ACTIVE SAFETYSYSTEMS
The vehicle may be equipped with the
following active safety devices:
ABS (Anti-Lock Brakes);
DTC (Drive Train Control);
ESC (Electronic Stability Control);
TC (Traction Control);
PBA (Panic Brake Assist);
HSA (Hill Start Assist);
AST (Alfa™ Steering Torque);
ATV (Alfa™ Active Torque Vectoring).
For the operation of the systems, see the
following pages.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
This system, which is an integral part of
the braking system, prevents one or more
wheels from locking and slipping in all
road surface conditions, irrespective of
the intensity of the braking action,
ensuring that the vehicle can be
controlled even during emergency
braking and optimising stopping
distances.
The system intervenes during braking
when the wheels are about to lock,
typically in emergency braking or
low-grip conditions, when locking may be
more frequent.
The system also improves control and
stability of the vehicle when braking on a
surface where the grip of the left and
right wheels varies, or on corners.The Electronic Braking Force Distribution
(EBD) system completes the system
allowing the brake force to be distributed
between the front and rear wheels.
System intervention
The ABS equipped on this vehicle is
provided with the "Brake by wire"
(Integrated Brake System - IBS) function.
With this system, the brake pedal
command given by pressing the brake
pedal is not transmitted hydraulically but
electronically, therefore, the light
pulsation that could be felt on the pedal
with the traditional system is no longer
perceptible.33) 34) 35) 36) 37) 38)
DTC (Drive Train Control)SYSTEM(where provided)
Some versions of this vehicle are
equipped with an automatically
activated/deactivated four-wheel drive
system (AWD), which offers an optimal
drive for countless driving conditions and
road surfaces. The system reduces the
slipping of the tyres to a minimum,
automatically redistributing the torque
to the front and rear wheels, as needed.
To maximize fuel savings, the car with
AWD automatically passes to rear-wheel
drive (RWD) when the road and
environmental conditions are such that
they would not cause the tyres to slip.When the road and environmental
conditions require better traction, the
vehicle automatically goes to AWD mode.
39)
IMPORTANT If the system failure symbol
switches on, after starting the engine or
while driving, it means that the AWD
system is not working properly. If the
warning message activates frequently, it
is recommended to carry out the
maintenance operations.
40)
ESC (Electronic Stability Control)
SYSTEM
The ESC system improves the directional
control and stability of the car in various
driving conditions.
The ESC system corrects the car’s
understeer and oversteer, distributing
the brake force on the appropriate
wheels. The torque supplied by the
engine can also be reduced in order to
maintain control of the vehicle.
The ESC system uses sensors installed
on the car to determine the trajectory
that the driver intends to follow and
compares it with the car’s effective
trajectory. When the real trajectory
deviates from the desired trajectory, the
ESC system intervenes to counter the
vehicle’s understeer or oversteer.
Oversteer: occurs when the car is
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SAFETY
48)The TC system cannot overrule the
natural laws of physics, and cannot increase
the grip available according to the condition
of the road.
49)The TC system cannot prevent
accidents, including those due to excessive
speed on corners, driving on low-grip
surfaces or aquaplaning.
50)The capability of the TC must never be
tested irresponsibly and dangerously, in
such a way as to compromise personal
safety and the safety of others.
51)The PBA system cannot overrule the
natural laws of physics, and cannot increase
the grip available according to the condition
of the road.
52)The PBA system cannot prevent
accidents, including those due to excessive
speed on corners, driving on low-grip
surfaces or aquaplaning.
53)The capability of the PBA system must
never be tested irresponsibly and
dangerously, in such a way as to compromise
the safety of the driver, the other occupants
of the vehicle or any other road user.
54)The HSA system is not a parking brake;
therefore, never leave the vehicle without
having engaged the electric parking brake,
turned the engine off and engaged first gear,
so that it is parked in safe conditions (for
further information read the "Parking"
paragraph in the "Starting and driving"
chapter).
55)There may be situations on small
gradients (less than 8%), with vehicle laden,
in which the Hill Start Assist system may not
activate, causing a slight reversing motion
and increasing the risk of collision with
another vehicle or object. The driver is, in any
case, responsible for safe driving.56)The AST system is an aid for driving and
does not relieve the driver of responsibility
for driving the vehicle.DRIVING ASSISTANCE
SYSTEMS
The vehicle can feature the following
driving assistance systems:
BSM (Blind Spot Monitoring);
FCW (Forward Collision Warning);
TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring
System).
For the operation of the systems, see the
following pages.
BSM (Blind Spot Monitoring)SYSTEM
The BSM (Blind Spot Monitoring) system
uses two radar sensors, located in the
rear bumper (one for each side - see
fig. 58 ), to detect the presence of cars
(cars, trucks, motorbikes, etc.) in the rear
side blind spots of your car.
The system warns the driver about the
presence of vehicles in the detection
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area by lighting up, on the relevant side,
the warning light located on the door
mirror fig. 59 and, where provided, by
means of an acoustic signal (if the
respective item is programmed on the
Connect system). The default setting is
“Sound and Display”.
When the engine is started the warning
light turns on to signal the driver that the
system is active.
Sensors
57)
The sensors are activated when any
forward gear is engaged at a speed
higher than about 6 mph (10 km/h), or
when reverse is engaged.
The sensors are temporarily deactivated
when the car is stationary and the P
(Park) mode active.
The detection area of the system coversabout a lane on both sides of the car
(around 10 ft (3 metres)).
This area begins from the door mirror and
extends for about 20 ft (6 metres)
towards the rear part of the car.
When the sensors are active the system
monitors the detection areas on both
sides of the car and warns the driver
about the possible presence of cars in
these areas.
While driving the system monitors the
detection area from three different input
points (side, rear and front) to check
whether a signal needs to be sent to the
driver. The system can detect the
presence of a vehicle in one of these
three areas.
IMPORTANT The system does not signal
the presence of fixed object (e.g. safety
barriers, poles, walls, etc.). However, in
some circumstances, the system may
activate in the presence of these objects.
This is normal and does not indicate a
system malfunction.
IMPORTANT The system does not warn
the driver about the presence of vehicles
coming from the opposite direction, in
the adjacent lanes.
Important notes
If a trailer is hitched to the vehicle, the
system automatically deactivates.For the system to operate correctly, the
rear bumper area where the radar
sensors are located must stay free from
snow, ice and dirt gathered from the road
surface.
Do not cover the rear bumper area where
the radar sensors are located with any
object (e.g. adhesives, bike rack, etc.).
If, after purchasing the vehicle, you wish
to install the tow hook, you need to
deactivate the system via the Connect
system. To access the function, on the
main menu select the following items in
sequence: "Settings", "Safety" and "Blind
Spot Alert".
Rear view
The system detects cars coming from the
rear part of your car on both sides and
entering the rear detection area with a
difference in speed of less than 31 mph
(50 km/h) with respect to your car.
Overtaking vehicles
If another vehicle is overtaken slowly
(with a difference in speed of less than
about 15.5 mph (25 km/h) and this stays
in the blind spot for about 1.5 seconds,
the warning light on the door mirror of
the corresponding side lights up.
If the difference in speed between the
two vehicles is greater than about
15.5 mph (25 km/h), the warning light
does not light up.
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SAFETY
RCP (Rear Cross Path detection) system
This system helps the driver during
reverse manoeuvres in the case of
reduced visibility.
The RCP system monitors the rear
detection areas on both sides of the car,
to detect objects moving towards the
sides of the car at a minimum speed
between about 0.6 mph and 2 mph
(1 km/h and 3 km/h) and objects moving
at a maximum speed of 22 mph
(35 km/h), as generally happens in
parking areas.
The system activation is signalled to the
driver by means of a visual and acoustic
warning.
IMPORTANT If the sensors are covered
by objects or vehicles, the system will not
warn the driver.
Operating mode
The system may be activated/
deactivated via the Connect system. To
access the function, on the main menu
select the following items in sequence:
"Settings", "Safety" and "Blind Spot
Alert"."Blind spot alert", "Visual" mode
When the system is enabled, a visual
warning is sent to the door mirror on the
side of the detected object.
The visual warning on the mirror will blink
if the driver switches on the direction
indicators, thus indicating the intention
to change lane.
The warning will be fixed if the driver
stays on the same lane.
"Blind spot alert" function deactivation
When the system is deactivated ("Blind
Spot Alert" mode at "OFF"), the BSM or
RCP systems will not emit neither
acoustic warnings.
The BSM system will store the operating
mode running when the engine was
stopped. Each time the engine is started,
the operating mode stored previously will
be recalled and used.
FORWARD COLLISION WARNING (FCW)
SYSTEM
57) 58) 59) 60) 61) 62)
22) 23) 24) 25) 26) 27) 28) 29) 30)
This is a driving assistance system
composed of a radar located behind the
front bumper fig. 60 and a camera
located in the middle of the windscreen
fig. 61.
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when that vehicle is at a greater distance,
thus providing the possibility of acting on
the brakes more lightly and gradually.
This setting provides the drivers with the
maximum possible reaction time to
prevent a potential accident.
With the option set to "Near", the system
will warn the driver of a possible accident
with the vehicle in front when that vehicle
is close. This setting offers the driver a
lower reaction time compared to the
"Med" and "Far" settings, in the event of a
potential accident, but permits more
dynamic driving of the car.
The system sensitivity setting is kept in
the memory when the engine is switched
off.
System limited operation warning
If the dedicated message is displayed, a
condition limiting the system operation
may have occurred. The possible reasons
of this limitation are something blocking
the camera view or a fault.
In this condition it will still be possible to
drive the car normally, but automatic
braking will not be available in the event
of an impending collision.
If an obstruction is signalled, clean the
area of the windscreen indicated in
fig. 61.
When the conditions limiting the system
functions end, this will go back to normaland complete operation. Should the fault
persist, contact an Alfa Romeo
Dealership.
System failure warning
If the system switches off and a
dedicated message is shown on the
display, it means that there is a fault on
the system.
In this case, it is still possible to drive the
car, but you are advised to contact an
Alfa Romeo Dealership as soon as
possible.
Radar warning not available
If conditions are such that the radar
cannot detect obstacles correctly, the
system is deactivated and a dedicated
message appears on the display. This
generally occurs in the event of poor
visibility, such as when it is snowing or
raining heavily.
The system can also be temporarily
dimmed due to obstructions such as mud,
dirt or ice on the bumper. In such cases, a
dedicated message will be shown on the
display and the system will be
deactivated. This message can
sometimes appear in conditions of high
reflectivity (e.g. tunnels with reflective
tiles or ice or snow). When the conditions
limiting the system functions end, this
will go back to normal and complete
operation.In certain particular cases, this dedicated
message could be displayed when the
radar is not detecting any vehicles or
objects within its view range.
If atmospheric conditions are not the real
reason behind this message, check if the
sensor is dirty. It could be necessary to
clean or remove any obstructions in the
area shown in fig. 60.
If the message appears often, even in the
absence of atmospheric conditions such
as snow, rain, mud or other obstructions,
contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership for a
sensor alignment check.
In the absence of visible obstructions,
cleaning the radar surface, by manually
removing the decorative cover trim,
could be required. Have this operation
performed at an Alfa Romeo Dealership.
IMPORTANT It is recommended that you
do not install devices, accessories or
aerodynamic attachments in front of the
sensor or darken it in any way, as this can
compromise the correct functioning of
the system.
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Frontal collision alarm with active
braking
(where provided)
Selecting the “Warning-brake” function
from the “Mode” menu on the Connect
device, allows the FCW system to apply
braking to slow the vehicle down in the
event of a potential frontal impact, in
addition to activating visual and acoustic
messages.
This function applies an additional
braking pressure if the braking pressure
applied by the driver does not suffice to
prevent potential frontal impact.
The function is active with speed above
4.3 mph (7 km/h).
Driving in special conditions
In certain driving conditions, such as, for
example:
driving close to a bend;
the vehicle ahead is leaving a
roundabout;
vehicles with small dimensions and/or
not aligned in the driving lane;
lane change by other vehicles;
vehicles travelling at right angles to
the vehicle.
system intervention might be
unexpected or delayed. The driver must
therefore be very careful, keeping
control of the vehicle to drive in complete
safety.
IMPORTANT In particularly complex
traffic conditions, the driver can
deactivate the system manually through
the Connect system.
Driving close to a bend
When entering or leaving a wide bend, the
system may detect a vehicle that is in
front of you, but that is not driving in the
same lane fig. 62. In cases such as these,
the system may intervene.
The vehicle ahead is leaving a
roundabout
On a roundabout, the system could
detect the presence of a vehicle ahead
which is leaving the roundabout and cut in
fig. 63.Vehicles with small dimensions and/or
not aligned in the driving lane
The system cannot detect vehicles in
front of you but outside the range of the
radar sensor and may therefore not react
in the presence of small vehicles, such as
bicycles or motorcycles fig. 64.
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Lane change by other vehicles
Vehicles suddenly changing lane, entering
the same lane as your car and within the
radar sensor’s operating range, may
cause the system to intervene fig. 65.Vehicles travelling at right angles to
the vehicle
The system could temporarily react to a
vehicle that is passing through the radar
sensor’s operating range at right angles
fig. 66.
Important notes
The system has not been designed to
prevent impacts and cannot detect
possible conditions leading to an
accident in advance. Failure to take into
account this warning may lead to serious
or fatal injuries.
The system may be activated,
assessing the trajectory of the car, in
case of reflecting metal objects different
from other cars, such as safety barriers,
road signs, barriers before parking lots,
tollgates, level crossings, gates, railways,
objects near road constructions sites or
higher than the car (e.g. a flyover). In the
same way, the system may interveneinside multi-storey car parks or tunnels,
or due to a glare on the road surface.
These possible activations are a
consequence of the real driving scenario
coverage by the system and must not be
regarded as faults.
The system has been designed for
road use only. If the vehicle is driven on a
track, the system must be deactivated to
avoid unnecessary warnings. Automatic
deactivation is signalled by the dedicated
warning light/symbol switching on in the
instrument panel (see the instructions in
the "Warning lights and messages"
paragraph, "Knowing the instrument
panel" chapter).
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TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring
System)
63) 64) 65) 66) 67) 68) 69)
31)
The car is equipped with Tyre Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS), which can
advise the driver in the event of
insufficient tyre pressure on the basis of
the pressure when cold indicated in the
"Technical specifications" chapter.
The system comprises a radio-frequency
transmitter sensor fitted to each wheel
(on the rim inside the tyre), which is able
to send information on the inflation
pressure of each tyre to the control unit
fig. 67.
Inflation pressure varies in relation to
temperature by about 1 psi (0.07) bar
every 43.7 °F (6.5 °C). This means that
when the outdoor temperature falls, the
tyre pressure decreases. Always adjustthe tyre inflation pressure when cold.
This is defined as the tyre pressure after
at least 3 hours of vehicle inactivity or
travel of less than 1mile (1.6 km) after
the 3 hour interval.
The cold tyre inflation pressure must not
exceed the maximum pressure indicated
on the shoulder of the tyre: for further
details see the instructions in the "Rims
and tyres" paragraph, in the "Technical
data" chapter.
Tyre pressure increases when the car is
driven. This is normal, and no adjustment
of the pressure is required.
The TPMS signals the driver a possible
insufficient pressure if this falls below
the warning limit for any reason, including
the effects of low temperature and
normal loss of pressure from the tyre.
The TPMS will stop indicating insufficient
tyre pressure when it is equal to or
greater than the prescribed cold inflation
pressure. Therefore, if insufficient tyre
pressure is indicated (
warning light
on instrument panel on), increase the
inflation pressure up to the prescribed
cold inflation value.
The system automatically updates and
warning light
switches off each time
the system receives the updated
inflation pressures. The vehicle might
need to be driven at a speed higher thanabout 15.5 mph (25 km/h) up to
20 minutes for the TPMS to receive this
information.
Operating example
Supposing that the prescribed cold
inflation pressure (i.e. vehicle stationary
for at least 3 hours) is 33.4 psi (2.3 bar),
if the ambient temperature is 68°F
(20°C) and the detected tyre pressure is
28.3 psi (1.95 bar), a temperature
reduction of 19.4°F (−7°C) results in a
decrease in tyre pressure, bringing it to
approximately 24 psi (1.65 bar). This
pressure is sufficiently low to activate
the
warning light.
Heating of tyres due to driving the
vehicle may increase tyre pressure up to
approximately 28.3 psi (1.95 bar), but
the
warning light will stay on. In this
situation, the warning light will switch off
only after the tyres are inflated to the
prescribed cold pressure value for the
car.
IMPORTANT The TPMS is designed for
original tyres and wheels. The prescribed
pressures and consequent alarm
thresholds set in the TPMS are based on
the dimensions of the tyres fitted on the
vehicle. Using spare wheels of a size, type
and/or design different from the original
ones may cause an irregular operation of
the system and damage the sensors.
Aftermarket fitted wheels may damage
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