113
KNOW
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STAR
TING
AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
The devices for reducing petrol engine emissions are the
following:
❒three-way catalytic converter;
❒Lambda sensors;
❒evaporation prevention system.
In addition, do not let the engine run, even for a test, with
one or more spark plugs disconnected.
The following devices are used for reducing diesel fuel en-
gine emissions:
❒oxidising catalytic converter;
❒exhaust gas recirculation system (EGR);
❒diesel particulate filter (DPF) (for versions/markets
where provided).
To close
1) Fit the cap (complete with key) and turn it clockwise
until it clicks once or more.
2) Turn the key clockwise and extract it, then close the
flap.
The hermetic seal may cause a slight increase in pressure
in the tank. A suction noise when you release the cap is
therefore entirely normal.
Do not place naked flames or lit cigarettes
near to the fuel tank opening: fire risk. Keep
your face away from the fuel tank open-
ing to avoid breathing in harmful vapours.
135
KNOW
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AN
D
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA TIONS
INDEX
HANDBRAKE
The handbrake is located between the two front seats.
Pull the lever upwards to engage the handbrake and en-
sure that the vehicle does not move.
STOPPING THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition key to STOP while the engine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a long drive, you should allow the en-
gine to “catch its breath” before turning it off by letting it
idle to allow the temperature in the engine compartment
to fall.
Never jump start the engine by pushing,
towing or driving downhill. This could cause
fuel to flow into the catalytic converter and
damage it beyond repair.
The vehicle should be secured after sev-
eral clicks of the lever. If it is not, contact
a FIAT Dealership to have it adjusted.
WARNING
When the handbrake is on and the ignition key is at MAR,
the instrument panel warning light
xwill come on.
Proceed as follows to release the handbrake:
❒lift the lever slightly and press release button A-fig. 126;
❒hold button A down and lower the lever. The xwarn-
ing light on the instrument panel will go out.
Depress the brake pedal when carrying out this operation
to prevent the vehicle from moving accidentally.
137
KNOW
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AN
D
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA TIONS
INDEX
Depress the clutch pedal fully to change
gear correctly. Therefore, the floor area
under the pedals should be clear: ensure that any
rubber mats are flat and do not interfere with the
pedals.
WARNING
Do not drive with your hand resting on the
gear lever, because this pressure, even if
light, can wear out the inner components
of the gearbox over time. The clutch pedal should
be used only for gear changes. Do not drive with
your foot resting on the clutch pedal, however
slightly. For versions/markets where provided, the
electronic clutch control could cut in by interpret-
ing the incorrect driving style as a fault.
SAVING FUEL
Here are some useful tips to save fuel and minimise harm-
ful emissions of CO
2and other pollutants (nitric oxides,
unburnt hydrocarbons, fine dusts etc…).
PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR REDUCING FUEL
CONSUMPTION AND HARMFUL EMISSIONS
Vehicle conditions
1. Have checks and adjustments carried out in
accordance with the “Scheduled Servicing Plan”.
2. Check tyre pressures regularly, at least once every
four weeks. Excessively low pressures will increase
consumption because rolling resistance will be high-
er. In addition, this wears the tyre more quickly and
impairs performance.
3. Only use snow tyres when the weather conditions
make them absolutely necessary. They increase con-
sumption and noise.
4. Do not travel with a heavy load: the weight of the vehicle (especially when driving in town) and its trim
greatly affect fuel consumption and stability.
138
KNOWYOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
ST ARTING
AN
D
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA TIONS
INDEX
2. Avoid pointless actions such as revving up when at
traffic lights or before stopping the engine. The latter
action, like double-declutching, is unnecessary and
causes increased fuel consumption and pollution.
3. Gear selection: select a high gear as soon as possi-
ble (taking into account normal engine operation and
traffic conditions) without pushing the engine to high
revs during the intermediate gears. Using low gears
at high revs to get lively acceleration increases fuel
consumption, harmful emissions and engine wear.
