2017 FIAT 500L Owners Manual

CAUTION!
To avoid fuel spillage and overfilling, do not “top
off” the fuel tank after filling.
WARNING!
•Never have any smoking materials lit in or near
the vehicle when the fuel door is open or the tank
is being filled.
• Never add fuel when the engine is running. This
is in violation of most state and federal fire
regulations and may cause the “Malfunction In-
dicator Light” to turn on.
• A fire may result if fuel is pumped into a portable
container that is inside of a vehicle. You could be
burned. Always place fuel containers on the
ground while filling.
TRAILER TOWING
Trailer towing with this vehicle is not recommended.
Emergency Fuel Filling Procedure
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 271

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
Towing ConditionWheels OFF the Ground Automatic Transmission
Flat Tow NONENOT ALLOWED
Dolly Tow FrontOK
Rear NOT ALLOWED
On Trailer ALLOK
NOTE: When towing your vehicle, always follow ap-
plicable state and provincial laws. Contact state and
provincial Highway Safety offices for additional details.
This vehicle may be towed on a flatbed or vehicle trailer
provided all four wheels are OFF the ground.
This vehicle may also be towed using a tow dolly (with
the front wheels OFF the ground).
CAUTION!
• DO NOT flat tow any vehicle equipped with an
automatic transmission. Damage to the drivetrain
will result. If these vehicles require towing, make
sure all drive wheels are OFF the ground.
• Towing this vehicle in violation of the above
requirements can cause severe transmission dam-
age. Damage from improper towing is not covered
under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
272 STARTING AND OPERATING

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS ..........274
 IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS ..........274
 WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE
SPECIFICATIONS .....................275
▫ Torque Specifications ..................275
 TIRE SERVICE KIT .....................277
 JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING — IF
EQUIPPED ..........................280
▫ Jack Location .......................280
▫ Spare Tire Removal ...................281
▫ Preparations For Jacking ...............281
▫ Jacking Instructions ..................282
▫ Spare Tire Stowage ...................285 
JUMP-STARTING PROCEDURE ...........286
▫ Preparations For Jump-Start .............286
▫ Jump-Starting Procedure ...............287
 FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE ............289
 GEAR SELECTOR OVERRIDE ............290
 TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE ..........292
 IGNITION KEY REMOVAL OVERRIDE ......293
 CAP-LESS FUEL FILL FUNNEL ...........294
 ENHANCED ACCIDENT RESPONSE SYSTEM
(EARS) ............................ .294
 EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR) ..........295
6

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.
WARNING!
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 or coolant bottle is hot.
274 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If the pointer rises to the H (red) mark,
the instrument cluster will sound a chime. When
safe, pull over and stop the vehicle with the engine
at idle. Turn off the air conditioning and wait until
the pointer drops back into the normal range. If the
pointer remains on the H (red) mark for more than
a minute, turn the engine off immediately and call
for service.
WHEEL AND TIRE TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
Proper lug nut/bolt torque is very important to ensure
that the wheel is properly mounted to the vehicle. Any
time a wheel has been removed and reinstalled on the
vehicle the lug nuts/bolts should be torqued using a
properly calibrated torque wrench.
Torque Specifications
Lug Nut/Bolt Torque **Lug Nut/Bolt SizeLug Nut/
Bolt
Socket Size
63 Ft-Lbs (86 N·m)
Steel Wheels Only
89 Ft-Lbs (120 N·m) Aluminum Wheels Only M12 x 1.25 17 mm
**Use only your authorized dealer recommended lug
nuts/bolts and clean or remove any dirt or oil before
tightening.
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 275

Inspect the wheel mounting surface prior to mounting
the tire and remove any corrosion or loose particles.
Tighten the lug nuts/bolts in a star pattern until each
nut/bolt has been tightened twice.After 25 miles (40 km) check the lug nut/bolt torque to
be sure that all the lug nuts/bolts are properly seated
against the wheel.
WARNING!
To avoid the risk of forcing the vehicle off the jack,
do not tighten the lug nuts fully until the vehicle
has been lowered. Failure to follow this warning
may result in personal injury.
Wheel Mounting Surface
Torque Patterns
276 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

TIRE SERVICE KIT
If a tire is punctured, you can make a first emergency
repair using the Tire Service Kit located in the rear
storage area under the cargo floor.Tire punctures of up to 1/4 of an inch (6mm) can be
repaired; the kit can be used in all weather conditions.
Do not remove the foreign object from the punctured
tire, i.e., screw or nail.
Remove the Tire Service Kit from the vehicle, take it out
from the bag and place it near the punctured tire. Screw
the clear flexible filling tube to the tire valve.
WARNING!
•
Do not attempt to seal a tire on the side of the
vehicle closest to traffic. Pull far enough off the
road to avoid the danger of being hit when using
the Tire Service Kit.
• Do not use Tire Service Kit or drive the vehicle
under the following circumstances:
– If the puncture in the tire tread is approxi- mately 1/4 inch (6 mm) or larger.
– If the tire has any sidewall damage.
– If the tire has any damage from driving with extremely low tire pressure.
– If the tire has any damage from driving on a flat tire.
– If the wheel has any damage.
(Continued)
Tire Service Kit Components
1 — Power Plug (located on bottom side of Tire Service Kit)
2 — Sealant Hose (Clear)
3 — Power Button
4 — Pressure Gauge
5 — Sealant Bottle
6
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 277

WARNING!(Continued)
– If you are unsure of the condition of the tire or
the wheel.
• Keep Tire Service Kit away from open flames or
heat source.
• A loose Tire Service Kit thrown forward in a
collision or hard stop could endanger the occu-
pants of the vehicle. Always stow the Tire Service
Kit in the place provided. Failure to follow these
warnings can result in injuries that are serious or
fatal to you, your passengers, and others around
you.
• Take care not to allow the contents of Tire Service
Kit to come in contact with hair, eyes, or clothing.
Tire Service Kit sealant is harmful if inhaled,
swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. It
causes skin, eye, and respiratory irritation. Flush
immediately with plenty of water if there is any
contact with eyes or skin. Change clothing as soon
as possible, if there is any contact with clothing.
• Tire Service Kit Sealant solution contains latex. In
case of an allergic reaction or rash, consult a
physician immediately. Keep Tire Service Kit out
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
of reach of children. If swallowed, rinse mouth
immediately with plenty of water and drink
plenty of water. Do not induce vomiting! Consult
a physician immediately.
Insert the power plug into the vehicle power outlet
socket. Start the vehicle engine.
Push the Tire Service Kit power button to the “I”
position. The electric compressor will be turned on,
sealant and air will inflate the tire.
Minimum 26 psi (1.8 bar) of pressure should be reached
within 20 minutes. If the pressure has not been reached,
turn off and remove the Tire Service Kit, drive the
vehicle 30 feet (10 meters) back and forth, to better
distribute the sealant inside the tire.
Attach the Clear flexible filling and tube of the com-
pressor directly to the tire valve and repeat the inflation
process.
When the correct pressure has been reached, start
driving the vehicle to uniformly distribute the sealant
inside the tire. After 10 minutes, stop and check the tire
pressure. If the pressure is below 19 psi (1.3 bar), do not
278 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES