warning light Alfa Romeo MiTo 2008 Owner handbook (in English)

Warning lights on
panelWhat it means What to do
LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE
When the key is turned to MAR the warning light comes on, but should go out as soon
as the engine is started.
After turning the ignition key to MAR, wait for about 2 seconds before starting the
engine.
The warning light switches on constantly together with a message on the display
(where provided) when the system detects that engine oil pressure is low.
IMPORTANT Do not use the vehicle until the failure has been solved.
IMPORTANT To find out the correct oil quantity, always check using the dipstick.
13)
DEGRADED ENGINE OIL (where provided)
The warning light will turn on flashing and, on some versions, with a specific message
on the display.
Depending on the versions, the warning light flashing modes are as follows:
- for 1 minute every two hours;
- for 3 minute cycles with the warning light off for intervals of 5 seconds until oil is
changed.
After the initial warning, each time the engine is started up, the warning light will
continue to flash in the same mode, until the oil is changed. On some versions, the
display shows a dedicated message together with the warning light. If the warning
light flashes, this does not mean that there is a fault, but simply informs that it is now
necessary to change the oil as a result of regular use of the car. Engine oil
deterioration is accelerated by:
- mainly town use of the car which makes the DPF regeneration process more
frequent;
- use of the vehicle for short drives, in which the engine does not have time to reach
its regular operating temperature;
- repeated interruptions of the regeneration process, signalled by the DPF warning
light switching on.Contact an Alfa Romeo
Dealership as soon as
possible.
25)
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KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

Warning lights on
panelWhat it means What to do
FUEL RESERVE/LIMITED RANGE
The warning light turns on when about 5 - 7 litres of fuel
are left in the tank.
When the remaining range is lower than approx. 50 km
(or equivalent value in miles), on some versions the
display will show a warning message.
26)
REAR FOG LIGHT
The warning light switches on when the rear fog light is
switched on.
ABS FAILURE
The warning light switches on when the ignition key is
turned to MAR, but it should switch off after a few
seconds.
The warning light switches on to indicate a system fault.
In this case the braking system maintains its efficiency
unaltered but without the advantage of the ABS system.
The display shows the dedicated message.Drive carefully and contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership as
soon as possible.
START&STOP SYSTEM DEACTIVATION
The warning light switches on when the Start&Stop
system is deactivated (for more information, see the
paragraph “Start&Stop System” in the chapter “Starting
and driving”).
On some versions the display shows the dedicated
message.
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Warning lights on
panelWhat it means What to do
INJECTION/EOBD SYSTEM FAILURE
In normal conditions, when the ignition key is turned to MAR the
warning light switches on, but it should switch off as soon as the
engine is started. The operation of the
warning light may be
checked by the traffic police using specific devices. Comply with
the laws and regulations of the country where you are driving.14)
If the warning light remains on or switches on whilst driving, it
means that the injection system is not working properly. The
warning light on constantly signals a malfunction in the
supply/ignition system which could cause high exhaust emissions,
a possible loss of performance, poor driveability and high
consumption.
The warning light goes out after the fault disappears: the
indication is stored in the system.Under these conditions, the vehicle can continue
travelling at moderate speed without
demanding excessive effort from the engine.
Prolonged use of the car with the warning light
on constantly may cause damage.
Contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership as soon as
possible.
Petrol engines only
If the warning light flashes, it means that the catalytic converter
may be damaged.In this case, release the accelerator pedal to
lower the speed of the engine until the warning
light stops flashing. Continue the journey at
moderate speed, trying to avoid driving
conditions that may cause further flashing and
contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership as soon as
possible.
GLOW PLUG HEATING/GLOW PLUG HEATING FAILURE (diesel
versions)
This warning light switches on when the key is turned to MAR. It
will switch off as soon as the heater plugs have reached a preset
temperature. The engine can be started as soon as the warning
light switches off.
WARNING In mild or high temperature conditions, the warning
light comes on for a very short time only.
Glow plug preheating failure
The warning light will flash to indicate a failure in the glow plug
preheating system.Contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership as soon as
possible.
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KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

Warning lights on
panelWhat it means What to do
WATER IN DIESEL FILTER (Diesel versions)
The warning light switches on constantly when driving to indicate
the presence of water in the diesel filter.
15)
DPF CLEANING (particulate trap) in progress (diesel versions
with DPF only)
The warning light switches on when the ignition key is turned to
MAR, but it should switch off after a few seconds. The warning
light switches on constantly to indicate that the DPF system
needs to eliminate the trapped pollutants (particulate) through
the regeneration process.
The warning light does not come on during every DPF
regeneration, but only when driving conditions require that the
driver is notified. To turn off the warning light, keep the car in
motion until the regeneration process is over.
On average, the process lasts 15 minutes. Optimal conditions for
completing the process are achieved by travelling at 60 km/h
with engine speed above 2000 rpm.
When this warning light switches on, it does not indicate a vehicle
failure and thus it should not be taken to a workshop.
27)
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Warning lights on
panelWhat it means What to do
TPMS SYSTEM
Low tyre pressure
The warning light (or symbol on the display) switches on (on some
versions together with a message on the display) (together with
an acoustic signal) if the pressure in one or more tyres drops
below a preset threshold.
In this way the TPMS warns the driver that one or more tyres may
be dangerously flat and liable to puncture.In any situation in which the message on the
display is "See manual", it is ESSENTIAL to refer
to the contents of the "Wheels" paragraph in the
"Technical specifications" section, strictly
complying with the indications that you find
there.
IMPORTANT Do not continue driving with one or
more flat tyres as handling may be
compromised. Stop the vehicle, avoiding sharp
braking and steering. Replace the wheel
immediately with the spare wheel (where
provided) or carry out a prompt repair using the
dedicated kit (see the paragraph on “Replacing a
wheel” in chapter “In an emergency”) and contact
Alfa Romeo Dealership as soon as possible.
TPMS failure
This warning light switches on (on some versions together with a
message on the display) when a TPMS fault is detected.
Should one or more wheels be fitted without sensors, the display
will show a warning message until initial conditions are restored.Contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership as soon as
possible.
Check tyre pressure
The warning light switches on (on some versions together with a
message in the display) to indicate that the tyre pressure is below
the value recommended to guarantee long tyre life and low fuel
consumption. It may also indicate a slow loss of pressure.
Should two or more tyres be in the condition mentioned above,
the display will show the indications corresponding to each tyre in
sequence. In this case it is advisable to restore the correct
pressure value
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KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

Warning lights on
panelWhat it means What to do
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) SYSTEM
When the ignition key is turned to MAR, the warning light
switches on, but should switch off as soon as the engine is
started.
If the warning light does not switch off (on some versions
together with a message on the display) or if it stays on with the
engine running, this indicates a fault in the ESC system.
Intervention by the system is indicated by the flashing of the
warning light: it indicates that the car is in critical stability and
grip conditions.In case of a fault, contact an Alfa Romeo
Dealership as soon as possible to have the
problem diagnosed and resolved.
ASR system failure
When the ignition key is turned to MAR, the warning light
switches on, but should switch off as soon as the engine is
started. If the warning light does not switch off (on some versions
together with a message on the display) or if it stays on with the
engine running, this indicates a fault in the ASR system.
The warning light will flash while driving to indicate that the ASR
system is intervening.In case of a fault, contact an Alfa Romeo
Dealership as soon as possible.
Hill Holder failure
If the warning light turns on (together with the display of the
symbol
and a message) indicates a fault to Hill Holder
system.In case of a fault, contact an Alfa Romeo
Dealership as soon as possible.
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Warning lights on
panelWhat it means What to do
CRUISE CONTROL (where provided)
This warning light switches on when the ignition key is
turned to MAR, but it should switch off after a few
seconds, if the Cruise Control is deactivated. The
warning light switches on when the Cruise Control ring is
turned to the ON position (see the “Cruise Control”
paragraph in the "Knowing your vehicle" section). The
display shows the dedicated message.
SIDE LIGHTS
The warning light switches on when the side lights are
activated.
FOLLOW ME HOME
The warning light switches on (together with a message
shown on the display) when this device is in use (see the
"Exterior lights" paragraph in the "Knowing your vehicle"
section).
DIPPED HEADLIGHTS
The warning light switches on when the dipped beam
headlights are turned on.
FRONT FOG LIGHTS
The warning light comes on when the front fog lights are
turned on.
LEFT DIRECTION INDICATOR
The warning light switches on when the direction
indicator control lever is moved downwards or, together
with the right direction indicator, when the hazard
warning light button is pressed.
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KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

Warning lights on
panelWhat it means What to do
RIGHT DIRECTION INDICATOR
The warning light turns on when the direction indicator
control lever is moved upwards or, together with the left
direction indicator, when the hazard warning light button
is pressed.
Warning lights on
panelWhat it means What to do
MAIN BEAM HEADLIGHTS
The warning light switches on when the main beam
headlights are turned on.
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WARNING
23)If thewarning light does not switch on when the ignition device is moved to ON or if it stays on when driving (together with the message on
the display), there might be a fault in the restraint systems; in this case, the airbags or pretensioners may not deploy in the event of an accident or,
in a lower number of cases, they could deploy erroneously. Before proceeding, contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership to have the system checked
immediately.
24)A fault with the warning light
is signalled by illumination of the iconon the instrument panel display and by the flashing of passenger
airbag disabled warning light on the rearview mirror. In addition, the airbag system automatically disables the passenger side airbag (where
provided). In this case, the warning light may not indicate any faults with the restraint systems. Before proceeding, contact an Alfa Romeo
Dealership to have the system checked immediately.
25)If the warning light comes on, the exhausted engine oil should be changed as soon as possible, never drive more than 500 km from the first
switching-on of this warning light. Failure to observe the above may result in severe damage to the engine and invalidate the warranty. Remember
that when this warning light comes on, it does not mean that the level of engine oil is low, so if it flashes you must not top up the engine oil.
26)If the warning light flashes with the car in motion, contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership.
27)Always drive at a speed appropriate to the traffic conditions, the weather and traffic regulations. The engine may be switched off even if the
warning light is on: repeated interruptions of the regeneration process could cause an early deterioration of engine oil. For this reason it is
always advisable to wait for the symbol to go off before turning off the engine, following the instructions above. Do not complete the DPF
regeneration process when the vehicle is stopped.
IMPORTANT
13)If thewarning light switches on when driving, stop the engine immediately and contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership.
14)If, turning the ignition device to MAR, the warning lightdoes not turn on or if it turns on steadily or flashing when travelling (on some
versions together with the message on the display), contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership as soon as possible.
15)The presence of water in the fuel system circuit may cause severe damage to the injection system and irregular engine operation. If the
symbol is displayed contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership as soon as possible to bleed the system. If the above indications come on immediately
after refuelling, water has probably been introduced into the tank: stop the engine immediately and contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership.
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EOBDSYSTEM (European On
Board Diagnosis)
(where provided)
Operation
The EOBD system (European On Board
Diagnosis) carries out a continuous
diagnosis of the components of the car
related to emissions.
It also alerts the driver, by switching on
the warning light
on the instrument
panel, together with a message on the
display, when these components are no
longer in peak condition (see “Warning
lights and messages” paragraph in the
"Knowing the instrument panel" chapter).
The aim of the EOBD system (European
On Board Diagnosis) is to:
monitor the efficiency of the system;
indicate an increase in emissions;
indicate the need to replace damaged
components.
The vehicle also has a connector, which
can interface with appropriate tools, that
makes it possible to read the error codes
stored in the electronic control units
together with a series of specific
parameters for engine operation and
diagnosis. This check can also be carried
out by the traffic police.
IMPORTANT After eliminating a fault, to
check the system completely, the Alfa
Romeo Dealership is obliged to run tests
and, if necessary, road tests which may
also require a long journey.
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KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL