Page 156 of 348

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle.
•Allowing children to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of reasons. A child or
others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the transmission gear selec-
tor.
•Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle (or
in a location accessible to children). A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move
the vehicle.
Automatic Transmission
To start the engine press the brake pedal: the system
engages NEUTRAL (N) automatically.
After the starting procedure, FIRST (1st) gear or RE-
VERSE (R) can be engaged.
Irrespective of the mode selected (AUTO/MANUAL), to
engage FIRST (1st) gear or REVERSE (R), it is necessary
to press the brake pedal and press the 1 button on the
transmission control panel (or the+steering wheel
stalk) to engage FIRST (1st) gear or the R button to
engage REVERSE (R).
When FIRST (1st) gear is engaged, the system sets itself to
AUTO mode.
NEUTRAL (N) can be engaged again by pressing the N
button with the brake pedal pressed.
154 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 158 of 348

CAUTION!
•Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get it
started. Vehicles equipped with a Alfa Twin Clutch
Transmission cannot be started this way. Unburned
fuel could enter the catalytic converter and once the
engine has started, ignite and damage the converter
and vehicle.
•To prevent damage to the starter, do not continu-
ously crank the engine for more than 15 seconds at
a time. Wait 10 to 15 seconds before trying again.
After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
Turbo Charger “Cool Down”
This vehicle is equipped with an after-run pump to cool
the turbocharger after the engine is shut off. Dependingon the type of driving and the amount of cargo, the pump
will run for up to five minutes after the engine has been
shut off to circulate coolant through the turbocharger.
Although the pump is rubber-mounted for quiet opera-
tion, it is normal to hear it running during this time.
SIX-SPEED ALFA TWIN CLUTCH TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
•It is dangerous to shift out of NEUTRAL if the
engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your foot
is not firmly pressing the brake pedal, the vehicle
could accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the engine is
idling normally and your foot is firmly pressing
the brake pedal.
(Continued)
156 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 159 of 348

WARNING!(Continued)
•Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine is
running. Before exiting the vehicle, always apply
the parking brake, shift the transmission into gear,
turn the engine OFF, and remove the ignition key.
•When leaving the vehicle, always remove the igni-
tion key and lock your vehicle.
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children to
be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal
or the transmission gear selector.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•Do not leave the ignition key in or near the vehicle
(or in a location accessible to children). A child
could operate power windows, other controls, or
move the vehicle.
Using The Transmission
This vehicle is equipped with a Six-Speed Alfa Twin
Clutch transmission with steering wheel mounted shift
paddles.
When the ignition is in the OFF position, the transmission
controls (shift paddles on the steering wheel, and gear
selector buttons on the center console) are disabled.5
STARTING AND OPERATING 157
Page 160 of 348
When the key is turned to the ON position, the current
transmission gear will be displayed in the instrument
cluster, along with theAUTOindicator. This indicates
the transmission is in Automatic mode.Operating Modes
The transmission has two normal operating modes (ex-
cept when the “Race” mode is selected on the DNA
switch):
MANUAL mode in which the driver must shift gears
manually (using the steering wheel mounted shift
paddles).
Automatic (AUTO) mode, in which the system shifts
between all forward gears automatically.
When the “Race” mode is selected via the DNA selector,
the only allowed transmission operating mode is
MANUAL.
MANUAL Mode
In this operating mode, the driver is responsible for
choosing the best gear to engage, depending on the car
operating conditions. The current gear is displayed in the
instrument cluster.
Transmission Gear Selector
158 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 161 of 348

To activate/deactivate MANUAL mode, press the A/M
button on the center console when the transmission is in
any forward gear.
Use the “+” shift paddle to engage a higher gear, or the
“–” paddle to engage a lower gear.
If a requested gear shift is not allowed (typically, because
it would cause engine overspeed or lugging), an audible
signal will sound and the transmission will remain in the
existing gear.
The transmission will automatically downshift during
closed-throttle decelerations, to prevent engine lugging.
When coming to a stop, the transmission will automati-
cally select FIRST (1st) gear. The driver must manually
upshift the transmission (by tapping the + shift paddle)
as the vehicle accelerates.NOTE:To provide better comfort, the transmission will
up-shift to the next available gear if the engine speed
limit is reached. This feature is only available in NATU-
RAL and ALL WEATHER Modes.
AUTO Mode
In AUTO mode the transmission shifts gears automati-
cally depending on vehicle speed, engine RPM, and
accelerator pedal position.
AUTO is the default operating mode at startup. When in
AUTO mode,AUTOappears in the instrument cluster,
adjacent to the current gear display.
To toggle between AUTO and MANUAL modes, press
the A/M button on the center console.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 159
Page 162 of 348

Accelerating From A Stop
FIRST (1st) and REVERSE (R) can only be engaged (at a
stop) by pressing “1” or “R” when the brake pedal is
pressed.
To drive, press the brake pedal, and select 1 (One) or R
(Reverse) by pressing “1” or “R” using the transmission
gear selector buttons on the center console. Then release
the brake pedal and smoothly press the accelerator pedal.
NOTE:When starting on a fairly steep incline, it may be
advisable to engage the parking brake.
The vehicle can only be launched (from a stop) in FIRST
(1st) or REVERSE (R). SECOND (2nd) gear (or higher)
cannot be engaged when the vehicle is stationary.
FIRST (1st) and REVERSE (R) gears can only be engaged
at vehicle speeds below 2 mph (3 km/h). At speeds
below 6 mph (10 km/h), attempts to shift from 1st to R
(or R to 1st) will only be allowed if the vehicle speeddrops below the 2 mph (3 km/h) threshold within three
seconds of the request; otherwise, the transmission will
shift to NEUTRAL (N). The driver should then repeat the
request for 1st or R once the vehicle has come to a stop.
Shift Paddles
In MANUAL mode, the steering wheel mounted shift
paddles (labeled + and -) control the transmission shift-
ing.
Tapping the (+) paddle will upshift the transmission to
the next higher gear, while tapping the (-) paddle will
downshift to the next lower gear. The current gear is
displayed in the instrument cluster. If a requested shift
would cause engine lugging or overspeed, that request
will be ignored.
In AUTO mode, tapping a shift paddle will temporarily
place the transmission in MANUAL mode, and execute
the requested upshift or downshift (if allowable). The
160 STARTING AND OPERATING
Page 163 of 348

transmission will then return to AUTO mode after a brief
interval. Pressing a shift paddle will only shift the
transmission one gear at a time. Holding a paddle
depressed will not command multiple shifts; the paddle
must be pressed multiple times in succession to generate
multiple shifts.
If the brake pedal is not depressed (and the car is
stationary for a period of time), the transmission will
automatically engage NEUTRAL (N).
Neutral (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing for prolonged
periods with the engine running. Always apply the
parking brake if you must leave the vehicle.
At engine startup, the transmission will automatically
select NEUTRAL (N) and AUTO mode. The brake pedal
must be pressed when starting the engine.To select NEUTRAL (N) when the vehicle is stationary,
turn the ignition key to the MAR-ON position (engine
running or not), press the brake pedal, and press the N
button on the transmission gear selector.
When the vehicle is moving (with ignition ON), pressing
the NEUTRAL (N) button will engage N, regardless of
whether the brake pedal is pressed.
WARNING!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe
practices that limit your response to changing traffic
or road conditions. You might lose control of the
vehicle and have a collision.
With car in motion, to engage a gear from the NEUTRAL
(N) position, press the 1 button on the transmission
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 161
Page 164 of 348

control panel (it is not necessary to press the brake pedal)
the transmission will immediately engage the correct
gear according to the car ’s speed.
If the vehicle is stationary with the engine running and
FIRST (1st) gear or REVERSE (R) engaged, the system
activates an acoustic signal and automatically places the
transmission in NEUTRAL (N) when:
The accelerator and/or brake pedal are not operated for
at least three minutes.
The brake pedal is pressed for longer than 10 minutes.
The driver ’s door is opened and the accelerator pedal or
the brake pedal are not operated for at least one and a
half seconds.
A fault has been detected in the transmission.Parking The Vehicle
When parking and leaving the car, proceed as follows:
1. Press the brake pedal and shift the transmission into
First (1st).
2. Stop the engine and firmly engage the parking brake.
3. Release the brake pedal.
When parking on an incline, turn the front wheels toward
the curb on a downhill slope and away from the curb on
an uphill slope. Always chock the wheels when parking
on steep grades.
General Notes
When the vehicle is stopped and in gear, always keep the
brake pedal pressed until you decide to set off, then
release the brake and accelerate gradually.
162 STARTING AND OPERATING