GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
In-depth knowledge of your new car
starts here.
The booklet that you are reading simply
and directly explains how it is made
and how it works.
That’s why we advise you to read it
seated comfortably on board, so that
you can see what is described here for
yourself.SYMBOLS ...................................... 10
ALFA ROMEO CODE SYSTEM ....... 10
THE KEYS....................................... 11
ALARM ........................................... 13
IGNITION SWITCH .......................... 14
SEATS ............................................ 15
STEERING WHEEL ......................... 17
REAR VIEW MIRRORS .................... 18
CLIMATE CONTROL ....................... 20
CLIMATIC COMFORT ..................... 20
HEATING AND VENTILATION.......... 22
MANUAL CLIMATE CONTROL........ 25
EXTERIOR LIGHTS ......................... 28
WINDOW CLEANING ...................... 29
CRUISE CONTROL ......................... 30
ROOF LIGHT................................... 32
CONTROLS .................................... 33
INTERIOR FITTINGS ....................... 34
DOORS ........................................... 37
ELECTRIC WINDOWS .................... 38
LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT /
ENGINE COVER.............................. 39
HEADLIGHTS.................................. 41
ESC (ELECTRONIC STABILITY
CONTROL) SYSTEM ....................... 42
“ALFA DNA” SYSTEM (DYNAMIC
CAR CONTROL SYSTEM)............... 46EOBD SYSTEM (EUROPEAN ON
BOARD DIAGNOSIS) ...................... 49
RADIO SYSTEM .............................. 50
ACCESSORIES PURCHASED BY
THE OWNER .................................. 50
PARKING SENSORS....................... 51
TPMS (TYRE PRESSURE
MONITORING SYSTEM) ................. 54
REFUELLING THE CAR .................. 58
PROTECTING THE
ENVIRONMENT .............................. 59
9
.
ESC (Electronic
Stability Control)
SYSTEM
IN BRIEF
The ESC system improves the
directional control and stability of the
vehicle in various driving conditions.
The ESC system corrects the car’s
understeer and oversteer, distributing
the brake force on the appropriate
wheels. The torque supplied by
the engine can also be reduced in
order to maintain control of the car.
26) 27) 28) 29) 30)
The ESC system uses sensors installed
on the car to determine the trajectory
that the driver intends to follow and
compares it with the car’s effective
trajectory. When the real trajectory
deviates from the desired trajectory, the
ESC system intervenes to counter the
car’s understeer or oversteer.
❒Oversteer: occurs when the vehicle is
turning more than it should according
to the angle of the steering wheel.❒Understeer: occurs when the vehicle
is turning less than it should
according to the angle of the steering
wheel
The ESC system also includes the
following systems:
❒ABS
❒EBD
❒CBC
❒DTC
❒ASR
❒HILL HOLDER
❒HBA
❒“ELECTRONIC Q2” (“E-Q2”)
❒"PRE-FILL" (RAB - Ready Alert
Brake)
SYSTEM ACTIVATION
The ESC system activates automatically
when the engine is started and can
only be deactivated by selecting "Race"
mode. For more details, refer to the
"Alfa DNA system" paragraph in this
chapter.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.
authorises the installation of transceiver
devices on condition that such
installations are carried out in
a workmanlike fashion, following the
manufacturer’s instructions, at a
specialised centre.
IMPORTANT Traffic police may not
allow the car on the road if devices
have been installed which modify the
features of the car. This may also cause
invalidation of warranty in relation to
faults caused by the change either
directly or indirectly related to it.
Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. shall not
be liable for damage caused by the
installation of accessories either not
supplied or recommended by Fiat
Group Automobiles S.p.A. and/or not
installed in compliance with the
provided instructions.
RADIO TRANSMITTERS
AND MOBILE PHONES
Radio transmitter equipment (vehicle
mobile phones, CB radios, amateur
radio etc.) cannot be used inside the
car unless a separate aerial is mounted
on the roof.IMPORTANT The use of these devices
inside the passenger compartment
(without a separate aerial) may cause
the vehicle’s electronic systems to
malfunction. This could compromise
safety in addition to constituting a
potential hazard for passengers' health.
As far as the use of EC-approved
mobile phones is concerned (GSM,
GPRS, UMTS), follow the usage
instructions provided by the mobile
phone manufacturer.
WARNING
44) Take care when fitting additional
spoilers or non-standard alloy
wheels: they could reduce the
ventilation of the brakes and
affect efficiency in sharp,
repeated braking or on long
descents. Make sure that nothing
obstructs the pedal stroke (mats,
etc.).
PARKING SENSORS
(for versions/markets, where provided)
They are located in the rear bumper
fig. 53 and their function is to detect the
presence of any obstacles near the
rear part of the car; they consequently
inform the driver, through an
intermittent acoustic signal.
ACTIVATION/
DEACTIVATION
The sensors are automatically activated
when reverse gear is engaged. As the
obstacle behind the car gets closer, the
acoustic signal becomes more
frequent.
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51
ACOUSTIC SIGNAL
When reverse gear is engaged and
there is an obstacle behind the vehicle,
an acoustic signal is emitted which
varies according to the distance of the
bumper from the obstacle.
The frequency of the acoustic signal:
❒increases as the distance between
car and obstacle decreases,
culminating in a continuous acoustic
signal, when the distance is less
than approximately 30 cm;
❒decreases if the distance from the
obstacle increases, until the signal
ceases entirely;
❒remains constant if the distance
between car and obstacle remains
unchanged; if this situation concerns
the side sensors, the signal will
stop after approximately 3 seconds
to avoid, for example, indications
in the event of manoeuvres along a
wall.
If several obstacles are detected by the
sensors, only the nearest one is
considered.INDICATIONS ON
DISPLAY
(for versions/markets, where provided)
When the sensors are activated, the
screen in fig. 54 appears on the display.
Obstacle presence and distance
information is therefore provided both
by the acoustic signal and the
instrument panel display.
The system indicates a detected
obstacle by displaying an arc in one or
more positions according to the
distance of the obstacle and its position
in relation to the car.
If an obstacle is detected in the rear
central area, the display shows all the
arcs in the rear central area, up to
the one that corresponds to the
position of the obstacle itself.The signal is similar for obstacles in the
rear left or right area.
The arc that corresponds to the
position of the obstacle will flash.
The colour on the display depends on
the distance from and position of the
obstacle.
The car is close to the obstacle when
the display shows a single constant arc
and emits a continuous sound.
If there are several obstacles, the
closest one is indicated.
FAULT INDICATION
Parking sensor failures, if any, will be
indicated when reverse is engaged by
the switching on of the
warning
light on the instrument panel together
with the message on the display (see
“Warning lights and messages”
chapter).
GENERAL WARNINGS
45)
4)
When parking, take the utmost care
over obstacles that may be above
or under the sensor.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
Under certain circumstances, objects
close to the vehicle are not detected by
the system and could therefore cause
damage to the car or be damaged
themselves.
Some conditions may influence the
performance of the parking sensors:
❒the presence of ice, snow, mud
or multiple layers of paint on the
sensor surface may cause reduced
sensitivity of the sensor itself and
therefore reduce the system
performance;
❒mechanical interference (e.g. washing
the car, rain, strong wind, hail) may
cause the sensor to detect a
non-existent obstacle ("echo
interference");
❒the presence of ultrasonic systems
(e.g. pneumatic brake systems of
trucks or pneumatic drills) near the
car could alter the signals sent by the
sensor;
❒the variation in sensor position,
caused by variation in ride (due
to suspension component wear),
changing tyres, overloaded car,
or tuning that lowers the car, for
example, may affect parking sensor
system performance.
WARNING
45) The responsibility for parking
and other dangerous manoeuvres
always and in every case lies
with the driver. While carrying out
these manoeuvres, always make
sure that no people (especially
children) or animals are in the
area concerned. The parking
sensors are an aid for the driver,
but must never allow their
attention to lapse during
potentially dangerous
manoeuvres, even those executed
at low speeds.
IMPORTANT
4) The sensor must be free from
mud, dirt, snow or ice in order for
the system to operate correctly.
Be careful not to scratch or
damage the sensors while
cleaning them. Avoid using dry,
rough or hard cloths. The sensors
must be washed using clean
water, with the addition of car
shampoo if necessary. When
using special washing equipment
such as high pressure jets or
steam cleaning, clean the sensors
very quickly keeping the jet more
than 10 cm away. Also, do not
apply stickers to the sensors.
53
TPMS (Tyre
Pressure
Monitoring System)
(for versions/markets, where provided)
DESCRIPTION
The tyre pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) warns the driver of low tyre
pressure on the basis of the cold
inflation pressure prescribed for the car.
Changes in outside temperature may
cause tyre pressure to vary. This means
that a decrease in the outside
temperature corresponds to a decrease
in the tyre pressure.
Tyre pressure must always be adjusted
according to the cold inflation pressure.
Cold tyre inflation pressure is the tyre
pressure after letting the car at a
standstill for at least three hours or a
travel shorter than 1.6 km after an
interval of three hours.
The cold tyre inflation pressure must
not exceed the maximum inflation
pressure value printed on the side of
the tyre.
The tyre pressure also increases while
driving the car: this is a normal
condition and does not require any
adjustment of the pressure.The TPMS continues to advise the
driver of the low tyre pressure condition
until this is corrected; the warning
continues until the pressure
corresponds or exceeds the pressure
prescribed for the cold tyres. When the
tyre low pressure control warning
light
switches on constantly, the
inflation pressure must be adjusted until
it reaches the pressure prescribed for
cold tyres. After the automatic update
of the system, the tyre pressure control
warning light switches off. You may
need to drive the car for about 20
minutes at a speed higher than 20
km/h to allow the TPMS to receive this
information.
NOTE
❒The TPMS does not replace the
normal tyre maintenance service and
does not indicate any fault in a tyre.
❒Therefore, the TPMS should not be
used as pressure switch while
adjusting the tyre inflation pressure.
❒Driving with insufficient tyre pressure
causes their overheating and can
result in tyre failure. The low inflation
pressure reduces fuel efficiency
and tyre tread life and may also affect
handling and braking performance
of the car.❒The TPMS does not replace the
correct tyre maintenance. It is up to
the driver to maintain the correct tyre
pressure level measuring it with a
suitable pressure switch. This is
necessary even if the decrease in the
inflation pressure value does not
cause the tyre pressure control
warning light to switch on.
❒The TPMS warns the driver of any
condition of insufficient tyre pressure
If this drops below the insufficient
pressure limit for any reason including
low temperature and normal
pressure loss of the tyre.
❒The seasonal temperature changes
affect tyre pressure.
The TPMS uses wireless devices with
electronic sensors mounted on the
wheel rims to constantly monitor the
value of tyre pressure. The sensors
mounted on each wheel as part of the
valve stem transmit various information
of the tyres to the receiver module, in
order to calculate the pressure.
IMPORTANT Monitoring and
maintaining the correct pressure in all
four tyres are particularly important.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
Tyre pressure
monitoring system low
pressure warnings
46) 47) 48) 49) 50) 51) 52) 53) 54)
The system warns the driver if one or
more tyres are flat by the dedicated
warning light
continuously on in the
instrument panel and by displaying
dedicated messages.
In this case, stop the car as soon as
possible, check the inflation pressure of
each tyre and inflate to the cold tyre
pressure value prescribed for the car.
The system will automatically update
and after receiving the tyre pressure
update the tyre pressure control
warning light switches off. You may
need to drive the car for about 20
minutes at a speed higher than 20
km/h to allow the system to receive this
information.TPMS operation faults
The system fault is indicated by the
dedicated warning light
which first
flashes for 75 seconds and then stays
on steadily. This can occur in any of the
following situations:
❒interference caused by electronic
devices or radio frequency emissions
similar to those of the TPM sensors.
❒Application of tinted films which
interfere with the signals of the radio
waves.
❒Presence of snow or ice on the
wheels or the wheel arches.
❒Use of snow chains.
❒Use of wheels/tyres not equipped
with TPM sensors.
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In order to use the system properly, refer to the following table when you have to change wheels/tyres:
OperationSensors on wheels fitted
on carFailure indication Action necessary
– – YESContact a dedicated Alfa
Romeo Dealership
Wheel change with winter
tyresNO YESContact a dedicated Alfa
Romeo Dealership
Wheel change with winter
tyresYES NO –
Wheel change with others of
a different size (*)YES NO –
(*)Given as an alternative in the Owner Handbook as well as in the Registration Document; available from Lineaccessori Alfa Romeo.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR