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Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit the foot well of
your vehicle. Use only floor mats that leave the pedal
area unobstructed and that are firmly secured so that
they cannot slip out of position and interfere with the
pedals or impair safe operation of your vehicle in other
ways.
Periodic Safety Checks You Should Make Outside
The Vehicle
Tires
Examine tires for excessive tread wear and uneven wear
patterns. Check for stones, nails, glass, or other objects
lodged in the tread. Inspect the tread and sidewall for
cuts and cracks. Check the wheel nuts for tightness.
Check the tires for proper pressure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of brake lights and
exterior lights while you work the controls. Check turn
signal and high beam indicator lights on the instrument
panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering fluid (if
equipped), or brake fluid leaks are suspected, the cause
should be located and corrected immediately.
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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▫Follow Me Home/Headlight Delay — If
Equipped............................87
▫Dimmer Controls......................88
▫Interior Light.........................89
WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHERS......90
▫Intermittent Wiper System...............91
▫Windshield Wiper Operation..............91
▫Mist................................91
▫Windshield Washers....................91
TILT/TELESCOPING STEERING COLUMN....92
ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL — IF
EQUIPPED............................93
▫To Activate...........................94
▫To Set A Desired Speed..................94▫To Deactivate.........................94
▫To Resume Speed......................95
▫To Vary The Speed Setting................95
▫To Accelerate For Passing.................96
PARKING SENSORS — IF EQUIPPED........96
▫Activation/Deactivation..................97
▫Acoustic Signal........................97
▫Indications On Display — If Equipped.......98
▫Fault Indication........................99
▫General Warnings......................99
POWER OUTLETS.....................101
CIGAR LIGHTER AND ASH RECEIVER — IF
EQUIPPED...........................103
74 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
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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
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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
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WARNING!(Continued)
•Vehicle modifications, or failure to properly main-
tain your vehicle, may change the handling charac-
teristics of your vehicle, and may negatively affect
the performance of the ESC system. Changes to the
steering system, suspension, braking system, tire
type and size or wheel size may adversely affect
ESC performance. Improperly inflated and un-
evenly worn tires may also degrade ESC perfor-
mance. Any vehicle modification or poor vehicle
maintenance that reduces the effectiveness of the
ESC system can increase the risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
This is an integral part of the ESC system and automati-
cally operates in the event of one or both drive wheels
slipping, loss of grip on wet roads (hydroplaning) and
acceleration on slippery, snowy or icy roads, etc.Depending on the slipping conditions, two different
control systems are activated:
•If the slipping involves both drive wheels, the ASR
system intervenes, reducing the power transmitted by
the engine.
•If the slipping only involves one of the drive wheels, it
also intervenes automatically, braking the wheel that is
slipping.
System Intervention
This is indicated by the flashing of the warning light on
the instrument panel, to inform the driver that the car is
in critical stability and grip conditions.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 181
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6. Once the engine is started, remove the jumper cables
in the reverse sequence:
Disconnecting The Jumper Cables
1. Disconnect the negative(-)jumper cable from the
engine(-)ground of the vehicle with the discharged
battery.
2. Disconnect the negative end(-)of the jumper cable
from the negative(-)post of the booster battery.
3. Disconnect the opposite end of the positive(+)jumper
cable from the positive(+)post of the booster battery.
4. Disconnect the positive(+)end of the jumper cable
from the positive(+)post of the vehicle with the
discharged battery.
If frequent jump-starting is required to start your vehicle
you should have the battery and charging system in-
spected at your authorized dealer.CAUTION!
Accessories plugged into the vehicle power outlets
draw power from the vehicle’s battery, even when not
in use (i.e., cellular phones, etc.). Eventually, if
plugged in long enough without engine operation,
the vehicle’s battery will discharge sufficiently to
degrade battery life and/or prevent the engine from
starting.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand, or snow, it
can often be moved using a rocking motion. Turn the
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
and REVERSE while gently pressing the accelerator
pedal. Use the least amount of accelerator pedal pressure
238 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
Page 289 of 348
FUSES
WARNING!
•When replacing a blown fuse, always use an ap-
propriate replacement fuse with the same amp
rating as the original fuse. Never replace a fuse
with another fuse of higher amp rating. Never
replace a blown fuse with metal wires or any other
material. Failure to use proper fuses may result in
serious personal injury, fire and/or property dam-
age.
•Before replacing a fuse, make sure that the ignition
is off and that all the other services are switched off
and/or disengaged.
•If the replaced fuse blows again, contact an autho-
rized dealer.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
•If a general protection fuse for safety systems (air
bag system, braking system), power unit systems
(engine system, gearbox system) or steering system
blows, contact an authorized dealer.
7
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 287