2017 Abarth 500 battery

PERIODIC CHECKS
Every 1,000 km or before long
journeys, check and, if necessary, top
up the following:
engine coolant level;
brake fluid level;
windscreen washer fluid level;
tyre inflation pressure and condition;
operation of lighting system
(headlights, direction indicators, hazard
warning lights, etc.);
operation of screen washer/wiper
system and positioning/wear of
windscreen/rear window wiper blades.
Every 3,000 km check and top up if
required: engine oil level.
You are advised to use PETRONAS
LUBRICANTS products, which have
been designed and produced
specifically for Abarth cars (see table
"Capacities" in the "Technical
specifications" chapter).
DEMANDING USE OF
THE CAR
If the vehicle is used mainly under one
of the following conditions:
if the car is used under demanding
conditions, e.g. on track;
towing a trailer or caravan;
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 condition of: engine,
gearbox, transmission, pipes and
hoses (exhaust - fuel system - brakes)
and rubber elements (boots - 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.
118
SERVICING AND CARE

CHECKING LEVELS
30)
29) 136) 137).
135 HP, 145 HP and 160 HP versions
1. Engine oil filler 2. Engine oil dipstick 3. Engine coolant fluid 4. Windscreen washer fluid 5. Brake fluid 6. Battery
109AB0A0353C
119

165 HP and 180 HP versions
1. Engine oil filler 2. Engine oil dipstick 3. Engine coolant fluid 4. Windscreen washer fluid 5. Brake fluid 6. Battery
110AB0A0349C
120
SERVICING AND CARE

BATTERY
The car is fitted with a low-maintenance
battery: no electrolyte top-ups with
distilled water are needed in standard
conditions of use.
INSPECTING THE
CHARGE AND THE
ELECTROLYTE LEVEL
The operations must be carried out as
described in this Owner Handbook only
by specialised personnel. Any top-up
operations must be carried out by
skilled personnel and by an Abarth
Dealership.
REPLACING THE
BATTERY
142) 143) 144) 145)
34)
5)If required, replace the battery with a
genuine spare part with the same
specifications.
If a battery with different specifications
is fitted, the service intervals given in
the "Scheduled Servicing Plan" will no
longer be valid.
Follow the battery manufacturer's
instructions for maintenance.USEFUL ADVICE FOR
EXTENDING THE LIFE OF
YOUR BATTERY
To avoid draining your battery and
make it last longer, observe the
following instructions:
when you park the car, ensure that
the doors, tailgate and bonnet are
closed properly, to prevent any lights
from remaining on inside the
passenger's compartment;
switch off all roof lights inside the
car: the car is however equipped with a
system which switches all internal
lights off automatically;
do not keep accessories (e.g.
Uconnect™, hazard warning lights,
etc.) switched on for a long time when
the engine is not running;
before performing any operation on
the electrical system, disconnect the
negative battery pole;
completely tighten the battery
terminals.
IMPORTANT If the charge level remains
under 50% for a long time, the battery
is damaged by sulphation, reducing
its capacity and efficiency at start-up.The battery will also be more at risk of
freezing (this can happen as early as
-10°C). Refer to the paragraph "Car
inactivity" in "Starting and driving" if the
car is left parked for a long time.
If after buying the car, you want to
install electrical accessories that require
permanent electrical supply (alarm,
etc.) or accessories that in any case
burden the electrical supply, contact an
Abarth Dealership whose qualified
personnel, in addition to suggesting the
most suitable devices available in
Lineaccessori Abarth, will evaluate the
overall electric consumption, checking
whether the car’s electrical system is
capable of withstanding the load
required, or whether it should
be integrated with a more powerful
battery.
Since some of these devices continue
to consume electricity even when
the engine is off, they gradually run
down the battery.
WARNING
142)Battery fluid is poisonous and
corrosive. Avoid contact with skin and
eyes. Keep naked flames and sources of
sparks away from the battery: risk of
explosion and fire.
123

143)Running the battery with an
excessively low liquid level will damage the
battery beyond repair and could even
cause its explosion.
144)If the vehicle must remain unused for
a long time at a very low temperature,
remove the battery and take it to a warm
place, to avoid freezing.
145)When performing any operation on
the battery or near it, always protect your
eyes with special goggles.
WARNING
34)Incorrect installation of electric and
electronic devices may cause severe
damage to your car. After purchasing your
car, if you wish to install any accessories
(car alarm, car phone etc.), please contact
your Abarth Dealership, which will suggest
the most appropriate devices for your
car and will, most importantly, recommend
installing a higher­capacity battery.
WARNING
5)Batteries contain substances which are
very dangerous for the environment. It is
advisable to contact an Abarth Dealership
for battery replacement.
BATTERY
RECHARGING
146) 147)
IMPORTANT The battery recharging
procedure is given as information only.
It is advisable to contact an Abarth
Dealership to have this operation
performed.
Charging should be slow at a low
ampere rating for approximately 24
hours. Charging for a longer time may
damage the battery.
To recharge, proceed as follows:
disconnect the terminal from the
negative battery pole;
connect the charger cables to the
battery terminals, observing the polarity;
turn on the charger;
when it is recharged, turn the
charger off before disconnecting it from
the battery;
reconnect the terminal to the
negative battery pole.WARNING: The cables of the electrical
system must be correctly reconnected
to the battery, i.e. the positive cable
(+) to the positive terminal and the
negative cable (-) to the negative
terminal. The battery terminals are
marked with the positive (+) and
negative (-) symbols, and are shown on
the battery cover. The battery terminals
must also be corrosion-free and firmly
secured to the terminals. If a "quick-
type" battery charger is used with the
battery fitted on the vehicle, before
connecting it disconnect both cables of
the battery itself. Do not use a
"quick-type" battery charger to provide
the starting voltage.
WARNING
146)Battery fluid is poisonous and
corrosive: avoid contact with your skin and
eyes. The battery should be charged in a
well ventilated place, away from naked
flames or possible sources of sparks:
danger of explosion and fire.
147)Do not attempt to charge a frozen
battery: it must be thawed first, otherwise it
may explode. If freezing has occurred, the
battery should be checked by skilled
personnel to make sure that the internal
elements are not damaged and that the
body is not cracked, with the risk of leaking
poisonous and corrosive acid.
124
SERVICING AND CARE

INDEX
A
ccessories purchased by the
owner
.......................................... 4
Analogue pressure gauge............... 41
Automatic climate control
system ......................................... 27
Battery
.......................................... 123
– advice for extending its life ........ 123
– inspecting the charge ................ 123
– replacement .............................. 123
Battery (recharging) ........................ 124
Bodywork (cleaning and
maintenance) ............................... 127
Brake fluid ...................................... 121
Checking levels
............................. 119
Child protection systems ................ 67
Cleaning and maintenance
– car interior ................................. 130
– leather parts .............................. 130
– plastic parts .............................. 130
– seats ......................................... 130
CO2 emissions............................... 146
Control panel and on-board
instruments .................................. 39
Courtesy lights ............................... 22
Daytime running lights (DRL)
......... 20
Dimensions .................................... 137
Dipped headlights (bulb
replacement) ................................ 97Dipped headlights/side lights ......... 20
Direction indicators ........................ 20
Direction indicators (bulb
replacement) ................................ 96
Doors ............................................. 14
– Door central
locking/unlocking ...................... 14
– door locking/unlocking .............. 14
– opening/closing with the key ..... 14
Driver side knee bag ...................... 76
Electric windows
........................... 29
Engine............................................ 134
– marking ..................................... 133
Engine bonnet................................ 34
Engine compartment (washing) ...... 128
Engine coolant fluid ........................ 121
Engine oil (consumption) ................ 121
Engine oil (level check) ................... 121
External lights................................. 20
Fiat CODE system
......................... 13
Fitting a child restraint system
with seat belts .............................. 68
Fix&Go (kit)..................................... 104
Flashing the headlights................... 20
Fluids and lubricants ...................... 142
Fog lights (bulb replacement) ......... 97
Fog lights/rear fog light................... 21
Follow Me Home (device) ............... 21
Front airbag driver's side ................ 75Front airbags .................................. 74
Front ceiling light ............................ 22
Front light clusters (bulb
replacement) ................................ 96
Fuel consumption .......................... 145
Fuel cut-off system......................... 109
Fuel tank cap ................................. 89
Fuse boxes (location) ..................... 99
Fuses (replacement) ....................... 99
Gear Shift Indicator (system)
......... 41
Handbrake
.................................... 83
Hazard warning lights..................... 92
Head restraints............................... 18
– Rear head restraints .................. 18
Headlight alignment corrector ........ 21
Headlights (washing) ...................... 128
Heated rear window (activation) ..... 26
Identification data
– bodywork paint plate ................. 133
– chassis marking ........................ 133
– engine marking.......................... 133
– identification data plate.............. 133
Ignition device ................................ 12
Installing an “Isofix” child carseat .... 71
Installing electrical/electronic
devices ........................................ 4
Instrument panel ............................ 10
Interiors (cleaning) .......................... 130
iTPMS ............................................ 61