2020 Abarth 500 warning light

Main recommendations to carry
children safely
Install the child restraint systems on
the rear seat, which is the most
protected position in the event of an
impact.
Keep children in rearward facing
child restraint systems for as long as
possible, ideally until they are 2 years
old.
Should a rearward facing child
restraint system be installed on the rear
seats, it is advisable to position it as
far forward as the position of the front
seat allows.
If the passenger's front airbag is
deactivated always check the
permanent switching on of the
warning light to make sure that it
has actually been deactivated.
Carefully follow the instructions
supplied with the child restraint system.
Keep the instructions in the vehicle
along with the other documents and
this handbook. Do not use second-
hand child seats without instructions.
Only one child is to be strapped into
each restraint system; never carry two
children simultaneously.
Always check that the seat belts do
not rest on the child’s neck.
Always check that the seat belt is
well fastened by pulling on it.
While travelling, do not let the child
sit incorrectly or unfasten the belts.
Never allow a child to put the belt's
diagonal section under an arm or
behind their back.
Never carry children on your lap,
even newborns. No-one can hold
a child in the case of a crash.
In the event of an accident, replace
the child restraint system with a new
one. In addition, and depending on the
type of child restraint system installed,
replace the ISOFIX anchors or the
seat belt with which the child restraint
system was connected.
The rear headrest (where provided)
can be removed if needed to install
a child restraint system. The headrest
must always be fitted in the car if the
seat is used by an adult passenger or a
child sitting in a restraint system without
a backrest.
WARNING
79)SERIOUS DANGER. When an active
passenger airbag is fitted, DO NOT install
rear facing child restraint systems on
the front seat. Deployment of the airbag in
an accident could cause fatal injuries to
the child regardless of the severity of
the impact. It is advisable to always carry
children in a child restraint system on
the rear seat, which is the most protected
position in the event of a collision.
80)On the sun visor there is a label with
suitable symbols reminding the user that it
is compulsory to deactivate the airbag if
a rearward facing child restraint system is
fitted. Always comply with the instructions
on the passenger side sun visor (see the
"Front airbags" paragraph).
81)Should it be necessary to carry a child
on the passenger side front seat in a rear
facing child restraint system, the passenger
side front and side airbags must be
deactivated through the display main
menu, verifying deactivation by checking
that the warning light
located in the
central part of the dashboard has switched
on. Move the passenger's seat as far
back as possible to avoid contact between
the child seat and the dashboard.
82)Do not move the front or rear seat if a
child is seated on it or on the dedicated
child restraint system.
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SAFETY

PASSENGER AIRBAG
DEACTIVATION: FRONT AIRBAG
AND FRONT SIDE AIRBAG (SIDE
BAG)
94) 95)
If a child must be carried on the front
seat in a rearward facing child restraint
system, deactivate the passenger
side front airbag and front side bag.Warning light 1 fig. 70 will stay on
constantly until the passenger side front
airbag and the front side bag are
reactivated.
IMPORTANT To manually deactivate the
passenger side front airbag and the
front side bag, see paragraph "Menu
items" in the "Knowing the instrument
panel" chapter.
Driver side knee bag (where
provided)
It consists of an instantly inflating
cushion contained in a special
compartment 3 under the lower
steering column guard fig. 71 at the
driver's knee level. It provides further
protection to the driver in the event of a
frontal impact.
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79

WARNING
91)Do not apply stickers or other objects
on the steering wheel, on the dashboard in
the passenger side airbag area, on the
side upholstery on the roof and on the
seats. Never put objects (e.g. mobile
phones) on the passenger's side
dashboard since they could interfere with
correct inflation of the airbag and also
cause serious injury to the passengers.
92)Always drive with your hands on the
rim of the steering wheel so that the airbag
can inflate freely if required. Do not drive
bent over the steering wheel, but rather sit
upright with your back firmly resting against
the seat back.
93)When there is an active passenger
airbag, DO NOT install rearward facing
child restraint systems on the front seat.
Deployment of the airbag in a crash could
cause fatal injuries to the child regardless
of the severity of the collision. Therefore,
always deactivate the passenger side
airbag when a rearward facing child
restraint system is installed on the front
passenger seat. The front passenger seat
must also be positioned back as far as
possible in order to prevent the child
restraint system from coming into contact
with the dashboard. Immediately reactivate
the passenger airbag as soon as the child
restraint system has been removed.94)A failure of the
warning light is
indicated by thesymbol on the display.
In this case, thewarning light may
not indicate a possible problem with the
airbag restraint system. Before driving off,
contact an Abarth Dealership to have
the system checked immediately.
95)The
warning light indicates the
passenger side airbag protection status. If
the warning light is off, passenger side
protection is active: to deactivate it, use the
Setup Menu (in this case the LED lights
up). When the vehicle is started (ignition
key turned to MAR position), the warning
light turns on for about 8 seconds,
provided that at least 5 seconds have
elapsed from when it was switched off. If
not, contact an Abarth Dealership. If the
engine is switched off/on again in less than
5 seconds the warning light may remain
off. In this case, to check correct warning
light operation, switch the engine off,
wait for at least 5 seconds and switch the
engine on again. The warning light may
light up with various intensity levels
depending on the vehicle conditions. The
intensity may also vary during the same key
cycle.
96)If, when turning the key to MAR, the
warning light does not switch on or if it
stays on when travelling, there could be
a fault in the restraint systems; in this event
airbags or pretensioners may not be
deployed in the event of impact or, in a
lower number of cases, they may deploy
accidentally. Before driving off, contact
an Abarth Dealership to have the system
checked immediately.97)In some versions, in case of a LED
failure (located on the plate of the
instrument panel), thewarning light on
the instrument panel turns on and the
passenger side airbags are deactivated.
98)Do not cover the front seat backrests
with extra covers if they are equipped
with side bags.
99)If the car has been subject to theft,
attempted theft, vandalism, or flooding,
have the airbag system inspected at an
Abarth Dealership.
100)The airbags may also be deployed
when the car is not moving, if the key is in
the ignition and turned to MAR-ON or
when the engine is off, if the car is hit by
another moving vehicle. Therefore, even if
the vehicle is stationary, when an active
front passenger airbag is fitted, DO NOT
install rearward facing child restraint
systems on the front passenger seat.
Deployment of the airbag following an
impact could cause fatal injuries to the
child. Therefore, always deactivate the
passenger side airbag when a rearward
facing child restraint system is installed on
the front passenger seat. The front
passenger seat must also be positioned
back as far as possible in order to prevent
the child restraint system from coming
into contact with the dashboard.
Immediately reactivate the passenger
airbag as soon as the child restraint system
has been removed. Also remember that, if
the key is turned to STOP, none of the
safety devices (airbags or pretensioners)
will be deployed in the event of collision.
Non-deployment in such cases does
not indicate a system malfunction.
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SAFETY

101)When the ignition key is turned to
MAR, thewarning light switches for few
seconds, then if the passenger airbag
protection is active it should switch off.
102)Do not wash the seats with water or
pressurised steam (wash by hand or at
automatic seat washing stations).
103)The airbag deployment threshold is
higher than that of the pretensioners.
For collisions in the range between the two
thresholds, it is normal for only the
pretensioners to be activated.
104)Do not affix rigid objects to the
garment hooks or support handles.
105)The airbag does not replace seat
belts but increases their efficiency.
Furthermore, since front airbags are not
deployed in low-speed frontal impacts,
side impacts, rear shunts or roll-overs, the
passengers are protected only by the
seat belts which must therefore be
fastened at all times.
106)Do not rest your head, arms or
elbows on the door, on the windows or in
the window bag area to prevent injury
during deployment.
107)Never lean your head, arms or elbows
out of the window.
108)Do not travel carrying objects in your
lap, in front of your chest or between
your lips (pipe, pencils, etc.): they could
cause severe injury if the airbag is
deployed.
83

STARTING THE
ENGINE
The car is fitted with an electronic
engine lock device: if the engine fails to
start, see the paragraph "Fiat CODE
system" in the "Knowing your car"
chapter.
PROCEDURE
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake and place
the gearbox lever in neutral;
fully depress the clutch pedal
without touching the accelerator;
turn the ignition key to AVV and
release it as soon as the engine starts.
If the engine does not start at the
first attempt, return the ignition key to
STOP before repeating the starting
procedure.
If, with key at MAR, the
symbol on
the display stays on together with
the
warning light on the instrument
panel, it is advisable to turn the key to
STOP and then back to MAR. If the
warning light remains on, try with the
other keys provided with the car.
Contact an Abarth Dealership if you still
cannot start the engine.
17) 18)
109) 110)
WARMING UP THE
ENGINE JUST AFTER IT
HAS STARTED
Proceed as follows:
drive off slowly, letting the engine
turn at medium revs. Do not accelerate
abruptly;
do not demand full performance at
first. It is advisable to wait until the
engine coolant temperature indicator
starts moving.
19)
SWITCHING OFF THE
ENGINE
Turn the ignition key to STOP while the
engine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a taxing drive, you
should allow the engine to "catch
its breath" before turning it off by letting
it idle to allow the temperature in the
engine compartment to fall.
20)
WARNING
17)It is advisable not to demand maximum
performance from your car (e.g. excessive
acceleration, long distances at maximum
rpm, excessively intense braking, etc.)
when it is first used.
18)When the engine is switched off never
leave the key turned to MAR-ON to prevent
useless current absorption from draining
the battery.
19)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.
20)A quick burst on the accelerator before
stopping the engine serves no practical
purpose; it wastes fuel and is especially
damaging to turbocharged engines.
WARNING
109)It is dangerous to run the engine in
enclosed areas. The engine takes in
oxygen and releases carbon dioxide,
carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.
110)Remember that the brake servo
and power steering are not operational until
the engine has been started, therefore
much effort than usual is required on the
brake pedal and steering wheel.
85

PARKING THE
VEHICLE
When parking and leaving the car,
proceed as follows:
engage a gear (1st gear 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.
On versions equipped with sequential
robotised transmission, wait for letter P
to be displayed before releasing the
brake pedal.
IMPORTANT NEVER leave the car with
the gearbox in neutral (or, on versions
equipped with sequential robotised
transmission, before placing the gear
lever at P).
111)
HANDBRAKE
The handbrake lever 1 fig. 75 is located
between the front seats.
To use the handbrake pull the lever
upwards until the car cannot be moved.
112)
When the handbrake is on and the
ignition key is at MAR position, the
warning light
will appear on the
instrument panel.
Proceed as follows to release the
handbrake:
slightly lift the lever and press the
release button on the lever 1 fig. 75;
keep the button pressed and lower
the lever. The
warning light in the
instrument panel will go out.
Press the brake pedal when carrying
out this operation to prevent the car
from moving accidentally.
WARNING
111)Never leave children in the
unattended car. Always remove the ignition
key when leaving the car and take it out
with you.
112)The car should be braked after a few
clicks of the lever. If it is not, contact an
Abarth Dealership to have it adjusted.
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STARTING AND DRIVING

USING THE MANUAL
GEARBOX
To engage the gears, fully depress the
clutch pedal and put the gear lever
into the required position (the diagram
is shown on the knob fig. 76).
113)
21)
To engage reverse R from neutral,
move the lever to the right and then
backwards.
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 pressed before
engaging reverse to prevent damage to
the gears and grating.
WARNING
113)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
21)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.
USING THE
ROBOTISED
SEQUENTIAL
TRANSMISSION
(where provided)
The car can be equipped with an
electronically controlled manual
transmission that allows two operating
modes: “MANUAL” and “AUTO”.
With the car stationary and the key at
MAR (ignition-operated electrical
services on), the screen displays the
engaged gear and the active operating
mode (automatic = AUTO or manual
= no display).
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WARNING
23)For correct operation of the system,
sensors must always be clean from mud,
dirt, snow or ice. Be careful not to scratch
or damage the sensors while cleaning
them. Avoid using dry, rough or hard
cloths. The sensors must be washed using
clean water, with the addition of vehicle
shampoo if necessary. When using special
washing equipment such as high pressure
jets or steam cleaning, clean the sensors
very quickly keeping the jet more than
10 cm away.
24)Have interventions on the bumper in
the area of the sensors carried out only by
an Abarth Dealership. Interventions on
the bumper that are not carried out
properly may compromise the operation of
the parking sensors.
WARNING
114)Parking and other dangerous
manoeuvres are, however, always the
driver’s responsibility. While carrying out
these manoeuvres, always make sure that
no people (especially children) or animals
are in the area concerned. The parking
sensors are an aid for the driver, but the
driver must never allow their attention
to lapse during potentially dangerous
manoeuvres, even those executed at low
speeds.
REFUELLING THE
VEHICLE
Stop the engine before refuelling.
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
supply system.
FUEL TANK CAP
Plug 2 fig. 82 is fitted with a cable that
secures it to flap 1 so that it cannot
be lost.Unscrew cap 2 using the ignition key.
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 plug to the device inside the
flap as shown in fig. 82.
115)
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STARTING AND DRIVING