2018 FIAT 124 SPIDER charging

39)Do not stack cargo or objects higher
than the seatbacks: cargo stacked higher
than the seatbacks is dangerous. It can
block your view in the rearview mirror,
which might cause you to hit another car
when changing lanes.EXTERIOR LIGHTS
HEADLIGHTS
Turn the headlight switch 1 fig. 18 to
turn the headlights, other exterior lights
and dashboard illumination ON or OFF.
When the headlight switch is turned to
the
orposition, the
lights-on indicator light in the
instrument cluster turns on.
With auto-light control
When the headlight switch is turned to
theAUTOposition, the lights-on
indicator light in the instrument cluster
turns on/off in conjunction with the
automatic on/off operation of the
headlights.
IMPORTANT To prevent discharging the
battery, do not leave the lights on while
the engine is off unless safety requires
them.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE
DAYTIME RUNNING
LIGHTS (DRL)
40) 41)
Some countries require moving vehicles
to have their lights on (running lights)
during the daytime.
The running lights turn on automatically
when the vehicle starts moving.
They turn off when the parking brake is
operated or the selector lever is shifted
to the P position (versions with
automatic transmission).

close the cover when the accessory
socket is not in use to prevent foreign
objects and liquids from getting into the
accessory socket;
correctly insert the plug into the
accessory socket;
do not insert the cigarette lighter into
the accessory socket;
noise may occur on the audio
playback depending on the device
connected to the accessory socket;
depending on the device connected
to the accessory socket, the vehicle's
electrical system may be affected,
which could cause the warning light to
illuminate. Disconnect the connected
device and make sure that the problem
is resolved. If the problem is resolved,
disconnect the device from the socket
and switch the ignition off. If the
problem is not resolved, contact a Fiat
Dealership.
IMPORTANT To prevent discharging of
the battery, do not use the socket for
long periods with the engine off or
idling.
BOOT LID
OPENING
47) 48)
IMPORTANT Before opening the boot
lid, remove any snow and ice
accumulation on it. Otherwise, the boot
lid could close under the weight of the
snow and ice resulting in injury.
IMPORTANT Be careful when
opening/closing the boot lid during
strong winds. If a strong gust blows
against the boot lid, it could close
suddenly resulting in injury.
IMPORTANT Fully open the boot lid and
make sure that it stays open. If the boot
lid is only opened partially, it could slam
shut by vibration or wind gusts resulting
in injury.
IMPORTANT When loading or
unloading luggage in the boot, turn off
the engine. Otherwise, you could get
burned by the heat of the exhaust gas.
Using the remote release button
(where provided)
Unlock the doors and boot lid, then
press the electric boot lid opener
fig. 31 and raise it when the latch
releases.
NOTEWith the advanced keylessfunction: a locked boot lid can also be
opened while the key is being carried.
With the advanced keyless function
A locked boot lid can also be opened
while the key is being carried.
When opening the boot lid with the
doors locked, it may require a few
seconds for the boot lid latch to release
after the electric boot lid opener is
pressed.
The boot lid can be closed when the
doors are locked with the key left in the
vehicle. However, to prevent locking the
key in the vehicle, the boot lid can be
opened by pressing the electric boot lid
opener. If the boot lid cannot be
opened despite doing this procedure,
press the electric boot lid opener to fully
open the boot lid after pushing the boot
lid completely closed.
If the vehicle battery is dead or there is
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE

54
KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL
IMPORTANT The indication of the
warning light in the instrument panel
is indicative and precautionary
and as such must not be
considered as exhaustive and/or
alternative to the information contained
in the Owner Handbook, which you are
advised to read carefully in all cases.
Always refer to the information in this
chapter in the event of a failure
indication.
IMPORTANTThe display cycle of
both categories can be interrupted. The
instrument panel warning light will stay
on until the cause of the failure is
eliminated.
Vehicles with Radio 7”
The warning contents can be verified
on the audio system.
Proceed as follows:
if the warning light is turned on,
select
icon on the home screen to
display the application screen;
select “Warning Guidance”to
display the current warnings;
select the applicable warning to view
the warning details.
For the following warning/indicator
lights:
Master warning light;
Brake system warning light;
ABS warning light;
Charging system warning light;
Engine oil warning light;
Check engine light;
High engine coolant temperature
warning light;
AND MESSAGESWARNING LIGHTSMAINTENANCE
MONITOR
(where provided)
Proceed as follows:
select the iconon the home
screen to display the “Applications”
screen;
select “Maintenance” to display the
maintenance list screen;
switch the tab and select the setting
item you want to change: “Scheduled”,
“Tire rotation”, “Oil Change”.
Reset method

WARNING LIGHTS ON INSTRUMENT PANEL
Red warning lights
Warning light What it means
PARKING BRAKE WARNING - WARNING LIGHT INSPECTION / LOW BRAKE FLUID LEVEL
WARNING
Parking brake warning / Warning light inspection
The light illuminates when the parking brake is applied with the ignition switched to START or
ON. It turns off when the parking brake is fully released.
Low brake fluid level warning
If the brake warning light remains illuminated even though the parking brake is released, the
brake fluid may be low or there could be a problem with the brake system. Park the vehicle in a
safe place immediately and contact a Fiat Dealership.
IMPORTANT Do not drive with the brake system warning light illuminated. Contact a Fiat
Dealership to have the brakes inspected as soon as possible. Driving with the brake system
warning light illuminated is dangerous. It indicates that your brakes may not work at all or that
they could completely fail at any time. If this light remains illuminated, after checking that the
parking brake is fully released, have the brakes inspected immediately.
IMPORTANT In addition, the effectiveness of the braking may diminish so you may need to
depress the brake pedal more strongly than normal to stop the vehicle.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place immediately and contact a Fiat Dealership.
EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution) SYSTEM WARNING
If the EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution) control unit determines that some components
are operating incorrectly, the control unit may illuminate the brake system warning light and the
ABS warning light simultaneously. The problem is likely to be the electronic brake force
distribution system. Stop the vehicle in a safe place immediately and contact a Fiat Dealership.
IMPORTANT Do not drive with both the ABS warning light and brake warning light illuminated.
Contact a Fiat Dealership to have the brakes inspected as soon as possible. Driving when the
brake system warning light and ABS warning light are illuminated simultaneously is dangerous.
When both lights are illuminated, the rear wheels could lock more quickly in an emergency stop
than under normal circumstances.
ALTERNATOR FAILURE
If the warning light illuminates while driving, it indicates a malfunction of the alternator or of the
charging system. Drive to the side of the road and park off the right-of-way. Stop the vehicle in a
safe place immediately and contact a Fiat Dealership.
IMPORTANT Do not continue driving when the charging system warning light is illuminated
because the engine could stop unexpectedly.
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KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

MESSAGE INDICATED ON
DISPLAY
(versions with Radio 7”)
If a message is displayed in the center
display, take appropriate action (in a
calm manner) according to the
displayed message.
If the following messages are displayed
in the centre display, a vehicle system
may be malfunctioning:
Engine Coolant Temperature
High: displays if the engine coolant
temperature has increased excessively.
Changing System Malfunction:
displays if the charging system has a
malfunction.
Temperature Warning: the
following message is displayed when
the temperature around the centre
display is high. Lowering the
temperature in the cabin or the
temperature around the centre display
by avoiding direct sunlight is
recommended.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
contact a Fiat Dealership.
WARNING SOUND IS
ACTIVATED
A warning sound is activated in
following cases:
Lights-on reminder;
Air Bag/seat belt pretensioner
system;
Active bonnet (where provided);
Ignition not switched off (STOP);
Key removed from vehicle;
"Door locking" switch inoperable
(versions with advanced keyless function);
Key left-in-boot compartment
(versions with advanced keyless
function);
Key left-in-vehicle (versions with
advanced keyless function);
Vehicle speed alarm (where
provided);
Tire inflation pressure warning beep
(where provided);
Outside temperature (where
provided);
Electronic steering lock;
Speed limiter (where provided);
120 km/h warning (where provided).
WARNING
61)Never tamper with the air
bag/pretensioner systems and always
contact a Fiat Dealership perform all
servicing and repairs. Self-servicing or
tampering with the systems is dangerous.
An air bag/pretensioner could accidentally
activate or become disabled causing
serious injury or death.62)Do not drive the vehicle with the active
bonnet warning light turned on or flashing.
Driving the vehicle with the active hood
warning light turned on or flashing is
dangerous as the active hood mechanism
may not activate normally and function as
intended in the event the vehicle were to
contact a pedestrian.
63)If the TPMS warning light illuminates or
flashes, or the tire pressure warning beep
sound is heard, decrease vehicle speed
immediately and avoid sudden
maneuvering and braking. If the warning
light illuminates or flashes, or the tire
pressure warning beep sound is heard, it is
dangerous to drive the vehicle at high
speeds, or perform sudden maneuvering
or braking. Vehicle drivability could worsen
and result in an accident. To determine if
you have a slow leak or a flat, pull over to a
safe position where you can check the
visual condition of the tire and determine if
you have enough air to proceed to a place
where air may be added and the system
monitored again by Fiat Dealership or a tire
repair station.
64)Do not ignore the TPMS warning light.
Ignoring the TPMS warning light is
dangerous, even if you know why it is
illuminated. Have the problem taken care of
as soon as possible before it develops into
a more serious situation that could lead to
tire failure and a dangerous accident.
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KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

JUMP STARTING
PREPARATIONS FOR
JUMP STARTING
176) 177) 178) 179) 180) 181) 182) 183) 184) 185)
34)
Jump-starting is dangerous if done
incorrectly. So follow the procedure
carefully fig. 139. If you feel unsure
about jump-starting, we strongly
recommend that you have a competent
service technician do the work.
IMPORTANT When using booster
battery is used, comply with the
utilisation and precaution instructions
specified by the producer.
IMPORTANT Do not use the booster
battery or any other source of external
supply with a voltage above 12 V: the
battery, the starter, the alternator and
the electrical system of the vehicle
could be damaged. You can damage a
12 V starter, ignition system, and other
electrical parts beyond repair with a
24 V power supply (two 12 V batteries
in series or a 24 V motor generator set).IMPORTANT Do not attempt jump
starting if the battery is wet. The battery
could break and explode!
JUMP-STARTING
PROCEDURE
IMPORTANT If the procedure below is
carried out incorrectly can cause severe
injuries to people or damage the
recharging system of one or both
vehicles. Carefully follow the
instructions given below.
Proceed as follows to carry out a jump
starting:
remove the battery cover fig. 140;
make sure the booster battery is
12 V and that its negative terminal is
grounded;
if the booster battery is in another
vehicle, do not allow both vehicles to
touch. Turn off the engine of the vehicle
with the booster battery and all
unnecessary electrical loads in both
vehicles;
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151

MAINTENANCE AND CARE
Correct maintenance permits the
performance of the vehicle to be
maintained over time, as well as limited
running costs and safeguarding the
efficiency of the safety systems.SCHEDULED SERVICING.......157
ENGINE COMPARTMENT......163
BATTERY RECHARGING.......167
WHEELS AND TIRES..........168
BODYWORK...............170
INTERIORS................172
156
MAINTENANCE AND CARE

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