2015 FIAT 500C ABS

way as the air bags inflate to their full size. The Advanced
Front Air Bags fully inflate in less time than it takes to
blink your eyes. The air bags then quickly deflate while
helping to restrain the driver and front passenger.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passenger, and position the front occu-
pants for improved interaction with the Advanced Front
Air Bags.
WARNING!
•Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee impact
bolsters in any way.
• Do not mount any accessories to the knee impact
bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band
radios, etc.
Supplemental Driver Knee Air Bag
This vehicle is equipped with a Supplemental Driver
Knee Air Bag mounted in the instrument panel below the
steering column.
The Supplemental Driver Knee Air Bag provides en-
hanced protection during a frontal impact by working
together with the seat belts, pretensioners, and Advanced
Front Air Bags.
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Your vehicle is equipped with two types of side air bags:
• Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs):
Located in the outboard side of the front seats. The
SABs are marked with a “SRS AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG”
label sewn into the outboard side of the seats.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43

The SABs may help to reduce the risk of occupant injury
during certain side impacts, in addition to the injury
reduction potential provided by the seat belts and body
structure.
When the SAB deploys, it opens the seam on the out-
board side of the seatback’s trim cover. The inflating SABdeploys through the seat seam into the space between the
occupant and the door. The SAB moves at a very high
speed and with such a high force that it could injure you
if you are not seated properly, or if items are positioned
in the area where the SAB inflates. Children are at an
even greater risk of injury from a deploying air bag.
WARNING!
Do not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the Side Air Bags; the performance
could be adversely affected and/or objects could be
pushed into you, causing serious injury.
• Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABICs): Located above the side windows. The trim
covering the SABICs is labeled “SRS AIRBAG” or
“AIRBAG.”
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag Label
44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!(Continued)
SABICs. The trim covering above the side win-
dows where the SABIC and its deployment path
are located should remain free from any obstruc-
tions.
• Your vehicle is equipped with SABICs. In order for
the SABICs to work as intended, do not install any
accessory items in your vehicle which could alter
the roof. Do not add an aftermarket sunroof to your
vehicle. Do not add roof racks that require perma-
nent attachments (bolts or screws) for installation
on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the roof of the
vehicle for any reason.
The SABICs and SABs (“Side Air Bags”) are designed to
activate in certain side impacts. The Occupant Restraint
Controller (“ORC”) determines whether the deployment
of the Side Air Bags in a particular impact event is appropriate, based on the severity and type of collision.
The side impact sensors aid the ORC in determining the
appropriate response to impact events. The system is
calibrated to deploy the Side Air Bags on the impact side
of the vehicle during impacts that require Side Air Bag
occupant protection. In side impacts, the Side Air Bags
deploy independently; a left side impact deploys the left
Side Air Bags only and a right-side impact deploys the
right Side Air Bags only. Vehicle damage by itself is not a
good indicator of whether or not Side Air Bags should
have deployed.
The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all side collisions,
including some collisions at certain angles, or some side
collisions that do not impact the area of the passenger
compartment. The Side Air Bags may deploy during
angled or offset frontal collisions where the Advanced
Front Air Bags deploy.
46 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

14. Brake Warning LightThis light monitors various brake functions,
including brake fluid level and parking brake
application. If the brake light turns on it may
indicate that the parking brake is applied, that
the brake fluid level is low, or that there is a problem with
the Anti-lock Brake System reservoir.
If the light remains on when the parking brake has been
disengaged, and the fluid level is at the full mark on the
master cylinder reservoir, it indicates a possible brake
hydraulic system malfunction or that a problem with the
Brake Booster has been detected by the Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) / Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system.
In this case, the light will remain on until the condition
has been corrected. If the problem is related to the brake
booster, the ABS pump will run when applying the brake
and a brake pedal pulsation may be felt during each stop. The dual brake system provides a reserve braking capac-
ity in the event of a failure to a portion of the hydraulic
system. A leak in either half of the dual brake system is
indicated by the Brake Warning Light, which will turn on
when the brake fluid level in the master cylinder has
dropped below a specified level.
The light will remain on until the cause is corrected.
NOTE:
The light may flash momentarily during sharp
cornering maneuvers, which change fluid level condi-
tions. The vehicle should have service performed, and
the brake fluid level checked.
If brake failure is indicated, immediate repair is neces-
sary.
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 149

