light Alfa Romeo GT 2005 Owner handbook (in English)

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
154
SWITCHING ON
THE ASR FUNCTION
The ASR function switches on automati-
cally each time the engine is started.
When travelling the device can be switched
off and on again pressing switch (A-
fig. 153) on the centre console.
When the device is switched off this is
shown by the lighting up of the led on the
switch itself.
If the function is switched off when trav-
elling, it will turn on again automatically the
next time the engine is started.
fig. 153
A0A0639b
ASR SYSTEM
(Antislip Regulation)
(upon request for
versions/markets where
provided)
The ASR function controls the vehicle dri-
ve and cuts in automatically every time one
or both driving wheels slip.
In slipping conditions, tow different control
systems are activated:
1) if slipping involves both driving wheels,
being caused by excessive power transmit-
ted, the ASR device cuts in reducing the pow-
er transmitted by the engine.
2) if slipping involves only one driving
wheel, the ASR system cuts in automatical-
ly braking the wheel that is slipping, with
an effect similar to that of a self-locking dif-
ferential.The performance of the
system in terms of active
safety should not induce
the driver to take pointless and un-
necessary risks. The style of dri-
ving must in any case be adapted
to the conditions of the road sur-
face, visibility and traffic. Road
surface is always the driver’s re-
sponsibility.
The action of the ASR is particularly help-
ful in the following circumstances:
– slipping of the inner wheel on a bend,
due to the effect of dynamic load changes
or excessive acceleration.
– too much power transmitted to the
wheels also in relation to the conditions of
the road surface.
– acceleration on slippery, snowy or frozen
surfaces.
– in the case of loss of grip on a wet sur-
face (aquaplaning).

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
155
ASR system
failure warning
In the event of a fault, the ASR system
switches off automatically and the
Vwarn-
ing light on the instrument cluster turns on,
together with the message on the reconfig-
urable multifunction display.
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.
MSR SYSTEM
(Engine drive adjustment)
The car is fitted with a special system, in-
tegral with the ASR system, that in case of
sudden gear shifting, cuts in providing torque
to the engine thus preventing excessive dri-
ving wheel drive that, specially in poor grip
conditions, can lead to loss of stability.
EOBD SYSTEM
The EOBD system (European On Board Di-
agnosis) allows continuous diagnosis of the
components of the car correlated with emis-
sions.
It also alerts the driver, by turning on the
warning light
Uon the instrument panel
(on some versions together with the mes-
sage + symbol on the reconfigurable multi-
function display) (see section “Warning
lights and messages”), when these condi-
tions are no longer in peak conditions.
The objective is:
– to keep the system efficiency under con-
trol;
– to warn when a fault causes emission
levels to increase;
– to warn of the need to replace deterio-
rated 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. This
check can also be carried out by the traffic
police. During use of the compact
spare wheel, the ASR func-
tion is cut off and the
V
warning light on the instrument
cluster turns on glowing steadily
together with the message on the
reconfigurable multifunction dis-
play.
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.
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.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
156
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.
INTRODUCTION
The radio is fitted with CD player (radio
with Compact Disc player) or CD MP3 play-
er (radio with Compact Disc MP3 player)
and has been designed in accordance with
the specific features of the passenger com-
partment, with a personalised design that
blends with the style of the dashboard. The
radio dimensions are suitable for the car and
as it is of fixed type it cannot be installed on
any other vehicle.
The instructions for use also include how
to control the CD Changer (if fitted) through
the radio. For the instructions for use of the
CD Changer, refer to the specific manual.
ADVICE
Too high a volume when
driving can put the drivers
life at risk and that of oth-
er people. Therefore the volume
should always be adjusted in such
a way that it is always possible to
hear the noises of the surrounding
environment (e.g. horns, ambu-
lance, police sirens, etc.).
Road safety
You are advised to learn how to use the
various radio functions (e.g. storing stations)
before starting to drive.
Reception conditions
The reception conditions change constant-
ly when travelling. Reception may be dis-
turbed by the presence of mountains, build-
ings or bridges in particular if far away from
the broadcasting transmitter. 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 (on some
versions together with the mes-
sage + symbol on the reconfig-
urable multifunction display), con-
tact Alfa Romeo Authorised Ser-
vices as soon as possible.
RADIO WITH COMPACT DISC PLAYER
(Upon request for versions/markets where applicable)

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
157
Compact Disc
Remember that the presence of dirt, marks
or distortion on Compact Discs can cause
skipping and poor sound quality.
For top performance conditions, we give
the following advice:
only use Compact Discs which have the fol-
lowing brand:– 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
recorder surface of Compact Discs.
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 take the Compact Disc by the out-
er circumference. Never touch the surface.
To remove fingerprints and dust, use a soft
cloth starting from the centre of the Com-
pact Disc outwards.
Do not use highly scratched, cracked, or
distorted discs, etc. The use of these discs
will involve malfunctioning or damage to the
player.
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. IMPORTANT During the reception of
traffic information, the volume may be high-
er than normal.
ATTENTION
Care and maintenance
The radio is made in such a way that it
does not require particular maintenance. In
the event of a failure, contact Alfa Romeo
Authorised Services.
To clean the front panel only use a soft,
antistatic cloth. Cleaning and polishing prod-
ucts might spoil the surface.
– carefully clean all Compact Discs of fin-
gerprints and dust using a soft cloth. Hold
Compact Discs from the outer circumference
and clean them from the centre outwards;
– never use chemical products for clean-
ing (e.g. spray cans, antistatic 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;

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
175
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 sta-
tion 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
POP M
ROCK M
M,O,R,MMiddle of the Road Music
LIGHT M
CLASSICS
OTHER M
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
199
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
The devices used to reduce petrol engine
emissions are:
– trivalent catalytic converter (catalytic si-
lencer);
– Lambda sensors;
– anti-evaporation system.
If one or more spark plugs are discon-
nected, do not run the engine, even for a
test.
The devices used to reduce diesel fuel en-
gine emissions are:
– oxidising catalyst;
– exhaust gas re-circulation system
(E. G. R.). 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 in-
haling harmful vapours.
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.
Should it be not possible to open the fuel
flap electrically, use the special cable in the
boot (A-fig. 166) to open it manually.
Due to the high tempera-
tures reached during oper-
ation of the catalytic si-
lencer the vehicle should not be
parked over inflammable materials
(grass, dry leaves, pine needles,
etc.).
fig. 165
A0A0643b
fig. 166
A0A0652b
IMPORTANTThe sealing of the tank
may cause light pressurising. A little breath-
ing off, while slackening the cap is ab-
solutely normal.
After refuelling, turn the cap clockwise and
close the flap.
IMPORTANTFor your safety, before
starting the engine, also make sure that the
fuel nozzle is correctly inserted in the fuel
distributor.

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
201
STARTING PROCEDURE
FOR JTD VERSIONS
1) Make sure the handbrake is
engaged.
2) Set the gearshift lever to neutral.
3) Turn the ignition key to MAR.The
reconfigurable multifunction display will
show the
mwarning light.
4) Wait for the
mto turn off, which
takes place sooner, the warmer the
engine. With the engine very warm the
light might stay on for such a short time
as to pass unnoticed.
5) Fully depress the clutch pedal.
6) Turn the ignition key to AV Vas
soon as the
mwarning light has gone
out. Waiting too long, makes the warming
work of the glow plugs useless .IMPORTANTThe electric devices
that absorb a high amount of energy (cli-
mate control, rearscreen heating, etc.) are
cut off automatically during starting.
If the engine does not start at the first
attempt, move the ignition key to STOP
before repeating starting.
If starting is difficult (with the Alfa
Romeo CODE system working properly),
do not insist with prolonged attempts.
Only use an auxiliary battery if the cause
is due to low battery charge. Never use a
battery charger to start the engine.
WARMING THE ENGINE
– Drive off slowly, at medium revs with-
out accelerating abruptly.
– Do not drive at full performance for
the initial kilometres of the journey. Wait
until the engine coolant temperature
reaches 50-60 °C.

Never push, tow or
coast start the vehicle.
This could cause fuel to
flow into the catalyst damaging
it irreversibly.
Remember that the
engine brake and power
steering are not opera-
tional until the engine is started,
therefore, much greater effort
than usual is needed on the brake
pedal and steering wheel.CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
202
For cars with tur-
bocharger in particular,
but for all cars in general,
sharp accelerating should be
avoided before switching the
engine off.
A “kick” on the accelerator
serves no purpose, consumes fuel
pointlessly and may cause seri-
ous damage to the turbocharger
impeller bearings.EMERGENCY STARTING
If the Alfa Romeo CODE system does not
recognise the code transmitted by the igni-
tion key (warning light
Yon the instru-
ment cluster glowing on 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”.
IMPORTANTIf 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 station-
ary, the warning light stays off. If not, con-
tact Alfa Romeo Authorised Services.
ENGINE SWITCHING OFF
– Release the accelerator pedal and wait
until the engine reaches idle speed.
– Turn the ignition key to the STOP
position and switch off the engine.
IMPORTANTAfter a tiring journey it is
advisable to let the engine “get its breath
back” allowing it to idle a while to lower
the temperature in the engine compart-
ment.

Never leave children
unattended in the vehicle.
Always remove the igni-
tion key when leaving the vehicle
and take it with you.To avoid useless con-
sumption of power and
possible draining of the
battery, never leave the ignition
key in the MAR position when
the engine is not running.
CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
203
PARKING
When the vehicle is parked, proceed as
follows:
– Switch off the engine.
– Engage the handbrake.
– Engage first gear if the vehicle is faced
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.
REDUCING RUNNING
COSTS AND
ENVIRONMENT
POLLUTION
By following a few simple guidelines, it
is possible to save vehicle running costs
and reduce harmful emissions.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Vehicle maintenance
To take care of the car maintenance
have the checks and adjustments carried
out in accordance with the “Scheduled
Maintenance Programme”.
Tyres
Check the pressure of the tyres routinely
at an interval of no more than 4 weeks: if
the pressure is too low consumption levels
increase as resistance to rolling is higher.
Useless loads
Never travel with an overload in the
boot. The weight of the vehicle (especial-
ly in urban traffic), and its geometry heav-
ily affect consumption levels and stability.Electric services
Use electric devices only for the amount
of time needed. Rearscreen heating, addi-
tional headlights, windscreen wipers and
heater fan need a considerable amount of
energy, therefore increasing the require-
ment of current increases fuel consump-
tion (up to +25% in the urban cycle).
Climate control system
The climate control system is a further
load bearing heavily on the engine induc-
ing higher consumption levels(up to
+20% on average). Outside temperature
permitting, preferably use the air vents.
Aerodynamic items
The use of non-certified aerodynamic
items may adversely affect air drag and
consumption levels.

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
204
CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Short journeys and frequent cold starts
do not allow the engine to reach optimum
operating temperature. This results in a
significant increase in consumption levels
(from +15 to +30% on the urban cycle)
and emission of harmful substances.
Traffic situations and road
conditions
Rather high consumption levels are tied
to situations with heavy traffic, for exam-
ple in queues with frequent use of the
lower gears or in cities with many traffic
lights. Also winding mounting roads and
rough road surfaces adversely affect con-
sumption.
Stopping in the traffic
During prolonged stops (e.g. level cross-
ings) it is advisable to switch the engine
off.
DRIVING STYLE
Starting
Do not warm the engine with the car at
a standstill or at idle or high speed: under
these conditions the engine warms up
much more slowly, increasing electrical
consumption and emissions. It is therefore
advisable to move off immediately, slow-
ly, avoiding high speeds. This way the
engine will warm faster.
Pointless manoeuvres
Avoid accelerating when waiting at traf-
fic lights or before switching off the
engine. This and also double declutching is
absolutely pointless on modern cars and
also increase consumption and pollution.
Gearshifting
As soon as the conditions of the traffic
and road allow, use a higher gear.
Using a low gear to obtain brilliant per-
formance increases consumption.
In the same way improper use of a high
gear increases consumption, emissions
and engine wear.Top speed
Fuel consumption considerably increases
with speed. Maintain an even as possible
speed, avoiding superfluous braking and
accelerating, which cost in terms of both
fuel and emissions.
Acceleration
Accelerating heavily taking the engine to
a high speed has a considerably adverse
effect on consumption and emission lev-
els; it is wise to accelerate gradually and
not exceed the maximum torque.