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PROLONGED
VEHICLE INACTIVITY
If the vehicle needs to be off the road
for longer than one month, the following
precautions must be taken:
❒park the vehicle indoors in a dry and,
if possible, well-ventilated place;
❒engage a gear and check that the
handbrake is not engaged;
❒disconnect the negative terminal from
the battery pole (see paragraph
“Vehicle inactivity” in the "Dashboard
and controls" chapter) and check
the charge conditions (see paragraph
“Battery” in the “Care and
maintenance” chapter);
❒clean and protect the painted parts
using protective wax;
❒clean and protect the shiny metal
parts using special compounds
available commercially;
❒sprinkle talcum powder on the
windscreen and rear window wiper
rubber blades and lift them off the
glass;
❒slightly open the windows;❒cover the vehicle with a piece of
fabric or perforated plastic sheet. Do
not use compact plastic tarpaulins,
which prevent humidity from
evaporating from the surface of the
vehicle;
❒inflate tyres to +0.5 bar above the
standard specified pressure and
check it at intervals;
❒do not drain the engine cooling
system.
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 cars
is also not to be underestimated.
On your vehicle, Fiat has implemented
the best manufacturing technologies
to effectively protect the bodywork
against corrosion.
These include:
❒painting products and systems which
give the vehicle particular resistance
to corrosion and abrasion;
❒use of galvanised (or pretreated)
sheet metal, with high resistance
to corrosion;
❒spraying the underbody, engine
compartment, wheelhouse internal
parts and other parts with highly
protective wax products;
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Page 212 of 323

IMPORTANT Wipe the inside surface of
the rear window gently with a cloth in
the direction of the filaments to avoid
damaging the heater coils.
Engine compartment
At the end of each winter, thoroughly
wash the engine compartment, taking
care to avoid spraying the water jet
directly onto the electronic control units
and the relay/fuse box on the left side
of the engine compartment (driving
direction). Have this operation
performed at a specialised workshop.
IMPORTANT The washing should
take place with the engine cold and the
ignition key in the STOP position. After
the washing operation, make sure
that the various protections (e.g. rubber
caps and guards) have not been
removed or damaged.
Headlights
IMPORTANT Never use aromatic
substances (e.g. petrol) or ketones (e.g.
acetone) for cleaning the plastic lenses
of the front headlights.
IMPORTANT
39) Some car washes with old-style
blades and/or in a poor state of
repair can damage the paintwork,
facilitating the formation of lines
that give the paint a dull/misty
appearance, especially on dark
colours. If this happens, lightly
polish the paintwork with
appropriate products.
IMPORTANT
6) Detergents cause water pollution.
The vehicle should be washed in
areas equipped for collecting
and purifying the liquid used in
the washing process.
INTERIORS
Regularly check that water is not
trapped under the mats (due to water
dripping off shoes, umbrellas, etc.),
as this could cause oxidation of the
sheet metal.
143) 144)
SEATS AND FABRIC
PARTS
Remove dust with a soft brush or a
vacuum cleaner. It is advisable to use a
moist brush on velvet upholstery.
Rub the seats with a sponge moistened
with a solution of water and mild soap.
PLASTIC PARTS
It is advisable to clean interior parts with
a moist cloth and a solution of water
and non-abrasive mild soap. Use
specific products for cleaning plastic,
without solvents and specifically
designed to prevent damage to the
appearance and colour of the treated
parts, to remove grease and tough
stains.
IMPORTANT Do not use alcohol,
petrols or their derivatives to clean the
instrument panel glass.
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SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Page 275 of 323

PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR
REDUCING FUEL
CONSUMPTION AND
HARMFUL EMISSIONS
Vehicle conditions
1. Have checks and adjustments
carried out in accordance with the
“Scheduled Servicing Plan”.
2. Check tyre pressure regularly, at least
once every four weeks. Excessively
low pressures will increase
consumption because rolling resistance
will be higher. In addition, this wears
the tyre more quickly and impairs
performance.
3. Only use snow tyres when the
weather conditions make them
absolutely necessary. They increase
consumption and noise.
4. Do not travel with a heavy load: the
weight of the vehicle (especially when
driving in town) and its trim greatly
affect fuel consumption and stability.
5. Remove roof racks or ski racks after
use. These accessories reduce the
vehicle's aerodynamic penetration and
have a negative effect on fuel
consumption.
6. When transporting particularly large
objects, use a trailer if possible.7. Use the vehicle's air vents if possible:
travelling with the windows open
impairs aerodynamics.
8. Use electrical devices only for the
amount of time needed. The vehicle’s
heated rear window, additional
headlights, screen wipers and heater
fan require a considerable amount
of energy; increasing the current uptake
increases fuel consumption (by up to
+25% in an urban cycle).
9. Air conditioning leads to higher fuel
consumption (on average up to +30%).
If the temperature outside is not too
extreme, try and use the air vents.Driving style
1. After starting the engine you should
drive away immediately and slowly,
avoiding high revs. Do not warm up the
engine at low or high revs when the
vehicle is stationary; this causes the
engine to warm up more slowly, thereby
increasing fuel consumption, emissions
and mechanical component wear.
2. Avoid pointless actions such
as revving up when at traffic lights or
before stopping the engine. The latter
action, like double-declutching, is
unnecessary and causes increased fuel
consumption and pollution.
3. Gear selection: select a high gear as
soon as possible (taking into account
normal engine operation and traffic
conditions) without pushing the engine
to high revs during the intermediate
gears. Using low gears at high revs to
get lively acceleration increases fuel
consumption, harmful emissions and
engine wear.
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