brakes Abarth 124 Spider 2019 Owner handbook (in English)

Dear Customer,
We would like to congratulate and thank you for choosing an Abarth 124 Spider.
We have written this handbook to help you get to know all the features of your vehicle and use it in the best possible way.
Here you will find information, advice and important warnings regarding use of your vehicle and how to achieve the best
performance from the technical features of your vehicle.
You are advised to read it right through before taking to the road for the first time, to become familiar with the controls and
above all with those concerning brakes, steering and gearbox; at the same time, you can understand the vehicle behaviour on
different road surfaces.
This document also provides a description of special features and tips, as well as essential information for the safe driving, care
and maintenance of your vehicle over time.
After reading it, you are advised to keep the handbook inside the vehicle, for an easy reference and for making sure it remains
on board the vehicle should it be sold.
In the attached Warranty Booklet you will also find a description of the Services that Abarth offers to its customers, the Warranty
Certificate and the detail of the terms and conditions for maintaining its validity.
We are sure that these will help you to get in touch with and appreciate your new vehicle and the service provided by the
people at Abarth.
Enjoy reading. Happy motoring!
IMPORTANT This Owner Handbook describes all versions of the vehicle; please consider only the information
relevant to your vehicle’s trim level, engine and version. All data contained in this publication are purely indicative.
FCA Italy S.p.A. can modify the vehicle model described in this publication at any time, for technical or commercial
purposes. For further information, contact an Abarth Dealership.

WARNING LIGHTS ON INSTRUMENT PANEL
Red warning lights
Warning light What it means what to do
PARKING BRAKE WARNING - WARNING
LIGHT INSPECTION / LOW BRAKE FLUID
LEVEL WARNING
Parking brake warning / Warning light
inspection
The light illuminates when the parking brake is
applied with the ignition switched to START or
ON. It turns off when the parking brake is fully
released.
Low brake fluid level warning
If the brake warning light remains illuminated
even though the parking brake is released, the
brake fluid may be low or there could be a
problem with the brake system. Park the
vehicle in a safe place immediately and
contact an Abarth Dealership.
IMPORTANT Do not drive with the brake
system warning light illuminated. Contact an
Abarth Dealership to have the brakes
inspected as soon as possible. Driving with
the brake system warning light illuminated is
dangerous. It indicates that your brakes may
not work at all or that they could completely
fail at any time. If this light remains illuminated,
after checking that the parking brake is fully
released, have the brakes inspected
immediately.
IMPORTANT In addition, the effectiveness of
the braking may diminish so you may need to
depress the brake pedal more strongly than
normal to stop the vehicle.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place immediately
and contact an Abarth Dealership.Stop the vehicle in a safe place immediately
and contact an Abarth Dealership.
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Warning light What it means what to do
EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution)
SYSTEM WARNING
If the EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution)
control unit determines that some
components are operating incorrectly, the
control unit may illuminate the brake system
warning light and the ABS warning light
simultaneously. The problem is likely to be the
electronic brake force distribution system.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place immediately
and contact an Abarth Dealership.
IMPORTANT Do not drive with both the ABS
warning light and brake warning light
illuminated. Contact an Abarth Dealership to
have the brakes inspected as soon as
possible. Driving when the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light are
illuminated simultaneously is dangerous. When
both lights are illuminated, the rear wheels
could lock more quickly in an emergency stop
than under normal circumstances.Stop the vehicle in a safe place immediately
and contact an Abarth Dealership.
IMPORTANT Do not drive with both the ABS
warning light and brake warning light
illuminated. Contact an Abarth Dealership to
have the brakes inspected as soon as
possible. Driving when the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light are
illuminated simultaneously is dangerous. When
both lights are illuminated, the rear wheels
could lock more quickly in an emergency stop
than under normal circumstances.
CHARGING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT
If the warning light illuminates while driving, it
indicates a malfunction of the alternator or of
the charging system. Drive to the side of the
road and park off the right-of-way. Stop the
vehicle in a safe place immediately and
contact an Abarth Dealership.
IMPORTANT Do not continue driving when the
charging system warning light is illuminated
because the engine could stop unexpectedly.Stop the vehicle in a safe place immediately
and contact an Abarth Dealership.
IMPORTANT Do not continue driving when the
charging system warning light is illuminated
because the engine could stop unexpectedly.
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KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

