mirror Alfa Romeo MiTo 2008 Owner handbook (in English)

USE OF THE OWNER HANDBOOK
Each time direction instructions (left/right or forwards/backwards) about the vehicle are given, these must be understood as
regarding an occupant in the driver's seat. Special cases not complying with this rule will be specified as appropriate in the text.
The figures in the Owner Handbook are provided by way of example only: this might imply that some details of the image do not
correspond to the actual arrangement of your vehicle. In addition, the Handbook has been conceived considering vehicles with
steering wheel on the left side; it is therefore possible that on vehicles with steering wheel on the right side, the position or
construction of some controls is not exactly mirror-like with respect to the figure.
To identify the chapter with the information needed you can consult the index at the end of this Owner Handbook.
Chapters can be rapidly identified with dedicated graphic tabs, at the side of each odd page. A few pages further there is a key for
getting to know the chapter order and the relevant symbols in the tabs. There is in any case a textual indication of the current chapter
at the side of each even page.

In-depth knowledge of your new car starts here.
The booklet that you are reading simply and directly explains how
it is made and how it works.
That’s why we advise you to read it seated comfortably on board,
so that you can see what is described here for yourself.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
INSTRUMENT PANEL . . . . . . . ......................8
INSTRUMENT PANEL . . . .........................9
THEKEYS...................................10
IGNITION DEVICE . . ............................11
ALFA ROMEO CODE SYSTEM . . . ....................12
ALARM SYSTEM ...............................13
DOORS.....................................13
SEATS.....................................14
HEADRESTS.................................16
STEERING WHEEL..............................17
REAR VIEW MIRRORS . . . . . ......................18
EXTERNAL LIGHTS .............................19
INTERIOR LIGHTS . . . ...........................21
WINDSCREEN / REAR WINDOW WIPERS ...............22
CLIMATE CONTROL . . . . .........................24
ELECTRIC WINDOWS ............................29
ELECTRIC SUNROOF . . . .........................30
ENGINE BONNET . .............................32
BOOT......................................33
HEADLIGHTS . . . . . . . . . . .......................34
Alfa DNA SYSTEM (Car dynamic control system) . . .........34
DYNAMIC SUSPENSION (active shock absorber system) . . . . . .35
VERSION WITH LPG SYSTEM . . . . . . .................36

REAR VIEW MIRRORS
INTERIOR MIRROR
Manual adjustment: operate lever 1
fig. 17 to adjust the mirror between two
positions: normal or anti-glare.
Electrochromic mirror
Some versions are equipped with an
electro-chrome mirror with an ON/OFF
switch to activate/deactivate the
electro-chrome function. When reverse
gear is engaged, the mirror is
automatically set for daytime use.
DOOR MIRRORS
12)
Electric adjustment
The mirrors can be adjusted/folded away
only if the ignition key is in the MAR
position.Select the desired mirror using device 1
fig. 18:
Position A: left mirror selected;
Position C: right mirror selected.
To adjust the selected mirror, press
button 2 in the four directions shown by
the arrows.
IMPORTANT Once adjustment is
complete, rotate device 1 to position B to
prevent accidental movements.
Electrical mirror folding
(where present)
To fold the mirrors, press button 3. Press
the button again to restore the mirrors to
the driving position.
Manual mirror folding
When required, fold the mirrors in
towards the vehicle.
IMPORTANT When driving, the mirrors
must always be open.
WARNING
12)As the driver's door mirror is curved, it
may slightly alter the perception of distance.
17A0J0108C
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18
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR

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.
63

SBR SYSTEM (Seat Belt
Reminder)
It consists of an acoustic warning which,
switching on the
warning lights in the
trim located on the fig. 46 internal rear
view mirror, warns passengers in the
front and rear seats that their seat belts
are not fastened.
For long-term deactivation of the SBR
system, contact a Alfa Romeo
Dealership.
The SBR system can be reactivated at
any time through the Setup Menu only
(see “Menu Items” in “Knowing your
vehicle” section).
The warning lights may be red or green
and operate as follows:
1 = front left seat (driver status for
left-hand drive versions)
2 = rear left seat (passenger);
3 = rear centre seat (passenger)
4 = rear right seat (passenger);
5 = front right seat (passenger status
for left-hand drive versions).
NOTE On versions equipped with sport
front seats, the indication of passenger
side seat belt fastened (warning light
1 for right-hand drive versions or warning
light 5 for left-hand drive versions) will
never be displayed.
FRONT SEATS (warning light 1 = driver
and 5 = passenger)
Driver
If the driver is the only occupant and the
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, a buzzer sequence will be
started (front seats) consisting of a tone
for 6 seconds followed by a 90 second
beep.The warning light will blink.
The warning lights will stay on constantly
at the end of the cycle until the engine is
stopped. The acoustic signal will be
interrupted immediately when the
driver’s seat belt is fastened and the
warning light will turn green.
The reminder cycle (acoustic and visual)
will be repeated as described above and
the red warning light will flash if the seat
belt is unfastened again while travelling.Passenger
A similar solution applies for the front
passenger, with the difference that the
warning light turns green and the signal is
interrupted also when the passenger
leaves the car.
It both front seat belts are unfastened
while the vehicle is travelling a few
seconds apart, the acoustic indication
will refer to the most recent event and
the two warning lights will proceed with
the visual indication independently.
REAR SEATS (warning light 2, 3 and 4)
The reminder cycle is run only when any
seat belt is unfastened (red blinking).
In this condition, the warning light for the
seat belt which has been unfastened will
start flashing red for approximately
30 seconds. An acoustic signal is also
emitted.
The visual indication (blinking red) will
start and end independently for each
warning light if several seat belts are
unfastened. The warning light will
become green when the relevant seat
belt is fastened again.
After about 30 seconds from the last
indication, the warning lights for rear
seats will switch off, irrespective of the
belt conditions (red or green).
46A0J0108C
72
SAFETY

Main recommendations to carry
children safely
Install the child restraint systems on
the rear seat, which is the most protected
position in the event of an impact.
Keep children in rearward facing child
restraint systems for as long as possible,
at least until 3–4 years old.
Should a rearward facing child
restraint system be installed on the rear
seats, it is advisable to position it as far
forward as the position of the front seat
allows.
If the passenger side front airbag is
deactivated always check the permanent
switching on of the warning light
in
the trim above the interior rear view
mirror to make sure that it has actually
been deactivated.
Carefully follow the instructions
supplied with the child restraint system
itself. Keep the instructions in the vehicle
along with the other documents and this
handbook. Do not use second-hand child
restraint systems without instructions.
Only one child is to be strapped into
each restraint system; never carry two
children simultaneously.
Always check that the seat belts do
not rest on the child’s neck.
Always check that the seat belt is well
fastened by pulling on it.
While travelling, do not let the child sit
incorrectly or unfasten the belts.
Never allow a child to put the belt's
diagonal section under an arm or behind
their back.
Never carry children on your lap, even
newborns. No one can hold a child in the
case of an accident.
In the event of an accident, replace the
child restraint system with a new one. In
addition, and depending on the type of
child restraint system installed, replace
the seat belt with which the child
restraint system was connected.
WARNING
73)The diagram is indicative and for fitting
purposes only. Fit the child restraint system
according to the instructions, which must be
included.
74)If a Universal ISOFIX child seat system
is not fixed to all three anchorages, it will not
be able to protect the child correctly. In a
crash, the child could be seriously or fatally
injured.
75)Fit the child restraint system when the
car is stationary. The child restraint system
is correctly secured to the brackets when
you hear the click. Follow the instructions for
assembly, disassembly and positioning that
the Manufacturer must supply with the child
restraint system.
76)Do not use the same lower anchorage to
install more than one child restraint system.
FRONT AIRBAGS
77) 78) 79) 80) 81)
“SMART BAG”SYSTEM (MULTISTAGE
FRONT AIRBAGS)
The car features multistage front airbags
(“Smart bag”) 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 in other types
of collisions (side collisions, rear shunts,
roll-overs, etc.) is not 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.
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, etc.);
81

jamming of the car underneath other
vehicles or protective barriers (e.g.
underneath a truck or a guard rail) as, in
this case, the bags would offer no
additional protection with respect to the
seat belt and their deployment would be
inappropriate. Failure to activate in the
conditions described above is due to the
fact that they may not provide any
additional protection compared with seat
belts, so their activation would be
inappropriate. In these cases,
non-deployment does not indicate a
system malfunction.
FRONT AIRBAG DRIVER'S SIDE
This consists of an instantly inflating
cushion contained in a special
compartment in the centre of the
steering wheel fig. 57.
PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIRBAG
This consists of an instantly inflating bag
contained in a special recess in the
dashboard fig. 58 which has a larger
volume than that of the driver.
FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND
CHILD RESTRAINTSYSTEMS
Rearward facing child restraint systems
mustNEVERbe fitted on the front seat
with an active passenger airbag since in
the event of an impact the airbag
activation may cause fatal injuries to the
transported child.ALWAYScomply with
the instructions on the label on the
passenger side sun visor fig. 59.Deactivating passenger side airbags:
front airbag and side bag for pelvis,
chest protection (Side bag)
If a child must be carried on the front seat
in a rear facing child restraint system,
deactivate the passenger side front
airbag and side bag for pelvis, chest
protection (Side bag). To deactivate the
airbags use the Setup Menu (see the
instructions in the “Display” paragraph,
“Knowing the instrument panel” chapter).
With airbags deactivated, a warning light
lights up on the instrument panel in
the trim located above the internal
rearview mirror fig. 60.
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59A0J0450C
82
SAFETY

STARTING THE ENGINE
93) 94) 95)
17) 18) 19) 20)
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.
If necessary, messages indicating the
starting procedure can be shown on the
display.
PROCEDURE FOR PETROL VERSIONS
Except Turbo TwinAir versions
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake and place the
gearbox lever in neutral;
fully depress the clutch pedal, without
touching the accelerator;
turn the ignition key to AVV and
release it as soon as the engine starts.
Turbo TwinAir versions
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake and place the
gear lever in neutral or fully press the
clutch pedal if a gear other than neutral is
engaged;
turn the ignition key to AVV and
release it as soon as the engine starts.Versions with LPG system
To properly perform the starting
procedure, refer to as previously
described.
The engine always starts up on petrol
independently of the mode previously
selected. There must therefore always be
some petrol in the tank to protect the
petrol pump and to guarantee temporary
switching from LPG to petrol operation, if
high performance is required.
IMPORTANT NOTES
Except Turbo TwinAir versions:Ifthe
engine does not start at the first attempt,
return the ignition key to STOP before
repeating the procedure.
For Turbo TwinAir versions only:Ifthe
vehicle does not start at the first
attempt, return the ignition key to STOP
and repeat the starting procedure placing
the gear lever in neutral and fully
pressing the clutch pedal.
If, with the ignition key turned to MAR,
the
symbol is shown on the display
together with the warning light
, turn
the key to STOP and then back to MAR. If
the symbol on the display is still shown,
try with the other keys provided with the
car. Contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership if
the engine still does not start.
Never leave the ignition key in
MAR-ON position when the engine is
stopped.
PROCEDURE FOR DIESEL VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake and place the
gear lever in neutral;
turn the ignition key to MAR position:
the
warning light will light up on
instrument panel;
wait for the warning light to switch off;
fully depress the clutch pedal, without
touching the accelerator;
turn the ignition key to AVV; the
warning light switches off. Waiting
too long will waste the heating work
carried out by the glow plugs. Release the
key as soon as the engine starts.
WARNING
93)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.
94)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.
95)Do not start the engine by pushing,
towing or driving downhill. These
manoeuvres may damage the catalytic
converter.
90
STARTING AND DRIVING

The following conditions may influence
the performance of the parking
assistance system:
reduced sensor sensitivity and a
reduction in the parking assistance
system performance could be due to the
presence on the surface of the sensor of:
ice, snow, mud, thick paint
The sensors may detect a
non-existent obstacle (echo interference)
due to mechanical interference, for
example when washing the car, in rain
(strong wind), hail.
The signals sent by the sensors can
also be altered by the presence of
ultrasonic systems (e.g. pneumatic brake
systems or pneumatic drills) near the
vehicle.
sensor performance can also be
influenced by the position of the sensors.
For example by a change in the ride
setting (caused by the wear of the shock
absorbers, suspension), overloading the
car and carrying out specific tuning
operations that require the car to be
lowered;
The detection of obstacles at the top
part of the car may not be guaranteed
because the system detects obstacles
that could cause an impact with the car in
the bottom part.
IMPORTANT
26)The sensor must be free of mud, dirt,
snow or ice in order for the system to work.
Be careful not to scratch or damage the
sensors while cleaning them. Avoid using dry,
rough or hard cloths. The sensors must be
washed using clean water, with the addition
of vehicle shampoo if necessary. When using
special washing equipment such as high
pressure jets or steam cleaning, clean the
sensors very quickly keeping the jet more
than 10 cm away.
WARNING
103)Only have the bumpers repainted or
any retouches to the paintwork in the area of
the sensors carried out by an Alfa Romeo
Dealership. Incorrect paint application could
affect the operation of the parking sensors.
104)Parking and other dangerous
manoeuvres are, however, always the
driver’s responsibility. While carrying out
these manoeuvres, always make sure that
no people (especially children) or animals are
in the area concerned. The parking sensors
are an aid for the driver, but the driver must
never allow their attention to lapse during
potentially dangerous manoeuvres, even
those executed at low speeds.
TOWING TRAILERS
105) 106)
IMPORTANT NOTES
The car must be provided with a
type-approved tow hook and adequate
electric system to tow caravans or
trailers. Installation must be carried out
by a specialist.
Install any specific and/or additional door
mirrors as specified by the Highway
Code.
Remember that when towing a trailer,
steep hills are harder to climb, the
braking spaces increase and overtaking
takes longer depending on the overall
weight.
Engage a low gear when driving downhill,
rather than constantly using the brake.
The weight of the trailer reduces the load
capacity of the car by the same amount.
Consider the weight at full load, including
accessories and luggage, to make sure
you do not exceed the maximum towable
weight (shown in the registration
document).
Do not exceed the speed limits specific
to each country you are driving in, in the
case of vehicles towing trailers. In any
case do not exceed 100 km/h.
99

Engine compartment junction boxfig. 91
DEVICE PROTECTEDFUSE AMPERE
Ignition deviceF03 20
Passenger compartment fanF08 40
Additional heater (Turbo TwinAir and 1.3 JTD
M-2versions)F09 5
Two-tone hornF10 15
Main beam headlightsF14 15
Additional heater (PTC 1)F15 30
Air conditioning compressorF19 7.5
Heated rear windscreen, demisting system F20 30
Electric fuel pump in tankF21 15
Front fog lightsF30 15
Additional heater (PTC2)F81 60
Additional heater (PTC1)F82 50
Additional heater (PTC2)F82 40
FreeF83 –
HI-FI sound system (control units, Bassbox speaker) mechanical gearbox setup F84 20
Power socket on tunnelF85 15
Electric door mirror demisters / Demisters on windscreen jets / Relay switch coil for heated
windscreenF87 7.5
113