2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Owner's Manual

2. As soon as you cycle the ignition
switch to the ON position, you will see the
“Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)”
symbol come on as part of a normal bulb
check.
3. Approximately 15 seconds later, one
of two things will happen:
The MIL will flash for about ten
seconds and then return to being fully
illuminated until you turn OFF the ignition
or start the engine. This means that your
vehicle's OBD II system is not readyand
you should notproceed to the I/M
station.
The MIL will not flash at all and will
remain fully illuminated until you place
the ignition in the off position or start the
engine. This means that your vehicle's
OBD II system is readyand you can
proceed to the I/M station.
If your OBD II system is not ready,you
should see an authorized dealer or repair
facility. If your vehicle was recently
serviced or had a battery failure or
replacement, you may need to do nothing
more than drive your vehicle as you
normally would in order for your OBD II
system to update. A recheck with the
above test routine may then indicate that
the system is now ready. Regardless of whether your vehicle's
OBD II system is ready or not, if the MIL
is illuminated during normal vehicle
operation you should have your vehicle
serviced before going to the I/M station.
The I/M station can fail your vehicle
because the MIL is on with the engine
running.
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SAFETY
This very important section describes
the safety systems that your vehicle is
equipped with, and provides instructions
on how to use them correctly.ACTIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS.......90
AUXILIARY DRIVING SYSTEMS ....93
OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS . .102
SAFETY TIPS............. .127
89

ACTIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS
The vehicle may be equipped with the
following active safety devices:
Anti-Lock Braking (ABS) System
Drive Train Control (DTC) System
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
System
Traction Control System (TCS)
Panic Brake Assist (PBA) System
Hill Start Assist (HSA) System
Dynamic Steering Torque (DST)
System
Active Torque Vectoring (ATV) System
For the operation of the systems, see the
following pages.
Anti-Lock Braking (ABS) System
An integral part of the braking system,
the ABS prevents one or more wheels
from locking and slipping in all road
surface conditions, regardless of the
intensity of the braking action. The
system ensures that the vehicle can be
controlled even during emergency
braking, allowing the driver to optimize
stopping distances.
The system intervenes during braking
when the wheels are about to lock,
typically in emergency braking or
low-grip conditions where locking may be
more frequent. The system also improves control and
stability of the vehicle when braking on a
surface where the grip of the left and
right wheels varies, such as in a corner.
The Electronic Braking Force Distribution
(EBD) system works with the ABS,
allowing the brake force to be distributed
between the front and rear wheels.
System Intervention
The ABS equipped on this vehicle is
provided with the "Brake-by-wire"
(Integrated Brake System - IBS) function.
With this system, the command given
by pressing the brake pedal is not
transmitted hydraulically, but electrically.
Therefore, the light pulsation that is felt
on the pedal with the traditional system
is no longer noticeable.
Warning!
The ABS contains sophisticated electronic
equipment that may be susceptible to
interference caused by improperly installed
or high output radio transmitting equipment.
This interference can cause possible loss of
anti-lock braking capability. Installation of
such equipment should be performed by
qualified professionals.
Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will
diminish their effectiveness and may lead to
a collision. Pumping makes the stopping
distance longer. Just press firmly on your
brake pedal when you need to slow down or
stop.
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws
of physics from acting on the vehicle, nor
can it increase braking or steering efficiency
beyond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction
afforded.
The ABS cannot prevent collisions,
including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, following another vehicle too
closely, or hydroplaning.
The capabilities of an ABS equipped
vehicle must never be exploited in a reckless
or dangerous manner that could jeopardize
the user’s safety or the safety of others.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
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 appropriate
wheels. 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 path that
the driver intends to follow and
compares it with the vehicle’s effective
path. When the real path deviates from
the desired path, the ESC system
intervenes to counter the vehicle’s
understeer or oversteer.
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SAFETY

Oversteeroccurs 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.
System Intervention
The intervention of the system is
indicated by the flashing of the ESC
warning light on the instrument panel,
to inform the driver that the vehicle
stability and grip are critical.
Warning!
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot
prevent the natural laws of physics from
acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing road
conditions. ESC cannot prevent accidents,
including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery
surfaces, or hydroplaning. ESC also cannot
prevent accidents resulting from loss of
vehicle 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 characteristics of your vehicle,
and may negatively affect the performance
of the ESC system. Changes to the steering
system, suspension, braking system, tire
type and size or wheel size may adversely
affect ESC performance. Improperly
inflated and unevenly worn tires may also
degrade ESC performance. Any vehicle
modification 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.
Traction Control System (TCS)
The system automatically operates in the
event of slipping, loss of grip on wet
roads (hydroplaning), and acceleration on
one or both drive wheels on roads that
are slippery, snowy, icy, etc. 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 Brake Limited
Differential (BLD) function is activated,
automatically braking the wheel which is
slipping (the behavior of a self-locking
differential is simulated). This will
increase the engine torque transferred to
the wheel which isn't slipping. System Intervention
The intervention of the system is
indicated by the flashing of the ESC
warning light on the instrument panel,
to inform the driver that the vehicle
stability and grip are critical.
Panic Brake Assist (PBA) 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
complements 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 no longer necessary.
The PBA system is deactivated when the
brake pedal is released.
Warning!
The Panic Brake Assist (PBA) cannot prevent
the natural laws of physics from acting on
the vehicle, nor can it increase the traction
afforded by prevailing road conditions.
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PBA cannot prevent collisions, including
those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or
hydroplaning. The capabilities of a
PBA-equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner,
which could jeopardize the user's safety or
the safety of others.
Hill Start Assist (HSA) 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 (N) or gear other than
REVERSE (R) 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 two seconds, allowing your
right foot to be moved easily from the
brake pedal to the accelerator.
The system will automatically deactivate
after two seconds without starting,
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.
Warning!
There may be situations where the Hill Start
Assist (HSA) will not activate and slight
rolling may occur, such as on minor hills or
with a loaded vehicle, or while pulling a
trailer. HSA is not a substitute for active
driving involvement. It is always the driver’s
responsibility to be attentive to distance to
other vehicles, people, and objects, and most
importantly brake operation to ensure safe
operation of the vehicle under all road
conditions. Your complete attention is
always required while driving to maintain
safe control of your vehicle. Failure to follow
these warnings can result in a collision or
serious personal injury.
Dynamic Steering Torque (DST) System
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), the ESC
system controls the steering through the
DST function to implement an additional
torque contribution on the steering wheel
in order to suggest the most correct
maneuver to the driver.The coordinated action of the brakes and
steering increases the sensation of
safety and control of the vehicle.
Note:
The DST feature is only meant to
help the driver realize the correct course
of action through small torques on the
steering wheel, which means the
effectiveness of the DST feature is highly
dependent on the driver’s sensitivity and
overall reaction to the applied torque.
It is very important to realize that this
feature will not steer the vehicle,
meaning the driver is still responsible for
steering the vehicle.
Active Torque Vectoring (ATV) System
The dynamic drive control is used to
optimize and balance the drive torque
between the wheels of the same axles.
The ATV system improves the grip in
turns, sending more drive torque to the
external wheel.
Given that, in a turn, the external wheels
of the car travel more than the internal
ones and therefore turn faster, sending a
higher thrust to the external rear wheel
allows for the car to be more stable and
to not suffer an "understeer" condition.
Understeer occurs when the vehicle is
turning less than appropriate for the
steering wheel position.
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SAFETY

AUXILIARY DRIVING SYSTEMS
The following auxiliary driving systems
are standard in this vehicle:
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) System
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system
uses two radar sensors, located in the
rear bumper (one for each side), to detect
the presence of other vehicles in the rear
side blind spots of your vehicle.
The system warns the driver about the
presence of other vehicles in the
detection area by illuminating the
warning light located within the door
mirror on the side in which the other
vehicle was detected. If equipped, an audible chime will also be heard to alert
the driver (if option is selected within the
Information and Entertainment System).
When the engine is started the warning
light turns on to signal the driver that the
system is active.
Sensors
The sensors are activated when any
forward gear is engaged at a speed
higher than 6 mph (10 km/h) or when
REVERSE is engaged.
The sensors are temporarily deactivated
when the vehicle is in PARK.
The detection area of the system covers
approximately one lane on both sides of
the vehicle.
This area begins from the door mirror and
extends for 19 ft (6 m) towards the rear
part of the vehicle.
When the sensors are active, the system
monitors the detection areas on bothsides of the vehicle and warns the driver
about the possible presence of vehicles
in these areas.
While driving, the system monitors the
detection area from three different points
(side, rear and front) to check whether an
alert needs to be sent to the driver.
The system can detect the presence of a
vehicle in one of these three areas.
Note:
The system does not alert the driver
for the presence of fixed object (e.g.
safety barriers, poles, walls, etc.).
However, in some circumstances, the
system may activate in the presence of
these objects. This is normal and does
not indicate a system malfunction.
The system does not alert the driver
about the presence of vehicles coming
from the opposite direction, in the
adjacent lanes.
Warning!
The Blind Spot Monitoring system is only an
aid to help detect objects in the blind spot
zones. The BSM system is not designed to
detect pedestrians, bicyclists, or animals.
Even if your vehicle is equipped with the BSM
system, always check your vehicle’s mirrors,
glance over your shoulder, and use your turn
signal before changing lanes. Failure to do so
can result in serious injury or death.06016S0001EMRear Sensor Location
06016S0002EMBSM Indicator Light
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Rear View
The system detects vehicles coming from
the rear part of your vehicle on both sides
and entering the rear detection area with
a difference in speed of less than 31 mph
(50 km/h) with relation to your vehicle.
Overtaking Vehicles
If another vehicle is overtaken slowly,
with a difference in speed of less than
15 mph (25 km/h) and the vehicle stays in
the blind spot for approximately
1.5 seconds, the warning light on the door
mirror of the corresponding side
illuminates.
If the difference in speed between the
two vehicles is greater than 15 mph
(25 km/h), the warning light will not
illuminate.
Rear Cross Path Detection (RCP)
System
This system helps the driver during
reverse maneuvers in the case of reduced
visibility.
The RCP system monitors the rear
detection areas on both sides of the
vehicle to detect objects moving towards
the sides of the vehicle, with a minimum
speed between 1 mph (1 km/h) and
2 mph (3 km/h) and objects moving at a
maximum speed of 21 mph (35 km/h), in
areas such as parking lots.
The system activation is signaled to the
driver by an acoustic warning.Note:
If the sensors are covered by objects
or vehicles, the system will not warn the
driver.
For the system to operate correctly,
the rear bumper area where the radar
sensors are located must stay free from
snow, ice and dirt gathered from the
road surface.
Do not cover the rear bumper area
where the radar sensors are located with
any object (e.g. adhesives, bike rack,
etc.).
Warning!
Rear Cross Path Detection (RCP) is not a
back up aid system. It is intended to be used
to help a driver detect an oncoming vehicle in
a parking lot situation. Drivers must be
careful when backing up, even when using
RCP. Always check carefully behind your
vehicle, look behind you, and be sure to check
for pedestrians, animals, other vehicles,
obstructions, and blind spots before backing
up. Failure to do so can result in serious
injury or death.
Operating Mode
The system may be activated/
deactivated via the Information and
Entertainment System. To access the
function, select the following items on
the main menu in sequence:
1. “Settings.”
2. “Safety.”
3. “Blind Spot Alert.”
"Blind Spot Alert” Visual Mode
When the system is enabled, the warning
light within the door mirror on the side of
the detected object illuminates.
The visual warning on the mirror will blink
if the driver activates the turn signals,
indicating a lane change.
The warning will be fixed if the driver
stays in the same lane.
"Blind Spot Alert" Function
Deactivation
When the system is deactivated ("Blind
Spot Alert" mode off), the BSM or RCP
systems will not emit an acoustic or a
visual warning.
The BSM system will store the operating
mode running when the engine was
stopped. Each time the engine is started,
the operating mode stored previously will
be recalled and used.
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SAFETY