2014 FIAT 500 ABARTH Owners Manual

Cold Weather Operation
To prevent possible engine damage while starting at low
temperatures, this vehicle will inhibit engine cranking
when the ambient temperature is less than –22° F (–30° C)
and the oil temperature sensor reading indicates an
engine block heater has not been used. An externally-
powered electric engine block heater is available as
optional equipment or from your authorized dealer.
The message “plug in engine heater” will be displayed in
the instrument cluster when the ambient temperature is
below 5° F (–15° C) at the time the engine is shut off as a
reminder to avoid possible crank delays at the next cold
start.
CAUTION!
Use of the recommended SAE 5W-40 synthetic en-
gine oil and adhering to the prescribed oil change
intervals is important to prevent engine damage and
ensure satisfactory starting in cold conditions.
Extended Park Starting
NOTE:Extended Park condition occurs when the ve-
hicle has not been started or driven for at least 35 days.
1. Install a battery charger or jumper cables to the battery
to ensure a full battery charge during the crank cycle.
2. Place the ignition in the START position and release it
when the engine starts.
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3. If the engine fails to start within 10 seconds, place the
ignition to the STOP (OFF/LOCK) position, wait 5
seconds to allow the starter to cool, then repeat the
Extended Park Starting procedure.
4. If the engine fails to start after 8 attempts, allow the
starter to cool for at least 10 minutes, then repeat the
procedure.
If Engine Fails To Start
WARNING!
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
CAUTION!
•Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Unburned fuel could enter the catalytic
converter and once the engine has started, ignite
and damage the converter and vehicle.
•To prevent damage to the starter, do not continu-
ously crank the engine for more than 15 seconds at
a time. Wait 10 to 15 seconds before trying again.
After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
Turbocharger “Cool Down”
This vehicle is equipped with an after-run pump to cool
the turbocharger after the engine is shut off. Depending
on the type of driving and the amount of cargo, the pump
will run for up to 10 minutes after the engine has been
224 STARTING AND OPERATING

shut off to circulate coolant through the turbocharger.
Although the pump is rubber-mounted for quiet opera-
tion, it is normal to hear it running during this time.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
Five-Speed Manual Transmission
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should al-
ways be applied when the driver is not in the vehicle,
especially on an incline.Fully press the clutch pedal before you shift gears. As you
release the clutch pedal, lightly press the accelerator
pedal.
Shift Lever
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Use each gear in numerical order; do not skip a gear. Be
sure the transmission is in first gear, not third, when
starting from a standing position. Damage to the clutch
can result from starting in third gear.
For most city driving, you will find it easier to use only
the lower gears. For steady highway driving with light
accelerations, fifth gear is recommended.
Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal,
and never try to hold the vehicle on a hill with the clutch
pedal partially engaged. This will cause abnormal wear
on the clutch.
Never shift into REVERSE until the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
NOTE:During cold weather, until the transmission lu-
bricant is warm, you may experience slightly higher shift
efforts. This is normal and not harmful to the transmis-
sion.
Recommended Shift Speeds
To use your manual transmission for optimal fuel
economy, it should be upshifted as listed in the following
table.
Manual Transmission Recommended Shift Speeds
Units In mph (km/h)
Engine
Size
Accel-
era-
tion
Rate
1to2 2to3 3to4 4to5
1.4L
Turbo
Accel 14
(23)
23
(37)
29
(47)
38
(61)
Cruise 12
(19)
18
(29)
25
(40)
32
(52)
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Downshifting
Proper downshifting will improve fuel economy and
prolong engine life.
CAUTION!
If you skip a gear while downshifting or downshift
at too high of a vehicle speed, these conditions may
cause the engine to overspeed if too low of a gear is
selected and the clutch pedal is released. Damage to
the clutch and the transmission can result from
skipping a gear while downshifting or downshifting
at too high of a vehicle speed even if the clutch pedal
is held pressed (i.e., not released).
To maintain a safe speed and prolong brake life, shift
down to second or first gear 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.
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the driving wheels to pull
erratically to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs
when there is a difference in the surface traction under
the front (driving) wheels.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is dangerous.
Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of the
front wheels. You could lose control of the vehicle
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WARNING!(Continued)
and possibly have a collision. Accelerate slowly and
carefully whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is hydroplaning and may cause partial or
complete loss of vehicle control and stopping ability. To
reduce this possibility, the following precautions should
be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads are
slushy.
2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace the tires when tread wear indicators first
become visible.
4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in a
sudden stop.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Driving through water more than a few inches/
centimeters deep will require extra caution to ensure
safety and prevent damage to your vehicle.
Flowing/Rising Water
WARNING!
Do not drive on or across a road or path where water
is flowing and/or rising (as in storm run-off). Flow-
ing water can wear away the road or path’s surface
and cause your vehicle to sink into deeper water.
(Continued)
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WARNING!(Continued)
Furthermore, flowing and/or rising water can carry
your vehicle away swiftly. Failure to follow this
warning may result in injuries that are serious or
fatal to you, your passengers, and others around you.
Shallow Standing Water
Although your vehicle is capable of driving through
shallow standing water, consider the following Cautions
and Warnings before doing so.
CAUTION!
•Always check the depth of the standing water
before driving through it. Never drive through
standing water that is deeper than the bottom of
the tire rims mounted on the vehicle.
(Continued)
CAUTION!(Continued)
•Determine the condition of the road or the path
that is under water and if there are any obstacles in
the way before driving through the standing water.
•Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving
through standing water. This will minimize wave
effects.
•Driving through standing water may cause damage
to your vehicle’s drivetrain components. Always
inspect your vehicle’s fluids (i.e., engine oil, trans-
mission, axle, etc.) for signs of contamination (i.e.,
fluid that is milky or foamy in appearance) after
driving through standing water. Do not continue to
operate the vehicle if any fluid appears contami-
nated, as this may result in further damage. Such
damage is not covered by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
(Continued)
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CAUTION!(Continued)
•Getting water inside your vehicle’s engine can
cause it to lock up and stall out, and cause serious
internal damage to the engine. Such damage is not
covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
WARNING!
•Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s traction capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph
(8 km/h) when driving through standing water.
•Driving through standing water limits your vehi-
cle’s braking capabilities, which increases stopping
distances. Therefore, after driving through stand-
ing water, drive slowly and lightly press on the
brake pedal several times to dry the brakes.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Failure to follow these warnings may result in
injuries that are serious or fatal to you, your pas-
sengers, and others around you.
POWER STEERING
The electric power steering system will give you good
vehicle response and increased ease of maneuverability
in tight spaces. The system will vary its assist to provide
light efforts while parking and good feel while driving. If
the electric steering system experiences a fault that
prevents it from providing assist, you will still have the
ability to steer the vehicle manually.
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