check engine Alfa Romeo 156 2006 Owner handbook (in English)

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
182
EOBD SYSTEMThe EOBD (European On Board Diagnosis)
system fitted in the car conforms with the
98/69/EC (EURO 3) Directive and the
2001/1/EC Directive, level B (EURO4) for
2.0 JTS, 2.0 JTS Selespeed and JTD 20V
Multijet versions.
This system continuously monitors the
components of the vehicle related to emis-
sions; it also indicates, when the warning
light
U
comes on on the instrument panel
(together with the message + symbol
shown by the display) that the components
in question are in poor conditions.
The objective is the following:
– to keep under control the efficiency of
the system;
– to indicate when a malfunction causes
an increase in the emissions beyond the
threshold established by European regula-
tions;
– to indicate the need to replace the de-
teriorated components.
The system also has a diagnostic connec-
tor, which can be interfaced with adequate in-
struments, that enables the error codes stored
in the control unit to be read, together with
a series of specific parameters concerning the
operation and diagnosis of the engine.This check can also be made by the traf-
fic control agents.
If, when the ignition key
is turned to MAR, the
U
warning light does not
come on or if, when driving, it
lights up and emits a fixed light or
a flashing one (together with the
message + symbol shown by the
display), contact an Alfa Romeo
Authorized Service Station as soon
as possible. The operation of the
U
warning light can also be
checked by means of special equip-
ment available to the traffic con-
trol officers. Comply with the reg-
ulations in force in country where
you drive your car.
WARNINGAfter the problem has beel
resolved, to completely check the system,
the Alfa Romeo Authorized Services must
carry out tests on a test bench and, if nec-
essary, road tests that could be long.
WARNING LIGHT ON
INSTRUMENT PANELWhen the ignition key is turned to MAR,
the dial warning light
á
comes on but must
go out after a few seconds.
If the warning light does not go out, or if it
stays on (together with the message + sym-
bol on the display and the coming on of the
ASR button led) when the vehicle is running,
contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services.
The flashing of the warning lamp when the
vehicle is running indicates the actuation of
the VDC system.
VDC system failure warning
In the event of a failure the VDC system
disengages automatically and the
á
warn-
ing light on the instrument cluster turns on
glowing steadily (together with the message
+ symbol shown on the display and the com-
ing on of the ASR button led).
In the event of a VDC system failure the
car behaves like a vehicle not fitted with this
system: in any case it is advisable to con-
tact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services as soon
as possible.

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
191
EMERGENCY STARTINGIf the Alfa Romeo CODE system does not
recognise the code transmitted by the igni-
tion key (Alfa Romeo CODE
Y
warning
light on the instrument cluster on glowing
steadily) emergency starting may be carried
out using the code of the CODE card.
For the correct procedure see the chapter
“In an emergency”.
PARKINGWhen the vehicle is parked, proceed as fol-
lows:
– Switch off the engine.
– Engage the handbrake.
– Engage first gear if the car is facing up-
hill or reverse if the car is facing downhill.
– Turn the front wheels so that the car will
immediately come to a half if the handbrake
slips. Starting by pushing, tow-
ing or running downhill
must absolutely be
avoided. These manoeuvres may
cause fuel to flow into the catalyst
and damage it irreparably.
To avoid useless con-
sumption of power and
possible draining the bat-
tery, never leave the ignition key
in the MAR position when the en-
gine is not running.
For vehicles equipped
with turbocharger in par-
ticular and for other vehi-
cles in general, revving the engine
before switching off should be
avoided.
Revving the engine serves no pur-
pose and consumes fuel for no rea-
son. It may also cause damage to
the bearings on the rotor of the
turbocharger.
WARNINGIf the engine turns off with
the car on the move, the next time it is
started, the Alfa Romeo CODE warning lightY
may turn on. In this case, check that
switching off and starting the engine again
with the car stationary, the warning light
stays off. If not, contact Alfa Romeo Au-
thorized Services.
Remember that the servo-
brake and power steering
are not activated until the engine
is started, therefore considerably
greater effort is required on the
brake pedal and steering wheel.
WARNING
Never leave children unat-
tended in the car. Always
remove the key from the ignition
when leaving the car and take it
with you.
WARNING

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
192
SAFE DRIVINGIn designing your Alfa 156, Alfa
Romeo has worked thoroughly to achieve a
vehicle able to offer top levels of safety to
its passengers. However, the behaviour of
the driver is still a decisive factor for road
safety.
Below you will find a few simple rules for
travelling safely under different conditions.
You are certainly familiar with many of them
but it is still helpful to read them all care-
fully.BEFORE DRIVING OFF– Make sure the lights and headlights are
working properly.
– Adjust the seat, steering wheel and
rearview mirrors, in order to obtain a correct
position for driving.
– Adjust the seat back upright and keep
your head as close as possible to the head
restraint.– Carefully adjust the headrests so that
the head and not the neck rests on them.
Check that nothing (mats, etc.) can get un-
der the foot pedals.
– Make sure that any child restraint sys-
tem (seats, cradles, etc.) are correctly fas-
tened on the rear seat.
– Place any objects in the boot with care
to prevent abrupt braking from throwing
them forwards.
– Avoid heavy meals before a journey. A
light meal will help to keep reflexes ready.
Above all avoid alcohol.
Routinely remember to check:
– tyre pressure and conditions;
– engine oil level;
– engine coolant level and system condi-
tions;
– brake fluid level;
– power steering oil level;
– windscreen washer fluid level.
WHEN TRAVELLING– The first rule for safe driving is care.
– Care also means being able to predict
the actions of other road users.
– Strictly respect the traffic regulations in
all countries, especially the speed limits.
– Ensure that both yourself and your pas-
sengers are wearing their seat belts, that
children are carried with the appropriate
seats and that any animals are in appropri-
ate compartments.
– Long distances should be trackled in
good health.
Driving under the influence
of drugs and/or some
medicines is highly dangerous for
oneself and for others.
WARNING

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
194
DRIVING IN THE RAINRain and wet roads can be dangerous.
If the road is wet, the traction between
wheel and asphalt is greatly reduced, thus
increasing the stopping distance and de-
creasing road holding.
Here are few suggestions in the case of
rain:
– Reduce speed and keep further back
from the vehicle in front.
– If it is raining particularly heavily, visi-
bility is also reduced. In these cases, switch
on the dipped headlights even if it is still day-
light so you can be seen more easily.
– Do not drive through puddles at speed
and hold on tightly to the wheel if you do: a
puddle taken at high speed might cause you
to lose control of the car (“aquaplaning”).
– Position the ventilation controls for
demisting (see chapter “Getting to know
your car”), to prevent visibility from wors-
ening.
– Routinely check the conditions of the
windscreen wiper blades.
DRIVING IN THE FOG– If fog is very thick, avoid travelling
where possible. If travelling with mist,
ground fog or the possibility of fog banks:
– Drive at moderate speed.
– Also in the day turn on the dipped-beam
headlights, rear fog guards and front fog
lights. Do not use the main beam headlights.
WARNINGOn stretches of road with
good visibility, switch off your rear foglights;
the brightness of these lights could annoy
the people travelling in the cars behind.
– Remember that fog also involves wet
asphalt, thus greater difficulty in all types of
manoeuvres and longer stopping distances.
– Keep well away from the vehicle in
front.
– Where possible avoid sudden changes
in speed.
– Possibly avoid overtaking other vehicles.
– If the vehicle is forced to stop (faults,
impossibility to continue due to poor visi-
bility, etc.), firstly try to pull off the road.
Then turn on the hazard warning lights and,
if possible the dipped beam headlights. Ry-
thmically sound the horn if you note another
car coming.
MOUNTAIN DRIVING– When driving downhill, use the engine
braking by engaging a low gear, to prevent
the brakes from overheating.
– Never coast downhill with the engine off
or in neutral and especially not with the ig-
nition key removed.
– Drive at moderate speed and avoid “cut-
ting” corners.
– Remember that overtaking up hill is
slower and therefore requires a greater
length of clear road. If you are being over-
taken on a hill, move over to enable the
other vehicle to pass in safety.

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
196
Tyres
Tyres should be checked at least every four
4 weeks: if the pressure is too low, fuel con-
sumption increases as the resistance to the
rolling movement of the tyre is higher. In
this state, tyre wear is increased
and vehicle handling suffers which will af-
fect safety.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with too much luggage stowed
in the boot. The weight of the vehicle (es-
pecially when driving in town) and its trim
greatly affects consumption and stability.
Luggage/ski rack
Remove luggage or ski racks from the roof
of the vehicle as soon as they are no longer
needed. These accessories reduce the aero-
dynamic penetration of the vehicle and will
increase consumption. When transporting
particularly large objects, use a trailer where
possible.Electrical devices
Use the electric devices for the necessary
time only. The heated rear window, supple-
mentary lights, windscreen wipers, heating
system blower require large amounts of en-
ergy and, increasing the request for power
also increases fuel consumption (up to
+25% when driving in built-up areas).
Air conditioner
The air conditioner is an additional load
which greatly affects the engine leading to
higher consumption (on average up to
+20%). When the temperature outside the
vehicle permits it, use the air vents where
possible.
Spoilers
The use of aerodynamic optional extras
which are not certified for the specific use
on the vehicle, may reduce the aerodynamic
penetration of the vehicle and increase con-
sumption.
STYLE OF DRIVINGStarting
Do not warm the engine when the vehicle
is stationary or at high or low revs: in this
way the engine will warm up gradually in-
creasing consumption and emissions. You
should drive off slowly straight away avoid-
ing high revs so that the engine will warm
up more quickly.
Unnecessary actions
Avoid revving the engine when stopped at
traffic lights or before switching off the en-
gine and avoid doubling the clutch as these
actions have no purpose on modern vehicles
and serve only to increase consumption and
pollution.
Gear selection
As soon as the traffic and road conditions
allow it, shift to a higher gear. Using a lower
gear to liven up acceleration greatly in-
creases consumption. In the same way, im-
proper use of the higher gears will increase
consumption, emissions and wear and tear
on the engine.

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
203
Keep your speed
down when snow
chains are fitted.
Do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid
potholes, steps and pavements and
avoid also to drive for long dis-
tances on roads not covered with
snow to prevent damaging the car
and the roadbed.
VEHICLE INACTIVITYIf the car is to be left inactive for long pe-
riods, the following precautions should be
noted:
– House the vehicle under cover in a dry
and possibly ventilated place.
– Engage a gear.
– Check that the handbrake is not en-
gaged.
– Clean and protect the painted parts us-
ing protective wax.
– Disconnect the negative terminal (–)
and check the battery charge. This check is
to be repeated every three months.
Recharge if the optical indicator shows a
dark colour without the central green area.
WARNINGWhere applicable, switch off
the electronic car alarm with the remote con-
trol.– Clean and protect the shiny metal parts
using special compounds readily available.
– Sprinkle talcum powder on the rubber
windscreen and rear window wiper blades
and lift them off the glass.
– Slightly open the windows.
– Cover the car with a cloth or perforated
plastic sheet. Do not use sheets of non-per-
forated plastic as they do not allow mois-
ture on the car body to evaporate.
– Inflate the tyres to 0.5 bar above the
normal specified pressure and check it at in-
tervals.
– If you don’t disconnect the battery from
the electric system, check its charge every
month and recharge it if the optical indica-
tor shows a dark colour without the central
green area.
– Do not drain the engine cooling system. Snow chains cannot be
fitted to the spare wheel
so, if a front (drive) tyre is
punctured and chains must be fit-
ted, the rear wheel should be fit-
ted to the front of the vehicle (in-
flate the tyres to the specified
pressure as soon as possible) and
the spare tyre should be fitted to
the rear. A snow chain can then be
safely fitted to the front wheel.

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
204
REMOVING FROM STORAGEBefore using your vehicle after a long pe-
riod of inactivity, the following operations
should first be carried out:
– Do not dust the outside of the vehicle.
– Visually check that there are no leaks
(oil, brake and clutch fluid, engine coolant,
etc.).
– Replace engine oil and filter.
– Check:
- brake-clutch fluid level
- level of engine coolant fluid.
– Check the air cleaner and replace if nec-
essary.
– Check tyre pressure and ensure that they
are not damaged, cracked or cut. If they are
they must be replaced.– Check the state of the drive belts.
– Reconnect the battery negative termi-
nal (–) after checking that the charge is ad-
equate.
– With the gear lever in neutral start the
engine and allow the engine to run for a few
seconds whilst repeatedly working the clutch
pedal.
USEFUL ACCESSORIESIn addition to the legal requirements, we
recommend keeping the following in the car
(fig. 1):
– first aid kit with non-alcoholic base dis-
infectant, steril gauzes, a roll of gauze, plas-
ters, etc.;
– torch;
– round-ended scissors;
– work gloves.fig. 1
A0B0389m
This operation must be per-
formed in the open. The
exhaust gases contain carbon
monoxide which is extremely toxic
and may also be lethal.
WARNING

IN AN EMERGENCY
209
CHANGING A WHEEL(optional for versions/markets
where applicable)
You are informed that:
– The jack mass is 2,100 kg.
– The jack requires no adjustment.
– The jack cannot be repaired, in the event
of breakage it must be replaced by anoth-
er original one.
– No tools other than its operating crank
can be fitted to the jack.
To change the wheel proceed as follows:
– Stop the car in such a position that it is
not dangerous for the traffic, where it is pos-
sible to change the wheel safely. Where pos-
sible, park on a level, compact surface.– Stop the engine and engage the hand-
brake.
– Engage first gear or reverse.
– Lift the boot carpet and hook it as shown
in (fig. 1a).
– Loosen the clamping device (handle)
(A-fig. 2).
fig. 2
A0B0234m
fig. 1a
A0B0577m
Snow chains cannot be fit-
ted to the compact spare
wheel, so, if a front wheel is punc-
tured and chains need to be used,
the front axle should be fitted with
normal wheels and the spare
wheel fitted to the rear. In this
way, as two normal tyres are fit-
ted to the front of the vehicle,
snow chains can be mounted,
thereby overcoming an emergency.
Absolutely never tamper with the
inflation valve.
Do not insert tools of any kind be-
tween the rim and the tyre.
Routinely check that the pressure
of the tyres and of the compact
spare wheel is as specified in the
“Technical specifications” chapter.
WARNING

IN AN EMERGENCY
214
INFLATING PROCEDURE 1)Place the wheel in the position illus-
trated in the figure (A-fig. 13) for the op-
eration with the valve, then engage the
handbrake.
2)Screw the filling pipe (B-fig. 14) to
the bottle (C).
3)Unscrew the tyre valve plug, remove
the element inside the valve by using the
appropriate tool (D-fig. 15); be careful
not to place it on the sand or on a dirty sur-
face .
4)Introduce the filling pipe (B-fig. 16)
in the tyre valve, keep the bottle (C-fig.
16) with the pipe directed downwards, then
press it so that the whole sealer can get in-
to the tyre.5)Screw again the element inside the
valve with the tool (D-fig. 17).
6)Use the appropriate lever (E-fig. 18)
to insert and clamp the air compressor pipe
(F) to the tyre valve.
7)Start the engine, insert the plug (G-
fig. 19) in the lighter (or socket 12V) and
inflate the tyre according to the right pres-
sure value (see “Cold inflation pressures” in
the “Technical specification” chapter). You
are advised to check the tyre pressure val-
ue on the pressure gauge (H-fig. 18) with
the compressor off, in order to have a more
accurate reading.fig. 13
A0B0334m
fig. 14
A0B335m
IT IS NECESSARY TO KNOW
THAT:The sealer included in the quick repairing
kit, good for temperatures between –30°C
e +80°C, is not adequate for permanent
fixing.
The liquid inside the tyre can be easily re-
moved with water.
The sealer has no expire date.
Do not operate the com-
pressor for more than 20
minutes. Risk of overheating.
WARNING

IN AN EMERGENCY
215
After about 10 minutes, stop and check
the tyre pressure once again; remember to
engage the handbrake.
fig. 15
A0B0336m
fig. 16
A0B0337m
If it is not possible to reach the prescribed
pressure, move the car forwards or back-
wards for about 10 metres, so that the seal-
er is distributed inside the tyre, then repeat
inflation.
If, in spite of the last operation, the pre-
scribed pressure is not achieved, do not
move the vehicle and contact Alfa Romeo
Authorized Services.
Once the correct tyre pressure has been
reached, start driving immediately so that
the sealer is distributed evenly inside the
tyre.
Place the sticker in a posi-
tion where it can be clear-
ly seen by the driver as a notice
that the tyre has been treated with
the quick repairing kit. Drive care-
fully especially in a bend. Do not
overcome 80 km/h. Avoid sudden
acceleration or braking.
WARNING
If the pressure is below
1,3 bars, do not drive any
further; FIX & GO cannot guaran-
tee proper hold because the tyre is
too much damaged. Contact Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services.
Conversely, if at least 1,3 bars are
detected, restore the correct pres-
sure (with the engine running and
the handbrake engaged) and start
driving the car with great care.
WARNING