warning light Alfa Romeo 166 2006 Owner handbook (in English)

45
CARRYING CHILDREN SAFELYFor optimal protection in the event of a
crash, all passengers must be seated and
wearing adequate restraint systems.
This is even more warning for children.
According to 2003/20/EC Directive,
this prescription is compulsory for all Euro-
pean Community countries.
Compared with adults, their head is pro-
portionally larger and heavier than the
rest of the body, while the muscles and
bone structure are not completely devel-
oped. Therefore, correct restraint systems
are necessary, other then adult seat belts.
fig. 56
003STZm
SERIOUS DANGER: Never place cradle child’s seats on the
front passenger seat of cars fitted with passenger air bag
since the air bag activation could cause serious injuries, even mortal. You
are advised to carry children always on the rear seat, as this is the most
protected position in the case of a crash. In any case, children's seats must
absolutely not be fitted on the front seat of car’s with passenger’s air bag,
which during inflation could cause serious injury, even mortal, regardless
of the seriousness of the crash that triggered it.
Children may be placed on the front seat of cars fitted with passenger’s
air bag deactivation. In this case, it is absolutely necessary to check the
warning light
Fon the cluster to make sure that deactivation has ac-
tually taken place (see paragraph “Front and side air bags” at item “Pas-
senger’s front air bag”). The front passenger seat shall be adjusted in the
most backward position to prevent any contact between child’s seat and
dashboard.
AIRBAGWARNING

48
Below is a summary of the
rules of safety to be followed
for carrying children:
1)The recommended position for in-
stalling children’s seat is on the rear seat,
as it is the most protected in the case of
a crash.2)If the passenger’s air bag is deacti-
vated always check the warning light
Fon the cluster to make sure that it
has actually been deactivated.
3)Attain to the instructions for fasten-
ing the specific child restraint system
which you are using. These instructions
must be provided by the manufacturer.
Keep the child restraint system installa-
tion instructions with the car documents
and this Handbook. Never use a child re-
straint system without installation instruc-
tions.
4)Always check the seat belt is well
fastened by pulling the webbing.
5)Only one child is to be strapped to
each retaining system.
6)Always check the seat belts do not
fit around the child’s throat.
7)While travelling, do not let the child
sit incorrectly or release the belts.
8)Passengers should never carry chil-
dren on their laps. No-one, however
strong they are, can hold a child in the
event of a crash.
9)In case of an accident, replace the
seat with a new one.
In cars fitted with pas-
senger air bag never
place child’s restraint systems on
the front seat since children shall
never be seated on the front pas-
senger seat.
WARNING
Illustration is indicative
for assembly only. As-
semble the seat according to the
compulsory instructions provided
with it. Child’s seat shall not be
assembled on the rear central seat.
WARNING

53
Deactivation/reactivation takes place
with ignition key at STOPand operating
it in the special key switch on the right-
hand side of the dashboard (fig. 65).
You can reach the switch only if the
door is opened.The key switch (fig. 65) has two posi-
tions:
1)Passenger’s front Air bag active
(ONposition
P) warning light on clus-
ter off; it is absolutely prohibited to carry
children on the front seat.
2)Passenger’s front Air bag deactivat-
ed (OFFposition
F) warning light on
cluster on; it is possible to carry children
protected by special restraint systems on
the front seat.
The
Fwarning light on the instru-
ment cluster glows steadily until the pas-
senger’s Air bag is reactivated.
Deactivation of the front passenger’s Air
bag does not inhibit operation of the side
Air bag.
With the door open the key can be in-
serted and removed in both positions.Operate the switch only
when the engine is not
running and the ignition key is re-
moved.
WARNING
Warning light Findi-
cates also warning light
¬failure. This is indicated by in-
termittent flashing, over 4 sec-
onds, of warning light
F. In this
event, warning light
¬could be
not up to indicate restraint system
failures, if any. Stop the car and
contact Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services to have the system
checked.
WARNING

55
IMPORTANTSThe triggering of air
bags releases a small amount of powder.
This powder is not harmful and does not
indicate a start of fire; also the surfaces
of the deployed bag and the car interior
may be covered with dusty residue: this
may irritate the skin and eyes. In the
event of exposure, wash with neutral
soap and water.
The air bag system has a validity of 14
years as concerns the pyrotechnic charge
and 10 years as concerns the coil contact.
Contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services as
this date approaches.IMPORTANTIf an accident has trig-
gered the air bag, Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services must be contacted to have the de-
vices activated replaced and to have the
whole system 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”.
IMPORTANTThe 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 system malfunction.GENERAL WARNINGS
Never lean head, arms
and elbows out of the
window.
WARNING
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 re-
taining systems; under this condi-
tion air bags or pretensioners could
not trigger in the event of collision
or, in a restricted number of cases,
they could trigger accidentally.
Stop the car and contact a Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services to
have the system checked.
WARNING
Do not cover back rest of
front seats with trims or
covers there are not set for the
use of side bags.
WARNING

56
Never travel with objects
on your lap, in front of
your chest or with a pipe, pencil,
etc. between your lips; injury may
result in the event of the air bag
being 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 which could
cause serious harm to you. Do not
drive with the body bent for-
wards, 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
Do not wash the seat
back rest with pres-
surised water or steam (by hand
or at automatic seat washing sta-
tions).
WARNING
When the ignition key is
turned to the MAR posi-
tion, the warning light
F(with
passenger’s front air bag deacti-
vation switch in the ON position)
turns on and flashes for few sec-
onds to remind that passenger’s
air bag will be deployed in a crash,
after which it should go off.
WARNING
Please remember that
with the ignition key at
MAR, the air bags can be triggered
also on a stationary vehicle, if it is
bumped by another moving vehi-
cle. Therefore, even with the car
stationary, never allow children on
the front seat. On the other hand,
remember that with the car sta-
tionary and ignition key at STOP
no safety device (air bags or pre-
tensioners) will be triggered in the
event of an impact; in this case the
failure to trigger safety devices
should not be considered as a sys-
tem failure.
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 upholstery on
the roof side. Don’t place objects on
the dashboard passenger’s side
(such as mobile phones) because
they could tamper with the correct
opening of the passenger’s air-bag
and than cause serious injuries to
the vehicle occupants.
WARNING

57
LIGHTS SWITCH AND
STEERING WHEEL
LEVERS
The device and services controlled by
the levers on the steering wheel can only
be activated when the ignition key is in
theMARposition (except the parking
lights which can always be switched on).
LIGHTS SWITCH (fig. 66)
Lights switched off
When the pointer on the knurled ring
(A) is opposite the symbol O, the exter-
nal lights are switched off.
The front air bag is trig-
gered for shocks greater
in magnitude than the pretension-
ers. For impacts between these
two thresholds, it is therefore nor-
mal that only the pretensioners are
triggered.
WARNING
Do not hook rigid objects
to the coat hooks and to
the support handles.
WARNING
The air bag does not sub-
stitute the seat belts, but
only increases their effectiveness.
Moreover, since the front air bags
do not come into operation in the
event of front impact at low
speed, side collisions, bumps from
behind or overturning, in these cir-
cumstances the occupants would
only be protected by the seat belts
which must therefore always be
fastened.
WARNING
fig. 66
A0D0146m

58
Sidelights
The sidelights are switched on by turn-
ing the knurled ring (A) from Oto
6.
The
3warning light on the instru-
ment panel will come on at the same
time.
Dipped-beam headlights
These are switched on by turning the
knurled ring (A) from
6to2.
Parking lights
When the pointer of the switch (A) cor-
responds with the
Fsymbol, the side
lights stay on regardless of the position of
the ignition key.
If moving the left-hand lever (fig. 67)
downward, only the left-hand side park-
ing lights switch on, while moving the
lever upward, only the right-hand side
parking lights switch on.Main-beam headlights (fig. 68)
When the knurled ring in the
2posi-
tion the headlights can be changed form
dipped-beam to main-beam by pushing
the lever towards the dashboard (stable
position).
The
1warning light will come on the
instrument panel.
To return from main-beam to dipped-
beam, once again pull the lever towards
the steering wheel and then release.
LEFT LEVER (fig. 67)
The left lever operates the high beam
lights and the direction indicators.
fig. 67
A0D0014m
A0D0017m
fig. 68

59
Flashing(fig. 69)
The headlights are flashed by pulling the
lever towards the steering wheel (unsta-
ble position) regardless of the position of
the light switch.
The warning light
1on the instrument
panel will come on at the same time.
IMPORTANT Only the main beam
lights are flashed. To avoid penalties, fol-
low local regulations.Direction indicators (fig. 70)
Moving the lever to the stable position:
Up (A) - engages the right-hand direc-
tion indicators.
Down (B) - engages the left-hand direc-
tion indicators.One of the warning lights
Îo¥will
light up on the instrument panel at the
same time.
The lever returns to its home position
automatically and the indicators are
switched off when the steering wheel is
straightened.
IMPORTANT If you wish to signal a
rapid change of direction involving only a
minimum movement of the steering
wheel, the lever can be moved up or
down without it clicking (unstable posi-
tion). When released the lever will return
to its home position.
A0D0018m
fig. 69
A0D0016m
fig. 70

60
RIGHT-HAND LEVER (fig. 72)
The right-hand lever is used to operate
the windscreen wiper and the windscreen
washer.
The control used to activate the wind-
screen washer also activates the head-
light washers (optional for versions/mar-
kets where applicable). “Follow me home” device
(fig. 71)
This function allows the illumination of the
space in front of the car for the length of
time set, and is activated with the ignition
key at STOPor removed, pulling the left-
hand lever towards the steering wheel.This function is activated pulling the lever
within 2 minutes from when the engine is
turned off. At each single movement of the
lever, the staying on of the dipped beams
and sidelights is extended by 30 seconds up
to a maximum of 3.5 minutes; the lights
switch off automatically after the time set.
Each time the lever is operated, the
1
warning light on the cluster turns on.
This function can be interrupted by keep-
ing the lever pulled towards the steering
wheel for more than 2 seconds.
fig. 72
A0D0015m
A0D0018m
fig. 71

63
STR SYSTEM
(SPORT THROTTLE
RESPONSE)
(optional for versions/markets where
applicable)
The STR system offers the driver the
possibility of brilliant, sporty driving with-
out forsaking relaxing driving in other cir-
cumstances with smoother, more gradual
engine response.
In fact, according to preference, the dri-
ver can choose between sporty fast accel-
eration control and smoother more grad-
ual control, for example in city driving.To engage the sporty response (also
when travelling), press the switch (A-
fig. 76) on the centre console. To pre-
vent this function from being engaged un-
intentionally, the system requires the ac-
celerator pedal to be completely released
for engagement. When the sporty re-
sponse is enabled warning light (B) on
the switch lights up.
To restore the most comfortable re-
sponse press the button again (A) and
completely release the accelerator: the
warning light (B) on the switch goes out.
Whenever the engine is switched on,
the control unit positions on the most
comfortable response. If before switching
off the sporty response was stored, it will
automatically be retrieved releasing the
accelerator pedal after the first accelera-
tion.Automatic engagement
The system allows passing from the s-
tandard map to the sporty one with a
quick press on the accelerator. This func-
tion is useful in all situations, such as for
example overtaking or emergency ma-
noeuvres, where maximum acceleration
is needed.
When the need for maximum power
ceases, the system automatically resumes
the standard map.
A0D0022m
fig. 76