Alfa Romeo 4C 2020 Owner handbook (in English)

59
SBR (Seat Belt Reminder)
SYSTEM
This system comprises an acoustic
warning which, in conjunction with the
panel, advises the driver if their seat belt
has not been fastened.
Contact a dedicated Alfa Romeo
Dealership to deactivate this acoustic
warning permanently.
The acoustic warning can be reactivated
at any time through the Setup menu (see
“Menu items” paragraph in “Knowing the
instrument panel” chapter).
If the driver side seat belt is not
fastened, when 20 km/h is exceeded or
when travelling at a speed from 10 to
20 km/h for longer than 5 seconds, an
acoustic signal sequence will be started
(continuous acoustic signal for the first 6
seconds followed by approximately
90 seconds of intermittent beeping) and
the
stay on with a fixed light until the car is
turned off. The acoustic signal is
interrupted immediately when the seat
belt is fastened.
If the seat belt is unfastened again when
driving the car, the acoustic signal and
the flashing warning light resume as
described previously.
PRE-TENSIONERS
The car is equipped with seat belt
pretensioners, which draw back the seat
belts by several centimetres in the event
of a strong frontal impact. This
guarantees the perfect adherence of the
seat belts to the occupant’s bodies
before the retention action begins.
It is evident that the pretensioners have
operated when the belt withdraws
toward the retractor.
This car is also equipped with a second
pretensioner (fitted in the kick plate
area). Its activation is signalled by the
shortening of the metal cable.
A slight discharge of smoke may be
produced during the activation of the
pretensioner which is not harmful and
does not involve any fire hazard.
IMPORTANT To obtain the highest
degree of protection from the action of
the pretensioning device, wear the seat
belt, keeping it close to the chest and
pelvis.

SAFETY
60
The pretensioner does not require any
maintenance or lubrication: any changes
to its original conditions will invalidate
its efficiency. If, due to unusual natural
events (floods, sea storms, etc.), the
device has been affected by water
and/or mud, contact a dedicated Alfa
Romeo Dealership to have it replaced.
56) 57)
4)
LOAD LIMITERS
To increase protection, the seat belt
retractors contain a device which
controls the force acting on the chest and
shoulders during the belt restraining
action in the event of an accident.
CARRYING CHILDREN
SAFELY
Alfa 4C is a sporty car that can be driven
in town every day, provided its driver and
passengers fasten their seat belts.
Carrying a child on the passenger seat is
also allowed, provided the child weighs
more than 9 kg and a suitable child
restraint system is used.
Children must be suitably restrained
inside the vehicle according to their
weight. Several children restraint system
types are available; always choose the
one most suitable for the child:
58)
When over 1.50 m in height, from the
point of view of restraint systems,
children are considered as adults and
have to wear the standard seat belts.
All restraint devices must bear the
certification data, together with the
control mark, on a label solidly fixed to
the child restraint system which must
never be removed.
Child restraint systems are available
from Lineaccessori Alfa Romeo.
These products have been designed and
tested specifically for Alfa Romeo
vehicles.
56)The pretensioner may be used only
once. After its activation, contact a
dedicated Alfa Romeo Dealership to have
it replaced.
57)Removing or otherwise tampering
with seat belt and pretensioner
components is strictly prohibited. Any
intervention on these components must
be performed by qualified and authorised
technicians. Always contact a dedicated
Alfa Romeo Dealership.
IMPORTANT
4)Operations which lead to knocks,
vibrations or localised heating (over
100°C for a maximum of 6 hours) in the
area around the pretensioners may cause
damage or trigger them.
Contact the dedicated
Alfa Romeo Dealership if there is the need
to operate on those components.
WARNING

61
FITTING “UNIVERSAL” CHILD
RESTRAINT SYSTEM
(with seat belts)
Only Group 1, 2 and 3 child restraint
systems, namely forward facing child
restraint systems, can be installed on
Alfa 4C.
This vehicle is NOT compliant for fitting
rear facing child restraint systems on the
passenger seat.
GROUP 1
Children of weight from 9 to 18 kg may
be carried in forward facing child
restraint systems fig. 37.
59)
37A0L0059
GROUP 2
Children from 15 to 36 kg may use the
car seat belts directly, fig. 38.
The child restraint system is used only to
position the child correctly with respect
to the belts so that the diagonal section
crosses the child’s chest and never the
neck, and the horizontal part is snug on
the pelvis not the abdomen.
59)
38A0L0064
58)The car passenger’s seat is not
suitable for carrying rear facing child
restraint systems (Group 0 and 0+).
Therefore, very small children (from 0 to
9 kg) must NOT be carried in this vehicle.
IMPORTANT

SAFETY
62
GroupWeight groupsPassenger
Group 1 9-18 kg L
Group 2 15-25 kg L
Group 3 22-36 kg L
L = suitable for special child restraint systems for this type of car.
PASSENGER SEAT COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS ON UNIVERSAL CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM USE
According to the European Directive 2000/3/EC the suitability of each passenger seat position for the fixing of universal child
restraint systems is shown in the following table:
CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS RECOMMENDED BY ALFA ROMEO FOR YOUR ALFA 4C
Lineaccessori Alfa Romeo has two child restraint systems specific for your Alfa 4C which are fitted facing forward and fixed using
the three-point seat belt only.
Weight groupRestraint systemRestraint typeRestraint system installation
Britax Romer Duo Plus
Type-approval number:
E1 04301133
Fiat order code: 71803161 Group 1 – from 9 to
18 kgChild restraint system to be fitted forward facing
only, using ONLY the car’s safety belts.
It is recommended not to use the ISOFIX anchorages
and the child restraint system top tether as the car
is not equipped with ISOFIX anchorages and top
tether.
Fair Junior Fix
Type-approval number:
E4 04443721
Fiat order code: 71806570It must be installed forward facing only, using ONLY
the car’s seat belt.
It is recommended not to use the ISOFIX
anchorages as the car is not equipped with ISOFIX
anchorages. Group 2 – 3 from 15 to
36 kg

63
Main safety rules to be followed when
carrying children
❒ follow the instructions supplied with
the child restraint system itself, which
the manufacturer must provide.
Keep the instructions in the car along
with the other documents and this
handbook.
Do not use child seats without
instructions; always check the seat belt is
well fastened by pulling the belt;
❒ only one child is to be strapped into
each restraint system; never carry two
children using one child restraint system;
always check that the belts are not
resting on the child’s neck;
❒ while travelling, do not let the child sit
incorrectly or release the belts;
❒ never carry children on your lap, even
newborns. No-one could hold on to a child
in the event of an accident; in the event of
an accident, replace the child restraint
system with a new one. Also have the
seat belt to which the child restraint
system was attached replaced.
FRONT AIRBAGS
DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT
AIRBAGS
The car features multistage front airbags
(“Smart bag system”) for driver and
passenger.
The front driver/passenger airbags are
designed to protect occupants in the
event of frontal impacts of medium-high
severity, by placing the bag between the
occupant and the steering wheel or
dashboard.
Therefore, non-activation of the front
airbags in other types of collisions (side
collisions, rear shunts, rollovers, etc.)
does not indicate a system malfunction.
Airbags are not a replacement of but
complementary to the seat belts, which
you are recommended to always wear. In
the event of impact, those not wearing a
seat belt are projected forwards and may
come into contact with the bag which is
still inflating. The protection offered by
the bag is compromised in these
circumstances.
60)
59)The diagrams are indicative and
provided for assembly purposes only. Fit
the child restraint system according to
the instructions, which must be included.
IMPORTANT
❒ Incorrect fitting of the child restraint
system may result in an inefficient
protection system. In the event of an
accident the child restraint system may
become loose and the child may be
injured, even fatally. Strictly comply with
the instructions provided when fitting a
child restraint system.
❒ When the child restraint system is not
used, secure it with the seat belt or
remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it
unsecured inside the passenger
compartment. In this way, in the case of
sudden braking or an accident, it will not
cause injuries to the occupants.

Front airbags may not activate in the
following situations:
❒ frontal impacts against highly
deformable objects not involving the
front surface of the car (e.g. wing collision
against guard rail);
❒ jamming of the car underneath other
vehicles or protective barriers
(e.g. underneath a truck or a guard rail); in
this case, the bags would offer no
additional protection with respect to the
seat belt and their deployment would be
inappropriate.
In these cases, non-deployment does not
indicate a system malfunction.
FRONT AIRBAG DRIVER’S SIDE
This is located in a dedicated
compartment in the centre of the
steering wheel fig. 39.
61)
39A0L0055
PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIRBAG
This is located in a dedicated
compartment in the dashboard fig. 40.
62)
FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND
CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
It is ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN to install
on the vehicle a child restraint system
backwards the driving direction.
Deployment of the airbag in an accident
could cause fatal injuries to the baby.
ALWAYS comply with the instructions
on the label stuck on the passenger side
sun visor fig. 41.
40A0L0056
IMPORTANT NOTES
The front airbags may activate in the event of
sharp impacts to the underbody of the car
(e.g. impact with steps, pavements, potholes
or road bumps, etc.). When the airbag deploys
it emits a small amount of dust: the dust is
harmless and does not indicate the beginning
of a fire. The dust may irritate the skin and
eyes however: in this case, wash with neutral
soap and water.
Airbag checking, repair and replacement
must be carried out at a dedicated Alfa
Romeo Dealership. If the car is scrapped,
have the airbag system deactivated at a
dedicated Alfa Romeo Dealership.
Pretensioners and airbags are deployed
according to different logic on the basis of
the type of collision. Failure to activate one or
more of the devices does not indicate a
system malfunction.
63) 64) 65) 66) 67) 68) 69) 70) 71) 72)
SAFETY
64
41A0L0230

65
Passenger side front airbag and child restraint systems IMPORTANT

SAFETY
66
61)Do not apply stickers or other objects
to the steering wheel or the passenger
side airbag cover. Do not place objects on
the passenger side of the dashboard
because these could interfere with the
correct opening of the passenger airbag
and cause injury to occupants.
62)Always drive keeping your hands on
the steering wheel rim so that the airbag
can inflate freely if necessary.
Do not drive with your body bent forward.
Keep your back straight against the
backrest.
63)Instructions for deactivating the
front passenger airbag can be found in
the “Menu Options” paragraph of the
“Knowing the instrument panel” chapter.
Please note that under these conditions
the airbag will NOT deploy when required
(accident).
64)Do not rest your head, arms or elbows
on the door to prevent injury during airbag
deployment.
65)Never lean head, arms or elbows out
of window.
IMPORTANT66)If the ¬warning light does not
switch on when the key is turned to MAR,
or stays on while driving (on some
versions, together with a message on the
display) there may be a fault in the
restraint systems. In this case, airbags or
pretensioners may not be activated in the
case of an accident or (in a lesser number
of cases) they may be activated
incorrectly. Before proceeding, contact a
dedicated Alfa Romeo Dealership to have
the system checked immediately.
67)Do not travel carrying objects on your
lap, in front of your chest or between your
lips (pipe, pencils, etc.): they could cause
severe injury if the airbag is deployed.
68) If the car has been subject to theft,
attempted theft, vandalism, or flooding,
have the airbag system inspected at a
dedicated Alfa Romeo Dealership.
69)The airbags may also be deployed
when the car is not moving, if the key is
inserted and turned to MAR even when
the engine is off, if the car is hit by
another moving vehicle. Also remember
that no safety device (airbags or
pretensioners) will be deployed in the
event of impact when the key is at STOP.
Non-deployment of these devices under
these circumstances does not therefore
indicate a system malfunction.70)When the ignition key is turned to
MAR, the
“warning light comes on
constantly for the first 4 seconds.
Then, if the warning light remains on, this
means the passenger’s protection has
been deactivated; if the warning light
switches off, instead, the passenger’s
protection is enabled.
71)The front airbag is designed to be
deployed for impacts of a greater
intensity than for the pretensioners. For
impacts whose intensity falls between
the two levels, normally, only the
pretensioners will be activated.
72)The airbag does not replace seat
belts but increases their efficiency.
Because front airbags are not deployed
for low-speed frontal impacts, side
collisions, rear shunts or rollovers,
occupants are protected only by their
seat belts, which must always be
fastened.

STARTING AND DRIVING
STARTING THE ENGINE........................................................................................ 68
PARKING .......................................................................................................................69
TCT TWIN CLUTCH TRANSMISSION ............................................................ 70
CRUISE CONTROL.................................................................................................... 75
PARKING SENSORS ............................................................................................... 77
REFUELLING THE CAR ......................................................................................... 79
Let’s get to the heart of the matter: seeing how you can exploit
all the potentials of your car to the fullest.
This is how to drive your car safely in all conditions for
pleasantly comfortable and cost-efficient travelling.

STARTING AND DRIVING
68
STARTING THE ENGINE
Before starting the engine, adjust the
seat, the interior rear view mirrors, the
door mirrors and fasten the seat belt
correctly. Never press the accelerator
pedal for starting the engine.
Procedure
73) 74) 75) 5)
The metal insert 1 fig. 2 operates:
❒ press the brake pedal;
❒ 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 stays on
together with the warning light, turn the
key to STOP and then back to MAR; if the
warning light stays on, try the other keys
provided with the vehicle. If it is still not
possible to start the engine, contact a
dedicated Alfa Romeo Dealership.
❒ Do not leave the ignition key at MAR
when the engine is stopped.
SWITCHING OFF THE ENGINE
Procedure
Turn the ignition key to STOP while the
engine is idling.
6) 7)
73)It is dangerous to run the engine in
enclosed areas. The engine takes in
oxygen and releases carbon dioxide,
carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.
74)The brake servo is not active until the
engine is started, so you would need to
apply much more force than usual to the
brake pedal.
75)Do not start the engine by pushing,
towing or driving downhill. These
manoeuvres may damage the catalytic
converter.
IMPORTANT
5)It is advisable not to demand maximum
performance from your car (e.g. excessive
acceleration, long distances at maximum
rpm, excessively intense braking, etc.)
when it is first used.
6)When the engine is switched off never
leave the ignition device in the MAR
position to prevent useless current
absorption from draining the battery.
7)A quick burst on the accelerator before
stopping the engine serves no practical
purpose; it wastes fuel and is especially
damaging to turbocharged engines.
WARNING