2020 Abarth 500 battery

PERIODIC CHECKS
Every 1,000 km or before long
journeys, check and, if necessary, top
up the following:
engine coolant level;
brake fluid level;
windscreen washer fluid level;
tyre inflation pressure and condition;
operation of lighting system
(headlights, direction indicators, hazard
warning lights, etc.);
operation of screen washer/wiper
system and positioning/wear of
windscreen/rear window wiper blades.
Every 3,000 km check and top up if
required: engine oil level.
You are advised to use PETRONAS
LUBRICANTS products, which have
been designed and produced
specifically for Abarth cars (see table
"Capacities" in the "Technical
specifications" chapter).
DEMANDING USE OF
THE CAR
If the car is used mainly under one of
the following conditions:
if the car is used under demanding
conditions, e.g. on track;
dusty roads;
short, repeated journeys (less than
7-8 Km) at sub-zero outdoor
temperatures;
engine often idling or driving long
distances at low speeds or long periods
of inactivity;
the following checks must be carried
out more often than indicated in the
Scheduled Servicing Plan:
check front disc brake pad condition
and wear;
check cleanliness of bonnet and
luggage compartment locks,
cleanliness and lubrication of linkage;
visually inspect conditions of:
engine, gearbox, transmission, pipes
and hoses (exhaust/fuel system/brakes)
and rubber elements (gaiters/sleeves/
bushes, etc.);
check battery charge and battery
fluid level (electrolyte);
visually inspect conditions of the
accessory drive belts;
check and, if necessary, change
engine oil and replace oil filter;
check and, if necessary, replace
pollen filter;
check and, if necessary, replace air
cleaner.
120
SERVICING AND CARE

CHECKING LEVELS
31)
30) 136) 137).
135 HP, 145 HP and 160 HP versions
1. Engine oil filler 2. Engine oil dipstick 3. Engine coolant fluid 4. Windscreen washer fluid 5. Brake fluid 6. Battery
109AB0A0353C
121

163 HP, 165 HP and 180 HP versions
1. Engine oil filler 2. Engine oil dipstick 3. Engine coolant fluid 4. Windscreen washer fluid 5. Brake fluid 6. Battery
110AB0A0349C
122
SERVICING AND CARE

BATTERY
The car is fitted with a low-maintenance
battery: no electrolyte top-ups with
distilled water are needed in standard
conditions of use.
INSPECTING THE
CHARGE AND THE
ELECTROLYTE LEVEL
The operations must be carried out as
described in this Owner Handbook only
by specialised personnel. Any top-up
operations must be carried out by
skilled personnel and by an Abarth
Dealership.
REPLACING THE
BATTERY
142) 143) 144) 145)
35)
5)If required, replace the battery with a
genuine spare part with the same
specifications.
If a battery with different specifications
is fitted, the service intervals given in
the "Scheduled Servicing Plan" will no
longer be valid.
Follow the battery manufacturer's
instructions for maintenance.
USEFUL ADVICE FOR
EXTENDING THE LIFE OF
YOUR BATTERY
To avoid draining your battery and
make it last longer, observe the
following instructions:
when you park the car, ensure that
the doors, tailgate and bonnet are
closed properly, to prevent any lights
from remaining on inside the
passenger's compartment;
switch off all roof lights inside the
car: the car is however equipped with a
system which switches all internal
lights off automatically;
do not keep accessories (e.g.
Uconnect™, hazard warning lights,
etc.) switched on for a long time when
the engine is not running;
before performing any operation on
the electrical system, disconnect the
negative battery pole;
completely tighten the battery
terminals.
IMPORTANT If the charge level remains
under 50% for a long time, the battery
is damaged by sulphation, reducing
its capacity and efficiency at start-up.The battery will also be more at risk of
freezing (this can happen as early as
-10°C). Refer to the paragraph "Car
inactivity" in "Starting and driving" if the
car is left parked for a long time.
If after buying the car, you want to
install electrical accessories that require
permanent electrical supply (alarm,
etc.) or accessories that in any case
burden the electrical supply, contact an
Abarth Dealership whose qualified
personnel, in addition to suggesting the
most suitable devices available in
Lineaccessori Abarth, will evaluate the
overall electric consumption, checking
whether the car’s electrical system is
capable of withstanding the load
required, or whether it should
be integrated with a more powerful
battery.
Since some of these devices continue
to consume electricity even when
the engine is off, they gradually run
down the battery.
WARNING
142)Battery fluid is poisonous and
corrosive. Avoid contact with skin and
eyes. Keep naked flames and sources of
sparks away from the battery: risk of
explosion and fire.
125

143)Running the battery with an
excessively low liquid level will damage the
battery beyond repair and could even
cause its explosion.
144)If the vehicle must remain unused for
a long time at a very low temperature,
remove the battery and take it to a warm
place, to avoid freezing.
145)When performing any operation on
the battery or near it, always protect your
eyes with special goggles.
WARNING
35)Incorrect installation of electric and
electronic devices may cause severe
damage to your car. After purchasing your
car, if you wish to install any accessories
(car alarm, car phone etc.), please contact
your Abarth Dealership, which will suggest
the most appropriate devices for your
car and will, most importantly, recommend
installing a higher­capacity battery.
WARNING
5)Batteries contain substances which are
very dangerous for the environment. It is
advisable to contact an Abarth Dealership
for battery replacement.
BATTERY
RECHARGING
146) 147)
IMPORTANT The battery recharging
procedure is given as information only.
It is advisable to contact an Abarth
Dealership to have this operation
performed.
Charging should be slow at a low
ampere rating for approximately 24
hours. Charging for a longer time may
damage the battery.
To recharge, proceed as follows:
disconnect the terminal from the
negative battery pole;
connect the charger cables to the
battery terminals, observing the polarity;
turn on the battery charger;
when it is recharged, turn the
charger off before disconnecting it from
the battery;
reconnect the terminal to the
negative battery pole.WARNING: The cables of the electrical
system must be correctly reconnected
to the battery, i.e. the positive cable
(+) to the positive terminal and the
negative cable (-) to the negative
terminal. The battery terminals are
marked with the positive (+) and
negative (-) symbols, and are shown on
the battery cover. The battery terminals
must also be corrosion-free and firmly
secured to the terminals. If a "quick-
type" battery charger is used with the
battery fitted on the car, before
connecting it disconnect both cables of
the battery itself. Do not use a
"quick-type" battery charger to provide
the starting voltage.
WARNING
146)Battery fluid is poisonous and
corrosive: avoid contact with your skin and
eyes. The battery should be charged in a
well ventilated place, away from naked
flames or possible sources of sparks:
danger of explosion and fire.
147)Do not attempt to recharge a frozen
battery: first it must be thawed, otherwise
there is a risk of explosion. If freezing
has occurred, the battery should be
checked by skilled personnel to make sure
that the internal elements are not damaged
and that the body is not cracked, with the
risk of leaking poisonous and corrosive
acid.
126
SERVICING AND CARE

INDEX
A
ccessories purchased by the
owner.............................4
Analogue pressure gauge............43
Automatic climate control
system...........................29
Battery...........................125
advice for extending its life......125
inspecting the charge...........125
recharging.....................126
replacement...................125
Bodywork (cleaning and
maintenance)....................129
Brake fluid.........................123
Checking levels...................121
Child protection systems.............70
Cleaning and maintenance
car interior.....................132
leather parts...................132
plastic parts....................132
seats..........................132
CO2 emissions....................147
Control panel and on-board
instruments.......................41
Courtesy lights......................23
Daytime running lights (DRL)........20
Dimensions........................139
Dipped headlights (bulb
replacement)....................101
Dipped headlights/side lights.........21Direction indicators..................21
Direction indicators (bulb
replacement)....................100
Doors...............................14
Door central
locking/unlocking................14
door locking/unlocking...........14
opening/closing with the key..................................14
Driver side knee bag.................79
Electric windows...................31
Engine.............................136
marking........................135
Engine bonnet......................37
Engine compartment (washing).....130
Engine coolant fluid................123
Engine oil (consumption)............123
Engine oil (level check)..............123
Exterior lights.......................20
Fiat CODE system..................13
Fitting a child restraint system
with seat belts....................71
Fix&Go kit.........................108
Flashing............................21
Fluids and lubricants...............144
Fog lights (bulb replacement).......101
Fog lights/rear fog light..............22
Follow Me Home (device)............21
Front airbag driver's side.............78
Front airbags........................77Front ceiling light....................23
Front light clusters (bulb
replacement)....................100
Fuel consumption..................147
Fuel cut-off system.................111
Fuel tank cap.......................92
Fuse boxes (location)...............103
Fuses (replacement)................103
Gear Shift Indicator (system)........43
Handbrake.........................86
Hazard warning lights................95
Head restraints......................18
rear head restraints..............18
Headlight alignment corrector........22
Headlights (washing)...............130
Heated rear window (activation)......28
Identification data
bodywork paint plate...........135
chassis marking................135
engine marking.................135
identification data plate.........135
Ignition device.......................12
Installing an “ISOFIX” child
restraint system...................74
Installing electrical/electronic
devices............................4
Instrument panel....................10
Interiors (cleaning)..................132
iTPMS..............................64