Alfa Romeo MiTo 2013 Owner handbook (in English)

FRONT AIRBAGSThe car is equipped with multi-stage front airbags (“Smart bags”) for
the driver and passenger and knee bags for the driver.“SMART BAG” SYSTEM (MULTISTAGE
FRONT AIRBAGS)The front airbags (driver's and passenger's) and the driver's knee bag
have been designed to protect the occupants in the event of head-on
crashes of medium-high severity, by placing cushions between the
occupant and the steering wheel or dashboard.
Therefore non-deployment in other types of impacts (side impacts, rear
shunts, roll-overs, etc.) does not indicate a system malfunction.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.
Do not apply stickers or other objects to the steering
wheel, to the passenger's side air bag cover or on the
roof side lining. 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.
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The airbags do not replace, but rather complement, the use of seat
belts, which should always be worn. In the event of an impact,
someone not wearing a seat belt could move forward and come into
contact with a bag which is still in the opening phase. The protection
offered by the bag is compromised in these circumstances.

FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGThis is located in a dedicated compartment in the centre of the steering
wheel fig. 103.
Always drive with 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 the
back of your seat upright and lean back into it.
FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAGThis is located in a dedicated compartment in the dashboard fig. 104.
Do not arrange cradle child seats facing backwards if the
front passenger side airbag is enabled. Deployment of the
airbag in an accident could cause fatal injuries to the baby
regardless of the severity of the collision. Always
deactivate the passenger side airbag when placing a child
seat on the front seat. The passenger seat must also be slid back as far
as possible in order to avoid the child seat from coming into contact
with the dashboard. Though not required by law, we recommend that
you reactivate this airbag as soon as the child no longer needs to be
transported to ensure better protection for adults.
fig. 103
A0J0047
fig. 104
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DRIVER SIDE KNEE BAGThis is located in a dedicated compartment under the steering wheel
fig. 105.
It provides additional protection in the event of a frontal impact.Deactivating the passenger side front
airbag and side bag (chest/pelvis
protection)Deactivate the passenger side front airbag and side bags (chest-pelvis
protection) when you have to transport a child on the front seat. With
the airbags deactivated, the
warning light switches on in the
instrument panel.
To deactivate the airbags, see the “Knowing your car”
section, “Menu Options” paragraph.
SIDE AIRBAGS (SIDE BAGS -
WINDOW BAGS)The car is fitted with front side bags for driver and passenger,
protecting the chest/pelvis, and window bags for protecting front and
rear passengers’ heads.
Side bags protect occupants from side-on crashes of medium/high
severity by placing the bag between the occupant and the internal
parts of the side structure of the car.
Non-activation of side bags in other types of collisions (head-on
collisions, rear shunts, roll-overs, etc...) is not an indication of system
malfunction.
fig. 105
A0J0056
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FRONT SIDE AIRBAGS (SIDE BAGS)These comprise two types of bags located in the front seat backrests
fig. 106, which protect the chest and pelvis area of occupants in
the event of a side impact of medium-high severity.SIDE AIRBAGS FOR HEAD PROTECTION
(WINDOW BAGS)This comprises two “curtain” window bags located behind the side roof
cover and are covered by special trim fig. 107. They are designed to
protect the head of front and rear passengers in the event of side
collisions, thanks to the wide cushion inflation surface.
The airbags are not deployed in the event of low-severity impacts (for
which the retaining action of the seat belts is sufficient). It is therefore
always necessary to wear seat belts.
In the event of a side impact, the system provides optimum protection if
the passenger assumes the correct position on the seat, thus allowing
correct window bag deployment.
Do not hook rigid objects to the coat hooks or to the
support handles.Do not rest your head, arms or elbows on the door,
windows or the area in which the window bag is
located to avoid possible injury during inflation.Never lean your head, arms or elbows out of the
window.
fig. 106
A0J0103
fig. 107
A0J0051
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IMPORTANT
Do not wash the seats with water or pressurised steam (by hand or at
automatic seat washing stations).
The front airbags and/or side bags may be deployed if the car is
subject to violent impacts involving the underbody area (e.g. violent
impacts against steps or kerbs, big holes or dips in the road 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.
All operations on airbags (inspection, repair and replacement) must be
carried out by Alfa Romeo Authorized Services.
If the car is to be scrapped, contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services to
have the airbag system deactivated.
Pretensioners and airbags are deployed in different ways, according to
the type of impact. Failure to deploy of one of the devices does not
necessarily indicate a system malfunction.
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 Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services to have the system checked immediately.
The expiry dates of the explosive charge and the clock
spring are shown on a specific label contained in the
glove compartment. When these dates approach,
contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services to have them replaced.Do not travel carrying objects in your lap, in front of
your chest or between your lips (pipe, pencils, etc.):
they could cause severe injury if the airbag is
deployed.If the car has been subject to theft, attempted theft,
vandalism, or flooding, have the airbag system
inspected at Alfa Romeo Authorized Services.
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The airbags may also be deployed when the car is not
moving, if the key is in the ignition and turned to MAR
even when the engine is off, if the car is hit by another
moving vehicle. For this reason, children must never sit on the
front seat, even if the car is not moving. Also remember that no
safety device (airbags or pretensioners) will activate 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.When the ignition key is turned to MAR, the
warning light (with passenger side front airbag
activated) switches on and flashes for a few seconds to
remind you that the passenger airbag will be deployed in a
crash, after which it should switch off.
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, it is normal for only the pretensioners to
be activated.
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STARTING AND DRIVING
STARTING THE ENGINEPROCEDURE FOR PETROL VERSIONS(excluding 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.
IMPORTANT
❒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
(or the symbol on the display) remains on together with
warning light
, turn the key to STOP and then back to MAR. If
the warning light remains on, try the other keys provided. If you are
still unable to start the engine contact an Alfa Romeo Authorised
Service Provider.
❒Never leave the ignition key at MAR when the engine is stopped.Engine starting for 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.
NoteIf the 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.
IMPORTANT
❒If, when the ignition key is at MAR, the instrument panel warning
light
(or the symbol on the display) remains on together with
warning light
, turn the key to STOP and then back to MAR. If
the warning light remains on, try the other keys provided. If you are
still unable to start the engine contact an Alfa Romeo Authorised
Service Provider.
❒Never leave the ignition key at MAR when the engine is stopped.
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PROCEDURE FOR DIESEL VERSIONSProceed as follows:
❒engage the handbrake and place the gearbox lever in neutral;
❒turn the ignition key to MAR-ON: the warning lights
and
(or the symbol on the display) on the instrument panel will
switch on;
❒wait for the warning lights (or the symbol on the display) to switch
off;
❒fully depress the clutch pedal, without touching the accelerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVV;
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.
If the
warning light flashes for about 1 minute after
starting or during prolonged cranking, this indicates a fault
in the glow plug preheating system. Use the car normally
if the engine starts and go to Alfa Romeo Authorized Services as soon
as possible.
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.
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.When the engine is off, do not leave the ignition key turned
to MAR to prevent unnecessary electrical consumption from
draining the battery.Remember that the brake servo and electromechanical
power steering are not operational until the engine
has been started, therefore much more effort than
usual is required on the brake pedal and steering wheel.Never start the engine by pushing, towing or driving
downhill. These manoeuvres may damage the catalytic
converter.
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WARMING UP THE ENGINE JUST
AFTER IT HAS STARTEDProceed as follows:
❒drive off slowly, letting the engine turn at medium revs and without
accelerating abruptly;
❒do not demand maximum performance for the first few kilometres. It
is advisable to wait until the engine coolant temperature indicator
starts moving.STOPPING THE ENGINETurn the ignition key to STOP while the engine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a demanding drive, before turning the engine off
you should allow it to idle to allow the temperature in the engine
compartment to decrease.
A quick burst on the accelerator before stopping the engine
serves absolutely no practical purpose. It wastes fuel and
is especially damaging to turbocharged engines.
PARKINGSwitch off the engine and pull up the handbrake. Engage a gear (1
stif
the car is facing uphill or reverse if it is facing downhill) and leave
the wheels steered to one side.
If the car is parked on a steep slope block the wheels with a wedge or
stone. Always remove the ignition key when leaving the car.
Never leave children unattended in the car. Always
remove the key from the ignition when leaving the car
and take it with you.
HANDBRAKETo engage the handbrake pull lever A fig. 108 upwards until the car is
secured. To release the handbrake, raise lever A slightly, hold down
button B and lower the lever.
fig. 108
A0J0110
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IMPORTANT Carry out these manoeuvres with the brake pedal
pressed.
IMPORTANT For cars equipped with a front armrest, lift this up to
ensure that it does not interfere with the action of the handbrake.
The car should be locked after a few notches: if this is
not the case, contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services
to have the handbrake adjusted.
USING THE GEARBOXTo engage the gears, fully depress the clutch pedal and put the gear
lever into the desired position (the diagram for gear engagement
is shown on the knob fig. 109, fig. 110, fig. 111).
fig. 109
A0J0265
fig. 110
A0J0266
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