engine FIAT DUCATO BASE CAMPER 2015 Owner handbook (in English)

STARTING AND DRIVING
Let’s get to the "heart" 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 .................180
PARKING ........................................181
USING THE GEARBOX ...................183
LOADING ADVICE...........................184
SAVING FUEL .................................185
TOWING TRAILERS ........................187
SNOW TYRES ................................195
SNOW CHAINS...............................195
PROLONGED VEHICLE
INACTIVITY .....................................196
179

STARTING THE
ENGINE
The vehicle is fitted with an
electronic engine lock device: if the
engine fails to start, see the
paragraph “The Fiat CODE system”
in section “Know your vehicle”.
27) 28)
129)
PROCEDURE
Proceed as follows:
❒engage the handbrake;
❒put the gear lever into neutral;
❒turn the ignition key to MAR-ON: the
warning lights
andon the
instrument panel will turn on;
❒wait for the warning lights
and
to switch off. The hotter the
engine is, the quicker this will
happen;
❒fully press the clutch pedal without
touching the accelerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVV as soon
as 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 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-ON the
warning light
remains lit, turn the key to STOP
and then back to MAR-ON; if
the warning light remains lit, try with
the other keys provided with the
car.
IMPORTANT Go to a Fiat
Dealership immediately if warning
light
stays on constantly on the
instrument panel.
IMPORTANT Never leave the
ignition key in MAR-ON position
when the engine is stopped.
29)
WARMING UP THE
ENGINE JUST AFTER
IT HAS STARTED
Proceed as follows:
❒drive off slowly, letting the engine turn
at medium revs. Do not accelerate
abruptly;❒do not demand full performance at
first. Wait until the engine coolant
temperature gauge starts moving.
30) 31)
STOPPING THE
ENGINE
Turn the ignition key to STOP while
the engine is idling.
32) 33)
IMPORTANT
27) It is advisable not to demand
maximum performance from
your vehicle (e.g. excessive
acceleration, long distances at
high speeds, excessively intense
braking, etc.) during the initial
period of use.
28) When the engine is off, do not
leave the ignition key turned to
MAR-ON to prevent unnecessary
electrical consumption from
draining the battery.
180
STARTING AND DRIVING

29) If thewarning light flashes
for about 60 seconds after
starting or during prolonged
cranking, this indicates a fault in
the glow plug preheating system.
Use the vehicle normally if the
engine starts, but contact a Fiat
Dealership as soon as possible.
30) Remember that the brake servo
and power steering are not
operational until the engine has
been started, so you need to apply
much more force than usual to
the brake pedal and steering
wheel.
31) Never start the engine by
pushing, towing or driving
downhill. This could cause fuel to
flow into the catalytic converter
and damage it beyond repair.
32) 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.
33) In some cases, when the engine
switches off, the fan could
activate for max. 120 seconds.
WARNING
129) 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.
PARKING
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the
handbrake;
❒engage a gear (on a slope, engage
first gear if the car is facing uphill or
reverse if it is facing downhill) and
leave the wheels steered.
If the vehicle is parked on a steep
slope, it is advisable to block the
wheels with a wedge or stone.
Do not leave the key in the ignition
as this drains the battery. Always
remove the key when you leave the
car.
130)
HANDBRAKE
The handbrake lever is located to
the left of the driver's seat fig. 171.
Pull the lever upwards to engage
the handbrake and ensure that the
vehicle does not move.
IMPORTANT Make sure that the
handbrake is engaged in such
a way as to ensure the stationing of
the vehicle, especially in the case
of steep slopes and full load.
181

USING THE
GEARBOX
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 fig. 172).
To engage 6th gear (where
provided), operate the lever by
pressing it towards the right in
order to avoid engaging 4th gear by
mistake. The action is similar for
shifting from 6th gear to 5th gear.IMPORTANT Reverse may only be
engaged when the vehicle is at a
standstill. 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.
To engage reverse R from neutral,
proceed as follows: raise sliding
ring A under the knob and at the
same time move the gear lever
to the left and then forwards.
131)
35)
WARNING
131) 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.
IMPORTANT
35) 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 internal gearbox
components. 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 pedal control
could cut in, interpreting the
incorrect driving style as a fault.
172F1A0163
183

SAVING FUEL
Some useful tips are given below
for fuel saving and reducing harmful
emissions of CO2 and other
pollutants (nitrogen oxides, unburnt
hydrocarbons, Particulate Matter
(PM), etc.).
GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
The general factors that affect fuel
consumption are listed below.
Vehicle maintenance
Have checks and adjustments
carried out in accordance with the
“Scheduled Servicing Plan”.
Tyres
Check the tyre pressures at least
once every four weeks: if the
pressure is too low, consumption
levels increase as resistance to
rolling is higher.Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with an overloaded
luggage compartment. The weight
of the vehicle (especially when
driving in town) and its geometry
greatly affect fuel consumption and
stability.
Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or the ski
rack from the roof after use. These
accessories decrease aerodynamic
penetration of the vehicle and
have a negative effect on fuel
consumption. When transporting
particularly large objects, use a
trailer if possible.
Electric devices
Use electrical devices only for the
amount of time needed. The heated
rear window, additional headlights,
windscreen/rear window wipers
and heater fan need a considerable
amount of energy, therefore
increasing fuel consumption (by up
to 25% in the urban cycle).Climate control
system
Air conditioning leads to higher fuel
consumption (on average up to
+20%). If the temperature outside
permits, try and use the ventilation
only.
Devices for
aerodynamic control
The use of non-certified spoilers
may adversely affect air drag and
fuel consumption.
DRIVING STYLE
The main driving styles that affect
fuel consumption are listed below.
Cranking
Do not warm up the engine at low
or high revs when the vehicle is
stationary; this causes the engine
to warm up more slowly, thereby
increasing fuel consumption and
emissions. It is therefore advisable
to move off immediately, slowly,
avoiding high speeds: in this way
the engine will warm up more
quickly.
185

Unnecessary actions
Avoid accelerating when stopped at
traffic lights or before switching off
the engine. This action and also
double declutching is absolutely
pointless on modern cars and also
increases consumption and
pollution.
Gear selection
As soon as the conditions of the
traffic and road permit, use a higher
gear. Using a low gear for faster
acceleration will increase
consumption.
In the same way improper use of a
high gear increases consumption,
emissions and engine wear.
Max. speed
Fuel consumption increases
considerably with speed. Maintain a
constant speed, avoiding
unnecessary braking and
acceleration, which cost in terms of
both fuel consumption and
emissions.Acceleration
Accelerating violently will greatly
affect consumption and emissions:
acceleration should be gradual.
USAGE CONDITIONS
The main usage conditions that
negatively affect fuel consumption
are listed below.
Cold starting
Short journeys and frequent cold
starts do not allow the engine
to reach optimum operating
temperature.
This results in a significant increase
in consumption levels (from +15
to +30% on the urban cycle) and
emissions.Traffic and road
conditions
Rather high consumption levels are
linked to situations with heavy
traffic, for instance when travelling
in queues with frequent use of
the lower gears or in cities with
many traffic lights. Winding
mountain roads and rough road
surfaces also adversely affect
consumption.
Stops in traffic
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g.
level crossings) the engine should
be switched off.
186
STARTING AND DRIVING

An electric brake (or electric winch)
should be supplied directly by the
battery through a cable with a cross
section of no less than 2.5 mm
2.
IMPORTANT Electric brakes or
other devices must be used with
engine running.
In addition to the electrical
branches, the vehicle's electric
system can only be connected to
the supply cable for an electric
brake and to the cable for an
internal light, though not above 15
W. For connections use the preset
control unit with battery cable no
less than 2.5 mm
2.
IMPORTANT The trailer tow hook
contributes to the length of the
vehicle. When installing on long
wheelbase versions, it is only
possible to install removable tow
hooks because the total vehicle
length limit of 6 metres is
exceeded.
If no trailer is fitted, the hook must
be removed from the attachment
base and it must not exceed the
vehicle's original length.IMPORTANT If you wish to leave
the tow hook fitted without towing a
trailer, it is advisable to contact a
Fiat Dealership for the relevant
system update operations because
the tow hook could be detected
as an obstacle by the central
sensors.Installation diagram
for Van versions fig.
173
The tow hook structure must be
fastened in the points shown by the
symbol Ø using a total of 6
M10x1.25 screws and 4 M12
screws.
The internal back plates must be at
least 5 mm thick. MAX LOAD ON
BALL: 100/120 kg according to the
payload (see “Weights” table in
the “Technical data” section).
137)
To install a tow hook, the bumpers
must be trimmed as described in
the supplier's installation kit.
188
STARTING AND DRIVING

IMPORTANT
43) Keep your speed down when
snow chains are fitted; do not
exceed 50 km/h. Avoid potholes,
steps and pavements and avoid
driving for long distances on
roads not covered with snow to
prevent damaging the vehicle and
the roadbed.
PROLONGED
VEHICLE INACTIVITY
If the vehicle needs to be off the
road for longer than one month, the
following precautions must be
taken:
❒park the vehicle indoors in a dry and,
if possible, well-ventilated place;
❒engage a gear;
❒check that the handbrake is not
engaged;
❒disconnect the negative battery
terminal; if the vehicle is equipped
with a battery disconnection function
(disconnector), see the description
of the procedure in the "Controls"
paragraph in the "Dashboard and
controls" section;
❒clean and protect the painted parts
using protective wax;
❒clean and protect the shiny metal
parts using special compounds
available commercially;
❒sprinkle talcum powder on the
windscreen and rear window wiper
rubber blades and lift them off the
glass;
❒slightly open the windows;❒cover the vehicle with a piece of
fabric or perforated plastic sheet. Do
not use compact plastic tarpaulins,
which prevent humidity from
evaporating from the surface of the
vehicle;
❒inflate tyres to +0.5 bar above the
standard specified pressure and
check it at intervals;
❒do not drain the engine cooling
system.
IMPORTANT If the vehicle is
equipped with an alarm system,
switch off the vehicle alarm with the
remote control.
IMPORTANT After turning the
ignition key to STOP and having
closed the driver side door, wait at
least one minute before
disconnecting the electrical supply
from the battery. When
reconnecting the electrical supply
to the battery, make sure that
the ignition key is in the STOP
position and the driver side door is
closed.
196
STARTING AND DRIVING

IN AN EMERGENCY
A punctured tyre or a burnt-out
bulb?
At times, a problem may interfere
with our journey.
The pages on emergencies can
help you to deal with critical
situations independently and with
calm.
In an emergency we recommend
that you call the freephone number
found in the Warranty Booklet.
It is also possible to call the 00 800
3428 0000 freephone number to
search the nearest Fiat Dealership.STARTING THE ENGINE .................198
REPLACING A WHEEL ...................199
FIX & GO AUTOMATIC QUICK
TYRE REPAIR KIT ...........................204
CHANGING A BULB .......................208
REPLACING AN EXTERIOR BULB ..211
CHANGING AN INTERIOR BULB ....216
REPLACING FUSES........................217
BATTERY RECHARGING ................225
LIFTING THE VEHICLE....................226
TOWING THE VEHICLE ..................226
197

STARTING THE
ENGINE
Go to a Fiat Dealership immediately
if warning light
stays on
constantly on the instrument panel.
JUMP STARTING
If the battery is flat, it is possible to
start the engine using an auxiliary
battery with the same capacity or a
little higher than the flat one.
It is advisable to contact a Fiat
Dealership to check/replace the
battery.
140)
Proceed as follows to start the
vehicle:
❒raise the flap A fig. 178 to gain
access to the positive battery
terminal.
❒connect the positive terminals (sign +
near the terminal) of the two batteries
with a jump lead;
❒use a second cable to connect the
negative terminal (–) of the auxiliary
battery to the earth point as shown in
fig. 179;
❒start the engine;
❒when the engine has been started,
remove the cables reversing the
order above.
If after a few attempts the engine
does not start, do not persist
but contact the nearest Fiat
Dealership.IMPORTANT Do not directly
connect the negative terminals of
the two batteries: sparks could
ignite explosive gas released from
the battery. If the auxiliary battery is
installed on another vehicle, avoid
any metal parts on the latter and
the vehicle with the flat battery from
accidentally coming into contact.
BUMP STARTING
Never bump start the engine by
pushing, towing or driving downhill.
This could cause fuel to flow into
the catalytic converter and damage
it beyond repair.
WARNING
140) This procedure must be
performed by qualified personnel
as incorrect actions may cause
high-intensity electrical discharge.
Furthermore, battery fluid is
poisonous and corrosive: avoid
contact with skin and eyes. Keep
naked flames and lighted
cigarettes away from the battery
and do not cause sparks.
178F1A0351179F1A0352
198
IN AN EMERGENCY