flat tire Abarth 124 Spider 2016 Owner handbook (in English)

Warning light What it means
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) WARNING LIGHT
If the tire pressure monitoring system has a malfunction, the tire pressure warning light flashes
for about 1 minute when the ignition is switched ON and then stay on. Contact an Abarth
Dealership as soon as possible. When the warning light illuminates, and the warning beep sound
is heard (about 3 seconds), tire pressure is too low in one or more tires. Inspect the tires and
adjust to the specified inflation pressure.
Perform tire pressure adjustment when the tires are cold. Tire pressure will vary according to the
tire temperature, therefore let the vehicle stand for 1 hour or only drive it 1.6 km or less before
adjusting the tire pressures. When pressure is adjusted on hot tires to the cold inflation pressure,
the warning light/beep may turn on after the tires cool and pressure drops below specification.
Also, an illuminated TPMS warning light, resulting from the tire air pressure dropping due to cold
ambient temperature will remain illuminated even if the ambient temperature rises. In this case, it
will also be necessary to adjust the tire air pressures. If the TPMS warning light illuminates due to
a drop in tire air pressure, make sure to check and adjust the tire air pressures.
Tires lose air naturally over time and the TPMS cannot tell if the tires are getting too soft over
time or you have a flat. However, when you find one low tire in a set of four-that is an indication
of trouble; you should have someone drive the vehicle slowly forward so you can inspect any
low tire for cuts and any metal objects sticking through tread or sidewall. Put a few drops of
water in the valve stem to see if it bubbles indicating a bad valve. Leaks need to be addressed
by more than simply refilling the trouble tire as leaks are dangerous: take it to an Abarth
Dealership which has all the equipment to fix tires, TPMS systems and order the best
replacement tire for your vehicle.
63) 64)
POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT
The light illuminates if the electric power steering has a malfunction. If the light illuminates, stop
the vehicle in a safe place and do not operate the steering wheel. There is no problem if the light
turns off after a while. Contact an Abarth Dealership if the light illuminates continuously.
NOTE If the indicator light illuminates, the power steering will not operate normally. If this
happens, the steering wheel can still be operated, however, the operation may feel heavy
compared to normal, or the steering wheel could vibrate when turning.
NOTE Repeatedly jerking the steering wheel left and right while the vehicle is stopped or moving
extremely slowly will cause the power steering system to go into protective mode which will
make the steering feel heavy, but this does not indicate a problem. If this occurs, park the
vehicle safely and wait several minutes for the system to return to normal.
59

MESSAGE INDICATED ON
DISPLAY
If a message is displayed in the center
display, take appropriate action (in a
calm manner) according to the
displayed message.
If the following messages are displayed
in the centre display, a vehicle system
may be malfunctioning:
Engine Coolant Temperature
High: displays if the engine coolant
temperature has increased excessively.
Changing System Malfunction:
displays if the charging system has a
malfunction.
Temperature Warning: the
following message is displayed when
the temperature around the centre
display is high. Lowering the
temperature in the cabin or the
temperature around the centre display
by avoiding direct sunlight is
recommended.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
contact an Abarth Dealership.
WARNING SOUND IS
ACTIVATED
A warning sound is activated in
following cases:
Lights-on reminder;
Air Bag/seat belt pretensioner
system;
Active bonnet (where provided);
Ignition not switched off (STOP);
Key removed from vehicle;
Request switch inoperable (versions
with advanced keyless function);
Key left-in-boot compartment
(versions with advanced keyless
function);
Key left-in-vehicle (versions with
advanced keyless function);
Vehicle speed alarm (where
provided);
Tire inflation pressure warning beep
(where provided);
Outside temperature (where
provided);
Electronic steering lock;
Speed limiter (where provided);
120 km/h warning (where provided).
WARNING
61)Never tamper with the air
bag/pretensioner systems and always
contact an Abarth Dealership perform all
servicing and repairs. Self-servicing or
tampering with the systems is dangerous.
An air bag/pretensioner could accidentally
activate or become disabled causing
serious injury or death.62)Do not drive the vehicle with the active
bonnet warning light turned on or flashing.
Driving the vehicle with the active hood
warning light turned on or flashing is
dangerous as the active hood mechanism
may not activate normally and function as
intended in the event the vehicle were to
contact a pedestrian.
63)If the TPMS warning light illuminates or
flashes, or the tire pressure warning beep
sound is heard, decrease vehicle speed
immediately and avoid sudden
maneuvering and braking. If the warning
light illuminates or flashes, or the tire
pressure warning beep sound is heard, it is
dangerous to drive the vehicle at high
speeds, or perform sudden maneuvering
or braking. Vehicle drivability could worsen
and result in an accident. To determine if
you have a slow leak or a flat, pull over to a
safe position where you can check the
visual condition of the tire and determine if
you have enough air to proceed to a place
where air may be added and the system
monitored again by Abarth Dealership or a
tire repair station.
64)Do not ignore the TPMS warning light.
Ignoring the TPMS warning light is
dangerous, even if you know why it is
illuminated. Have the problem taken care of
as soon as possible before it develops into
a more serious situation that could lead to
tire failure and a dangerous accident.
66
KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

75)If the active bonnet has activated,
always contact an Abarth Dealership. If the
bonnet release handle is pulled after the
active bonnet has activated, the bonnet will
rise even further. If the vehicle is driven with
the bonnet raised it will obstruct visibility
and could result in an accident. In addition,
do not attempt to push the bonnet back
down. Otherwise, it could deform the
bonnet or cause injury because the
activated bonnet cannot be lowered
manually. Before driving the vehicle contact
an Abarth Dealership after the active
bonnet has activated, make sure that the
raised bonnet does not obstruct vision and
drive the vehicle at a low speed.AUXILIARY DRIVING
SYSTEMS
TPMS (Tire Pressure
Monitoring System)
76) 77) 78)
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) monitors the pressure for each
tire. If tire pressure is too low in one or
more tires, the system will inform the
driver via the warning light in the
instrument cluster and by the warning
beep sound. Refer to “Warning lights
and messages” paragraph “Knowing
the instrument panel” chapter.
Refer to “Tire inflation pressure warning
beep” in “Warning sound is activated” in
Knowing the instrument panel” chapter.
The tire pressure sensors installed on
each wheel send tire pressure data by
radio signal to the receiver unit in the
vehicle.
NOTE When the ambient temperature is
low due to seasonal changes, tire
temperatures are also lower. When the
tire temperature decreases, the air
pressure decreases as well. The TPMS
warning light may illuminate more
frequently. Visually inspect the tires daily
before driving, and check tire pressures
monthly with a tire pressure gauge.
When checking tire pressures, use of adigital tire pressure gauge is
recommended.
TPMS does not alleviate your need to
check the pressure and condition of all
four tires regularly.IMPORTANT Each tire, including the
spare (where provided), should be
checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer on the vehicle placard or
tire inflation pressure label (if your
vehicle has tires of a different size than
the size indicated on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire
inflation pressure for those tires).
IMPORTANT As an added safety
feature, your vehicle has been equipped
with a TMPS system that illuminates a
low tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly
under-inflated. Accordingly, when the
low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle's handling and
stopping ability.
72
SAFETY

IMPORTANT Please note that the
TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination
of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped
with a TPMS malfunction indicator to
indicate when the system is not
operating properly.
IMPORTANT The TPMS malfunction
indicator is combined with the low tire
pressure telltale. When the system
detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and
then remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as
the malfunction exists. When the
malfunction indicator is illuminated, the
system may not be able to detect or
signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a
variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate
tires or wheels on the vehicle that
prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS
malfunction telltale after replacing one
or more tires or wheels on your vehicle
to ensure that the replacement oralternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function properly.
IMPORTANT To avoid false readings,
the system samples for a little while
before indicating a problem. As a result
it will not instantaneously register a
rapid tire deflation or blow out.
System error activation
When the TPMS warning light flashes,
there may be a system malfunction.
Contact an Abarth Dealership.
A system error activation may occur in
the following cases:
when there is equipment or a device
near the vehicle using the same radio
frequency as that of the tire pressure
sensors;
when a metallic device such as a
non-genuine navigation system is
equipped near the center of the
dashboard, which may block radio
signals from the tire pressure sensor to
the receiver unit;
when using the following devices in
the vehicle that may cause radio
interference with the receiver unit;
a digital device such as a personal
computer;
a current converter device such as a
DC-AC converter;
when excess snow or ice adheres to
the vehicle, especially around the
wheels;
when the tire pressure sensor
batteries are exhausted;
when using a wheel with no tire
pressure sensor installed;
when using tires with steel wire
reinforcement in the side walls;
when using tire chains.
Tires and wheels
IMPORTANT When inspecting or
adjusting the tire air pressures, do not
apply excessive force to the stem part
of the wheel unit. The stem part could
be damaged.
Changing tires and wheels
The following procedure allows the
TPMS to recognize a tire pressure
sensor's unique ID signal code
whenever tires or wheels are changed,
such as changing to and from winter
tires.
IMPORTANT Each tire pressure sensor
has a unique ID signal code. The signal
code must be registered with the TPMS
before it can work. The easiest way to
do it is to have an Abarth Dealership
change your tire and complete ID signal
code registration.
When having tires changed at an
Abarth Dealership: when an Abarth
Dealership changes your vehicle's tires,
they will complete the tire pressure
sensor ID signal code registration.
73

operates for about two seconds and
therefore, relying only on the system,
when accelerating from a stop is
dangerous because the vehicle may
move (roll) unexpectedly and cause an
accident. The vehicle could roll
depending on the vehicle's load or if it
is towing something. In addition, for
vehicles with a manual transmission,
the vehicle could still roll depending on
how the clutch pedal or the accelerator
pedal is operated. Always confirm the
safety around the vehicle before starting
to drive the vehicle.
WARNING
76)The presence of the TPMS does not
permit the driver to neglect regular checks
of the tire pressure, including for the spare
wheel, and correct maintenance: the
system is not used to signal a possible fault
to a tire. Tire pressure must be checked
with tires rested and cold. Should it
become necessary for whatever reason to
check pressure with warm tires, do not
reduce pressure even though it is higher
than the prescribed value. Repeat the
check when the tires are cold.
77)Replacing the normal tires with winter
tires and vice versa requires an inspection
of the TPMS, which should be carried out
only by an Abarth Dealership.78)Changes in outside temperature may
cause tire pressures to vary. The system
may temporarily indicate insufficient
pressure. In this case check the tire
inflation pressure with the tires cold and, if
necessary top up the inflation pressure.
OCCUPANT
PROTECTION
SYSTEMS
The most important safety equipment
of the vehicle comprise the following
protection systems:
seat belts;
SBA (Seat Belt Alert) system;
head restraints;
child restraint systems;
front air bags and side air bags.
Read the information given the following
pages with the utmost care.
It is of fundamental importance that the
protection systems are used in the
correct way to guarantee the maximum
possible safety level for the driver and
the passengers.
76
SAFETY

WARNING
165)If the fuse blows again contact an
Abarth Dealership.
166)Never replace a fuse with another
with a higher amp rating; DANGER OF
FIRE.
167)Contact an Abarth Dealership if a
safety system (airbags, brakes), power unit
system (engine, gearbox) or steering
system general protection fuse blows.
168)Do not replace the main fuse and
multiplex slow blow fuse by yourself.
Contact an Abarth Dealership to perform
the replacement. Replacing these fuses by
yourself is dangerous because they are
high current fuses. Incorrect replacement
could cause an electrical shock or a short
circuit resulting in a fire.
169)Before replacing a fuse, make sure
that the ignition device is in OFF position
and that all the other services are switched
off and/or deactivated.
IMPORTANT
32)Never replace a fuse with metal wires
or anything else.
33)If it is necessary to wash the engine
compartment, take care not to directly hit
the junction unit and the window wiper
motors with the water jet.
TIRE SERVICE KIT
(where provided)
170) 171) 172) 173) 174) 175) 176)
3)
TOOL STORAGE
Your vehicle is not equipped with a
spare tire, jack and wheel brace. For
details, contact an Abarth Dealership.
Tools are stored in the locations
illustrated in fig. 130:
1: jack lever;
2: towing eyelet
Inside the boot lid is also located the
emergency flat tire repair kit.
TIRE SERVICE STORAGE
The tire service kit is located inside the
boot lid fig. 131.
IMPORTANT Your vehicle is not
equipped with a spare tire. In the event
of a flat tire, use the tire service kit to
repair the tire temporarily. When doing
the repair, refer to the instructions
included in the tire service kit. If an
emergency repair was performed on a
flat tire using the tire service kit, contact
an Abarth Dealership, repair or replace
the tire as soon as possible.
TIRE SERVICE KIT
COMPONENTS AND
OPERATION
The tire service kit includes the
following items:
tire sealant;
compressor;
valve core tool;
injection hose;
spare valve core;
speed restriction sticker;
instruction handbook.
13008020100-733-733AB
13108020202-121-003AB
148
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

TIRE SERVICE USAGE
PRECAUTIONS
NoteThe tire sealant cannot be reused.
Purchase new tire sealant at an Abarth
Dealership.
The tire service kit cannot be used in
the following cases. Consult an Abarth
Dealership:
– the period of effective use for the
tire sealant has expired (the period
of effectiveness is indicated on the
bottle label);
– the tear or puncture exceeds about
4 mm;
– the damage has occurred to an
area of the tire other than the tread;
– the vehicle has been driven with
nearly no air remaining in the tire;
– the tire has come off the wheel rim;
– damage to the wheel rim has
occurred;
– the tire has two or more punctures.
SEALING A TIRE WITH
TIRE SERVICE
Proceed as follows:
move the vehicle off the right-of-way
to a safe place on a level and hard
surface where the vehicle does not
obstruct traffic;
shift the shift lever to the 1 or
Reverse (R) position (manual
transmission), and shift the selectorlever to the P position (automatic
transmission);
apply the parking brake with the
brake pedal depressed and turn off the
engine;
if necessary, flash the hazard warning
lights and set up the roadside
emergency triangle;
unload passengers and cargo and
remove the tire service kit;
shake the tire sealant well. If the
bottle is shaken after the injection hose
is screwed on, tire sealant could spray
out from the injection hose. Tire sealant
contacting clothing or other objects
may be impossible to remove. Shake
the bottle before screwing on the
injection hose;
IMPORTANT The sealant hardens easily
and injecting it will be difficult under
cold weather conditions (0°C or below).
Warm the sealant inside the vehicle to
facilitate injection.
remove the cap 1 from the bottle 2
fig. 132. Screw on the injection hose
3 with the bottle's inner cap left on to
break the inner cap;
remove the valve cap 4 fig. 133 from
the flat tire. Press the back of a valve
core tool 6 to the core of the tire valve
5 and bleed all the remaining air;
13208020202-03A-003AB
13308020202-03A-004AB
149

13808020202-03A-009AB
13908020202-36A-004AB
14008020202-03A-00BAB
151
after that, install the injection hose to
the tab 14 fig. 138 of the bottle to
prevent leakage of any remaining
sealant;
adhere the speed restriction sticker
to an area where it can be viewed easily
by the driver;
pull out the air compressor hose and
the air compressor plug from the air
compressor 15 fig. 139;
install the air compressor hose 16 to
the tire valve 17 fig. 140;
insert the air compressor plug into
the accessory socket 18 fig. 141 inside
the vehicle and switch the ignition to
ACC;
turn the air compressor switch on
and inflate the tire carefully to the
correct inflation pressure;
IMPORTANT When inserting the air
compressor plug into or removing it
from the accessory socket, make sure
that the air compressor switch is off.
When turning the air compressor on/off,
use the air compressor switch.
NOTE Check the tire inflation pressure
label driver's door frame for the correct
tire inflation pressure.
NOTE Do not operate the air
compressor for a continuous
10 minutes or longer because using it
for long periods could cause a
malfunction.
14108020202-124-001AB

NOTE If the tire inflation pressure does
not increase, repair of the tire is not
possible. If the tire does not reach the
specified tire inflation pressure within
10 minutes, it may have received
extensive damage. In this case, the
repair using the tire service kit was not
successful. Contact an Abarth
Dealership.
If the tire has been over-inflated, loosen
the screw cap on the air compressor
and bleed some of the air out;
when the tire inflates to the specified
tire inflation pressure, turn the air
compressor switch off, turn the sleeve
of the air compressor hose to the left,
and pull it out of the tire valve;
install the tire valve cap;
put the tire service kit into the boot;
start driving immediately to spread
the sealant in the tire.
IMPORTANT Carefully drive the vehicle
at a speed of 80 km/h or less. If the
vehicle is driven at a speed of 80 km/h
or more, the vehicle may vibrate.
If the tire is not properly inflated, the
warning light will illuminate.
after driving the vehicle for about
10 minutes or 5 km (3 miles), connect
the air compressor to the tire and check
the tire inflation pressure using the tire
pressure gauge on the air compressor.
If the tire inflation pressure is lower than
the specified tire inflation pressure, turn
the air compressor on and wait until it
reaches the specified tire inflation
pressure;
the emergency flat tire repair is
completed successfully if the tire
inflation pressure does not decrease.
Carefully drive the vehicle to the nearest
Abarth Dealership and have the flat tire
replaced. Replacement with a new tire
is recommended. If the tire is to be
repaired or reused, contact an Abarth
Dealership.
IMPORTANT Before checking the tire
inflation pressure using the tire pressure
gauge, turn the air compressor switch
off.
NOTEIf an emergency flat tire repair has
been performed using the tire service
kit, FCA recommends that the tire be
replaced with a new one as soon as
possible. If the tire is to be repaired or
reused, contact an Abarth Dealership.
The wheel can be reused if the
sealant adhering to it is removed.
However, replace the valve with a new
one.
REPLACING THE BOTTLE
Inspect the tire service kit at regular
intervals.
Check the tire sealant period of
effective use. Check the operation of
the tire compressor.
IMPORTANT The tire sealant has a
period of effective use. Check the
period of effective use indicated on the
152
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
bottle label and do not use it if it has
expired. Have the tire sealant replaced
at an Abarth Dealership before the
period of effective use has expired.

WARNING
170)Punctures on the sides of the tire may
not be repaired. Do not use the kit if the tire
was damaged as a result of being used
when underinflated.
171)Do not adhere the speed restriction
sticker to the padded area on the steering
wheel. Adhering the speed restriction
sticker to the padded area on the steering
wheel is dangerous because the air bag
may not operate (deploy) normally resulting
in serious injury. In addition, do not adhere
the sticker to areas where warning lights or
the speedometer cannot be viewed.
172)If the tire inflation pressure has
decreased below 130 kPa (1.3 kgf/cm
2or
bar, 18.9 psi), stop driving and contact a
Dealership. The repair using the emergency
at tire repair kit was not successful. If you
see a decrease in the tire inflation pressure,
stop driving. Contact a Dealership.
173)You must always indicate that the tyre
was repaired using the kit. Give the booklet
to the technicians who will be handling the
tire that was treated using the kit.
174)Repairs are not possible in the case of
damage to the wheel rim (bad groove
distortion causing air loss). Do not remove
foreign bodies (screws or nails) from the
tire.175)The information required by the
applicable regulation is indicated on the tire
service kit package label. Compliance with
the indications on the label is an essential
condition to ensure the safety and the
effectiveness of the tire service kit. Carefully
read the label before use, avoid improper
use. Tire service kit is subject to expiration
and must be replaced periodically. The kit
should be used by adults and cannot be
used by children.
176)Do not allow children to touch the tire
sealant: ingestion of tire sealant is
dangerous. In the event tire sealant is
accidentally swallowed, drink large
amounts of water immediately and seek
medical assistance. Tire sealant that
comes into contact with the eyes and skin
is dangerous. If tire sealant enters the eyes
or contacts the skin, flush immediately with
large amounts of water and seek medical
assistance.
IMPORTANT
3)Dispose of the bottle and the sealant
liquid properly. Have them disposed of in
compliance with national and local
regulations.
JUMP STARTING
PREPARATIONS FOR
JUMP STARTING
177) 178) 179) 180) 181) 182) 183) 184) 185) 186)
34)
Jump-starting is dangerous if done
incorrectly. So follow the procedure
carefully fig. 142. If you feel unsure
about jump-starting, we strongly
recommend that you have a competent
service technician do the work.
IMPORTANT When using booster
battery is used, comply with the
utilisation and precaution instructions
specified by the producer.
153