phone Alfa Romeo 156 2006 Owner handbook (in English)

4
Any queries concerning servicing should be forwarded to the showroom from which the vehicle was purchased, the subsidiary company or to
our branch offices or associated companies.
Warranty Booklet
The Warranty Booklet is delivered together with every new vehicle and contains the regulations tied to the services given by Alfa Romeo Ser-
vices and to the warranty conditions.
Correctly carrying out the scheduled services specified by the manufacturer is the best way to maintain the performance, safety characteristics
and low running costs of your vehicle. It is also necessary to maintain warranty cover.
“Service” guide
This contains the Alfa Romeo Authorized Services. The services can be recognized by the presence of the Alfa Romeo badge and logo.
The Alfa Romeo organization in Italy can be found in the telephone book under the letter “A” Alfa Romeo.
Not all the models described in this booklet are available in all countries. Only some of the fittings described in this booklet are fitted as stan-
dard to the vehicle. The list of available accessories should be requested from the Alfa Romeo Dealers.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR8
To insert the metallic insert in the key grip,
press the button (E-fig. 3) to release the
insert and turn it in the direction of the ar-
row until it clicks.
To open/close the doors by remote con-
trol, press button (B). On cars fitted with
electronic alarm system, pressing button (B)
also turns the electronic alarm.
WARNINGCertain radio devices outside
the car (e.g. mobile phones, HAM radio sys-
tems) could disturb the remote control fre-
quency. In this case the remote control could
malfunction.
OPENING THE BOOTThe boot can be opened by remote control
from outside pressing button (C-fig. 3),
also when the electronic alarm (where fit-
ted) is on.
In this case the alarm system switches off
the boot volumetric protection and control
sensor, the system gives two “beeps” (with
the exceptions of versions for certain mar-
kets) and the direction indicators light up for
about three seconds.
Closing the boot again, the control func-
tions are restored, the system gives two
“beeps” (with the exceptions of versions for
certain markets) and the direction indicators
light up for about three seconds. The metallic insert (A) of the key oper-
ates:
– the ignition switch
– the driver's door lock and, optional for
versions/markets where applicable, the pas-
senger's door lock
– passenger’s Air bag deactivation.
To move the metallic insert out of the key
grip, press button (E).
When button (E) is
pressed, take the utmost
care to prevent the metal insert
from causing injury or damage
when it comes out. Button (E) must
only be pressed when the key is
away from the body, in particular
the eyes, and from objects that
could be spoilt (e.g. clothes). Never
leave the key unattended to pre-
vent anyone, especially children,
from holding it and pressing button
(E) inadvertently.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR43
In the event of a crash a person that is not
wearing the seat belt moves forwards and
may come into contact with the cushion
while it is still opening. Under these cir-
cumstances the protection offered by the
cushion is reduced.
Front air bags are designed to protect car’s
occupants in front crashes and therefore non-
activation in other types of collisions (side
collisions, rear-end shunts, roll-overs, etc…)
is not a system malfunction.
In collisions against highly deformable or
mobile objects (road signposts, heaps of ice
or snow, etc.), rear collisions (hit from be-
hind by another vehicle), side collisions,
wedging under other vehicles or protective
barriers (for example under a lorry or guard
rail) cutting in of the air bag is not activated
as it does not offer any more protection than
the seat belts therefore activation would be
inappropriate.
Therefore the failure to be triggered does
not mean that the system is not working
properly.
PASSENGER’S FRONT
AIR BAGThe passenger’s front air bag has been de-
signed to improve the protection of a per-
son wearing a seat belt.
Its volume at maximum inflation fills most
of the space between the dashboard and the
passenger.
SERIOUS DANGER:
The car is fitted
with front passenger’s air bag.
Never place cradle child’s seats on
the front passenger seat of cars
equipped with passenger air bag
since the air bag activation could
cause serious injuries, even mortal.
In the case of need, always deac-
tivate the passenger’s air bag
when a child’s seat is placed on the
front seat. The front passenger
seat shall be adjusted in the most
backward position to prevent any
contact between child’s seat and
dashboard. Even if not ruled by
law, for better protection of adults
you are recommended to reactivate
the air bag immediately as soon as
child transport is no longer neces-
sary.
WARNING
Please don’t apply stickers
or other objects to the
steering wheel, to the air-bag
cover on the passenger's side or on
the side roof lining to the uphol-
stery on the roof side. Don’t place
objects on the dashboard passen-
ger’s side (such as mobile phones)
because they could tamper with the
correct opening of the passenger’s
air-bag and than cause serious in-
juries to the vehicle occupants.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR46
WARNINGIf an accident has triggered
the air bag, Alfa Romeo Authorized Services
must be contacted to have the devices ac-
tivated replaced and to have the whole sys-
tem checked.
All operations involving checking, repair-
ing and replacing components concerning
the Air bag must be carried out by Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services.
If the car is to be demolished, Alfa Romeo
Authorized Services should be contacted be-
forehand to have the system deactivated.
If the car changes ownership, the new
owner must be informed of the instructions
for use and of the above warnings and be
given this “Owner’s Manual”.
WARNINGThe triggering of the pre-
tensioners, front air bags and side bags is
decided by the electronic control unit in a
differentiated manner depending on the type
of crash. The failure to trigger one or more
of them does not necessarily indicate a sys-
tem malfunction.
GENERAL CAUTIONS
If the
¬
warning light does
not turn on when turning the
ignition key to MAR or if it stays on
when travelling, this could indicate a
failure in safety retaining systems; un-
der this condition air bags or preten-
sioners could not trigger in the event
of collision or, in a restricted number
of cases, they could trigger acciden-
tally. Stop the car and contact Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services to have
the system checked immediately.WARNING
Do not cover the back rest
of front seats with trims or
covers there are not set for the use
of side bags.
WARNING
Never travel with objects
on your lap, in front of the
chest or with a pipe, pencil, etc. be-
tween your lips. Serious injury may
result in the case of the air bag be-
ing triggered.
WARNING
Always keep your hands
on the steering wheel rim
when driving, so that if the Air bag
is triggered, it can inflate without
meeting any obstacles. Do not
drive with the body bent forwards,
keep the seat back rest in the erect
position and lean your back well
against it.
WARNING
If the car has been stolen
or an attempt to steal it
has been made, if it has been sub-
jected to vandals or floods, have
the Air bag system checked by Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services.
WARNING
Please don’t apply stickers
or other objects to the
steering wheel, to the air-bag
cover on the passenger's side or on
the side roof lining to the uphol-
stery on the roof side. Don’t place
objects on the dashboard passen-
ger’s side (such as mobile phones)
because they could tamper with the
correct opening of the passenger’s
air-bag and than cause serious in-
juries to the vehicle occupants.
WARNING

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
166
ACCESSORIES
PURCHASED
BY THE OWNERIf, after purchasing your car, you want to
install electric accessories that require per-
manent power supply (burglar alarm, voice
function, radionavigator with satellite bur-
glar alarm, etc.) or other accessories that af-
fect the vehicle’s electric load, contact Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services, whose qualified
staff is able to recommend the most suitable
equipment of the Lineaccessori Alfa Romeo,
and also assess the electric absorption of the
same, checking if the vehicle can withstand
the required load or if a battery of greater
power must be used.
TELEPHONE
PROVISION(on request for versions/
markets where applicable)
On request for versions/markets where
applicable, the car may be fitted with a pro-
vision for the installation of a cellular tele-
phone.
This provision comprises:
– sound system two-function aerial + cel-
lular phone;
– supply and connection cables with spe-
cific connector for voice kit connection.
The voice kit must be pur-
chased separately by the
customer, since it has to be
compatible with the customer’s
own cellular phone.
For the installation of the
cellular phone and connec-
tion to the provision in the
car, contact only Alfa Romeo Au-
thorized Services; this will guar-
antee first-rate results with no
possibility of any inconvenience
that may compromise the safety of
the vehicle.
fig. 154
A0B0252m
SUN VISORSThey can be adjusted frontally and later-
ally.
On the back of the visors there is a cour-
tesy mirror with sliding cover (A-fig. 154),
lit by the lamp (B).
The passenger’s sun visor bears also the
symbol for correct use of children’s seats in
cars equipped with passenger’s airbag. For
further information, see the descriptions
given in paragraph “Passenger’s front
airbag” in this chapter.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
167
RADIO
TRANSMITTERS
AND CELLPHONESCellphones and other radio transmitters
(e.g. CB radios) cannot be used inside the
vehicle, unless you use a separate aerial
mounted outside the vehicle.
The transmission and reception efficiency
of this equipment may also be affected by
the shielding effect of the vehicle’s body.
SUNROOF(optional for versions/markets
where applicable)
The sunroof can only be operated when
the ignition key is in the MARposition.Do not open the sunroof
when snow or ice are on
the roof as this may dam-
age it.
The use of cellphones, CB
radios or similar inside the
passenger compartment (without
an outside aerial) produces electro-
magnetic RF fields; if these are am-
plified by the resonance inside the
passenger compartment, they may
not only result in a potential health
hazard, or poor functioning of the
electronic systems such as engine
control units, ABS/EBD control
units, etc., fitted to the vehicle, but
also put the safety of your vehicle
in jeopardy.
WARNING
Improper use of the sunroof
can be dangerous. Before
and while operating it, always
make sure that the passengers are
not exposed to the risk of harm
caused either directly by the sunroof
in motion or by personal items
drawn or knocked by it.
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle,
the ignition key should al-
ways be removed to avoid acci-
dents involving the sunroof which
could be inadvertently operated by
any passenger remaining in the ve-
hicle.
WARNING

