parking brake FIAT 500C 2012 2.G Owners Manual

WARNING!
•Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the parking
brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and re-
move the key fob from the ignition. When leaving
the vehicle, always lock your vehicle.
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle.
•Allowing children to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of reasons. A child or
others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.
•Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle, and
do not leave the ignition in the ACC or ON/RUN
position. A child could operate power windows,
other controls, or move the vehicle.(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build-up may
cause serious injury or death.
CAUTION!
An unlocked car is an invitation to thieves. Always
remove the key from the ignition and lock all the
doors when leaving the vehicle unattended.
Locking Doors With A Key
You can insert the key with either side up. To lock the
door, turn the key to the right. To unlock the door, turn
the key to the left. Refer to “Body Lubrication” in
“Maintaining Your Vehicle” for maintenance
information.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 13

DOOR LOCKS
The door locks can be manually locked or unlocked from
inside the vehicle by using the door handle. If the door
handle is pushed a red lock indicator will show on the
door handle (indicating locked) when the door is closed,
the door will lock.WARNING!
•Do not leave children or animals inside parked
vehicles in hot weather. Interior heat build-up may
cause serious injury or death.
•For personal security and safety in the event of an
accident, lock the vehicle doors as you drive as
well as when you park and leave the vehicle.
•Before exiting a vehicle, always apply the parking
brake, shift the transmission into PARK, and re-
move the key fob from the ignition. When leaving
the vehicle, always lock your vehicle.
•Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle.(Continued)
Door Lock Handle
22 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING! (Continued)
•Allowing children to be in a vehicle unattended is
dangerous for a number of reasons. A child or
others could be seriously or fatally injured. Chil-
dren should be warned not to touch the parking
brake, brake pedal or the shift lever.
•Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle, and
do not leave the ignition in the ACC or ON/RUN
position. A child could operate power windows,
other controls, or move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
An unlocked vehicle is an invitation to thieves.
Always remove the key from the ignition and lock all
of the doors when leaving the vehicle unattended.
Power Door Locks
A power door lock switch is incorporated into the door
handle. Push or pull the handle to lock or unlock the
doors and liftgate. If the door handle is pushed a red lock
indicator will show on the door handle (indicating
locked) when the door is closed, the door will lock.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 23

Lights
Have someone observe the operation of exterior lights
while you work the controls. Check turn signal and high
beam indicator lights on the instrument panel.
Door Latches
Check for positive closing, latching, and locking.
Fluid Leaks
Check area under vehicle after overnight parking for fuel,
engine coolant, oil, or other fluid leaks. Also, if gasoline
fumes are detected or if fuel, power steering fluid, or
brake fluid leaks are suspected, the cause should be
located and corrected immediately.
72 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

If the light turns on while driving, safely pull over and
stop the vehicle. If the A/C system is on, turn it off. Also,
shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and idle the ve-
hicle. If the temperature reading does not return to
normal, turn the engine off immediately and call for
service. Refer to “If Your Engine Overheats” in “What To
Do In Emergencies” for further information.
20. Brake Warning LightThis light monitors various brake functions,
including brake fluid level and parking brake
application. If the Brake Warning Light turns
on it may indicate that the parking brake is
applied, that the brake fluid level is low, or that there is
a problem with the brake system reservoir.
The light will remain on until the cause is corrected.
If brake failure is indicated, immediate repair is neces-
sary.WARNING!
Driving a vehicle with the red brake light on is
dangerous. You could have a collision. Have the
vehicle checked immediately.
Vehicles equipped with the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), are also equipped with Electronic Brake Force
Distribution (EBD). In the event of an EBD failure, the
Brake Warning Light will turn on along with the ABS
Light. Immediate repair to the ABS system is required.
Operation of the Brake Warning Light can be checked by
turning the ignition switch from the OFF/LOCK position
to the ON/RUN position. The light should illuminate for
approximately two seconds. The light should then turn
off unless the parking brake is applied or a brake fault is
detected. If the light does not illuminate, have the light
inspected by an authorized dealer.
140 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

The light also will turn on when the parking brake is
applied with the ignition switch in the ON/RUN posi-
tion.
NOTE:This light shows only that the parking brake is
applied. It does not show the degree of brake application.
21. Electronic Stability Control OFF (ESC OFF)
Indicator Light This light indicates the Electronic Stability Con-
trol system (ESC) has been turned off by the
driver.
22. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Activation /
Malfunction Indicator Light The ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light in the instrument cluster will come on for
four seconds when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON/RUN position. If the ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light comes on con-
tinuously with the engine running, a malfunction has
been detected in the ESC system. If this light remains on,
see your authorized dealer as soon as possible to have the
problem diagnosed and corrected.
NOTE:
•The ESC Off Indicator Light and the ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light come on momentarily
each time the ignition switch is turned to ON/RUN.
•Each time the ignition is turned to ON/RUN, the ESC
system will be on, even if it was turned off previously.
23. Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) Light This light monitors the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS). The light will turn on when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON/RUN position and
may stay on for as long as four seconds.
4
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 141

▫General Information .................. 219
 Driving On Slippery Surfaces ............. 220
▫ Acceleration ........................ 220
▫ Traction ........................... 221
 Driving Through Water ................. 221
▫ Flowing/Rising Water ................. 221
▫ Shallow Standing Water ............... 222
 Power Steering ....................... 223
 Parking Brake ........................ 224
 Sport Mode .......................... 226
▫ Manual Transmission – If Equipped ....... 226
▫ Automatic Transmission – If Equipped ..... 227
 Brake System ........................ 228 ▫
Four-Wheel Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) . . 228
 Electronic Brake Control System ........... 229
▫ Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ........... 230
▫ Brake Assist System (BAS) .............. 230
▫ Traction Control System (TCS) ........... 231
▫ Hill Start Assist (HSA) ................ 231
▫ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ......... 232
▫ ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light
And ESC Off Indicator Light ............ 235
 Tire Safety Information ................. 236
▫ Tire Markings ....................... 236
▫ Tire Identification Number (TIN) ......... 240
▫ Tire Terminology And Definitions ......... 241
204 STARTING AND OPERATING

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!
Never leave children in the vehicle alone. Leaving
unattended children in a vehicle is dangerous for a
number of reasons. The child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. The child could operate
power windows, other controls or move the vehicle.
Manual Transmission – If Equipped
Apply the parking brake, place the shift lever in NEU-
TRAL, and press the clutch pedal before starting the
vehicle. This vehicle is equipped with a clutch interlock-
ing ignition system. It will not start unless the clutch
pedal is pressed to the floor.
Automatic Transmission – If Equipped
The shift lever must be in the PARK or NEUTRAL
position before you can start the engine. Apply the brakes
before shifting to any driving gear.
NOTE:You must press the brake pedal before shifting
out of PARK.
Normal Starting
NOTE: Normal starting of either a cold or a warm
engine is obtained without pumping or pressing the
accelerator pedal.
Turn the ignition switch to the AVV (START) position and
release it when the engine starts. If the engine fails to start
within 10 seconds, turn the ignition switch to the STOP
(OFF/LOCK) position, wait 10 to 15 seconds, then repeat
the Normal Starting procedure.5
STARTING AND OPERATING 207

CAUTION! (Continued)
•To prevent damage to the starter, do not continu-
ously crank the engine for more than 15 seconds at
a time. Wait 10 to 15 seconds before trying again.
After Starting
The idle speed will automatically decrease as the engine
warms up.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED
Five-Speed Manual Transmission
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should al-
ways be applied when the driver is not in the vehicle,
especially on an incline.Fully press the clutch pedal before you shift gears. As you
release the clutch pedal, lightly press the accelerator
pedal.
NOTE:
To shift into REVERSE from NEUTRAL, lift the
ring under the knob and, at the same time move the
gearshift lever to the right and then backward.
Shift Lever
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 209

vehicle may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and precision shifts will develop within a few
hundred miles (kilometers).
Shifting from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE should be
done only after the accelerator pedal is released and thevehicle is stopped. Be sure to keep your foot on the brake
pedal when moving the shift lever between these gears.
The transmission shift lever has only PARK, REVERSE,
NEUTRAL, and DRIVE shift positions. Manual shifts can
be made using the AutoStick
shift control (refer to
“AutoStick” in “Starting and Operating” for further
information). Moving the shift lever forward or rearward
(–/ +) while in the AutoStick position (beside the
DRIVE position) will manually select the transmission
gear, and will display the current gear in the instrument
cluster as 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Gear Ranges
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
PARK
This range supplements the parking brake by locking the
transmission. The engine can be started in this range.
Shift Lever
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 213