2016 Abarth 124 Spider ECU

ENGINE OIL
192)
40)
4)
Inspecting engine oil level
Proceed as follows:
be sure the vehicle is on a level
surface;
warm up the engine to normal
operating temperature;
turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes
for the oil to return to the sump;
pull out the dipstick 1 fig. 149, wipe it
clean, and reinsert it fully;
pull it out again and examine the
level. The level is normal if it is between
Low and Full. If it is near or below Low,
open the engine oil cap/filler 2 and add
enough oil to bring the level to Full.
IMPORTANT Do not overfill the engine
oil. This may cause engine damage.
make sure the O-ring on the dipstick
is positioned properly before reinserting
the dipstick;
reinsert the dipstick fully.
Engine oil consumption
During the initial period of use the
engine oil consumption conditions
should be considered as having
stabilised after the first 5000 –
6000 km.
NOTE It is normal for all engines to
consume engine oil under normal
driving conditions. Engine oil
consumption may be as high as
400 g/1000 km. This may be as a result
of evaporation, internal ventilation or
burning of the lubricating oil in the
working engine. Oil consumption may
be higher when the engine is new due
to the running-in process. Oil
consumption is also dependant on
engine speed and engine load. Under
extreme driving conditions, oil
consumption may be higher.
Engine oil changing
NOTE Changing the engine oil should
be done by an expert repairer, we
recommend an Abarth Dealership.
ENGINE COOLANT
193) 194) 195)
41) 42) 43) 44) 45)
The coolant should be at full in the
radiator and between the F (Full) and L
(Low) marks on the coolant reservoir
fig. 150 when the engine is cool.
If it is at or near L (Low), add enough
coolant to the coolant reservoir to
provide freezing and corrosion
protection and to bring the level to F
(Full).
Securely tighten the coolant reservoir
tank cap after adding coolant.
If the coolant reservoir is empty or new
coolant is required frequently, contact
an Abarth Dealership.
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167

BRAKE / CLUTCH FLUID
198) 203)
46)
It should be kept between the MAX and
MIN lines fig. 151.
The level normally drops with
accumulated distance, a condition
associated with wear of brake and
clutch linings. If it is excessively low,
have the brake/clutch system contact
an Abarth Dealership.
NOTE On right-hand drive versions the
reservoir is located on the left side of
the engine compartment.
WINDOW AND
HEADLIGHT WASHER
FLUID
196) 197) 204)
Inspect fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir fig. 152; open the cap and
add fluid if necessary.
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
CONTROL UNIT
5)
The transmission control oil level should
only be checked at Abarth Dealership.
BATTERY MAINTENANCE
199) 200) 201) 202)
47)
6)
To get the best service from a battery:
keep it securely mounted;
keep the top clean and dry;
keep terminals and connections
clean, tight, and coated with petroleum
jelly or terminal grease;
rinse off spilled electrolyte
immediately with a solution of water
and baking soda;
if the vehicle will not be used for an
extended time, disconnect the battery
leads and charge the battery every six
weeks.
NOTE (versions with automatic
transmission)
Every time the battery is reconnected
after being disconnected, it is
necessary to perform the described
toothed wheel learning procedure:
warm up the engine;
with the car stopped, the engine
running and the shift lever in the N
position, press the accelerator pedal all
the way down to bring the engine to
over 6000 rpm;
release the accelerator pedal and
wait for the engine to return naturally to
idling speed.
If this procedure is not performed, the
warning light could turn on: in this
case, contact the Abarth Dealership.
IMPORTANT If, after the first press of
the accelerator pedal to bring the
engine to over 6000 rpm, another
follows immediately after without the
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168
MAINTENANCE AND CARE

202)When performing any operation on
the battery or near it, always protect your
eyes with special goggles.
203)If the brake/clutch fluid level is low,
have the brakes inspected. A low
brake/clutch fluid level is dangerous. A low
level could indicate brake lining wear or a
brake system leak which could cause the
brakes to fail and lead to an accident.
204)Use only windscreen washer fluid or
plain water in the reservoir. Using radiator
antifreeze as washer fluid is dangerous. If
sprayed on the windscreen, it will dirty the
windscreen, affect your visibility, and could
result in an accident.
IMPORTANT
39)Be careful not to confuse the various
types of fluids while topping up: they are
not compatible with each other! Topping up
with an unsuitable fluid could severly
damage your vehicle.
40)The oil level should never exceed the
MAX mark.
41)Do not add oil with specifications other
than those of the oil already in the engine.
42)Do not add only water. Always add a
proper coolant mixture. For coolant fluid
type refer to “Fluids and lubricants” table in
“Technical specifications” chapter.
43)Use only soft (demineralised) water in
the coolant mixture. Water that contains
minerals will cut down on the coolant's
effectiveness.
44)Do not use coolants containing alcohol,
methanol, borate or silicate. These coolants
could damage the cooling system.45)Do not mix alcohol or methanol with the
coolant. This could damage the cooling
system.
46)Do not use a solution that contains
more than 60% antifreeze. This would
reduce effectiveness.
47)Avoid allowing brake fluid, which is
extremely corrosive, to come into contact
with painted areas. Should it happen, wash
immediately with water.
IMPORTANT
4)Used engine oil and oil filters contain
substances which are harmful to the
environment. You are advised to contact an
Abarth Dealership to have the oil and filters
changed.
5)Used transmission fluid contains
substances that are harmful to the
environment. It is advisable to contact an
Abarth Dealership to have the fluid
changed.
6)Batteries contain substances which are
very dangerous for the environment. For
battery replacement, contact an Abarth
Dealership.
BATTERY
RECHARGING
205) 206)
CAUTIONS
IMPORTANT The battery recharging
procedure is given as information only.
You are advised to contact an Abarth
Dealership to have this operation
carried out.
IMPORTANT Before recharging the
battery, turn off all accessories and stop
the engine.
IMPORTANT Charging should be slow
at a low ampere rating for
approximately 24 hours. Charging for a
longer time may damage the battery.
IMPORTANT Make sure that the cables
of the electrical system are correctly
reconnected to the battery, i.e. the
positive cable (+) to the positive
terminal and the negative cable (-) to
the negative terminal. The battery
terminals are marked with the positive
(+) and negative (-) symbols, and are
shown on the battery cover. The battery
terminals must also be corrosion-free
and firmly secured to the terminals. If a
“quick-type” battery charger is used
with the battery fitted on the vehicle,
170
MAINTENANCE AND CARE

Be extremely careful if it is necessary to downshift on slippery surfaces: downshifting into lower gear while driving on slippery
surfaces is dangerous. The sudden change in tyre speed could cause the tyres to skid. This could lead to loss of vehicle
control and an accident.
Make sure the floor mats are secured with the grommets or the retainers to prevent them from bunching up under the foot
pedals (driver's side): using a floor mat that is not secured is dangerous as it will interfere with the accelerator and brake pedal
operation (driver's side), which could result in an accident.
Only use a floor mat which conforms to the shape of the floor on the driver's side and make sure it is oriented correctly.
Secure the floor mat using the grommets or retainers. There are various ways to secure floor mats depending on the type
used, therefore secure the mat according to the type. After installing the floor mat, make sure that it does not slide from side to
side or back and forth, and that there is sufficient clearance with the accelerator and brake pedals on the driver's side.
After removing the floor mat for cleaning or some other reason, always securely reinstall it while paying attention to the
precautions just mentioned.
Do not install two floor mats, one on top of the other, on the driver's side: installing two floor mats, one on top of the other,
on the driver's side is dangerous as the retention pins can only keep one floor mat from sliding forward.
Loose floor mat(s) will interfere with the foot pedals and could result in an accident.
When using a heavy duty floor mat for winter, always remove the original floor mat.
Do not spin the wheels at high speed, and do not allow anyone to stand behind a wheel when pushing the vehicle: when
the vehicle is stuck, spinning the wheels at high speed is dangerous. The spinning tyre could overheat and explode. This could
cause serious injuries.
Use only the same size and type tyres (snow, radial, or non-radial) on all four wheels: using tyres different in size or type is
dangerous. Your vehicle's handling could be greatly affected and result in an accident.
Dry off brakes that have become wet by driving slowly, releasing the accelerator pedal and lightly applying the brakes
several times until the brake performance returns to normal: driving with wet brakes is dangerous. Increased stopping distance
or the vehicle pulling to one side when braking could result in a serious accident. Light braking will indicate whether the brakes
have been affected.

Vehicle security alarm..........14
Warning lights and messages.....52
Weights..................182Wheel and tire specifications.....180
Wheels and tires.............171
Window and headlight washer
fluid (level check)...........168Windscreen washer............29
Windscreen wipers............28
Windscreen wipers/washer.......28