
Examples of incorrect use of the
rear differential lock
214)
215)
216) 217)
WARNING
214)If the “4L” or “4H” position (Easy
select 4WD), “4LLc” or “4HLc” position
(Super select 4WD II) is selected along with
the rear differential lock, the following
phenomena appear and it is very
dangerous. Please be sure to release the
rear differential lock on normal roads. If the
rear differential lock is used by mistake
when driving on a paved road: With the
rear differential lock on, the power to drive
the vehicle straight ahead becomes very
strong, which may make it difficult to turn
the steering wheel.
215)If the rear differential lock is used by
mistake when turning a curve or making a
right or left turn at a crossing or the like:
The vehicle is unable to make a turn and
may go straight ahead.216)If the rear differential lock is used by
mistake except when making an
emergency escape on snow or frozen
road: It becomes difficult to make a steady
turn.
217)In the case where the condition of the
road is different for the right tyre to drive
from the left tyre (such as one tyre on a
paved road and the other on ice), direction
of the vehicle may change abruptly when
engine braking or accelerating. Do not use
the rear differential lock except when
making an emergency escape on a snow
or frozen road, but drive with 4WD.
IMPORTANT
110)Operate the rear differential switch
after the wheels are stopped. Operating the
switch with the wheels turning may cause
the vehicle to dart in unexpected directions.
111)If a problem is detected in the rear
differential lock system, a safety device will
activate. The rear differential lock indicator
lamp will blink rapidly (twice per second),
and the rear differential lock will deactivate.
Park your vehicle in a safe place, turn off
the engine for a few moments. Restart the
engine. It is safe to continue driving if the
lamps resume normal operation. If the rear
differential lock indicator lamp blinks when
the rear differential lock is reactivated, have
the vehicle checked by a Fiat Dealership as
soon as possible.
260AHA105235
261AHA105248
262AHA105251
169

112)Use the rear differential lock only as an
emergency measure when the vehicle is
stuck and cannot be freed with the drive
mode-selector in “4L” or “4H” position
(Easy select 4WD) or in “4LLc” or “4HLc”
position (Super select 4WD II). Deactivate
the rear differential lock immediately after
using it.4 WHEEL DRIVE
OPERATION
By selecting 4-wheel drive, both axles
of the vehicle are rigidly connected with
each other. This improves the traction
characteristics. When turning sharp
corners or moving forward and
backward repeatedly, however, the
drive line is stressed, which is felt as a
braking effect. A 4-wheel drive vehicle
can accelerate more quickly and
smoothly.
However, note that the braking distance
is not shorter than that of a rear-wheel
drive vehicle.
When using 4-wheel drive on rough
roads (snow, mud, sand, etc.), it is
important to operate the vehicle
correctly.
The driving posture should be more
upright and closer to the wheel than
usual; adjust the seat to a good
position for easy steering and pedal
operation. Be sure to wear the seat belt
After driving on rough roads, check
each part of the vehicle and wash it
thoroughly with water. Refer to the
“Vehicle care” section and “Inspection
and maintenance following rough road
operation”.Driving on dry paved road and
highway
Select “2H” position (Easy select 4WD),
“2H” or “4H” position (Super select
4WD II) to drive on the dry paved road.
Especially on dry highway, never select
the “4H” or “4L” position (Easy select
4WD), “4HLc” or “4LLc” position (Super
select 4WD II).
113)
Driving on snowy or icy roads
Set the drive mode-selector to “4H”
position (Easy select 4WD), “4H” or
“4HLc” position in accordance with the
road conditions (Super select 4WD II)
and then gradually depress the
accelerator pedal for a smooth start.
Keep the pressure on the accelerator
pedal as constant as possible, and
drive at low speed. The use of snow
tyres and/or tyre chains is
recommended.
Maintain a safe distance between
vehicles, avoid sudden braking, and
use engine braking (downshifting).
114)
170
STARTING AND DRIVING

Driving on sandy or muddy roads
Set the drive mode-selector to “4H” or
“4L” position (Easy select 4WD), “4HLc”
or “4LLc” position (Super select 4WD II)
and then gradually depress the
accelerator pedal for a smooth start.
Keep the pressure on the accelerator
pedal as constant as possible, and
drive at low speed.
115) 116)
218)
Avoid sudden braking, acceleration,
and turning; such operations could
result in the vehicle becoming stuck.
If the vehicle becomes stuck in sandy
or muddy roads, it can often be moved
a rocking motion. Move the selector
lever rhythmically between the “D”
(DRIVE) and “R” (REVERSE) position
(with manual transmission, between 1st
and Reverse), while applying slight
pressure to the accelerator pedal.
It is recommended to start the vehicle
with parking brake partially, but not
completely, applied by slightly pulling
the parking brake lever. After the vehicle
has become free, do not forget to
release the parking brake.
If it is necessary to drive in extremely
muddy conditions, the use of tyre
chains is recommended. Because the
extent of muddy conditions is difficult to
judge and the vehicle could become
bogged down very deeply, operationshould be at a low speed. If possible,
get out of the vehicle and check the
conditions ahead before proceeding.
Driving over roads in coastal areas or
roads on which anti-skid preparations
have been spread can cause rust on
the vehicle; wash the vehicle thoroughly
as soon as possible after such use.
Climbing sharp grades
Set the drive mode-selector to “4L”
position (Easy select 4WD), “4LLc”
position (Super select 4WD II) to
maximize the engine torque.
219) 220)
Choose as smooth a slope as possible
with few stones or other obstacles.
Before attempting to drive up the slope,
walk up it to confirm that the vehicle
can handle the grade.Descending sharp grades
Set the drive mode-selector to “4L”
position (Easy select 4WD), “4LLc”
position (Super select 4WD II), use the
engine brake (downshifting) and
descend slowly.
221)
When descending a sharp grade, if the
brakes are applied suddenly because of
an obstacle encountered, control of the
vehicle could be lost. Before
descending the slope, walk down it and
confirm the path.
Before descending a grade, it is
necessary to choose the appropriate
gear. Avoid changing gears or
depressing the clutch while descending
the grade.
Fiat. is not responsible to the operator
for any damage or injury caused or
liability incurred by the improper and
negligent operation of a vehicle. All
techniques of vehicle operation
described herein depend on the skill
and experience of the operator and
other participating parties and any
deviation from the recommended
operation instructions above is at their
own risk.
171

Turning sharp corners
When turning a sharp corner in “4H” or
“4L” position (Easy select 4WD), “4HLc”
or “4LLc” position (Super select 4WD II)
at low speed, a slight difference in
steering may be experienced similar to
as if the brakes were applied. This is
called tight corner braking and results
from each of the 4 tyres being at a
different distance from the corner.
Crossing a stream
4-wheel drive vehicles are not
necessarily waterproof. If the electrical
circuits become wet, further operation
of the vehicle will be impossible;
therefore, avoid crossing streams
unless absolutely necessary. If crossing
a stream is unavoidable, use the
following procedure:
Check depths of a stream and
geographical features before
attempting to cross a stream and
ford the stream where the water is
as shallow as practicable.Set the
drive mode-selector to “4L”
position (Easy select 4WD), “4LLc”
position (Super select 4WD II).Drive
slowly at a speed of approximately
5 km/h to avoid splashing too
much water.
117) 118)
Inspection and maintenance
following rough road operation
After operating the vehicle in rough road
conditions, be sure to perform the
following inspection and maintenance
procedures:
Check that the vehicle has not been
damaged by rocks, gravel, etc.
Carefully wash the vehicle with water.
Drive the vehicle slowly while lightly
depressing the brake pedal in order to
dry out the brakes. If the brakes still do
not function properly, we recommend
you to have the brakes checked as
soon as possible.
Remove the insects, dried grass, etc.
clogging the radiator core.
After crossing a stream, be sure to have
the following items inspected at a Fiat
Dealership and take the necessary
measures:
Check the brake system and, if
necessary, have it serviced.
Check the engine, transmission,
transfer, and differential oil or grease
level and turbidity. If the oil or grease is
milky, it indicates water contamination.
Replace it with new oil or grease.
Grease the propeller shaft.
Check the inside of the vehicle. If
water is found, dry the carpet etc.
Inspect the headlamps. If the
headlamp bulb is flooded with water,
have the headlamp drained off.
IMPORTANT
113)Selecting “4H” or “4L” position (Easy
select 4WD), “4HLc” or “4LLc” position
(Super select 4WD II) to drive on dry paved
road will increase the fuel consumption with
possible noise generation and early tyre
wear. It may also increase the differential oil
temperature, resulting in possible damage
to the driving system. Further, the drive
train will be subjected to excessive loading,
possibly leading to oil leakage, component
seizure, or other serious faults.
114)Avoid sudden braking, sudden
acceleration, and sharp turning; such
operations could cause skidding and
spinouts.
115)Do not force the vehicle or drive
recklessly on sandy surfaces. In
comparison with normal road surfaces, the
engine and other drive-system components
are put under excessive strain when driving
on such a surface, and this could lead to
accidents.
116)If any of following conditions occur
while the vehicle is being driven,
immediately park your vehicle in a safe
place and follow these procedures: the
needle in the temperature gauge
approaches the overheating zone. Refer to
“Engine overheating”; automatic
transmission fluid temperature warning
lamp comes on. Refer to “When the A/T
(automatic transmission) fluid temperature
warning lamp comes on”.
172
STARTING AND DRIVING

120)
Jacking up a 4-wheel drive vehicles
222)
Clutch operation
Quick or slight clutch engagement
made while the engine is running at
high speed will cause damage to the
clutch and transmission because the
tractive force is very great. Operate the
pedal slowly and positively.Limited-slip differential
A limited-slip differential is applied for
the rear wheel differential only. The
features of this limited-slip differential
are described below:
Just as with a conventional differential,
the wheel on one side is allowed to turn
at a different speed from the wheel on
the other side when the vehicle is
cornering. The difference between the
limited-slip differential and a
conventional differential is that if the
wheel on one side of the vehicle loses
traction, a greater amount of torque is
applied to the wheel on the other side
to improve traction.
Even if there is a difference in the
amount of traction the wheels can get,
if both of them are spinning, the
limited-slip differential will not be
effective.
121) 122)
IMPORTANT
119)Always use tyres of the same size,
same type, and same brand which have no
wear differences. Using the tyres which
differ in size, type, brands or the degree of
wear or the inappropriate tyre inflation
pressure, will increase the differential oil
temperature and may be impossible to shift
the transfer, resulting in possible damage to
the driving system. Further, the drive train
will be subjected to excessive loading,
possibly leading to oil leakage, component
seizure, or other serious faults.
120)Be sure to set the drive mode-selector
to “2H” position and transport the vehicle
with the driving wheels on a carriage (Type
C or D) as illustrated. Never try to tow with
the drive mode-selector in “4H” or “4L”
position (Easy select 4WD), “4H”, “4HLc” or
“4LLc” position (Super select 4WD II) and
with the front or rear wheels on the ground
(Type A or B) as illustrated. This could result
in damage to the drivetrain, or unstable
towing. If you cannot set the drive
mode-selector to “2H” position or the
transmission is malfunctioning or damaged,
transport the vehicle with all the wheels on
a carriage (Type C or D) as illustrated.
121)Never start the engine while one of the
rear wheels is jacked up and the other in
contact with the ground; doing so may
cause the vehicle to jump forward.
122)When attempting to extract the
vehicle from snow, mud, etc., and the
engine is run continuously at high speed,
the limited-slip differential will be adversely
affected.
