2017 FIAT 500X ABS

USE OF THE OWNER HANDBOOK
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Each time direction instructions (left/right or forwards/backwards) about the vehicle are given, these must be understood as
regarding an occupant in the driver's seat.
Special cases not complying with this rule will be specified as appropriate in the text.
The figures in the Owner Handbook are provided by way of example only: this might imply that some details of the image do
not correspond to the actual arrangement of your vehicle.
In addition, the Handbook has been conceived considering vehicles with steering wheel on the left side; it is therefore possible
that on vehicles with steering wheel on the right side, the position or construction of some controls is not exactly mirror-like with
respect to the figure.
To identify the chapter with the information needed you can consult the index at the end of this Owner Handbook.
Chapters can be rapidly identified with dedicated graphic tabs, at the side of each odd page. A few pages further there is a key
for getting to know the chapter order and the relevant symbols in the tabs. There is in any case a textual indication of the
current chapter at the side of each even page.

if 30 minutes pass with the vehicle
stationary (versions with manual
gearbox) or with the gear lever at P
(Park) (versions with automatic
transmission) and the engine off, the
ignition device will automatically move
to the STOP position.
NOTE With engine started, it is possible
to go away from the vehicle taking the
electronic key with you. The engine will
still be running. The vehicle will indicate
the absence of the key on board when
the door is closed.
For more information on the engine
start-up, see the description in the
"Starting the engine" paragraph, in the
"Starting and driving" chapter.
4) 5)
STEERING LOCK
Activation
Versions with key without remote
control: with the device at STOP,
remove the key and turn the steering
wheel until it locks.
IMPORTANT If the ignition key has been
moved from the MAR to the STOP
position, the steering lock cannot
engage until the key is removed from
the ignition device.
Versions with electronic key: the
steering lock engages when the driver
door is opened, with the ignition devicebutton at STOP and speed below
3 km/h.
Deactivation
Versions with key without remote
control: slightly moving the steering
wheel, turn the key to the MAR
position.
Versions with electronic key: the
steering lock disengages when the
ignition device is pressed and the
electronic key is recognised.
6) 7)
WARNING
2)If the ignition device has been tampered
with (e.g. an attempted theft), have it
checked by a Fiat Dealership before driving
again.
3)Always take the key with you when you
leave your vehicle to prevent someone
from accidentally operating the controls.
Remember to engage the electric parking
brake. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
4)It is absolutely forbidden to carry out any
after-market operation involving steering
system or steering column modifications
(e.g. installation of anti-theft device) that
could adversely affect performance,
invalidate the warranty, cause serious
safety problems and also result in the car
not meeting type-approval requirements.5)Never extract the mechanical key while
the vehicle is moving. The steering wheel
will automatically lock as soon as it is
turned. This holds true for cars being
towed as well.
6)Before exiting the vehicle, ALWAYS
engage the parking brake, steer the
wheels, engage the first gear if uphill and
the reverse if downhill. On versions with
automatic transmission, bring the gear
lever to P (Park) and press the ignition
device to bring it to STOP. If the vehicle is
parked on a steep slope, chock the wheels
with wedges or stones. When leaving the
car, always lock all the doors by pressing
the dedicated button on the handle (see
"Keyless Entry" in the paragraph "Doors").
7)For versions equipped with the Full
Keyless System, do not leave the
electronic key inside or near the car or in a
place accessible to children. Do not leave
the vehicle with the ignition device in MAR
position. A child could activate the electric
window winders, other controls or even
start the vehicle.
13

When the function is enabled, the LED
on the button switches on.
IMPORTANT If this function is activated
with the engine stopped the battery
may gradually run down.
WARNING
15)All adjustments must be carried out
only with the car stationary and engine
stopped.
16)It is absolutely forbidden to carry out
any after-market operation involving
steering system or steering column
modifications (e.g. installation of anti-theft
device) that could adversely affect
performance and safety, invalidate the
warranty and also result in the car not
meeting type-approval requirements.
REAR VIEW
MIRRORS
INTERIOR MIRROR
Manual adjustment: operate lever A
fig. 25 to adjust the mirror into two
different positions: normal or anti-glare.
The mirror is fitted with a safety device
that causes its release in the event of a
violent impact with a passenger.
Electrochromic mirror
On some versions, an electrochromic
mirror is available, that can
automatically modify its reflecting action
to prevent dazzling the driver fig. 26.
The electrochromic mirror has an
ON/OFF button to activate/deactivate
the electrochromic anti-glare function.When reverse gear is engaged, the
mirror is automatically set for daytime
use.
DOOR MIRRORS
Electric adjustment
17)
The mirrors can only be adjusted with
the ignition device at MAR.
Select the desired mirror using device A
fig. 27:
position 1: left mirror selected;
position 2: right mirror selected.
24F1B0032C
25F1B0033C
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23

Warning light What it means
iTPMS
iTPMS failure
The warning light switches on when a failure is detected in the iTPMS. Should one or more wheels be
fitted without sensors, the display will show a warning message until initial conditions are restored.
IMPORTANT Do not continue driving with one or more flat tyres as handling may be compromised. Stop
the car, avoiding sharp braking and steering. Repair immediately using the dedicated tyre repair kit (see
the “Fix&Go Automatic kit” paragraph in the "In an emergency" chapter) and contact a Fiat Dealership as
soon as possible.
Low tyre pressure
The warning light switches on and a message is displayed to indicate that the tyre pressure is lower than
the recommended value and/or that slow pressure loss is occurring. In these cases, optimal tyre duration
and fuel consumption may not be guaranteed.
In any situation in which the dedicated message is shown on the display, it is ESSENTIAL to refer to the
contents of the "Wheels" paragraph in the "Technical data" chapter, strictly complying with the indications
that you find there.
Once the normal operating conditions of the car are restored, carry out the "Reset" procedure.
IMPORTANT Do not continue driving with one or more flat tyres as the car handling may be
compromised. Stop the car, avoiding sharp braking and steering.
ABS FAILURE
The warning light switches on to indicate an ABS fault. In this case the braking system maintains its
efficiency unaltered but without the advantage of the ABS system. Drive carefully and contact a Fiat
Dealership as soon as possible.
52
KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

ACTIVE SAFETY
SYSTEMS
The vehicle has the following active
safety systems:
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System);
DTC (Drag Torque Control);
ESC (Electronic Stability Control);
TC (Traction Control);
PBA (Panic Brake Assist);
HHC (Hill Hold Control);
DST (Dynamic Steering Torque);
ERM (Electronic Rollover Mitigation);
TSC (Trailer Sway Control).
For the operation of the systems, see
the following description.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking
System)
This system, which is an integral part of
the braking system, prevents one or
more wheels from locking and slipping
in all road surface conditions,
irrespective of the intensity of the
braking action, ensuring that the vehicle
can be controlled even during
emergency braking and optimising
stopping distances.
The system intervenes during braking
when the wheels are about to lock,
typically in emergency braking or
low-grip conditions, when locking may
be more frequent.
The system also improves control andstability of the vehicle when braking on
a surface where the grip of the left and
right wheels varies, or on corners.
The Electronic Braking Force
Distribution (EBD) system completes
the system allowing the brake force to
be distributed between the front and
rear wheels.
System intervention
The driver can feel that the ABS system
has come into action because the
brake pedal pulsates slightly and the
system gets noisier: this is entirely
normal with the system operating.
31) 32) 33) 34) 35) 36) 37)
DTC (Drag Torque
Control) SYSTEM
The DTC (Drag Torque Control) system
prevents the drive wheels from possibly
locking, which could happen, for
example, if the accelerator pedal is
released suddenly or in the case of a
sudden downshifting in conditions of
poor grip. In this conditions, the engine
braking effect could cause the drive
wheels to slip, resulting in a loss of car
stability. In these situations, the DTC
system intervenes, restoring torque to
the engine in order to conserve car
stability and increase car safety.
ESC (Electronic Stability
Control) SYSTEM
The ESC system improves the
directional control and stability of the
vehicle in various driving conditions.
The ESC system corrects the vehicle’s
understeer and oversteer, distributing
the brake force on the wheels
appropriately. The torque supplied by
the engine can also be reduced in order
to maintain control of the vehicle.
The ESC system uses sensors installed
on the vehicle to determine the
trajectory that the driver intends to
follow and compares it with the
vehicle’s effective trajectory. When the
real trajectory deviates from the desired
trajectory, the ESC system intervenes to
counter the vehicle’s understeer or
oversteer.
Oversteer: occurs when the vehicle is
turning more than it should according
to the angle of the steering wheel.
Understeer: occurs when the vehicle
is turning less than it should according
to the angle of the steering wheel.
71

System intervention
The intervention of the system is
indicated by the flashing of the
warning light on the instrument
panel, to inform the driver that the
vehicle is in critical stability and grip
conditions.
38) 39) 40) 41) 42)
TC (Traction Control)
SYSTEM
The system automatically operates in
the event of slipping, loss of grip on wet
roads (aquaplaning) and acceleration on
slippery, snowy or icy roads, etc. on
one or more drive wheels. Depending
on the slipping conditions, two different
control systems are activated:
if the slipping involves both drive
wheels, the system intervenes, reducing
the power transmitted by the engine;
if the slipping only involves one of the
drive wheels, the BLD (Brake Limited
Differential) function is activated,
automatically braking the wheel which
is slipping (the behaviour of a
self-locking differential is simulated).
This will increase the engine torque
transferred to the wheel which isn't
slipping. This function remains active
even if the "Systems partially disabled"
and "Systems disabled" modes are
selected (see description in the
following pages).System intervention
The intervention of the system is
indicated by the flashing of the
warning light on the instrument
panel, to inform the driver that the
vehicle is in critical stability and grip
conditions.
43) 44) 45) 46) 47)
PBA (Panic Brake
Assist) SYSTEM
The PBA system is designed to improve
the vehicle’s braking capacity during
emergency braking.
The system detects emergency braking
by monitoring the speed and force with
which the brake pedal is pressed, and
consequently applies the optimal brake
pressure. This can reduce the braking
distance: the PBA system therefore
completes the ABS.
Maximum assistance from the PBA
system is obtained by pressing the
brake pedal very quickly. In addition, the
brake pedal should be pressed
continuously during braking, avoiding
intermittent presses, to get the most
out of the system. Do not reduce
pressure on the brake pedal until
braking is not necessary anymore.
The PBA system is deactivated when
the brake pedal is released.
48) 49) 50)
HHC (Hill Hold Control)
SYSTEM
This is an integral part of the ESC
system and facilitates starting on
slopes, activating automatically in the
following cases:
uphill: vehicle stationary on a road
with a gradient higher than 5%, engine
running, brake pressed and
transmission in neutral or gear other
than reverse engaged;
downhill: vehicle stationary on a road
with a gradient higher than 5%, engine
running, brake pressed and reverse
gear engaged.
When setting off, the ESC system
control unit maintains the braking
pressure on the wheels until the engine
torque necessary for starting is
reached, or in any case for a maximum
of 2 seconds, allowing your right foot to
be moved easily from the brake pedal
to the accelerator.
When two seconds have elapsed,
without starting, the system is
automatically deactivated, gradually
releasing the braking pressure. During
this release stage it is possible to hear a
typical mechanical brake release noise,
indicating the imminent movement of
the vehicle.
51) 52)
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SAFETY

DST SYSTEM (Dynamic
Steering Torque)
The DST function uses the integration
of the ESC system with the electric
power steering to increase the safety
level of the whole vehicle.
In critical situations (braking on surfaces
with different grip conditions), through
the DST function the ESC system
controls the steering to implement an
additional torque contribution on the
steering wheel, to suggest the most
correct manoeuvre to the driver.
The coordinated action of the brakes
and steering increases the sensation of
safety and control of the vehicle.
53)
ERM (Electronic Rollover
Mitigation) SYSTEM
The system monitors the tendency of
the wheels to rise from the ground if the
driver performs extreme manoeuvres
like quick steering to avoid an obstacle,
especially in poor road conditions.
If these conditions occur, the system
intervenes on the brakes and engine
power to reduce the possibility that the
wheels are raised from the ground. It is
not possible to avoid tendency to roll
over if the phenomenon is due toreasons such as driving on high side
gradients, collision with objects or other
vehicles.
54)
TSC (Trailer Sway
Control) SYSTEM
The system employs a series of sensors
located on the vehicle to identify
excessive swerving of the trailer and
take the necessary precautions to
eliminate it.
To counteract the effect of trailer sway,
the system can reduce the engine
power and intervene on the wheels
involved. The TSC system activates
automatically once excessive sway of
the trailer is detected.
System intervention
When the system is active, the
warning light flashes on the
instrument panel, the engine power is
reduced and braking can be felt on the
individual wheels, following the attempt
to eliminate the swerving of the trailer.
55) 56)
WARNING
31)When the ABS intervenes and you feel
the brake pedal pulsating, do not reduce
the pressure, but hold it down firmly and
confidently; in doing so you will brake in the
shortest distance possible, depending on
the current road conditions.
32)To obtain the maximum efficiency of
the braking system, a bedding-in period of
about 500 km is needed: during this period
it is better to avoid sharp, repeated and
prolonged braking.
33)If the ABS intervenes, this indicates
that the grip of the tyres on the road is
nearing its limit: you must slow down to a
speed compatible with the available grip.
34)The ABS cannot overrule the natural
laws of physics, and cannot increase the
grip available according to the condition of
the road.
35)The ABS cannot prevent accidents,
including those due to excessive speed on
corners, driving on low-grip surfaces or
aquaplaning.
36)The capability of the ABS must never
be tested irresponsibly and dangerously, in
such a way as to compromise personal
safety and the safety of others.
37)For the correct operation of the ABS,
the tyres must of necessity be the same
make and type on all wheels, in perfect
condition and, above all, of the prescribed
type and dimensions.
38)The ESC system cannot alter the
natural laws of physics, and cannot
increase grip, which depends on the
condition of the road.
73

If atmospheric conditions are not the
real reason behind this message, check
if the sensor is dirty. It could be
necessary to clean or remove any
obstructions in the area illustrated in
fig. 59.
If the message appears often, even in
the absence of atmospheric conditions
such as snow, rain, mud or other
obstructions, contact a Fiat Dealership
for a sensor alignment check.
In the absence of visible obstructions,
cleaning the radar surface, by manually
removing the decorative cover trim,
could be required. Have this operation
performed at a Fiat Dealership.
IMPORTANT It is recommended that
you do not install devices, accessories
or aerodynamic attachments in front of
the sensor or darken it in any way, as
this can compromise the correct
functioning of the system.
Frontal collision alarm with active
braking
(where provided)
If this function is selected, the brakes
are operated to reduce the speed of the
vehicle in the event of potential frontal
impact
This function applies an additional
braking pressure if the braking pressureapplied by the driver does not suffice to
prevent potential frontal impact.
The function is active with speed above
7 km/h.
Driving in special conditions
In certain driving conditions, such as,
for example:
driving close to a bend;
vehicles with small dimensions
and/or not aligned in the driving lane;
lane change by other vehicles;
vehicles travelling at right angles to
the vehicle.
system intervention might be
unexpected or delayed. The driver must
therefore be very careful, keeping
control of the vehicle to drive in
complete safety.
IMPORTANT In particularly complex
traffic conditions, the driver can
deactivate the system through the
Uconnect™system.
Driving close to a bend
When tackling a wide bend, the system
may detect the presence of a vehicle in
front you, but not running on the same
driving lane fig. 61. In cases such as
these, the system may intervene.Vehicles with small dimensions
and/or not aligned in the driving
lane
The system cannot detect vehicles in
front of you but outside the range of the
radar sensor and may therefore not
react in the presence of small vehicles,
such as bicycles or motorcycles fig. 62.
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SAFETY