2017 FIAT PANDA Owners Manual

Passenger side front airbag and child restraint systems: IMPORTANT
74F1D0127
87

SIDE BAGS (Side bag -
Window bag)
To help increase occupants protection
in the event of a side impact, the
vehicle is equipped with front side bags
(for versions/markets, where provided)
and window bag (for versions/markets,
where provided).
Side bags protect occupants from
side-on crashes of medium/high
severity by placing the bag between the
occupant and the internal parts of the
side structure of the vehicle.
Non-activation of side bags in other
types of collisions (front collisions, rear
shunts, roll-overs, etc.) is not a system
malfunction.
Side bag
(for versions/markets, where provided)
These comprise two types of bags
located in the front seat backrests fig.
75 which protect the pelvic, chest
and shoulder area of the occupants in
the event of a side impact of
medium-high severity.
Window bag
This comprises two "curtain" bags
located behind the side roof cover and
covered by special trim fig. 76. They are
designed to protect the head of front
and rear passengers in the event of
side impacts.The deployment of side bags in the
event of side impacts of low severity is
not required.
In the event of a side impact, the
system provides best protection if the
passenger sits on the seat in a correct
position, thus allowing correct window
bag deployment.
The window bag is not available for the
VAN version.
102) 103) 104) 105) 106) 107) 108) 109) 110) 111)
112) 113) 114)
Important notes
Do not wash the seats with water or
pressurised steam (wash by hand or at
automatic seat washing stations).
The front and/or side airbags
may activate in the event of sharp
impacts to the underbody of the vehicle
(e.g. impact with steps, pavements,
potholes or road bumps etc.).
When the airbag deploys it emits a
small amount of dust: the dust is
harmless and does not indicate the
beginning of a fire. The dust may irritate
the skin and eyes however: in this
case, wash with neutral soap
and water.
Airbag checking, repair and
replacement must be carried out at a
Fiat Dealership.
75F1D0066
76F1D0067
88
SAFETY

If the vehicle is scrapped, have the
airbag system deactivated at a Fiat
Dealership.
Pretensioners and airbags are deployed
in different ways on the basis of the
type of collision. Failure to activate one
or more of the devices does not
indicate a system malfunction.
WARNING
99)Do not apply stickers or other objects
on the steering wheel, on the dashboard in
the passenger side airbag area, on the
side upholstery on the roof and on the
seats. Never put objects (e.g. mobile
phones) on the passenger's side
dashboard since they could interfere with
correct inflation of the airbag and also
cause serious injury to the passengers.
100)Always drive with your hands on the
rim of the steering wheel so that the airbag
can inflate freely if required. Do not drive
with your body bent forward. Keep your
back straight against the backrest.101)When there is an active passenger
airbag, DO NOT install rearward facing
child restraint systems on the front seat.
Deployment of the airbag in an accident
could cause fatal injuries to the child
regardless of the severity of the impact.
Therefore, always deactivate the passenger
side airbag when a rearward facing child
restraint system is installed on the front
passenger seat. The front passenger seat
must also be positioned back as far as
possible in order to prevent the child
restraint system from coming into contact
with the dashboard. Immediately reactivate
the passenger airbag as soon as the child
restraint system has been removed.
102)Do not affix rigid objects to the
garment hooks or support handles.
103)Do not rest your head, arms or
elbows on the door, windows or the area in
which the window bag is located to avoid
possible injury during airbag inflation.
104)Never lean your head, arms or
elbows out of the window.
105)If, when the ignition device is turned
to MAR, the
warning light does not
switch on or stays on whilst driving, a fault
may have occurred in the restraint
systems. In this case the airbags or
pretensioners may not be deployed in an
impact or, in a lower number of cases, they
may be deployed accidentally. Contact a
Fiat Dealership immediately to have the
system checked.106)In the event of “yellow”
warning
light failure, the “red”warning light
switches on and, for versions/markets
where provided, the explosive charges of
the passenger airbag and the side bags
are deactivated. When the "red" warning
light is on, before proceeding contact a Fiat
Dealership to have the system immediately
checked (see previous warning).
107)On vehicles with side bags, do not
cover the front seat backrests with extra
covers.
108)Do not travel carrying objects in your
lap, in front of your chest or between
your lips (pipe, pencils, etc.): they could
cause severe injury if the airbag is
deployed.
109)If the car has been stolen or in the
case of attempt to steal it, if it has been
subjected to vandalism or floods, have the
airbag system checked by a Fiat
Dealership.
89

110)The airbags may also be deployed
when the car is not moving, if the key is in
the ignition and turned to MAR-ON or
when the engine is off, if the car is hit by
another moving vehicle. Therefore, even if
the vehicle is stationary, when an active
front passenger airbag is fitted, DO NOT
install rearward facing child restraint
systems on the front passenger seat.
Deployment of the airbag following an
impact could cause fatal injuries to the
child. Therefore, always deactivate the
passenger side airbag when a rearward
facing child restraint system is installed on
the front passenger seat. The front
passenger seat must also be positioned
back as far as possible in order to prevent
the child restraint system from coming
into contact with the dashboard.
Immediately reactivate the passenger
airbag as soon as the child restraint system
has been removed. Also remember that, if
the key is turned to STOP, none of the
safety devices (airbags or pretensioners)
will be deployed in the event of collision.
Non-deployment in such cases does
not indicate a system malfunction.111)The airbag warning lightindicates
the passenger protection status. If the
warning light is off, the passenger side
protection is activated. It can be
deactivated from the menu, in this case the
warning light comes on. When the vehicle
is started (ignition key in MAR position), the
warning light comes on for approx. 8
seconds, provided that at least 5 seconds
have elapsed from the previous switching
off. If this does not happen please contact
a Fiat Dealership. If the vehicle is switched
off/on again in less than 5 seconds the
warning light may remain off. In this case,
to check correct warning light operation,
switch the vehicle off, wait at least 5
seconds and switch on again. During the
first 8 seconds, the activation of the
warning light does not actually show the
passenger protection status, but only
checks its correct operation. The warning
light may light up with various intensity
levels depending on the vehicle conditions.
The intensity may also vary during the
same key cycle. (The warning light is tested
also for markets where the passenger
protection deactivation function is
not provided, and the warning light
switches on for less than one second when
the key is turned to MAR, then switches
off again.)
112)The airbag deployment threshold is
higher than that of the pretensioners.
For collisions in the range between the two
thresholds, it is normal for only the
pretensioners to be activated.113)The airbag does not replace seat
belts but increases their efficiency.
Because front airbags are not deployed for
low-speed crashes, side collisions,
rear-end shunts or rollovers, occupants are
protected, in addition to any side bags,
only by their seat belts, which must
therefore always be fastened.
114)If the “red”
warning light does not
switch on for a few seconds when the
key is turned to MAR, there may be a fault
with the “red” warning light. In this case,
after a few seconds, the
warning light
starts flashing. Contact a Fiat Dealership
immediately to have the system checked.
115)To deactivate the airbags using the
instrument panel menu, see the description
in the "Knowing the instrument panel"
chapter, "Setup Menu" paragraph.
90
SAFETY

STARTING AND DRIVING
Let’s get to the "heart" of the vehicle:
seeing how you can exploit all of its
potential to the full.
We’ll look at how to drive it safely in any
situation, so that it can be a welcome
companion, with our comfort and
our wallets in mind.STARTING THE ENGINE ................. 92
PARKING THE VEHICLE ................. 93
MANUAL GEARBOX ....................... 94
DUALOGIC GEARBOX .................... 95
MODE SELECTOR .......................... 96
DUALDRIVE ELECTRIC POWER
STEERING ...................................... 97
ECO FUNCTION ............................. 98
STOP/START SYSTEM ................... 99
PARKING SENSORS.......................100
REFUELLING THE VEHICLE ...........101
TOWING TRAILERS ........................103
91

STARTING THE
ENGINE
116) 117)
38) 39) 40) 41)
Before starting the engine, adjust the
seat, the interior rear view mirrors,
the door mirrors and fasten the seat
belt correctly.
Never press the accelerator pedal for
starting the engine.
VERSIONS WITH MANUAL
GEARBOX
Petrol versions
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake and place
the gear lever in neutral.For 0.9
TwinAir and 0.9 TwinAir Turbo
versionsengage the handbrake and
place the gear lever in neutral or fully
press the clutch pedal if a gear other
than neutral is engaged;
for all versions (except 0.9
TwinAir Turbo)fully depress the clutch
pedal, without pressing the accelerator;
turn the ignition key to AVV and
release it as soon as the engine starts.Diesel versions
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake, put the gear
lever into neutral and turn the ignition
key to MAR: the warning lights
and
on the instrument panel will turn
on;
wait for the warning lightsand
to turn off and then fully depress
the clutch pedal without pressing the
accelerator;
turn the ignition key to AVV as soon
as warning light
switches off.
Release the ignition key as soon as the
engine starts.
IMPORTANT If the engine does not
start at the first attempt, return the
ignition key to STOP before repeating
the procedure. If, with the ignition
key at MAR, the warning lights
and
(only for petrol versions) stay on
in the instrument panel, the ignition key
must be brought back to STOP and
then to MAR again. If the
warning
light stays on, retry with the other
keys provided. Contact a Fiat
Dealership if you still cannot start the
engine.VERSIONS WITH
DUALOGIC GEARBOX
118)Engine starting is allowed both with a
gear engaged and with the gearbox
in neutral (N).
However, the brake pedal must always
be pressed first if neutral is not
engaged. It is therefore advisable to
place the gear lever in neutral (N) before
starting the engine.
LPG AND NATURAL
POWER VERSIONS
The engine always starts up on petrol
independently of the mode previously
selected.
42)
STOPPING THE ENGINE
43)Turn the ignition key to STOP while the
engine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a demanding drive,
before turning the engine off you should
allow it to idle to allow the temperature
in the engine compartment to
decrease.
92
STARTING AND DRIVING

WARNING
116)It is dangerous to run the engine in
enclosed areas. The engine takes in
oxygen and releases carbon dioxide,
carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.
117)Remember that the brake servo
and power steering are not operational until
the engine has been started, therefore
you need to apply much more force than
usual to the brake pedal and steering
wheel.
118)If the engine fails to start with a gear
engaged, the potentially dangerous
situation due to the fact that the gearbox is
automatically placed in neutral will be
signalled by an acoustic signal.
WARNING
38)If the warning lightflashes for 60
seconds after starting or during an
extended towing period, this indicates a
problem in the glow plug pre­heating
system. You can use the vehicle as usual if
the engine starts but you should contact
a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
39)It is advisable not to demand maximum
performance from your vehicle (e.g.
excessive acceleration, long distances at
maximum rpm, excessively intense braking,
etc.) when it is first used.
40)When the engine is off, do not leave
the key turned to MAR to prevent
unnecessary electrical consumption from
draining the battery.41)Never bump start the engine by
pushing, towing or coasting downhill. This
could cause fuel to flow into the catalytic
converter and damage it beyond repair.
42)There must therefore always be some
petrol in the tank to protect the petrol
pump and to guarantee temporary
switching from LPG or Methane to petrol
operation, if high performance is required.
43)A quick burst on the accelerator
before stopping the engine serves no
practical purpose; it wastes fuel and is
especially damaging to turbocharged
engines.
PARKING THE
VEHICLE
When parking and leaving the car,
proceed as follows:
engage a gear (1st gear if facing
uphill or reverse if facing downhill) and
leave the wheels turned;
stop the engine and engage the
handbrake;
always remove the ignition key.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a
stone if the car is parked on a steep
slope.
On versions equipped with Dualogic
transmission, wait for the letter P to be
displayed before releasing the brake
pedal.
WARNING Never leave the car with the
gearbox in neutral (or, on versions
equipped with Dualogic transmission,
before putting the gear lever in the
P position).
Handbrake
194) 195) 196)
The handbrake lever is located between
the two front seats.
Handbrake engagement: pull lever A
fig. 77 upwards until the vehicle is
braked.
93

Handbrake disengagement: slightly
raise lever A and hold button B
pressed, checking that the
warning
light switches off in the instrument
panel.
WARNING
119)Never leave children unattended in
the car. Always remove the key from the
ignition when leaving the car and take
it with you.
120)The car should be braked after a few
clicks of the lever, if it is not, contact a
Fiat Dealership to have it adjusted.
121)In the case of parking manoeuvres on
roads on a gradient, the front wheels
must be steered towards the pavement
(when parking downhill), or in the opposite
direction if the vehicle is parked uphill.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a stone if
the car is parked on a steep slope.
MANUAL GEARBOX
122)44)
To engage the gears, press the clutch
pedal fully and put the gear lever into
the required position (the diagram
for gear engagement is shown on the
knob fig. 78).
For 0.9 TwinAir, 0.9 TwinAir Turbo and
1.2 8v 69 HP versions: to engage
reverse R from neutral, raise ring A fig.
78 underneath the knob and, at the
same time, shift the lever to the right
and then backwards.
For version 1.3 16v MultiJet: to engage
reverse R from neutral position, shift
the lever to the right and then back.IMPORTANT Reverse can only be
engaged when the vehicle is completely
stationary. With the engine running,
wait for at least 2 seconds with the
clutch pedal fully pressed before
engaging reverse to prevent damage to
the gears and grating.
IMPORTANT The clutch pedal should
be used only for gear changes. Do
not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal, however lightly. For
versions/markets where provided, the
electronic clutch pedal control could cut
in, interpreting the incorrect driving
style as a fault.
WARNING
122)Depress the clutch pedal fully to
change gear correctly. It is therefore
essential that there is nothing under the
pedals: make sure the mats are lying
flat and do not get in the way of the
pedals.
WARNING
44)Do not drive with your hand resting on
the gear lever as the force exerted, even
if slight, could lead over time to premature
wear of the internal gearbox components.
77F1D0146
78F1D0069
94
STARTING AND DRIVING