B
C
D
A
263AHE100182
174
STARTING AND DRIVING

If your vehicle is to be towed by
another vehicle
1. The front towing hooks are located
as shown in the illustration. Secure the
tow rope to the front towing hook.
NOTE Using any part other than the
designated towing hooks could result in
damage to the vehicle body.
Using a wire rope or metal chain can
result in damage to the vehicle body. It
is best to use a non-metallic rope. If you
use a wire rope or metal chain, wrap it
with cloth at any point where it touches
the vehicle body.
Use care that the tow rope is kept as
horizontal as possible. An angled tow
rope can damage the vehicle body.
Secure the tow rope to the same side
towing hook, to keep the tow rope as
straight as possible.
2. Keep the engine running. If the
engine is not running, perform thefollowing operation to unlock the
steering wheel.
Except for vehicles with the keyless
operation system
On vehicles with manual transmission,
turn the ignition switch to the “ACC” or
“ON” position. On vehicles with
automatic transmission, turn the ignition
switch to the “ON” position.
For vehicles with the keyless operation
system
On vehicles with manual transmission,
put the operation mode in ACC or ON.
On vehicles with automatic
transmission, put the operation mode in
ON.
143) 144) 145)
3. Place the gearshift lever in the “N”
(Neutral) position (manual transmission)
or the selector lever in the “N”
(NEUTRAL) position (automatic
transmission).
4. On 4WD vehicles, set the drive
modeselector to “2H” position.
5. Turn on the hazard warning lamps if
required by law. (Follow the local driving
laws and regulations).
6. During towing make sure that close
contact is maintained between the
drivers of both vehicles, and that the
vehicles travel at low speed.
283) 284) 285)
If your vehicle tows another vehicle
286) 287) 288) 289) 290) 291)
Only use the rear towing hook (if so
equipped) as shown in the illustration.
Secure the tow rope to the rear towing
hook. Otherwise, the instructions are
the same as for “When being towed by
another vehicle”.
NOTE Using any part other than the
designated towing hook could result in
damage to the vehicle body.
145)
NOTE Do not tow a vehicle heavier
than your own vehicle.
338AHA102423
339AHA104326
202
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

WARNING
281)If the vehicle is towed with the ignition
switch in the “ON” position or the operation
mode in ON and only the front wheels or
only the rear wheels raised off the ground,
the active traction control system may
operate, resulting in an accident.
282)If your vehicle equipped with the
Active Stability & Traction Control system
(ASTC), if the vehicle is towed with the
ignition switch in the “ON” position or the
operation mode in ON and only the front
wheels or only the rear wheels raised off
the ground, the active traction control
system may operate, resulting in an
accident.
283)Avoid sudden braking, acceleration
and steering wheel movements; such
driving operation could cause damage to
the towing hook or towing rope. People in
the vicinity could be injured as a result.284)When going down a long slope, the
brakes may overheat, reducing
effectiveness. Have your vehicle transport
by a tow truck.
285)The person in the vehicle being towed
must pay attention to the brake lamps of
the towing vehicle and make sure the rope
never becomes slack.
286)Do not use flexible cables for towing
and avoid jerking. During towing
operations, make sure that the fastened
joint does not damage adjoining
components.
287)When towing the vehicle comply with
the specific rules of the Highway Code
regarding the towing device and the
behaviour on the road.
288)Do not start the engine while towing
the vehicle.
289)Towing must be made exclusively on
roads/streets; the device must not be used
to recover the vehicle if it got off the road.
290)Towing must not be made for getting
past significant obstacles on the road (e.g.
heaps of snow or material on the road
surface).
291)Towing must take place with the two
vehicles (one towing, the other towed)
aligned as much as possible; towing by
roadside assistance vehicles, too, must
take place with the two vehicles aligned as
much as possible.
IMPORTANT
138)This vehicle must not be towed by a
tow truck using sling lift type equipment
(Type A) as illustrated. Using a sling lift will
damage the bumper and front end.
139)On 4WD vehicles, be sure to set the
drive mode-selector to “2H” position and
transport the vehicle with the driving wheels
on a carriage (Type D or E) as illustrated.
Never try to tow with the drive
mode-selector in “4H” or “4L” positions
(easy select 4WD), “4H”, “4HLc” or “4LLc”
positions (super select 4WD II) and with the
front or rear wheels on the ground (Type B
or C) as illustrated. This could result in the
driving system damage or vehicle may
jump at the carriage. If you cannot set the
drive mode-selector to “2H” position or the
transmission is malfunctioning or damaged,
transport the vehicle with the all wheels on
a carriage (Type D or E) as illustrated.
140)On 2WD vehicles, if the transmission
is malfunctioning or damaged, transport the
vehicle with the driving wheels on a
carriage (Type C, D or E) as illustrated.
141)If you tow the vehicles with automatic
transmission with the driving wheels on the
ground (Type B) as illustrated, make sure
that the towing speed and distance given
below are never exceeded, causing
damage to the transmission. Towing speed:
30 km/h Towing distance: 80 km For the
towing speed and the towing distance,
follow the local driving laws and
regulations.
340AHZ101027
203

142)Never tow an automatic transmission
vehicle with the front wheels up (and the
rear wheels on the ground) (Type B) when
the automatic transmission fluid level is low.
This may cause serious and expensive
damage to the transmission.
143)When the engine is not running, the
brake booster and power steering pump do
not operate. This means higher brake
depression force and higher steering effort
are required. Therefore, vehicle operation is
very difficult.
144)Do not leave the ignition switch in the
“LOCK” position or the operation mode in
OFF. The steering wheel will lock, causing
loss of control.
145)On vehicles with super select 4WD II,
when you are going to tow another vehicle,
set the drive mode-selector to “4H”
position. Selecting “2H” drive may increase
the differential oil temperature, resulting in
possible damage to the driving system.
Further, the drive train will be subjected to
excessive loading possibly leading to oil
leakage, component seizure, or other
serious faults.OPERATION UNDER
ADVERSE DRIVING
CONDITIONS
On a flooded road
Avoid flooded roads. Water could enter
the brake discs, resulting in temporarily
ineffective brakes. In such cases, lightly
depress the brake pedal to see if the
brakes operate properly. If they do not,
lightly depress the pedal several times
while driving in order to dry the brake
pads.
When driving in rain or on a road with
many puddles a layer of water may
form between the tyres and the road
surface. This reduces a tyre’s frictional
resistance on the road, resulting in loss
of steering stability and braking
capability.
To cope with this, observe the following
items:
(a) Drive your vehicle at a slow speed.
(b) Do not drive on worn tyres.
(c) Always maintain the specified tyre
inflation pressures.On a snow-covered or frozen road
When driving on a snow-covered or
frozen road, it is recommended that you
use snow tyres or snow traction device
(tyre chains). Refer to the “Snow tyres”
and “Snow traction device (tyre chains)”
sections.
Avoid high-speed operation, sudden
acceleration, abrupt brake application
and sharp cornering.
Depressing the brake pedal during
travel on snowy or icy roads may cause
tyre slippage and skidding. When
traction between the tyres and the road
is reduced the wheels may skid and the
vehicle cannot readily be brought to a
stop by conventional braking
techniques. Braking will differ,
depending upon whether you have
anti-lock brake system (ABS). If you do
have ABS, brake by pressing the brake
pedal hard, and keeping it pressed. If
you do not have ABS, pump the brake
pedal with short rapid jabs, each time
fully applying and fully releasing for
greatest effect.
Allow extra distance between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you,
and avoid sudden braking.
Accumulation of ice on the braking
system can cause the wheels to lock.
Pull away from a standstill slowly after
confirming safety around the vehicle.
292)
204
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY