2016 Abarth 500 Owner handbook (in English)

BATTERY
RECHARGING
IMPORTANT The battery recharging
procedure is given as information only.
It is advisable to contact an Abarth
Dealership to have this operation
performed.
Charging should be slow at a low
ampere rating for approximately 24
hours. Charging for a longer time may
damage the battery.
To recharge, proceed as follows:
❒disconnect the terminal from the
negative battery pole;
❒connect the charger cables to the
battery terminals, observing the
polarity;
❒turn on the charger;
❒when it is recharged, turn the charger
off before disconnecting it from the
battery;
❒reconnect the negative battery
terminal.
123) 124)
WARNING
123) Battery fluid is poisonous and
corrosive: avoid contact with
your skin and eyes. The battery
should be charged in a well
ventilated place, away from naked
flames or possible sources of
sparks: danger of explosion and
fire.
124) Do not attempt to charge a
frozen battery: it must be thawed
first, otherwise it may explode.
If the battery was frozen, have it
inspected by specialised
personnel before recharging to
check that the internal elements
are not damaged and that the
casing is not cracked, which
causes the risk of leakage
of poisonous, corrosive acid.
LIFTING THE CAR
28)
As a result of its sporty nature, the car
is fitted with aerodynamic spoilers at
the bottom and side skirts at the sides.
If the vehicle needs to be raised, go
to an Abarth Dealership which is
equipped with arm lifts and workshop
lifts.
IMPORTANT
28) Take special care when
positioning the arm lifts or the
workshop lift in order not to
damage the aerodynamic spoilers
and side skirts.
149

TOWING THE CAR
The tow hook, which is supplied with
the vehicle, is housed in the tool box,
under the carpet in the luggage
compartment.
125) 126) 127) 128) 129)
ATTACHING THE TOW
HOOK
Proceed as follows:
FrontRear
❒release the cap A fig. 127
❒take the tow hook B fig. 127 from its
housing in the tool box;
❒fully tighten it on the threaded pin.
WARNING
125) Before starting towing
operations, turn the ignition key to
MAR-ON and then to STOP,
without extracting it. The steering
column will automatically lock
when the key is removed and the
wheels cannot be steered.
126) Before tightening the ring clean
the threaded housing thoroughly.
Make sure that the ring is fully
fastened in the housing before
towing the car.
126AB0A0108
127AB0A0109
150
IN AN EMERGENCY
❒release the cap A fig. 126
❒take the tow hook B fig. 126 from its
housing in the tool box;
❒fully tighten it on the threaded pin.

127) The front and rear tow hooks
should be used only for
emergencies on the road. You are
allowed to tow the vehicle for
short distances using an
appropriate device in accordance
with the highway code (a rigid
bar), to move the vehicle on the
road in readiness for towing or
transport via a breakdown vehicle.
Tow hooks MUST NOT be used
to tow vehicles off the road or
where there are obstacles and/or
for towing operations using cables
or other non-rigid devices.
Respecting the above conditions,
towing must take place with two
vehicles (one towing, the other
towed) aligned as much as
possible along the same centre
line.128) Whilst towing, remember that
as the assistance of the brake
servo and the electric power
steering is not available, greater
force needs to be exerted on
the brake pedal and more effort is
required on the steering wheel.
Do not use flexible cables when
towing and avoid jerky
movements. While towing, make
sure that the trailer hitch does not
damage any components it is
touching. When towing the car,
you must comply with all specific
traffic regulations, both in terms
of the towing device and
behaviour on the road. Do not
start the engine while towing the
car.
129) Because of its conformation,
the car cannot be loaded onto
railway carriages and transported.
151

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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Correct maintenance permits the
performance of the car to be
maintained over time, as well as limited
running costs and safeguarding the
efficiency of the safety systems.
This chapter explains how.SCHEDULED SERVICING ...............154
SCHEDULED SERVICING PLAN .....155
PERIODIC CHECKS ........................158
HEAVY-DUTY USE OF THE CAR .....158
CHECKING LEVELS........................159
AIR CLEANER/POLLEN FILTER ......162
BATTERY ........................................162
WHEELS AND TYRES.....................164
RUBBER HOSES ............................165
WINDSCREEN/REAR WINDOW
WIPER ............................................165
BODYWORK ...................................167
INTERIORS .....................................169
153

SCHEDULED
SERVICING
Correct servicing is crucial for
guaranteeing a long life for the car
under the best conditions.
For this reason, Abarth has planned a
series of checks and services at fixed
distance intervals or fixed time intervals,
as described in the Scheduled
Servicing Plan.
Before each service, it is always
necessary to carefully follow the
instructions in the Scheduled Servicing
Plan (e.g. periodically check level of
fluids, tyre pressure, etc.).
Scheduled Servicing is offered by all
Abarth Dealerships according to a set
time schedule. If, during each
operation, in addition to the ones
scheduled, the need arises for further
replacements or repairs, these may
be carried out only with the explicit
agreement of the Customer. If your car
is used frequently for towing, the
interval between one service operation
and the next should be reduced.IMPORTANT
INFORMATION
The Scheduled Servicing services are
set out by the Manufacturer. Failure
to have them carried out may invalidate
the warranty.
It is advisable to inform an Abarth
Dealership of any small operating
irregularities without waiting for the next
service.
For versions fitted with specific
equipment (e.g. Abarth Competizione
gearbox), in addition to what is
described in the Scheduled Servicing
Plan, refer to the relevant additional
items in the dedicated supplements.
154
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE

SCHEDULED SERVICING PLAN
The checks listed in the Scheduled Servicing Plan, after reaching 120,000 km/8 years, must be cyclically repeated starting from
the first interval, thus following the same intervals as before.
Thousands of miles 9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90
Thousands of kilometres 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150
Years12345678910
Check tyre condition/wear and adjust pressure, if
necessary; check “Fix&Go Automatic” kit recharge expiry
date (for versions/markets, where provided)●●●●●●●●●●
Check operation of lighting system (headlights, direction
indicators, hazard warning lights, luggage compartment,
passenger compartment, glove compartment, instrument
panel warning lights, etc.)●●●●●●●●●●
Check and, if necessary, top up fluid levels (engine
coolant, hydraulic clutch/brakes, screen washer, battery,
etc.)●●●●●●●●●●
Check exhaust emissions/smokiness●●●●●●●●●●
Use the diagnosis socket to check supply/engine
management systems operation, emissions and, for
versions/markets, where provided, engine oil degradation●●●●●●●●●●
Visually inspect condition of: exterior bodywork,
underbody protection, pipes and hoses (exhaust, fuel
system, brakes), rubber elements (gaiters, sleeves,
bushes, etc.)●●●●●
Check windscreen/rear window wiper blade position/wear●●●●●
155

Thousands of miles 9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90
Thousands of kilometres 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150
Years12345678910
Check operation of the wiper/washer system and adjust
jets, if necessary●●●●●
Check cleanliness of bonnet and luggage compartment
locks, as well as cleanliness and lubrication of linkages●●●●●
Check soft top operation while closing and opening; check
sealing gaskets and lubrication of canvas sliding side
guides (cabrio versions only)●●●●●●●●●●
Check handbrake lever travel and adjust, if necessary●●●●●
Visually inspect condition and wear of rear and front disc
brake pads and operation of pad wear indicator (for
versions/markets where provided)●●●●●●●●●●
Visually inspect conditions of the accessory drive belt(s)●
Check tensioning of accessory drive belt(s) and adjust if
necessary●●
Visually inspect condition of toothed timing drive belt●
Change engine oil and replace oil filter●●●●●●●●●●
Replace spark plugs (1)●●●●●
(1) The following are essential to ensure correct operation and prevent serious damage to the engine: only use spark plugs of the same make and type specially
certified for 1.4 Turbo petrol Abarth engines (see the information in the "Engine" paragraph); strictly comply with the spark plug replacement interval given in the
Scheduled Servicing Plan; for spark plug replacement it is advisable to contact an Abarth Dealership.
156
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE