CONSTANT
MONITORING
The following components of the air
bag systems and the active bonnet are
monitored by a diagnostic system:
Crash sensors, and diagnostic
module (SAS unit)
Front air bag sensors
Air bag modules
Side crash sensors
Air bag/Seat belt pretensioner
system warning light
Seat belt pretensioners
Related wiring
Passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light
Passenger occupant classification
sensor
Passenger occupant classification
module (where provided)
Active bonnet sensors
Active bonnet modules
Active bonnet warning light
The diagnostic module continuously
monitors the system's readiness. This
begins when the ignition is switched
ON and continues while the vehicle is
being driven.
108
SAFETY
STARTING THE
ENGINE
130) 131) 132)
24)
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.
For starting procedure see “Starting the
engine” in “Getting to know your
vehicle” chapter.
STOPPING THE ENGINE
Proceed as follows:
park the car in a position that is not
dangerous for oncoming traffic; engage
a gear (versions with manual
transmission) or position the gear lever
to P (Parking) (versions with automatic
transmission);
turn the ignition device to STOP with
the engine idling.
WARNING
130)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.
131)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.
132)Do not start the engine by pushing,
towing or driving downhill. These
manoeuvres may damage the catalytic
converter.
IMPORTANT
24)A quick burst on the accelerator before
turning off the engine serves absolutely no
practical purpose; it wastes fuel and is
damaging for the engine.
PARKING
Keep away the key when leaving the
vehicle and take it with you.
When parking and leaving the vehicle,
proceed as follows:
engage a gear (first gear if facing
uphill or reverse if facing downhill) and
leave the wheels turned;
stop the engine and engage the
handbrake.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a
stone if the car is parked on a steep
slope.
On versions equipped with automatic
transmission, before releasing the brake
pedal, wait for letter P to be displayed.
IMPORTANT NEVER leave the vehicle
with the gearbox in neutral (or, on
versions equipped with automatic
transmission, before placing the gear
lever at P).
110
STARTING AND OPERATING
181)Do not allow the positive (+) terminal
to contact any other metal object that
could cause sparks. Flames and sparks
near open battery cells are dangerous.
Hydrogen gas, produced during normal
battery operation, could ignite and cause
the battery to explode. An exploding
battery can cause serious burns and
injuries. When working near a battery, do
not allow metal tools to contact the positive
(+) or negative (–) terminal of the battery.
182)Keep all flames, including cigarettes,
and sparks away from open battery cells.
Flames and sparks near open battery cells
are dangerous. Hydrogen gas, produced
during normal battery operation, could
ignite and cause the battery to explode. An
exploding battery can cause serious burns
and injuries.
183)Do not jump-start a frozen battery or
one with a low fluid level. Jump-starting a
frozen battery or one with a low fluid level is
dangerous. It may rupture or explode,
causing serious injury.
184)Route the jumper leads away from
parts that will be moving. Connecting a
jumper lead near or to moving parts
(cooling fans, belts) is dangerous. The lead
could get caught when the engine starts
and cause serious injury.
185)Never tow a vehicle to start it. Towing
a vehicle to start it is dangerous. The
vehicle being towed could surge forward
when its engine starts, causing the two
vehicles to collide. The occupants could be
injured.186)Connect the negative lead to a good
ground point (see figure) away from the
battery. Connecting the end of the second
jumper lead to the negative (–) terminal of
the discharged battery is dangerous. A
spark could cause the gas around the
battery to explode and injure someone.
IMPORTANT
34)Do not connect the cable to the
negative terminal (–) of the flat battery. The
following spark could lead to battery
explosion and cause serious harm. Only
use the specific earth point; do not use any
other exposed metallic part.
TOWING THE
VEHICLE
ATTACHING THE TOW
HOOKS
35) 36) 37)
Proceed as follows:
remove the towing eyelet and the
wheel brace from the luggage
compartment;
wrap a flathead screwdriver or similar
tool with a soft cloth to prevent damage
to a painted bumper, and open the cap
located on the front 1 fig. 144 or rear
bumper 2 fig. 145.
14408060203-121-001AB
155
PERIODIC CHECKS
Every1,000 kmor before long trips
check and, if necessary, top up:
engine coolant level;
brake fluid level;
windscreen washer fluid level;
tire inflation pressure and condition;
operation of lighting system
(headlights, direction indicators, hazard
warning lights, etc.);
operation of windscreen
washer/wiper system and
positioning/wear of windscreen window
wiper blades.
Every 3,000 km, check and top up if
required: engine oil level.
HEAVY-DUTY USE OF THE
VEHICLE
If the vehicle is used under one of the
following conditions:
dusty roads;
short, repeated journeys (less than
7-8 km) at sub-zero outside
temperatures;
engine often idling or driving long
distances at low speeds or long periods
of inactivity;
the following checks must be carried
out more often than indicated in the
Scheduled Servicing Plan:
check front disc brake pad condition
and wear;
check cleanliness of bonnet and
luggage compartment locks,
cleanliness and lubrication of linkage;
visually inspect conditions of: engine,
gearbox, transmission, pipes and hoses
(exhaust/fuel system/brakes) and
rubber elements (gaiters/sleeves/
bushes, etc.);
check battery charge and battery
fluid level (electrolyte);
visually inspect conditions of the
accessory drive belts;
check and, if necessary, change
engine oil and replace oil filter;
check and, if necessary, replace
pollen filter;
check and, if necessary, replace air
cleaner.
160
MAINTENANCE AND CARE
Thousands of miles9 182736455463728190
Thousands of kilometers15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150
Years12345678910
Check endfloat of wheel bearings and front and
rear joints●●●●●
Check windscreen wiper blade position/wear●●●●●
Check operation of the wiper/washer system
and adjust jets, if necessary●●●●●
Check cleanliness of bonnet and boot locks, as
well as cleanliness and lubrication of linkages●●●●●
Check handbrake lever travel and adjust, if
necessary●●●●●●●●●●
Visually inspect conditions and wear of front/rear
disk brake pads and integrity of pad wear
indicator
●●●●●●●●●●
Visually inspect condition of evaporation control
system●●●
Visually inspect condition and tensioning of
accessory drive belt(s)●
Visually inspect conditions of toothed timing
drive belt●
Change transmission oil●
Change engine oil and replace oil filter●●●●●●●●●●
162
MAINTENANCE AND CARE
Thousands of miles9 182736455463728190
Thousands of kilometers15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150
Years12345678910
Replace spark plugs (2)●●●
Replace accessory drive belt(s)(3)
Replace toothed timing drive belt(3)
Replace air filter cartridge (4)
●●●
Change the brake fluid(5)
Replace air cabin filter (4) (o) (●)
●●●●●
(2) For 1.4 Turbo Multiair versions, to guarantee correct operation and prevent serious damage to the engine, it is essential to proceed as
follows: only use spark plugs specifically certified for these engines; all spark plugs should be of the same type and brand (see the "Engine"
paragraph in the "Technical specifications" chapter); stricltly comply with the replacement intervals in the Scheduled Servicing Plan. It is
advisable to contact an Abarth Dealership for spark plug replacement.
(3) Areas that are not dusty: recommended maximum mileage 120.000 km. Regardless of the mileage, the belt must be replaced every 6 years.
Dusty areas and/or demanding use (cold climates, town use, long periods of idling): recommended maximum mileage 60.000 km.
Regardless of the mileage, the belt must be replaced every 4 years.
(4) If the vehicle is used in dusty areas, this cleaner must be replaced every 15.000 km.
(5) The brake fluid replacement has to be done every two years, irrespective of the mileage.
(o) Recommended operatios
(●) Mandatory operations
163
52)Avoid washing with rollers and/or
brushes in washing stations. Wash the
vehicle only by hand using neutral pH
detergents; dry it with a wet chamois
leather. Abrasive products and/or polishes
should not be used for cleaning the car.
Bird droppings must be washed off
immediately and thoroughly as the acid
they contain is particularly aggressive.
Avoid (if at all possible) parking the vehicle
under trees; remove vegetable resins
immediately as, when dried, it may only be
possible to remove them with abrasive
products and/or polishes, which is highly
inadvisable as they could alter the typical
opaqueness of the paint. Do not use pure
windscreen washer fluid for cleaning the
front windscreen and rear window; dilute it
min. 50% with water. Only use pure screen
washer fluid when strictly necessary due to
outside temperature conditions.
IMPORTANT
7)Detergents cause water pollution. Only
wash your vehicle in areas equipped to
collect and treat wastewater from this type
of activity.
INTERIORS
INTERIOR CARE
216) 217) 218)
If the vehicle interior becomes soiled by
any of the following, wipe it off
immediately using a soft cloth.
Leaving it uncleaned could cause
discolouration, stains, cracks, or
peeling of the coating, and it will make it
hard to wipe off later.
Beverage or fragrance
Grease or oil
Soiling
NOTE Do not wipe the interior using
alcohol, chlorine bleach, or organic
solvents such as thinner, benzene, and
petrol. Otherwise, it may cause
discolouration or stains.
NOTE Rubbing hard with a stiff brush or
cloth may cause damage.
SEATS AND FABRIC
PARTS
Seat belt maintenance
214) 215)
Clean the soiled area by lightly dabbing
it with a soft cloth soaked in a mild
detergent (approx. 5%) diluted with
water.
Wipe off the remaining detergent usinga cloth soaked in clean water and
wrung out well.
Before retracting seat belts which have
been pulled out for cleaning, dry them
off thoroughly and make sure there is
no remaining moisture on them.
NOTE Clean seat belts diligently if they
get dirty. Leaving them uncleaned will
make it dif cult to clean them later, and
it may affect the smooth retracting of
the seat belt.
PLASTIC PART
MAINTENANCE
53)
Instrument panel top maintenance
213)
Wipe the soiled area with a soft cloth
soaked in a mild detergent (approx. 5%)
diluted with water.
Wipe off the remaining detergent using
a cloth soaked in clean water and
wrung out well.
ALCANTARA PARTS
54)
Procedure for restoring Alcantara parts:
treat the surface using a microfibre
cloth moistened with mild Marseilles
soap and water, taking care to cover
the whole covered area, applying a
uniform light pressure (do not rub hard);
174
MAINTENANCE AND CARE
rinse and wring out the microfibre
cloth, and pass over the covered area
treated in the previous point again;
leave it to dry and brush it gently with
a soft brush.
WARNING
213)Do not spray water into the vehicle
cabin. Spraying water into the vehicle cabin
is dangerous as electrical devices such as
the audio and switches could get wet
resulting in a malfunction or vehicle fire.
214)If a seat belt appears frayed or has
abrasions, have it replaced by a
Dealership. If a seat belts is used under
such a condition, it cannot function at its
full capacity which could result in serious
injury or death.
215)Use a mild detergent to remove
soiling from a seat belt. If organic solvents
are used for cleaning the seat belts or they
become stained or bleached, there is the
possibility of them becoming weakened
and as a result, they may not function at
their full capacity which could cause
serious injury or death.
216)Never use flammable products, such
as petrol ether or rectified petrol to clean
the inside of the car. The electrostatic
charges which are generated by rubbing
during the cleaning operation may cause a
fire.217)Do not keep aerosol cans in the car:
they might explode. Aerosol cans must not
be exposed to a temperature exceeding
50°C. When the vehicle is exposed to
sunlight, the internal temperature can
greatly exceed this value.
218)There must be no obstacles on the
floor underneath the pedals; make sure
that mats are always flat and do not
interfere with the pedals.IMPORTANT
53)Never use alcohol, petrols and
derivatives to clean the dashboard and
instrument panel lens.
54)Do not use “hard” synthetic brushes as
they could damage the fabric beyond
repair. Do not perform partial, localised
restorations that could cause “aesthetic”
differences between treated and untreated
areas. Do not use alcohol or ketone-based
solvents.
175