
Main recommendations to carry
children safely
Install the child restraint systems on
the rear seat, which is the most protected
position in the event of an impact.
Keep children in rearward facing child
restraint systems for as long as possible,
until 3–4 years old if possible.
If a rear facing child restraint system is
installed on the front seat, passenger's
side, it is recommended to remove the
head restraint (refer to the procedure
described in "Head restraint" paragraph,
"Knowing your vehicle" chapter). The head
restraint must be repositioned properly if
no child restraint system is to be
transported.
If the passenger's front airbag is
deactivated always check the warning
light on the front dashboard to make sure
that it has actually been deactivated.
Carefully follow the instructions
supplied with the child restraint system.
Keep the instructions in the vehicle along
with the other documents and this
handbook. Do not use second-hand child
restraint systems without instructions.
Only one child is to be strapped into
each restraint system; never carry two
children using one child restraint system.
Always check that the seat belts do
not rest on the child’s neck.
Always check that the seat belt is well
fastened by pulling on it.
While travelling, do not let the child sit
incorrectly or unfasten the belts.
Never allow a child to put the belt's
diagonal section under an arm or behind
their back.
Never carry children on your lap, even
newborns. No one can hold a child in the
case of an accident.
In the event of an accident, replace the
child restraint system with a new one.
WARNING
73)SEVERE DANGER When a front
passenger airbag is fitted, do not install
rearward facing child restraint systems on
the front passenger seat. Deployment of the
airbag in an accident could cause fatal
injuries to the child regardless of the
severity of the collision. It is advisable to
always carry children in a child restraint
system on the rear seat, which is the most
protected position in the event of a collision.
74)On the sun visor there is a label with
suitable symbols reminding the user that it is
compulsory to deactivate the airbag if a
rearward facing child restraint system is
fitted. Always comply with the instructions
on the passenger side sun visor (see the
"Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) -
Airbag" paragraph).75)Should it be necessary to carry a child on
the passenger side front seat in a rear facing
child restraint system, the passenger side
front airbag and side bag must be
deactivated through the Connect system
main menu (see the Supplementary
Restraint System (SRS) - Airbag"
paragraph), verifying deactivation by
checking whether the
OFFLED has
illuminated on the front ceiling light. Move
the passenger's seat as far back as possible
to avoid contact between the child seat and
the dashboard.
76)Do not move the front or rear seat if a
child is seated on it or on the dedicated child
restraint system
77)Incorrect fitting of the child restraint
system may result in an inefficient
protection system. In the event of an
accident the child restraint system may
become loose and the child may be injured,
even fatally. When fitting a restraint system
for newborns or children, strictly comply
with the instructions provided by the
Manufacturer.
78)When the child restraint system is not
used, secure it with the seat belt or with the
ISOFIX anchorages, or remove it from the
vehicle. Do not leave it unsecured inside the
passenger compartment. In this way, in the
case of sudden braking or an accident, it will
not cause injuries to the occupants.
79)After installing a child restraint system,
do not move the seat: always remove the
child restraint system before making any
adjustment.
94
SAFETY

80)Always make sure that the chest section
of the seat belt does not pass under the
arms or behind the back of the child. In the
event of an accident the seat belt will not be
able to secure the child, with the risk of
injury, including fatal injury. Therefore the
child must always wear the seat belt
correctly.
81)Do not use the same lower anchorage to
install more than one child restraint system.
82)If a Universal ISOFIX child restraint
system is not fixed to all three anchorages, it
will not be able to protect the child correctly.
In a crash, the child could be seriously or
fatally injured.
83)Fit the child restraint system when the
car is stationary. The child restraint system
is correctly fixed to the brackets when you
hear the click. Follow the instructions for
assembly, disassembly and positioning that
the Manufacturer must supply with the child
restraint system.
84)If the vehicle was involved in an accident
of a certain severity, have the ISOFIX
anchorages and the child restraint system
replaced.
85)If the vehicle was involved in an accident
of a certain severity, have both the child
restraint system and the seat belt it was
attached to replaced.SUPPLEMENTARY RESTRAINT
SYSTEM (SRS) - AIRBAG
The vehicle is equipped with:
front driver airbag;
front passenger airbag;
driver and passenger front side bags
for pelvis, chest and shoulder protection
(Side bags);
side bags for head protection of front
seat passengers and rear side seat
passengers (window bag).
The location of the airbags on the vehicle
is marked by the word "AIRBAG" in the
middle of the steering wheel below the
Alfa Romeo emblem, on the dashboard,
on the side trim or on a label placed next
to the airbag deployment area.
FRONT AIRBAGS
The front (driver and passenger) airbags
protect the front seat occupants in the
event of head-on crashes of medium-high
severity, by placing the cushion between
the occupant and the steering wheel or
dashboard.
Therefore non-activation of airbags in
other types of collisions (side impacts,
rear shunts, roll-overs, etc.) does not
indicate a system malfunction.
Driver and passenger front airbags are
not a replacement of but complementary
to the seat belts, which should always beworn, as specified by law in Europe and
most non-European countries.
In the event of impact, those not wearing
a seat belt are projected forwards and
may come into contact with the bag
which is still inflating. The protection
offered by the bag is compromised in
these circumstances.
Front airbags may not activate in the
following situations:
frontal impacts against highly
deformable objects not involving the
front surface of the vehicle (e.g. wing
collision against guard rail, etc.);
vehicle wedging under other vehicles
or protective barriers (e.g. trucks or
guard rails).
Failure to activate in the conditions
described above is due to the fact that
they may not provide any additional
protection compared with seat belts, so
their activation would be inappropriate.
In these cases, non-deployment does not
indicate a system malfunction.
Driver's side front airbag
This consists of an instantly inflating bag
contained in a special compartment in the
centre of the steering wheel fig. 93.
95

