2015 FIAT BRAVO maintenance

If the engine does not start at the first attempt,
return the ignition key to STOP before attempting to
start again.
If, when the ignition key is at MAR-ON the
warning light remains lit, turn the key to STOP
and then back to MAR-ON. If the warning light
remains lit, try with the other keys provided with the
car.
If you still cannot start the engine, contact a Fiat
Dealership.
Warning light
will flash for 60 seconds
after starting or during prolonged
cranking to indicate a fault with the glow
plug heating system.You can use the car as usual
if the engine starts but you should contact a
Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
When the engine is switched off never
leave the key turned to MAR to prevent
useless current absorption from draining
the battery.
HOW TO WARM UP THE ENGINE AFTER IT
HAS JUST STARTED
Proceed as follows:
❒ Drive off slowly, letting the engine turn at medium
revs. Do not accelerate abruptly;
❒ Do not demand full performance at first. Wait
until the engine coolant temperature gauge starts
moving.
Never jump start the engine by pushing,
towing or coasting downhill.This could
cause fuel to flow into the catalytic
converter and damage it beyond repair.
EMERGENCY START-UP
Contact a Fiat Dealership if instrument panel
warning light
(or the symbol on the display) stays
on constantly.
STOPPING THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition key to STOP while the engine is
idling.
IMPORTANT After a taxing drive, you should allow
the engine to “catch its breath” before turning it
off by letting it idle to allow the temperature in the
engine compartment to fall.
A quick burst on the accelerator before
stopping the engine serves no practical
purpose; it wastes fuel and is especially
damaging to turbocharged engines.
136GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
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PARKINGProceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the handbrake;
❒ engage a gear (on a slope, engage first gear if the
car is facing uphill or reverse if it is facing
downhill) and leave the wheels steered.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a stone if the car
is parked on a steep slope.
Do not leave the key in the ignition switch to
prevent the battery from running down.
WARNING
Never leave children unattended in the
car. Always remove the key from the
ignition when leaving the car and take it with
you.
HANDBRAKE
The handbrake is located between the front seats.
To use the handbrake pull the lever upwards until the
car cannot be moved.
Four or five clicks are generally enough when the car
is on level ground while nine or ten may be required
if the car is on a steep slope and laden.
IMPORTANT If this is not the case, contact a Fiat
Dealership for adjustment. When the handbrake is engaged and the ignition key
is at MAR-ON, the
warning light will switch on
in the instrument panel.
Proceed as follows to release the handbrake:
❒ slightly lift the handbrake and press release button
A fig. 119;
❒ keep button A pressed and lower the lever. The
warning light in the instrument panel will
switch off.
Press the brake pedal when carrying out this
operation to prevent the car from moving
accidentally.
IMPORTANT For cars equipped with a front
armrest, lift this up to ensure that it does not
interfere with the action of the handbrake.fig. 119
F0Q0628
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USING THE GEARBOXTo engage the gears, press the clutch pedal fully and
shift the gear lever into one of the required positions
(the diagram for gear engagement is shown on the
knob fig. 120 fig. 121).To engage 6
th
gear, operate the lever by pressing it
towards the right in order to avoid engaging 4
th
gear
by mistake. The same applies to the shift from 6th
to 5
th
gear.
To engage reverse R from neutral, lift sliding ring A
and, at the same time:
❒ move the lever to the right and then backwards
(1.6 MultiJet versions) fig. 120;
or
❒ move the lever to the left and then forwards (2.0
MultiJet versions - for versions/markets, where
provided) fig. 121.
IMPORTANT Reverse can only be engaged when the
car is completely stationary. With the engine
running, wait for at least 2 seconds with the clutch
pedal fully pressed before engaging reverse to
prevent damage to the gears and grating.
IMPORTANT The clutch pedal should be used only
for gear changes. Do not drive with your foot resting
on the clutch pedal, however lightly. For versions/
markets where provided, the electronic clutch pedal
control could cut in, interpreting the incorrect
driving style as a fault.
fig. 120 - 1.6 MultiJet versions
F0Q0734
fig. 121 - 2.0 MultiJet versions (where provided)
F0Q0783
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WARNING
Depress the clutch pedal fully to change
gear correctly. It is therefore essential
that there is nothing under the pedals: make
sure the mats are lying flat and do not get
in the way of the pedals.
Do not drive with your hand resting on
the gear lever as the force exerted, even if
slight , could lead over time to premature
wear of the gearbox internal components.
SAVING FUELSome useful tips are given below for fuel saving and
reducing harmful emissions of CO
2and other
pollutants [nitrogen oxides, unburnt hydrocarbons,
Particulate Matter (PM) etc.].
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
The general factors that affect fuel consumption are
listed below.
Car maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried out in
accordance with the “Scheduled Servicing Plan”.
Tyres
Check the tyre pressures at least once every four
weeks: if the pressure is too low, consumption levels
increase as resistance to rolling is higher.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with an overloaded boot. The weight
of the car (especially when driving in town) and
its ride greatly affects consumption and stability.
Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or the ski rack from the roof
after use. These accessories lower aerodynamic
penetration and adversely affect consumption levels.
When transporting particularly large objects, use a
trailer if possible.
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Electric devices
Use electrical devices only for the amount of time
necessary. The heated rear window, additional
headlights, windscreen/rear window wipers and
heater fan need a considerable amount of energy,
therefore increasing fuel consumption (by up to 25%
in the urban cycle).
Climate control system
Air conditioning leads to higher fuel consumption (on
average up to +20%). If the temperature outside
permits, try and use the air vents.
