2018 FIAT 124 SPIDER ECU

185)Connect the negative lead to a good
ground point (see figure) away from the
battery. Connecting the end of the second
jumper lead to the negative (–) terminal of
the discharged battery is dangerous. A
spark could cause the gas around the
battery to explode and injure someone.
IMPORTANT
34)Do not connect the cable to the
negative terminal (–) of the flat battery. The
following spark could lead to battery
explosion and cause serious harm. Only
use the specific earth point; do not use any
other exposed metallic part.
TOWING THE
VEHICLE
ATTACHING THE TOW
HOOKS
35) 36) 37)
Proceed as follows:
remove the towing eyelet and the
wheel brace from the luggage
compartment;
wrap a flathead screwdriver or similar
tool with a soft cloth to prevent damage
to a painted bumper, and open the cap
located on the front 1 fig. 141 or rear
bumper 2 fig. 142;
IMPORTANT Do not use excessive
force as it may damage the cap or
scratch the painted bumper surface.
IMPORTANT Remove the cap
completely and store it so as not to lose
it.
securely install the towing eyelet
using the wheel brace or equivalent
front fig. 143 and rear fig. 144;
hook the towing rope to the towing
eyelet.
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153

ENGINE OIL
191)
40)
4)
Inspecting engine oil level
Proceed as follows:
be sure the vehicle is on a level
surface;
warm up the engine to normal
operating temperature;
turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes
for the oil to return to the sump;
pull out the dipstick 1 fig. 146, wipe it
clean, and reinsert it fully;
pull it out again and examine the
level. The level is normal if it is between
Low and Full. If it is near or below Low,
open the engine oil cap/filler 2 and add
enough oil to bring the level to Full;
make sure the O-ring on the dipstick
is positioned properly before reinserting
the dipstick;
reinsert the dipstick fully.
IMPORTANT Do not overfill the engine
oil. This may cause engine damage.
Engine oil consumption
During the initial period of use the
engine oil consumption conditions
should be considered as having
stabilised after the first 5000 –
6000 km.
NOTE It is normal for all engines to
consume engine oil under normal
driving conditions. Engine oil
consumption may be as high as
400 g/1000 km. This may be as a result
of evaporation, internal ventilation or
burning of the lubricating oil in the
working engine. Oil consumption may
be higher when the engine is new due
to the running-in process. Oil
consumption is also dependant on
engine speed and engine load. Underextreme driving conditions, oil
consumption may be higher.
Engine oil changing
NOTE Changing the engine oil should
be done by Fiat Dealership.
ENGINE COOLANT
192) 193) 194)
41) 42) 43) 44) 45) 46)
The coolant should be at full in the
radiator and between the F (Full) and L
(Low) marks on the coolant reservoir
fig. 147 when the engine is cool.
If it is at or near L (Low), add enough
coolant to the coolant reservoir to
provide freezing and corrosion
protection and to bring the level to F
(Full).
Securely tighten the coolant reservoir
tank cap after adding coolant.14607030403-121-001
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164
MAINTENANCE AND CARE

If the coolant reservoir is empty or new
coolant is required frequently, contact a
Fiat Dealership.
BRAKE / CLUTCH FLUID
197)
47)
It should be kept between the MAX and
MIN lines fig. 148.
The level normally drops with
accumulated distance, a condition
associated with wear of brake and
clutch linings. If it is excessively low,
have the brake/clutch system contact a
Fiat Dealership.
NOTE On right-hand drive versions the
reservoir is located on the left side of
the engine compartment.
WINDOW AND
HEADLIGHT WASHER
FLUID
203)
Inspect fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir fig. 149; open the cap and
add fluid if necessary.
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
CONTROL UNIT
5)
The transmission control oil level should
only be checked at a Fiat Dealership.
BATTERY MAINTENANCE
198) 199) 200) 201)
48)
6)
To get the best service from a battery:
keep it securely mounted;
keep the top clean and dry;
keep terminals and connections
clean, tight, and coated with petroleum
jelly or terminal grease;
rinse off spilled electrolyte
immediately with a solution of water
and baking soda;
if the vehicle will not be used for an
extended time, disconnect the battery
leads and charge the battery every six
weeks.
NOTE
Every time the battery is reconnected
after being disconnected, it is
necessary to perform the following
procedure:
warm up the engine;
with the vehicle stationary, the engine
running and the transmission in the
neutral or N/P (for automatic
transmission) position, press the
accelerator down fully to bring the
engine speed to over 6000 rpm;
release the accelerator pedal and
wait for the engine to return naturally to
idling speed.
If this procedure is not performed, the
warning light could turn on: in this
case, contact Fiat Dealership.
IMPORTANT If, after the
first press of the accelerator pedal to
bring the engine to over 6000 rpm,
another follows immediately after
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165

201)When performing any operation on
the battery or near it, always protect your
eyes with special goggles.
202)If the brake/clutch fluid level is low,
have the brakes inspected. A low
brake/clutch fluid level is dangerous. A low
level could indicate brake lining wear or a
brake system leak which could cause the
brakes to fail and lead to an accident.
203)Use only windscreen washer fluid or
plain water in the reservoir. Using radiator
antifreeze as washer fluid is dangerous. If
sprayed on the windscreen, it will dirty the
windscreen, affect your visibility, and could
result in an accident.
IMPORTANT
39)Be careful not to confuse the various
types of fluids while topping up: they are
not compatible with each other! Topping up
with an unsuitable fluid could severly
damage your vehicle.
40)The oil level should never exceed the
MAX mark.
41)Do not add oil with specifications other
than those of the oil already in the engine.
42)Do not add only water. Always add a
proper coolant mixture. For coolant fluid
type refer to “Fluids and lubricants” table in
“Technical specifications” chapter.
43)Use only soft (demineralised) water in
the coolant mixture. Water that contains
minerals will cut down on the coolant's
effectiveness.
44)Do not use coolants containing alcohol,
methanol, borate or silicate. These coolants
could damage the cooling system.45)Do not mix alcohol or methanol with the
coolant. This could damage the cooling
system.
46)Do not use a solution that contains
more than 60% antifreeze. This would
reduce effectiveness.
47)Avoid allowing brake fluid, which is
extremely corrosive, to come into contact
with painted areas. Should it happen, wash
immediately with water.
48)Incorrect assembly of electrical and
electronic accessories may cause severe
damage to your vehicle. Go to a Fiat
Dealership if you want to install accessories
(e.g. anti-theft, radio phone, etc.): they will
suggest the most suitable devices and
advise you whether a higher capacity
battery needs to be installed.IMPORTANT
4)Used engine oil and oil filters contain
substances which are harmful to the
environment. You are advised to contact a
Fiat Dealership to have the oil and filters
changed.
5)Used transmission fluid contains
substances that are harmful to the
environment. It is advisable to contact a
Fiat Dealership to have the fluid changed.
6)Batteries contain substances which are
very dangerous for the environment. For
battery replacement, contact a Fiat
Dealership.
BATTERY
RECHARGING
204) 205)
BATTERY RECHARGING
PROCEDURE
Charge battery as follows:
remove the caps before recharging
the battery;
connect the charger cables to the
battery terminals, observing the polarity;
turn on the charger;
when finished, turn the charger off
before disconnecting the battery;
reconnect the negative battery
terminal.
IMPORTANT Before recharging the
battery, turn off all accessories and stop
the engine.
IMPORTANT Make sure that the cables
of the electrical system are correctly
reconnected to the battery, i.e. the
positive cable (+) to the positive
terminal and the negative cable (-) to
the negative terminal. The battery
terminals are marked with the positive
(+) and negative (-) symbols, and are
shown on the battery cover. The battery
terminals must also be corrosion-free
and firmly secured to the terminals. If a
“quick-type” battery charger is used
167

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
WARNING
BRAKE SYSTEM
Do not coast with the engine stalled or turned off, find a safe place to stop. Coasting with the engine stalled or turned off is
dangerous. Braking will require more effort, and the brake's power-assist could be depleted if you pump the brake. This will
cause longer stopping distances or even an accident.
Shift to a lower gear when going down steep hills. Driving with your foot continuously on the brake pedal or steadily applying
the brakes for long distances is dangerous. This causes overheated brakes, resulting in longer stopping distances or even total
brake failure. This could cause loss of vehicle control and a serious accident. Avoid continuous application of the brakes.
INTERNAL EQUIPMENT
Never use a cup holder to hold hot liquids while the vehicle is moving. Using a cup holder to hold hot liquids while the
vehicle is moving is dangerous. If the contents spill, you could be scalded.
Do not put anything other than plastic bottles, cups or drink cans in cup holders. Putting objects other than plastic bottles,
cups or drink cans in a cup holder is dangerous. During sudden braking or manoeuvring, occupants could be hit and injured,
or objects could be thrown around the vehicle, causing interference with the driver and the possibility of an accident. Only use
a cup holder for plastic bottles, cups or drink cans.
Keep storage boxes closed when driving. Driving with the storage boxes open is dangerous. To reduce the possibility of
injury in an accident or a sudden stop, keep the storage boxes closed when driving.
Do not put articles in storage spaces with no lid. Putting articles in storage spaces with no lid is dangerous as they could be
thrown around the cabin if the vehicle is suddenly accelerated and cause injury depending on how the article is stored.
DRIVING TIPS
Never stop the engine when going down a hill: stopping the engine when going down a hill is dangerous. This causes the
loss of power steering and power brake control, and may cause damage to the drivetrain. Any loss of steering or braking
control could cause an accident.
Be extremely careful if it is necessary to downshift on slippery surfaces: downshifting into lower gear while driving on slippery
surfaces is dangerous. The sudden change in tyre speed could cause the tyres to skid. This could lead to loss of vehicle
control and an accident.
Make sure the floor mats are secured with the grommets or the retainers to prevent them from bunching up under the foot

