Unfastening the seat belt
Depress the button 1 fig. 65 on the seat
belt buckle. If the belt does not fully
retract, pull it out and check for kinks or
twists. Then make sure it remains
untwisted as it retracts.
IMPORTANT If a belt does not fully
retract, inspect it for kinks and twists. Ifit is still not retracting properly, have it
inspected: contact an Abarth
Dealership.
IMPORTANT Always wear the seat belt
with it correctly routed in its guide 1
fig. 66. Wearing a seat belt without the
seat belt routed in its guide is
dangerous because the seat belt would
not be able to provide adequate
protection in an accident, which could
result in serious injury.
SEAT BELT WARNING
SYSTEMS
If it detects that the occupant seat belt
is unfastened, the warning light or beep
alerts the occupant.
Refer to “Warning lights and messages”
paragraph in “Knowing the instrument
panel” chapter.Refer to “Seat belt warning beep” in
“Knowing the instrument panel”
chapter.
WARNING
81)Always wear your seat belt and make
sure all occupants are properly restrained.
Not wearing a seat belt is extremely
dangerous. During a collision, occupants
not wearing seat belts could hit someone
or things inside the vehicle or even be
thrown out of the vehicle. They could be
seriously injured or even killed. In the same
collision, occupants wearing seat belts
would be much safer.
82)Do not wear twisted seat belts. Twisted
seat belts are dangerous. In a collision, the
full width of the belt is not available to
absorb the impact. This puts more force on
the bones beneath the belt, which could
cause serious injury or death. So, if your
seat belt is twisted, you must straighten
the seat belt to remove any twists and to
allow the full width of the belt to be used.
83)Never use one seat belt on more than
one person at a time. Using one seat belt
for more than one person at a time is
dangerous. A seat belt used in this way
cannot spread the impact forces properly
and the two passengers could be crushed
together and seriously injured or even
killed. Never use one belt for more than
one person at a time and always operate
the vehicle with each occupant properly
restrained.
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83
SEAT BELT
PRETENSIONER AND
LOAD LIMITING
SYSTEMS
PRETENSIONERS
90) 91) 92) 93)
For optimum protection, the driver and
passenger seat belts are equipped with
pretensioner and load limiting systems.
For both these systems to work
properly you must wear the seat belt
properly.
When a collision is detected, the
pretensioners deploy simultaneously
with the air bags. For deployment
details, refer to the “SRS air bag
deployment criteria” paragraph in this
chapter.
The seat belt retractors remove slack
quickly as the air bags are expanding.
Any time the air bags and seat belt
pretensioners have fired they must be
replaced.A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to “Warning lights and messages”
and “Warning sound is activated”
paragraph in “Knowing the instrument
panel” chapter.
In addition, the pretensioner system for
the passenger, like the front and side
passenger air bag, is designed to only
deploy when the passenger occupant
classification sensor detects a
passenger sitting on the passenger's
seat. For details, refer to the passenger
occupant classification sensor.
IMPORTANT The pretensioner system
may not operate depending on the type
of the collision. For details, refer to the
“SRS Air Bag deployment criteria”
paragraph.
IMPORTANT Some smoke (non-toxic
gas) will be released when the air bags
and pretensioners deploy. This does
not indicate a fire. This gas normally
has no effect on occupants, however,
those with sensitive skin may
experience slight skin irritation. If
residue from the deployment of the air
bags or the pretensioner system gets
on the skin or in the eyes, wash it off as
soon as possible.
LOAD LIMITER
The load limiting system releases belt
webbing in a controlled manner to
reduce belt force on the occupant's
chest.
While the most severe load on a seat
belt occurs in frontal collisions, the load
limiter has an automatic mechanical
function and can activate in any
accident mode with sufficient occupant
movement.
Even if the pretensioners have not fired,
the load limiting function must be
checked by Abarth Dealership.
WARNING
90)Wear seat belts only as recommended
in this Owner Handbook. Incorrect
positioning of the driver and passenger
seat belts is dangerous. Without proper
positioning, the pretensioner and load
limiting systems cannot provide adequate
protection in an accident and this could
result in serious injury. For more details
about wearing seat belts, refer to
"Fastening the seat belts".
85
Side Air Bags
The side air bags are mounted in the
outer sides of the seat backs fig. 78.
When the air bag crash sensors detect
a side impact of greater than moderate
force, the system inflates the side air
bag only on the side in which the
vehicle was hit.The side air bag inflates quickly to
reduce injury to the driver or
passenger's head and chest caused by
directly hitting interior parts such as a
door or window. For more details about
air bag deployment, refer to "SRS Air
Bag deployment criteria" in this chapter.
In addition, the passenger side bag is
designed to only deploy when the
passenger occupant classification
sensor detects a passenger sitting on
the passenger's seat.
Warning Light/Beep
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to “Warning lights and messages”
paragraph in “Knowing your instrument
panel” chapter. Refer to “Warning
sound is activated” paragraph in
“Knowing your instrument panel”
chapter.
Passenger side front air bag and
child-restraint systems
Rearward-facing child-restraint systems
mustNEVERbe fitted on the front seat
with an active passenger side air bag
since in the event of an impact the air
bag activation may cause fatal injuries
to the transported child.
ALWAYScomply with the instructions
on the label stuck on the passenger
side sun visor fig. 79.
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103
130)Do not operate a vehicle with
damaged air bag/seat belt pretensioner
system components. Expended or
damaged air bag/seat belt pretensioner
system components must be replaced
after any collision which caused them to
deploy or damage them. Only a trained
expert repairer, we recommend an Abarth
Dealership that can fully evaluate these
systems to see that they will work in any
subsequent accident. Driving with an
expended or damaged air bag or
pretensioner unit will not afford you the
necessary protection in the event of any
subsequent accident which could result in
serious injury or death.
131)Do not remove interior air bag parts.
Removing any components such as the
seats, front instrument panel, the steering
wheel, containing air bag parts or sensors
is dangerous. These parts contain essential
air bag components. The air bag could
accidentally activate and cause serious
injuries. Always have an Abarth Dealership
remove these parts.132)Do not allow an occupant in the
passenger's seat to sit with a posture
which makes it difficult for the passenger
occupant classification sensor to detect
the occupant correctly. Sitting in the
passenger's seat with a posture which
makes it difficult for the passenger
occupant classification sensor to detect
the occupant correctly is dangerous. If the
passenger occupant classification sensor
cannot detect the occupant sitting on the
passenger's seat correctly, the passenger
front and side air bags and pretensioner
system may not operate (non-deploy) or
they may operate (deploy) accidentally. The
passenger will not have the supplementary
protection of the air bags or the accidental
operation (deployment) of the air bags
could result in serious injury or death.133)Under the following conditions, the
passenger occupant classification sensor
cannot detect a passenger sitting on the
passenger's seat correctly and the
deployment/non-deployment of the air
bags cannot be controlled as indicated in
the passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light on/off condition chart. For
example: luggage or other items placed
under the passenger seat or between the
passenger seat and driver seat that push
up the passenger seat bottom / An object,
such as a seat cushion, is put on the
passenger's seat or between the
passenger's back and the seat back / A
seat cover is put on the passenger's seat /
Luggage or other items are placed on the
seat with the child in the child-restraint
system / The seat is washed / Liquids are
spilled on the seat / The passenger seat is
moved backward, pushing into luggage or
other items placed behind it / Luggage or
other items are placed between the
passenger seat and driver seat / An electric
device is put on the passenger's seat. The
passenger front and side air bags and seat
belt pretensioner systems will deactivate if
the passenger air bag deactivation OFF
indicator light turns on.
IMPORTANT
22)To assure proper deployment of the
front air bag and to prevent damage to the
sensor in the seat cushion: do not place
sharp objects on the seat cushion or leave
heavy luggage on them. Do not spill any
liquids on the seats or under the seats.
112
SAFETY
SCHEDULED SERVICING PLAN
The checks listed in the Scheduled Servicing Plan, after reaching 120,000 km/8 years, must be cyclically repeated starting from
the first interval, thus following the same intervals as before.
Thousands of miles9 182736455463728190
Thousands of kilometers15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150
Years12345678910
Check tire condition/wear and adjust pressure, if
necessary. Check quick tire repair kit recharge
condition and expiry date (where provided)
●●●●●●●●●●
Check operation of lighting system (headlights,
direction indicators, hazard warning lights, boot,
passenger compartment, glove compartment,
instrumental panel warning lights, etc.)
●●●●●●●●●●
Check and, if necessary, top up fluid levels (1)●●●●●●●●●●
Check exhaust emissions/smokiness●●●●●●●●●●
Use the diagnosis socket to check engine
management system operation, emissions and,
for versions/markets where provided, engine oil
degradation
●●●●●●●●●●
Visually inspect conditions of: exterior bodywork,
underbody protection, pipes and hoses (exhaust,
fuel system, brakes), rubber elements (gaiters,
sleeves, bushes, etc.) and fasteners in sight
●●●●●
Visually inspect conditions of steering elements
and check their operation●●●●●
(1) Always only use the liquids shown in the handbook for topping up after having checked that the system is not damaged.
167
keep terminals and connections
clean, tight, and coated with petroleum
jelly or terminal grease;
rinse off spilled electrolyte
immediately with a solution of water
and baking soda;
if the vehicle will not be used for an
extended time, disconnect the battery
leads and charge the battery every six
weeks.
NOTE
Every time the battery is reconnected
after being disconnected, it is
necessary to perform the following
procedure:
warm up the engine;
with the vehicle stationary, the engine
running and the transmission in the
neutral or N/P (for automatic
transmission) position, press the
accelerator down fully to bring the
engine speed to over 6000 rpm;
release the accelerator pedal and
wait for the engine to return naturally to
idling speed.
If this procedure is not performed, the
warning light could turn on: in this
case, contact Abarth Dealership.
IMPORTANT If, after the first press of
the accelerator pedal to bring the
engine to over 6000 rpm, another
follows immediately after without the
engine naturally reaching idling speed,the learning procedure is invalidated
and the
warning light on the
instrument panel will turn on. If the
engine is not brought to over 6000 rpm,
or it is not warmed up, the control unit
will keep open the possibility to repeat
the described procedure.
Inspecting electrolyte level
A low level of electrolyte fluid will cause
the battery to discharge quickly.
Inspect the electrolyte level at least
once a week. If it is low, remove the
caps and add enough distilled water to
bring the level between the upper and
lower level (1 fig. 156 = upper level/2=
lower level).Do not overfill.
Examine the specific gravity of the
electrolyte with a hydrometer, especially
during cold weather. If it is low,
recharge the battery.
Battery replacement
Contact Abarth Dealership for a battery
replacement purchase.
After replacing the battery, perform the
phonic wheel learning procedure
described in the “Battery maintenance”
chapter.
WARNING
194)Never smoke when performing
operations in the engine compartment.
Flammable gases and fumes may be
present and risk igniting.
195)Be very careful when working in the
engine compartment when the engine is
hot: you may get burned. Do not get too
close to the radiator cooling fan: the
electric fan may start; danger of injury.
Scarves, ties and other loose clothing
might be pulled by moving parts.
196)If the engine oil is being topped up,
wait for the engine to cool down before
loosening the filler cap, particularly for
vehicles with aluminium cap (where
provided). IMPORTANT: risk of burns!
197)Do not use a match or live flame in
the engine compartment. DO NOT ADD
COOLANT WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT: a
hot engine is dangerous. If the engine has
been running, parts of the engine
compartment can become very hot. You
could be burned. Carefully inspect the
engine coolant in the coolant reservoir, but
do not open it.
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174
MAINTENANCE AND CARE
SEATS AND FABRIC
PARTS
Seat belt maintenance
220) 221)
Clean the soiled area by lightly dabbing
it with a soft cloth soaked in a mild
detergent (approx. 5%) diluted with
water.
Wipe off the remaining detergent using
a cloth soaked in clean water and
wrung out well.
Before retracting seat belts which have
been pulled out for cleaning, dry them
off thoroughly and make sure there is
no remaining moisture on them.
NOTE Clean seat belts diligently if they
get dirty. Leaving them uncleaned will
make it dif cult to clean them later, and
it may affect the smooth retracting of
the seat belt.
PLASTIC PART
MAINTENANCE
47)
Instrument panel top maintenance
219)
Wipe the soiled area with a soft cloth
soaked in a mild detergent (approx. 5%)
diluted with water.
Wipe off the remaining detergent using
a cloth soaked in clean water and
wrung out well.
ALCANTARA PARTS
48)
Procedure for restoring Alcantara parts:
treat the surface using a microfibre
cloth moistened with mild Marseilles
soap and water, taking care to cover
the whole covered area, applying a
uniform light pressure (do not rub hard);
rinse and wring out the microfibre
cloth, and pass over the covered area
treated in the previous point again;
leave it to dry and brush it gently with
a soft brush.
WARNING
219)Do not spray water into the vehicle
cabin. Spraying water into the vehicle cabin
is dangerous as electrical devices such as
the audio and switches could get wet
resulting in a malfunction or vehicle fire.
220)If a seat belt appears frayed or has
abrasions, have it replaced by a
Dealership. If a seat belts is used under
such a condition, it cannot function at its
full capacity which could result in serious
injury or death.
221)Use a mild detergent to remove
soiling from a seat belt. If organic solvents
are used for cleaning the seat belts or they
become stained or bleached, there is the
possibility of them becoming weakened
and as a result, they may not function at
their full capacity which could cause
serious injury or death.222)Never use flammable products, such
as petrol ether or rectified petrol to clean
the inside of the car. The electrostatic
charges which are generated by rubbing
during the cleaning operation may cause a
fire.
223)Do not keep aerosol cans in the car:
they might explode. Aerosol cans must not
be exposed to a temperature exceeding
50°C. When the vehicle is exposed to
sunlight, the internal temperature can
greatly exceed this value.
224)There must be no obstacles on the
floor underneath the pedals; make sure
that mats are always flat and do not
interfere with the pedals.
IMPORTANT
47)Never use alcohol, petrols and
derivatives to clean the dashboard and
instrument panel lens.
48)Do not use “hard” synthetic brushes as
they could damage the fabric beyond
repair. Do not perform partial, localised
restorations that could cause “aesthetic”
differences between treated and untreated
areas. Do not use alcohol or ketone-based
solvents.
181
INDEX
ABS system................73
Accessory socket.............38
Active bonnet................74
Active safety systems...........73
Advanced Keyless Entry System....14
AFS (Adaptive Front Lighting
System)..................27
Attaching the tow hooks........161
Auto-wiper control............29
Automatic climate control system.......................34
Automatic lighting.............25
Automatic transmission.........119
Auxiliary driving systems.........77
Battery (maintenance).........173
Battery charging procedure......176
Battery recharging............176
Bodywork (care and
maintenance).............178
Bonnet....................41
Boot lid...................38
Boot lid (opening).............38
Brake Assist................117
Brake/clutch fluid (level check). . . .173
Checking levels.............171
Child seat installation position.....90
Child-restraint precautions.......86
Child-restraint system suitability
for various seat position.......91Child-restraint system types......89
Climate control system..........31
Coming Home light system.......25
Constant monitoring..........114
Control panel and instruments.....48
Convertible Top (lowering)........42
Convertible Top (Soft Top)........42
Cruise Control..............123
Dashboard..................8
Dead lock device.............16
Dimensions................188
Doors.....................16
Drive selection..............123
Driver Air Bag...............102
DRL (Daytime Running Lights).....24
DSC system................73
Emergency flap opening.......131
Emergency stop signal system. . . .138
Emergency towing............163
Engine...................184
Engine compartment..........171
Engine coolant (level check)......172
Engine oil (level check).........172
Essential information............3
Exterior lights................24
Flash to pass...............25
Fluid capacities..............189
Fluids and lubricants..........190Front fog lights...............25
Fuel consumption and
CO2 emissions............193
Fuel filler cap...............131
Fuse block (engine compartment)......................149
Fuse block (left side of the vehicle)......................152
Fuses (under the bonnet)........148
Fuses (vehicle's left side)........147
Gear lever positions..........119
Gear Shift Indicator............52
Hazard warning lights.........138
Hazard warning lights (control). . . .138
Head restraints...............21
Headlight washer.............30
Headlights..................24
Heated seats................19
Heavy-dute use of the vehicle
(scheduled servicing)........166
High beams.................25
HLA function................80
How the SRS Air bags work......102
How to use this manual..........3
Identification data............183
Ignition switch...............11
Immobilizer system............14
INFO switch.................51
Installing child-restraint systems....95
Interior care................180
Interiors..................180