Driving Conditions
Before the Trip
Check the following at regular
intervals and always before long trips:
• tire pressure and condition;
• levels of fluids and lubricants;
• conditions of the windshield wiperblades;
• clean the glass on the external light and all other glass surfaces;
• proper operation of the indicator lights and of the external lights.
CAUTION!
It is however advisable to perform
these checks at least every 500 mi
(800 km) and always following the
maintenance schedule reported in
section “Maintenance and Care”.
Before you drive:
•
adjust seat position, steering wheel
and rearview mirrors in order to have
the best driving position;
• ensure that nothing (mat covers, etc.) is obstructing the pedals movement;
• carefully arrange and secure any objects in the trunk, to prevent them from moving forward in case of
sudden stops;
• avoid heavy meals before a trip. A light snack helps keep your reflexes
sharp. In particular, avoid drinking
alcohol.
WARNING!
Beyond being prohibited by law, it is
extremely dangerous to ride inside the
trunk or on the hood. In the event of
an accident, passengers sitting here
are more exposed to the risk of
serious injury. Passengers must only
travel seated in the vehicle seats, with
the seat belts fastened. Always check
that the driver and all passengers
have the seat belts correctly fastened.
Safe Driving
Although the vehicle is equipped with
active and passive safety devices, the
driver's conduct is always a decisive
factor for road safety.
Some simple rules for traveling safely
in different conditions are listed
below. Some of them will probably
already sound familiar but, in any case,
it would be useful to read them
carefully. Driving at Night
The main guidelines to follow when
driving at night are set out below.
• Drive carefully. Night conditions
demand more focus and attention.
• Reduce your speed, especially on roads with no streetlights.
• Stop at early signs of drowsiness. Continuing to drive would be a risk
for yourself and for others. Have a
rest before continuing your trip.
• Keep the vehicle at a greater distance from vehicles in front of you
than you would during the day: it is
difficult to assess the speed of other
vehicles when you only see the lights.
• Use the high beams only outside of densely-populated areas and when
you are sure that they will not
disturb other drivers.
• When another vehicle is approaching, switch from high
beams (if on) to low beams.
• Keep lights and headlights clean.
• Outside of densely-populated areas, beware of animals crossing the road.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads are dangerous. On
a wet road all maneuvers are more
difficult since wheel grip on the
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asphalt is significantly reduced. This
means that braking distances increase
considerably and road grip decreases.
Some advices for driving in the rain
are listed below.
• Reduce your speed and keep agreater safety distance from the
vehicles in front of you. High speed
may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
• When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a wedge of water to
build up between the tire and road
surface. This is known as
aquaplaning and may cause partial
or complete loss of vehicle control
and stopping ability. To reduce this
possibility: slow down if the road has
standing water or puddles.
• Heavy rain substantially reduces visibility. In these circumstances, even
during the day, turn on the low
beams, to be more visible to other
drivers.
• Set the air conditioning and heating system controls on the defogging
function, in order to avoid any
visibility problem.
• Periodically check the conditions of the windshield wiper blades. • In low grip conditions use “ICE”
drive mode (see chapters “Drive
Mode” in this section).
Driving in Fog
If the fog is dense, avoid traveling if
possible.
When driving in mist, blanket fog or
when there is the possibility of banks
of fog, please consider some advices
listed below.
• Keep a moderate speed.
• Even in daytime, turn on the low beams and rear fog lights. Do not
use the high beams.
• Remember that fog creates dampness on the asphalt and thus
any type of maneuver is more
difficult and braking distances are
extended.
• Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you.
• Avoid sudden changes in speed as much as possible.
• Whenever possible, avoid overtaking.
• If you are forced to stop the vehicle (breakdowns, impossibility of
proceeding due to poor visibility,
etc.), first of all, try to stop off of the
travel lane. Then turn on the hazard warning flashers and, if possible, the
low beams.
• Sound the horn rhythmically if you hear another vehicle approaching.
• When you get out of the vehicle, put on the high-visibility vest (if
equipped).
CAUTION!
Be aware that rear fog lights can
bother the drivers following your
vehicle: when visibility is back to
normal, turn off these lights.
Driving in the Mountains
Mountain
roads usually have many
narrow turns and curves, tunnels and
steep uphill or downhill slopes: please
consider some advices listed below.
• Drive at a moderate speed, avoid “cutting” corners.
• When driving inside a tunnel in daylight turn on the low beams in
advance; avoid high beams and be
aware of the rapid brightness
change. Avoid abrupt maneuvers
that could be dangerous for the
following vehicle.
• Never coast downhill with the engine off or in neutral, and never
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before driving through the standing
water.
• Do not exceed 5 mph (8 km/h) when driving through standing water. This
will minimize wave effects.
