2017 FIAT 500 ABARTH CABRIO overheating

Manual Operation Override
This system offers a full complement of manual over-
ride features. The AUTO symbol in the front ATC
display will be turned off when the system is being
used in the manual mode.
NOTE:The system will not automatically sense the
presence of fog, mist or ice on the windshield. DE-
FROST mode must be manually selected to clear the
windshield and side glass.
Operating Tips
NOTE: Refer to the chart at the end of this section for
suggested control settings for various weather conditions.
Summer Operation
The engine cooling system must be protected with a
high-quality antifreeze coolant to provide proper corro-
sion protection and to protect against engine overheating.
OAT coolant (conforming to MS.90032) is recommended.
Refer to “Maintenance Procedures” in “Maintaining Your
Vehicle” for proper coolant selection.
Winter Operation
To ensure the best possible heater and defroster perfor-
mance, make sure the engine cooling system is func-
tioning properly and the proper amount, type, and
concentration of coolant is used. Refer to “Maintenance
Procedures” in “Maintaining Your Vehicle” for proper
coolant selection. Use of the air Recirculation mode
during Winter months is not recommended because it
may cause window fogging.
Vacation/Storage
Before you store your vehicle, or keep it out of service
(i.e., vacation) for two weeks or more, run the air
conditioning system at idle for about five minutes, in
fresh air with the blower setting on high. This will
ensure adequate system lubrication to minimize the
possibility of compressor damage when the system is
started again.
Window Fogging
Vehicle windows tend to fog on the inside in mild, rainy
and/or humid weather. To clear the windows, select
Defrost or Mix mode and increase the front blower
speed. Do not use the Recirculation mode without A/C
for long periods, as fogging may occur.
178 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any
other reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL
can cause severe transmission damage. Refer to
“Recreational Towing” in “Starting And Operating”
and “Towing A Disabled Vehicle” in “What To Do
In Emergencies” for further information.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The transmission
automatically upshifts through all forward gears. The
DRIVE position provides optimum driving characteris-
tics under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading con-
ditions, in hilly terrain, or traveling into strong head
winds), use the AutoStick shift control (refer to
AutoStick in this section for further information) to
select a lower gear. Under these conditions, using a
lower gear will improve performance and extend trans-
mission life by reducing excessive shifting and heat
buildup.
If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operating
limits, the transmission controller will expand the range
of torque converter clutch engagement. This is done to
prevent transmission damage due to overheating.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation may
be modified depending on engine coolant temperature.
Normal operation will resume once the engine tempera-
ture has risen to a suitable level.
Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for
abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected that
could result in transmission damage, Transmission
Limp Home Mode is activated. In this mode, the
transmission remains in third gear regardless of which
forward gear is selected. PARK, REVERSE, and NEU-
TRAL will continue to operate. The Malfunction Indi-
cator Light (MIL) may be illuminated. Limp Home
Mode allows the vehicle to be driven to an authorized
dealer for service without damaging the transmission.
194 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING!
Overloading of your tires is dangerous. Overload-
ing can cause tire failure, affect vehicle handling,
and increase your stopping distance. Use tires of the
recommended load capacity for your vehicle. Never
overload them.
TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION
Tire Pressure
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential to the safe and
satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Four primary
areas are affected by improper tire pressure:
•Safety and Vehicle Stability
• Economy
• Tread Wear
• Ride Comfort
Safety
WARNING!
•Improperly inflated tires are dangerous and can
cause collisions.
• Underinflation increases tire flexing and can re-
sult in overheating and tire failure.
• Overinflation reduces a tire’s ability to cushion
shock. Objects on the road and chuckholes can
cause damage that result in tire failure.
• Overinflated or underinflated tires can affect ve-
hicle handling and can fail suddenly, resulting in
loss of vehicle control.
• Unequal tire pressures can cause steering prob-
lems. You could lose control of your vehicle.
• Unequal tire pressures from one side of the ve-
hicle to the other can cause the vehicle to drift to
the right or left.
• Always drive with each tire inflated to the recom-
mended cold tire inflation pressure.
Both under-inflation and over-inflation affect the stabil-
ity of the vehicle and can produce a feeling of sluggish
response or over responsiveness in the steering.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 219

HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS
The Hazard Warning flasher switch is located on the
instrument panel below the radio.Push the switch to turn on the Hazard Warning
flashers. When the switch is activated, all direc-
tional turn signals will flash on and off to warn oncom-
ing traffic of an emergency. Push the switch a second
time to turn off the Hazard Warning flashers.
Do not use this emergency warning system when the
vehicle is in motion. Use it when your vehicle is
disabled and it is creating a safety hazard for other
motorists.
If it is necessary to leave the vehicle to go for service, the
Hazard Warning flashers will continue to operate with
the ignition key removed and the vehicle locked.
NOTE: With extended use, the Hazard Warning flash-
ers may wear down your battery.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate
action.
• On the highways — slow down.
• In city traffic — while stopped, place the transmis-
sion in NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle
speed.
NOTE: There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition:
• If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off. The
A/C system adds heat to the engine cooling system
and turning the A/C off can help remove this heat.
• You can also turn the temperature control to maxi-
mum heat, the mode control to floor and the blower
control to high. This allows the heater core to act as a
supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
248 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it
can often be moved using a rocking motion. Turn the
steering wheel right and left to clear the area around the
front wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE
and REVERSE (with automatic transmission) or 2nd
gear and REVERSE (with manual transmission), while
gently pressing the accelerator. Use the least amount of
accelerator pedal pressure that will maintain the rock-
ing motion, without spinning the wheels, or racing the
engine.
CAUTION!
Racing the engine or spinning the wheels may lead
to transmission overheating and failure. Allow the
engine to idle with the transmission in NEUTRAL
for at least one minute after every five rocking-
motion cycles. This will minimize overheating and
reduce the risk of clutch or transmission failure
during prolonged efforts to free a stuck vehicle.NOTE:
Push the ESC Off switch, to place the Elec-
tronic Stability Control (ESC) system in Partial Off
mode, before rocking the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic
Brake Control” in “Starting And Operating” for further
information. Once the vehicle has been freed, push the
ESC Off switch again to restore ESC Onmode.
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be dangerous. Forces gener-
ated by excessive wheel speeds may cause damage,
or even failure, of the axle and tires. A tire could
explode and injure someone. Do not spin your
vehicle’s wheels faster than 30 mph (48 km/h) or for
longer than 30 seconds continuously without stop-
ping when you are stuck and do not let anyone near
a spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
CAUTION!
•When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by shifting be-
tween DRIVE/2nd gear and REVERSE, do not
spin the wheels faster than 15 mph (24 km/h), or
drivetrain damage may result.
(Continued)
262 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!(Continued)
•Revving the engine or spinning the wheels too
fast may lead to transmission overheating and
failure. It can also damage the tires. Do not spin
the wheels above 30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear
(no transmission shifting occurring).
GEAR SELECTOR OVERRIDE
If a malfunction occurs and the gear selector cannot be
moved out of the PARK position, you can use the
following procedure to temporarily move the gear
selector:
1. Turn the engine OFF.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the gear selector override access cover (lo- cated on the right side of the gear selector housing)
by prying at the bottom edge of the cover. 4. Press and maintain firm pressure on the brake pedal.
5. Insert a small screwdriver or similar tool into the
access hole, and push and hold the override release
lever in.
6. Move the gear selector to the NEUTRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in NEUTRAL.
8. Reinstall the gear selector override access cover.
Gear Selector Override Access Hole
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 263

CAUTION!
•The catalytic converter requires the use of un-
leaded fuel only. Leaded gasoline will destroy the
effectiveness of the catalyst as an emissions con-
trol device and may seriously reduce engine per-
formance and cause serious damage to the engine.
• Damage to the catalytic converter can result if
your vehicle is not kept in proper operating
condition. In the event of engine malfunction,
particularly involving engine misfire or other
apparent loss of performance, have your vehicle
serviced promptly. Continued operation of your
vehicle with a severe malfunction could cause the
converter to overheat, resulting in possible dam-
age to the converter and vehicle.
Under normal operating conditions, the catalytic con-
verter will not require maintenance. However, it is
important to keep the engine properly tuned to assure
proper catalyst operation and prevent possible catalyst
damage. NOTE:
Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
In unusual situations involving grossly malfunctioning
engine operation, a scorching odor may suggest severe
and abnormal catalyst overheating. If this occurs, stop
the vehicle, turn off the engine and allow it to cool.
Service, including a tune-up to manufacturer’s specifi-
cations, should be obtained immediately.
To minimize the possibility of catalytic converter damage:
• Do not shut off the engine or interrupt the ignition,
when the transmission is in gear and the vehicle is in
motion.
• Do not try to start the engine by pushing or towing
the vehicle.
• Do not idle the engine with any spark plug wires
disconnected or removed, such as when diagnostic
testing, or for prolonged periods during very rough
idle or malfunctioning operating conditions.
284 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Towing............................ .264
Emission Control System Maintenance .........271
Engine Air Cleaner ......................... .275
Break-In Recommendations ................60
Checking Oil Level .....................274
Compartment ........................ .269
Cooling ............................ .285
Exhaust Gas Caution .................61, 242
Fails To Start ........................ .186
Flooded, Starting ..................... .186
Fuel Requirements .....................239
Oil ............................ .274, 308
Oil Filler Cap ........................ .275
Oil Filter ........................... .275
Oil Selection ..................... .274, 308
Overheating ......................... .248
Starting ............................ .184
Enhanced Accident Response Feature ..........266
Ethanol .............................. .239
Exhaust Gas Caution ...................61, 242
Exhaust System ...................... .61, 283
Exterior Lights ....................... .64, 304Filters
Air Cleaner ......................... .275
Air Conditioning ...................179, 278
Engine Oil .......................... .275
Engine Oil Disposal ....................275
Flashers Turn Signal ....................... .64, 137
Flash-To-Pass ............................83
Flooded Engine Starting ...................186
Fluid, Brake ........................... .310
Fluid Capacities ........................ .308
Fluid Leaks .............................64
Fluid Level Checks Automatic Transmission .................293
Fluids ............................... .308
Fluids,

Lubricants And Genuine Parts ..........308
Fog Lights .......................... .86, 132
Freeing A Stuck Vehicle ....................262
Fuel ................................. .239
Adding ............................ .242
Additives ........................... .241
Capacity ........................... .308
Clean Air ........................... .239
10
INDEX 327