2017 FIAT 500C Owners Manual

▫Traction Grades ..................... .231
▫ Temperature Grades ...................231
 TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM
(TPMS) ............................ .232
▫ TPM System With Comfort Cluster ........234
▫ TPM System With (TFT) Tire Pressure
Display Screen ..................... .236
▫ General Information ..................238
 FUEL REQUIREMENTS .................239
▫ Reformulated Gasoline ................239
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends .............239
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles ......240
▫ CNG And LP Fuel System Modifications . . . .240 ▫
MMT In Gasoline ....................240
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ...............241
▫ Fuel System Cautions ..................241
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ............242
 ADDING FUEL ...................... .242
▫ Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap) ..............242
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ...........243
 TRAILER TOWING ....................243
 RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.) ..................244
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another
Vehicle .......................... .244
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 183

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust
both inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat
belts.
WARNING!
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle.
• Allowing children to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of reasons. A child or
others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the transmission gear selec-
tor.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or
in a location accessible to children). A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move
the vehicle.
Manual Transmission — If Equipped
Apply the parking brake, place the gear selector in
NEUTRAL, and press the clutch pedal before starting the vehicle. This vehicle is equipped with a clutch
interlocking ignition system. It will not start unless the
clutch pedal is pressed to the floor.
Automatic Transmission — If Equipped
The gear selector must be in the PARK or NEUTRAL
position before you can start the engine. Press the brake
pedal before shifting to any driving gear.
NOTE:
You must press the brake pedal before shifting
out of PARK.
Normal Starting
NOTE: Normal starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or pressing the
accelerator pedal.
Turn the ignition switch to the AVV/ACC (START)
position and release it when the engine starts. If the
engine fails to start within 10 seconds, turn the ignition
switch to the STOP (OFF/LOCK) position, wait 10 to
15 seconds, then repeat the “Normal Starting” proce-
dure.
184 STARTING AND OPERATING

Cold Weather Operation
To prevent possible engine damage while starting at
low temperatures, this vehicle will inhibit engine crank-
ing when the ambient temperature is less than –22° F
(–30° C) and the oil temperature sensor reading indi-
cates an engine block heater has not been used. An
externally-powered electric engine block heater is avail-
able as optional equipment or from your authorized
dealer.
The message “plug in engine heater” will be displayed
in the instrument cluster when the ambient temperature
is below 5° F (–15° C) at the time the engine is shut off
as a reminder to avoid possible crank delays at the next
cold start.
CAUTION!
Use of the recommended oil and adhering to the
prescribed oil change intervals is important to pre-
vent engine damage and ensure satisfactory starting
in cold conditions.
Extended Park Starting
NOTE:Extended Park condition occurs when the ve-
hicle has not been started or driven for at least 30 days.
1. Install a battery charger or jumper cables to the battery to ensure a full battery charge during the
crank cycle.
2. Cycle the ignition in the START position and release it when the engine starts.
3. If the engine fails to start within 10 to 15 seconds, cycle the ignition to the STOP (OFF/LOCK) position,
wait five seconds to allow the starter to cool, then
repeat the Extended Park Starting procedure.
4. If the engine fails to start after eight attempts, allow the starter to cool for at least 10 minutes, then repeat
the procedure.
CAUTION!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not crank
continuously for more than 10 seconds at a time.
Wait 10 to 15 seconds before trying again.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 185

If Engine Fails To Start
WARNING!
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquids into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in a flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
CAUTION!
•Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get
it started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic
transmission cannot be started this way. Un-
burned fuel could enter the catalytic converter
and once the engine has started, ignite and dam-
age the converter and vehicle.
• To prevent damage to the starter, do not continu-
ously crank the engine for more than 15 seconds
at a time. Wait 10 to 15 seconds before trying
again.
After Starting
The idle speed is controlled automatically, and it will
decrease as the engine warms up.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
Five-Speed Manual Transmission
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should
always be applied when the driver is not in the
vehicle, especially on an incline.
Gear Selector
186 STARTING AND OPERATING

Fully press the clutch pedal before you shift gears. As
you release the clutch pedal, lightly press the accelera-
tor pedal.
NOTE:To shift into REVERSE from NEUTRAL, lift the
ring under the knob and, at the same time move the
gear selector to the right and then backward.
Use each gear in numerical order; do not skip a gear. Be
sure the transmission is in first gear, not third, when
starting from a standing position. Damage to the clutch
can result from starting in third gear.
For most city driving, you will find it easier to use only
the lower gears. For steady highway driving with light
accelerations, fifth gear is recommended.
Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal,
and never try to hold the vehicle on a hill with the
clutch pedal partially engaged. This will cause abnor-
mal wear on the clutch. REVERSE gear is not synchronized and the vehicle
must be at a complete stop to shift into REVERSE gear.
When selecting REVERSE gear, the driver should pause
(approximately 2 seconds) after pushing in the clutch
pedal and prior to shifting into REVERSE which allows
gears to stop spinning. Should an unwanted clash noise
be produced, the pause length should be increased.
NOTE:
•
Clashing REVERSE gear, especially if vehicle is mov-
ing, can result in transmission damage.
• During cold weather, until the transmission lubricant
is warm, you may experience slightly higher shift
efforts. This is normal and not harmful to the trans-
mission.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 187

Recommended Shift Speeds
To use your manual transmission for optimal fuel
economy, it should be upshifted as listed in the follow-
ing table.
Manual Transmission Recommended Shift SpeedsUnits In mph (km/h)
Engine Size Acceleration Rate1to2
2to3 3to4 4to5
1.4L Engine Accel14
(23) 23
(37) 29
(47) 38
(61)
Cruise 12
(19) 18
(29) 25
(40) 32
(52)
188 STARTING AND OPERATING

Downshifting
Proper downshifting will improve fuel economy and
prolong engine life.
CAUTION!
If you skip a gear while downshifting or downshift
at too high of a vehicle speed, these conditions may
cause the engine to overspeed if too low of a gear is
selected and the clutch pedal is released. Damage to
the clutch and the transmission can result from
skipping a gear while downshifting or downshift-
ing at too high of a vehicle speed even if the clutch
pedal is held pressed (i.e., not released).
To maintain a safe speed and prolong brake life, shift
down to second or first gear when descending a steep
grade.
When turning a corner or driving up a steep grade,
downshift early so that the engine will not be overbur-
dened.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
WARNING!
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL
if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If
your foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal,
the vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in
reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and
hit someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine
is running. Before exiting a vehicle always apply
the parking brake, shift the transmission into
PARK, turn the engine OFF, and remove the
ignition key. Once the key is removed, the trans-
mission is locked in PARK, securing the vehicle
against unwanted movement.
• When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
ignition key from the vehicle and lock the vehicle.
(Continued)
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 189

WARNING!(Continued)
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children
to be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake
pedal or the transmission gear selector.
• Do not leave the ignition key in or near the
vehicle (or in a location accessible to children). A
child could operate power windows, other con-
trols, or move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the fol-
lowing precautions are not observed:
• Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE only after
the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
• Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is above idle
speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal. NOTE:
You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park
Interlock which requires the transmission to be in PARK
before the ignition can be turned to the LOCK/OFF
(key removal) position. The key can only be removed
from the ignition when the ignition is in the LOCK/OFF
position, and once removed, the transmission is locked
in PARK.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission
Shift Interlock System (BTSI) that holds the transmis-
sion gear selector in PARK unless the brakes are ap-
plied. To shift the transmission out of PARK, the igni-
tion must be turned to the ON/RUN mode (engine
running or not) and the brake pedal must be pressed.
Six-Speed Automatic Transmission
The transmission gear position display (located in the
instrument cluster) indicates the transmission gear
range. You must press the brake pedal to move the gear
selector out of PARK (Refer to “Brake/Transmission
190 STARTING AND OPERATING