Page 161 of 316

108)In the following cases, the engine will
restart automatically even if the engine was
stopped by the Start&Stop system. Pay
careful attention, otherwise an unexpected
accident might occur when the engine
restarts.1—Vehicle speed is 3 km/h or
higher when coasting down a slope. 2 —
Brake booster vacuum pressure is low
because the brake pedal is depressed
repeatedly or depressed harder than usual.
3 — Engine coolant temperature is low. 4
— When the air conditioner is operated by
pressing the air conditioning switch. 5 —
When the preset temperature of the air
conditioner is changed significantly. 6 —
When the air conditioner is operated in
AUTO mode where the temperature control
is set to the max. hot or the max. cool (for
vehicles with automatic climate air
conditioning). 7 — When the air conditioner
is ON, the passenger compartment
temperature rises and the air conditioning
compressor operates to lower the
temperature. 8 — Demister switch is
pressed. Refer to “For quick demisting”. 9
— Electric power consumption is high,
such as when the rear window demister or
other electrical components are operating
or the blower speed is set to a high setting.
10 — Battery voltage or battery
performance is low. 11 — Operate the
steering wheel. 12 — Driver’s seat belt is
unfastened. 13 — Driver’s door is opened.MANUAL
TRANSMISSION
(Where provided)
The shift pattern is shown on the
gearshift lever knob. To start off,
depress the clutch pedal all the way
down and shift into 1st or “R” (Reverse)
position. Then operate the gearshift
lever slowly. Afterwards gradually
release the clutch pedal while
depressing the accelerator pedal.
233)
109) 110) 111) 112) 113)
NOTE During cold weather, shifting
may be difficult until the transmission
lubricant has warmed up. This is normal
and not harmful to the transmission.
If it is hard to shift into 1st, depress the
clutch pedal again; the shift will then be
easier to make.
In case of hot weather condition or long
time cruising with high speed, a speed
limitation function may work to restrict
the oil temperature rising of the manual
transmission. After the oil temperature
drops to the appropriate level, the
speed limitation function is cancelled.
The gearshift indicator shows
recommended gearshift points for
fuel-efficient driving. It shows a
when
an upshift is recommended.Moving the gearshift lever to the
“R” (Reverse) position
Depress and hold the gearshift lever to
the “R” (Reverse) position.
114)
Possible driving speed
Avoid shifting down at high speed, as
this may cause excessive engine speed
(the tachometer needle into the red
zone) and damage the engine.
258AHZ101144
259AHA104339
159
Page 162 of 316

2WD models
Shift point Speed limit
1st gear 30 km/h
2nd gear 60 km/h
3rd gear 100 km/h
4th gear 140 km/h
5th gear 165 km/h
Use 5th gear whenever vehicle speed
allows, for maximum fuel economy.
4WD models
Vehicles with Easy Select 4WD
Shift pointSpeed limit
2H, 4H 4L
1st gear 30 km/h 10 km/h
2nd gear 60 km/h 20 km/h
3rd gear 100 km/h 35 km/h
4th gear 140 km/h 55 km/h
5th gear 165 km/h 70 km/h
Vehicles with Super Select 4WD II
Shift pointSpeed limit
2H, 4H 4L
1st gear 30 km/h 10 km/h
2nd gear 60 km/h 25 km/h
3rd gear 100 km/h 40 km/h
4th gear 145 km/h 55 km/h
5th gear 170 km/h 70 km/h
Use 5th gear whenever vehicle speed
allows, for maximum fuel economy.
WARNING
233)Depress the clutch pedal fully to
change gear correctly. It is therefore
essential that there is nothing under the
pedals: make sure the mats are lying flat
and do not get in the way of the pedals.
IMPORTANT
109)Do not put the gearshift lever into the
reverse position while the vehicle is moving
forward. Doing so could damage the
transmission.
110)Do not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal while driving as this will cause
premature clutch wear or damage.
111)Do not coast in the “N” (Neutral)
position.112)Do not use the gearshift lever as a
hand rest, because this can result in
premature wear of the transmission shift
forks.
113)Quick or slight clutch engagement
made while the engine is running at high
speed will cause damage to the clutch and
transmission because the tractive force is
very great.
114)Do not depress the gearshift lever
when moving it to any position other than
the “R” (Reverse) position. If you always
depress the gearshift lever when moving it,
you could unintentionally move the gearshift
lever to the “R” (Reverse) position and
cause an accident and/or a transmission
fault.
160
STARTING AND DRIVING
Page 163 of 316

AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
SPORTS MODE 5A/T
(where provided)
During running-in period or immediately
after reconnection of the battery cable,
there may be a case where gear shifts
are not made smoothly. This does not
indicate a faulty transmission. Gear
shifts will become smooth after the
transmission has been shifted several
times by the electronic control system.
Selector lever operation
The transmission has 5 forward gears
and 1 reverse gear.
The individual gears are selected
automatically, depending on the speed
of the vehicle and the position of the
accelerator pedal.
The selector lever (A) has 2 gates; the
main gate (B) and the manual gate (C).LHD: Left Hand Drive
RHD: Right Hand Drive
While depressing the
brake pedal, move
the selector lever
through the gate.
Move the selector
lever through the
gate.
115)
NOTE To avoid erroneous operation,
move the selector lever firmly into each
position and briefly hold it there. Always
check the position shown by the
selector lever position display after
moving the selector lever.
NOTE If the brake pedal is not
depressed and held, the shift-lock
device activates to prevent the selector
lever from being moved from the “P”
(PARK) position.
When the selector lever cannot be
shifted from the “P” (PARK)
position
When the selector lever cannot be
shifted from the “P” (PARK) position to
another position while the brake pedal
is pressed and held down with the
ignition switch at the “ON” position or
the operation mode in ON, the battery
may be flat or the shift-lock mechanism
may be malfunctioning. Immediately
have your vehicle checked by a Fiat
Dealership.
If you need to move the vehicle, shift
the selector lever as follows.
260AHA106030
261AHA103550
262AH3100450
161
Page 164 of 316

For LHD vehicles
1. Make sure the parking brake is fully
applied.
2. Stop the engine if it is running.
3. Insert a straight blade (or minus)
screwdriver with a cloth over its tip into
the notch (A) of the cover. Pry gently as
shown to remove the cover.
4. Depress the brake pedal.
5. Insert a straight blade (or minus)
screwdriver in the shift-lock release hole
(B). Shift the selector lever to the “N”
(NEUTRAL) position while pressing the
straight blade (or minus) screwdriver
down.For RHD vehicles
1. Make sure the parking brake is fully
applied.
2. Stop the engine if it is running.
3. Depress the brake pedal with the
right foot
4. Insert a straight blade (or minus)
screwdriver in the shift-lock release hole
(A). Shift the selector lever to the “N”
(NEUTRAL) position while pressing the
straight blade (or minus) screwdriver
down.Selector lever position display
When the ignition switch is turned to
the “ON” position or the operation
mode is put in ON, the position of the
selector lever is indicated in the multi
information display.
263AHA106304
264AHA106043265AHA103589
266AHA103592
162
STARTING AND DRIVING
Page 165 of 316

Selector lever positions
“P” PARK
This position locks the transmission to
prevent the vehicle from moving. The
engine can be started in this position.
“R” REVERSE
This position is to back up.
116)
“N” NEUTRAL
At this position the transmission is
disengaged. It is the same as the
neutral position on a manual
transmission, and should only be used
when the vehicle is stationary for an
extended length of time during driving,
such as in a traffic jam.
117) 118) 119)
“D” DRIVE
This position is used for most city and
highway driving. The transmission will
automatically change its gear
depending on road and driving
conditions.
120)
Sport mode
Whether the vehicle is stationary or in
motion, sports mode is selected by
gently pushing the selector lever from
the “D” (DRIVE) position into the manual
gate (A). To return to “D” range
operation, gently push the selector lever
back into the main gate (B).In sports mode, gear shifts can be
made rapidly simply by moving the
selector lever backward and forward.
For vehicles equipped with the shift
paddles, shift paddles at the steering
wheel can also be used to perform
gearshift. In contrast to a manual
transmission, the sports mode allows
gear shifts with the accelerator pedal
depressed.
NOTE If your vehicle is equipped with
the shift paddles, you can shift into
sports mode with shift paddles when
the selector lever is in the main gate as
well. Also, you can return to the “D”
range operation in any of following
ways. When returning to “D” range
operation, the selector lever position
display will change to “D” (DRIVE)
position.
Pull the + (SHIFT UP) side shift
paddle forward (toward the driver) for
over 2 seconds.
Stop the vehicle.
Push the selector lever from the “D”
(DRIVE) position into the manual gate
(A) and push the selector lever back
into the main gate (B).
+ Shift up
The transmission shifts up by one gear
with each operation.
— Shift down
The transmission shifts down by one
gear with each operation.
121) 122) 123)
NOTE Only the 5 forward gears can be
selected. To reverse or park the vehicle,
move the selector lever to the “R”
(REVERSE) or “P” (PARK) position as
required.
267AHA106056
163
Page 166 of 316

