AIR CLEANER/
POLLEN FILTER
For filter replacement, contact an
Abarth Dealership.
BATTERY
The car is fitted with a low-maintenance
battery: no electrolyte top-ups with
distilled water are needed in standard
conditions of use.
INSPECTING THE
CHARGE AND THE
ELECTROLYTE LEVEL
The operations must be carried out as
described in this Owner Handbook only
by specialised personnel. Any top-up
operations must be carried out by
skilled personnel and by an Abarth
Dealership.
REPLACING THE
BATTERY
136) 137) 138) 139)
33)
4)
If required, replace the battery with an
original spare part with the same
specifications.
If a battery with different specifications
is fitted, the service intervals given in
the "Scheduled Servicing Plan" will no
longer be valid.
Follow the battery manufacturer's
instructions for maintenance.USEFUL ADVICE FOR
EXTENDING THE LIFE OF
YOUR BATTERY
To avoid draining your battery and
make it last longer, observe the
following instructions:
❒when you park the car, ensure that
the doors, tailgate and bonnet are
closed properly, to prevent any lights
from remaining on inside the
passenger compartment;
❒switch off all roof lights inside the car:
the car is however equipped with a
system which switches all interior
lights off automatically;
❒do not keep accessories (e.g. radio,
hazard warning lights, etc.) switched
on for a long time when the engine
is not running;
❒before performing any operation on
the electrical system, disconnect
the negative battery pole;
❒completely tighten the battery
terminals.
IMPORTANT If the charge level remains
under 50% for a long time, the battery
is damaged by sulphation, reducing
its capacity and efficiency at start-up.
162
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
BODYWORK
PROTECTION AGAINST
ATMOSPHERIC AGENTS
The main causes of corrosion are the
following:
❒atmospheric pollution
❒salty air and humidity (coastal areas,
or hot humid climates);
❒seasonal environmental conditions.
The abrasive action of wind-borne
atmospheric dust and sand, as well as
mud and gravel raised by other vehicles
is also not to be underestimated.
Abarth has used the best
manufacturing technologies on your car
to effectively protect the bodywork
against corrosion.
These include:
❒painting products and systems which
give the car particular resistance to
corrosion and abrasion;
❒use of galvanised (or pretreated)
sheet metal, with high resistance
to corrosion;
❒spraying of underbody, engine
compartment, wheel arch interiors
and other parts with highly protective
wax products;❒spraying of plastic parts, with a
protective function in the more
exposed points: underdoor, inner
wing, edges, etc.;
❒use of "open" boxed sections to
prevent condensation and pockets of
moisture from triggering rust inside.
BODY AND UNDERBODY
WARRANTY
Your car is covered by warranty against
perforation due to rust of any original
element of the structure or bodywork.
For the general terms of this warranty,
refer to the Warranty Booklet.
PRESERVING THE
BODYWORK
Paintwork
Paintwork does not only serve an
aesthetic purpose, but also protects the
underlying sheet metal.
Touch up abrasions and scratches
immediately to prevent rust formation.
Use only original paint products for
touch-ups (see "Bodywork paint
identification plate" in the "Technical
specifications" chapter).Normal maintenance of paintwork
consists in washing the car: the
frequency depends on the conditions
and environment where the car is used.
For example, in highly polluted areas,
or if the roads are spread with salt, it is
advisable to wash the car more
frequently.
To correctly wash the car, proceed as
follows:
❒remove the aerial from the roof to
prevent damage to it if the car is
washed in an automatic system;
❒if high pressure jets or cleaners are
used to wash the car, keep a
distance of at least 40 cm from the
bodywork to avoid damage or
alteration. Remember that the build
up of water can damage the car over
a period of time;
❒wash the bodywork using a low
pressure jet of water;
❒wipe a sponge with a slightly soapy
solution over the bodywork,
frequently rinsing the sponge;
❒rinse well with water and dry with a
jet of air or a chamois.
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