reactivated as soon as speed exceeds
8 km/h again.
PRE-TENSIONERS
The vehicle is equipped with front seat
belt pretensioners, which draw back the
seat belts by several centimetres in the
event of a strong frontal impact. This
guarantees the perfect adherence of
the seat belts to the occupant's bodies
before the retention action begins.
It is evident that the pretensioners have
been activated when the safety belt
withdraws toward the retractor.
A slight discharge of smoke may be
produced during the activation of the
pretensioner which is not harmful and
does not involve any fire hazard.
The pretensioner does not require any
maintenance or lubrication: any
changes to its original conditions will
invalidate its efficiency.
If, due to unusual natural events (floods,
sea storms, etc.), the device has been
affected by water and/or mud, contact
a Fiat Dealership to have it replaced.
IMPORTANT To obtain the highest
degree of protection from the action of
the pretensioner, wear the seat belt
tight to the torso and pelvis.LOAD LIMITERS
66)
18)
To increase safety in the event of an
accident, the front seat belt retractors
contain a load limiter which controls the
force acting on the chest and shoulders
during the belt restraining action in the
event of a head-on collision.
GENERAL
INSTRUCTIONS FOR
USING THE SEAT BELTS
67) 68) 69)
Respect and ensure that all the other
occupants of the vehicle comply with
the local laws in force regarding the use
of seat belts. Always fasten the seat
belts before setting off.
Seat belts must also be worn by
pregnant women: the risk of injury in the
event of an accident is reduced for
them and the unborn child if they are
wearing a seat belt.
Pregnant women must position the
lower part of the belt very low down so
that it passes over the pelvis and under
the abdomen fig. 60. While pregnancy
progresses, the driver must adjust both
seat and steering wheel to have full
control over the vehicle (pedals and
steering wheel must be easy to
access). The maximum clearance
65
When the reverse is engaged, during
the cycle of warnings, the acoustic
signal is deactivated and the
warning light turns on constantly.
The cycle of warnings will be
Main recommendations to carry
children safely
Install the child restraint systems on
the rear seat, which is the most
protected position in the event of an
impact.
Keep children in rearward facing child
restraint systems for as long as
possible, until 3–4 years old if possible.
If the passenger's front airbag is
deactivated always check the
dedicated warning light on the trim
located on the dashboard to make sure
that it has actually been deactivated.
Carefully follow the instructions
supplied with the child restraint system.
Keep the instructions in the vehicle
along with the other documents and
this handbook. Do not use
second-hand child restraint systems
without instructions.
Only one child is to be strapped into
each restraint system; never carry two
children using one child restraint
system.
Always check that the seat belts do
not rest on the child’s neck.
Always check that the seat belt is
well fastened by pulling on it.
While travelling, do not let the child
sit incorrectly or unfasten the belts.
Never allow a child to put the belt's
diagonal section under an arm or
behind their back.
Never carry children on your lap,
even newborns. No one can hold a
child in the case of an accident.
In the event of an accident, replace
the child restraint system with a new
one. In addition, and depending on the
type of child restraint system installed,
replace the seat belt with which the
child restraint system was connected.
WARNING
70)SEVERE DANGER When a front
passenger airbag is fitted, do not install
rearward facing child restraint systems on
the front passenger seat. Deployment of
the airbag in an accident could cause fatal
injuries to the child regardless of the
severity of the collision. It is advisable to
always carry children in a child restraint
system on the rear seat, which is the most
protected position in the event of a
collision.
71)On the sun visor there is a label with
suitable symbols reminding the user that it
is compulsory to deactivate the airbag if a
rearward facing child restraint system is
fitted. Always comply with the instructions
on the passenger side sun visor (see the
"Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) -
Airbag" paragraph).72)Should it be necessary to carry a child
on the passenger side front seat in a rear
facing child restraint system, the passenger
side front airbag and side bag must be
deactivated through the Connect system
main menu (see the "Supplementary
Restraint System (SRS) - Airbag"
paragraph), verifying deactivation by
checking whether the
LED has
illuminated on the front ceiling light. Move
the passenger's seat as far back as
possible to avoid contact between the
child seat and the dashboard.
73)Do not move the front or rear seat if a
child is seated on it or on the dedicated
child restraint system
74)Incorrect fitting of the child restraint
system may result in an inefficient
protection system. In the event of an
accident the child restraint system may
become loose and the child may be
injured, even fatally. When fitting a restraint
system for newborns or children, strictly
comply with the instructions provided by
the Manufacturer.
75)When the child restraint system is not
used, secure it with the seat belt or with
the ISOFIX anchorages, or remove it from
the vehicle. Do not leave it unsecured
inside the passenger compartment. In this
way, in the case of sudden braking or an
accident, it will not cause injuries to the
occupants.
76)After installing a child restraint system,
do not move the seat: always remove the
child restraint system before making any
adjustment.
76
SAFETY
Passenger side front airbag
This consists of an instantly inflating
bag contained in a special recess 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
Rearward facing child restraint systems
mustNEVERbe fitted on the front seat
with an active passenger airbag since inthe 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 passenger front airbag
and seat-mounted side bag (if
present) for pelvis, chest and
shoulders protection
If a child must be carried on the front
seat in a rearward facing child restraint
system, deactivate the passenger side
front airbag and front side bag (if
present).
To deactivate the airbags use the
display Menu (see the instructions in the
"Display" paragraph, "Knowing the
instrument panel" chapter).
fig. 74 The
LED is present at the
middle of the instrument panel.Moving the ignition device to MAR
switches on the LED for about 8
seconds. If not, contact a Fiat
Dealership. During the first seconds, the
activation of the LED does not actually
show the passenger protection status,
but only checks its correct operation.
After a test of a few seconds, the LED
will indicate the status of the passenger
airbag protection.
Passenger's protection active: the
LED is off.
Passenger protection deactivated:
the
LED switches on with a steady
light.
The LED may light up with a various
intensity depending on the vehicle
conditions. The intensity may vary
during the same key cycle.
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78
SAFETY
84)Always drive with your hands on the
rim of the steering wheel so that the airbag
can inflate freely if required. Do not drive
with your body bent forward. Keep your
back straight against the backrest.
85)When there is an active passenger
airbag, 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.
86)To deactivate the airbags using the
instrument panel menu, see the description
in the "Knowing the instrument panel"
chapter, "Menu Options" paragraph.
87)Do not affix rigid objects to the
garment hooks or support handles.
88)Do not rest your head, arms or elbows
on the door, windows or the area in which
the Window bag is located to avoid
possible injury during airbag inflation.
89)Never lean your head, arms or elbows
out of the window.90)If, when the ignition device is turned to
MAR, thewarning light does not switch
on or 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. Contact a Fiat Dealership
immediately to have the system checked.
91)In some versions, in case of a LED
failure (located on the plate of the
instrument panel), thewarning light on
the instrument panel turns on and the
passenger side airbags are deactivated.
92)On cars with side bags, do not cover
the front seat backrests with extra covers.
93)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.
94)If the car 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.95)If the ignition device is at MAR, even if
the engine is switched off, airbags may be
deployed when the vehicle is stationary
and hit by another vehicle. 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
ignition device is set 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.
96)Malfunction of the
warning light is
indicated by the activation of an airbag
failure icon and a dedicated message on
the instrument panel display (or, for
versions where provided, by the activation
of a blinking generic failure warning light).
The pyrotechnic charges are not disabled.
Contact a Fiat Dealership immediately to
have the system checked.
97)The 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.
81
STARTING THE
ENGINE
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.
If necessary, messages indicating the
starting procedure can be shown on
the display.
ENGINE STARTING
PROCEDURE
99) 100) 101) 102)
19) 20) 21) 22)
Versions with mechanical gearbox
Proceed as follows:
engage the parking brake and place
the gear lever in neutral;
bring the ignition device to MAR,
warning light
will come on in the
instrument panel - wait for the warning
light to switch off;
fully depress the clutch pedal
without touching the accelerator;
turn the ignition device to AVV and
release it as soon as the engine starts;
if the engine does not start within 10
seconds, bring the ignition device back
to STOP and wait for 10-15 secondsbefore repeating the starting procedure;
after the manoeuvre has been
repeated, if the problem persists,
contact a Fiat Dealership.
Versions with automatic
transmission
(where provided)
Proceed as follows:
engage the parking brake and set
the gear lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral);
fully depress the brake pedal without
touching the accelerator;
set the ignition device to AVV;
if the engine does not start, bring
the ignition device back to STOP and
wait for 10-15 seconds before
repeating the starting procedure;
after the manoeuvre has been
repeated, if the problem persists,
contact a Fiat Dealership.
ENGINE STARTING
FAILURE
99)
Important notes
Do not try to start the engine by towing
or pushing the vehicle. This manoeuvre
could let unburnt fuel enter the catalytic
converter. When the engine is started,
this would ignite, causing catalytic
converter overheating and damage.
If the battery is flat, you can jump start
the vehicle by connecting the batterywith an auxiliary one or with one on
another vehicle using suitable cables.
This manoeuvre can anyway be
dangerous when not performed
correctly. See the indications in the
"Emergency starting" paragraph in the
"In an emergency" chapter.
WARNING
99)Do not try to start the engine pouring
fuel or other flammable fluid inside the
throttle body air intake: this might damage
the engine and injury people nearby.
100)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.
101)The brake servo is not active until the
engine is started, so you would need to
apply much more force than usual to the
brake pedal.
102)Do not start the engine by pushing,
towing or driving downhill. These
manoeuvres may damage the catalytic
converter.
IMPORTANT
19)We recommend that during the initial
period, or during the first 1600 km, you do
not drive to full car performance (e.g.
excessive acceleration, long journeys at top
speed, sharp braking, etc.).
84
STARTING AND DRIVING
20)When the engine is switched off never
leave the ignition device in the MAR
position to prevent useless current
absorption from draining the battery.
21)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.
22)Warning light
will flash after starting
or during prolonged cranking to indicate a
fault with the glow plug heating system. If
the engine starts, the vehicle can be used
as normal, but a Fiat Dealership must be
contacted as soon as possible.
PARKING BRAKE
103) 104)
The handbrake lever is located between
the two front seats.
Handbrake engagement:
Pull lever 1 upwards until the car is
secured.
To use the handbrake pull the lever
fig. 78 upwards until the car cannot be
moved. Four or five clicks are generally
enough when the car is on level ground
while nine or ten may be required if the
car is on a steep slope and laden.
IMPORTANT If this is not the case,
contact a Fiat Dealership to have the
handbrake adjusted.
When the handbrake is on and the
ignition key is at MAR position, the
warning light
will appear on the
instrument panel.Handbrake disengagement:
Raise lever 1 slightly, hold down button
2 and lower the lever, checking that the
warning light
on the instrument
panel switches off.
WARNING
103)Never leave children unattended in
the car. Always remove the key from the
ignition when leaving the car and take it
with you.
104)For cars equipped with a front
armrest, lift it up to ensure that it does not
interfere with the action of the handbrake.
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85
MANUAL GEARBOX
105)
23)
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
).
To engage reverse R from neutral, lift
the ring 1 fig. 79 under the knob and at
the same time move the lever to the left
and then forwards.
To engage 6
thgear (if present), operate
the lever by pressing it towards the right
in order to avoid engaging 4
thgear by
mistake. The same applies to the shift
from 6
thto 5thgear.
IMPORTANT Reverse can only be
engaged when the vehicle is completelystationary. 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. In some
circumstances, the electronic clutch
control could cut in by interpreting the
incorrect driving style as a fault.
WARNING
105)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
23)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 gearbox internal components.
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
GEAR LEVER
The fig. 80 lever has the following
positions:
P= Park
R= Reverse
N= Neutral
D= Drive, (automatic forward speed)
AutoStick: + shifting to higher gear
in sequential driving mode; – shifting to
lower gear in sequential driving mode.
The diagram for gear engagement is
shown on the trim at the side of the
gear lever.
The gear engaged is shown on the
display.
To select a gear, move the lever
forwards or backwards.
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86
STARTING AND DRIVING
To select the "sequential" mode, move
the lever from D (Drive) to the left: the
position + (upper gear) or – (lower gear)
can be reached; these are unstable
positions, which means that the lever
always returns to the central position.
The brake pedal and button 1 fig. 80 on
the knob must be pressed to exit
position P (Park).
Also to shift from position N (neutral) to
position D (drive) or R (reverse), you
need to press the brake pedal.
IMPORTANT DO NOT accelerate while
shifting from position P (or N) to another
position.
IMPORTANT After selecting a gear, wait
a few seconds before accelerating. This
precaution is particularly important with
engine cold.
AUTOMATIC DRIVING
MODE
To select the automatic driving mode,
you need to shift the gear lever to D
(Drive): the best ratio is selected by the
electronic transmission control unit
depending on vehicle speed, engine
load (accelerator pedal position) and
gradient of the road.
D can be selected from sequential
operation in any driving conditions.
AUTOSTICK - Sequential
mode
In the case of frequent gearshifting (e.g.
when the vehicle is driven with a heavy
load, on slopes, with strong headwind),
it is recommended to use the Autostick
(sequential shifting) mode to select and
keep a lower fixed ratio.
In these conditions, using a lower gear
improves vehicle performance and
prolongs the transmission's life, limiting
gearshifting and preventing overheating.
It is possible to shift from position D
(Drive) to the sequential mode
regardless of vehicle speed.
Activation
With gear lever in position D (Drive), to
activate the sequential drive mode,
move the lever to the left (– and +
indication of the trim). The gear
engaged will be shown on the display.
Gearshifting is made by moving the
gear lever forwards, towards symbol –
or backwards, towards symbol +.
Deactivation
To deactivate the sequential driving
mode, bring the gear lever back to
position D (Drive), automatic mode.
Important notes
Do not downshift on slippery
surfaces: the drive wheels might lose
grip with following risk for the vehicle toslip. This could cause accidents or
personal injuries.
The vehicle will keep the gear
selected by the driver until the safety
conditions allow it. This means, for
example, that the system will try to
prevent the engine from switching off,
automatically downshifting if the engine
speed is too low.
TRANSMISSION
EMERGENCY FUNCTION
(where provided)
Transmission operation is constantly
monitored to detect any fault. If a
condition that might damage the
transmission is detected, the "recovery"
function is activated.
In this condition, the transmission stays
in 3
thgear, regardless of the selected
gear.
Positions P (Parking), R (Reverse) and N
(Neutral) still work. Icon
might light
up on the display.
In the case of "recovery" operation
immediately contact the nearest Fiat
Dealership.
Temporary failure
In the event of a temporary failure,
correct transmission operation can be
restored for all the forwards gears by
proceeding as follows:
stop the vehicle;
87