•
Driving through standing water may
cause damage to your vehicle
drivetrain components. After driving
through standing water, do not drive if
you are not sure about drivetrain
condition. Such damage is not covered
by the New Vehicle Warranty.
• Getting water inside your vehicle engine can cause it to lock up and
stall out, and cause serious internal
damage to the engine. Such damage
is not covered by the New Vehicle
Warranty.
• After driving through standing water always have the fluids (engine
oil, transmission oil, etc) checked for
contamination at an Authorized
Maserati Dealer.
WARNING!
• Driving through standing water
limits your vehicle traction
capabilities. Do not exceed 5 mph
(8 km/h) when driving through
standing water. •
Driving through standing water
limits your vehicle braking
capabilities, which increases
stopping distances. Therefore, after
driving through standing water,
drive slowly and lightly press on the
brake pedal several times to
progressively dry the brakes discs
and pads.
• Getting water inside your vehicle
engine can cause it to lock up and
stall out.
• Failure to follow these warnings
may result in injuries that are
serious or fatal to you, your
passengers, and others around you.
Pollution Control Devices
Even if the vehicle is fitted with
antipollution devices, the environment
deserves the greatest respect from
every one of us.
By following a few simple rules, the
driver can avoid damaging the
environment and very often can
reduce fuel consumption as well.
In this regard, some useful
information is listed here below;
please read it carefully.
• The first precaution is to follow the
Scheduled Service Plan scrupulously
(see “Scheduled Service Plan” in
section “Maintenance and Care”.
• The correct operation of the antipollution devices not only helps
respect for the environment, but
also has an impact on vehicle
efficiency. Keeping these devices in
good working conditions is the first
rule for driving both ecologically
sound and economically.
• Always use unleaded fuel.
• If starting is difficult, do not make prolonged attempts. In particular,
avoid push starts, towing or
downhill starts: these are all
maneuvers that can damage the
catalytic converters. For any
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emergency starting, only use an
auxiliary battery.
• While driving, if the engine does not run smoothly, you may continue
driving but reducing engine
performance to a minimum; you
should then contact the Authorized
Maserati Dealer as soon as possible.
• Never run the engine, even if only for testing, with one or more spark
plugs disconnected.
• Do not warm up the engine letting it idle before starting off, except in the
event that the external temperature
is very low and, even then, for no
longer than 30 seconds.
Catalytic Converter Warnings
During normal operation the catalytic
converter produces high temperatures.
Failure to comply with following rules
can create fire hazards.
• Do not park the vehicle onflammable materials (e.g. grass, dry
leaves, pine needles, etc.).
• Do not install heat guards and do not remove those already fitted to
the catalytic converter and to the
exhaust manifold.
• Do not spray anything on the catalytic converter, Oxygen sensor
and exhaust manifold. In addition to the catalytic converter
system, the vehicles are equipped with
a system for controlling fuel vapor
emissions. This system, called ORVR,
has been designed to help reduce
atmospheric pollution by the
evaporation from the fuel system
during the refueling process. Also,
specific to these vehicles is the fuel
filler neck which comes equipped with
a sealed plug that is grounded to
avoid possible sparking during
re-fueling.
WARNING!
California Proposition 65
Operating, servicing and maintaining
a passenger vehicle or off-road vehicle
can expose you to chemicals including
such as, engine exhaust, carbon
monoxide, phthalates and lead, that
which are know to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm. To
minimize exposure, avoid breathing
exhaust, do not idle the engine except
as necessary, service your vehicle in a
well-ventilated area and wear gloves
or wash your hands frequently when
servicing your vehicle. For more
information go to: www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/passenger-
vehicle
Other Tips
• Do not warm up the engine when
the vehicle is stationary: in these
conditions the engine heats up much
more slowly, thus increasing fuel
consumption and emissions. It is
advisable to move off slowly,
avoiding high engine rpm.
• As soon as traffic conditions and the route permit it, use a higher gear.
• Avoid depressing the accelerator repeatedly during stops at traffic
lights or before turning off the
engine.
• Keep your speed as regular as possible, avoiding unnecessary
braking and acceleration, which
cause fuel wastage and strongly
increase exhaust emissions.
• Turn the engine off if the vehicle remains stationary for a long time.
• Check the tire pressure regularly: if the pressure is too low, fuel
consumption increases and the tires
are damaged.
• Do not transport unnecessary heavy objects in the trunk compartment.
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Tool Kit
The tool bag and other first aid
equipment are located in the trunk
compartment and are available by
lifting the floor panel.
The tools in the bag are the following:
•8+10mmopen end wrench;
• 13 + 17 mm open end wrench;
• double flat + cross-head screwdriver;
• tow hook;
• tool for electric parking brakeactuator release;
• soft top hinge locking/unlocking tool.
Hazard Warning Flashers
The hazard warning flashers switch is
located in the central console under
the A/C controls.
Press the switch to turn on the hazard
warning flashers to warn oncoming
traffic of an emergency. When these
lights illuminate, the turn signals, the
related indicator lights on the
instrument cluster and the button start
flashing.
Press the switch a second time to turn
off the hazard warning flashers.
Hazard warning flashers operation
does not depend on the position of
the key in the ignition switch.
This is an emergency warning system
and it should not be used when the
vehicle is in motion. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and it is creating a
safety hazard for other motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to
seek assistance, the hazard warning
flashers will continue to operate even
though the key has been removed
from the ignition switch.
CAUTION!
• When the hazard warning flashers are activated, the turn signals
control is disabled. • The extended use of the hazard
warning flashers may wear down
your battery.
In an Emergency
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In the Event of an
Accident
It is important always to keep calm.
• If not directly involved, stop at a safedistance of at least 10 yards away
from the accident area.
• If on a highway, stop without obstructing the emergency lane and
be especially careful if you need to
exit the vehicle.
• Turn off the engine and switch on the hazard warning flashers.
• At night, illuminate the accident area with the headlights.
• Always act with caution to avoid the risk of being crashed into by other
drivers.
• Indicate that an accident has occurred by placing the emergency
triangle (if equipped) in a well
visible position and at the prescribed
distance.
• Call the emergency services, providing as much information as
possible. On the highway, use the
special call boxes.
• Remove the ignition key (if present) from the vehicles involved.
• If fuel or other chemical products can be smelled, do not smoke and ask people around you to put their
cigarettes out.
• To extinguish fires, even small ones, use a fire extinguisher, blankets,
sand or earth. Never use water.
• In multiple accidents occurred on highways, particularly where
visibility is poor, there is a high risk
of being involved in other collisions.
Leave the vehicle immediately and
move away from the area.
In case of Injured Persons
• Never leave the injured personalone. Persons not directly involved
in the accident are also required to
give assistance.
• Do not crowd around injured persons.
• Reassure the injured person that help is on the way.
WARNING!
California Proposition 65
Operating, servicing and maintaining
a passenger vehicle or off-road vehicle
can expose you to chemicals including
such as, engine exhaust, carbon
monoxide, phthalates and lead, that
which are know to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. To
minimize exposure, avoid breathing
exhaust, do not idle the engine except
as necessary, service your vehicle in a
well-ventilated area and wear gloves
or wash your hands frequently when
servicing your vehicle. For more
information go to:
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/passenger-
vehicle
In an Emergency
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• If necessary, turn the hazard warningflashers on and place the warning
triangle at the required distance.
WARNING!
• The jack should be used on level firm
ground wherever possible.
• It is recommended that the wheels
of the vehicle be chocked, and that
no person should remain in a vehicle
that is being jacked.
• If the vehicle has been stopped on a
slope or an uneven surface, place
chocks or other suitable items in
front of or behind the wheels to
stop the vehicle from moving.
• Never start or run the engine with
the vehicle on a jack.
• No person should place any portion
of their body under a vehicle that is
supported by a jack.
• Take the bag with compact spare wheel
and tools out of the trunk
compartment and remove it from the
bag. • Remove the bag covering the
compact spare wheel.
• Keep locked the knob on the support rod indicated in the picture.
• From the inner side of compact spare wheel, unscrew and remove the
knob on the other end of the rod. • Pull out the rod slightly to release
the compact spare wheel from the
internal retaining clamp.
• Remove the entire spare wheel and tools from the trunk compartment.
• Remove the rod completely from the cover.
• Remove the cover by unscrewing the two wing nuts with washer. Both the
cover and the plastic support with
pins will be freed.
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• Detach the covering panel fromdriver side of the central console
levering with a protected tool in the
points shown in picture, in
correspondence to the retaining pins.
• Remove the covering panel by pulling it toward the rear to release
it from the couplings.
• With a screwdriver with stem along at least 8 in (20 cm), lift the gear
display keeping it connected to the
vehicle electrical wiring. • Using the opening of gear display,
pry under the drive mode panel and
lift it from the central console. Do
not disconnect the drive mode panel
to the vehicle electrical wiring.
• Using the opening of drive mode panel, pry under the hand control
with the hazard button and lift it
from the front part of the central
console. Do not disconnect the hand
control to the vehicle electrical
wiring. • Through the opening of the hand
control, push on the transmission
shift lever locking mechanism with
the tip of the screwdriver.
• At the same time slightly shift the transmission shift lever toward the N
(Neutral) position, in order to free
the lever locking mechanism. While
moving the transmission shift lever,
remember to press the unlock button
on the lever.
In an Emergency
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