This function can only be activated
within two minutes of cycling the
ignition to STOP.
To activate this function, move the lever
upward for at least three seconds.
Function deactivation
The function is deactivated if:
Wait for longer than two minutes
before turning the ignition to the STOP
position, after having raised the lever
and starting the service procedure in
this way.
The ignition is cycled to position ON
and the windshield wiper control.
If, after using the function, the ignition is
set back to ON with the blades in a
position other than rest position (at the
base of the windshield), they will only
return to rest position following a
command given using the stalk (stalk
upwards, into unstable position) or when a speed of 3 mph (5 km/h) is
exceeded.
Replacing The Windshield Wiper
Blades
Proceed as follows:
Raise the wiper arm, press tab of
the attachment spring and remove
the blade from the arm.
Fit the new blade, inserting the tab
in the dedicated housing in the arm
and checking that it is
locked.Lower the wiper arm onto
the windshield.
Note:
Do not operate the windshield
wiper with the blades lifted from the
windshield.
Windshield Washer
The window washer nozzles are fixed. If
there is no jet of fluid, first check that there is fluid in the reservoir (see
paragraph “Engine compartment” in
this chapter).
Then, check that the nozzle holes are
not clogged; use a needle to unblock
them if necessary.
Exhaust System
Adequate maintenance of the engine
exhaust system represents the best
protection against leaks of carbon
monoxide into the passenger
compartment.
If an unusual noise from the exhaust or
the presence of smoke in the
passenger compartment is identified, or
if the underbody or rear section of the
vehicle have been damaged, have the
entire exhaust system and adjoining
09046S0001EMMultifunction Lever
09046S0002EMWiper Release Tab
09046S0003EMWindshield Washers
1 — Washer Nozzles
216
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
bodywork areas checked at your
authorized dealer to identify any
components which are broken,
damaged, worn or have moved from
their correct fitting position.
Open welding or loose connections
may permit exhaust gas to enter the
passenger compartment.
Have the exhaust system checked
every time the vehicle is raised. Replace
the components where necessary (for
these operations, contact an authorized
dealer).
In normal operating conditions, the
catalytic converter does not require
maintenance. To ensure that it operates
correctly, however, and prevent it from
getting damaged, it is extremely
important that the engine operates
perfectly.
To minimize the risk of damaging the
catalytic converter, proceed as follows:
Do not stop the engine or deactivate
the ignition with gear engaged and
vehicle in motion.
Do not attempt to start the engine
by bump starting.
Do not persist in using the vehicle if
idling is very irregular or the operating
conditions are very notably irregular.
Warning!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill. They
contain carbon monoxide (CO), which is
colorless and odorless. Breathing it can
make you unconscious and can eventually
poison you.
A hot exhaust system can start a fire if
you park over materials that can burn.
Such materials might be grass or leaves
coming into contact with your exhaust
system. Do not park or operate your
vehicle in areas where your exhaust system
can contact anything that can burn.
Cooling System
Warning!
Turn vehicle off and disconnect the fan
motor lead before working near the radiator
cooling fan.
You or others can be badly burned by
hot engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam
from your radiator. If you see or hear steam
coming from under the hood, do not open
the hood until the radiator has had time to
cool. Never open a cooling system
pressure cap when the radiator or coolant
bottle is hot.
Keep hands, tools, clothing, and jewelry
away from the radiator cooling fan when
the hood is raised. The fan starts
automatically and may start at any time,
whether the engine is running or not.
When working near the radiator cooling
fan, disconnect the fan motor lead or turn
the ignition to the OFF mode. The fan is
temperature controlled and can start at any
time the ignition is in the ON mode.
You or others can be badly burned by
hot engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam
from your radiator. If you see or hear steam
coming from under the hood, do not open
the hood until the radiator has had time to
cool. Never try to open a cooling system
pressure cap when the radiator is hot.
Engine Coolant Check
Check the engine coolant level every oil
change or before long trips.
If there are impurities in the engine
coolant, the system must be drained,
flushed and refilled: contact an
authorized dealer.
Check the front part of the condenser
to check for any build-up of insects,
leaves or other debris. Should it be
dirty, clean it by spraying delicately with
water.
Check the hoses of the engine cooling
system to ensure that the rubber has
not deteriorated and that there are no
cracks, tears, cuts or obstructions in
the expansion tank side and radiator
side connectors. Should there be any
217
doubt regarding leaks from the system
(e.g. if frequent top ups are required),
have the seal checked at an authorized
dealer.
With the engine off and at normal
operating temperature, check that the
cooling system radiator cap is closed
properly.
Warning!
Do not open hot engine cooling system.
Never add engine coolant (antifreeze) when
the engine is overheated. Do not loosen or
remove the cap to cool an overheated
engine. Heat causes pressure to build up in
the cooling system. To prevent scalding or
injury, do not remove the pressure cap
while the system is hot or under pressure.
Do not use a pressure cap other than
the one specified for your vehicle. Personal
injury or engine damage may result.
Note:
Before removing the engine coolant
reservoir cap, wait for the system to
cool down. Topping Up / Draining / Flushing
The Engine Coolant
If the engine coolant (antifreeze) is dirty,
have cleaning and flushing carried out
at an authorized dealer.
See the "Maintenance Plan" for the
correct servicing intervals.
Note:
For topping up, use a fluid with the
same characteristics as those
indicated in the "Fluids And
Lubricants" table (see "Technical
Specifications" chapter).
Do not use pure water,
alcohol-based coolants, corrosions
inhibitors or additional anti-rust
products because they may be
incompatible with the engine coolant
and cause the clogging of the radiator.
The use of propylene glycol-based
coolant is also not recommended.
Engine Cooling System Cap
To prevent loss of engine coolant, make
sure that the expansion tank cap is
closed. If it is open, screw it completely
until you reach/hear the click.
Periodically check the cap and clean it
from any foreign bodies that may have
deposited on the external surface.
Warning!
Never add coolant with the engine hot
or overheated.
Do not attempt to cool an overheated
engine by loosening or removing the cap.
The heat causes a considerable increase in
pressure in the cooling system.
To prevent damage to the engine, only
use the engine cooling circuit caps
provided.
Disposal of Used Engine Coolant
Disposal of engine coolant is subject to
legal requirements: contact the
appropriate body to determine local
regulations.
Note:
To prevent the fluid from being
ingested by children or animals, do
not keep it in open containers or pour
it on the ground. If ingested, contact a
doctor immediately. Eliminate any
traces of fluid from the ground
immediately.
When the vehicle stops after a short
trip, steam may be seen coming out
from front of the hood. This is a
normal phenomenon which is due to
the presence of rain, snow or a lot of
moisture on the surface of the radiator.
218
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
With engine and system cold, do
not top up with coolant beyond the
maximum level indicated on the
reservoir in the engine compartment.
Braking System
In order to guarantee the efficiency of
the braking system, periodically check
its components; for this operation,
contact an authorized dealer.
See the "Maintenance Plan" for the
correct servicing intervals.
Note: Driving with your foot resting on
the brake pedal may compromise its
efficiency, increasing the risk of
accidents. When driving, never keep
your foot on the brake pedal and don’t
put unnecessary strain on it to prevent
the brakes from overheating: excess
pad wear may cause damage to the
braking system.
When an insufficient oil level is
detected, contact an authorized dealer
to have the system checked.
Always keep the cap of the brake
fluid reservoir (in the engine
compartment) completely closed.
Warning!
Use only manufacturer's recommended
brake fluid. Refer to “Fluids And Lubricants”
in “Technical Specifications” for further
information. Using the wrong type of brake
fluid can severely damage your brake
system and/or impair its performance. The
proper type of brake fluid for your vehicle is
also identified on the original factory
installed hydraulic master cylinder reservoir.
To avoid contamination from foreign
matter or moisture, use only new brake
fluid or fluid that has been in a tightly
closed container. Keep the master cylinder
reservoir cap secured at all times. Brake
fluid in a open container absorbs moisture
from the air resulting in a lower boiling
point. This may cause it to boil
unexpectedly during hard or prolonged
braking, resulting in sudden brake failure.
This could result in a collision.
Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can
result in spilling brake fluid on hot engine
parts, causing the brake fluid to catch fire.
Brake fluid can also damage painted and
vinyl surfaces, care should be taken to
avoid its contact with these surfaces.
Do not allow petroleum based fluid to
contaminate the brake fluid. Brake seal
components could be damaged, causing
partial or complete brake failure. This could
result in a collision.
Automatic Transmission
Use only a transmission oil with the
same characteristics as those indicated
in the "Fluids and Lubricants" table (see
"Technical Specifications" chapter).
Special Additives
Do not use any type of additive with the
automatic transmission oil. The
automatic transmission oil is a product
designed specially for this vehicle and
its performance may be compromised
through the use of further additives.
Caution!
Do not use chemical flushes in your
transmission as the chemicals can damage
your transmission components. Such
damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
219
Temperature Grades
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat,
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material of
the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can
lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of performance,
which all passenger vehicle tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test
wheel, than the minimum required by
law.
Warning!
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, under-inflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
STORING THE
VEHICLE
If the vehicle is left inactive for longer
than a month, the following precautions
should be observed:
Park the car in an area that is
covered and dry, and well-ventilated if
possible. Slightly open the windows.
Check that the electric park brake is
not activated.
Carry out the procedure: “manual
trunk opening device” procedure
described in this paragraph.
Disconnect the negative battery
terminal and check the battery charge.
Repeat this check once every three
months during storage.
If the battery is not disconnected
from the electrical system, check its
state of charge every thirty days.
Clean and protect the painted parts
using protective wax.
Clean and protect the shiny metal
parts using special compounds
available commercially.
Sprinkle talcum powder on the
windshield wiper rubber blades, and lift
them off the glass.
Cover the vehicle with a fabric or
perforated plastic sheet, paying
particular care not to damage the
painted surface by dragging any dust
that may have accumulated on it. Do
not use compact plastic sheets, as they do not allow humidity to evaporate from
the surface of the vehicle.
Inflate tires to +7.25 psi (+0.5 bar)
above the standard prescribed pressure
and check it periodically.
Do not drain the engine cooling
system.
Any time the car is left inactive for
two weeks or more, operate the air
conditioning system with engine idling
for at least five minutes, setting external
air and with fan set to maximum speed.
This operation will ensure appropriate
lubrication for the system, thus
minimizing the possibility of damage to
the compressor when the system is
operated again.
Note:
After cycling the ignition to STOP and
having closed the driver side door, wait
at least one minute before
disconnecting the electrical supply from
the battery. When reconnecting the
electrical supply to the battery, make
sure that the ignition is in the STOP
position and the driver side door is
closed.
Manual Trunk Opening Device
Proceed as follows if the battery needs
to be disconnected:
1. From the trunk interior covering,
rotate the plug to the left of the lock
and extract the strap connected to it.
234
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Disabled Vehicle Towing........200
Door Locks Child-Protection Door Lock —
Rear Doors ...............25
Power Door Locks ..........25
Doors .....................21
Drive Train Control (DTC) System . . .96
Driving modes ..............146
Dynamic Steering Torque (DST) System ..................99
Electric park brake ...........138
Electric Remote Mirrors .........33
Electric steering wheel heating .....32
Electronic Speed Control ........153
Electronic Speed Control (Cruise Control) ......153,154,156
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) System ..................97
Emergency refuelling ..........198
Emergency Starting ...........196
Emergency, In Case Of .........192
Hazard Warning Flasher ......180
Jacking ............... .220
Jump Starting .........196,197
Overheating .............199
Tow Hooks ..............201
Towing ................ .200
Engine .................. .240
engine coolant level .........211
Fuel Requirements .........249 Jump Starting
.........196,197
Overheating .............199
Starting ............... .198
Temperature Gauge .........63
Engine compartment ..........209
Engine compartment (washing) . . . .236
Engine oil consumption .............210
level check ..............210
Engine Overheating ...........199
Enhanced Accident Response Feature ................ .203
Environmental protection systems . . .60
Ethanol .................. .249
Exterior Lighting ............34,35
Exterior Lights ...............34
External Lights ...............34
Fire Extinguisher .............59
Flashers Hazard Warning ...........180
Turn Signal ...............36
Fluids and lubricants ..........252
Forward Collision Warning .......102
Front light cluster with main beam Xenon gas discharge headlights
(bulb replacement) ..........183
Front mobile spoiler (Alfa Active Aero) ...................60
Front seat electric heating ........28
Front seats (Power Seats) ........27Front Wipers
Wiper Operation ...........40
Fuel Additives ...............250
Clean Air ...............249
Ethanol ............... .249
Gauge ..................63
Materials Added ...........250
Methanol ...............249
Fuse boxes ............... .187
Fuses (replacement) ...........186
Garage Door Opener (HomeLink) . . .55
Gasoline, Clean Air ...........249
Gasoline, Reformulated ........249
Gauges Speedometer .............63
Tachometer ..............63
General Information ........101,162
Glove Compartment ...........55
Glove Compartment Light ........38
Glove compartment light (bulb replacement) ..............184
GVWR .................. .173
Hazard Warning Flasher........180
Head Restraints ............29,30
Head Rests .................29
Headlights Switch ...............34,35
Headlights (cleaning) ..........236