STARTING THE ENGINE
Before starting the engine, be sure to
adjust the seat, the interior rear view
mirrors, and the door mirrors, and fasten
the seat belt correctly.
Never press the accelerator pedal before
starting the engine.
If necessary, messages indicating the
starting procedure can be shown in the
display.
Warning!
When leaving the vehicle, always remove
the key fob from the vehicle and lock your
vehicle.
Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Allowing children to be in a vehicle
unattended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seriously
or fatally injured. Children should be warned
not to touch the parking brake, brake pedal
or the transmission gear selector.
Do not leave the key fob in or near the
vehicle, or in a location accessible to
children. A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the
vehicle.
Do not leave children or animals inside
parked vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat
build-up may cause serious injury or death.
Starting Procedure
Proceed as follows:
1. Apply the electric park brake and set
the gear selector to PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N).
2. Fully depress the brake pedal without
touching the accelerator.
3. Briefly push the ignition button.
4. If the engine doesn't start within a
few seconds, you need to repeat the
procedure.
If the problem persists, contact an
authorized dealer.
Warning!
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid
into the throttle body air inlet opening in an
attempt to start the vehicle. This could
result in flash fire causing serious personal
injury.
Do not attempt to push or tow your
vehicle to get it started. Vehicles equipped
with an automatic transmission cannot be
started this way. Unburned fuel could enter
the catalytic converter and once the engine
has started, ignite and damage the
converter and vehicle.
If the vehicle has a discharged battery,
booster cables may be used to obtain a
start from a booster battery or the battery
in another vehicle. This type of start can be
dangerous if done improperly. Refer to
“Jump Starting” in “In Case Of Emergency”
for further information.
Caution!
To prevent damage to the starter, do not
continuously crank the engine for more than
25 seconds at a time. Wait 60 seconds
before trying again.
Remote Starting System
This system uses the key fob to start the
engine conveniently from outside the
vehicle while still maintaining security.
The system has a range of at least
300 feet (91 meters).
The remote starting system also
activates the climate control
(if equipped), the heated seats
(if equipped), and the heated steering
wheel (if equipped), depending on
temperatures outside and inside of
the vehicle.
Note:
Obstructions between the vehicle
and key fob may reduce this range.
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STARTING AND OPERATING
How to use Remote Start
All of the following conditions must be
met before the engine will remote start:
Gear selector in PARK (P).
Doors closed.
Hood closed.
Trunk closed.
Hazard switch off.
Brake switch inactive (brake pedal not
pressed).
Battery at an acceptable charge level.
PANIC button not pushed.
System not disabled from previous
remote start event.
Vehicle alarm system indicator
flashing.
Ignition in the OFF mode.
Fuel level meets minimum requirement.
Remote Start Comfort Systems —
If Equipped
When Remote Start is activated, the
heated steering wheel and driver heated
seat features will automatically turn on in
cold weather.
These features will stay on through the
duration of remote start also until the
ignition is cycled to the ON/RUN mode. Remote Start Windshield Wiper De–Icer
Activation — If Equipped
When remote start is active and the
outside ambient temperature is less than
39°F (4°C), the Windshield Wiper De-Icer
will be enabled. Exiting remote start will
resume previous operation, except if the
Windshield Wiper De-Icer is active.
The Windshield Wiper De-Icer timer and
operation will continue.
Extended Park Starting
If the vehicle has not been started or
driven for at least 35 days, it is advisable
to follow the indications below.
To start the engine, proceed as follows:
1. Briefly push the ignition button
2. If the engine does not start, wait five
seconds and let the starter cool down and
then repeat the starting procedure
3. If the engine does not start after eight
attempts, let the starter cool down for at
least 10 seconds, and then repeat the
starting procedure
If the problem persists, contact your
authorized dealer.
Note:
After prolonged vehicle inactivity,
very difficult starting, that can be noticed
through rapid fatigue of the starter,
might also be due to a discharged
battery. In this case, see the "Jump
Starting" section in the "In Case Of
Emergency" chapter.
If Engine Fails To Start
Starting the Engine with Key Fob
Battery Run Down or Drained
If the ignition does not respond when the
button is pushed, the key fob battery
might be run down or drained. Therefore,
the system does not detect the presence
of the key fob in the vehicle, and will
display a dedicated message.
In this case, follow the instructions
outlined in "Starting With A Discharged
Key Fob Battery" in the "Getting To Know
Your Vehicle" chapter, and start the
engine normally.
Warning!
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid
into the throttle body air inlet opening in an
attempt to start the vehicle. This could
result in flash fire causing serious personal
injury.
Do not attempt to push or tow your
vehicle to get it started. Vehicles equipped
with an automatic transmission cannot be
started this way. Unburned fuel could enter
the catalytic converter and once the engine
has started, ignite and damage the
converter and vehicle.
133
Disengaging The Electric Park Brake
Manually
In order to manually release the park
brake, the ignition should be in the ON
mode. Press the brake pedal, and then
push the switch on the center console
briefly.
Noise may be heard from the rear of the
vehicle, and a slight movement of the
brake pedal may be detected during
disengagement.
After disengaging the electric parking
brake, the BRAKE warning light on the
instrument panel and the light on the
switch will turn off.
If the BRAKE warning light on the
instrument panel remains on with the
electric parking brake disengaged, this
indicates a fault: in this case, contact an
authorized dealer.
Warning!
Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Allowing children to be in a vehicle
unattended is dangerous for a number of
reasons. A child or others could be seriously
or fatally injured. Children should be warned
not to touch the park brake, brake pedal or
the gear selector.
Do not leave the key fob in or near the
vehicle or in a location accessible to children.
A child could operate power windows, other
controls, or move the vehicle.
Be sure the park brake is fully disengaged
before driving; failure to do so can lead to
brake failure and a collision.
Always fully apply the park brake when
leaving your vehicle, or it may roll and cause
damage or injury.
Caution!
Never use gear position PARK (P) instead of
the electric parking brake. Always engage
the electric parking brake when parking the
vehicle to prevent injury or damage caused
by the unexpected movement of the vehicle.
Electric Park Brake Operating Modes
The electric park brake may operate as
follows:
"Dynamic Operating Mode": this mode is
activated by pulling the switch repeatedly
while driving.
"Static Engagement and Release
Mode": with the vehicle stationary, the
electric park brake can be activated by
pulling the switch on the center console
once. On the other hand, push the switch
and the brake pedal at the same time to
disengage the brake.
"Drive Away Release": the electric park
brake will automatically disengage with
the driver side seat belt fastened and the
detection of an action performed by the
driver to move the vehicle (forward gear
or reverse gear). This feature can be
turned on or off in the Information and
Entertainment System.
"Safe Hold": if the vehicle speed is
lower than 1.9 mph (3 km/h), the gear
selector is not in PARK (P) position and
the driver's intention of leaving the
vehicle is detected, the electric park
brake will automatically engage to hold
the vehicle in safety conditions.
"Auto Park Brake": if the vehicle speed
is below 1.9 mph (3 km/h), the electric
park brake will automatically engage
when the gear selector is in PARK (P)
position. The light on the switch located
on the center console switches on
together with the BRAKE warning light on
the instrument panel when the park brake
is engaged and applied to the wheels.
Each automatic park brake engagement
can be cancelled by pressing the switch
on the center console and at the same
time moving the gear selector for the
transmission to position PARK (P).
Note: The electric parking brake
automatically engages when the vehicle
is parked on roads with slope of more
than 10%.
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STARTING AND OPERATING
Safe Hold
Safe Hold is a safety function that
automatically engages the electric park
brake in the event of a dangerous
condition for the vehicle.
The electric park brake engages
automatically to prevent vehicle
movement if:
The vehicle speed is below 2 mph
(3 km/h).
A transmission operating mode
different from PARK (P) is activated.
The driver's seat belt is not fastened.
The driver side door is open.
No attempts to apply pressure on the
brake pedal have been detected.
The “Safe Hold” function can be
temporarily disabled by pressing the
switch located on the center console and
the brake pedal at the same time, with
the vehicle stationary and the driver side
door open.
Once disabled, the function will activate
again when the vehicle speed reaches
12 mph (20 km/h) or the ignition is cycled
to STOP and then to ON.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
The vehicle can be equipped with an
electronically controlled 8-speed
automatic transmission where gear
shifting automatically takes place,
depending on the vehicle usage
instantaneous parameters (vehicle
speed, grade, and accelerator pedal
position).
The new transmission is an absolute
innovation, as it can match the
Stop/Start system with the traditional
automatic transmissions with built-in
torque converter. For further
information, refer to the “Stop/Start”
section within this chapter.
Manual gear shifting can still occur
thanks to the "sequential mode" position
for the gear selector.
Warning!
It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or
NEUTRAL if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly pressing
the brake pedal, the vehicle could
accelerate quickly forward or in reverse.
You could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and your
foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
Unintended movement of a vehicle could
injure those in or near the vehicle. As with all
vehicles, you should never exit a vehicle
while the engine is running. Before exiting a
vehicle, always apply the park brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and turn the
ignition STOP/OFF. When the ignition is in
the STOP/OFF mode, the transmission is
locked in PARK, securing the vehicle against
unwanted movement.
When leaving the vehicle, always make
sure the ignition is in the STOP/OFF mode,
remove the key fob from the vehicle, and
lock the vehicle.
Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing
children to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of reasons. A child
or others could be seriously or fatally
injured. Children should be warned not to
touch the parking brake, brake pedal or the
transmission gear selector.
Do not leave the key fob in or near the
vehicle (or in a location accessible to
children), and do not leave the ignition in the
AVV or ON mode. A child could operate power
windows, other controls, or move the vehicle.
Caution!
Damage to the transmission may occur if
the following precautions are not observed:
Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE
only after the vehicle has come to a
complete stop.
Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE,
NEUTRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is
above idle speed.
Before shifting into any gear, make sure
your foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
137
NEUTRAL (N)
Use this range when the vehicle is standing
for prolonged periods with the engine
running. The engine may be started in this
range. Apply the electric park brake and
shift the transmission into PARK (P) if you
must leave the vehicle.
Warning!
Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off
the ignition to coast down a hill. These are
unsafe practices that limit your response to
changing traffic or road conditions. You
might lose control of the vehicle and have a
collision.
DRIVE (D)
Use this mode in normal driving
conditions.
Shifting from DRIVE (D) to PARK (P) or
REVERSE (R) modes must take place
only after releasing the accelerator
pedal, with vehicle at a standstill and
brake pedal pressed.
This mode ensures automatic
engagement of the most suitable gears
for driving needs and maximum fuel
economy in terms of consumption.
In this position, the transmission shifts
the gears automatically, selecting the
most suitable for forward driving among
those available as you go. In this way the
vehicle's optimal driving characteristics
are provided for all conditions.AutoStick
In the case of frequent shifting (e.g. for
sport driving, when the vehicle is driven
with a heavy load or on slopes), it is
recommended to use the Autostick
(sequential shifting) mode to select and
keep a lower fixed ratio.
In these conditions, the use of a lower
gear improves vehicle performance,
preventing overheating.
It is possible to shift from DRIVE (D)
mode to sequential mode regardless of
vehicle speed.
Activation
Starting from DRIVE (D), move the
selector to the left (– and + indication of
the trim) to activate the sequential drive
mode. The gear engaged will be shown on
the display.
Shifting is made by moving the gear
selector forwards, towards symbol – or
backwards, towards symbol +.
Steering Column Mounted Shift
Paddles
The gear can also be manually shifted by
using the paddles behind the steering
wheel. Pull the right paddle (+) toward the
steering wheel and release it to engage a
higher gear, and perform the same
operation with the left paddle (-) to
engage a lower gear.
Note:
If only one manual shift is
necessary, the letter (D) will remain on
the display with the engaged gear next
to it.
Deactivation
To deactivate the sequential driving
mode, bring the gear selector back in
position DRIVE (D) ("automatic" driving
mode).
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.
07076S0006EMSteering Wheel Shift Paddles
140
STARTING AND OPERATING
Note:
To select the correct gear for
maximum deceleration (engine brake),
just keep the gear paddle pulled (–): the
transmission goes to an operating mode
in which the vehicle can slow down
easily.
The vehicle will keep the gear
selected by the driver until the safety
conditions allow it.
This means, for example, that the
system will try to prevent the engine
from switching off, automatically
downshifting if the engine speed is
too low.
Automatic Transmission Limp Home
Mode
Transmission function is monitored
electronically for abnormal conditions.
If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage,
Transmission Limp Home Mode is
activated.
In this condition, the transmission stays
in fourth gear, regardless of the selected
gear. Positions PARK (P), REVERSE (R)
and NEUTRAL (N) still work.
The
symbol might light up in the
instrument cluster. Temporary failure
In the event of a momentary problem, the
transmission can be reset to regain all
forward gears by performing the
following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission into PARK (P),
if possible. If not, shift the transmission
to NEUTRAL (N).
3. Push and hold the ignition until the
engine turns OFF.
4. Wait for about 10 seconds, then
restart the engine.
5. Shift into the desired gear range.
If the problem is no longer detected,
the transmission will return to normal
operation.
Note:
Even if the transmission can be
reset, we recommend that you visit your
authorized dealer at your earliest
possible convenience. Your authorized
dealer has diagnostic equipment to
determine if the problem could reoccur.
If the transmission cannot be reset,
service is required at your authorized
dealer.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock
System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake
Transmission Shift Interlock system
(BTSI) that holds the gear selector in
PARK (P) unless the brakes are applied.
This system prevents you from moving
the gear selector from position PARK (P)
unless the brakes are applied.
To shift the transmission out of PARK (P),
the ignition must be cycled to the AVV
mode (engine running or not) and the
brake pedal must be pressed.
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock
Disabling
Only if strictly necessary (e.g. pushing the
vehicle, conveyor vehicle washing
systems) inhibit the automatic activation
of PARK (P) mode when stopping the
engine, or proceed as described below:
1. Vehicle at a standstill.
2. NEUTRAL (N) mode activated.
3. Push the ignition button for at least
three seconds.
The automatic park brake engagement
function when the engine is stopped can
also be deactivated on the Information
and Entertainment system by selecting
the following functions on the main menu:
"Settings", "Driver Assistance" and
"Automatic Parking Brake".
141
"Dynamic" Mode
Activation
It is activated by rotating the selector to
the letter "d", the displays light up in red.
ESC and ASR systems: intervention
thresholds that ensure more enjoyable,
sportier driving while guaranteeing the
stability of the car.
Engine and transmission: adoption of
sports mapping.
Warning!
In "Dynamic", the sensitivity of the
accelerator pedal increases considerably.
Consequently, driving is less fluid and
comfortable.
The "Performance" screen displays
parameters related to vehicle stability,
the graphs illustrate the trend of the
longitudinal/lateral accelerations
(G-meter information), considering
gravity acceleration as a reference unit.
Lateral acceleration peaks are displayed
on the right.
"Advanced Efficiency" Mode
Activation
It is activated by rotating the selector to
the letter "a", the displays light up in
green.ESC and ASR systems: intervention
thresholds aimed at ensuring maximum
safety in low-grip driving conditions. It is
advisable to select "Advanced Efficiency"
mode in the presence of low-grip road
surfaces.
“Advanced Efficiency” Mode is
characterized by reduced engine
performance and ECO shifting strategy
for the automatic transmission.
The "Performance" screen graphically
displays some parameters closely
related to the vehicle consumption.
07116S0003EMDynamic Mode
07116S0006EMDynamic Mode Performance Display07116S0005EMAdvanced Efficiency Mode
144
STARTING AND OPERATING
ALFA ACTIVE SUSPENSION
(AAS)
The vehicle's electronic suspension
management system is aimed at
optimizing the vehicle's performance.
The system continuously monitors the
damping of the suspension through the
actuator installed on each shock
absorber. The calibration of the shock
absorbers can be adjusted to the
conditions of the road surface and to the
dynamic conditions of the vehicle,
improving its comfort and road handling.
The
driver can choose, even while driving,
(only in "d" or "RACE" mode), between two
types of suspension calibration: a more
sporty ride or a more comfortable one.
By pushing the button, the system will
work with the shock absorber calibration
which favors driving comfort.
If the system fails, the following symbol
will appear in the instrument cluster
display
.
STOP/START SYSTEM
Stop/Start System
The Stop/Start system automatically
shuts off the engine during a vehicle stop if
the required conditions are met. Releasing
the brake pedal or accelerator pedal will
automatically restart the engine.
The function was developed to increase
vehicle efficiency by reducing fuel
consumption, gas emissions, and sound
pollution.
Operating Mode
Stopping the Engine
With vehicle at a standstill and brake
pedal pressed, the engine switches off if
the gear selector is in a position other
than REVERSE (R).
The system does not operate when the
gear selector is in REVERSE (R), in order
to making parking maneuvers easier.
In the event of stops uphill, engine
switching off is disabled to make the
"Hill Start Assist" function available
(works only with running engine).
NOTE: The engine can only be
automatically stopped after having run at
about 6 mph (10 km/h). After an
automatic restart, the vehicle only needs
to exceed a speed of 0.3 mph (0.5 km/h)
to stop the engine.
Engine stopping is signaled by the
symbol lighting up on the instrument
cluster display. Restarting the Engine
To restart the engine, release the brake
pedal.
With the brake pressed and the
transmission in automatic mode DRIVE
(D), the engine will restart by shifting
to REVERSE (R), to PARK (P) or to
"AutoStick".
With brake pressed if the gear selector is
in "AutoStick" mode, the engine will
restart by shifting to PARK (P) or by
moving the selector to + or -.
System Manual Activation/
Deactivation
To manually activate/deactivate the
system, push the button located in the
control panel on the left of the steering
wheel.
04306S0001EMAlfa Active Suspension Button
07126S0051EMStop/Start Button
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STARTING AND OPERATING