Abarth Punto 2012 Owner handbook (in English)

127
KNOWING
YOUR VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
W

ARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
HEAD PROTECTION SIDE AIR BAGS
(WINDOW BAGS) fig. 123
This is formed by two “curtain” window bags located
behind the side roof cover and are covered by special
trim. They were designed to protect the head of front
and rear passengers in the case of side collisions, thanks
to the wide cushion inflation surface.
F0U122Abfig. 122
SIDE BAGS fig. 122
Front side airbags are housed in the seat backrests.
They consist of an instant-inflation bag designed to
increase protection of the occupants’ chest and pelvis
zone in the event of a side-on crash of medium/high
severity.
F0U123Abfig. 123
109-130 GPUNTO EVO Abarth GB 2ed 8-11-2010 14:46 Pagina 127

128
IMPORTANT Should an accident occur in which any of
the safety devices are activated, contact an Abarth
Dealership to have the activated devices replaced and to
have the whole system checked.
Every check, repair and replacement operation
concerning the airbags must be carried out at Abarth
Dealerships.
If you are having the car scrapped, have the airbag
system deactivated at an Abarth Dealership first. If the
car changes ownership, the new owner must be
informed of how to use the airbags and the above
warnings: they must also be given this “Owner’s
Handbook”.
IMPORTANT Pretensioners, front airbags and front side
bags are deployed differently according to the type of
collision. Non-deployment of one of the devices does
not necessarily indicate a system malfunction.
IMPORTANT In the event of a side-on crash, the
system offers the best protection if you are positioned
correctly on the seat because this allows the side bags
to inflate correctly.
IMPORTANT The front airbags and/or side bags may be
deployed if the car is subject to strong impact involving
the underbody area, such as violent impacts against
steps, kerbs or low obstacles, the car entering large
holes or hollows in the road.
IMPORTANT A small amount of dust will be released
when the airbags are deployed. The dust is harmless and
does not indicate the beginning of a fire. Furthermore,
the surface of the deployed bag and the interior of the
car may be covered with dusty residue. This dust can
irritate skin and eyes. Wash with mild soap and water in
the event of exposure.
The expiration dates of the explosive charge and the
clock wire are shown on a label contained in the glove
box. Contact an Abarth Dealership to have the devices
replaced when the expiry date approaches.
KNOWING
YOUR VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
W

ARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
109-130 GPUNTO EVO Abarth GB 2ed 8-11-2010 14:46 Pagina 128

129
KNOWING
YOUR VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
W

ARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Do not rest your head, arms or elbows
on the doors, windows or window bag
deployment area as you could be injured during
the inflation phase.
WARNING
Never stick you head, arms or elbows
out of the window.
WARNING
Do not cover the front seat backrest
with sheets or covers that are not
compatible with side bags.
WARNING
If, when turning the key to MAR, the
warning light
¬does not turn on or if it
stays on when travelling (together with the
message on the reconfigurable multifunction
display), there could be a failure in the safety
systems; if this is the case, the airbags or
pretensioners may not trigger in the event of an
accident or, in a minor number of cases, they
could activate incorrectly. Contact a Fiat
Dealership immediately to have the system
checked before driving off.
WARNING
GENERAL WARNINGS
Do not travel with objects in your lap, in
front of your chest, or between your lips
(pipes, pencils, etc.). In the event of a crash
when the airbag is deployed, you may be
seriously injured.
WARNING
Always drive keeping your hands on the
steering wheel rim so that, in the event of
airbag activation, it can inflate without
obstruction. Do not drive with your body
slouched forwards; keep the backrest upright and
lean back into it.
WARNING
109-130 GPUNTO EVO Abarth GB 2ed 8-11-2010 14:46 Pagina 129

130
KNOWING
YOUR VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
W

ARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
If the key is turned to MAR, even if the
engine is switched off, airbags may be
deployed when the car is stationary and hit by
another vehicle. For this reason, children must
never sit on the front seat, even if the car is not
moving. We remind you that if the key is turned
to the STOP position, no safety device (airbag
or pretensioner) activates following a collision.
Non-deployment in such cases should not be
considered as the sign of a malfunction.
WARNING
If the car has been stolen or has been
the subject of an attempted theft, if it
has been vandalised or flooded, have the airbag
system checked at an Abarth Dealership.
WARNING
When the ignition key is turned to MAR,
the warning light “turns on (with front
airbag on passenger’s side enabled) and blinks
for a few seconds to remind you that the
passenger airbag will activate in the event of a
collision. Then it turns off.
WARNING
Do not pressure wash the seats with
steam or water (either by hand or at
automatic seat washing stations).
WARNING
The front airbags deploy in the event of
more severe collisions than those
required for deploying the pretensioners. For
collisions in the range between the two
activation thresholds, pretensioner activation
alone is normal.
WARNING
Do not hook rigid objects to clothes
hangers and support handles.
WARNING
The airbag does not replace seat belts; it
increases their effectiveness.
Furthermore, since front airbags are not
deployed in low speed collisions, side-on
collisions, rear-end shunts or roll-overs, the
passengers are protected only by the seat belts
which must therefore be fastened at all times.
WARNING
109-130 GPUNTO EVO Abarth GB 2ed 8-11-2010 14:46 Pagina 130

131
STARTING THE ENGINE
The car is fitted with an electronic engine lock device: if
the engine fails to start, see the paragraph “The Fiat
CODE system” in section “Dashboard and controls”.
The engine may be noisier during the first few seconds
of operation, especially after a long period of inactivity.
This is a feature of hydraulic tappets, the timing system
chosen to reduce the number of servicing interventions,
and effects neither functionality nor reliability.
KNOWING
YOUR VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
STARTING AND DRIVING
It is dangerous to let the engine run in
enclosed spaces. The engine consumes
oxygen and produces carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and other toxic gases.
WARNING
In the first period of use, we recommend
that you do not demand maximum
performance from the car (e.g. excessive
acceleration, extended travel at maximum revs,
heavy braking etc.).
With the engine off, do not leave the key
in the ignition to prevent draining the
battery.
Remember that the brake booster and
power steering are not operational until
the engine has been started, therefore you need
to apply much more force than usual to the
brake pedal and steering wheel.
WARNING
131-140 GPUNTO EVO Abarth GB 2ed 8-11-2010 14:43 Pagina 131

HOW TO WARM UP THE ENGINE AFTER IT
HAS JUST STARTED
Proceed as follows:
❒drive off slowly, letting the engine turn at medium
speed. Do not accelerate abruptly;
❒do not demand maximum performance for the first
few kilometres. Wait until the engine coolant gauge
starts moving.
132
KNOWING
YOUR VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Remember that the brake servo and
power steering are not operational until
the engine has been started, so you need
to apply much more force than usual to the
brake pedal and steering wheel.
Never start the engine by pushing, towing
or driving downhill. This could cause a
flow of fuel into the catalytic converter
and damage it beyond repair.
Proceed as follows:
❒engage the handbrake;
❒put the gear lever into neutral;
❒fully depress the clutch pedal without moving 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
Yremains on together with warning light
U, turn the key to STOP and then back to MAR; if the
warning light remains on, try the other keys provided
with the vehicle.
IMPORTANT If the instrument panel warning light
Ystays on permanently, contact an Abarth Dealership
immediately.
IMPORTANT Never leave the ignition key to MAR
when the engine is off.
131-140 GPUNTO EVO Abarth GB 2ed 8-11-2010 14:43 Pagina 132

133
STOPPING 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.
KNOWING
YOUR VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
A quick burst on the accelerator before
turning off the engine serves absolutely
no practical purpose, it wastes fuel and is
damaging especially to turbocharged engines.
F0U124Abfig. 124
PARKING THE VEHICLE
Proceed as follows:
❒Stop the engine and engage the handbrake;
❒Engage a gear (on a slope, engage first gear if the
vehicle is faced uphill or reverse if it is facing
downhill) and leave the wheels steered.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a stone if the car is
parked on a steep slope. Do not leave the key in the
ignition switch to prevent draining the battery. Always
remove the key when you leave the vehicle.
Never leave children unattended in the
car. Always remove the ignition key
when leaving the car and take it with you.
WARNING
131-140 GPUNTO EVO Abarth GB 2ed 8-11-2010 14:43 Pagina 133

134
KNOWING
YOUR VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
F0U125Abfig. 125
USING THE MANUAL GEARBOX
To engage the gears, press the clutch pedal fully and put
the gear lever into one of the required positions (the
diagram is shown on the knob fig. 125).
To engage 6
thgear, operate the lever by pressing it
towards the right in order to avoid engaging 4thgear by
mistake. The same applies to the shift from 6thto 5th
gear.
IMPORTANT The car can only be put into reverse gear
when it has stopped moving completely.
To engage reverse R from neutral, proceed as follows:
raise sliding ring A-fig. 125 under the knob and at the
same time move the gear lever to the left and then
forwards.
HANDBRAKE fig. 124
The handbrake lever is located to the left of the driver’s
seat. Pull the handbrake lever upwards until the car
cannot be moved. Four or five clicks are generally
enough when the car is on level ground while nine or
ten may be required if the car is on a steep slope and
laden.
IMPORTANT If this is not the case, contact an Abarth
Dealership to have the handbrake adjusted.
When the handbrake is engaged and the ignition key is
in
MARposition, the warning light xon the instrument
panel will turn on.
Proceed as follows to release the handbrake:
❒slightly lift the handbrake and press the release
button
A;
❒keep button Apressed and lower the lever. The
warning light
xon the instrument panel will turn off.
Press the brake pedal when carrying out this operation
to prevent the car from moving accidentally.
131-140 GPUNTO EVO Abarth GB 2ed 8-11-2010 14:43 Pagina 134

135
KNOWING
YOUR VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Press the clutch pedal fully to change
gears correctly. For this reason, there
must be no obstacles on the floor under the
pedals: ensure that rubber mats (if any) are
lying flat and do not interfere with the pedals.
WARNING
Do not drive with your hand resting on
the shifting lever, because this pressure,
even if light, over time can wear out the
gearbox internal components.
MPORTANT Use of the clutch pedal must be limited
solely to gear changes. Do not drive with your foot
resting on the clutch pedal, however slightly. For
versions/markets where provided, the electronic clutch
control can intervene if it interprets incorrect driving
style as a fault.CONTAINING RUNNING COSTS
Here are some suggestions which may help you to keep
the running costs of your vehicle down and lower the
amount of toxic emissions released into the
atmosphere.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried out in accordance
with the “Scheduled Servicing Plan”.
Tyres
Check the pressure of the tyres routinely at an interval
of no more than 4 weeks: if the pressure is too low,
consumption levels increase as resistance to rolling is
higher.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with an overloaded boot. The weight of
the car (especially when driving in town) and the way in
which it is laden greatly affect fuel consumption and
stability.
131-140 GPUNTO EVO Abarth GB 2ed 8-11-2010 14:43 Pagina 135

136
KNOWING
YOUR VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
MAINTENANCE AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
DRIVING STYLE
Starting
Do not warm up the engine at low or high revs when
the car is stationary; this causes the engine to warm up
more slowly, thereby increasing fuel consumption and
emissions. It is therefore advisable to move off
immediately, slowly, avoiding high speeds: in this way the
engine will warm up more quickly.
Unnecessary actions
Avoid accelerating when stopped at traffic lights or
before switching off the engine. The latter action, like
double-clutching, is unnecessary and causes increase of
consumption and pollution.
Gear selection
As soon as the conditions of the traffic and road allow,
use a higher gear. Using a low gear for faster
acceleration will increase consumption. In the same way
improper use of a high gear increases consumption,
emissions and engine wear.
Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or the ski rack from the roof
after use. These accessories lower air penetration and
adversely affect consumption levels. When transporting
particularly large objects, use a trailer if possible.
Electrical devices
Use electrical devices only for the amount of time
needed. Rear heated window, additional headlights,
windscreen wipers and heater fan need a considerable
amount of energy, therefore increasing the requirement
of current increases fuel consumption (up to +25% in
the urban cycle).
Climate control system
The climate control system is an additional load which
greatly affects the engine leading to higher consumption
(on average up to +20%). When the temperature
outside the car permits it, use the air vents where
possible.
Devices for aerodynamic control
The use of non-certified devices for aerodynamic
control may adversely affect air drag and consumption
levels.
131-140 GPUNTO EVO Abarth GB 2ed 8-11-2010 14:43 Pagina 136