2016 FIAT 500L service

worn to the tread wear indicators, the tire should be
replaced. Refer to “Replacement Tires” in this section for
further information.
Life Of Tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon varying
factors including, but not limited to:
•Driving style.
• Tire pressure - Improper cold tire inflation pressures
can cause uneven wear patterns to develop across the
tire tread. These abnormal wear patterns will reduce
tread life, resulting in the need for earlier tire replace-
ment.
• Distance driven. •
Performance tires, tires with a speed rating of V or
higher, and Summer tires typically have a reduced
tread life. Rotation of these tires per the vehicle main-
tenance schedule is highly recommended.WARNING!
Tires and the spare tire should be replaced after six
years, regardless of the remaining tread. Failure to
follow this warning can result in sudden tire failure.
You could lose control and have a collision resulting
in serious injury or death.
Keep dismounted tires in a cool, dry place with as little
exposure to light as possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease, and gasoline.
328 STARTING AND OPERATING

NOTE:It is particularly important for you to check the
tire pressure in all of the tires on your vehicle regularly
and to maintain the proper pressure.
The TPMS consists of the following components:
• Receiver Module.
• Four Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensors.
• Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light.
Tire Pressure Monitoring Low Pressure Warnings
The Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light will illumi-
nate in the instrument cluster, an acoustic signal will be
activated, and the “Check left or right front/rear tire”
text message will display when one or more of the four
active road tire pressures are low. Should this occur, you
should stop as soon as possible, check the inflation
pressure of each tire on your vehicle, and inflate each tire
to the vehicle’s recommended cold placard pressure
value. The system will automatically update and the Tire Pressure Monitoring Light will extinguish once the up-
dated tire pressures have been received. The vehicle may
need to be driven for up to 20 minutes above 15 mph
(24 km/h) to receive this information.
Check TPMS Warnings
The Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light will flash on
and off for 75 seconds and remain on solid when a system
fault is detected, an audible chime will be activated and
the “Service Tire Pressure Monitoring System” text mes-
sage will display. If the ignition key is cycled, this
sequence will repeat providing the system fault still
exists. The Tire Pressure Monitoring Telltale Light will
turn off when the fault condition no longer exists. A
system fault can occur with any of the following sce-
narios:
•
Jamming due to electronic devices or driving next to
facilities emitting the same radio frequencies as the
TPM sensors.
336 STARTING AND OPERATING

Poor quality gasoline can cause problems such as hard
starting, stalling, and hesitations. If you experience these
symptoms, try another brand of gasoline before consid-
ering service for the vehicle.
Reformulated Gasoline
Many areas of the country require the use of cleaner
burning gasoline referred to as “Reformulated Gasoline”.
Reformulated gasoline contains oxygenates and are spe-
cifically blended to reduce vehicle emissions and im-
prove air quality.
The use of reformulated gasoline is recommended. Prop-
erly blended reformulated gasoline will provide im-
proved performance and durability of engine and fuel
system components.
Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends
Some fuel suppliers blend unleaded gasoline with oxy-
genates such as ethanol.
CAUTION!
DO NOT use gasoline containing methanol or gaso-
line containing more than 15% ethanol (E-15). Use of
these blends may result in starting and drivability
problems, damage critical fuel system components,
cause emissions to exceed the applicable standard,
and/or cause the “Malfunction Indicator Light” to
illuminate. Please observe pump labels as they
should clearly communicate if a fuel contains greater
than 15% ethanol (E-15).
Problems that result from using gasoline containing more
than 15% ethanol (E-15) or gasoline containing methanol
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 339

Fuel System Cautions
CAUTION!
Follow these guidelines to maintain your vehicle’s
performance:
•
The use of leaded gasoline is prohibited by Federal
law. Using leaded gasoline can impair engine perfor-
mance and damage the emissions control system.
• An out-of-tune engine or certain fuel or ignition
malfunctions can cause the catalytic converter to
overheat. If you notice a pungent burning odor or
some light smoke, your engine may be out of tune
or malfunctioning and may require immediate ser-
vice. Contact your authorized dealer for service
assistance.
• The use of fuel additives, which are now being
sold as octane enhancers, is not recommended.
(Continued)
CAUTION! (Continued)
Most of these products contain high concentrations
of methanol. Fuel system damage or vehicle perfor-
mance problems resulting from the use of such
fuels or additives is not the responsibility of the
manufacturer and may void or not be covered
under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
NOTE: Intentional tampering with the emissions control
system can result in civil penalties being assessed against
you.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 341

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS ...........349
 IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS ............349
 WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE
SPECIFICATIONS ..................... .350
▫ Torque Specifications ...................351
 TIRE SERVICE KIT ..................... .352
 JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING — IF
EQUIPPED .......................... .357
▫ Jack Location ....................... .358
▫ Spare Tire Removal ....................359 ▫
Preparations For Jacking ................360
▫ Jacking Instructions ...................360
▫ Spare Tire Stowage ....................364
 JUMP-STARTING PROCEDURE ............365
▫ Preparations For Jump-Start ..............366
▫ Jump-Starting Procedure ................367
 FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE .............370
 SHIFT LEVER OVERRIDE ................371
 TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE ...........373
▫ Manual Transmission ...................374
6

HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located on the
instrument panel below the radio.Push the switch to turn on the Hazard Warning
flashers. When the switch is activated, all direc-
tional turn signals will flash on and off to warn oncoming
traffic of an emergency. Push the switch a second time to
turn off the Hazard Warning flashers.
Do not use this emergency warning system when the
vehicle is in motion. Use it when your vehicle is disabled
and it is creating a safety hazard for other motorists.
If it is necessary to leave the vehicle to go for service, the
Hazard Warning flashers will continue to operate with
the ignition key removed and the vehicle locked.
NOTE: With extended use, the Hazard Warning flashers
may wear down your battery.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate ac-
tion.
• On the highways — slow down.
• In city traffic — while stopped, place the transmission
in NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle speed.
NOTE: There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition:
• If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off. The A/C
system adds heat to the engine cooling system and
turning the A/C off can help remove this heat.
• You can also turn the temperature control to maximum
heat, the mode control to floor and the blower control
to high. This allows the heater core to act as a
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 349

supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If the pointer rises to the H (red) mark,
the instrument cluster will sound a chime. When
safe, pull over and stop the vehicle with the engine at
idle. Turn off the air conditioning and wait until the
pointer drops back into the normal range. If the
pointer remains on the H (red) mark for more than a
minute, turn the engine off immediately and call for
service.
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot engine
coolant (antifreeze) or steam from your radiator. If
you see or hear steam coming from under the hood,
do not open the hood until the radiator has had time
to cool. Never try to open a cooling system pressure
cap when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
Proper lug nut/bolt torque is very important to ensure
that the wheel is properly mounted to the vehicle. Any
time a wheel has been removed and reinstalled on the
vehicle the lug nuts/bolts should be torqued using a
properly calibrated torque wrench.
350 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

Tighten the lug nuts/bolts in a star pattern until each
nut/bolt has been tightened twice.
After 25 miles (40 km) check the lug nut/bolt torque to be
sure that all the lug nuts/bolts are properly seated
against the wheel.WARNING!
To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack,
do not tighten the lug nuts fully until the vehicle has
been lowered. Failure to follow this warning may
result in personal injury.
TIRE SERVICE KIT
If a tire is punctured, you can make a first emergency
repair using the Tire Service Kit located in the rear
storage area under the cargo floor.
Torque Patterns
352 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES