2015 FIAT PANDA Owners Manual

114)Airbags may be deployed if another
vehicle crashes into the vehicle, if the key is
inserted and at MAR even if the engine is
not running and the vehicle is stationary.
Therefore, even if the vehicle is stationary,
when an active front passenger airbag
is fitted, DO NOT install rearward facing
child restraint systems on the front
passenger seat. Deployment of the airbag
following an impact could cause fatal
injuries to the child. Therefore, always
deactivate the passenger side airbag when
a rearward facing child restraint system is
installed on the front passenger seat.
The front passenger seat must also be
positioned back as far as possible in order
to prevent the child restraint system from
coming into contact with the dashboard.
Immediately reactivate the passenger
airbag as soon as the child restraint system
has been removed. Also remember that, if
the key is turned to STOP, none of the
safety devices (airbags or pretensioners)
will be deployed in the event of collision.
Non-deployment in such cases does
not indicate a system malfunction.115)Theairbag warning light indicates
the passenger protection status. If the
warning light is off, the passenger side
protection is activated. It can be
deactivated from the menu, in this case the
warning light comes on. When the vehicle
is started (ignition key in MAR position), the
warning light comes on for approx. 8
seconds, provided that at least 5 seconds
have elapsed from the previous switching
off. If this does not happen please contact
a Fiat Dealership. If the vehicle is switched
off/on again in less than 5 seconds the
warning light may remain off. In this case,
to check correct warning light operation,
switch the vehicle off, wait at least 5
seconds and switch on again. During the
first 8 seconds, the activation of the
warning light does not actually show the
passenger protection status, but only
checks its correct operation. The warning
light may light up with various intensity
levels depending on the vehicle conditions.
The intensity may also vary during the
same key cycle. (The warning light is tested
also for markets where the passenger
protection deactivation function is
not provided, and the warning light
switches on for less than one second when
the key is turned to MAR, then switches
off again.)
116)The front airbag deployment threshold
is higher than that of the pretensioners.
For collisions in the range between the two
thresholds, it is normal for only the
pretensioners to be activated.117)The airbag does not replace seat
belts but increases their effectiveness.
Because front airbags are not deployed for
low-speed crashes, side collisions,
rear-end shunts or rollovers, occupants are
protected, in addition to any side bags,
only by their seat belts, which must
therefore always be fastened.
118)If the “red”
warning light does not
switch on for a few seconds when the
key is turned to MAR, there may be a fault
with the “red” warning light. In this case,
after a few seconds, the
warning light
starts flashing. Before proceeding, contact
a Fiat Dealership immediately to have the
system checked.
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STARTING AND DRIVING
Let’s get to the "heart" of the vehicle:
seeing how you can exploit all of its
potential to the full.
We’ll look at how to drive it safely in any
situation, so that it can be a welcome
companion, with our comfort and
our wallets in mind.STARTING THE ENGINE ................. 89
HANDBRAKE .................................. 90
MANUAL GEARBOX ....................... 91
DUALOGIC GEARBOX .................... 92
STOP/START SYSTEM ................... 93
PARKING SENSORS....................... 94
MODE SELECTOR .......................... 95
TOWING TRAILERS ........................ 97
REFUELLING THE VEHICLE ........... 98
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STARTING AND DRIVING

STARTING THE
ENGINE
119) 120)
36) 37) 38) 39)
Before starting the engine, adjust the
seat, the interior rear view mirrors,
the door mirrors and fasten the seat
belt correctly.
Never press the accelerator pedal for
starting the engine.
VERSIONS WITH MANUAL
GEARBOX
Petrol versions
Proceed as follows:
❒engage the handbrake and place the
gear lever in neutral.For 0.9 TwinAir
and 0.9 TwinAir Turbo versions
engage the handbrake and place the
gear lever in neutral or fully press the
clutch pedal if a gear other than neutral
is engaged;
❒for all versions (except 0.9
TwinAir Turbo)fully depress the clutch
pedal, without pressing the accelerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVV and
release it as soon as the engine starts.Diesel versions
Proceed as follows:
❒engage the handbrake, put the gear
lever into neutral and turn the ignition
key to MAR: the warning lights
andon the instrument panel
will turn on;
❒wait for the warning lights
and
to turn off and then fully depress
the clutch pedal without pressing the
accelerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVV as soon
as warning light
switches off.
Release the ignition key as soon as the
engine starts.