4. Vehicle speed: fuel consumption increases expo-
nentially as the speed of the vehicle increases. Keep
your speed moderate and as even as possible, avoid-
ing unnecessary braking and acceleration, which
cause excessive fuel consumption and increased
emissions. Keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in
front helps to maintain a steady speed.
5. Acceleration: accelerating violently severely affects
consumption and emissions. Acceleration should be
gradual and should not exceed the maximum engine
torque rate.
5. Remove
roof racks or ski racks after use. These
accessories reduce the vehicle’s aerodynamic pene-
tration and have a negative effect on fuel consump-
tion.
6. It is better to use a trailer to transport particularly bulky objects.
7. Use the vehicle’s air vents if possible: travelling with the windows open impairs the aerodynamics.
8. Only use electrical devices for the amount of time needed. The heated rear window, auxiliary head-
lights, windscreen wipers and fan heater use up
a considerable amount of current, causing increased
fuel consumption (up to +25% in the urban cycle).
9. Using the climate control leads to higher fuel con- sumption (on average up to +30%). If the tempera-
ture outside is not too extreme, try and use the air
vents.
Driving style
1. After starting the engine you should drive away
immediately and slowly, avoiding high revs. Do not
warm up the engine at low or high revs when the
vehicle is stationary; this causes the engine to warm
up more slowly, thereby increasing fuel consumption,
emissions and mechanical component wear.
139
KNOW
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AN
D
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA TIONS
INDEX
TOWING TRAILERS
IMPORTANT NOTES
The vehicle must be provided with a type-approved tow
hitch and adequate electrical system to tow trailers. In-
stallation must be performed by specialised personnel who
will issue the required papers for travelling on roads.
Install any specific and/or additional rear-view mirrors in
accordance with the highway code of the country in which
you are travelling.
Remember that when towing a trailer, steep hills are hard-
er to climb, braking distances increase and overtaking takes
longer depending on the overall weight of the trailer.
Engage a low gear when driving downhill, rather than con-
stantly using the brake.
The weight of the trailer on the vehicle tow hitch will re-
duce the loading capacity of the vehicle by the same
amount.
Consider the weight at full load, including accessories and
luggage, to make sure you do not exceed the maximum
towable weight (shown in the log book).
Respect each country’s speed limits for vehicles towing
trailers. In all cases, the top speed must not exceed
80 km/h.
CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Short distances and frequent cold start-ups prevent the
engine from reaching its optimum running temperature.
Consequently, both consumption (from +15 to +30% on
the urban cycle) and emissions will increase.
Traffic and road conditions
Heavy traffic, for instance when travelling in a queue with
frequent use of low gears or in cities with lots of traffic
lights, causes fairly high fuel consumption. Mountain roads
and uneven surfaces also have a negative effect on con-
sumption.
Traffic hold-ups
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g. at level crossings) the en-
gine should be switched off.
149
KNOW
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WA R N I NG
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA TIONS
INDEXA specific message is displayed on certain versions.
Under these conditions, the vehicle can continue trav-
elling at moderate speed without demanding excessive
effort from the engine. Prolonged use of the vehicle
with the warning light on may cause damage. Go to a
Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
The warning light goes out after the fault disappears,
but the notification is stored in the system.
❒ flashing: this indicates possible damage to the catalytic
converter (see “EOBD system” in the “Dashboard and
controls” section).
If the light flashes, come off the accelerator pedal to re-
duce engine revs until the warning light stops flashing;
continue the journey at moderate speed, trying to avoid
driving conditions that may cause further flashing, and
get to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
INJECTION SYSTEM FAILURE
(Multijet versions – amber)
EOBD ENGINE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM FAILURE
(petrol versions – amber)
Injection system failure
Under normal conditions, turning the ignition key to MAR,
the warning light turns on but it should go off after the en-
gine starts. If the warning light stays on or comes on when
travelling, it means there is a fault in the injection system
which could cause loss of performance, poor handling and
high fuel consumption levels.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
Under these conditions, the vehicle can continue travel-
ling at moderate speed without demanding excessive ef-
fort from the engine. In any case, you should go to a Fiat
Dealership as soon as possible.
EOBD engine management system failure
Under normal conditions, turning the ignition key to MAR,
the warning light turns on but it should go off after the en-
gine starts.
This indicates that the warning light is working correctly.
If the warning light either stays on or comes on during
your journey:
❒ on permanently: this means there is a fault in the sup-
ply/ignition system which could cause high exhaust
emissions, loss of performance, poor handling and high
fuel consumption levels.
U
Go to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possi-
ble if warning light
Udoes not light up
when the key is turned to MAR or if, while
travelling, the warning light comes on either per-
manently or flashing (along with a message on the
display on certain versions). The operation of the
Uwarning light may be checked by traffic police
using appropriate equipment. Respect the regula-
tions in force in the country where you are driving.
150
KNOWYOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA TIONS
INDEX
FUEL RESERVE (amber)
When the ignition key is turned to MAR, the
warning light turns on but should go off after a few
seconds.
The warning light turns on when 8-10 litres of fuel are
left in the tank.
IMPORTANT The warning light will blink to indicate a sys-
tem failure. If this happens, go to a Fiat Dealership to have
the system checked.
DPF (PARTICULATE FILTER)
CLEANING IN PROGRESS
(only Multijet versions with DPF
– amber)
When the ignition key is turned to MAR, the warning light
turns on but should go off after a few seconds. The warn-
ing light stays on constantly to notify the driver that the
DPF system needs to eliminate captured pollutants (par-
ticulate) by the regeneration process.
The warning light does not come on during every DPF
regeneration, but only when driving conditions require no-
tification to the driver.
The warning light will go off if the vehicle stays in motion
until regeneration has been completed. The process nor-
mally takes about 15 minutes. Optimum conditions for
completing the process are achieved by travelling at
60 km/h with engine revs above 2000 rpm.
If this warning light comes on, it does not mean the vehi-
cle is defective, so there is no need to take it to a garage.
A specific message will appear on the display when the
warning light comes on (for versions/markets where pro-
vided).
h
ç
Always drive at a speed appropriate to the
traffic conditions, the weather and speed
limits. The engine may be turned off while the DPF
light is on; however, repeated interruption of the re-
generation process may result in premature degra-
dation of the engine oil. For this reason, it is always
advisable to wait for the light to go off before turn-
ing off the engine, following the instructions ap-
pearing above. It is recommended to complete DPF
regeneration with the vehicle stationary.
WARNING
151
KNOW
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND
DRIVING
WA R N I NG
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA TIONS
INDEX
Glow plug preheating fault
The warning light flashes if there is a fault in the preheat-
ing system. Go to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
A specific message is displayed on some versions. GLOW PLUG PREHEATING
(Multijet versions – amber)
GLOW PLUG PREHEATING FAULT
(Multijet versions – amber)
Glow plugs preheating
This warning light comes on when the key is turned to
MAR. It will go out as soon as the glow plugs have reached
a preset temperature. Start the engine as soon as the warn-
ing light goes out.
IMPORTANT In hot outside temperatures, the warning
light may stay on for only a very short time.
m
WATER IN DIESEL FILTER (Multijet versions – amber)
When the ignition key is turned to MAR, the
warning light turns on but should go off after a few
seconds.
The warning light
cturns on when there is water in the
diesel filter. A specific message is displayed on certain ver-
sions.
c
The presence of water in the fuel supply cir-
cuit may cause severe damage to the in-
jection system and irregular engine opera-
tion. If warning light
ccomes on (with a message
on the display on some versions), go to a Fiat Deal-
ership as soon as possible to have the system bled.
Water may have entered the tank if this appears
immediately after refuelling: if this happens, switch
the engine off immediately and contact a Fiat Deal-
ership.