IN AN EMERGENCY
246
IF AN ACCIDENT
OCCURS– It is important to keep calm.
– If you are not directly involved in the ac-
cident, stop at least ten metres away from
the accident.
– If you are on a motorway do not ob-
struct the emergency lane with your car.
– Turn off the engine and turn on the haz-
ard lights.
– At night, illuminate the scene of the ac-
cident with your headlights.– Act carefully, you must not risk being run
over.
– Mark the accident by putting the red tri-
angle at the regulatory distance from the car
where it can be clearly seen.
– Call the emergency services making the
information you give as accurate as you can.
On the motorway use the special column-
mounted emergency phones.
– In pile-ups on the motorway, particular-
ly when the visibility is bad, there is a high
risk of other vehicles running into those al-
ready immobile. Get out of the vehicle im-
mediately and take refuge behind the guard
rail.
– If the doors are blocked, do not try to
get out of the vehicle by breaking the strat-
ified windscreen. The rear and side windows
are easier to break.
– Remove the ignition keys of the vehi-
cles involved.– If you smell petrol or other chemicals,
do not smoke and make sure all cigarettes
are extinguished.
– Use a fire extinguisher, blanket, sand or
earth to put out fires, no matter how small
they are. Never use water.
– If it is not necessary to use the lighting
system, disconnect the terminal from the
battery negative (–) pole.

CAR MAINTENANCE
267
Incorrect fitting of electri-
cal accessories can serious-
ly damage the car. If after
buying the car, you wish to install
electric accessories (alarm, sound
system, radiotelephone, etc.) con-
tact Alfa Romeo Authorized Ser-
vices who will be able to suggest
the most suitable devices and
above all advise about the need to
use a more powerful battery.If the car is to remain sta-
tionary for a long time in
very cold weather, remove
the battery and take it to a warm
place, otherwise it might freeze.
CHECKING THE CHARGE The battery charge may be checked satis-
factorily using the indicator, and acting ac-
cording to the colour the indicator shows.
Refer to the table below or to the label
fig. 24on the battery.fig. 24
A0B0146m
When doing any work on
the battery or near it, al-
ways wear special protective gog-
gles.
WARNING
Working with a low fluid
level may damage the bat-
tery irreversibly, even causing it to
burst.
WARNING

CAR MAINTENANCE
269
USEFUL HINTS TO EXTEND
THE LIFE OF YOUR BATTERYTo avoid quickly draining the battery and
to preserve its operating conditions over the
course of time, carefully follow the instruc-
tions below:
– The terminals must always be tightened.
– As far as possible, avoid keeping ser-
vices on for a long time with the engine
stopped (radio, hazard lights, parking lights,
etc.).
– When leaving the car parked in a
garage, make sure that the doors, bonnet,
boot and interior lids are properly shut to
prevent lights from staying on.
– Before doing any work on the electric
system, disconnect the battery negative ter-
minal.– If after purchasing the car, you wish to
install electrical accessories which need a
permanent electrical supply (alarm, hands-
free phone, radio-navigator with satellite an-
ti-theft function, etc.) contact Alfa Romeo
Authorized Services whose qualified per-
sonnel, in addition to suggesting the most
suitable devices from Lineaccessori Alfa
Romeo will be able to evaluate the total
electrical absorption, checking whether the
car’s electric system is able to support the
load required or whether a battery with high-
er capacity is necessary. In fact, these de-
vices continue to absorb current with the
ignition key off (car parked, engine off) and
may gradually drain the battery.
REPLACING THE BATTERYIf required, replace the battery with a gen-
uine spare part having the same specifica-
tions. If a battery with different specifica-
tions is fitted, the service intervals given in
the Programmed Maintenance Schedule in
this section will no longer be valid. Refer
to the instructions provided by the battery
manufacturer.

CAR MAINTENANCE
270
– Do not check for current in the cables by
short-circuiting the ends.
– If electrical welding is to be carried out
on the body of the car, the electronic con-
trol units must be disconnected or removed
if the work involves the production of high
temperatures.
You are also reminded that services with
high current absorption activated by the user,
such as bottle warmers, vacuum cleaners,
cellular telephone, mini refrigerator, etc. ac-
celerate the battery drainage process if they
are powered with the engine not run-
ningor running at idle speed.
WARNINGIt should also be noted that
improper branches on connectors of the elec-
tric wiring for installing additional equipment
is dangerous, particularly if safety devices
are involved.
ELECTRONIC CONTROL
UNITSWith normal use of the car, no particular
precautions need to be taken.
In the event of work on the electric system
or emergency starting, the instructions giv-
en below must absolutely be adhered to:
– Always switch off the engine before dis-
connecting the battery from the electric sys-
tem.
– If it is necessary to charge the battery,
always disconnect it from the electric sys-
tem.
– When starting in an emergency, only
use an auxiliary battery and not a battery
charger.
– Check that the bias is correct and that
the connections between the battery and
the electric system are in efficient conditions.
– Do not connect or disconnect the ter-
minals of the electronic units while the ig-
nition key is at MAR.
Battery50 Ah60 Ah70 AhMaximum permissible
loadless absorption
30 mA
36 mA
42 mAThe total absorption of these accessories
(standard and installed later) must be less
than 0.6 mA x Ah (of the battery), as
shown in the table below:
Alterations or repairs to
the electric system carried
out incorrectly and without taking
into account the specifications of
the system, may cause operating
faults with the risk of fire.
WARNING