Amber warning lights
Warning light What it means What to do
ABS WARNING LIGHT
If the ABS warning light stays on while you're
driving, the ABS control unit has detected a
system malfunction. If this occurs, your brakes
will function normally as if the vehicle had no
ABS. Should this happen contact an Abarth
Dealership as soon as possible.
NOTE When the engine is jump-started to
charge the battery, uneven rpm occurs and
the ABS warning light may illuminate. If this
occurs, it is the result of the weak battery and
does not indicate an ABS malfunction.
Recharge the battery.
NOTE The brake assist system does not
operate while the ABS warning light is
illuminated.Contact an Abarth Dealership as soon as
possible.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT
If this light illuminates while driving, the vehicle
may have a problem. It is important to note the
driving conditions when the light illuminated
and contact an Abarth Dealership.
The check engine light may illuminate in the
following cases:
the engine's electrical system has a
problem;
the emission control system has a
problem;
the fuel tank level being very low or
approaching empty;
the phonic wheel learning, following
disconnection of the battery, did not
complete successfully.
Contact an Abarth Dealership as soon as
possible.
61

ACTIVE SAFETY
SYSTEMS
The vehicle has the following active
safety systems:
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System);
TCS (Traction Contol System);
DSC (Dynamic Stability Control);
Active bonnet (active pedestrian
protection).
For the operation of the systems, see
the following pages.
ABS SYSTEM (Antilock
Brake System)
66) 67) 68) 69)
The ABS control unit continuously
monitors the speed of each wheel. If
one wheel is about to lock up, the ABS
responds by automatically releasing
and reapplying that wheel's brake.
The driver will feel a slight vibration in
the brake pedal and may hear a
chattering noise from the brake system.
This is normal ABS system operation.
Continue to depress the brake pedal
without pumping the brakes.
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction. Refer to
“Warning lights and messages”
paragraph in “Knowing the instrument
panel” chapter.
NOTE Braking distances may be longer
on loose surfaces (snow or gravel, forexample) which usually have a hard
foundation. A vehicle with a normal
braking system may require less
distance to stop under these conditions
because the tires will build up a wedge
of surface layer when the wheels skid.
NOTE The sound of the ABS operating
may be heard when starting the engine
or immediately after starting the vehicle,
however, it does not indicate a
malfunction.
TCS SYSTEM (Traction
Control System)
70) 71) 72)
The Traction Control System (TCS)
enhances traction and safety by
controlling engine torque and braking.
When the TCS detects driving wheel
slippage, it lowers engine torque and
operates the brakes to prevent loss of
traction.
This means that on a slick surface, the
engine adjusts automatically to provide
optimum power to the drive wheels,
limiting wheel spin and loss of traction.
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction. Refer to
“Warning lights and messages”
paragraph in “Knowing the instrument
panel” chapter.
NOTE To turn off the TSC, press the
DSC OFF switch.
TCS / DSC indicator light
Theindicator light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched
ON.
If the TCS or DSC is operating, the
indicator light flashes.
If the
light stays on, the TCS, DSC or
the brake assist system may have a
malfunction and they may not operate
correctly. Contact an Abarth Dealership.
IMPORTANT In addition to the warning
light flashing, a slight labouring sound
will come from the engine. This
indicates that the TCS/DSC is
operating properly.
IMPORTANT On slippery surfaces, such
as fresh snow, it will be impossible to
achieve high rpm when the TCS is on.
DSC SYSTEM (Dynamic
Stability Control)
73) 74) 75)
The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
automatically controls braking and
engine torque in conjunction with
systems such as ABS and TCS to help
control side slip when driving on
slippery surfaces, or during sudden or
evasive manoeuvring, enhancing vehicle
safety. Refer to “ABS system (Antilock
Brake System)” and “TCS system
(Traction Control System)”.
73

PARKING BRAKE
137) 138) 139)
IMPORTANT Driving with the parking
brake on will cause excessive wear of
the brake parts.
Setting the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and then firmly
pull the parking brake lever fully
upwards with sufficient force to hold the
vehicle in a stationary position.
Releasing the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and pull the
parking brake lever 1 upwards fig. 87,
then press the release button 2. While
holding the button, lower the parking
brake lever all the way down to the
released position.
Brake Assist
During emergency braking situations
when it is necessary to depress the
brake pedal with greater force, the
brake assist system provides braking
assistance, thus enhancing braking
performance.
When the brake pedal is depressed
hard or depressed more quickly, the
brakes apply more firmly.
NOTE When the brake pedal is
depressed hard or depressed more
quickly, the pedal will feel softer but the
brakes will apply more firmly. This is a
normal effect of the brake assist
operation and does not indicate a
malfunction.
NOTE When the brake pedal is
depressed hard or depressed more
quickly, a motor/pump operation noise
may be heard. This is a normal effect of
the brake assist and does not indicate a
malfunction.
NOTE The brake assist equipment does
not supersede the functionality of the
vehicle's main braking system.WARNING
137)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. If the
vehicle is parked on a steep slope, it is
advisable to block the wheels with a wedge
or stone.
138)Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle. Keep away the key when
leaving the vehicle and take it with you.
139)Do not drive with worn disc pads.
Driving with worn disc pads is dangerous.
The brakes could fail and cause a serious
accident. As soon as you hear a
screeching noise contact an Abarth
Dealership.
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117

N (Neutral)
145)
In N, the wheels and transmission are
not locked. The vehicle will roll freely
even on the slightest incline unless the
parking brake or brakes are on.
IMPORTANT Do not shift into N when
driving the vehicle. Doing so can cause
transaxle damage. Apply the parking
brake or depress the brake pedal
before moving the selector lever from N
to prevent the vehicle from moving
unexpectedly.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transmission will automatically
shift through a 6-gear sequence.
M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position.
Gears can be shifted up or down by
operating the selector lever. Refer to
“Manual shift mode”.
SHIFT-LOCK SYSTEM
The shift-lock system prevents shifting
out of P unless the brake pedal is
depressed.
To shift from P:
depress and hold the brake pedal;
start the engine;
press and hold the lock-release
button;
move the selector lever.When the ignition is switched to ACC or
the ignition is switched off, the selector
lever cannot be shifted from P.
The ignition cannot be switched to OFF
if the selector lever is not in P.
SHIFT-LOCK OVERRIDE
If the selector lever will not move from P
using the proper shift procedure,
continue to hold down the brake pedal.
Proceed as follows:
remove the shift-lock override cover
using a cloth-wrapped flat head
screwdriver fig. 90;
insert a screwdriver and push it
down;
press and hold the lock-release
button and move the selector lever;
take the vehicle to an Abarth
Dealership.
For some versions
Proceed as follows:
press the lock-release button with
the button pressed fig. 91;
move the selector lever;
take the vehicle to an Abarth
Dealership.
MANUAL SHIFT MODE
To change to manual shift mode, shift
the lever from D to M. To return to
automatic shift mode, shift the lever
fromMtoD.
IMPORTANT Changing to manual shift
mode while driving will not damage the
transmission.
IMPORTANT If you change to manual
shift mode when the vehicle is stopped,
the gear may shift to M1.
IMPORTANT If you change to manual
shift mode without depressing the
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120
STARTING AND OPERATING

mode is cancelled (released) depending
on the rate of acceleration or if the
accelerator is fully depressed, use of
the manual shift mode is recommended
if you need to drive the vehicle in a
particular gear for long periods.
DRIVING TIPS
147) 148)
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades,
depress the accelerator fully. The
transmission will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed.
Climbing steep grades from a stop
To climb a steep grade from a stopped
position depress the brake pedal, shift
to D or M1, depending on the load
weight and grade steepness, release
the brake pedal while gradually
accelerating.
Descending steep grades
When descending a steep grade, shift
to lower gears, depending on load
weight and grade steepness.
Descend slowly, using the brakes only
occasionally to prevent them from
overheating.
WARNING
143)Always set the selector lever to P and
set the parking brake. Only setting the
selector lever to the P position without
using the parking brake to hold the vehicle
is dangerous. If P fails to hold, the vehicle
could move and cause an accident.
144)If the engine is running faster than
idle, do not shift from N or P into a driving
gear. It's dangerous to shift from N or P
into a driving gear when the engine is
running faster than idle. If this is done, the
vehicle could move suddenly, causing an
accident or serious injury.
145)Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Shifting into N while driving is
dangerous. Engine braking cannot be
applied when decelerating which could
lead to an accident or serious injury.
146)Keep your hands on the steering
wheel rim when using fingers on the
steering shift switches. Putting your hands
inside the rim of the steering wheel when
using the steering shift switches is
dangerous. If the driver's air bag were to
deploy in a collision, your hands could be
impacted causing injury.
147)Do not use engine braking on slippery
road surfaces or at high speeds. Shifting
down while driving on wet, snowy, or
frozen roads, or while driving at high
speeds causes sudden engine braking,
which is dangerous. The sudden change in
tire speed could cause the tires to skid.
This could lead to loss of vehicle control
and an accident.148)Do not let the vehicle move in a
direction opposite to the direction selected
by the selector lever. Do not let the vehicle
move backward with the selector lever in a
forward position, or do not let the vehicle
move forward with the selector lever in the
reverse position. Otherwise, the engine
may stop, causing the loss of the power
brake and power steering functions, and
make it difficult to control the vehicle which
could result in an accident.
122
STARTING AND OPERATING

DISPLAY
The setting status of the speed limiter is
displayed in the display in the
instrument cluster.
Stand-by display
Displays when the speed limiter switch
is operated and the system is turned on
fig. 96. Turns off when the system is
turned off.
Setting display
Displays when the SET/- switch is
operated and the speed is set fig. 97.
Cancel display
Displays when any of the following
operations is done and the system is
temporarily cancelled fig. 98:
OFF/CANCEL switch is operated;
accelerator pedal is strongly
depressed.
WARNING BEEP
If the vehicle speed exceeds the set
speed by about 3 km/h or more, a
warning sound operates continuously
and the adjustable speed limiter display
flashes at the same time.
The warning sound operates and the
display flashes until the vehicle speed
decreases to the set speed or less.
Verify the safety of the surrounding area
and adjust the vehicle speed by
applying the brakes. Additionally, keep
a safer distance from the vehicles
behind you.
When the system is temporarily
cancelled by depressing the accelerator
pedal fully, the adjustable speed limiter
display shows the cancel display. If the
vehicle speed exceeds the set speed
by about 3 km/h or more while the
cancel display is displayed, the set
speed display flashes but the warning
sound is not operated.
IMPORTANT If the set speed is set
lower than the current vehicle speed by
pressing the SET/- or RES/+ switch,
the warning beep is not activated for
about 30 seconds even if the vehicle
speed is faster than the newly set
speed by 3 km/h. Be careful not to
drive over the set speed.
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127

WARNING
169)If the fuse blows again contact an
Abarth Dealership.
170)Never replace a fuse with another
with a higher amp rating; DANGER OF
FIRE.
171)Contact an Abarth Dealership if a
safety system (airbags, brakes), power unit
system (engine, gearbox) or steering
system general protection fuse blows.
172)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.
173)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)
174) 175) 176) 177) 178) 179) 180)
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. 133:
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. 134.
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.
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154
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY