With driver and/or passenger side (with
passenger present) seat belts
unfastened, when 20 km/h are
exceeded or when travelling at a speed
between 10 and 20 km/h for longer
than 5 seconds, an acoustic signal
cycle will be started for the front seats
(continuous acoustic signal for 6
seconds followed by a 90 second
beep) and the warning light will flash.
Once the cycle is complete, the
warning lights stay on with a fixed light
until the vehicle is turned off or the
seat belt fastened.
If the seat belt is unfastened again while
travelling, the acoustic warning restarts
as described previously and the
icon is displayed.
For the rear seats, the reminder cycle is
only activated when any seat belt is
unfastened together with an acoustic
warning (three beeps). If the condition
of any (front or rear) seat belt changes,
also the condition of the other
(front/rear) seat belts is reported.
The visual indication (display of the
icon) will start and stop
independently for each warning light if
several seat belts are unfastened.
The visual indication will change
condition (display of the
icon) after
the corresponding seat belt has been
fastened again.IMPORTANT When the ignition key is
turned to MAR, if all the front and
rear belts are already fastened the
warning lights will be displayed for
30 seconds.
PRE-TENSIONERS
84) 85) 86) 87)
37)
The vehicle is equipped with front seat
belt pretensioners, which draw back
the seat belts by several centimetres in
the event of a strong frontal impact.
This guarantees the perfect adherence
of the seat belts to the occupant's
bodies before the retention action
begins.
It is evident that the pretensioners have
operated when the belt withdraws
towards the retractor. This vehicle is
also equipped with a second
pretensioner (in the kick plate area). Its
activation is signalled by the shortening
of the metal cable.
A slight discharge of smoke may be
produced during the activation of the
pretensioner which is not harmful and
does not involve any fire hazard.
The pretensioner does not require any
maintenance or lubrication. Anything
that modifies its original conditions
invalidates its efficiency.
If, due to unusual natural events (floods,
sea storms, etc.), the device has been
affected by water and/or mud, contact
a Fiat Dealership to have it replaced.
72
SAFETY
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
With the ECO function active, the
system will select the most suitable
gear depending on the vehicle speed,
engine rpm and intensity with which the
accelerator pedal is pressed, with the
aim of limiting fuel consumption.
“Kick Down” FUNCTION
(for versions/markets, where provided)
If necessary (e.g. when overtaking),
the system downshifts one or more
gears when the accelerator pedal
is depressed beyond the point where it
becomes stiff (and if the rpm allow it)
in order to provide suitable power and
torque for the acceleration requested
by the driver.
IMPORTANT The use of the “Kick
Down” function is recommended only
when overtaking or accelerating quickly,
in order not to increase fuel
consumption.
WARNING
45)Avoid keeping your hand on this lever
except during gear change or AUTO/
MANUAL mode requests.
MODE SELECTOR
(Panda Cross versions)
This device allows, using the ring nut of
the knob fig. 81 (on the central tunnel),
three vehicle response modes to be
selected according to driving style and
road conditions:
1 = AUTO mode;
2 = OFF ROAD mode;
3 = HDC function.
The ring nut is monostable type. In
other words, it always remains in a
central position. The selected driving
mode is indicated by the corresponding
LED switching on the knob and by an
indication on the display."AUTO" MODE
It is a driving mode aimed at comfort
and safety in normal grip and driving
conditions.
"OFF ROAD" MODE
It is a driving mode aimed at setting off
in poor grip conditions on low-grip
road surfaces (e.g. snow, ice, mid, etc.).
Engagement
Rotate the ring nut fig. 81 to the right
and hold in this position for half a
second, until the corresponding LED
lights up and “Off Road” mode
activation indicator appears on the
display with a dedicated message.
When the "Off Road" mode is activated,
the presetting for ELD system
intervention activates automatically.
IMPORTANT When the "Off Road"
mode is activated, the Stop/Start
system is temporarily disabled.
Temporary deactivation of the system
switches on the corresponding LED on
the trim (located on the central
dashboard). To activate the Stop/Start
function, with "Off Road" mode on,
press the
button on the dashboard
trim. However, when the "Off Road"
mode is deactivated, the Stop/Start
system is enabled again.
81F1D0116
96
STARTING AND DRIVING
IMPORTANT When the "Off Road"
mode is activated, the City Brake
Control system is temporarily
deactivated. Temporarily deactivation of
the system results in the switching on
of the
warning light on the
instrument panel. When the "Off Road"
mode is deactivated, the City Brake
Control system is enabled again.
Disengagement
To deactivate the "Off Road" mode and
return to the "Auto" mode, rotate the
ring nut to the left and hold in this
position for half a second. In this case,
the LED corresponding to “Auto” mode
will light up and the “Off Road” mode
deactivation indication will appear
on the display.
IMPORTANT If “Off Road” or “Auto”
mode was active when the engine was
stopped, the next time it is started
the mode that was selected is
reactivated.
"HDC" FUNCTION
This driving function permits a constant
vehicle speed to be maintained
downhill.Engagement/Disengagement
For engaging/disengaging the HDC
function refer to the "Active safety
systems" paragraph in the "Safety"
chapter.
FAILURE OF THE MODE
SELECTOR SYSTEM
IMPORTANT In the event of system
failure or a fault with knob, no driving
modes can be selected. The display will
show a dedicated message.
IMPORTANT In this case it is not
advisable trying to drive down roads
with a steep gradient, the system
cannot help the driver in any way.
DUALDRIVE
ELECTRIC POWER
STEERING
123) 124)
This only operates with the key turned
to MAR and the engine started. The
steering allows the force required at the
steering wheel to be adjusted to suit
driving conditions.
IMPORTANT When turning the ignition
key quickly, full power steering
functionality can be achieved after a
few seconds.
CITY FUNCTION
ACTIVATION/
DEACTIVATION
Press the CITY fig. 82 button to
activate/deactivate the function. The
activation of the function is signalled by
the word CITY on the display (in some
versions it is signalled by the word CITY
appearing on the instrument panel).
When the CITY function is on, the
steering wheel effort is lighter, making
parking easier: therefore, this function is
particularly useful for driving in city
centres.
97
IMPORTANT During parking
manoeuvres requiring a lot of steering,
the steering may become harder; this is
normal and is due to the intervention
of the system to protect the electric
steering motor from overheating so no
intervention is required. When the
vehicle is used again later on,
the power steering will work normally.
WARNING
123)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 non-compliance
of the vehicle with type-approval
requirements.124)Before servicing the vehicle, switch off
the engine and remove the key from the
ignition switch to activate the steering lock.
This is especially important when the
vehicle wheels are not touching the
ground. If this is not possible (for example if
the key needs to be turned to MAR or the
engine must be running), remove the
main fuse that protects the electric power
steering.
ECO FUNCTION
(for versions/markets, where provided)
To activate the function press the ECO
button fig. 83.
When the ECO function is active, the
car is set for driving characterised
by reduced fuel consumption. When
the function is active, the
corresponding LED on the button
switches on.
This function stays in the memory and,
when the vehicle is started again, the
system keeps the setting it had before
the engine was stopped. Press the
ECO button again to deactivate the
function and restore the normal driving
setting.
82F1D0025
83F1D0140
98
STARTING AND DRIVING