FIAT 500L 2018 Owner handbook (in English)

PASSENGER FRONT AIRBAG AND CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS: WARNING
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99

SIDE BAGS
To help increase occupant protection in
the event of certain side impact
collisions, the vehicle is equipped with
front side bags (for versions/markets,
where provided) and window bags.
Side bag
(for versions/markets, where provided)
These comprise two types of bags
located in the front seat backrests fig.
92 which protect the pelvic, chest
and shoulder area of the occupants in
the event of a side impact of
medium-high severity.
Window bag
This consists of a "curtain" bag housed
behind the roof side linings and covered
by special trims fig. 93.It is designed to protect the head of
front and rear occupants in the event of
a side collision, thanks to the wide
cushion inflation surface.
The deployment of side bags in the
event of side impacts of low severity is
not required.
In the event of a side impact, the
system provides best protection if the
passenger sits on the seat in a correct
position, thus allowing correct window
bag deployment.
Important notes
93) 94) 95) 96) 97) 98) 99) 100) 101)
Do not wash the seats with water or
pressurised steam (wash by hand or at
automatic seat washing stations).
The front airbags and/or side bags may
be deployed in the event of sharp
impacts to the underbody of the car
(e.g. impact with steps, pavements,
potholes or road bumps 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.
Airbag checking, repair and
replacement must be carried out at a
Fiat Dealership.
If the car is scrapped, have the airbag
system deactivated at a Fiat Dealership.
Pretensioners and airbags are
deployed in different ways on the basis
of the type of collision. Failure to
activate one or more of the devices
does not indicate a system malfunction.
WARNING
86)Do not apply stickers or other objects
on the steering wheel, on the dashboard in
the passenger side airbag area, on side
upholstery on the roof or on the seats.
Never put objects (e.g. mobile phones) on
the passenger side of the dashboard
since they could interfere with correct
inflation of the passenger airbag and also
cause serious injury to the passengers.
87)Always drive with your hands on the
rim of the steering wheel so that the airbag
can inflate freely if required. Do not drive
bent over the steering wheel, but rather sit
upright with your back firmly resting against
the seat back.
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100
SAFETY

88)SERIOUS DANGER: When there is an
active passenger airbag, DO NOT install
rearward facing child restraint systems on
the front seat. Deployment of the airbag
in a crash could cause fatal injuries to the
child regardless of the severity of the
collision. Therefore, always deactivate the
passenger side airbag when a rearward
facing child restraint system is installed on
the front passenger seat. The front
passenger seat must also be positioned
back as far as possible in order to prevent
the child restraint system from coming
into contact with the dashboard.
Immediately reactivate the passenger
airbag as soon as the child restraint system
has been removed.
89)To deactivate the airbags using the
instrument panel display menu, see the
description in the "Knowing the instrument
panel" chapter, "Setup Menu" paragraph.
90)Do not affix rigid objects to the garment
hooks or support handles.
91)Do not rest your head, arms or elbows
on the door, on the windows or in the
window bag area to prevent injury during
deployment.
92)Never lean your head, arms or elbows
out of the window.
93)If, when the key is turned to MAR, the
warning light does not switch on or
stays on whilst driving, a fault may have
occurred in the restraint systems. In this
case the airbags or pretensioners may not
be deployed in an impact or, in a lower
number of cases, they may be deployed
accidentally. Contact a Fiat Dealership
immediately to have the system checked.94)On some versions, in the event of
warning light failure, thewarning
light switches on and the explosive charges
of the passenger airbag are deactivated.
95)On vehicles with side bags, do not
cover the front seat backrests with extra
covers.
96)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.
97)If the car has been stolen or in
the event of an attempt to steal it, if it has
been subjected to vandalism or floods,
have the airbag system checked by a Fiat
Dealership.
98)The airbags may also be deployed
when the car is not moving, if the key is in
the ignition and turned to MAR or when the
engine is off, if the car is hit by another
moving vehicle. Therefore, even if the
vehicle is stationary, when an active front
passenger airbag is fitted, DO NOT install
rearward facing child restraint systems
on the front passenger seat. Deployment of
the airbag following an impact could cause
fatal injuries to the child. Therefore, always
deactivate the passenger side airbag
when a rearward facing child restraint
system is installed on the front passenger
seat. The front passenger seat must also
be positioned back as far as possible in
order to prevent the child restraint system
from coming into contact with the
dashboard. Immediately reactivate the
passenger airbag as soon as the child
restraint system has been removed.Also remember that, if the key is turned to
STOP, none of the safety devices (airbags
or pretensioners) will be deployed in the
event of collision. Non-deployment in such
cases does not indicate a system
malfunction.
99)The
LED warning light indicates the
passenger airbag protection status. If the
LED is off, passenger side protection is
active: to deactivate it, use the Setup Menu
(in this case the LED lights up). When the
engine is started (ignition key turned to
MAR position), the LED turns on for about
8 seconds, provided that at least 5
seconds have elapsed from when it was
switched off. If not, contact a Fiat
Dealership. If the engine is switched off/on
again in less than 5 seconds the LED
may remain off. In this case, to check
correct LED operation, switch the engine
off, wait for at least 5 seconds and switch
the engine on again. The LED may light
up with various intensity levels depending
on the vehicle conditions. The intensity may
also vary during the same key cycle.
100)The airbag deployment threshold is
higher than that of the pretensioners.
For collisions in the range between the two
thresholds, it is normal for only the
pretensioners to be activated.
101)The airbag does not replace seat
belts but increases their efficiency.
Because front airbags are not deployed for
low-speed crashes, side collisions,
rear-end shunts or rollovers, occupants are
protected, in addition to any side bags,
only by their seat belts, which must
therefore always be fastened.
101

STARTING AND DRIVING
Let’s get to the core of the vehicle:
seeing how you can exploit all of its
potential to the full.
We’ll look at how to drive it safely in any
situation, so that it can be a welcome
companion, with our comfort and
our wallets in mind.STARTING THE ENGINE .................103
WHEN PARKED ..............................104
HANDBRAKE ..................................105
USING THE MANUAL GEARBOX ....105
USING THE DUALOGIC
GEARBOX.......................................106
START&STOP SYSTEM ..................108
CRUISE CONTROL (CONSTANT
SPEED REGULATOR) .....................109
SPEED LIMITER ..............................111
MODE SELECTOR ..........................112
PARKING SENSORS.......................115
REAR BACKUP CAMERA
(PARKVIEW® REAR BACKUP
CAMERA) ........................................116
TOWING TRAILERS ........................117
REFUELLING THE VEHICLE ...........118
102
STARTING AND DRIVING

STARTING THE
ENGINE
102) 103)49) 50) 51) 52) 53)
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.
VERSIONS WITH MANUAL
TRANSMISSION
Petrol versions
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake and put the
gear lever in neutral.On 0.9 TwinAir
Turbo 105 HP versionsengage
the handbrake and place the gear lever
in neutral or fully press the clutch pedal
if a gear other than neutral is engaged;
for all versions (except 0.9
TwinAir Turbo 105 HP)fully depress
the clutch pedal without touching
the accelerator;
turn the ignition key to AVV and
release it as soon as the engine starts.Diesel versions
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake, put the gear
lever into neutral and turn the ignition
key to MAR: the
warning light in the
instrument panel will turn on.
wait for thewarning light to turn
off and then fully depress the clutch
pedal without pressing the accelerator;
turn the ignition key to the AVV
position as soon as the warning light
turns off. Release the ignition key 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 procedure. If, with the ignition
key on MAR, the
symbol on the
display stays on together with the
warning light on the instrument
panel (for petrol versions only), it is
advisable to turn the key to STOP and
then back to MAR. If the
symbol
continues to stay on, try with the other
keys provided with the car. Contact a
Fiat Dealership if you still cannot start
the engine.VERSIONS WITH
DUALOGIC GEARBOX
104)
Engine starting is allowed both with a
gear engaged and with the gearbox
in neutral (N).
However, the brake pedal must always
be pressed first if neutral is not
engaged. It is advisable to place the
gear lever in neutral (N) before starting
the engine.
LPG AND NATURAL
POWER VERSIONS
The engine always starts up on petrol
independently of the previously
selected mode.
There must therefore always be some
petrol in the tank to protect the petrol
pump and to guarantee temporary
switching from Methane or LPG to
petrol operation, if high performance is
required.
SWITCHING OFF THE
ENGINE
Turn 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.
103

WARNING
102)It is dangerous to run the engine in
enclosed areas. The engine consumes
oxygen and engine exhaust contains
carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and
other toxic gasses.
103)Remember that the brake servo and
electrical power steering system are not
operational until the engine is started,
therefore a greater effort will be required to
press the brake pedal or turn the steering
wheel.
104)If the engine fails to start with a gear
engaged, the potentially dangerous
situation due to the fact that the
transmission is automatically placed in
neutral will be signalled by an acoustic
warning.
WARNING
49)The flashing of the warning lightfor
60 seconds after starting or during
prolonged cranking of the engine indicates
a fault with the glow plug heating system.
You can use the vehicle as usual if the
engine starts but you should contact a Fiat
Dealership as soon as possible.
50)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.51)When the engine is switched off never
leave the key turned to MAR-ON to prevent
useless current absorption from draining
the battery.
52)Never, under any circumstances, jump
start the engine by pushing, towing or
coasting downhill. This could cause fuel to
flow into the catalytic converter and
damage it beyond repair.
53)A quick burst on the accelerator before
turning off the engine serves absolutely
no practical purpose, it wastes fuel and is
especially damaging to turbocharged
engines.
WHEN PARKED
Always remove the ignition key when
leaving the car.
When parking and leaving the car,
proceed as follows:
engage a gear (1stgear if facing
uphill or reverse if facing downhill) and
leave the wheels turned;
stop the engine and engage the
handbrake.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a
stone if the car is parked on a steep
slope.
On versions with Dualogic gearbox, 1
st
gear or reverse must be engaged
with the foot on the brake pedal and, if
on a slope, the handbrake must be
operated in order to park safely.
IMPORTANT NEVER leave the car with
the gearbox in neutral (on versions
equipped with Dualogic transmission,
this is indicated by the letter N on
the display).
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STARTING AND DRIVING

HANDBRAKE
105) 106)
The handbrake lever is located between
the two front seats.
Handbrake engagement
Pull lever A fig. 94 upwards until the car
is secured. Four or five clicks are
generally enough when the car is on
level ground while ten or eleven may be
required if the car is on a steep slope
and laden: if it is not so, contact a
Fiat Dealership to have it adjusted.
Handbrake disengagement
Slightly raise lever A and hold button B
pressed, checking that the
warning
light switches off in the instrument
panel.
WARNING
105)Never leave children unattended in
the car. Always remove the key from the
ignition when leaving the car and take
it with you.
106)For cars equipped with a front
armrest, lift it up to ensure that it does not
interfere with the action of the handbrake.
USING THE MANUAL
GEARBOX
107)54)
To engage the gears, press the clutch
pedal fully and put the gear lever into
the required position (the diagram
for gear engagement is shown on the
knob ).
Reverse engagement
0.9 TwinAir Turbo 105 HP and 1.4 16V
versions: to engage reverse gear R
from the neutral position, lift up ring A
fig. 95 located under the knob and
simultaneously move the lever to the
right and then backwards.
1.3 16V Multijet version: to engage
reverse R from neutral position, move
the lever to the right and then back.
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105

1.6 16V Multijet version: to engage
reverse gear R from the neutral
position, lift up ring A located under the
knob and simultaneously move the
lever to the left and then forwards.
To engage 6
thgear (for versions/
markets, where provided), push firmly
to the right when operating the lever
in order to avoid selecting 4
thgear by
mistake. The same applies to the shift
from 6
thto 5thgear.
IMPORTANT Reverse can only be
engaged when the car is completely
stationary. With the engine running, wait
for at least 2 seconds with the clutch
pedal fully pressed before engaging
reverse to prevent damage to the gears
and grating.
IMPORTANT The clutch pedal should
be used only for gear changes. Do
not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal, however lightly. For
versions/markets where provided, the
electronic clutch control could cut
in, interpreting the incorrect driving style
as a fault.
WARNING
107)Depress the clutch pedal fully to
change gear correctly. It is therefore
essential that there is nothing under the
pedals: make sure the mats are lying
flat and do not get in the way of the
pedals.
WARNING
54)Do not drive with your hand resting on
the gear lever as the force exerted, even
if slight, could lead over time to premature
wear of the gearbox internal components.
USING THE
DUALOGIC
GEARBOX
(for versions/markets, where provided)
108)55)
GEAR LEVER
The gear lever A fig. 96 is the
multistable floating type, in other words
it has three stable and three unstable
positions.
The three stable positions correspond
to neutral (N), reverse (R) and the
central position located between the
unstable positions (+) and (-).
The central position of the gear lever
identifies forward gear.
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STARTING AND DRIVING

The unstable positions, in other words
those that are abandoned as soon
as the lever is released, are the
positions for requesting a higher gear
(+), requesting a lower gear (–) and
requesting to switch mode from
automatic to manual and vice versa
(A/M).
OPERATING MODE
The transmission/transmission can
function in two operating modes:
MANUALin which the driver
decides when to shift gear
AUTOin which the system decides
when to shift gear
MANUAL MODE
Proceed as follows:
press the brake pedal and start the
engine;
push the gear lever towards (+) to
engage first gear (if starting from N
or R, simply place the lever in the
middle position) or R to engage reverse;
in case of forward gear, the view on
the display must be “M1”, “M2” (see
figure), etc. If this is not so, move the
A/M to activate manual mode;
release the brake pedal and press
the accelerator pedal;
in driving conditions, push the gear
lever towards (+) to engage the next
gear up or towards (–) to engage the
next gear down.
IMPORTANT For the correct use of the
system only use your right foot to
operate the pedal unit.
AUTOMATIC MODE
(AUTO)
Proceed as follows:
press the brake pedal and start the
engine;
push the gear lever towards (+) to
engage first gear (if starting from N
or R, simply place the lever in the
middle position) or R to engage reverse;
in case of forward gear, the view on
the display must be “A1”, “A2” (see
figure), etc. If this is not so, move the
A/M to activate automatic mode;
release the brake pedal and press
the accelerator pedal: the gear most
suited to the vehicle speed will be
engaged.AUTO-ECO OPERATION
To activate the function press the ECO
button fig. 97. The ECO function can be
only activated only with automatic
mode active.
With the ECO function active, the
system will select the most suitable
gear depending on the vehicle speed,
engine rpm and intensity with which the
accelerator pedal is pressed, with the
aim of limiting fuel consumption.
“Kick Down” FUNCTION
(for versions/markets, where provided)
If necessary (e.g. when overtaking),
the system downshifts one or more
gears when the accelerator is
depressed beyond the point where it
becomes stiff (and if the rpm allow it) in
order to provide suitable power and
torque for the required acceleration.
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IMPORTANT The use of the “Kick
Down” function is recommended only
when overtaking or accelerating quickly,
in order not to increase fuel
consumption.
STEERING WHEEL
CONTROLS
(for versions/markets, where provided)
56)
On some versions, the gearbox can be
managed sequentially using the
steering wheel controls fig. 98.
To use the controls on the steering
wheel, the gear lever must be in the
central position between (+) and (–).
To engage a higher gear: pull the
right stalk (+) toward the steering wheel.
To engage a lower gear: pull the
right stalk (-) toward the steering wheel.The engagement of a lower (or higher)
gear is only permitted if the engine
revs allow it.
WARNING
108)If the engine fails to start with a gear
engaged, the potentially dangerous
situation due to the fact that the
transmission is automatically put in neutral
will be signalled by an acoustic signal.
WARNING
55)Avoid keeping your hand on this lever
except during gear change or AUTO/
MANUAL mode requests.
56)Using the paddles incorrectly (paddles
pushed towards the dashboard) could
break them.
START&STOP
SYSTEM
109) 110)57)
The Start&Stop system automatically
stops the engine whenever the car
is stationary and all the conditions for
automatic switch-off are met. The
engine is restarted when the driver
wants to move off.
In this way, the car efficiency is
increased, by reducing consumption,
dangerous gas emissions and sound
pollution.
OPERATING MODE
Stopping the engine
Versions with manual transmission:
with the car stationary, the engine
stops with the gears in neutral and the
clutch pedal released.
Versions with Dualogic
transmission: the engine stops if the
vehicle is at a standstill and the brake
pedal is pressed. This condition can be
maintained even if the brake pedal is
not depressed, if the gear lever is
in position N (Neutral).
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STARTING AND DRIVING