pedals (driver's side): using a floor mat that is not secured is dangerous as it will interfere with the accelerator and brake pedal
operation (driver's side), which could result in an accident.
Only use a floor mat which conforms to the shape of the floor on the driver's side and make sure it is oriented correctly.
Secure the floor mat using the grommets or retainers. There are various ways to secure floor mats depending on the type
used, therefore secure the mat according to the type. After installing the floor mat, make sure that it does not slide from side to
side or back and forth, and that there is sufficient clearance with the accelerator and brake pedals on the driver's side.
After removing the floor mat for cleaning or some other reason, always securely reinstall it while paying attention to the
precautions just mentioned.
Do not install two floor mats, one on top of the other, on the driver's side: installing two floor mats, one on top of the other,
on the driver's side is dangerous as the retention pins can only keep one floor mat from sliding forward.
Loose floor mat(s) will interfere with the foot pedals and could result in an accident.
When using a heavy duty floor mat for winter, always remove the original floor mat.
Do not spin the wheels at high speed, and do not allow anyone to stand behind a wheel when pushing the vehicle: when
the vehicle is stuck, spinning the wheels at high speed is dangerous. The spinning tyre could overheat and explode. This could
cause serious injuries.
Use only the same size and type tyres (snow, radial, or non-radial) on all four wheels: using tyres different in size or type is
dangerous. Your vehicle's handling could be greatly affected and result in an accident.

Keyless Entry System...........9
Keys......................9
Lane change signals...........27
Load limiter (pretensioner)........82
Maintaining the finish.........171
Manual climate control system.....34
Manual transmission..........114
Message indicated on display.....68
Mirrors....................22
Multimedia.................189
Navigation................201
Occupant protection systems.....78
Odometer/Trip meter...........51
Outside mirrors...............22
Owner maintenance precautions . . .157
Paintwork (preserving).........170
Parking...................112
Parking brake...............113
Parking Sensor System.........121
Passenger Air Bag............98
Passenger occupant classification
system.................103
Performance...............185
Periodic checks (scheduled
servicing)................158
Power mirrors...............23
Power window lock switch.......39
Power windows..............38Prescriptions for handling the
vehicle at the end of its life.....188
Pretensioners................82
Radio 3”.................191
Radio 7”..................196
Read this carefully..............2
Rear camera (ParkView rear
backup camera)...........125
Rear fog lights...............26
Refuelling procedure..........123
Refuelling the vehicle..........123
Replacing a bulb.............131
Replacing a tire..............168
Replacing exterior light bulbs.....134
Replacing fuses.............139
Rims and tires..............177
Rims and tires provided........179
SBA system (Seat Belt Alert)......81
Scheduled servicing...........157
Scheduled servicing plan.......159
Seat belt precautions...........79
Seat belt pretensioner and load
limiting systems.............82
Seat Belt Pretensioners.........98
Seat belts..................79
Seat belts (fastening/unfastening)}.......................79
Seats.....................19
Seats (manual adjustment).......19
Seats and fabric parts (cleaning) . . .172Shift-lock override (automatic
gearbox)................116
Shift-lock system (automatic
gearbox)................116
Side Air Bags................98
Snow chains...............169
Speed limiter...............120
Starting the engine.........11,112
Steering wheel...............22
Supplementary restraint system
(SRS) - Air bag.............96
Symbols....................3
TCS (Traction Control System).....70
Theft deterrent system..........15
Tips, controls and general
information...............190
Tire service kit..............146
Tires rotation (recommendations) . .169
Tool storage................146
Towing the vehicle............153
Towing trailers..............128
TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring
System)..................74
Turn signals.................27
Turning the engine off...........13
Vehicle security alarm..........15
Warning lights and messages.....54
Weights..................180
Wheel and tire specifications.....177
Wheels and tires.............168
INDEX