IMPORTANT If the engine does not
start at the first attempt, return the
ignition key to STOP before repeating
the procedure. If, with the ignition
key at MAR, the warning lights
and
(only for petrol versions) stay on
in the instrument panel, the ignition key
must be brought back to STOP and
then to MAR again. If the
warning
light stays on, retry with the other
keys provided. Contact a Fiat
Dealership if you still cannot start the
engine.VERSIONS WITH
DUALOGIC GEARBOX
121)
Engine starting is allowed both with a
gear engaged and with the gearbox
in neutral (N).
However, the brake pedal must always
be pressed first if neutral is not
engaged. It is therefore advisable to
place the gear lever in neutral (N) before
starting the engine.
LPG AND NATURAL
POWER VERSIONS
The engine always starts up on petrol
independently of the mode previously
selected.
40)
STOPPING THE ENGINE
41)
Turn the ignition key to STOP while the
engine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a demanding drive,
before turning the engine off you should
allow it to idle to allow the temperature
in the engine compartment to
decrease.
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WARNING
119)It is dangerous to run the engine in
enclosed areas. The engine takes in
oxygen and releases carbon dioxide,
carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.
120)Remember that the brake servo
and power steering are not operational until
the engine has been started, therefore
you need to apply much more force than
usual to the brake pedal and steering
wheel.
121)If the engine fails to start with a gear
engaged, the potentially dangerous
situation due to the fact that the gearbox is
automatically placed in neutral will be
signalled by an acoustic signal.
WARNING
36)If the warning lightflashes for 60
seconds after starting or during an
extended towing period, this indicates a
problem in the glow plug pre­heating
system. You can use the vehicle as usual if
the engine starts but you should contact
a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
37)It is advisable not to demand maximum
performance from your vehicle (e.g.
excessive acceleration, long distances at
maximum rpm, excessively intense braking,
etc.) when it is first used.
38)When the engine is off, do not leave
the key turned to MAR to prevent
unnecessary electrical consumption from
draining the battery.39)Never bump start the engine by
pushing, towing or coasting downhill. This
could cause fuel to flow into the catalytic
converter and damage it beyond repair.
40)There must therefore always be some
petrol in the tank to protect the petrol
pump and to guarantee temporary
switching from LPG or Methane to petrol
operation, if high performance is required.
41)A quick burst on the accelerator
before stopping the engine serves no
practical purpose; it wastes fuel and is
especially damaging to turbocharged
engines.
HANDBRAKE
122) 123) 124)
The handbrake lever is located between
the two front seats.
Handbrake engagement: pull lever A
fig. 78 upwards until the vehicle is
braked.
Handbrake disengagement: slightly
raise lever A and hold button B pressed
checking that the
warning light
switches off in the instrument panel.
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STARTING AND DRIVING

WARNING
122)Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle. Always remove the key from
the ignition device when leaving the vehicle
and take it with you.
123)The vehicle should be braked after a
few clicks of the lever, if it is not, contact
a Fiat Dealership to have it adjusted.
124)In the case of parking manoeuvres on
roads on a gradient, the front wheels
must be steered towards the pavement
(when parking downhill), or in the opposite
direction if the vehicle is parked uphill. If
the vehicle is parked on a steep slope, it is
also advisable to block the wheels with a
wedge or stone.
MANUAL GEARBOX
125)42)
To engage the gears, press the clutch
pedal fully and put the gear lever into
the required position (the diagram
for gear engagement is shown on the
knob fig. 79).
For 0.9 TwinAir, 0.9 TwinAir Turbo and
1.2 8v 69 HP versions: to engage
reverse R from neutral, raise ring A fig.
79 underneath the knob and, at the
same time, shift the lever to the right
and then backwards.
For version 1.3 16v MultiJet: to engage
reverse R from neutral position, shift
the lever to the right and then back.IMPORTANT Reverse can only be
engaged when the vehicle 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.
WARNING
125)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.
WARNING
42)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 internal gearbox components.
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DUALOGIC
GEARBOX
(for versions/markets, where provided)
43)
The vehicle can be equipped with an
electronically controlled manual
gearbox known as Dualogic which
allows two operating modes: MANUAL
and AUTO.
GEAR LEVER
The gear lever A fig. 80, located on the
dashboard, is floating multistable type,
i.e. it has three stable positions and
three unstable positions.
The three stable positions correspond
to neutral (N), reverse (R) and the
central position located between the
unstable positions (+) and (-).The unstable positions, in other words
those that are abandoned as soon
as the lever is released, are the
positions for requesting a higher gear
(+), requesting a lower gear (–) and
requesting automatic operating mode
(A/M).
IMPORTANT With the engine started,
any error between the lever position
and the gear actually engaged is
signalled by a buzzer until consistency
is restored.
