2017 FIAT 500L flat tire

bulges. Check the wheel bolts for tightness. Check the
tires (including spare) for proper cold inflation pres-
sure.
Lights
Have someone observe the operation of brake lights
and exterior lights while you work the controls. Check
turn signal and high beam indicator lights on the
instrument panel.
Door Latches
Check for proper closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for
fuel, engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if
gasoline fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering
fluid (if equipped), or brake fluid leaks are suspected.
The cause should be located and corrected immediately.
70 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!
Prolonged driving with the Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL) on could cause damage to the engine
control system. It also could affect fuel economy
(Continued)
CAUTION!(Continued)
and driveability. If the MIL is flashing, severe
catalytic converter damage and power loss will soon
occur. Immediate service is required.
Tire Pressure Monitoring Indicator Light
Yellow Telltale
Light What It Means
Tire Pressure Monitoring Indicator Light
The warning light switches on and a message is displayed to indicate that the tire pressure
is lower than the recommended value and/or that slow pressure loss is occurring. In these
cases, optimal tire duration and fuel consumption may not be guaranteed.
Should one or more tires be in the condition mentioned above, the display will show the
indications corresponding to each tire in sequence.
CAUTION!
Do not continue driving with one or more flat tires
as handling may be compromised. Stop the vehicle,
avoiding sharp braking and steering. Repair imme-
diately using the dedicated tire repair kit and con-
tact your authorized dealership as soon as possible. Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be
checked monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation
pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. If
your vehicle has tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pres-
sure label, you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 147

As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale
when one or more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale
illuminates, you should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible and inflate them to the proper pres-
sure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper
tire maintenance, and it is the driver ’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation
has not reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is
not operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indica-
tor is combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When
the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash
for approximately one minute and then remain continu-
ously illuminated. This sequence will continue uponsubsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction
exists. When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for
a variety of reasons, including the installation of re-
placement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle
that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly. Al-
ways check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replac-
ing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle, to
ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function prop-
erly.
CAUTION!
The TPMS has been optimized for the original
equipment tires and wheels. TPMS pressures and
warning have been established for the tire size
equipped on your vehicle. Undesirable system op-
eration or sensor damage may result when using
replacement equipment that is not of the same size,
type, and/or style. Aftermarket wheels can cause
sensor damage. Using aftermarket tire sealants may
cause the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
(Continued)
148 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

▫Dynamic Steering Torque (DST) ..........235
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) .........235
▫ ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light And
ESC OFF Indicator Light ...............236
▫ Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM) .........238
 TIRE SAFETY INFORMATION ............239
▫ Tire Markings .......................239
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ..........243
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions .........244
▫ Tire Loading And Tire Pressure ..........245
 TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION .......249
▫ Tire Pressure .......................249
▫ Tire Inflation Pressures ................250
▫ Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . .251
▫ Radial Ply Tires .....................251
▫ Tire Types ..........................252
▫ Run Flat Tires — If Equipped ............253▫
Spare Tires — If Equipped ..............253
▫ Tire Spinning .......................256
▫ Tread Wear Indicators .................256
▫ Life Of Tire ........................257
▫ Replacement Tires ....................258
 TIRE CHAINS (TRACTION DEVICES) ......259
 TIRE ROTATION RECOMMENDATIONS . . . .260
 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADES .......261
▫ Treadwear ..........................261
▫ Traction Grades ..................... .261
▫ Temperatur

e Grades ...................261
 TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM
(TPMS) ............................ .262
▫ Base System ........................264
▫ General Information ...................266
 FUEL REQUIREMENTS — 1.4L Turbo .......266
▫ Reformulated Gasoline ................266
216 STARTING AND OPERATING

AutoStick position at any time without taking your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on
a slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid, causing a collision
or personal injury.
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet or other
slippery surfaces may cause the driving wheels to pull
erratically to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs
when there is a difference in the surface traction under
the front (driving) wheels.
WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is danger-
ous. Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of
the front wheels. You could lose control of the
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
vehicle and possibly have a collision. Accelerate
slowly and carefully whenever there is likely to be
poor traction (ice, snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for
a wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is hydroplaning and may cause partial or
complete loss of vehicle control and stopping ability. To
reduce this possibility, the following precautions should
be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads are
slushy.
2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace the tires when tread wear indicators first become visible.
4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in
a sudden stop.
228 STARTING AND OPERATING

•Oversteer - when the vehicle is turning more than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
• Understeer - when the vehicle is turning less than
appropriate for the steering wheel position.
WARNING!
•The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot
prevent the natural laws of physics from acting on
the vehicle, nor can it increase the traction af-
forded by prevailing road conditions. ESC cannot
prevent all accidents, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, driving on very
slippery surfaces, or hydroplaning. ESC also can-
not prevent collisions resulting from loss of ve-
hicle control due to inappropriate driver input for
the conditions. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful
driver can prevent accidents. The capabilities of
an ESC equipped vehicle must never be exploited
in a reckless or dangerous manner which could
jeopardize the user ’s safety or the safety of others.
• Vehicle modifications, or failure to properly
maintain your vehicle, may change the handling
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
characteristics of your vehicle, and may nega-
tively affect the performance of the ESC system.
Changes to the steering system, suspension, brak-
ing system, tire type and size or wheel size may
adversely affect ESC performance. Improperly
inflated and unevenly worn tires may also de-
grade ESC performance. Any vehicle modifica-
tion or poor vehicle maintenance that reduces the
effectiveness of the ESC system can increase the
risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,
personal injury and death.
ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light And
ESC OFF Indicator Light
The ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light in the instrument cluster will come on
when the ignition switch is turned to the
MAR (ACC/ON/RUN) position for four sec-
onds. If the ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light comes on continuously with the engine running, a
malfunction has been detected in the ESC system. If this
light remains on after several ignition cycles, and the
236 STARTING AND OPERATING

EXAMPLE:
Load Identification:
Absence of the following load identification symbols on the sidewall of the tire indicates a Standard Load (SL)
tire:
•XL = Extra load (or reinforced) tire, or
•LL= Light load tire or
•C, D, E, F, G = Load range associated with the maximum load a tire can carry at a specified pressure
Maximum Load – Maximum load indicates the maximum load this tire is designed to carry
Maximum Pressure – Maximum pressure indicates the maximum permissible cold tire inflation pressure for
this tire
242 STARTING AND OPERATING

Tire Terminology And Definitions
TermDefinition
B-Pillar The vehicle B-Pillar is the structural member of the body located
behind the front door.
Cold Tire Inflation Pressure Cold tire inflation pressure is defined as the tire pressure after
the vehicle has not been driven for at least three hours, or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km) after sitting for a minimum of three
hours. Inflation pressure is measured in units of PSI (pounds per
square inch) or kPa (kilopascals).
Maximum Inflation Pressure The maximum inflation pressure is the maximum permissible
cold tire inflation pressure for this tire. The maximum inflation
pressure is molded into the sidewall.
Recommended Cold Tire Inflation Pres- sure Vehicle manufacturer’s recommended cold tire inflation pressure
as shown on the tire placard.
Tire Placard A label permanently attached to the vehicle describing the vehi-
cle’s loading capacity, the original equipment tire sizes and the
recommended cold tire inflation pressures.
244 STARTING AND OPERATING