2020 Alfa Romeo 4C Owner handbook (in English)

63
Main safety rules to be followed when
carrying children
❒ follow the instructions supplied with
the child restraint system itself, which
the manufacturer must provide.
Keep the instructions in the car along
with the other documents and this
handbook.
Do not use child seats without
instructions; always check the seat belt is
well fastened by pulling the belt;
❒ only one child is to be strapped into
each restraint system; never carry two
children using one child restraint system;
always check that the belts are not
resting on the child’s neck;
❒ while travelling, do not let the child sit
incorrectly or release the belts;
❒ never carry children on your lap, even
newborns. No-one could hold on to a child
in the event of an accident; in the event of
an accident, replace the child restraint
system with a new one. Also have the
seat belt to which the child restraint
system was attached replaced.
FRONT AIRBAGS
DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT
AIRBAGS
The car features multistage front airbags
(“Smart bag system”) for driver and
passenger.
The front driver/passenger airbags are
designed to protect occupants in the
event of frontal impacts of medium-high
severity, by placing the bag between the
occupant and the steering wheel or
dashboard.
Therefore, non-activation of the front
airbags in other types of collisions (side
collisions, rear shunts, rollovers, etc.)
does not indicate a system malfunction.
Airbags are not a replacement of but
complementary to the seat belts, which
you are recommended to always wear. In
the event of impact, those not wearing a
seat belt are projected forwards and may
come into contact with the bag which is
still inflating. The protection offered by
the bag is compromised in these
circumstances.
60)
59)The diagrams are indicative and
provided for assembly purposes only. Fit
the child restraint system according to
the instructions, which must be included.
IMPORTANT
❒ Incorrect fitting of the child restraint
system may result in an inefficient
protection system. In the event of an
accident the child restraint system may
become loose and the child may be
injured, even fatally. Strictly comply with
the instructions provided when fitting a
child restraint system.
❒ When the child restraint system is not
used, secure it with the seat belt or
remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it
unsecured inside the passenger
compartment. In this way, in the case of
sudden braking or an accident, it will not
cause injuries to the occupants.

Front airbags may not activate in the
following situations:
❒ frontal impacts against highly
deformable objects not involving the
front surface of the car (e.g. wing collision
against guard rail);
❒ jamming of the car underneath other
vehicles or protective barriers
(e.g. underneath a truck or a guard rail); in
this case, the bags would offer no
additional protection with respect to the
seat belt and their deployment would be
inappropriate.
In these cases, non-deployment does not
indicate a system malfunction.
FRONT AIRBAG DRIVER’S SIDE
This is located in a dedicated
compartment in the centre of the
steering wheel fig. 39.
61)
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PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIRBAG
This is located in a dedicated
compartment in the dashboard fig. 40.
62)
FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND
CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
It is ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN to install
on the vehicle a child restraint system
backwards the driving direction.
Deployment of the airbag in an accident
could cause fatal injuries to the baby.
ALWAYS comply with the instructions
on the label stuck on the passenger side
sun visor fig. 41.
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IMPORTANT NOTES
The front airbags may activate in the event of
sharp impacts to the underbody of the car
(e.g. impact with steps, pavements, potholes
or road bumps, etc.). When the airbag deploys
it emits a small amount of dust: the dust is
harmless and does not indicate the beginning
of a fire. The dust may irritate the skin and
eyes however: in this case, wash with neutral
soap and water.
Airbag checking, repair and replacement
must be carried out at a dedicated Alfa
Romeo Dealership. If the car is scrapped,
have the airbag system deactivated at a
dedicated Alfa Romeo Dealership.
Pretensioners and airbags are deployed
according to different logic on the basis of
the type of collision. Failure to activate one or
more of the devices does not indicate a
system malfunction.
63) 64) 65) 66) 67) 68) 69) 70) 71) 72)
SAFETY
64
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65
Passenger side front airbag and child restraint systems IMPORTANT

SAFETY
66
61)Do not apply stickers or other objects
to the steering wheel or the passenger
side airbag cover. Do not place objects on
the passenger side of the dashboard
because these could interfere with the
correct opening of the passenger airbag
and cause injury to occupants.
62)Always drive keeping your hands on
the steering wheel rim so that the airbag
can inflate freely if necessary.
Do not drive with your body bent forward.
Keep your back straight against the
backrest.
63)Instructions for deactivating the
front passenger airbag can be found in
the “Menu Options” paragraph of the
“Knowing the instrument panel” chapter.
Please note that under these conditions
the airbag will NOT deploy when required
(accident).
64)Do not rest your head, arms or elbows
on the door to prevent injury during airbag
deployment.
65)Never lean head, arms or elbows out
of window.
IMPORTANT66)If the ¬warning light does not
switch on when the key is turned to MAR,
or stays on while driving (on some
versions, together with a message on the
display) there may be a fault in the
restraint systems. In this case, airbags or
pretensioners may not be activated in the
case of an accident or (in a lesser number
of cases) they may be activated
incorrectly. Before proceeding, contact a
dedicated Alfa Romeo Dealership to have
the system checked immediately.
67)Do not travel carrying objects on your
lap, in front of your chest or between your
lips (pipe, pencils, etc.): they could cause
severe injury if the airbag is deployed.
68) If the car has been subject to theft,
attempted theft, vandalism, or flooding,
have the airbag system inspected at a
dedicated Alfa Romeo Dealership.
69)The airbags may also be deployed
when the car is not moving, if the key is
inserted and turned to MAR even when
the engine is off, if the car is hit by
another moving vehicle. Also remember
that no safety device (airbags or
pretensioners) will be deployed in the
event of impact when the key is at STOP.
Non-deployment of these devices under
these circumstances does not therefore
indicate a system malfunction.70)When the ignition key is turned to
MAR, the
“warning light comes on
constantly for the first 4 seconds.
Then, if the warning light remains on, this
means the passenger’s protection has
been deactivated; if the warning light
switches off, instead, the passenger’s
protection is enabled.
71)The front airbag is designed to be
deployed for impacts of a greater
intensity than for the pretensioners. For
impacts whose intensity falls between
the two levels, normally, only the
pretensioners will be activated.
72)The airbag does not replace seat
belts but increases their efficiency.
Because front airbags are not deployed
for low-speed frontal impacts, side
collisions, rear shunts or rollovers,
occupants are protected only by their
seat belts, which must always be
fastened.

STARTING AND DRIVING
STARTING THE ENGINE........................................................................................ 68
PARKING .......................................................................................................................69
TCT TWIN CLUTCH TRANSMISSION ............................................................ 70
CRUISE CONTROL.................................................................................................... 75
PARKING SENSORS ............................................................................................... 77
REFUELLING THE CAR ......................................................................................... 79
Let’s get to the heart of the matter: seeing how you can exploit
all the potentials of your car to the fullest.
This is how to drive your car safely in all conditions for
pleasantly comfortable and cost-efficient travelling.

STARTING AND DRIVING
68
STARTING THE ENGINE
Before starting the engine, adjust the
seat, the interior rear view mirrors, the
door mirrors and fasten the seat belt
correctly. Never press the accelerator
pedal for starting the engine.
Procedure
73) 74) 75) 5)
The metal insert 1 fig. 2 operates:
❒ press the brake pedal;
❒ 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, when the ignition key is at MAR, the
instrument panel warning light stays on
together with the warning light, turn the
key to STOP and then back to MAR; if the
warning light stays on, try the other keys
provided with the vehicle. If it is still not
possible to start the engine, contact a
dedicated Alfa Romeo Dealership.
❒ Do not leave the ignition key at MAR
when the engine is stopped.
SWITCHING OFF THE ENGINE
Procedure
Turn the ignition key to STOP while the
engine is idling.
6) 7)
73)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.
74)The brake servo is not active until the
engine is started, so you would need to
apply much more force than usual to the
brake pedal.
75)Do not start the engine by pushing,
towing or driving downhill. These
manoeuvres may damage the catalytic
converter.
IMPORTANT
5)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.
6)When the engine is switched off never
leave the ignition device in the MAR
position to prevent useless current
absorption from draining the battery.
7)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

69
PARKING THE VEHICLE
Always remove the ignition key when
leaving the car.
When parking and leaving the car,
proceed as follows:
❒ engage the gear (on a slope, engage
first gear if the vehicle is facing uphill or
reverse if it is facing downhill) and leave
the wheels steered;
❒ stop the engine and engage the
handbrake.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a stone
if the car is parked on a steep slope.
Wait until the indication of the gear
engaged disappears on the display
before releasing the brake pedal.
76)
IMPORTANT NEVER leave the car with
the transmission in neutral.
HANDBRAKE
To engage the handbrake, pull lever
1 fig. 42 upwards until the car is secured.
When the handbrake is engaged and the
ignition key is at MAR, the xwarning
light will switch on in the instrument
panel.
To release the handbrake, raise the lever
1 slightly, hold down button 2 and lower
the lever.
The xwarning light on the instrument
panel turns off.
Four or five clicks are generally enough
when the car is on level ground, while ten
or eleven may be required if the car is on
a steep slope and laden.
77)
IMPORTANT Carry out these
manoeuvres with the brake pedal
pressed.
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76)Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle. Always remove the key from
the ignition device when leaving the
vehicle and take it with you.
77)The car must be braked after a few
clicks of the handbrake: if this is not so,
contact the dedicated Alfa Romeo
Dealership to have it adjusted. Always
park the car safely as indicated by the
Highway Code and as described above.
IMPORTANT

STARTING AND DRIVING
70
TCT TWIN CLUTCH
TRANSMISSION
Alfa 4C features the TCT 6-speed twin
dry clutch transmission with steering
wheel controls. This is an advanced
technical solution which combines the
control of a manual gearbox, the
immediacy of a sequential system and
the convenience of being able to select an
automatic selection programme without
the slowdown of a conventional
automatic transmission.
With the key removed from the ignition,
the system will not implement any action
when the buttons on the transmission
control panel on the central tunnel fig. 43
are pressed, irrespective of the pressure
applied to the brake pedal.
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Therefore, the transmission will remain in
the condition that it was in when the
engine was switched off.
With car stationary and key at MAR
(ignition-operated electrical services
activated), the screen displays the gear
engaged and the active operating mode
(automatic = AUTO or manual = no
display).
OPERATING MODE
The transmission can operate in two
operating modes (except when the “Race”
mode is selected):
❒ the first manual type (MANUAL), in
which the driver decides directly when to
change gear;
❒ the second completely automatic
(AUTO), in which the system decides
when to change gear.
When the “Race” mode is selected, the
only allowed operating mode is MANUAL.
Manual operation (MANUAL)
In this operating mode, the driver is
responsible for choosing the best gear
ratio to engage, depending on the car
operating conditions.Use the “+” steering wheel stalk to
engage a higher gear, or the “–” stalk to
engage a lower gear (see the following
paragraph, “Steering wheel stalks”).
If the request is accepted by the system,
the display shows the new gear engaged.
If the request is not accepted by the
system, the display shows the gear
engaged before the request and emits an
acoustic signal.
If the gear change request may adversely
affect the correct operation of the engine
and the transmission, the system will not
allow it.
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