2018 FIAT 500C towing

— Door Open Warning Light
This indicator will illuminate when one or more door(s) are
not fully closed.
NOTE: If the vehicle is moving and a door is opened, there
will also be a single chime.
— Electric Power Steering Fault Warning Light
This warning light will turn on when there’s a fault with the
EPS (Electric Power Steering) system. Refer to “Power Steer-
ing” in “Starting And Operating” for further information.
WARNING!Continued operation with reduced assist could pose a
safety risk to yourself and others. Service should be
obtained as soon as possible.
— Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) Warning
Light
This warning light will illuminate to indicate a problem
with the Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) system. If a
problem is detected while the vehicle is running, the light
will either stay on or flash depending on the nature of the problem. Cycle the ignition when the vehicle is safely and
completely stopped and the transmission is placed in the
PARK position. The light should turn off. If the light
remains on with the vehicle running, your vehicle will
usually be drivable; however, see an authorized dealer for
service as soon as possible.
NOTE: This light may turn on if the accelerator and brake
pedals are pressed at the same time.
If the light continues to flash when the vehicle is running,
immediate service is required and you may experience
reduced performance, an elevated/rough idle, or engine
stall and your vehicle may require towing. The light will
come on when the ignition is placed in the ON/RUN or
ACC/ON/RUN position and remain on briefly as a bulb
check. If the light does not come on during starting, have
the system checked by an authorized dealer.
— Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light
This light warns of an overheated engine condition. If the
engine coolant temperature is too high, this indicator will
illuminate and a single chime will sound.86 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

monitors engine and automatic transmission control sys-
tems. This warning light will illuminate when the ignition
is in the ON/RUN position before engine start. If the bulb
does not come on when turning the ignition switch from
OFF to ON/RUN, have the condition checked promptly.
Certain conditions, such as a loose or missing gas cap, poor
quality fuel, etc., may illuminate the light after engine start.
The vehicle should be serviced if the light stays on through
several typical driving styles. In most situations, the ve-
hicle will drive normally and will not require towing.
When the engine is running, the MIL may flash to alert
serious conditions that could lead to immediate loss of
power or severe catalytic converter damage. The vehicle
should be serviced by an authorized dealer as soon as
possible if this occurs.
WARNING!A malfunctioning catalytic converter, as referenced
above, can reach higher temperatures than in normal
operating conditions. This can cause a fire if you drive
slowly or park over flammable substances such as dry
plants, wood, cardboard, etc. This could result in death
or serious injury to the driver, occupants or others. CAUTION!Prolonged driving with the Malfunction Indicator
Light (MIL) on could cause damage to the vehicle
control system. It also could affect fuel economy and
driveability. If the MIL is flashing, severe catalytic
converter damage and power loss will soon occur.
Immediate service is required.
— ParkSense Failure Warning Light
This warning light will illuminate when the ParkSense
System is not functioning properly and service is required.
Contact an authorized dealer.
— Service Warning Light — If Equipped
The “Maintenance Plan” includes vehicle maintenance at
fixed intervals. For further information, refer to  Scheduled
Servicing” in “Servicing And Maintenance”. This message
is displayed automatically along with the warning light
when the key is turned to MAR (ACC/ON/RUN) - 1,242
miles (2,000 km) before these deadlines and reappears
every 124 miles (200 km). Below 124 miles (200 km)
servicing indications are more frequent. The indication will
appear in miles or kilometers according to the  Unit Of
Measurement  settings. When the next scheduled service is90 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM — OBD II
Your vehicle is equipped with a sophisticated Onboard
Diagnostic system called OBD II. This system monitors the
performance of the emissions, engine, and transmission
control systems. When these systems are operating prop-
erly, your vehicle will provide excellent performance and
fuel economy, as well as engine emissions well within
current government regulations.
If any of these systems require service, the OBD II system
will turn on the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL). It will
also store diagnostic codes and other information to assist
your service technician in making repairs. Although your
vehicle will usually be drivable and not need towing, see
an authorized dealer for service as soon as possible.
CAUTION!• Prolonged driving with the MIL on could cause
further damage to the emission control system. It
could also affect fuel economy and driveability. The
vehicle must be serviced before any emissions tests
can be performed. (Continued) CAUTION! (Continued)• If the MIL is flashing while the vehicle is running,
severe catalytic converter damage and power loss
will soon occur. Immediate service is required.
Onboard Diagnostic System (OBD II) Cybersecurity
Your vehicle is required to have an Onboard Diagnostic
system (OBD II) and a connection port to allow access to
information related to the performance of your emissions
controls. Authorized service technicians may need to ac-
cess this information to assist with the diagnosis and
service of your vehicle and emissions system.
WARNING!• ONLY an authorized service technician should connect
equipment to the OBD II connection port in order to
read the VIN, diagnose, or service your vehicle.
• If unauthorized equipment is connected to the
OBD II connection port, such as a driver-behavior
tracking device, it may:
• Be possible that vehicle systems, including safety
related systems, could be impaired or a loss of (Continued) 4GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 95

▫ To Resume Speed ...................... .180
▫ To Deactivate ........................ .180
 REAR PARK ASSIST ..................... .181
▫ Rear Park Assist Sensors ................. .181
▫ Rear Park Assist Warning Display .......... .181
▫ Rear Park Assist Display ................. .181
▫ Rear Park Assist Audible Alerts ............ .182
▫ Failure Indications ..................... .183
▫ Cleaning The Rear Park Assist System ....... .183
▫ Park Assist System Usage Precautions ....... .183
 PARKVIEW REAR BACK UP CAMERA ....... .185  ADDING FUEL ........................ .186
▫ Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap) ................ .186
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............ .187
 VEHICLE LOADING .................... .188
▫ Certification Label ..................... .188
 TRAILER TOWING ..................... .189
 RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.) ................... .190
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle . . .190
 DRIVING TIPS ......................... .191
▫ Driving On Slippery Surfaces ............. .191
▫ Driving Through Water ................. .191160 STARTING AND OPERATING

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.
CAUTION!Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in “In Case Of Emergency” for
further information.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and downshifts,
and the best fuel economy. The transmission automatically
upshifts through all forward gears. The DRIVE position
provides optimum driving characteristics under all normal
operating conditions. When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as when
operating the vehicle under heavy loading conditions, in
hilly terrain, or traveling into strong head winds), use the
AutoStick shift control (refer to AutoStick in this section for
further information) to select a lower gear. Under these
conditions, using a lower gear will improve performance
and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shifting
and heat buildup.
If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operating
limits, the transmission controller will expand the range of
torque converter clutch engagement. This is done to pre-
vent transmission damage due to overheating.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation may be
modified depending on engine coolant temperature. Nor-
mal operation will resume once the engine temperature has
risen to a suitable level.
Instrument Cluster Messages
Dedicated messages will be displayed in the instrument
cluster to alert the driver when certain unusual conditions
occur. 6STARTING AND OPERATING 173

Failure to do so can result in the system not working
properly. The Rear Park Assist system might not detect
an obstacle behind the fascia/bumper, or it could pro-
vide a false indication that an obstacle is behind the
fascia/bumper.
• Objects such as bicycle carriers, etc., must not be placed
within 12 inches (30 cm) from the rear fascia/bumper
while driving the vehicle. Failure to do so can result in
the system misinterpreting a close object as a sensor
problem, causing a failure indication to be displayed in
the instrument cluster display.
WARNING!• Drivers must be careful when backing up even when
using ParkSense. 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. You are respon-
sible for safety and must continue to pay attention to
your surroundings. Failure to do so can result in
serious injury or death.
• Before using ParkSense, it is strongly recommended
that the ball mount and hitch ball assembly is (Continued) WARNING! (Continued)disconnected from the vehicle when the vehicle is
not used for towing. Failure to do so can result in
injury or damage to vehicles or obstacles because the
hitch ball will be much closer to the obstacle than the
rear fascia when the loudspeaker sounds the con-
tinuous tone. Also, the sensors could detect the ball
mount and hitch ball assembly, depending on its size
and shape, giving a false indication that an obstacle
is behind the vehicle.
CAUTION!• ParkSense is only a parking aid and it is unable to
recognize every obstacle, including small obstacles.
Parking curbs might be temporarily detected or not
detected at all. Obstacles located above or below the
sensors will not be detected when they are in close
proximity.
• The vehicle must be driven slowly when using
ParkSense in order to be able to stop in time when an
obstacle is detected. It is recommended that the driver
looks over his/her shoulder when using ParkSense.184 STARTING AND OPERATING

Curb Weight
The curb weight of a vehicle is defined as the total weight
of the vehicle with all fluids, including vehicle fuel, at full
capacity conditions, and with no occupants or cargo loaded
into the vehicle. The front and rear curb weight values are
determined by weighing your vehicle on a commercial
scale before any occupants or cargo are added.
Loading
The actual total weight and the weight of the front and rear
of your vehicle at the ground can best be determined by
weighing it when it is loaded and ready for operation.
The entire vehicle should first be weighed on a commercial
scale to insure that the GVWR has not been exceeded. The
weight on the front and rear of the vehicle should then be
determined separately to be sure that the load is properly
distributed over the front and rear axle. Weighing the
vehicle may show that the GAWR of either the front or rear
axles has been exceeded but the total load is within the
specified GVWR. If so, weight must be shifted from front to rear or rear to front as appropriate until the specified
weight limitations are met. Store the heavier items down
low and be sure that the weight is distributed equally. Stow
all loose items securely before driving.
Improper weight distributions can have an adverse effect
on the way your vehicle steers and handles and the way
the brakes operate.
CAUTION!Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the GVWR
or the maximum front and rear GAWR. If you do, parts
on your vehicle can break, or it can change the way
your vehicle handles. This could cause you to lose
control. Also overloading can shorten the life of your
vehicle.
TRAILER TOWING
Trailer towing with this vehicle is not recommended. 6STARTING AND OPERATING 189

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
Towing Condition Wheels OFF the
Ground Manual Transmission Automatic Transmission
Flat Tow NONE Transmission in NEUTRAL
65 mph (105 km/h) max speed NOT ALLOWED
Dolly Tow Front OK OK
Rear NOT ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED
On Trailer ALL OK OK
NOTE: When towing your vehicle, always follow appli-
cable state and provincial laws. Contact state and provin-
cial Highway Safety offices for additional details.
This vehicle may be towed on a flatbed or vehicle trailer
provided all four wheels are OFF the ground.
This vehicle may also be towed using a tow dolly (with the
front wheels OFF the ground).
Vehicles equipped with manual transmissions may be flat
towed (with all four wheels on the ground) speeds up to
65 mph (105 km/h), for any distance, if the manual
transmission is in NEUTRAL. CAUTION!• DO NOT flat tow any vehicle equipped with an
automatic transmission. Damage to the drivetrain
will result. If these vehicles require towing, make
sure all drive wheels are OFF the ground.
• Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe transmission damage. Dam-
age from improper towing is not covered under the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.190 STARTING AND OPERATING