89)Do not affix rigid objects to the garment
hooks or support handles.
90)Do not rest your head, arms or elbows on
the door, windows or the area in which the
Window bag is located to avoid possible
injury during airbag inflation.
91)Never lean your head, arms or elbows
out of the window.
92)If, when the ignition device is turned to
ON, the
warning light does not switch on
or stays on whilst driving, a fault may have
occurred in the restraint systems. In this
case the airbags or pretensioners may not
be deployed in an impact or, in a lower
number of cases, they may be deployed
accidentally. Before continuing, contact an
Alfa Romeo Dealership immediately to have
the system checked.
93)In case of a LED
OFFfailure (located
on the front courtesy light), thewarning
light appears on the instrument panel.
94)On cars with side bags, do not cover the
front seat backrests with extra covers.
95)Do not travel carrying objects in your
lap, in front of your chest or between your
lips (pipe, pencils, etc.): they could cause
severe injury if the airbag is deployed.
96)If the car has been subject to theft,
attempted theft, vandalism, or flooding,
have the airbag system inspected at an Alfa
Romeo Dealership.
97)Malfunction of the airbag failure
warning light is indicated by the activation
of an airbag failure icon and a dedicated
message on the instrument panel display.
The pyrotechnic charges are not disabled.
Before continuing, contact an Alfa Romeo
Dealership immediately to have the system
checked.98)The airbag deployment threshold is
higher than that of the pretensioners. For
collisions in the range between the two
thresholds, it is normal for only the
pretensioners to be activated.
99)The airbag does not replace seat belts
but increases their efficiency. Because front
airbags are not deployed for low-speed
crashes, side collisions, rear-end shunts or
rollovers, occupants are protected, in
addition to any side bags, only by their seat
belts, which must therefore always be
fastened.
100
SAFETY

STARTING THE ENGINE
STARTING THE ENGINE
Before starting the engine, adjust the
seat, the interior rear view mirrors, the
door mirrors and fasten the seat belt
correctly.
Never press the accelerator pedal for
starting the engine.
If necessary, messages indicating the
starting procedure can be shown on the
display.
100) 101) 102)
30) 31) 32)
Versions with manual gearbox
Proceed as follows:
engage the parking brake and set the
gear in neutral, on diesel versions turn the
ignition switch to ON, the
symbol will
appear on the instrument panel: wait until
it goes off;
fully depress the clutch pedal, without
touching the accelerator;
briefly press the ignition button;
if the engine doesn't start within a few
seconds, you need to repeat the procedure.
if the problem persists, contact an Alfa
Romeo Dealership.Versions with automatic transmission
Proceed as follows:
engage the electric parking brake and
set the gear lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral),
fully depress the brake pedal without
touching the accelerator;
briefly press the ignition button;
if the engine doesn't start within a few
seconds, you need to repeat the procedure.
if the problem persists, contact an Alfa
Romeo Dealership.
ENGINE STARTING FAILURE
Starting the engine with electronic key
battery (Keyless Start) run down or flat
If the ignition device does not respond
when the relevant button is pressed the
electronic key battery might be run down
or flat. Therefore, the system does not
detect the presence of the electronic key
on board the vehicle and displays a
dedicated message.
STOPPING THE ENGINE
33)
To stop the engine, proceed as follows:
park the vehicle in a position that is not
dangerous for oncoming traffic;
engage a gear (versions with manual
gearbox) or select P (Park) mode
(versions with automatic transmission);
with engine idling, press the start
button.Vehicles with electronic key (Keyless
Start)
If the vehicle speed is above 5 mph
(8 km/h), it is still possible to switch off
the engine by selecting an operating
mode other than P (Park). To switch off
the engine in this situation, hold down the
ignition device button for a while or press
it 3 times in a row within a few seconds.
WARNING
100)It is dangerous to run the engine in
enclosed areas. The engine takes in oxygen
and releases carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and other toxic gases.
101)The electro-hydraulic braking system
is not active until the engine starts running.
So, the brake pedal travel will be longer than
normal. This does not indicate a fault.
102)Do not start the engine by pushing,
towing or driving downhill. These
manoeuvres may damage the catalytic
converter.
IMPORTANT
30)We recommend that during the initial
period, or during the first 1600 km
(1000 miles), you do not drive to full car
performance (e.g. excessive acceleration,
long journeys at top speed, sharp braking,
etc.).
102
STARTING AND DRIVING

may be detected when engaging the
electric parking brake with the brake
pedal pressed.
With the electric parking brake engaged,
the warning light
on the instrument
panel and the LED on the switch
fig. 101 turn on.
IMPORTANTWith the Electronic Parking
Brake failure warning light on, some
functions of the electric parking brake are
deactivated. In this case the driver is
responsible for brake activation and vehicle
parking in complete safety conditions.
If, under exceptional circumstances, the
use of the brake is required with the
vehicle in motion, keep the switch on the
central tunnel pulled as long as the brake
action is necessary.
The
warning light may switch on with
the hydraulic system temporarily
unavailable; in this case braking is
controlled by the motors.
The brake lights (stop) will also
automatically switch on in the same way
as for normal braking with the use of the
brake pedal.
Release the switch on the central tunnel
to stop the braking action with the
vehicle in motion.
If, through this procedure, the vehicle is
braked until a speed below 2 mph (3 km/h)is reached and the switch is kept pulled, the
parking brake will definitively engage.
IMPORTANTDriving the vehicle with the
electric parking brake engaged, or using it
several times to slow down the vehicle, may
cause severe damage to the braking system.
Disengaging the electric parking brake
manually
In order to manually release the parking
brake, the ignition device should be at ON
position. Moreover, you need to press the
brake pedal, then press the switch on the
central tunnel briefly.
Noise may be heard from the rear of the
vehicle and a slight movement of the
brake pedal may be detected during
disengagement.
After disengaging the electric parking
brake, the
warning light on the
instrument panel and the LED on the
fig. 101 switch turn off.
If the
warning light on the instrument
panel remains on with the electric parking
brake disengaged, this indicates a fault:
in this case contact an Alfa Romeo
Dealership.
IMPORTANT Never use gear position P
(Park) instead of the electric parking
brake. Always engage the electric
parking brake when parking the vehicle to
prevent injury or damage caused by the
unexpected movement of the vehicle.ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE OPERATING
MODES
The electric parking brake may operate
as follows:
"Dynamic operating mode": this mode
is activated by pulling the switch
repeatedly whilst driving;
"Static engagement and release
mode": with the vehicle stationary, the
electric parking brake can be activated
by pulling the switch on the central tunnel
once. On the other hand, press the switch
and the brake pedal at the same time to
disengage the brake;
"Drive Away Release": (where
provided) the electric parking brake will
automatically disengage with the driver
side seat belt fastened and the detection
of an action performed by the driver to
move the vehicle (forward gear or
reverse gear);
"Safe Hold": if the vehicle speed is
lower than 2 mph (3 km/h), on vehicles
with automatic transmission, the gear
lever is not in P (Park) position and the
driver's intention of leaving the vehicle is
detected, the electric parking brake will
automatically engage to hold the vehicle
in safety conditions;
"Auto Park Brake": if the vehicle speed
is below 2 mph (3 km/h), the electric
parking break will automatically engage
when the gear lever is in P (Park) position.
The LED on the switch located on the
104
STARTING AND DRIVING

central tunnel fig. 101 switches on
together with the warning light
on the
instrument panel when the parking brake
is engaged and applied to the wheels.
Each automatic parking brake
engagement can be cancelled by pressing
the switch on the central tunnel and at
the same time moving the gear lever for
the transmission to position P (Park).
SAFE HOLD
It is a safety function that automatically
engages the electric parking brake in the
event of a dangerous condition for the
vehicle.
If:
the vehicle speed is below 2 mph
(3 km/h);
on vehicles with automatic
transmission, a transmission operating
mode different from P (Park) is activated;
the driver's seat belt is not fastened;
the driver side door is open;
no attempts to apply pressure on the
brake pedal have been detected.
the electric parking brake engages
automatically to prevent vehicle
movement.
The Safe Hold function can be
temporarily disabled by pressing the
switch located on the central tunnel and
the brake pedal at the same time, with
the vehicle stationary and the driver side
door open.Once disabled, the function will activate
again when the vehicle speed reaches
12 mph (20 km/h) or the ignition device is
moved to STOP and then to ON.
WARNING
103)In the case of parking manoeuvres on
roads on a gradient, the front wheels must
be steered towards the pavement (when
parking downhill), or in the opposite
direction if the vehicle is parked uphill. Block
the wheels with a wedge or a stone if the car
is parked on a steep slope.
104)Never leave children alone in an
unattended vehicle; make sure that when
you move away from the vehicle, you have
the key with you.
105)The electric parking brake must
always be engaged when leaving the vehicle.
MANUAL GEARBOX
106)
34)
To engage the gears, press the clutch
pedal fully and put the gear lever into the
required position (the diagram for gear
engagement is shown on the knob ).
To engage reverse gear R from the idle
position, press towards the left (until end
of stroke) to avoid mistakenly inserting
the 1
stgear.
To engage 6thgear, operate the lever by
pressing it towards the right in order to
avoid engaging 4
thgear by mistake. The
same applies to the shift from 6thto 5th
gear.
IMPORTANT Reverse can only be
engaged when the vehicle is completely
stationary. With the engine running, wait
10207056S0001EM
105

It is not possible to select N (Neutral)
mode from P (Park) mode.
P (Park) mode is automatically activated
if the following conditions are met
simultaneously:
D (Drive) or R (Reverse) mode is active;
the car’s speed is close to 0;
the brake pedal is released;
the driver’s seat belt is not fastened;
the driver’s door is open.
If using the gear shift in "sequential"
mode. you can activate it by moving the
lever from D (Drive) to the left and then
forward towards the - symbol or back
towards the + symbol and the gear is
shifted.
To exit position P (Park), or to pass from
position N (Neutral) to position D (Drive)
or R (Reverse) when the vehicle is
stopped or is moving at a low speed, the
brake pedal must also be pressed.
IMPORTANT DO NOT accelerate while
shifting from position P (or N) to another
position.
IMPORTANT After selecting a gear, wait
a few seconds before accelerating. This
precaution is particularly important with
a cold engine.
AutoStick - Manual (sequential)
shifting mode
In the case of frequent gearshifting (e.g.
for sport driving, when the vehicle is
driven with a heavy load, on slopes, with
strong headwind or when towing heavy
trailers), it is recommended to use the
Autostick (sequential shifting) mode to
select and keep a lower fixed ratio.
In this condition, using the lowest gear
improves the car performance,
preventing overheating.
It is possible to shift from position D
(Drive) to the sequential mode regardless
of vehicle speed.
Activation
Starting from D (Drive) mode, to activate
the sequential drive mode, move the
lever to the left (– and + indication of the
trim). The gear engaged will be shown on
the display.
Gearshifting is made by moving the gear
lever forwards, towards symbol – or
backwards, towards symbol +.Steering wheel stalks
(where provided)
The gear can be manually shifted also by
using the levers behind the steering
wheel, pull the right gear lever (+)
towards the steering wheel and release it
to engage a higher gear; perform the
same operation with the left lever (-) to
engage a lower gear fig. 105.
To engage N (Neutral): pull
simultaneously both levers.
To activate D (Drive) mode, from N
(Neutral), P (Parking) and R (Reverse):
push the brake pedal and the right lever
(+).
IMPORTANT When only one manual shift
is performed, the letter D will remain on
the display with the engaged gear next to
it.
10407076S0005EM
10507076S0006EM
107

FUEL CUT-OFFSYSTEM
DESCRIPTION
139)
Depending on the type and violence of
the impact, the control unit of the ORC
occupant protection systems determines
whether to activate the airbags and the
front seatbelt pretensioners and whether
to immediately interrupt the current
from the batteries to the supply pumps
and to the devices that operate the
engine. The power from the battery is
interrupted by "skipping" the pyrotechnic
fuse placed on the fuse box next to the
positive pole of the battery.
When the fuse is "skipped", only some
services, necessary for the safety of the
vehicle (eg: door locks, anti-theft device,
etc.), remain powered.
IMPORTANT After the impact, carefully
check the vehicle for fuel leaks, for
instance in the engine compartment,
under the vehicle or near the tank area.
IMPORTANT Contact an Alfa Romeo
Dealership to have the system checked.
WARNING
139)If, after an impact, you smell fuel or
notice leaks from the fuel system, do not
reactivate the system to avoid the risk of
fire.
137