MANUAL MODE
Proceed as follows:
❒press the brake pedal and start the
engine;
❒if AUTO appears on the display,
move the lever A fig. 80 to A/M
to select MANUAL mode;
❒push gear lever A towards (+) to
engage first gear (if starting from N or
R, simply place the lever in the middle
position) or R to engage reverse;
❒release the brake pedal and press
the accelerator pedal;
❒in driving conditions, push lever A of
the gearbox towards (+) to engage
the next gear up or towards (–) to
engage the next gear down.AUTOMATIC MODE
Proceed as follows:
❒press the brake pedal;
❒start the engine;
❒if AUTO does not appear on the
display, move the gear lever A fig. 80 to
A/M to select AUTOMATIC mode;
❒push the gear lever towards (+) to
engage 1st gear (if starting from N or R,
simply place the lever in the middle
position) or R to engage reverse;
❒release the brake pedal and press
the accelerator pedal: the gear most
suited to the vehicle speed will be
engaged.
AUTO-ECO OPERATION
To activate the function press the ECO
button fig. 81 on the central tunnel.
The ECO function can be only activated
only with automatic mode active.
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STARTING AND DRIVING

With the ECO function active, the
system will select the most suitable
gear depending on the vehicle speed,
engine rpm and intensity with which the
accelerator pedal is pressed, with the
aim of limiting fuel consumption.
“Kick Down” FUNCTION
(for versions/markets, where provided)
If necessary (e.g. when overtaking),
the system downshifts one or more
gears when the accelerator pedal
is depressed beyond the point where it
becomes stiff (and if the rpm allow it)
in order to provide suitable power and
torque for the acceleration requested
by the driver.
IMPORTANT The use of the “Kick
Down” function is recommended only
when overtaking or accelerating quickly,
in order not to increase fuel
consumption.
WARNING
43)Avoid keeping your hand on this lever
except during gear change or AUTO/
MANUAL mode requests.
STOP/START
SYSTEM
126) 127)44)
The Stop/Start system automatically
stops the engine when the vehicle
is stationary and starts it again when
the driver wants to move off. This
reduces consumption, the emission of
harmful gases and noise pollution.
OPERATING MODE
Engine stopping mode: with the
vehicle stopped, the engine stops with
gearbox in neutral and clutch pedal
released.
NoteThe engine can only be stopped
automatically after exceeding a speed
of about 10 km/h, to prevent the engine
from being repeatedly stopped when
driving at walking pace.
Restarting the engine: press the
clutch pedal to restart the engine.
MANUAL SYSTEM
ACTIVATION/
DEACTIVATION
To activate/deactivate the system
manually, press the
fig. 82 button on
the dashboard control trim.
LED off: system deactivated.
LED on: system deactivated.
WARNING
126)If the battery needs to be replaced,
always contact a Fiat Dealership. The
replacement battery should be of the same
type (HEAVY DUTY) and should have the
same characteristics.
127)Before opening the bonnet, make
sure that the engine is off and that the
ignition key is in the STOP position. Please
follow the instructions on the decal near
the front crossmember. We recommend
that you remove the key from the ignition if
other people remain in the vehicle. Exit
from the vehicle only after having removed
the ignition key or having rotated it to the
STOP position. During refuelling, make sure
that the engine is off and that the ignition
key is in the STOP position.
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WARNING
44)If climate comfort is to be favoured, the
Stop/Start system can be disabled, for a
continuous operation of the climate control
system.
PARKING SENSORS
128)45)
SENSORS
The sensors are located in the rear
bumper fig. 83 and their function is to
detect the presence of any obstacles
near the rear part of the vehicle and
inform the driver, through an
intermittent acoustic signal.
ACTIVATION/
DEACTIVATION
The sensors are automatically activated
when reverse is engaged. As the
obstacle behind the vehicle gets closer,
the acoustic signal becomes more
frequent.OPERATION WITH A
TRAILER
Sensor operation is automatically
deactivated when the trailer's electric
cable plug is fitted in the vehicle's
tow hook socket. The sensors are
automatically reactivated when the
trailer's cable plug is removed.
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION
When parking, take the utmost care
over obstacles that may be above
or under the sensor.
Objects close to the vehicle are not
detected under certain circumstances
and could therefore cause damage
to the vehicle or be damaged.
The following conditions may influence
the performance of the parking
assistance system:
❒the presence of ice, snow, mud or
multiple layers of paint on the surface of
the sensor may reduce its sensitivity
and the system performance;
❒mechanical interference (e.g. washing
the vehicle, rain, strong wind, hail) may
cause the sensor to detect a
non-existent obstacle ("echo
interference");
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STARTING AND DRIVING