2020 FIAT 500 Owner handbook (in English)

117)Do not affix rigid objects to the
garment hooks or support handles.
118)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.
119)Do not rest your head, arms or
elbows on the door, windows or the area in
which the window bag is located to avoid
possible injury during airbag inflation.
120)Never lean your head, arms or elbows
out of the window.
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STARTING AND DRIVING
Let’s get to the "heart" of the vehicle:
seeing how you can exploit all of its
potential to the full.
We’ll look at how to drive it safely in any
situation, so that it can be a welcome
companion, with our comfort and
our wallets in mind.STARTING THE ENGINE ................. 97
PARKING THE VEHICLE ................. 98
MANUAL TRANSMISSION .............. 99
DUALOGIC TRANSMISSION...........100
DUALDRIVE ELECTRIC POWER
STEERING ......................................101
START&STOP SYSTEM ..................102
SPEED LIMITER ..............................103
ELECTRONIC CRUISE CONTROL ..105
PARKING SENSORS.......................106
SUGGESTIONS FOR DRIVING........108
REFUELLING THE VEHICLE ...........109
TOWING TRAILERS ........................112
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STARTING AND DRIVING

STARTING THE
ENGINE
121) 122)
36) 37) 39) 40)
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.
The Start&Stop, ECO and AUTO
functions are activated automatically
whenever the engine is started.
PETROL VERSIONS
Starting the engine
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake and put the
gear 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, when the ignition key is at MAR, the
instrument panel warning light or the
symbol
remains lit together with
warning light
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 a Fiat Dealership if you still
cannot start the engine.
VERSIONS WITH
DUALOGIC
TRANSMISSION
123)
The system allows the engine to be
started both with a gear engaged and
with the transmission in neutral (N).
However, the brake pedal must always
be pressed first if neutral is not
engaged. It is therefore advisable to
position the gear lever at N before
starting the engine.
LPG VERSIONS
The engine always starts up on petrol
independently of the previously
selected mode.
38)
WARNING
121)It is dangerous to run the engine in
enclosed areas. The engine consumes
oxygen and engine exhaust contains
carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and
other toxic gasses.
122)Remember that the brake servo and
electrical power steering system are not
operational until the engine is started,
therefore a greater effort will be required to
press the brake pedal or turn the steering
wheel.
123)If the engine fails to start with a gear
engaged, the potentially dangerous
situation due to the fact that the gearbox is
automatically placed in neutral will be
signalled by an acoustic signal.
WARNING
36)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.
37)When the engine is switched off never
leave the key turned to MAR to prevent
useless current absorption from draining
the battery.
38)There must therefore always be
enough petrol in the tank to protect the
petrol pump and to guarantee temporary
switching from LPG to petrol operation.
97

39)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.
40)A quick burst on the accelerator before
stopping the engine serves no practical
purpose; it wastes fuel and is especially
damaging to turbocharged engines.PARKING THE
VEHICLE
When parking and leaving the car,
proceed as follows:
engage a gear (1stgear 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.
Do not leave the ignition key on MAR to
avoid draining the battery. Always
remove the key when you leave the car.
Versions with Dualogic
transmission
To park safely it is essential to engage
1
stgear or reverse (R), with your foot on
the brake pedal and, if there is a
gradient, to operate the handbrake.
Before releasing the brake pedal, wait
until P appears on the display.
IMPORTANT NEVER leave the car with
the gearbox in neutral (or, on versions
equipped with automatic transmission,
before placing the gear lever at P).HANDBRAKE
124) 125) 126)
The handbrake lever fig. 74 is located
between the two front seats.
Handbrake engagement
To use the handbrake pull the lever
upwards until the car cannot be moved.
When the handbrake is on and the
ignition key is at MAR position, the
warning light
will appear on the
instrument panel.
Handbrake disengagement
Proceed as follows to release the
handbrake:
slightly lift the handbrake and press
release button A fig. 74;
press and hold button A and lower
the lever. The
warning light in the
instrument panel will go out.
74F0S0048
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STARTING AND DRIVING

Press the brake pedal when carrying
out this operation to prevent the car
from moving accidentally.
WARNING
124)The car should be braked after a few
clicks of the lever, if it is not, contact a
Fiat Dealership to have it adjusted.
125)Never leave children in the
unattended car. Always remove the ignition
key when leaving the car and take it out
with you.
126)In the case of parking manoeuvres on
roads on a gradient, the front wheels
must be steered towards the pavement
(when parking downhill), or in the opposite
direction if the vehicle is parked uphill.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a stone if
the car is parked on a steep slope.
MANUAL
TRANSMISSION
(for versions/markets, where provided)
127)
41)
To engage the gears, press the clutch
pedal fully and put the gear lever into
the required position (the diagram
for gear engagement is shown on the
lever knob fig. 75).
For cars provided with 6-speed
gearbox, to engage the 6
thgear,
operate the lever by pressing it towards
the right in order to avoid engaging
the 4
thgear by mistake. The same
applies to the shift from 6thto 5thgear.
To engage reverse R from neutral, lift
the sliding ring A fig. 75 under the knob
and shift the lever to the right and
back.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 depressed before
engaging reverse to prevent damage to
the gears and grating.
IMPORTANT The clutch pedal should
be used only for gear changes. Do
not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal, however lightly. For
versions/markets where provided, the
electronic clutch control could cut
in, interpreting the incorrect driving style
as a fault.
WARNING
127)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
41)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.
75F0S0597
99

DUALOGIC
TRANSMISSION
(for versions/markets, where provided)
42) 44)
OPERATING MODE
MANUAL MODE
In this mode, the driver decides when
to shift gear;
Proceed as follows:
press the brake pedal;
start the engine;
push the lever A fig. 76 for the
gearbox towards (+) to engage the first
gear (if it is coming from N or R, simply
position the lever in the middle position)
or in R to engage reverse gear;
release the brake pedal and press
the accelerator pedal;
in driving conditions, push lever A of
the gearbox towards (+) to engage
the next gear up or towards (–) to
engage the next gear down.
AUTOMATIC MODE (AUTO)
In this mode, the system directly
decides when to shift gear.
Proceed as follows:
press the brake pedal
start the engine
push the gear lever to A/M to
engage automatic mode or to R to
engage reverse gear
release the brake pedal and press
the accelerator pedal.
ECO function
The ECO function, which optimises the
gearbox and reduces fuel consumption,
can only be activated with automatic
mode on. To turn the function on, press
the button E fig. 76 on the gearbox
panel.
With the ECO function active, the
display will show the current gear and
the words AUTO and ECO; the system
will select the most suitable gear
depending on the car speed, engine
rpm and intensity with which the
accelerator pedal is pressed, with the
aim of limiting fuel consumption.The ECO and AUTO functions are
activated automatically whenever the
engine is started.
STEERING WHEEL
PADDLES
(for versions/markets, where provided)
43) 44) 43)
Shifting can be managed sequentially
via the shift paddles on the steering
wheel fig. 77.
To use the steering wheel paddles, the
gear lever must be in the middle
position between + and –:
pull the paddle + (towards the
driver): shift up;
pull the paddle – (towards driver):
shift down.
NOTE Shifting up (or down) is only
permitted if the engine rpm allow it.
NOTE For correct use of the system,
you are advised only to use your right
foot to operate the pedal unit.
76F0S0576
77F0S0577
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STARTING AND DRIVING

WARNING
42)Avoid keeping your hand placed on this
lever in between gear changes or
Auto/Manual mode.
43)Using the paddles incorrectly (paddles
pushed towards the dashboard) could
break them.
44)If the transmission is faulty, contact a
Fiat Dealership as soon as possible to have
the system checked.
45)Using the paddles incorrectly (paddles
pushed towards the dashboard) could
break them.
DUALDRIVE
ELECTRIC POWER
STEERING
(for versions/markets, where provided)
Turning on/off (CITY function)
Press button A fig. 78 to turn the
function on/off.
When the function is active, the CITY
text on the display turns on.
When the CITY function is on, the
steering wheel effort is lighter, making
parking easier: therefore, this function is
particularly useful for driving in city
centres.
To deactivate the function press the
button again.
128) 129)
ECO FUNCTION
(for versions/markets, where provided)
With the ignition key at MAR, press
button ECO B fig. 78 to activate the
function. The word ECO on the display
will light up or, according to the version,
a dedicated screen will be displayed.
When the function is activated,
the car is set for city driving,
characterised by less effort on the
steering wheel (Dualdrive system on)
and reduced fuel consumption.
Press the button again to deactivate
the function.
This function is not stored, so the
system will restart with the function on
when the engine is restarted.
WARNING
128)It is absolutely forbidden to carry out
any after-market operation involving
steering system or steering column
modifications (e.g. installation of anti-theft
device) that could adversely affect
performance and safety, invalidate the
warranty and also result in the car not
meeting type-approval requirements.
78F0S0650
101

129)Before starting any servicing
operation, stop the engine and remove the
key from the ignition switch to operate
the steering lock, particularly when the
wheels do not touch the ground. If this is
not possible (for example if the key needs
to be turned to MAR or the engine must be
running), remove the main fuse that
protects the electric power steering.START&STOP
SYSTEM
130) 131) 132) 133)
46)
(for versions/markets, where provided)
The Start&Stop system automatically
stops the engine each time the car
is stationary and starts it again when
the driver wants to move off.
In this way, the vehicle efficiency is
increased, by reducing consumption,
dangerous gas emissions and sound
pollution.
OPERATING MODE
Stopping the engine
With manual transmission: with the car
stationary, the engine stops with the
transmission in neutral and the clutch
pedal released.
With Dualogic gearbox: the engine
stops if the car is at a standstill and the
brake pedal is pressed. This condition
can be maintained even if the brake
pedal is not depressed, if the gear lever
is in position N (Neutral).NOTE The engine can only be stopped
automatically over about 10 km/h, to
prevent the engine from being
repeatedly stopped when driving at
walking pace.
Stopping of the engine is indicated by
the warning light or the symbol
on
the instrument panel switching on
(on some versions, together with a
message on the display).
Restarting the engine
With manual transmission: press the
clutch pedal.
With Dualogic gearbox: if the gear lever
is in position N (Neutral), place it in
any other gear, otherwise release the
brake pedal or move the gear lever
to+,–or R (Reverse).
MANUAL SYSTEM
ACTIVATION/
DEACTIVATION
The system can be activated/
deactivated by pressing the button A
fig. 79 on the dashboard.
With the system off, the warning light or
the symbol
appear on the
instrument panel (with a message for
versions with colour display).
Start&Stop mode will be active
whenever the engine is started.
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STARTING AND DRIVING