power steering FIAT 500L 2018 Owner handbook (in English)

KNOWING YOUR CAR
In-depth knowledge of your new vehicle
starts here.
The handbook that you are reading
simply and directly explains how it
is made and how it works.
That’s why we advise you to read it
seated comfortably on board, so that
you can see immediately what is
described here for yourself.DASHBOARD ................................. 10
THE FIAT CODE SYSTEM ............... 12
KEYS .............................................. 12
IGNITION DEVICE ........................... 14
SEATS ............................................ 15
HEAD RESTRAINTS ........................ 18
STEERING WHEEL ......................... 19
REAR VIEW MIRRORS .................... 19
CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM ....... 21
EXTERIOR LIGHTS ......................... 24
INTERIOR LIGHTS .......................... 26
WINDSCREEN WIPER/REAR
WINDOW WIPER ............................ 27
FIXED GLASS ROOF ....................... 29
ELECTRIC SUNROOF ..................... 30
DOORS ........................................... 32
ELECTRIC WINDOWS .................... 33
BONNET ......................................... 35
LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT ........... 36
DUALDRIVE ELECTRIC POWER
STEERING ...................................... 38
VERSION WITH LPG SYSTEM ........ 39
VERSION WITH METHANE
SYSTEM (NATURAL POWER) ......... 41
9

31)Abrupt braking or occasional impacts
may cause sudden movements of the load
with consequent situations of hazard for
the driver and passengers: before setting
off, secure the load tightly using the hooks
provided. For securing use cables, ropes
or belts strong enough to hold the items to
be secured.
WARNING
13)Before tilting the seat backrest fully,
remove any objects laid on it.
14)The dimensions of the platform permit
a maximum capacity of distributed weight
of 70 kg (in position 1) or 40 kg (in position
2): do not load objects with a higher
weight.
15)To avoid damaging the blind, do not
place heavy objects on it.
DUALDRIVE
ELECTRIC POWER
STEERING
(for versions/markets, where provided)
This only operates with the ignition
key turned to MAR and engine running.
Electric power steering allows the
force required at the steering wheel to
be adapted to the driving conditions.
IMPORTANT When turning the ignition
key quickly, full power steering
functionality can be achieved after a
few seconds.
IMPORTANT During parking
manoeuvres requiring a lot of steering,
the steering may become harder; this is
normal and is due to the intervention
of the system to protect the electric
steering motor from overheating. No
repair intervention is needed in this
case. When the car is used again, the
power steering will work normally again.IMPORTANT The Dualdrive electric
power steering provides an electronic
damping effect when approaching
the end of travel. In some manoeuvring
conditions, the steering wheel may
perform an additional small rotation until
reaching its mechanical stop. This
behaviour is normal and is intended to
prevent excessive impacts with the
mechanical components located inside
the device.
POWER STEERING
ACTIVATION/
DEACTIVATION
32) 33)
To engage/disengage the electric
power steering press button fig. 51.
The LED above the button switches on
to indicate that the system is active.
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38
KNOWING YOUR CAR

When the power steering is on, the
steering wheel effort is lighter, making
parking easier: therefore, this function is
particularly useful for driving in city
centres.
WARNING
32)It is absolutely forbidden to carry out
any after-market operation involving
steering system or steering column
modifications (e.g. installation of anti-theft
device) that could adversely affect
performance and safety, invalidate the
warranty and also result in the car not
meeting type-approval requirements.
33)Before performing any maintenance
operations, always turn off the engine and
remove the key from the ignition to lock the
steering column (especially when the car
wheels are not touching the ground). If this
is not possible (for example if the key
needs to be turned to MAR or the engine
must be running), remove the main fuse
that protects the electric power steering.
VERSION WITH LPG
SYSTEM
34) 35) 36)
16) 17) 18) 19) 20) 21) 22)
INTRODUCTION
The LPG version features two fuel
supply systems: one for petrol and one
for LPG.
PASSIVE SAFETY /
ACTIVE SAFETY
If the car is parked for a long time or
needs to moved in an emergency
(because of a fault or an accident),
proceed as follows:
undo the fixing devices A fig. 52,
then remove the cover B;
close the LPG cock rotating the ring
nut C fig. 53 clockwise. Refit the cover
and retighten the fastening devices A.LPG TANK
The car has a (pressurised) tank A fig.
54 for storing LPG in a liquid state
located in the spare wheel
compartment with suitable protection.
LPG tank certification
The LPG tank is certified in accordance
with the regulations in force.
52F0Y0424C
53F0Y0720C
54F0Y0423C
39

SETUP MENU
The Setup Menu includes the following
items:
Speedometer
Trip
Vehicle info
Audio
Telephone (for versions/markets,
where provided)
Navigation (for versions/markets,
where provided)
Alerts
Vehicle Settings
When the ignition key is turned to the
MAR-ON position, the display shows
the last Menu option active before
the engine was switched off.
NOTE With theUconnect™system,
some Menu items are shown and
managed on the display of the latter
and not on the instrument panel display
(refer to the Multimedia chapter or to
the supplement available online).
Vehicle Settings
This menu item allows you to change
the settings for:
"Display"
"Safety / Assistance"
"Safety"
“Oil level reset” (0.9 TwinAir Turbo
versions only)
Display
By selecting item "Display" you can
access the settings/information
regarding: “Dimmer” (for versions/
markets, where provided), “Screen
Setup”, “See phone”, “See navigation”,
“Reset trip B automatic".
Safety / Assistance
By selecting “Safety / Assistance" you
can access the settings/information
regarding: “City Brake Control” (for
versions/markets, where provided),
“Parking sensor volume”, “Buzzer
volume”.
Safety
By selecting item "Security" you can
access the settings/information
regarding: “Hill Holder” (for versions/
markets, where provided), “Passenger
AIRBAG” (for versions/markets, where
provided), “Seat belt buzzer”, “Speed
beep”.
Oil level reset
(0.9 TwinAir Turbo versions only)
By selecting this item you can reset the
engine oil top-up warning, which
appears about every 8000 km.
Proceed as follows to reset this warning
after topping up the engine oil:
briefly press theOKbutton on the
steering wheel: the display will show"Oil level reset";
pressto select "Yes" and reset
the top-up warning, or press
to
select “No” of you do not wish to reset
the warning.
IMPORTANT Failure to top up the
engine oil could result in a low level,
which could prevent normal car
operation and even cause it to stop.
TRIP COMPUTER
The Trip computer is used to display
information on car operation when the
key is turned to MAR.
The Trip computer comprises:
Instantaneous info(except LPG
and Natural Power versions): display of
“Range” and “Instantaneous
consumption" parameters
"Trip A" displays the following
values: “Travel Distance”, “Travel time”,
“Average fuel consumption” and
“Average speed”
"Trip B" displays the following
values: “Travel Distance”, “Travel time”,
“Average fuel consumption” and
“Average speed”
48
KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL
“Trip A” and “Trip B” monitor the car's
"complete missions" (trips) separately
from each other. The “Trip B” function
may be excluded.

The "Range" is also calculated and
displayed with the car at a standstill
and the engine running.
Reset “Trip A” / “Trip B”
Both functions can be reset (reset
means start of a new journey). To reset
the values, press and hold down the
OKbutton on the steering wheel (see
"Control buttons" section). The reset
only applies to the values displayed
(“Trip A” or “Trip B”).
LPG and Natural Power versions
Only the “Travel Distance”, “Travel
Time” and “Average speed” values are
displayed on LPG and Natural Power
versions.
NOTE “Range” and “Current
Consumption" parameters cannot be
reset.
49

Warning light What it means
“DUALDRIVE” ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM
During engine start: when the key is turned to MAR, the warning light switches on, but it should switch
off after a few seconds. If the warning light stays on, turn the ignition key to STOP and start the engine
again. If the warning light stays on, the effort to operate the steering wheel could be increased; steering is,
however, possible. In this case, contact a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
While driving: if the warning light switches on while driving you may not have steering assistance.
Although it will still be possible to steer the vehicle, the effort needed to operate the steering wheel could
be increased: contact a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
IMPORTANT In some circumstances, factors independent of the electric power steering could cause the
warning light on the instrument panel to switch on. In this case, stop the car immediately (should it be in
motion), stop the engine for about 20 seconds and then restart the engine. If the warning light (or, on some
versions, a message and a symbol on the display) remains on constantly, contact a Fiat Dealership.
IMPORTANT After the battery is disconnected, the steering must be initialised. The warning light switches
on to indicate this. To carry out this procedure, turn the steering wheel all the way from one end to the
other or simply drive in a straight line for about a hundred metres.
54
KNOWING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

HH (Hill Holder) SYSTEM
59) 60)
This system is an integral part of the
ESC system and facilitates starting on
slopes.
The system is automatically activated in
the following conditions:
uphill: vehicle stationary on a road
with a gradient higher than 5%, engine
running, brake pressed and
transmission in neutral or gear other
than reverse engaged;
downhill: car stationary on a road
with a gradient of more than 5%,
engine running, brake pressed and
reverse gear engaged.
ASR (AntiSlip
Regulation) SYSTEM
The system automatically operates in
the event of slipping, loss of grip on wet
roads (aquaplaning) and acceleration
on slippery, snowy or icy roads, etc. on
one or more drive wheels.
Engagement/disengagement of the
system
The system switches on automatically
each time the engine is started. The
ASR can be turned off and then turned
back on again whilst driving by pressing
the button located in the dashboard
fig. 63.When travelling on snowy roads with
snow chains, it may be helpful to turn
the ASR off: in fact, in these conditions,
the driving wheels skidding when
moving off gives you better traction.
DST (Dynamic Steering
Torque or steering
corrector) system
61)
The DST (steering corrector) system
function uses the integration of the ESC
system with the electric power steering
to increase the safety level of the whole
car. In critical situations (e.g.
understeering, oversteering, braking
with different grip conditions), through
the DST function the ESC system
controls the steering to implement an
additional torque contribution on the
steering wheel, to suggest the most
correct manoeuvre to be performed to
the driver.ERM (Electronic Rollover
Mitigation) SYSTEM
62)
The system monitors the tendency of
the wheels to rise from the ground if the
driver performs extreme manoeuvres
like quick steering to avoid an obstacle,
especially in poor road conditions.
If these conditions occur, the system
intervenes on the brakes and engine
power to reduce the possibility that the
wheels are raised from the ground. It
is not possible to avoid tendency to roll
over if the phenomenon is due to
reasons such as driving on high side
gradients, collision with objects or other
vehicles.
WARNING
43)When the ABS intervenes and you feel
the brake pedal pulsating, do not reduce
the pressure, but hold it down firmly and
confidently; in doing so you will brake
in the shortest distance possible,
depending on the current road conditions.
44)For maximum efficiency of the braking
system, a bedding-in period of about
500 km is needed: during this period it is
better to avoid sharp, repeated and
prolonged braking.
63F0Y0656C
74
SAFETY

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).
104
STARTING AND DRIVING

Cable disconnection
Once the engine has been started,
remove the cables proceeding as
follows:
disconnect the end of the cable
used for negative (–) from the engine
earth of the car with flat battery;
disconnect the other end of the
cable used for negative (–) from the
negative terminal (–) of the auxiliary
battery;
disconnect the end of the cable
used for positive (+) from the positive
terminal (+) of the auxiliary battery;
disconnect one end of the cable
used for positive (+) from the positive
terminal (+) of the car with flat battery.
If it is often necessary to perform a
jump starting, have the car battery and
the recharging system checked by a
Fiat Dealership.
BUMP STARTING
Never bump start the engine by
pushing, towing or coasting downhill.
IMPORTANT Remember that the brake
servo and electric power steering are
not active until the engine is started. A
much greater effort will therefore be
required to use the brake pedal or turn
the steering wheel.IMPORTANT Any accessories (e.g.
mobile phones, etc.) connected to the
vehicle power sockets draw current
even if they are not used. These
devices, if left connected too much time
with engine off, may cause the battery
to drain with following reduction of
its life and/or failure to start the engine.
WARNING
140)Do not get too close to the radiator
cooling fan: the electric fan may start;
danger of injury. Scarves, ties and other
loose clothing might be pulled by moving
parts.
141)Remove any metal objects (e.g. rings,
watches, bracelets), that might cause an
accidental electrical contact and cause
serious injury.
142)The batteries contain acid that can
burn skin or eyes. Batteries produce
hydrogen, which is easily flammable and
explosive. Thus keep away flames or
devices which may cause sparks.
143)This starting procedure must be
performed by expert personnel because
incorrect actions could cause electrical
discharge of considerable intensity.
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.
WARNING
67)Do not connect the cable to the
negative terminal (–) of the flat battery. The
following spark could lead to battery
explosion and cause serious harm. Only
use the specific earth point; do not use any
other exposed metallic part.
68)Never use a fast battery-charger to
start the engine as this could damage the
electronic systems of your vehicle,
particularly the ignition and engine fuel
supply control units.
144
IN AN EMERGENCY

Versions with Dualogic
transmission
Make sure that the transmission is in
neutral (N) (checking that the car moves
when pushed) and proceed in the
same way as for towing a normal car
with a manual transmission. If the
gearbox cannot be put in neutral, do
not tow the car and contact a Fiat
Dealership.
WARNING
145)Before towing, turn the ignition key to
MAR-ON and then to STOP without
removing it. The steering column
will automatically lock when the key is
removed and the wheels cannot be
steered.
146)Before tightening the ring clean the
threaded housing thoroughly. Make sure
that the ring is fully screwed into the
housing before towing the car.
147)Whilst towing, remember that the
assistance of the brake servo and the
electric power steering is not available,
therefore greater force needs to be exerted
on the brake pedal and more effort is
required on the steering wheel. Do not use
flexible cables when towing and avoid
jerky movements. Make sure not to
damage parts in contact with the car while
towing. When towing the vehicle, you
must comply with all specific traffic
regulations, both in terms of the towing
device and behaviour on the road. Do not
start the engine while towing the vehicle.148)The front and rear tow hooks should
be used only for emergencies on the road.
The car may be towed for short distances
when a dedicated device is used in
compliance with the Highway Code (rigid
bar), and in order to move the vehicle
on the road in preparation for towing or
transport via a tow truck (on Cross versions
do NOT use the rear tow hook for
transport on a tow truck: use the front tow
hook). Tow hooks MUST NOT be used
to tow vehicles off the road or where there
are obstacles (e.g. snow, mud, etc.) and/or
for towing operations using cables or
other non-rigid devices, or if there are
obstructions preventing the car from
moving forward normally with the
transmission in neutral. In compliance with
the above conditions, towing must take
place with the two vehicles (one towing,
the other towed) aligned as much as
possible along the same centre line, to
prevent excessive lateral forces on the
towing devices.
168F0Y0630C
169F0Y0631C
170F0Y0144C
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IN AN EMERGENCY