pressure. Remove
any liquid or grease stains using an
absorbent dry cloth, without rubbing.
Then clean with a soft cloth or buckskin
cloth dampened with water and mild
soap. If the stain persists, use specific
products and observe the instructions
carefully.
IMPORTANT Never use alcohol. Make
sure that the cleaning products used
contain no alcohol or alcohol
derivatives, even in small quantities.
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE