2016 FIAT DUCATO BASE CAMPER warning

34)
IMPORTANT Apply the handbrake only
when the vehicle is at a standstill or
with the vehicle in motion only in the
event of a failure in the hydraulic
system. If exceptional use is made of
the handbrake with the vehicle in
motion, moderate traction is advisable
in order not to cause locking of the
rear end with consequent swerving of
the vehicle.
WARNING
135) Never leave children
unattended in the vehicle. Always
remove the ignition key when
leaving the vehicle and take it out
with you.
IMPORTANT
34) If the vehicle is equipped with
self-levelling air suspension,
always check that there is
sufficient space above the roof
and around the vehicle when
parking. Indeed, the vehicle could
raise (or lower) automatically
depending on load or temperature
changes.
USING THE
GEARBOX
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 fig. 173).
To engage 6th gear (where provided),
operate the lever by pressing it towards
the right in order to avoid engaging
4th gear by mistake. The action is
similar for shifting from 6th gear to 5th
gear.
IMPORTANT Reverse may only be
engaged when the vehicle is at a
standstill. With the engine running, wait
for at least 2 seconds with the clutch
pedal fully pressed before engaging
reverse to prevent damage to the gears
and grating.
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STARTING AND DRIVING

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

❒lastly, remember that the vehicle’s
dynamic behaviour is affected by
the weight transported: in particular,
the stopping distances are longer,
especially at high speed.
IMPORTANT
36) Each of these must be strictly
observed and MUST NEVER BE
EXCEEDED in any case. In
particular, ensure that you never
exceed the maximum permitted
weights on the front and rear
axles when arranging the load on
the vehicle (particularly if the
vehicle is equipped with a specific
trim level).
WARNING
137) Irregular trajectories and abrupt
braking may cause sudden
movements of the load with
consequent situations of hazard
for the driver and passengers:
before setting off, secure the load
tightly using the appropriate
hooks on the floor and use steel
cables, ropes or chains strong
enough to hold the items to be
secured.
138) If a vehicle is parked on a very
steep gradient or with a side
gradient, opening the rear door or
side door could cause any
unsecured items to emerge
suddenly.
139) If you wish to carry a reserve of
petrol in a can, observe the legal
restrictions and only use a can
that is type-approved and
properly secured to the load
anchorage eyebolts. Anyway, by
doing so, you increase the risk
of fire in the event of an accident
with your vehicle.
SAVING FUEL
Some useful tips are given below for
fuel saving and reducing harmful
emissions of CO2 and other pollutants
(nitrogen oxides, unburnt
hydrocarbons, Particulate Matter (PM),
etc.).
GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
The general factors that affect fuel
consumption are listed below.
Vehicle maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried
out in accordance with the “Scheduled
Servicing Plan”.
Tyres
Check the tyre pressures at least once
every four weeks: if the pressure is
too low, consumption levels increase as
resistance to rolling is higher.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with an overloaded
luggage compartment. The weight of
the vehicle (especially when driving
in town) and its geometry greatly affect
fuel consumption and stability.
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STARTING AND DRIVING

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

Installation diagram for
Truck and Chassis Cab
versions fig. 175
Another tow hook specific to Truck and
Chassis Cab versions in shown in fig.
175.
The structure Ø must be fixed in the
points indicated using a total of 6
M10x1.25 screws and 4 M12 screws.
MAX LOAD ON BALL: 100/120 kg
according to the payload (see
“Weights” table in the “Technical data”
section).
143)
WARNING
140) The ABS device with which the
vehicle may be equipped will not
control the braking system of
the trailer. Particular caution is
required on slippery roads.
141) Never modify the braking
system of the vehicle to control
the trailer brake. The trailer
braking system must be fully
independent from the hydraulic
system of the vehicle.142) After fitting, fixing screw holes
must be sealed to prevent an
exhaust gas inlet.
143) After fitting, fixing screw holes
must be sealed to prevent an
exhaust gas inlet.
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STARTING AND DRIVING

SNOW TYRES
A Fiat Dealership will be happy to
provide advice concerning the most
suitable type of tyre for the customer's
requirements.
The performance of these tyres is
considerably reduced when the tread
depth is less than 4 mm. Replace them
in this case.
Due to the specific characteristics of
snow tyres, in normal weather
conditions or on long motorway
journeys, the performance of these
tyres is lower than that of standard
tyres. Their usage should therefore be
restricted in accordance with their
type approval.
IMPORTANT When using snow tyres
with a maximum speed index below the
one that can be reached by the vehicle
(increased by 5%), place a notice in
the passenger compartment, plainly in
view, which states the maximum speed
allowed by the snow tyres (as per EC
Directive).
All four tyres should be the same (brand
and track) to ensure greater safety
when driving and braking as well as a
good manoeuvrability.
Remember that you should not change
the rotation direction of the tyres.
144)
WARNING
144) The maximum speed for snow
tyres marked "Q" is 160 km/h,
while it is 190 km/h for "T" tyres
and 210 km/h for "H" tyres. You
should, however, always comply
with the speed limits of the
highway code.
SNOW CHAINS
The use of snow chains should be in
compliance with local regulations of
each country.
Snow chains can be fitted to the tyres
of the front wheels (drive wheels) only.
Use of Lineaccessori Fiat snow chains
is recommended. Check the tension
of the snow chains after the first few
metres have been driven.
43)
IMPORTANT With snow chains, use the
accelerator with extreme care to
prevent, or to limit as much as possible,
slipping of the drive wheels that could
cause chain breakage, resulting in
damage to the car body or mechanical
components.
IMPORTANT For versions fitted with
225/75 R16 tyre, use snow chains with
max. thickness 16 mm.
When travelling on snowy roads with
snow chains, it may be helpful to turn
the ASR off: in fact, in these conditions,
the driving wheels skidding when
moving off gives you better traction.
198
STARTING AND DRIVING

STARTING THE
ENGINE
Go to a Fiat Dealership immediately if
warning light
stays on constantly on
the instrument panel.
JUMP STARTING
If the battery is flat, it is possible to start
the engine using an auxiliary battery
with the same capacity or a little higher
than the flat one.
It is advisable to contact a Fiat
Dealership to check/replace the battery.
145)
Proceed as follows to start the vehicle:
❒raise the flap A fig. 179 to gain
access to the positive battery
terminal.
❒connect the positive terminals (sign +
near the terminal) of the two batteries
with a jump lead;
❒use a second cable to connect the
negative terminal (–) of the auxiliary
battery to the earth point as shown in
fig. 180;
❒start the engine;
❒when the engine has been started,
remove the cables reversing the
order above.If after a few attempts the engine does
not start, do not persist but contact
the nearest Fiat Dealership.
IMPORTANT Do not directly connect
the negative terminals of the two
batteries: sparks could ignite explosive
gas released from the battery. If the
auxiliary battery is installed on another
vehicle, avoid any metal parts on the
latter and the vehicle with the flat
battery from accidentally coming into
contact.
BUMP STARTING
Never bump start the engine by
pushing, towing or driving downhill.
This could cause fuel to flow into the
catalytic converter and damage it
beyond repair.
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IN AN EMERGENCY

WARNING
145) This procedure must be
performed by qualified personnel
as incorrect actions may cause
high-intensity electrical discharge.
Furthermore, battery fluid is
poisonous and corrosive: avoid
contact with skin and eyes. Keep
naked flames and lighted
cigarettes away from the battery
and do not cause sparks.
REPLACING A
WHEEL
GENERAL
INSTRUCTIONS
Wheel replacement and correct use of
the jack and spare wheel (for
versions/markets, where provided) call
for some precautions, which are listed
below.
146) 147) 148) 149) 150)
Please note that:
❒the jack weight is 4.5 kg;
❒the jack requires no adjustment;
❒the jack cannot be repaired: in the
event of a fault it must be replaced by
another original one;
❒no tool other than its cranking device
may be fitted on the jack.
151)
To change a wheel,
proceed as follows:
❒stop the vehicle in a position that is
not dangerous for oncoming traffic
where you can change the wheel
safely. The ground should be flat
if possible, and sufficiently firm;
❒stop the engine and pull the
handbrake;
❒engage first gear or reverse;
❒put on the reflective safety jacket
(compulsory by law in certain
countries) before getting out of the
vehicle;
❒indicate that the vehicle has broken
down using the devices required by
the law in the current country (e.g.
warning triangle, hazard lights, etc.);
❒In the event of a wheel change on a
slope or on unsurfaced roads, put
any object as stop under the wheels;
❒take the tool bag under the
passenger seat (see “Compartment
under front passenger seat” in the
“Know your vehicle” section);
The container includes these tools:
A - tow hook
B - rod for spanner
C - bolt spanner
D - jack
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