manual transmission FIAT 500C 2018 Owners Manual

INTRODUCTION
Dear Customer,
Congratulations on selecting your new vehicle. Be assured
that it represents precision workmanship, distinctive styl-
ing, and high quality. This Owner ’s Manual has been
prepared with the assistance of service and engineering
specialists to acquaint you with the operation and mainte-
nance of your vehicle. It is supplemented by Warranty
Information, and customer oriented documents. In the
attached Warranty Booklet, you will find a description of
the services that FCA offers to its customers, the Warranty
Certificate and the details of the terms and conditions for
maintaining its validity. Please take the time to read all of
these publications carefully before driving your vehicle for
the first time. Following the instructions, recommenda-
tions, tips, and important warnings in this manual will
help assure safe and enjoyable operation of your vehicle.
Be sure you are familiar with all vehicle controls, particu-
larly those used for braking, steering, transmission, and
transfer case shifting (if equipped). Learn how your vehicle
handles on different road surfaces. Your driving skills will
improve with experience. This Owner ’s Manual describes all versions of this vehicle.
Options and equipment dedicated to specific markets or
versions are not expressly indicated in the text. Therefore,
you should only consider the information which is related
to the trim level, engine, and version that you have
purchased. Any content introduced throughout the Own-
er ’s Information, that may or may not be applicable to your
vehicle, will be identified with the wording “If Equipped”.
All data contained in this publication are intended to help
you use your vehicle in the best possible way. FCA aims at
a constant improvement of the vehicles produced. For this
reason, it reserves the right to make changes to the model
described for technical and/or commercial reasons. For
further information, contact an authorized dealer.
NOTE: After reviewing the Owner ’s Information, it should
be stored in the vehicle for convenient referencing, and
remain with the vehicle when sold.
When it comes to service, remember that an authorized
dealer knows your vehicle best, has factory-trained techni-
cians and genuine MOPAR® parts, and cares about your
satisfaction.4 INTRODUCTION

WARNING!• Before exiting a vehicle, always shift the automatic
transmission into PARK or the manual transmission
into FIRST gear or REVERSE, apply the parking
brake, then turn the engine OFF, remove the key fob
from the vehicle and lock your vehicle. (Continued) WARNING! (Continued)• 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. Children
should be warned not to touch the parking brake,
brake pedal or the gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle, or in
a location accessible to children. A child could oper-
ate power windows, other controls, or move the
vehicle.
• 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 vehicle is an invitation. Always remove
the key from the ignition and lock all doors when
leaving the vehicle unattended.Ignition Switch1 — STOP (OFF/LOCK) 3 — AVV (START)
2 — MAR (ACC/ON/RUN)20 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE

CAUTION!• Turn the windshield wipers off when driving
through an automatic car wash. Damage to the wind-
shield wipers may result if the wiper control is left in
any position other than off.
• In cold weather, always turn off the wiper switch and
allow the wipers to return to the park position before
turning off the engine. If the wiper switch is left
on and the wipers freeze to the windshield, damage
to the wiper motor may occur when the vehicle is
restarted.
• Always remove any buildup of snow that prevents
the windshield wiper blades from returning to the
off position. If the windshield wiper control is
turned off and the blades cannot return to the off
position, damage to the wiper motor may occur.
Manual High Speed/Mist
Push the lever upward from the off position. The wipers
will operate at high speed to clear off road mist or spray
from a passing vehicle. This operation will continue until
the lever is released. When the lever is released, the wipers
will return to the off position and automatically shut off. Rear Windshield Wiper
Rotate the end of the windshield wiper/washer lever
upward to the first detent past the intermittent settings for
intermittent wipe operation. With the front windshield
wiper active, rotate the end of the windshield wiper/
washer lever upward. The rear wiper will operate in the
same mode as the front windshield wipers, but at half the
frequency. When the transmission is shifted into REVERSE,
the rear wiper will automatically operate at low speed and
return to normal operation when the transmission is
shifted out of REVERSE.
NOTE: The windshield wipers/washers will only operate
with the ignition in the ON/RUN position. Rear Wiper Operation 3GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE 43

A feature of the TCS system, Brake Limited Differential
(BLD), functions similar to a limited slip differential and
controls the wheel spin across a driven axle. If one wheel
on a driven axle is spinning faster than the other, the
system will apply the brake of the spinning wheel. This
will allow more engine torque to be applied to the wheel
that is not spinning. This feature remains active even if TCS
and ESC are in the Partial Off mode. Refer to “Electronic
Stability Control (ESC)” in this section for further informa-
tion.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
The HSA system is designed to assist the driver when
starting a vehicle from a stop on a hill. HSA will maintain
the level of brake pressure the driver applied for a short
period of time after the driver takes his foot off the brake
pedal. If the driver does not apply the throttle during this
short period of time, the system will release brake pressure
and the vehicle will roll down the hill. The system will
release brake pressure in proportion to the amount of
throttle applied as the vehicle starts to move in the
intended direction of travel. HSA Activation Criteria
The following criteria must be met in order for HSA to
activate:
• Vehicle must be stopped.
• Vehicle must be on a 2.5% (manual transmission) or 7%
grade or greater (automatic transmission) hill.
• Gear selection matches vehicle uphill direction (i.e.,
vehicle in NEUTRAL (manual transmission), vehicle
facing uphill is in forward gear; vehicle backing uphill is
in REVERSE gear).
WARNING!There may be situations on minor hills with a loaded
vehicle, or while pulling a trailer, when the system will
not activate and slight rolling may occur. This could
cause a collision with another vehicle or object. Always
remember the driver is responsible for braking the
vehicle.102 SAFETY

NOTE: The ESC Off switch is located left of the steering
column (Manual Transmission Only).
WARNING!• The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) cannot pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle, nor can it increase the traction afforded by
prevailing road conditions. ESC cannot prevent all
accidents, including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, driving on very slippery surfaces, or (Continued) WARNING! (Continued)hydroplaning. ESC also cannot prevent collisions
resulting from loss of vehicle control due to inappro-
priate driver input for the conditions. Only a safe,
attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents.
The capabilities of an ESC equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner
which could jeopardize the user ’s safety or the safety
of others.
• Vehicle modifications, or failure to properly main-
tain your vehicle, may change the handling charac-
teristics of your vehicle, and may negatively affect
the performance of the ESC system. Changes to the
steering system, suspension, braking system, tire
type and size or wheel size may adversely affect ESC
performance. Improperly inflated and unevenly
worn tires may also degrade ESC performance. Any
vehicle modification or poor vehicle maintenance
that reduces the effectiveness of the ESC system can
increase the risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle
rollover, personal injury and death.ESC Off Switch (Manual Transmission)104 SAFETY

STARTING AND OPERATINGCONTENTS  STARTING PROCEDURES ................ .161
▫ Manual Transmission — If Equipped ....... .161
▫ Automatic Transmission ................. .161
▫ Normal Starting ....................... .161
▫ Cold Weather Operation ................ .161
▫ Extended Park Starting .................. .162
▫ If Engine Fails To Start ................. .162
▫ After Starting ......................... .163
 ENGINE BREAK-IN RECOMMENDATIONS . . . .163
 PARKING BRAKE ...................... .164
 MANUAL TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED . . .165
▫ Five-Speed Manual Transmission ........... .165
▫ Recommended Shift Speeds .............. .167
▫ Downshifting ........................ .167  AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION — IF EQUIPPED . .168
▫ Key Ignition Park Interlock ............... .169
▫ Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System . . . .169
▫ Six-Speed Automatic Transmission .......... .169
▫ Gear Ranges ......................... .170
 AUTOSTICK .......................... .174
▫ Operation ........................... .174
 SPORT MODE ......................... .176
 POWER STEERING ..................... .177
 SPEED CONTROL ...................... .178
▫ To Activate .......................... .178
▫ To Set A Desired Speed .................. .179
▫ To Vary The Speed Setting ............... .179
▫ To Accelerate For Passing ................ .1806

STARTING PROCEDURES
Before starting your vehicle, adjust your seat, adjust both
inside and outside mirrors, and fasten your seat belts.
WARNING!• 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. Children
should be warned not to touch the parking brake,
brake pedal or the transmission gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or in
a location accessible to children). A child could
operate power windows, other controls, or move the
vehicle.
Manual Transmission — If Equipped
Apply the parking brake, place the gear selector in NEU-
TRAL, and press the clutch pedal before starting the
vehicle. This vehicle is equipped with a clutch interlocking
ignition system. It will not start unless the clutch pedal is
pressed to the floor. Automatic Transmission
The gear selector must be in the PARK or NEUTRAL
position before you can start the engine. Depress the brake
pedal 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.
Cold Weather Operation
To prevent possible engine damage while starting at low
temperatures, this vehicle will inhibit engine cranking
when the ambient temperature is less than –22° F (–30° C)
and the oil temperature sensor reading indicates an engine
block heater has not been used. An externally-powered 6STARTING AND OPERATING 161

PARKING BRAKE
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that the parking
brake is fully applied. Also, be certain to leave the manual
transmission in REVERSE or first gear.
The parking brake lever is located in the center console. To
apply the parking brake, pull the lever up as firmly as
possible. To release the parking brake, pull the lever up
slightly, press the center button, then lower the lever
completely. When the parking brake is applied with the ignition switch
in the MAR (ACC/ON/RUN) position, the Brake Warning
Light in the instrument cluster will illuminate.
When parking on a hill, it is important to turn the front
wheels toward the curb on a downhill grade and away
from the curb on an uphill grade. The parking brake
should always be applied whenever the driver is not in the
vehicle.
WARNING!• 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. Children
should be warned not to touch the parking brake,
brake pedal or the gear selector.
• D o not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle or in a
location accessible to children. A child could operate
power windows, other controls, or move the vehicle. (Continued)
Parking Brake164 STARTING AND OPERATING

WARNING! (Continued)• Be sure the parking brake is fully disengaged before
driving; failure to do so can lead to brake failure and
a collision.
• Always fully apply the parking brake when leaving
your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage or
injury. Also be certain to leave a manual transmis-
sion in FIRST gear or REVERSE gear. Failure to do so
may allow the vehicle to roll and cause damage or
injury.
CAUTION!If the Brake Warning Light remains on with the park-
ing brake released, a brake system malfunction is
indicated. Have the brake system serviced by an au-
thorized dealer immediately. 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 always be applied
when the driver is not in the vehicle, especially on an
incline.
Gear Selector 6STARTING AND OPERATING 165

Recommended Shift Speeds
To use your manual transmission for optimal fuel economy,
it should be upshifted as listed in the following table.
Manual Transmission Recommended Shift Speeds
Units In mph (km/h)
Engine Size Acceleration Rate 1to2 2to3 3to4 4to5
1.4L LA Engine Accel 14
(23) 23
(37) 29
(47) 38
(61)
Cruise 12
(19) 18
(29) 25
(40) 32
(52)
NOTE: A certain amount of noise from the transmission is
normal. This noise can be most noticeable when the vehicle
is idling in NEUTRAL with the clutch engaged (clutch
pedal released), but it may also be heard when driving. The
noise may also be more noticeable when the transmission is
warm. This noise is normal and is not an indication of a
problem with your clutch or transmission. Downshifting
Proper downshifting will improve fuel economy and pro-
long engine life.
CAUTION!If you skip a gear while downshifting or downshift at
too high of a vehicle speed, these conditions may cause
the engine to over speed if too low of a gear is selected
and the clutch pedal is released. Damage to the clutch (Continued) 6STARTING AND OPERATING 167