2014 FIAT 500L User Guide

Preparations For Jump-Start
•The battery in your vehicle is located on the left side of the engine compartment.
1.Set the parking brake, shift the Euro
Twin Clutch Transmission into PARK and
turn the ignition to OFF/LOCK.
2.Turn off the heater, radio, and all unnec-
essary electrical accessories.
3.If using another vehicle to jump-start
the battery, park the vehicle within the
jumper cables reach, set the parking
brake and make sure the ignition is OFF.
Jump-Starting Procedure
NOTE:
Before connecting the jumper cables to the discharged battery, the negative(-)battery
cable must be disconnected from the discharged battery.This is the only way to success-
fully jump start the vehicle.
Follow these steps to disconnect the negative(-)battery cable:
1.Pull outward on the negative(-)battery cable terminal release lever to the open posi-
tion.
2.Lift up on the negative(-)battery cable terminal and set aside.
•Connecting The Jumper Cables
1.Connect the positive(+)end of the jumper cable to the positive(+)post of the ve-
hicle with the discharged battery.
2.Connect the opposite end of the positive(+)jumper cable to the positive(+)post of
the booster battery.
3.Connect the negative(-)end of the jumper cable to the negative(-)post of the
booster battery.
4.Connect the opposite end of the negative(-)jumper cable to the negative(-)battery
cable terminal of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
1 — Positive Terminal
2 — Negative Terminal
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5.Start the engine in the vehicle that has the booster battery, let the engine idle a few
minutes, and then start the engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery.
6.Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables in the reverse sequence:
•Disconnecting The Jumper Cables
1.Disconnect the negative(-)jumper cable from the negative(-)battery cable terminal
of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
2.Disconnect the opposite end of the negative(-)jumper cable from the negative(-)
post of the booster battery.
3.Disconnect the positive(+)jumper cable from the positive(+)post of the booster
battery.
4.Disconnect the opposite end of the positive(+)jumper cable from the positive(+)
post of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
NOTE:
The negative(-)battery cable must be connected to the negative(-)post of the battery.
Follow these steps to connect the negative(-)battery cable:
1.Connect the negative(-)battery terminal to the negative(-)post of the battery.
2.Push inward on the negative(-)battery cable terminal release lever to the closed
position.
•If frequent jump-starting is required to start your vehicle, you should have the battery
and charging system inspected at your authorized dealer.
CAUTION!
•Accessories that can be plugged into the vehicle power outlets draw power from
the vehicle’s battery, even when not in use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.).Eventually, if
plugged in long enough, the vehicle’s battery will discharge sufficiently to degrade
battery life and/or prevent the engine from starting.
•Do not use a portable battery booster pack or any other booster source with a
system voltage greater than 12 Volts or damage to the battery, starter motor, alter-
nator or electrical system may occur.
•Failure to follow these procedures could result in damage to the charging system
of the booster vehicle or the discharged vehicle.
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WARNING!
•Do not attempt jump-starting if the battery is frozen.It could rupture or explode
and cause personal injury.
•Take care to avoid the radiator cooling fan whenever the hood is raised.It can
start anytime the ignition switch is on.You can be injured by moving fan blades.
•Remove any metal jewelry such as watch bands or bracelets that might make an
inadvertent electrical contact.You could be seriously injured.
•Batteries contain sulfuric acid that can burn your skin or eyes and generate hydro-
gen gas which is flammable and explosive.Keep open flames or sparks away from
the battery.
•Do not allow vehicles to touch each other as this could establish a ground con-
nection and personal injury could result.
•Failure to follow this procedure could result in personal injury or property damage
due to battery explosion.
•
Do not connect the cable to the negative post (-)
of the discharged battery.The resulting electrical spark could cause the battery to
explode and could result in personal injury.
SHIFT LEVER OVERRIDE
•If a malfunction occurs and the shift lever cannot be moved out of the PARK position,
you can use the following procedure to temporarily move the shift lever:
•Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position.
•Firmly set the parking brake.
•Remove the rubber storage tray liner from the center console, then lift up the front
of the shift lever bezel, carefully disengage the bezel from the shift lever housing, and
slide it up to the top of the shift lever.
•Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
•Insert a small screwdriver or similar tool down into the access slot at the right rear
corner of the shift lever assembly, and push and hold the white override release lever
down.
•Move the shift lever into the NEUTRAL position.
•The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
•Reinstall the shift lever bezel (use care to avoid pinching the wiring), and the rubber
storage tray liner.
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TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
With Ignition Key
Euro Twin Clutch Transmission
•Vehicle can be towed with the front wheels elevated.
•Vehicle can be towed on a flatbed truck (all wheels off the ground).
Manual Transmission
•Vehicle can be flat towed (all four wheels on the ground) with the transmission in
NEUTRAL.
•Vehicle can be towed with the front wheels elevated.
•Vehicle can be towed on a flatbed truck (all wheels off the ground).
NOTE:
If it is necessary to use the accessories while being towed (wipers, defrosters, etc.),
the key must be in the ON/RUN position.Make certain the transmission remains in
NEUTRAL.
All Transmissions
•If it is necessary to use the accessories while being towed (wipers, defrosters, etc.),
the key must be in the ON/RUN position.Make certain the transmission remains in
NEUTRAL.
Without The Ignition Key
•Special care must be taken when the vehicle is towed with the ignition in the OFF/
LOCK position.A dolly should be used under the front wheels if the rear wheels are
raised.Proper towing equipment is necessary to prevent damage to the vehicle.
•Battery power is required to release the brake/transmission interlock system (Euro
Twin Clutch Transmission only).There is a removable plug in the right side of the shift
lever housing that allows you to override the system.Refer to Shift Lever Override in
this guide.
CAUTION!
•Failure to follow these towing methods can cause severe transmission damage.
Such damage is not covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
•DO NOT flat tow any vehicle equipped with a Euro Twin Clutch Transmission.
Damage to the drivetrain will result.
•If the vehicle being towed requires steering, the ignition switch must be in the
ON/RUN position.
•Do not attempt to use sling-type equipment when towing.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.
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FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
•If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it can often be moved by a rock-
ing motion.Turn your steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the front
wheels.Then shift back and forth between DRIVE/2nd gear and REVERSE.Using mini-
mal accelerator pedal pressure to maintain the rocking motion, without spinning the
wheels, is most effective.
NOTE:
If your vehicle is equipped with Traction Control or Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
turn the system OFF before attempting to “rock” the vehicle.
CAUTION!
•Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead to transmission overheating and
failure.Allow the engine to idle with the shift lever in NEUTRAL for at least one
minute after every five rocking-motion cycles.This will minimize overheating and
reduce the risk of transmission failure during prolonged efforts to free a stuck
vehicle.
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by moving between DRIVE/2nd and REVERSE,
do not spin the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may
result.
•Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too fast may lead to transmission over-
heating and failure.It can also damage the tires.Do not spin the wheels above
30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no transmission shifting occurring).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous.Forces generated by excessive wheel speeds may
cause damage, or even failure, of the axle and tires.A tire could explode and injure
someone.Do not spin your vehicle's wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stopping when you are stuck and do not
let anyone near a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
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EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR)
This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data Recorder (EDR).The main purpose of an
EDR is to record, in certain crash or near crash-like situations, such as an air bag deploy-
ment or hitting a road obstacle, data that will assist in understanding how a vehicle’s sys-
tems performed.The EDR is designed to record data related to vehicle dynamics and
safety systems for a short period of time, typically 30 seconds or less.The EDR in this
vehicle is designed to record such data as:
•How various systems in your vehicle were operating.
•Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts were buckled/fastened.
•How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the accelerator and/or brake pedal.
•How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better understanding of the circumstances in which
crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE:
EDR data is recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data
is recorded by the EDR under normal driving conditions and no personal data (e.g.
name, gender, age, and crash location) is recorded.However, other parties, such as law
enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of personally identifying data
routinely acquired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is required, and access to the ve-
hicle or the EDR is needed.In addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties such as
law enforcement, that have the special equipment, can read the information if they have
access to the vehicle or the EDR.
CAP-LESS FUEL FILL FUNNEL
•The funnel for the Cap-Less Fuel System is located in the rear cargo area behind the
rear seat.If your vehicle is out of fuel and an auxiliary fuel can is needed, insert the
funnel into the filler neck and proceed to fill the vehicle.
•For more information on the Cap-Less Fuel Fill Funnel refer to “Adding Fuel” in “Oper-
ating Your Vehicle” in this manual.
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OPENING THE HOOD
•Pull the red release lever located below
the instrument panel and in front of the
driver’s door.
•Raise the hood and locate the safety
latch in the middle of the hood opening.
•Move the safety latch while lifting the
hood at the same time.
•Insert the support rod into the slot on
the hood.
•To close the hood, remove the support
rod and place it in the retaining clip, then
lower the hood slowly.
WARNING!
Be sure the hood is fully latched before driving your vehicle.If the hood is not fully
latched, it could open when the vehicle is in motion and block your vision.Failure to
follow this warning could result in serious injury or death.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
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ENGINE COMPARTMENT1.4L Turbo Engine
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
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