2016 FIAT FREEMONT Owners Manual

WARNING!
• Driving with the liftgate open can al-
lo w

poisonous exhaust gases into your
vehicle. These fumes could injure you and your
passengers. Keep the liftgate closed when you are
operating the vehicle.
• If you are required to drive with the liftgate
open, make sure that all windows are closed, and
the blower switch on the climate control is set at
high speed. Do not use the recirculation mode.
CARGO AREA FEATURES
RECHARGEABLE FLASHLIGHT (for
versions/markets, where provided)
The rechargeable LED flashlight stores in its charging
station in the left rear quarter trim panel. To remove it,
press on the indent on the side of the flashlight and
release.
(fig. 103)
(fig. 103)
Rechargeable Flashlight
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To operate the flashlight, press the switch once for
high, twice for low, and a third time to return to off.
(fig. 104)
NOTE:Be sure to return the flashlight to its charging
station when not in use to ensure it is ready for
operation the next time you need it.
CARGO MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
FIVE PASSENGER SYSTEM FEATURES
• A raised load floor that sits on top of a large built-in storage bin.
• A tri-fold door built into the load floor that allows easy access to items in the built-in storage bin. • 60/40 split second-row passenger seats with fold flat
feature, which allows for extended cargo space. Re-
fer to “Seats” for further information.
• An optional front passenger seat with fold flat fea- ture, which extends cargo space even further. Refer
to “Seats” for further information.
• Cargo tie-downs.
• A retractable cargo area cover (for versions/markets, where provided).
SEVEN PASSENGER SYSTEM FEATURES
• A large built-in storage bin with a hinged hardcover located in the floor behind the third-row passenger
seats.
• 60/40 split second-row passenger seats with fold flat feature, which allows for extended cargo space. Re-
fer to “Seats” in “Knowing your vehicle” for further
information.
• 50/50 split third-row passenger seats with fold flat feature, which allows for extended cargo space. Re-
fer to “Seats” for further information.
• An optional front passenger seat with fold flat fea- ture, which extends cargo space even further. Refer
to “Seats” for further information.
• Cargo tie-downs.
(fig. 104) Three-Press Switch
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CARGO TIE-DOWNS
WARNING!
Cargo tie-downs are not safe anchors for
a child seat

tether strap. In a sudden stop
or collision, a tie-down could pull loose and allow
the child seat to come loose. A child could be
badly injured. Use only the anchors provided for
child seat tethers.
Cargo tie-downs are located on both rear trim panels.
These tie-downs should be used to secure loads safely
when the vehicle is moving.
(fig. 105)
WARNING!
The weight and position of cargo and
passenger s

can change the vehicle cen-
ter of gravity and vehicle handling.To avoid loss of
control resulting in personal injury, follow these
guidelines for loading your vehicle:
• Do not carry loads that exceed the load limits de- scribed on the label attached to the left door or left
door center pillar.
• Always place cargo evenly on the cargo floor. Put heavier objects as low and as far forward as possible.
• Place as much cargo as possible in front of the rear axle. Too much weight or improperly placed weight
over or behind the rear axle can cause the vehicle to
sway.
• Do not pile luggage or cargo higher than the top of the seatback. This could impair visibility or become a
dangerous projectile in a sudden stop or collision.
• To help protect against personal injury, passengers should not be seated in the rear cargo area. The rear
cargo space is intended for load carrying purposes
only, not for passengers, who should sit in seats and
use seat belts.
(fig. 105)
Cargo Tie-Downs
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RETRACTABLE CARGO AREA COVER —
FIVE PASSENGER MODELS (for
versions/markets, where provided)
NOTE:The purpose of this cover is for privacy, not to
secure loads. It will not prevent cargo from shifting or
protect passengers from loose cargo.
The removable retractable cargo area cover mounts in
the cargo area behind the top of the rear seats.
The cover, when extended, covers the cargo area to
keep items out of sight. Notches in the trim panels near
the liftgate opening secure the extended cover in place.
The cover rolls away neatly inside its housing when not
in use. You can also remove the cover from the vehicle
to make more room in the cargo area. To install the cover, position it in the vehicle so that the
flat side of the housing faces upward. Then, insert
either the left or the right spring-loaded post (located
on the ends of the cover housing) into the left attach-
ment point or the right attachment point (shown).
(fig. 106)
Insert the spring-loaded post on the opposite end of
the cover housing into the attachment point on the
opposite side of the vehicle.
(fig. 106)
Installing Retractable Cargo Area Cover
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Grab the cover handle and pull it toward you. As the
cover nears the liftgate opening, guide the rear attach-
ment posts (on both ends of the cover) into the
notches in the trim panels. Lower the cover to position
the posts into the bottom of the notches and release
the handle.
(fig. 107)
WARNING!
A cargo cover that is unsecured in the
vehi cle

could cause injury in a collision. It
could become airborne during a sudden stop and
strike someone inside the vehicle. Do not store
the cargo cover on the cargo floor or in the
passenger compartment . Remove the cover from
the vehicle when taken from its mounting. Do not
store it in the vehicle.
(fig. 107)
Positioning Retractable Cargo Area Cover
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TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE HOOD
Two latches must be released to open the hood.
1. Pull the hood release lever located under the leftside of the instrument panel. (fig. 108)
2. Outside of the vehicle, locate the safety latch lever near the center of the grille between the grille and
hood opening. Push the safety latch lever to the
right and then raise the hood. (fig. 109)
Use the hood prop rod to secure the hood in the open
position. Place the upper end of the prop rod in the
hole on the underside of the hood.
(fig. 110)
(fig. 108) Hood Release Lever
(fig. 109)Underhood Safety Latch
(fig. 110) Hood Prop Rod
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To prevent possible damage:
•Before closing hood, make sure the
hood prop rod is fully seated into its
storage retaining clips.
• Do not slam the hood to close it . Use a firm
downward push at the center front edge of the
hood to ensure that both latches engage. Never
drive your vehicle unless the hood is fully closed,
with both latches engaged.
WARNING!
Be sure the hood is fully latched before
drivin g

your vehicle. If the hood is not
fully latched, it could open when the vehicle is in
motion and block your vision. Failure to follow
this warning could result in serious injury or
death.
ROOF LUGGAGE RACK (for
versions/markets, where
provided)
The roof rack crossbars and side rails are designed to
carry cargo weight. The load must not exceed 68 kg
and it should be distributed uniformly over the cross-
bars. In addition, the roof rack does not increase the
total load carrying capacity of the vehicle. Be sure the
total load of cargo inside the vehicle plus that on the
roof rack does not exceed the maximum vehicle load
capacity.
NOTE: The roof rack side rails on your vehicle are
NOT designed to carry a load without the addition of
crossbars.
Metal Crossbars can be purchased from your FIAT
dealer to provide a functional roof rack system.
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To Move The Crossbars
1. Loosen the knobs on top of each crossbar approxi-mately six turns to disengage the clamp tooth from
the side rail. (fig. 111)
2.
Relocate the crossbars, aligning the crossbar stan-
chions (end pieces) with one of the vertical marks on
the outboard surface of the side rail for proper
positioning. There are four frontward marks for the
front crossbar and four rearward marks for the rear
crossbar. Make sure the crossbars remain equally
spaced or parallel at any position for proper function.
3. Tighten the knobs on each crossbar to lock it in position. As you tighten the knob, make sure the
clamp tooth engages completely into the side rail
slot.
4. Attempt to move the crossbar to ensure that it is locked in position.
NOTE:
• To help control wind noise when installing the cross- bars, make sure the arrows marked on the underside
of the crossbars face the front of the vehicle.
• To help reduce the amount of wind noise when the crossbars are not in use, fasten the front crossbar in
the fourth position from the front and the rear
crossbar in the eighth position. The tie down holes
on the crossbar ends should always be used to tie
down the load. Check the straps frequently to be
sure that the load remains securely attached.
(fig. 111)
Crossbar Knobs
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