2016 FIAT DUCATO BASE CAMPER light

The LED is tested also for markets
where the passenger protection
deactivation is not provided, and the
LED switches on for less than one
second when the key is turned to
MAR-ON, and then switches off again.
The warning light may light up with
various intensity levels depending on
the vehicle conditions. The intensity
may also vary during the same key
cycle.
168F1A0374
176
SAFETY

IMPORTANT The front airbags and/or
side bags may be deployed if the
vehicle is subject to heavy knocks or
accidents involving the underbody area,
such as for example violent shocks,
against steps, kerbs or low obstacles,
vehicle falling into big potholes or
depressions in the road.
IMPORTANT A small amount of dust
will be released when the airbags
are deployed. The dust is not harmful
and does not indicate the beginning of
a fire. Furthermore, the surface of the
deployed bag and the interior of the
vehicle may be covered in a dusty
residue: this may irritate your skin and
eyes. Wash with mild soap and water in
the event of exposure.
IMPORTANT Should an accident occur
in which any of the safety devices are
activated, take the vehicle to a Fiat
Dealership to have the activated
devices replaced and to have the whole
system checked.
Every control, repair and replacement
operation concerning the airbags must
only be carried out at a Fiat Dealership.If you are having the vehicle scrapped,
have the system deactivated at a Fiat
Dealership first. If the vehicle changes
ownership, the new owner must be
informed of how to use the airbags and
the above warnings and also be given
this "Owner Handbook".
IMPORTANT Pretensioners, front
airbags and front side bags are
deployed differently according to the
type of collision. Failure to deploy
of one of the devices does not
necessarily indicate a system
malfunction.
WARNING
121) Never rest your head, arms or
elbows on the doors, on the
windows or in the window bag
area as this could cause injuries
during the inflation phase.
122) Never lean your head, arms and
elbows out of the window.123) If when turning the key to
MAR-ON the warning light
does not turn on or if it stays
on when travelling (together with
the message on the multifunction
display, for versions/markets
where provided), there could be a
fault in the safety systems; in
this event, airbags or
pretensioners may not trigger in
the case of impact or, in a lower
number of cases, they could be
triggered accidentally. Contact a
Fiat Dealership immediately to
have the system checked.
124) Do not cover the backrest of
the front or rear seats with covers
which are not suitable for use
with side bags.
125) 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.
126) Always drive keeping your
hands on the steering wheel rim
so that the airbag can inflate
freely if necessary. Do not drive
with your body bent forward.
Keep your back straight against
the backrest.
180
SAFETY

STARTING THE
ENGINE
The vehicle is fitted with an electronic
engine lock device: if the engine fails to
start, see the paragraph “The Fiat
CODE system” in section “Know your
vehicle”.
27) 28)
134)
PROCEDURE
Proceed as follows:
❒engage the handbrake;
❒put the gear lever into neutral;
❒turn the ignition key to MAR-ON: the
warning lights
andon the
instrument panel will turn on;
❒wait for the warning lights
and
to switch off. The hotter the
engine is, the quicker this will
happen;
❒fully press the clutch pedal without
touching the accelerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVV as soon
as warning light
switches off.
Waiting too long will waste the
heating work carried out by the glow
plugs.
Release the key as soon as the engine
starts.If the engine does not start at the first
attempt, return the ignition key to STOP
before repeating the starting procedure.
If, when the ignition key is at MAR-ON
the
warning light remains lit, turn
the key to STOP and then back to
MAR-ON; if the warning light remains
lit, try with the other keys provided with
the car.
IMPORTANT Go to a Fiat Dealership
immediately if warning light
stays
on constantly on the instrument panel.
IMPORTANT Never leave the ignition
key in MAR-ON position when the
engine is stopped.
29)
WARMING UP THE
ENGINE JUST AFTER IT
HAS STARTED
Proceed as follows:
❒drive off slowly, letting the engine turn
at medium revs. Do not accelerate
abruptly;
❒do not demand full performance at
first. Wait until the engine coolant
temperature gauge starts moving.
30) 31)
STOPPING THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition key to STOP while the
engine is idling.
32) 33)
IMPORTANT
27) It is advisable not to demand
maximum performance from
your vehicle (e.g. excessive
acceleration, long distances at
high speeds, excessively intense
braking, etc.) during the initial
period of use.
28) When the engine is off, do not
leave the ignition key turned to
MAR-ON to prevent unnecessary
electrical consumption from
draining the battery.
29) If the
warning light flashes
for about 60 seconds after
starting or during prolonged
cranking, this indicates a fault in
the glow plug preheating system.
Use the vehicle normally if the
engine starts, but contact a Fiat
Dealership as soon as possible.
184
STARTING AND DRIVING

30) Remember that the brake servo
and power steering are not
operational until the engine has
been started, so you need to apply
much more force than usual to
the brake pedal and steering
wheel.
31) Never start the engine by
pushing, towing or driving
downhill. This could cause fuel to
flow into the catalytic converter
and damage it beyond repair.
32) A quick burst on the accelerator
before turning off the engine
serves absolutely no practical
purpose; it wastes fuel and is
especially damaging to
turbocharged engines.
33) In some cases, when the engine
switches off, the fan could
activate for max. 120 seconds.
WARNING
134) 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.
PARKING
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the
handbrake;
❒engage a gear (on a slope, engage
first gear if the car is facing uphill or
reverse if it is facing downhill) and
leave the wheels steered.
If the vehicle is parked on a steep
slope, it is advisable to block the
wheels with a wedge or stone.
Do not leave the key in the ignition as
this drains the battery. Always remove
the key when you leave the car.
135)
HANDBRAKE
The handbrake lever is located to the
left of the driver's seat fig. 172. Pull the
lever upwards to engage the handbrake
and ensure that the vehicle does not
move.
IMPORTANT Make sure that the
handbrake is engaged in such a way as
to ensure the stationing of the vehicle,
especially in the case of steep slopes
and full load.IMPORTANT If this is not the case,
contact a Fiat Dealership to have the
handbrake adjusted. If the lever travel
gets longer, contact a Fiat Dealership.
When the handbrake lever is engaged
and the ignition key is in MAR-ON
position, the instrument panel warning
light
will switch on.
Proceed as follows to release the
handbrake:
❒slightly lift the lever and press release
button A;
❒keep button A pressed and lower the
lever.
The
warning light in the instrument
panel will switch off.
Press the brake pedal when carrying
out this operation to prevent the vehicle
from moving accidentally.
172F1A0162
185

To engage reverse R from neutral,
proceed as follows: raise sliding ring A
under the knob and at the same time
move the gear lever to the left and then
forwards.
136)
35)
WARNING
136) Depress the clutch pedal fully
to change gear correctly. It is
therefore essential that there is
nothing under the pedals: make
sure the mats are lying flat and do
not get in the way of the pedals.
IMPORTANT
35) Do not drive with your hand
resting on the gear lever as the
force exerted, even if slight, could
lead over time to premature wear
of the internal gearbox
components. The clutch pedal
should be used only for gear
changes. Do not drive with your
foot resting on the clutch pedal,
however lightly. For versions/
markets where provided, the
electronic clutch pedal control
could cut in, interpreting the
incorrect driving style as a fault.
LOADING ADVICE
The Fiat Ducato version used by you
has been designed and type approved
on the basis of certain maximum
weights (see "Weights" table in the
"Technical Data" chapter): kerb weight,
payload, total weight, maximum weight
on front axle, maximum weight on
rear axle, towable weight.
IMPORTANT The maximum permitted
load on the floor fastenings is 500
kg; the maximum permitted load on the
side panel is 150 kg.
IMPORTANT For versions with right and
left side flaps, it is advisable to
reposition the release lever in the closed
position before lowering the sides.
36)
137) 138) 139)
In addition to these general
precautions, some simple precautions
can improve driving safety, travelling
comfort and vehicle durability:
❒distribute the load evenly over the
platform: if it is necessary to
concentrate it in a single area,
choose an area mid-way between
both axles;
187

Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or the ski rack
from the roof after use. These
accessories decrease aerodynamic
penetration of the vehicle and have a
negative effect on fuel consumption.
When transporting particularly large
objects, use a trailer if possible.
Electric devices
Use electrical devices only for the
amount of time needed. The heated
rear window, additional headlights,
windscreen/rear window wipers and
heater fan need a considerable amount
of energy, therefore increasing fuel
consumption (by up to 25% in
the urban cycle).
Climate control system
Air conditioning leads to higher fuel
consumption (on average up to +20%).
If the temperature outside permits, try
and use the ventilation only.
Devices for
aerodynamic control
The use of non-certified spoilers may
adversely affect air drag and fuel
consumption.DRIVING STYLE
The main driving styles that affect fuel
consumption are listed below.
Cranking
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 and emissions. It is
therefore advisable to move off
immediately, slowly, avoiding high
speeds: in this way the engine will
warm up more quickly.
Unnecessary actions
Avoid accelerating when stopped at
traffic lights or before switching off the
engine. This action and also double
declutching is absolutely pointless on
modern cars and also increases
consumption and pollution.
Gear selection
As soon as the conditions of the traffic
and road permit, use a higher gear.
Using a low gear for faster acceleration
will increase consumption.
In the same way improper use of a high
gear increases consumption, emissions
and engine wear.Max. speed
Fuel consumption increases
considerably with speed. Maintain a
constant speed, avoiding unnecessary
braking and acceleration, which cost
in terms of both fuel consumption and
emissions.
Acceleration
Accelerating violently will greatly affect
consumption and emissions:
acceleration should be gradual.
USAGE CONDITIONS
The main usage conditions that
negatively affect fuel consumption are
listed below.
Cold starting
Short journeys and frequent cold starts
do not allow the engine to reach
optimum operating temperature.
This results in a significant increase in
consumption levels (from +15 to +30%
on the urban cycle) and emissions.
189

Traffic and road
conditions
Rather high consumption levels are
linked to situations with heavy traffic, for
instance when travelling in queues
with frequent use of the lower gears or
in cities with many traffic lights. Winding
mountain roads and rough road
surfaces also adversely affect
consumption.
Stops in traffic
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g. level
crossings) the engine should be
switched off.TOWING TRAILERS
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION
The vehicle must be provided with a
type-approved tow hook and adequate
electrical system to tow caravans or
trailers. Installation should be carried
out by specialised personnel who
will issue the required papers for
travelling on roads.
Install any specific and/or additional
door mirrors as specified by the
Highway Code.
Remember that when towing a trailer,
steep hills are harder to climb, the
braking spaces increase and overtaking
takes longer depending on the overall
weight.
Engage a low gear when driving
downhill, rather than constantly using
the brake.
The weight of the trailer on the vehicle
tow hook will reduce the loading
capacity of the vehicle by the same
amount. Consider the weight of the
trailer fully laden, including accessories
and luggage, to make sure you do
not exceed the maximum towable
weight (shown on the vehicle
registration document).Do not exceed the speed limits specific
to each country you are driving in, in
the case of vehicles towing trailers.
In any case, the top speed must not
exceed 100 km/h.
You are advised to fit a suitable
stabiliser to the trailer drawbar.
In the vehicles equipped with parking
sensors, after fitting the tow hook
malfunctioning warnings may be
displayed, as some parts (tow bar, ball
tow hook) may be within the sensor
detection range. In this case the
detection range must be adjusted or
the parking assistance function must be
deactivated.
140) 141)
INSTALLING THE TOW
HOOK
The towing device should be fastened
to the body by specialised personnel
according to any additional and/or
integrative information supplied by the
Manufacturer of the device.
The towing device must meet current
regulations with reference to Directive
94/20/EC and subsequent
amendments.
For any version the towing device used
must match the towable weight of the
vehicle on which it is to be installed.
190
STARTING AND DRIVING

For the electric connection a standard
connector should be used which is
generally placed on a special bracket
normally fastened to the towing device,
and a special ECU for external trailer
light control must be installed on the
vehicle. For the electrical connection, 7
or 13 pin 12 V DC connections are to
be used (CUNA/UNI and ISO/DIN
Standards). Follow the instructions
provided by the vehicle manufacturer
and/or the tow hitch manufacturer.
An electric brake (or electric winch)
should be supplied directly by the
battery through a cable with a cross
section of no less than 2.5 mm
2.
IMPORTANT Electric brakes or other
devices must be used with engine
running.
In addition to the electrical branches,
the vehicle's electric system can only
be connected to the supply cable for an
electric brake and to the cable for an
internal light, though not above 15
W. For connections use the preset
control unit with battery cable no less
than 2.5 mm
2.IMPORTANT The trailer tow hook
contributes to the length of the vehicle.
When installing on long wheelbase
versions, it is only possible to install
removable tow hooks because the total
vehicle length limit of 6 metres is
exceeded.
If no trailer is fitted, the hook must be
removed from the attachment base and
it must not exceed the vehicle's
original length.
IMPORTANT If you wish to leave the
tow hook fitted without towing a trailer,
it is advisable to contact a Fiat
Dealership for the relevant system
update operations because the tow
hook could be detected as an obstacle
by the central sensors.Installation diagram for
Van versions fig. 174
The tow hook structure must be
fastened in the points shown by the
symbol Ø using a total of 6 M10x1.25
screws and 4 M12 screws.
The internal back plates must be at
least 5 mm thick. MAX LOAD ON
BALL: 100/120 kg according to the
payload (see “Weights” table in the
“Technical data” section).
142)
To install a tow hook, the bumpers
must be trimmed as described in the
supplier's installation kit.
191