WARNING!
Driving a vehicle with the red brake light on is
dangerous. Part of the brake system may have failed.
It will take longer to stop the vehicle. You could have
a collision. Have the vehicle checked immediately.
Vehicles equipped with the ABS, are also equipped with
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD). In the event of
an EBD failure, the Brake Warning Light will turn on
along with the ABS Light. Immediate repair to the ABS
system is required.
Operation of the Brake Warning Light can be checked by
turning the ignition switch from the OFF position to the
ON/RUN position. The light should illuminate for ap-
proximately two seconds. The light should then turn off
unless the parking brake is applied or a brake fault is
detected. If the light does not illuminate, have the light
inspected by an authorized dealer. The light also will turn on when the parking brake is
applied with the ignition switch in the ON/RUN posi-
tion.
NOTE:
This light shows only that the parking brake is
applied. It does not show the degree of brake application.
15. Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) Light
This light monitors the Anti-lock Brake System
(ABS). The light will turn on when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON/RUN position and
may stay on for as long as four seconds.
If the ABS light remains on or turns on while driving, it
indicates that the anti-lock portion of the brake system is
not functioning and that service is required. However,
the conventional brake system will continue to operate
normally if the BRAKE warning light is not on.
If the ABS light is on, the brake system should be serviced
as soon as possible to restore the benefits of anti-lock
150 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

brakes. If the ABS light does not turn on when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON/RUN position, have
the light inspected by an authorized dealer.
16. Gas Pedal Percentage Gauge/Turbo Gauge/ECO In-
dex Gauge
Depending on what options and trim level, your vehicle
is equipped with there are three gauges available.•Gas Pedal Percentage Gauge: This gauge shows
what percent the gas pedal is currently depressed at.
• Turbo Gauge: This gauge shows the current turbo
usage.
• ECO Index Gauge: The ECO Index gauge allows the
driver to monitor their driving style in order to
increase fuel economy. The efficiency of the driving
style is displayed on a gauge located on the right
side of the instrument cluster and ranges from a
minimum value of 0 up to a maximum value of 5 (0
= low, 5 = high). A higher “ECO” index indicates a more fuel efficient drive style and will increase your
fuel economy. A lower “ECO” index indicates fre-
quent accelerations/decelerations and will decrease
your fuel economy. The index is recalculated ap-
proximately every second and takes into account a
combination of the instant fuel economy and your
driving style during the current trip.
NOTE: Different trips may have different values even if
the same driving style is maintained. Some factors that
may impact the calculated index value are:
•Traffic conditions
• Trip duration
• Temperature (engine and ambient)
17. Fuel Gauge
Shows level of fuel in tank when ignition switch is in the
ON/RUN position.
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 151

▫Operation .......................... .238
 DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES .........239
▫ Acceleration ........................ .239
▫ Traction ........................... .240
 DRIVING THROUGH WATER .............240
▫ Flowing/Rising Water ..................241
▫ Shallow Standing Water .................241
 POWER STEERING .....................242
 PARKING BRAKE ..................... .244
 SPORT MODE ........................ .246
▫ Manual Transmission — If Equipped ........246
▫ Automatic Transmission — If Equipped ......247
 BRAKE SYSTEM ...................... .248
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM . . . .248
▫ Four-Wheel Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) . . .248
▫ Brake Assist System (BAS) ...............250
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ............251
▫ Hill Start Assist (HSA) .................251
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ..........252
▫ ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light And
ESC OFF Indicator Light ................255
 TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION .............257
▫ Tire Markings ....................... .257
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ...........260
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ..........262
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ...........263
220 STARTING AND OPERATING

BRAKE SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with dual hydraulic brake
systems. If either of the two hydraulic systems loses
normal capability, the remaining system will still func-
tion. However, there will be some loss of overall braking
effectiveness. You may notice increased pedal travel
during application, greater pedal force required to slow
or stop, and potential activation of the “Brake System
Warning Light”.
In the event power assist is lost for any reason (i.e.,
repeated brake applications with the engine off) the
brakes will still function. However, the effort required to
brake the vehicle will be much greater than that required
with the power system operating.
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with a advanced electronic
brake control system that includes the Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS), Brake Assist System (BAS), Traction Con-
trol System (TCS), Hill Start Assist (HSA), and Electronic
Stability Control (ESC). All systems work together to
enhance vehicle stability and control in various driving
conditions and are commonly referred to as ESC.
Four-Wheel Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
The Four-Wheel ABS is designed to aid the driver in
maintaining vehicle control under adverse braking con-
ditions. The system operates with a separate computer to
modulate hydraulic pressure, to prevent wheel lock-up
and to help avoid skidding on slippery surfaces.
The system’s pump motor runs during an ABS stop to
provide regulated hydraulic pressure. The pump motor
makes a low humming noise during operation, which is
normal.
248 STARTING AND OPERATING