low beam Alfa Romeo 156 2004 Owner handbook (in English)

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR49
Flashing (fig. 72)
The headlights are flashed by pulling the
lever towards the steering wheel (unstable
position) regardless of the position of the
knurled ring. The
1
warning light on the
instrument panel will come on at the same
time.
WARNINGOnly the main-beam lights
are flashed. To avoid penalties, follow lo-
cal regulations.Direction indicators (fig. 73)
Moving the lever to the stable position will:
up - engage the right-hand direction indi-
cators.
down - engage the left-hand direction in-
dicators.
One of the warning lights (
R
or
E) will
come on on the instrument panel at the
same time.
The lever is returned to its home position
automatically and the indicators are
switched off when the steering wheel is
straightened.WARNINGIf you wish to signal a rapid
change of direction involving only a mini-
mum movement of the steering wheel, the
lever can be moved up or down without
clicking (unstable position). When released
the lever will return to its home position.
fig. 73
A0B0376m
fig. 71
A0B0374m
fig. 72
A0B0375m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
136
DASHBOARD LIGHTING
ADJUSTMENT
(fig. 118)
When the outside lights are on, the dash-
board lighting is adjusted by pressing button
(A).
Each press of the button (A) cyclically se-
lects one of the three lighting levels pro-
vided: low-medium-high.
FRONT FOGLIGHTS
(fig. 117)
(where required)
These come on when button (A) is
pressed and when the external lights are al-
ready on.
The warning light
5
will light up on the
instrument panel.
By turning the ignition key to STOP, the
fog lights are turned off automatically and
do not come on the next time the engine
is started without pressing button (A).
Press the button (A) again to switch the
front foglights off.
WARNINGThe front foglights should be
used in compliance with the local traffic
laws.
REAR FOG GUARDS
(fig. 117)
These are turned on, with the dipped beam
headlamps or fog lights on, by pressing but-
ton (B).
At the same time, warning light
4
on the
instrument cluster lights up.
By turning the ignition key to STOP, the
fog guards are automatically turned off and
they do not come on the next time the en-
gine is started unless button (B) is pressed.
Press button (B) to turn them off.
WARNINGAlways use the rear fog
guards in accordance with local regulations
in force.
fig. 117
A0B0740m
fig. 118
A0B0326m

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
138
HEADLIGHT CORRECTOR (fig. 121)
If the car is fitted with xenon headlights,
beam aiming is electronic and therefore con-
trol (A) on the mask near the steering col-
umn is not present.
The headlights should be aimed correctly
depending on the vehicle load.
The control (A) on the plate at the side of
the steering column can be moved to four
positions corresponding to the vehicle loads
given below:
position 0: 1 or 2 people occupying front
seats, full fuel tank, on-board equipment pre-
sent;
position 1: 5 people on-board;fig. 121
A0B0240m
HAND BRAKE
(fig. 122)
The hand brake lever is located between
the two front seats.
To operate the brake when the vehicle is
“stationary”, pull the lever (A) upwards un-
til the required braking action is obtained.
When the ignition key is in the MARpo-
sition, the
x
warning light will come on on
the instrument panel.
fig. 122
A0B0288m
position 2: 5 people on-board, luggage
compartment full (50 kg approximately);
position 3: Driver and 300 kg in luggage
compartment.
Check the positioning of
the headlight beams every
time you change the load to be car-
ried.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
172
BONNETThe lever used to open the bonnet is lo-
cated under the left end of the dashboard.
To open:
– Pull the lever (A-fig. 166) until the
bonnet clicks open.
CAUTIONS FOR CARRYING
LUGGAGETravelling at night with a load in the boot
it is necessary to adjust the height of the low
beam headlights (see next paragraph
“Headlights” in this chapter). For correct use
of the aiming device, also make sure that
the load does not exceed the values given
in the same paragraph.
fig. 166
A0B0049m
Do not load the luggage
compartment above the
permitted maximum (see “Tech-
nical specifications”). Also make
sure that the objects contained in
the boot are well secured to pre-
vent them from being thrown for-
ward causing harm to the passen-
gers in the event of sharp braking.
WARNING
A heavy load that has not
been secured may cause
serious harm to passengers in the
event of an accident.
WARNING
When wanting to carry a
spare can of petrol, this
must be done in compliance with
the law, only using a certified can,
appropriately fastened to the load
restraint eyelets. Even so, the risk
of fire is increased.
WARNING
Only with the car sta-
tionary.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
174
HEADLIGHTSLIGHT BEAM AIMINGWARNINGThe adjustment of the head-
lights is vital to your safety and comfort and
to that of other road users. The adjustment
of the headlights is also governed by precise
regulations. To guarantee both to yourself
and to the other drivers the best visibility
conditions when travelling with the head-
lights on, the vehicle must have its head-
lights properly adjusted.
Contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services to
have the headlights correctly adjusted.
IMPORTANTOn the inside surface of
the headlight there could appear a slight
coat of fogging; this does not show a defect,
since it is a natural occurrence due to low
temperature and to the degree of humidity
in the air; it will soon disappear as soon as
the lights are turned on. The presence of
drops inside the headlight shows water seep-
age: refer to the Alfa Romeo Dealership.
ROOF RACK
PROVISIONThe car is set for mounting special roof
racks.
Roof racks, especially designed for this car,
must be fastened to pins (A-fig. 168) set
under the packing, as shown in the figure.
Strictly comply with the
regulations in force con-
cerning the maximum over-
all dimensions.
fig. 168
A0B0142m
After a few kilometres,
check that the fastening
screws are firmly tightened.
WARNING
Distribute the load evenly
and when driving, bear in
mind the increased sensitivity to
side wind.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
175
COMPENSATION FOR TILT(fig. 169)
If the car is fitted with xenon headlights,
beam aiming is electronic and therefore con-
trol (A) on the mask near the steering col-
umn is not present.
When the vehicle is loaded, the beam from
the headlights is raised due to the back-
wards tilt of the vehicle.
In this case the headlights must be ad-
justed using control (A) located on the plate
at the side of the steering column.This control has four positions corre-
sponding to various vehicle loads given be-
low:
– position 0: 1 or 2 people occupying
front seats, full fuel tank, on-board equip-
ment present;
– position 1: 5 people on-board;
– position 2: 5 people on-board, luggage
compartment full (50 kg approximately);
– position 3: driver and 300 kg in lug-
gage compartment.fig. 169
A0B0240m
Check the positioning of
the headlight beams every
time you change the load to be car-
ried.
WARNING
ADJUSTING THE FRONT
FOGLIGHTS (for versions/markets where
applicable)
To adjust the height of the beam of the
front foglights, act on adjusting screw (A-
fig. 170).fig. 170
A0B0239m
Contact Alfa Romeo Au-
thorized Services to have
the headlights correctly ad-
justed.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
177
DIPPED BEAM HEADLIGHT
AIMING FOR LEFT-HAND/
RIGHT-HAND DRIVING(only for versions with gas
discharge headlights)
As regards cars equipped with gas dis-
charge headlights (xenon lamps)(optional
for versions/markets where applicable) with
very great lighting power, when passing
from a country with right-hand driving to one
with left-hand driving, or vice versa, it is nec-
essary to modify the orientation of the
dipped beam headlights, to optimize the il-
lumination of the road edge and avoid daz-
zling the vehicles coming from the opposite
direction.
To have this operation
carried out, contact Alfa
Romeo Authorized Ser-
vices.
When you go back to your
country of origin, remem-
ber to have the dipped beam head-
light orientation modified again.
WARNING
In the event of a failure, though being un-
able to rely on the antilock effect, there is
absolutely no adverse effect on vehicle brak-
ing performance in terms of braking capac-
ity.
If you have never used a car with ABS be-
fore, you are advised to learn how to use
it with a few preliminary trials on a slippery
surface, naturally under safety conditions
and fully adhering to the Highway Code of
the country concerned. You are also advised
to carefully read the following information.
The advantage of the ABS compared with
the conventional system is that it makes it
possible to maintain maximum vehicle han-
dling performance also in the case of hard
braking under grip limit conditions, avoiding
wheel lock.
Do not however expect the braking dis-
tance always to be reduced with the ABS
system: for example, on soft surfaces such
as gravel or fresh snow on slippery surfaces,
the distance might increase.
ABSThe car is fitted with an ABS system which
prevents wheel lock when braking, better
exploits wheel grip and keeps the vehicle
controllable within the limits of the available
grip also during emergency braking.
The driver can feel that the ABS is opera-
tional by a light pulsing of the brake pedal,
accompanied by noise.
This should not interpreted as malfunc-
tioning of the brakes, but it is the signal to
the driver that the ABS system is working:
it is the warning that the car is travelling at
the limit of grip an that, therefore, it is nec-
essary to adapt the speed to the type of road
on which you are travelling.
The ABS system is an additional part of the
basic braking system; in the event of a fault
it is disabled, leaving the braking system
in the same conditions as a car without ABS.

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
193
– Do not drive for long periods without a
break. During breaks get out of the vehicle
and move around a bit to shake off the
drowsiness.
– Make sure the air in the passenger com-
partment is changed constantly.
– Never coast the vehicle downhill with
the engine switched off as this eliminates
the engine braking and power steering ef-
fect thus requiring a greater effort on the
pedal and steering wheel.
NIGHT DRIVINGHere are some suggestions for night dri-
ving.
– Drive with particular care: night driving
involves a greater degree of concentration.
– Reduce speed, especially on unlit roads.
– At the first signs of drowsiness stop the
car: continuing the journey is dangerous for
yourself and others. Continue driving only
after sufficient rest.
– Maintain a greater distance from the ve-
hicle in front than in the day: it is more dif-
ficult to judge the speed of the vehicle when
only the lights can be seen.
– Ensure that the headlights are correctly
aligned: if they are too low, visibility is re-
duced and eyesight is tired. If they are too
high they may cause disturbance to other
road users.
– Use the main beams only outside built-
up areas and only when you are certain that
other drivers are not disturbed by their use.
– When meeting vehicles coming in the
opposite direction, switch off the main
beams and drive with the dipped-beam
headlights on.
– Keep headlights and lights clean.
– Outside built-up areas take care of ani-
mal crossings.
Always fasten the front
and rear seat belts includ-
ing those of any child’s seat. Trav-
elling without seat belts increases
the risks of serious injury or even
death in the event of an accident.
WARNING
Take care when fitting ad-
ditional spoilers, alloy
wheels and wheel caps: they might
reduce ventilation of the brakes,
thus their efficiency, during abrupt
and repeated braking, or long
downhill slopes.
WARNING
Never drive with objects
on the floor in front of the
driver’s seat: they might get stuck
under the pedals making it impos-
sible to accelerate or brake.
WARNING
Make sure any mats are
appropriate in size: even a
slight inconvenience to the braking
system may require a higher pedal
stroke than normal.
WARNING
Water, ice and salt on the
roads may deposit on the
brake discs, reducing the effec-
tiveness of the brakes the first
time they are used.
WARNING

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
194
DRIVING IN THE RAINRain and wet roads can be dangerous.
If the road is wet, the traction between
wheel and asphalt is greatly reduced, thus
increasing the stopping distance and de-
creasing road holding.
Here are few suggestions in the case of
rain:
– Reduce speed and keep further back
from the vehicle in front.
– If it is raining particularly heavily, visi-
bility is also reduced. In these cases, switch
on the dipped headlights even if it is still day-
light so you can be seen more easily.
– Do not drive through puddles at speed
and hold on tightly to the wheel if you do: a
puddle taken at high speed might cause you
to lose control of the car (“aquaplaning”).
– Position the ventilation controls for
demisting (see chapter “Getting to know
your car”), to prevent visibility from wors-
ening.
– Routinely check the conditions of the
windscreen wiper blades.
DRIVING IN THE FOG– If fog is very thick, avoid travelling
where possible. If travelling with mist,
ground fog or the possibility of fog banks:
– Drive at moderate speed.
– Also in the day turn on the dipped-beam
headlights, rear fog guards and front fog
lights. Do not use the main beam headlights.
WARNINGOn stretches of road with
good visibility, switch off your rear foglights;
the brightness of these lights could annoy
the people travelling in the cars behind.
– Remember that fog also involves wet
asphalt, thus greater difficulty in all types of
manoeuvres and longer stopping distances.
– Keep well away from the vehicle in
front.
– Where possible avoid sudden changes
in speed.
– Possibly avoid overtaking other vehicles.
– If the vehicle is forced to stop (faults,
impossibility to continue due to poor visi-
bility, etc.), firstly try to pull off the road.
Then turn on the hazard warning lights and,
if possible the dipped beam headlights. Ry-
thmically sound the horn if you note another
car coming.
MOUNTAIN DRIVING– When driving downhill, use the engine
braking by engaging a low gear, to prevent
the brakes from overheating.
– Never coast downhill with the engine off
or in neutral and especially not with the ig-
nition key removed.
– Drive at moderate speed and avoid “cut-
ting” corners.
– Remember that overtaking up hill is
slower and therefore requires a greater
length of clear road. If you are being over-
taken on a hill, move over to enable the
other vehicle to pass in safety.

IN AN EMERGENCY
219
BULBS High beamLow beamFront sidelightFoglight (where required)Front direction indicatorSide direction indicatorRear direction indicatorStop/side lightAdditional stop lightReversing lightRear fog guardNumber plate lightFront roof lightBoot lightRear roof lightCourtesy light (where required)Glovebox light
FIGURE 20
D
D
B
D
B
A
B
B
B
A
B
B
A
C
C
C
CPOWER
55W
55W
6W
55W
21W
5W
21W
21W/5W
3.2
21W
21W
5W
10W
10W
5W
5W
5W
TYPEH1
H7
H6W
H1
PY21W
W5W
P21W
P21/5W
3.2W
P21W
P21W
W5W
C10W
C10W
C5W
C5W
C5W