light Alfa Romeo 147 2006 Owner handbook (in English)

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
134
ABS
The car is fitted with an ABS braking sys-
tem, which prevents the wheels from lock-
ing when braking, makes full use of the grip
and within the limits of the grip available,
keeps the car controllable also in emergency
braking.
When braking a slight pulsing accompa-
nied by noise may be felt on the brake ped-
al due to the action of the ABS system.
This should not be interpreted as a brak-
ing malfunction. It is the signal to the driver
that the ABS has come into action: it is the
warning that the car is travelling at the lim-
it of its grip and therefore the speed should
be adapted to the type of road.
The ABS system is an additional part of the
base braking system; in the event of a fail-
ure it is disabled, leaving the braking sys-
tem in the same conditions as a vehicle with-
out ABS.
In the case of a failure, the anti-lock action
is no longer present, the braking capacity of
the vehicle is not adversely affected at all.If you have never previously used cars fit-
ted with ABS, it is advisable to practice a lit-
tle on a slippery surface, naturally in safe-
ty conditions and in accordance with the lo-
cal Highway Code you are also advised to
read the following instructions carefully.
The advantage of the ABS over a conven-
tional system is that it makes it possible to
obtain the highest degree of handling also
when braking completely under limited grip
conditions, preventing the wheels from lock-
ing.
However, with the ABS do not expect the
braking distance to always shorten: for ex-
ample, on soft surfaces like gravel or fresh
snow or a slippery surface, the space might
increase.
To better exploit the possibilities of the an-
ti-lock system in the case of need, the ad-
vice given below should be followed.
If the ABS cuts in it means
that the limit of grip is be-
ing reached between the tyre and
the road surface: it is therefore
necessary to slow down to adapt
driving to the grip available.
WARNING
The ABS better exploits the
grip available, but cannot
increase it; caution is therefore nec-
essary on slippery surfaces, with-
out taking unnecessary risks.
WARNING
In the event of a system
failure, with the turning on
of the
>warning light on the
instrument cluster, have the car
checked immediately by Alfa Romeo
Authorised Services driving slow-
ly, to be able to have the system re-
stored to fully efficient conditions.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
135
Always take due car when braking on
bends, even with the help of the ABS.
The most important advice of all, howev-
er, is this:
Following these instruction you will be in
the best braking condition under all circum-
stances.
IMPORTANTCars fitted with ABS may
only be fitted with the wheel rims, tyres and
brake linings of type and brand approved by
the Manufacturer.
The system is completed by the EBD (Elec-
tronic Brake Distributor) which distributes
the braking action through the control unit
and the ABS system sensors.IMPORTANTIf the battery is run down
the
>andxwarning lights might turn
on when starting the engine and go off af-
ter starting. This should not be considered
as a fault but as a warning that during start-
ing the ABS is not active. The turning off
of the warning lights ensures normal system
operation.
When the ABS cuts in, and
you feel the pulsing on the
pedal, do not lighten the pressure,
but keep the pedal firmly pressed
with no fear; this way you will
stop in the least space possible,
compatibly with the conditions of
the road surface.
WARNING
The car is fitted with an
electronic braking distribu-
tor (EBD). If the
>andxwarn-
ing lights turn on simultaneously
with the engine running, this indi-
cates an EBD system failure; in this
case with sharp braking the rear
wheels might lock too early, with
the possibility of skidding. Driving
extremely carefully, go to the near-
est Alfa Romeo Authorised Service
to have the system checked.
WARNING
The turning on of only the
>warning light with the
engine running normally indicates a
fault to the ABS system only. In this
case the braking system is still ef-
ficient, though without the aid of
the anti-lock device. Under these
conditions performance of the EBD
system may be reduced. In this case
too, you areadvised to go immedi-
ately to the nearest Alfa Romeo
Authorised Service to have the sys-
tem checked over, driving in such
a way as to avoid sharp braking.
WARNING
If the low brake fluid lev-
el
xwarning light turns
on, stop the car immediately and
contact the nearest Alfa Romeo
Authorised Service. Any loss of
fluid from the hydraulic system
will negatively affect the opera-
tion of the braking system be it of
the conventional type or of the
type with ABS.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
137
The stabilising action of the VDC system is
based on the calculations of the system elec-
tronic control unit, which processes the sig-
nals received from the steering wheel rota-
tion sensor, acceleration sensor and rotation
speed sensor of ech wheel.These signals al-
low the control unit to recognise the ma-
noeuvre the driver intends to do when the
steering wheel is turned.
The control unit processes the information
received from the sensors and therefore able
to know the position of the car instant by in-
stant and compare it with the course the dri-
ver would like to follow. In the event of a
discrepancy, in a fraction of a second the
control unit chooses and commands the
most suitable intervention to bring the car
immediately back to the required course:
braking one or more wheels at different in-
tensity and, if necessary, reducing the pow-
er transmitted by the engine.
The corrective actions are modified and
controlled continuously in seeking the course
required by the driver.
The action of the VDC system considerably
enhances the active safety of the car in very
critical situations and it is particularly help-
ful when the grip conditions of the road sur-
face change.CUTTING IN
OF THE VDC SYSTEM
The cutting in of the VDC system is indi-
cated by the flashing of the
áwarning light
on the instrument cluster, to inform the dri-
ver that the car is in critical conditions of sta-
bility and grip.
VDC system failure warning
In the event of a failure the VDC system
disengages automatically and the
áwarn-
ing light on the instrument cluster turns on
glowing steadily, together with the message
on the reconfigurable multifunction display.
In the event of a VDC system failure the
car behaves like a vehicle not fitted with this
system: in any case it is advisable to con-
tact Alfa Romeo Authorised Services as soon
as possible.
For the VDC system to
work correctly, the tyres
must be of the same brand and
type on all wheels, in perfect con-
ditions and above all of the speci-
fied type, brand and size.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
139
IMPORTANTWhen travelling on snow
with snow chains, it may be helpful to turn
the ASR device off: in fact, in these condi-
tions, slipping of the driving wheels when
moving off makes it possible to obtain bet-
ter drive.
ASR system failure warning
Should a defect arise, the ASR system is
automatically disconnected and the re-con-
figurable multifunction display informs user
about this condition by displaying a dedi-
cated message.
In the event of an ASR system operating
failure, the car behaves in the same way
as a car that is not fitted with this system:
in any case, it is advisable to contact Alfa
Romeo Authorised Services as soon as pos-
sible.
EOBD SYSTEM
The EOBD system (European On Board Di-
agnosis) installed on the car meets Directive
98/69/CE (EURO 3).
This system allows continuous diagnosis
of the components on the car correlated with
emissions; it also alerts the driver, by turn-
ing on the warning light
U(on some ver-
sions together with the message + symbol
on the reconfigurable multifunction display)
on the instrument panel when these com-
ponents are no longer in peak conditions.
The objective is:
– to keep system efficiency under control;
– warn when a fault causes emission lev-
els to increase over the threshold established
by European law;
– warn of the need to replace deteriorat-
ed components.
The system also has a diagnostic connec-
tor that can be interfaced with appropriate
tools, which makes it possible to read the
error codes stored in the control unit, to-
gether with a series of specific parameters
for engine operation and diagnosis.If, turning the ignition key
to MAR, the warning light
Udoes not turn on or if,
while travelling it turns on glow-
ing steadily or flashing together
with the message + symbol on the
reconfigurable multifunction dis-
play, contact Alfa Romeo Autho-
rised Services as soon as possible.
IMPORTANTAfter eliminating the in-
convenience, to check the system com-
pletely, Alfa Romeo Authorised Services are
obliged to run a bench test and, if necessary
road tests which may also call for a long jour-
ney.For correct operation of the
ASR system the tyres must
absolutely be of the same brand
and type on all wheels, in perfect
conditions and, above all, of the
specified type, brand and size.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
140
RADIO PRESETTING
SYSTEM
(for versions/markets where
applicable)
The car, if not delivered with sound sys-
tem, is fitted with a glove compartment on
the instrument panel (fig. 136a).
Sound system presetting system includes
the following:
– sound system power cables;
– front and rear speaker power cables;
– aerial power cable;
– sound system housing;
– aerial on car roof.The sound system shall be installed in the
proper housing occupied by the glove com-
partment that can be removed by pressing
the two retaining tabs fitted in the glove
compartment: here are the power cables.
If after buying the car you
want to install the sound
system, contact first Alfa
Romeo Authorised Services whose
qualified personnel, in addition to
suggesting the most suitable de-
vices, will evaluate the overall
electric absorption to safeguard the
battery. Excessive loadless ab-
sorption could damage the battery
and lose warranty.
The wiring diagram is the following (fig.
136b):Connector A
A1 N.C.
A2 N.C.
A3 N.C.
A4 + 30 (battery-powered)
A5 Aerial power supply
A6 Light
A7 + 15 (key-powered)
A8 Ground
Connector B
B1 RH rear speaker
B2 RH rear speaker
B3 RH front speaker
B4 RH front speaker
B5 LH front speaker
B6 LH front speaker
B7 LH rear speaker
B8 LH rear speaker
fig. 136a
A0A0715m
fig. 136b
A0A0709m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
142
– Never use chemical products for clean-
ing (e.g. spray cans, antistatics or thinners)
as they might damage the surface of Com-
pact Discs.– After use, put Compact Discs
back in their container, to avoid marks or
scratches that may cause skipping when
playing.
– Do not expose Compact Discs to direct
sunlight, high temperatures or damp for pro-
longed lengths of time to prevent them from
bending.
– Do not stick labels or write on the record-
ed surface of Compact Discs with pens or
pencils.
To remove a Compact Disc from its con-
tainer, press the centre and raise the disc
carefully, holding it by the outer circumfer-
ence.
Always hold Compact Discs by the outer
circumference. Never touch the surface.To remove fingerprints and dust, use a soft
cloth starting from the centre of the Com-
pact Disc outwards.IMPORTANTIf the CD is copy-protect-
ed, the system may need few seconds be-
fore starting to play it.
Notes on Compact Discs
Do not stick labels on the surface of the
Compact Disc or write on the surface with
pens or pencils.
Proper way to hold
the compact discRemoving the disc
No
Ball-point pen
Roughness
New discs may be rough around the edges.
When these discs are used, the player might
not work or the sound might skip. To remove
the roughness from the edge of the disc use
a ball-point pen etc.
IMPORTANTDo not use the protective
sheets for CD in commerce or discs with sta-
bilisers, etc. as they might get stuck in the
internal mechanism and damage the disc.
No
No
Do not use solvents like stain removers,
antistatic sprays or thinners in commerce for
cleaning Compact Discs.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
143
Do not use highly scratched, cracked, or
distorted discs, etc. The use of these discs
will involve malfunctioning or damage to the
player.GENERAL
The set possesses the following functions:
Radio section
– PLL tuning with FM/MW/LW frequen-
cy bands
– RDS (Radio Data System) with TA (traf-
fic information) - PTY (Program Type) - EON
(Enhanced Other Network) - REG (Regional
Programmes) functions
– Alternative frequency search selection in
RDS mode (AF function)
– Emergency alarm reception provision
– Automatic/manual station tuning
– Manual storage of 30 stations:18 in the
FM band FM (6 in FM1, 6 in FM2, 6 in
FMT), 6 in the MW band MW and 6 in the
LW band
– Automatic storage (Autostore function)
of 6 stations in FMT band
– SENS DX/LO function (sensitivity ad-
justing in searching radio stations)
– Scan Function (scanning stored stations)
– Automatic Stereo/Mono switching.Compact Disc Section
– Disc select (disc no.)
– Track select (forward/backward)
– Fast forward/backward
– Repeat function (repetition of last piece)
– Scan Function (scanning the tracks on
the Compact Disc)
– Mix Function (random playing)
– TPM Function (storing CD track playing
sequence)
– CLR Function (clearing CD track stor-
age).
No
No
Do not expose Compact Discs to direct sun-
light or any source of heat.
To obtain the best sound quality, use orig-
inal CD supports. Correct operation is not en-
sured if not correctly written CD-R/RW sup-
ports and/or with capacity higher than 650
MB are used.For installation and con-
nection of the CD-Changer
apply only to Alfa Romeo
Authorised Services.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
160
Emergency alarm reception
In the RDS mode the radio is set to receive
emergency announcements in the case of
exceptional circumstances or events that
may cause general danger (earthquakes,
floods, etc. ) if they are broadcast by the
station tuned.
This function is activated automatically and
cannot be deactivated.
Program Type Function (PTY)
(selecting a type
of programme)
To turn on the PTY function, which makes
it possible to give top priority to PTY pro-
grammes, when present, which may involve
emergency messages or various topics (e.g.
music, news bulletins) briefly press the
“PTY” button (2) until the display shows
“PTY” and the subject of the last station
heard (e.g. “NEWS”).
IMPORTANTTo turn on the PTY func-
tion, the radio must be in the FM band.
If the station does not broadcast in the PTY
mode, the wording “NO-PTY” is shown
on the display for 5 seconds.
After 2 seconds the station name or fre-
quency is shown on the display.The list of the various subjects comprises:
NEWS
AFFAIRS
INFO
SPORT
EDUCATE
DRAMA
CULTURE
SCIENCE
VARIED(Variety)
POP M
ROCK M
M,O,R,M(Middle of the Road Music)
LIGHT M(Light music)
CLASSICS
OTHER M(Other music)
To change the type of PTY programme
press “
¯¯” (4) or “˙˙” (7) or one of
the 6 preset buttons. If the display shows
the station frequency or name, pressing
“
¯¯” (4) or “˙˙” (7) the current type
of programme will be displayed.To store the current type of programme on
one of the 6 preset buttons, give a pro-
longed press (over 1 second) on the pre-
set button. Storage is confirmed by a
“beep”. To seek a station with this pro-
gramme see the “Automatic tuning” and
“Scanning stations (Scan Function)” para-
graphs.
If no station is available with this type of
programme the system sounds a “beep”,
the station selected previously is heard and
for 2 seconds the display shows the word-
ing “NO-PTY”.
To turn the PTY function off briefly press
the “PTY” (2) button again.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
173
REFUELLING
The antipollution devices
on the car oblige the use of
only four-star unleaded
petrol with an octane number
(R.O.N.) of 95 or over.
Never use leaded petrol,
as this would irreversibly
damage the exhaust gas
catalyst. If leaded fuel is added to
the fuel tank, no matter how small
the quantity, DO NOT START THE
ENGINE. Do not attempt to dilute
the fuel in the tank, completely
drain the fuel circuit and tank.
To prevent accidentally filling with leaded
petrol, the diameter of the fuel tank filler
is of such a size as not to accept the noz-
zle of this type of petrol.
An inefficient catalyst
leads to harmful emission
at the exhaust, thus envi-
ronment pollution.
FUEL CAP (fig. 145)
The fuel cap (A) is key-lockable and has a
catch to prevent misplacing it (B) that fas-
tens it to the flap (C); to gain access to it,
open the flap then use the ignition key to turn
counter-clockwise and remove the cap.
When refuelling, hook the cap to the de-
vice on the inner flap, as illustrated.
IMPORTANTThe sealing of the tank
may cause light pressurising. A little breath-
ing off, while slackening the cap is ab-
solutely normal.
fig. 145
A0A0443m
After refuelling, turn the cap clockwise un-
til one or more clicks are heard; then turn
the key clockwise to lock. Close the flap.
IMPORTANTFor your safety, before
starting the engine, also make sure that the
fuel nozzle is correctly inserted in the fuel
distributor.
In the case of need, only
replace the fuel cap with
another genuine one, or the
efficiency of the fuel vapour re-
covery system could be adversely
affected.
Do not go near the fuel
filler with naked flames or
lit cigarettes: danger of fire. Avoid
going too near the fuel filler with
your face, to avoid inhaling harm-
ful vapours.
WARNING

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
177
EMERGENCY STARTING
If the Alfa Romeo CODE system does not
recognise the code transmitted by the igni-
tion key (
Y)warning light on the instru-
ment cluster on glowing steadily) emer-
gency starting may be carried out using the
code of the CODE card.
For the correct procedure see the chapter
“In an emergency”.
PARKING
When the vehicle is parked, proceed as fol-
lows:
– Switch off the engine.
– Engage the handbrake.
– Engage first gear if the vehicle is fac-
ing uphill or reverse if the vehicle is facing
downhill.
– Turn the front wheels so that the vehi-
cle will immediately come to a halt if the
handbrake slips. Never bump, tow, or
coast start the vehicle as
this would cause fuel to
flow into the catalyst causing irre-
versible damage.
To avoid useless con-
sumption of power and
possibly draining the bat-
tery, never leave the ignition key
in the MAR position when the en-
gine is not running.
Sharp accelerating before
switching the engine off
should be avoided. A
“kick” on the accelerator serves
no purposes and consumes fuel
pointlessly.
IMPORTANT
If the engine turns off with
the vehicle on the move, the next time it
is started, the Alfa Romeo CODE warning
light may turn on (
Y). In this case, check
that switching off and starting the engine
again with the vehicle stationary, the warn-
ing light stays off. If not, contact Alfa Romeo
Authorised Services.
Remember that the servo-
brake and power steering
are not operational until the engine
has been started, therefore much
more effort than usual is required
on the brake pedal and steering
wheel.
WARNING
Never leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle. Al-
ways remove the ignition key
when leaving the vehicle and take
it with you.
WARNING