Spoilers
The use of non-certified spoilers may adversely affect
air drag and fuel consumption.DRIVING STYLE
The main driving styles that affect fuel consumption
are listed below.
Starting
Do not warm the engine with the car at a standstill
or at idle or high speed: under these conditions
the engine warms up much more slowly, increasing
electrical consumption and emissions. It is therefore
advisable to move off immediately, slowly, avoiding
high speeds: in this way the engine will warm faster.
Unnecessary actions
Avoid accelerating when starting at traffic lights or
before switching off the engine. This and also double
declutching is absolutely pointless on modern cars
and also increases consumption and pollution.
Gear selection
As soon as the conditions of the traffic and road
allow, use a higher gear. Using a low gear for faster
acceleration will increase consumption.
In the same way improper use of a high gear
increases consumption, emissions an engine wear.
Max. speed
Fuel consumption increases considerably with speed.
Maintain a constant speed, avoiding unnecessary
braking and acceleration, which cost in terms of both
fuel consumption and emissions.
140GETTING TO KNOW
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Acceleration
Accelerating violently severely affects consumption
and emissions: acceleration should be gradual and
should not exceed the maximum torque.
USAGE CONDITIONS
The main usage conditions that negatively affect fuel
consumption are listed below.
Cold starting
Short journeys and frequent cold starts do not allow
the engine to reach optimum operating temperature.
This results in a significant increase in consumption
levels (from +15 to +30% on the urban cycle) and
emissions.
Traffic and road conditions
Rather high consumption levels are linked to
situations with heavy traffic, for instance when
travelling in queues with frequent use of the lower
gears or in cities with many traffic lights. Winding
mountain roads and rough road surfaces also
adversely affect consumption.
Traffic hold-ups
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g. level crossings) the
engine should be switched off.
TOWING TRAILERSIMPORTANT NOTES
For towing caravans or trailers the car must be fitted
with a certified tow hook and an adequate electric
system. Installation should be carried out by
specialised personnel who will issue the required
papers for travelling on roads.
Install any specific and/or additional rear view mirrors
as specified by the Highway Code.
Remember that when towing a trailer, steep hills are
harder to climb, braking distances increase and
overtaking takes longer depending on the overall
weight.
Engage a low gear when driving downhill, rather than
constantly using the brake.
The weight the trailer exerts on the car tow hook
reduces the car's loading capacity by the same
amount. To make sure that the maximum towable
weight is not exceeded (given in the car registration
document) account should be taken of the fully
laden trailer, including accessories and luggage.
Respect the speed limits specific to each country for
vehicles towing trailers.
In any case, the maximum speed must not exceed 80
km/h.
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WARNING
The ABS with which the car may be
equipped will not control the braking
system of the trailer. Particular caution is
required on slippery roads.WARNING
Never modify the braking system of the
car to control the trailer brake.The
trailer braking system must be fully
independent of the car ’s hydraulic system.
INSTALLING THE TOW HOOK
The towing device should be fastened to the
bodywork by specialised personnel according to any
additional and/or integrative information supplied
by the Manufacturer of the device. The towing device
must meet current regulations with reference to
Directive 94/20/EEC and subsequent amendments.
For any version the towing device used must be right
for the towable weight of the car on which it is to
be installed. IMPORTANT The use of auxiliary loads other than
external lights (electric brake, winch, etc.) must
be used with engine running.
For the electric connection a unified connector
should be used, which is generally placed on a special
bracket fastened to the towing device, and a special
ECU should be installed on the car to control the
trailer's exterior lights.
7 or 13-pole 12 V DC connections should be used
(CUNA/UNI and ISO/DIN Standards). Follow any
instructions provided by the car manufacturer and/or
the towing device manufacturer.
An electric brake or winch should be powered
directly by the battery through a cable with a
cross-section of no less than 2.5 mm
2.
IMPORTANT Electric brakes or other devices must
be used with engine running.
In addition to the electrical branches, the vehicle's
electrical system can be connected only to the supply
cable for an electric brake and to the cable for an
internal trailer light, though not more than 15 W. For
connections use the preset control unit with battery
cable no less than 2.5 mm
2.
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SNOW TYRESUse snow tyres of the same size as the normal tyres
provided with the car.
A Fiat Dealership will be happy to provide advice
concerning the most suitable type of tyre for the
customer's requirements.
For the type of tyre to be used, inflation pressures
and the specifications of snow tyres, follow the
instructions given in paragraph "Wheels" in section
"Technical specifications".
The winter features of these tyres are reduced
considerably when the tread depth is below 4 mm.
Replace them in this case.
Due to snow tyre features, under normal conditions
of use or on long motorway journeys, the
performance of these tyres is much lower than that
of standard tyres. Their usage should therefore be
restricted in accordance with their type approval.
IMPORTANT When using snow tyres with a
maximum speed index below the one that can be
reached by the car (increased by 5%), place a notice
in the passenger compartment, plainly in view, which
states the maximum speed allowed by the snow
tyres (as per EC Directive).All four tyres should be the same (brand and track)
to ensure greater safety when driving and braking
and better driveability.
Remember that you should not change the rotation
direction of the tyres.
WARNING
The maximum speed for snow tyres
marked “Q” is 160 km/h, while it is 190
km/h for “T” tyres and 210 km/h for "H" tyres.
You should, however, always stick to the speed
limits of the Road Traffic Code.
143GETTING TO KNOW
YOUR CAR
SAFETY
STARTING AND
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SERVICING AND
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