
Passenger side front airbag
This consists of an instantly inflating
cushion contained in a special
compartment in the dashboard fig. 72:
this bag has a larger volume than
that of the driver's.Passenger side front airbag and
child restraint systems
104)Rearward facing child restraint systems
mustNEVERbe fitted on the front
seat with an active passenger side
airbag since in the event of an impact
the airbag activation may cause fatal
injuries to the transported child.
ALWAYScomply with the instructions
on the label stuck on the passenger
side sun visor fig. 73.Deactivating the passenger side
airbags: front airbag and side bag
If a child must be carried on the front
seat in a rearward facing child restraint
system, deactivate the passenger
front airbag and the side bags. With
airbags deactivated, the
(A-fig. 74)
warning light turns on in the dashboard,
in central position. Use the display
Setup Menu to deactivate.
71F1D0063
72F1D0064
73F1D0126
74F0W0689
86
SAFETY
Driver's side front airbag
103)This consists of an instantly inflating
cushion contained in a special
compartment in the centre of the
steering wheel fig. 71.

Pretensioners and airbags are deployed
in different ways on the basis of the
type of collision. Failure to deploy
of one of the devices does not
necessarily indicate a system
malfunction.
WARNING
102)Do not apply stickers or other objects
on the steering wheel, on the dashboard
in the passenger side airbag area, on
the side cover on the roof and on
the seats. Never put objects (e.g. mobile
phones) on the passenger's side
dashboard since they could interfere with
correct inflation of the airbag and also
cause serious injury to the passengers.
103)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.104)When an active passenger airbag is
fitted, DO NOT install rearward facing child
restraint systems on the front seat.
Deployment of the airbag in an accident
could cause fatal injuries to the child
regardless of the severity of the impact.
Therefore, always deactivate the passenger
side airbag when a rearward facing child
restraint system is installed on the front
passenger seat. The front passenger seat
must also be positioned back as far as
possible in order to prevent the child
restraint system from coming into contact
with the dashboard. Immediately reactivate
the passenger airbag as soon as the child
restraint system has been removed.
105)Do not affix rigid objects to the coat
hooks or support handles.
106)Do not rest the head, arms or elbows
on the door, windows and window bag
area to avoid possible injuries during
inflation.
107)Never lean your head, arms and
elbows out of the window.
108)If the
warning light stays on whilst
driving, a fault may have occurred in the
restraint systems. In this case the airbags
or pretensioners may not be deployed
in an impact or, in a lower number of
cases, they may be deployed accidentally.
Before continuing, contact a Fiat
Dealership immediately to have the system
checked.109)In the event of “yellow”
warning
light failure, the “red”warning light
switches on and, for versions/markets
where provided, the explosive charges of
the passenger airbag and the side bags
are deactivated. When the "red" warning
light is on, before proceeding contact a Fiat
Dealership to have the system immediately
checked (see previous warning).
110)On vehicles with side bags, do not
cover the front seat backrests with extra
covers.
111)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.
112)If the vehicle has been stolen or in the
case of attempt to steal it, if it has been
subjected to vandalism or floods, have the
airbag system checked by a Fiat
Dealership.
89

113)Airbags may be deployed if another
vehicle crashes into the vehicle, if the key is
inserted and at MAR even if the engine is
not running and the vehicle is stationary.
Therefore, even if the vehicle is stationary,
when an active front passenger airbag
is fitted, DO NOT install rearward facing
child restraint systems on the front
passenger seat. Deployment of the airbag
following an impact could cause fatal
injuries to the child. Therefore, always
deactivate the passenger side airbag when
a rearward facing child restraint system is
installed on the front passenger seat.
The front passenger seat must also be
positioned back as far as possible in order
to prevent the child restraint system from
coming into contact with the dashboard.
Immediately reactivate the passenger
airbag as soon as the child restraint system
has been removed. Also remember that, if
the key is turned to STOP, none of the
safety devices (airbags or pretensioners)
will be deployed in the event of collision.
Non-deployment in such cases does
not indicate a system malfunction.114)Theairbag warning light indicates
the passenger protection status. If the
warning light is off, the passenger side
protection is activated. It can be
deactivated from the menu, in this case the
warning light comes on. When the vehicle
is started (ignition key in MAR position), the
warning light comes on for approx. 8
seconds, provided that at least 5 seconds
have elapsed from the previous switching
off. If this does not happen please contact
a Fiat Dealership. If the vehicle is switched
off/on again in less than 5 seconds the
warning light may remain off. In this case,
to check correct warning light operation,
switch the vehicle off, wait at least 5
seconds and switch on again. During the
first 8 seconds, the activation of the
warning light does not actually show the
passenger protection status, but only
checks its correct operation. 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. (The warning light is tested
also for markets where the passenger
protection deactivation function is
not provided, and the warning light
switches on for less than one second when
the key is turned to MAR, then switches
off again.)
115)The front airbag deployment threshold
is higher than that of the pretensioners.
For collisions in the range between the two
thresholds, it is normal for only the
pretensioners to be activated.116)The airbag does not replace seat
belts but increases their effectiveness.
Because front airbags are not deployed for
low-speed crashes, side collisions,
rear-end shunts or rollovers, occupants are
protected, in addition to any side bags,
only by their seat belts, which must
therefore always be fastened.
117)If the “red”
warning light does not
switch on for a few seconds when the
key is turned to MAR, there may be a fault
with the “red” warning light. In this case,
after a few seconds, the
warning light
starts flashing. Before proceeding, contact
a Fiat Dealership immediately to have the
system checked.
90
SAFETY

STARTING THE
ENGINE
118) 119)
36) 37) 38) 39)
Before starting the engine, adjust the
seat, the interior rear view mirrors,
the door mirrors and fasten the seat
belt correctly.
Never press the accelerator pedal for
starting the engine.
VERSIONS WITH MANUAL
GEARBOX
Petrol versions
Proceed as follows:
❒engage the handbrake and place the
gear lever in neutral.For 0.9 TwinAir
and 0.9 TwinAir Turbo versions
engage the handbrake and place the
gear lever in neutral or fully press the
clutch pedal if a gear other than neutral
is engaged;
❒for all versions (except 0.9
TwinAir Turbo)fully depress the clutch
pedal, without pressing the accelerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVV and
release it as soon as the engine starts.
Diesel versions
Proceed as follows:
❒engage the handbrake, put the gear
lever into neutral and turn the ignition
key to MAR: the warning lights
andon the instrument panel
will turn on;❒wait for the warning lights
and
to turn off and then fully depress
the clutch pedal without pressing the
accelerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVV as soon
as warning light
switches off.
Release the ignition key as soon as the
engine starts.
IMPORTANT If the engine does not
start at the first attempt, return the
ignition key to STOP before repeating
the procedure. If, with the ignition
key at MAR, the warning lights
and
(only for petrol versions) stay on
in the instrument panel, the ignition key
must be brought back to STOP and
then to MAR again. If the
warning
light stays on, retry with the other
keys provided. Contact a Fiat
Dealership if you still cannot start the
engine.
VERSIONS WITH
DUALOGIC GEARBOX
120)Engine starting is allowed both with a
gear engaged and with the gearbox
in neutral (N).
However, the brake pedal must always
be pressed first if neutral is not
engaged. It is therefore advisable to
place the gear lever in neutral (N) before
starting the engine.LPG AND NATURAL
POWER VERSIONS
The engine always starts up on petrol
independently of the mode previously
selected.
40)
STOPPING THE ENGINE
41)Turn the ignition key to STOP while the
engine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a demanding drive,
before turning the engine off you should
allow it to idle to allow the temperature
in the engine compartment to
decrease.
92
STARTING AND DRIVING
WARNING
118)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.
119)Remember that the brake servo
and power steering are not operational until
the engine has been started, therefore
you need to apply much more force than
usual to the brake pedal and steering
wheel.
120)If the engine fails to start with a gear
engaged, the potentially dangerous
situation due to the fact that the gearbox is
automatically placed in neutral will be
signalled by an acoustic signal.

WARNING
36)If the warning lightflashes for 60
seconds after starting or during an
extended towing period, this indicates a
problem in the glow plug preheating
system. You can use the vehicle as usual if
the engine starts but you should contact
a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
37)It is advisable not to demand maximum
performance from your vehicle (e.g.
excessive acceleration, long distances at
maximum rpm, excessively intense braking,
etc.) when it is first used.
38)When the engine is off, do not leave
the key turned to MAR to prevent
unnecessary electrical consumption from
draining the battery.
39)Never bump start the engine by
pushing, towing or coasting downhill. This
could cause fuel to flow into the catalytic
converter and damage it beyond repair.
40)There must therefore always be some
petrol in the tank to protect the petrol
pump and to guarantee temporary
switching from LPG or Methane to petrol
operation, if high performance is required.
41)A quick burst on the accelerator
before stopping the engine serves no
practical purpose; it wastes fuel and is
especially damaging to turbocharged
engines.
HANDBRAKE
121) 122) 123)
The handbrake lever is located between
the two front seats.
Handbrake engagement: pull lever A
fig. 78 upwards until the vehicle is
braked.
Handbrake disengagement: slightly
raise lever A and hold button B pressed
checking that the
warning light
switches off in the instrument panel.
78F1D0068
93
WARNING
121)Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle. Always remove the key from
the ignition device when leaving the vehicle
and take it with you.
122)The vehicle should be braked after a
few clicks of the lever, if it is not, contact
a Fiat Dealership to have it adjusted.
123)In the case of parking manoeuvres on
roads on a gradient, the front wheels
must be steered towards the pavement
(when parking downhill), or in the opposite
direction if the vehicle is parked uphill. If
the vehicle is parked on a steep slope, it is
also advisable to block the wheels with a
wedge or stone.

MANUAL GEARBOX
124)42)
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. 79).
For 0.9 TwinAir, 0.9 TwinAir Turbo and
1.2 8v 69 HP versions: to engage
reverse R from neutral, raise ring A fig.
79 underneath the knob and, at the
same time, shift the lever to the right
and then backwards.
For version 1.3 16v MultiJet: to engage
reverse R from neutral position, shift
the lever to the right and then back.IMPORTANT Reverse can only be
engaged when the vehicle is completely
stationary. 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.
IMPORTANT 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.
WARNING
124)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.
WARNING
42)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.
79F1D0069
94
STARTING AND DRIVING
DUALOGIC
GEARBOX
(for versions/markets, where provided)
43)
The vehicle can be equipped with an
electronically controlled manual
gearbox known as Dualogic which
allows two operating modes: MANUAL
and AUTO.
GEAR LEVER
The gear lever A fig. 80, located on the
dashboard, is floating multistable type,
i.e. it has three stable positions and
three unstable positions.
The three stable positions correspond
to neutral (N), reverse (R) and the
central position located between the
unstable positions (+) and (-).
80F1D0107

MODE SELECTOR
(Panda Cross versions)
This device allows, using the ring nut of
the knob fig. 84 (on the central tunnel),
three vehicle response modes to be
selected according to driving style and
road conditions:
❒1 = AUTO mode;
❒2 = OFF ROAD mode;
❒3 = HDC function.
The ring nut is monostable type. In
other words, it always remains in a
central position. The selected driving
mode is indicated by the corresponding
LED switching on the knob and by an
indication on the display.
84F1D0116
98
STARTING AND DRIVING
"AUTO" MODE
It is a driving mode aimed at comfort
and safety in normal grip and driving
conditions."OFF ROAD" MODE
It is a driving mode aimed at setting off
in poor grip conditions on low-grip
road surfaces (e.g. snow, ice, mid, etc.).
Engagement
Rotate the ring nut fig. 84 to the right
and hold in this position for half a
second, until the corresponding LED
lights up and “Off Road” mode
activation indicator appears on the
display with a dedicated message.
When the "Off Road" mode is activated,
the presetting for ELD system
intervention activates automatically.
IMPORTANT When the "Off Road"
mode is activated, the Stop/Start
system is temporarily disabled.
Temporary deactivation of the system
switches on the corresponding LED on
the trim (located on the central
dashboard). To activate the Stop/Start
function, with "Off Road" mode on,
press the
button on the dashboard
trim. However, when the "Off Road"
mode is deactivated, the Stop/Start
system is enabled again.
IMPORTANT When the "Off Road"
mode is activated, the City Brake
Control system is temporarily
deactivated. Temporarily deactivation of
the system results in the switching on
of the
warning light on the
instrument panel. When the "Off Road"
mode is deactivated, the City Brake
Control system is enabled again.Disengagement
To deactivate the "Off Road" mode and
return to the "Auto" mode, rotate the
ring nut to the left and hold in this
position for half a second. In this case,
the LED corresponding to “Auto” mode
will light up and the “Off Road” mode
deactivation indication will appear
on the display.
IMPORTANT If “Off Road” or “Auto”
mode was active when the engine was
stopped, the next time it is started
the mode that was selected is
reactivated.
"HDC" FUNCTION
This driving function permits a constant
vehicle speed to be maintained
downhill.
Engagement/Disengagement
For engaging/disengaging the HDC
function refer to the "Active safety
systems" paragraph in the "Safety"
chapter.
FAILURE OF THE MODE
SELECTOR SYSTEM
IMPORTANT In the event of system
failure or a fault with knob, no driving
modes can be selected. The display will
show a dedicated message.
IMPORTANT In this case it is not
advisable trying to drive down roads
with a steep gradient, the system
cannot help the driver in any way.

99
TOWING TRAILERS
128) 129)
IMPORTANT
For towing motorhomes or trailers the
vehicle must be fitted with an approved
tow hook and an adequate electrical
system. Installation must be carried out
by a specialist.
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, braking
distances increase and overtaking
takes longer depending on the overall
weight of the trailer.
Engage a low gear when driving
downhill, rather than constantly using
the brake.
The weight the trailer exerts on the
vehicle tow hook reduces the vehicle's
loading capacity by the same amount.
To make sure that the maximum
towable weight is not exceeded (given
in the vehicle registration document)
account should be taken of the fully
laden trailer, including accessories and
luggage.
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.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 mm2.
In addition to the electrical branches,
the vehicle electrical system can only
be connected to the supply cable for an
electric brake and to the cable for an
internal light for the trailer, not
exceeding 15 W. For connections, use
the preset control unit with a battery
cable with section not less than 2.5
mm2.
On Panda Cross and Panda 4x4
versions, in the event of prolonged
vehicle use at maximum tow capacity
on slopes, replacing engine oil more
frequently (every 10,000 km) is
advisable.
IMPORTANT The use of auxiliary loads
other than external lights (electric brake,
winch, etc.) must be used with engine
running.
IMPORTANT To install a tow hook
contact a Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
128)The ABS with which the vehicle is
equipped will not control the braking
system of the trailer. Particular caution is
required on slippery roads.
129)Never modify the braking system of
the vehicle to control the trailer brake.
The trailer braking system must be fully
independent of the vehicle’s hydraulic
system.
REFUELLING THE
VEHICLE
130) 131) 132)Always stop the engine before
refuelling.
PETROL ENGINES
Use unleaded petrol only, with an
octane number (R.O.N.) no lower than
95. Never introduce even the smallest
amount of leaded petrol, even in the
event of an emergency, in order to
prevent damage to the catalytic
converter.
DIESEL ENGINES
Only use Diesel for motor vehicles (EN
590 specification).
When using or parking the car for a
long time in the mountains or cold
areas, it is advisable to refuel using
locally available diesel. In this case, it is
also advisable to keep the tank over
50% full.