NOTE To maintain good running
performance, the transmission may
refuse to perform an upshift when the
selector lever or the shift paddles is
moved to the “+ (SHIFT UP)” position at
certain vehicle speeds. Also, to prevent
over-revving of the engine, the
transmission may refuse to perform a
downshift when the selector lever or the
shift paddles is moved to the “—
(SHIFT DOWN)” position at certain
vehicle speeds. When this happens, a
buzzer sounds to indicate that a
downshift is not going to take place.
NOTE Downward shifts are made
automatically when the vehicle slows
down. When the vehicle stops, 1st gear
is automatically selected.
NOTE When driving away on a slippery
road, push the selector lever forward
into the “+ (SHIFT UP)” position. This
cause the transmission to shift into the
2nd gear which is better for smooth
driving away on a slippery road. Push
the selector lever to the “— (SHIFT
DOWN)” side to shift back to the 1st
gear.
NOTE If the A/T fluid temperature is
high, the protection function operates.
In this case, the transmission may
refuse to perform an upshift when the
selector lever or the shift paddles are
operated to the “+ (SHIFT UP)” position
in sports mode, or it may automatically
downshift.Sports mode indicator
In sports mode, the currently selected
position is indicated by the indicator (A)
shown on the instrument panel.
When a malfunction occurs in the
automatic transmission
When the selector lever position
display blinks
When the selector lever position display
blinks while you are driving, there could
be a malfunction in the automatic
transmission system.NOTE “A” indicator does blink only the
condition that the A/T positional switch
is broken. It does not indicate in normal
driving condition.
124)
When the A/T (automatic
transmission) fluid temperature
warning lamp comes on
The automatic transmission fluid
temperature warning lamp comes on
and a buzzer may sound, when the
automatic transmission fluid
temperature becomes abnormally high.
Normally the warning lamp comes on
when the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position, or the operation mode is
put in ON and then will go off after a
few seconds.
268AHA103619
269AH3100245
164
STARTING AND DRIVING
Page 167 of 316

125)
Operation of the A/T
126) 127) 128) 129) 130) 131)
Passing acceleration
To gain extra acceleration in “D” (DRIVE)
position, push the accelerator to the
floor. The A/T will automatically
downshift.
In sports mode, downshifts do not take
place when the accelerator is
depressed all the way to the floor.
Waiting
For short waiting periods, such as at
traffic signals the vehicle can be left in
gear and held stationary with the
service brake. For longer waiting
periods with the engine running, place
the selector lever in the “N” (NEUTRAL)
position and apply the parking brake,
while holding the vehicle stationary with
the service brake.
132)
Parking
To park the vehicle, first bring it to a
complete stop, fully engage the parking
brake, and then move the selector lever
to the “P” (PARK) position.
If you are going to leave the vehicle
unattended, always switch off the
engine and carry the key.
On a slope, be sure to apply the
parking brake before moving the
selector lever to the “P” (PARK)
position. If you move the selector lever
to the “P” (PARK) position before
applying the parking brake, it may be
difficult to disengage the selector lever
from the “P” (PARK) position when next
you drive the vehicle, requiring
application of a strong force to the
selector lever to move from the “P”
(PARK) position.
When the A/T makes no speed
change
If the transmission does not change
speeds while driving, or your vehicle
does not pick up enough speed when
starting on an uphill slope, it may be
that there is something unusual
happening in the transmission, causing
a safety device to activate. Immediately
have your vehicle checked by a Fiat
Dealership as soon as possible.
1. If your vehicle has difficulty moving
uphill, shift the selector lever into 2nd
gear of the sports mode. This method
might not work depending on the
transmission malfunction.2. Once the vehicle is moving on a level
road, move the selector lever back to
“D” (DRIVE).
When the selector lever position display
in the instrument panel blinks, it means
that there is an abnormal condition in
the transmission. Refer to “When the
selector lever position display blinks”.
IMPORTANT
115)Always depress the brake pedal when
shifting the selector lever into a gear from
the “P” (PARK) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
Never put your foot on the accelerator
pedal while shifting the selector lever from
the “P” (PARK) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
116)Never shift into the “P” (PARK) or “R”
(REVERSE) position while the vehicle is in
motion to avoid a transmission damage.
117)Never move the selector lever to the
“N” (NEUTRAL) position while driving. A
serious accident could occur since you
could accidentally move the lever into the
“P” (PARK) or “R” (REVERSE) position or
you will lose engine braking.
118)On a gradient, the engine should be
started in the “P” (PARK) position, not in the
“N” (NEUTRAL) position.
119)To prevent rolling, always keep your
foot on the brake pedal when the vehicle is
in “N” (NEUTRAL) position, or when shifting
into or out of “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
120)To prevent transmission damage,
never shift into the “D” (DRIVE) position
from the “R” (REVERSE) position while the
vehicle is in motion.
270AHA103622
165
Page 168 of 316

121)In sports mode, the driver must
execute upward shifts in accordance with
prevailing road conditions, taking care to
keep the engine speed below the red zone.
122)Repeated continuous operation of the
selector lever or the shift paddles will
continuously switch shift position.
123)For vehicles equipped with the shift
paddles, do not use the left- and right-hand
shift paddles at the same time. Doing so
could cause a shift of gear ratio that you do
not expect.
124)If the selector lever position display
blinks while you are driving, it is likely that a
safety device is operating because of a
malfunction in the automatic transmission.
Have the vehicle inspected by a Fiat
Dealership as soon as possible.
125)If the lamp comes on, reduce the
engine speed and stop the vehicle in a safe
area. Then set the selector lever to “P”
(PARK) position and idle the engine until the
warning lamp goes off. When the warning
lamp goes off, resume normal driving. If the
warning lamp does not go off, we
recommend you to have your vehicle
inspected by a Fiat Dealership.
126)Before selecting a gear with the
engine running and the vehicle stationary,
fully depress the brake pedal to prevent the
vehicle from creeping. The vehicle will begin
to move as soon as the gear is engaged,
especially when the engine speed is high,
at fast idle or with the air conditioner
operating, the brakes should only be
released when you are ready to drive away.
127)Depress the brake pedal with the right
foot at all times. Using the left foot could
cause driver movement delay in case of an
emergency.128)To prevent sudden acceleration, never
race the engine when shifting from the “P”
(PARK) or “N” (NEUTRAL) position.
129)Operating the accelerator pedal while
the other foot is resting on the brake pedal
will affect braking efficiency and may cause
premature wear of brake pads.
130)Use the selector lever in the correct
shift position in accordance with driving
conditions. Never coast downhill backward
with the selector lever in the {“D” (DRIVE) or
sports mode} or coast forward with the
selector lever in the “R” (REVERSE)
position. The engine may stop and the
unexpected increase in brake pedal effort
and steering wheel weight could lead to an
accident.
131)Do not race the engine with brake
pedal pressed when the vehicle is
stationary. This can damage the A/T. Also,
when you depress the accelerator pedal
while holding down the brake pedal with
the selector lever in the “P” (PARK), “N”
(NEUTRAL) or “D” (DRIVE) position, the
engine revolutions may not rise as high as
when performing the same operation with
the selector lever in the “N” (NEUTRAL)
position.
132)Never hold the vehicle stationary on a
hill using the accelerator pedal (without
using the brake pedal). Always apply the
parking brake and/or service brakes.EASY SELECT 4WD
(where provided)
Shifting to rear-wheel drive or 4-wheel
drive can be made by operating the
drive mode selector (A). Set the drive
mode-selector to an appropriate
position according to the road surface
conditions. In addition, the 2WD/4WD
operation indicator lamp and the
low-range indicator lamp indicates the
drive mode-selector setting state. Refer
to “2WD/4WD operation indicator lamp
and low-range indicator lamp”.
271AHA103635
166
STARTING AND DRIVING