
39)Never, under any circumstances, jump
start the engine by pushing, towing or
coasting downhill. This could cause fuel to
flow into the catalytic converter and
damage it beyond repair.
40)A quick burst on the accelerator before
stopping the engine serves no practical
purpose; it wastes fuel and is especially
damaging to turbocharged engines.PARKING THE
VEHICLE
When parking and leaving the car,
proceed as follows:
engage a gear (1stgear if facing
uphill or reverse if facing downhill) and
leave the wheels turned;
stop the engine and engage the
handbrake;
always remove the ignition key.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a
stone if the car is parked on a steep
slope.
Do not leave the ignition key on MAR to
avoid draining the battery. Always
remove the key when you leave the car.
Versions with Dualogic
transmission
To park safely it is essential to engage
1
stgear or reverse (R), with your foot on
the brake pedal and, if there is a
gradient, to operate the handbrake.
Before releasing the brake pedal, wait
until P appears on the display.
IMPORTANT NEVER leave the car with
the gearbox in neutral (or, on versions
equipped with automatic transmission,
before placing the gear lever at P).HANDBRAKE
124) 125) 126)
The handbrake lever fig. 74 is located
between the two front seats.
Handbrake engagement
To use the handbrake pull the lever
upwards until the car cannot be moved.
When the handbrake is on and the
ignition key is at MAR position, the
warning light
will appear on the
instrument panel.
Handbrake disengagement
Proceed as follows to release the
handbrake:
slightly lift the handbrake and press
release button A fig. 74;
press and hold button A and lower
the lever. The
warning light in the
instrument panel will go out.
74F0S0048
98
STARTING AND DRIVING

Press the brake pedal when carrying
out this operation to prevent the car
from moving accidentally.
WARNING
124)The car should be braked after a few
clicks of the lever, if it is not, contact a
Fiat Dealership to have it adjusted.
125)Never leave children in the
unattended car. Always remove the ignition
key when leaving the car and take it out
with you.
126)In the case of parking manoeuvres on
roads on a gradient, the front wheels
must be steered towards the pavement
(when parking downhill), or in the opposite
direction if the vehicle is parked uphill.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a stone if
the car is parked on a steep slope.
MANUAL
TRANSMISSION
(for versions/markets, where provided)
127)
41)
To engage the gears, press the clutch
pedal fully and put the gear lever into
the required position (the diagram
for gear engagement is shown on the
lever knob fig. 75).
For cars provided with 6-speed
gearbox, to engage the 6
thgear,
operate the lever by pressing it towards
the right in order to avoid engaging
the 4
thgear by mistake. The same
applies to the shift from 6thto 5thgear.
To engage reverse R from neutral, lift
the sliding ring A fig. 75 under the knob
and shift the lever to the right and
back.IMPORTANT Reverse can only be
engaged when the vehicle is completely
stationary. With the engine running,
wait for at least 2 seconds with the
clutch pedal fully depressed before
engaging reverse to prevent damage to
the gears and grating.
IMPORTANT The clutch pedal should
be used only for gear changes. Do
not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal, however lightly. For
versions/markets where provided, the
electronic clutch control could cut
in, interpreting the incorrect driving style
as a fault.
WARNING
127)Press the clutch pedal fully to change
gears 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.
WARNING
41)Do not drive with your hand resting on
the gear lever as the force exerted, even
if slight, could lead over time to premature
wear of the gearbox internal components.
75F0S0597
99

WARNING
42)Avoid keeping your hand placed on this
lever in between gear changes or
Auto/Manual mode.
43)Using the paddles incorrectly (paddles
pushed towards the dashboard) could
break them.
44)If the transmission is faulty, contact a
Fiat Dealership as soon as possible to have
the system checked.
45)Using the paddles incorrectly (paddles
pushed towards the dashboard) could
break them.
DUALDRIVE
ELECTRIC POWER
STEERING
(for versions/markets, where provided)
Turning on/off (CITY function)
Press button A fig. 78 to turn the
function on/off.
When the function is active, the CITY
text on the display turns on.
When the CITY function is on, the
steering wheel effort is lighter, making
parking easier: therefore, this function is
particularly useful for driving in city
centres.
To deactivate the function press the
button again.
128) 129)
ECO FUNCTION
(for versions/markets, where provided)
With the ignition key at MAR, press
button ECO B fig. 78 to activate the
function. The word ECO on the display
will light up or, according to the version,
a dedicated screen will be displayed.
When the function is activated,
the car is set for city driving,
characterised by less effort on the
steering wheel (Dualdrive system on)
and reduced fuel consumption.
Press the button again to deactivate
the function.
This function is not stored, so the
system will restart with the function on
when the engine is restarted.
WARNING
128)It is absolutely forbidden to carry out
any after-market operation involving
steering system or steering column
modifications (e.g. installation of anti-theft
device) that could adversely affect
performance and safety, invalidate the
warranty and also result in the car not
meeting type-approval requirements.
78F0S0650
101

129)Before starting any servicing
operation, stop the engine and remove the
key from the ignition switch to operate
the steering lock, particularly when the
wheels do not touch the ground. If this is
not possible (for example if the key needs
to be turned to MAR or the engine must be
running), remove the main fuse that
protects the electric power steering.START&STOP
SYSTEM
130) 131) 132) 133)
46)
(for versions/markets, where provided)
The Start&Stop system automatically
stops the engine each time the car
is stationary and starts it again when
the driver wants to move off.
In this way, the vehicle efficiency is
increased, by reducing consumption,
dangerous gas emissions and sound
pollution.
OPERATING MODE
Stopping the engine
With manual transmission: with the car
stationary, the engine stops with the
transmission in neutral and the clutch
pedal released.
With Dualogic gearbox: the engine
stops if the car is at a standstill and the
brake pedal is pressed. This condition
can be maintained even if the brake
pedal is not depressed, if the gear lever
is in position N (Neutral).NOTE The engine can only be stopped
automatically over about 10 km/h, to
prevent the engine from being
repeatedly stopped when driving at
walking pace.
Stopping of the engine is indicated by
the warning light or the symbol
on
the instrument panel switching on
(on some versions, together with a
message on the display).
Restarting the engine
With manual transmission: press the
clutch pedal.
With Dualogic gearbox: if the gear lever
is in position N (Neutral), place it in
any other gear, otherwise release the
brake pedal or move the gear lever
to+,–or R (Reverse).
MANUAL SYSTEM
ACTIVATION/
DEACTIVATION
The system can be activated/
deactivated by pressing the button A
fig. 79 on the dashboard.
With the system off, the warning light or
the symbol
appear on the
instrument panel (with a message for
versions with colour display).
Start&Stop mode will be active
whenever the engine is started.
102
STARTING AND DRIVING

SUGGESTIONS FOR
DRIVING
SAVING FUEL
Below are some suggestions which
may help you save fuel and thus lower
the amount of harmful emissions
released into the atmosphere.
Vehicle maintenance
Checks and operations should be
carried out in accordance with
the "Scheduled Servicing Plan" (see the
"Maintenance and care" chapter).
Tyres
Check the tyre pressures at least once
every four weeks: if the pressure is
too low, consumption levels increase as
resistance to rolling is higher.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with an overloaded
luggage compartment. The weight of
the vehicle and its arrangement greatly
affect fuel consumption and stability.Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or the ski rack
from the roof when they are not used.
These accessories lower aerodynamic
penetration and adversely affect
consumption levels. When transporting
particularly large objects, use a trailer
if possible.
Electric devices
Use electrical devices only for the
amount of time needed. The heated
rear window, windscreen wipers and
heater fan require a considerable
amount of energy; increasing
the current uptake increases fuel
consumption (by up to +25% in an
urban cycle).
Climate control module
Using the climate control system will
increase consumption: use standard
ventilation when the temperature
outside permits.
Devices for aerodynamic control
The use of non-certified devices for
aerodynamic control may adversely
affect air drag and consumption levels.DRIVING STYLE
Start
Do not warm up the engine at low or
high revs when the car is stationary;
this causes the engine to warm up
more slowly, thereby increasing fuel
consumption and emissions. It is
therefore advisable to move off
immediately, slowly, avoiding high
speeds: in this way the engine will
warm up more quickly.
Unnecessary actions
Avoid revving up when starting at traffic
lights or before stopping the engine.
The latter action, as well as double-
declutching, is unnecessary and causes
increased fuel consumption and
pollution.
Gear selection
Use a high gear when traffic and road
conditions allow it. Using a low gear for
faster acceleration will increase fuel
consumption. In the same way,
improper use of a high gear increases
consumption, emissions and engine
wear.
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STARTING AND DRIVING

Top speed
Fuel consumption considerably
increases as speed increases. Maintain
a constant speed, avoiding
unnecessary braking and acceleration,
which cost in terms of both fuel
consumption and emissions.
Acceleration
Accelerating violently severely affects
consumption and emissions:
acceleration should be gradual and
should not exceed the maximum
torque.
CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Short journeys and frequent cold starts
do not allow the engine to reach
optimum operating temperature.
Consequently, both consumption (from
+15 to +30% on the urban cycle) and
emissions will increase.
Traffic and road conditions
High fuel consumption is caused by
heavy traffic, for instance when
travelling in a queue with frequent use
of low gears or in cities with many traffic
lights. Winding mountain roads and
rough road surfaces also adversely
affect consumption.Stops in traffic
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g. level
crossings) switch off the engine.REFUELLING THE
VEHICLE
138) 139) 140)
Before refuelling, make sure that the
fuel type is correct. Also stop the
engine before refuelling.
PETROL VERSIONS
Only use unleaded petrol with a number
of octanes (R.O.N.) not lower than 95
(EN228 specification).
IMPORTANT An inefficient catalytic
converter leads to harmful exhaust
emissions, thus contributing to air
pollution.
IMPORTANT Never introduce leaded
petrol to the tank, even in small
amounts in an emergency, as this
would damage the catalytic converter
beyond repair.
REFUELLING CAPACITY
To ensure that you fill the tank
completely, top up twice after the first
click of the fuel supply gun. Further
top-ups could cause faults in the fuel
feeding system.
109

FUEL TANK CAP
Plug B fig. 84 is fitted with loss
prevention device C which secures it to
flap A.
Refuelling procedure
open lid A;
turn the ignition key anticlockwise in
the lock and unscrew the cap B. The
sealing may cause a slight pressure
increase in the tank. A little breathing
off, while slackening the cap is
absolutely normal;
when refuelling, fasten the cap to
the device inside the flap as shown
in fig. 84.LPG VERSIONS
IMPORTANT Only use LPG for motor
vehicles.
The gas filler is located next to the
petrol filler cap. It has a check valve,
located in the filler body itself.
To access the filler, open the access
flap A fig. 85 and undo the cap B.
Observe the following precautions
during the refuelling operation:stop the engine;
apply the handbrake;
turn the ignition key to STOP;
do not smoke;
hand the special adapter over to the
qualified LPG refuelling personnel.IMPORTANT Before refuelling with LPG,
the qualified personnel must make
sure that the adapter is correctly
screwed onto the filler.
IMPORTANT Depending on the country,
there are various types of adapters for
the refuelling pump. The adapter C
fig. 86 that comes with the car in a
special case is specifically designed for
the country in which the car is sold. If
you are in a different country, find out
what type of adapter is used there.
IMPORTANT Look after the LPG
adapter carefully so that it does not get
damaged.
IMPORTANT Only use LPG for motor
vehicles.
84F0S0104
85F0S0538
86F0S0539
110
STARTING AND DRIVING

TOWING TRAILERS
(for versions/markets, where provided)
141) 142)
IMPORTANT NOTES
For towing caravans or trailers the car
must be fitted with an approved tow
hook and an adequate electrical
system. Installation should be carried
out by specialised technicians who will
issue the required papers for travelling
on roads.
Install any specific and/or additional
door mirrors as specified by the
Highway Code.
Remember that, when towing a trailer,
steep hills are harder to climb, braking
distances increase and overtaking
takes longer depending on the overall
weight of the trailer. Engage a low gear
when driving downhill, rather than
constantly using the brake.
The weight the trailer exerts on the car
tow hook reduces the car's loading
capacity by the same amount. To make
sure that the maximum towable weight
is not exceeded (given in the vehicle
registration document) account should
be taken of the fully laden trailer,
including accessories and luggage.Respect the speed limits specific to
each country for cars towing trailers. In
any case, the top speed must not
exceed 100 km/h.
IMPORTANT The engine must be
running when using auxiliary loads other
than external lights.
IMPORTANT To install a tow hook
contact a Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
141)The ABS with which the car is
equipped will not control the braking
system of the trailer. Particular caution is
required on slippery roads.
142)Never modify the braking system of
the vehicle to control the trailer brake. The
trailer braking system must be fully
independent of the vehicle’s hydraulic
system.
112
STARTING AND DRIVING