The gauge pointer will likely indicate a higher tempera-
ture when driving in hot weather, up mountain grades,
or when towing a trailer. It should not be allowed to
exceed the upper limits of the normal operating range.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot engine cooling system could
damage your vehicle. If the temperature gauge reads
“260“, pull over and stop the vehicle. Idle the vehicle
with the air conditioner turned off until the pointer
drops back into the normal range. If the pointer
remains on the “260”, and you hear continuous
chimes, turn the engine off immediately and call an
authorized dealer for service.
WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
coolant. You may want to call an authorized dealer
for service if your vehicle overheats. If you decide to
look under the hood yourself, see “Maintaining Your
Vehicle.” Follow the warnings under the “Cooling
System Pressure Cap” paragraph.
27. Odometer / Trip Odometer / Electronic Vehicle Infor-
mation Center (EVIC) Display Area
This display indicates the total distance the vehicle has
been driven.
U.S. Federal regulations require that upon transfer of
vehicle ownership, the seller certify to the purchaser the
correct mileage that the vehicle has been driven. If your
odometer needs to be repaired or serviced, the repair
technician should leave the odometer reading the same
154 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL
as it was before the repair or service. If s/he cannot do so,
then the odometer must be set at zero, and a sticker must
be placed in the door jamb stating what the mileage was
before the repair or service. It is a good idea for you to
make a record of the odometer reading before the repair/
service, so that you can be sure that it is properly reset, or
that the door jamb sticker is accurate if the odometer
must be reset at zero.
NOTE:If the vehicle is equipped with the Electronic
Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) in the instrument
cluster, all warnings including “door” and “gate” and
“Change Engine Oil” will only be displayed in the EVIC
display. For additional information, refer to “Electronic
Vehicle Information Center (EVIC).”
Refer to the “Electronic Vehicle Information Center
(EVIC)” for further information.
28. Fuel Gauge / Fuel Door Reminder
The fuel door reminder indicates that the fuel filler door
is located on the right side of the vehicle. When the
ignition switch is in the ON/RUN position, the digital
scale will show the level of fuel remaining in the fuel
tank.
NOTE:The fuel gauge and range will not immediately
update accurately when refueling with the engine on.
29. Tachometer
The white area of the scale shows the permissible engine
revolutions-per-minute (RPM x 1000) for each gear range.
Before reaching the red area, ease up on the accelerator to
prevent engine damage.
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 155
•Do not overfill the coolant expansion bottle.
•Check the coolant freeze point in the radiator and in
the coolant expansion bottle. If engine coolant (anti-
freeze) needs to be added, the contents of the coolant
expansion bottle must also be protected against freez-
ing.
•If frequent engine coolant (antifreeze) additions are
required, the cooling system should be pressure tested
for leaks.
•Maintain engine coolant (antifreeze) concentration at a
minimum of 50% OAT coolant (conforming to MS-
12106) and distilled water for proper corrosion protec-
tion of your engine which contains aluminum compo-
nents.
•Make sure that the coolant expansion 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 Winter
operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install
ONLY the correct type thermostat. Other designs may
result in unsatisfactory engine coolant (antifreeze)
performance, poor gas mileage, and increased emis-
sions.
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.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 335
Maintenance Chart
Mileage or time passed (whichever comes first)20,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,00080,00090,000100,000110,000120,000130,000140,000150,000
Or Years:2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Or Kilometers:32,00048,00064,00080,00096,000112,000128,000144,000160,000176,000192,000208,000224,000240,000
Additional Inspections
Inspect the CV joints.XXXXX
Inspect front suspension, tie rod ends, boot seals,and replace if necessary.XXX X X X X
Inspect brake linings, replace if needed.XXX X X X X
Inspect parking brake function, adjust as neces-sary.XXX X X X X
362 MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES
Mileage or time passed (whichever comes first)20,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,00080,00090,000100,000110,000120,000130,000140,000150,000
Or Years:2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Or Kilometers:32,00048,00064,00080,00096,000112,000128,000144,000160,000176,000192,000208,000224,000240,000
Additional Maintenance
Replace cabin/air conditioning filter.XXX X X X X
Clean and lube sun roof tracks.XXX X X X X
Replace engine air filter.XXXXX
Replace the spark plugs. **XXXXX
Flush and replace the engine coolant at 10 years or150,000 miles (240,000 km) whichever comes first.XX
Inspect and replace PCV valve if necessary.X
Replace the timing belt.X
** The spark plug change interval is mileage based only,
yearly intervals do not apply.
8
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES 363
facilities, factory-trained technicians, special tools, and
the latest information to ensure the vehicle is fixed
correctly and in a timely manner.
This is why you should always talk to an authorized
dealer service manager first. Most matters can be re-
solved with this process.
•If for some reason you are still not satisfied, talk to the
general manager or owner of the authorized dealer.
They want to know if you need assistance.
•If an authorized dealer is unable to resolve the con-
cern, you may contact the manufacturer’s customer
center.
Any communication to the manufacturer’s customer cen-
ter should include the following information:
•Owner’s name and address
•Owner’s telephone number (home and office)
•Authorized dealer name
•Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
•Vehicle delivery date and mileage
FIAT CUSTOMER CENTER
P.O. Box 21–8004 Auburn Hills, MI 48321–8004 Phone:
1–800–423–6343
FIAT CANADA CUSTOMER CENTER
P.O. Box 1621 Windsor, Ontario N9A 4H6 Phone: 1–800–
465–2001 (English) Phone: 1–800–387–9983 (French)
Customer Assistance For The Hearing Or Speech
Impaired (TDD/TTY)
To assist customers who have hearing difficulties, the
manufacturer has installed special TDD (Telecommuni-
cation Devices for the Deaf) equipment at its customer
center. Any hearing or speech impaired customer, who
has access to a TDD or a conventional teletypewriter
9
IF YOU NEED CONSUMER ASSISTANCE 367