tow FIAT 500X 2014 2.G Owner's Manual

WARNING!
An improperly attached, damaged, folded, or
stacked floor mat, or damaged floor mat fasteners
may cause your floor mat to interfere with the
accelerator, brake, or clutch pedals and cause a loss
of vehicle control. To prevent SERIOUS INJURY or
DEATH:
•ALWAYS securely attach
your floor mat using
the floor mat fasteners. DO NOT install your
floor mat upside down or turn your floor mat
over. Lightly pull to confirm mat is secured
using the floor mat fasteners on a regular basis.
• ALWAYS REMOVE THE EXISTING FLOOR
MAT FROM THE VEHICLE
before installing
any other floor mat. NEVER install or stack an
additional floor mat on top of an existing floor
mat.
• ONLY install floor mats designed to fit your
vehicle. NEVER install a floor mat that cannot be
properly attached and secured to your vehicle. If a
floor mat needs to be replaced, only use a FCA
approved floor mat for the specific make, model,
and year of your vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•ONLY use the driver ’s side floor mat on the
driver ’s side floor area. To check for interference,
with the vehicle properly parked with the engine
off, fully depress the accelerator, the brake, and
the clutch pedal (if present) to check for interfer-
ence. If your floor mat interferes with the opera-
tion of any pedal, or is not secure to the floor,
remove the floor mat from the vehicle and place
the floor mat in your trunk.
• ONLY use the passenger ’s side floor mat on the
passenger ’s side floor area.
• ALWAYS make sure objects cannot fall or slide
into the driver ’s side floor area when the vehicle
is moving. Objects can become trapped under
accelerator, brake, or clutch pedals and could
cause a loss of vehicle control.
• NEVER place any objects under the floor mat
(e.g., towels, keys, etc.). These objects could
change the position of the floor mat and may
cause interference with the accelerator, brake, or
clutch pedals.
(Continued)
208 SAFETY

▫CNG And LP Fuel System Modifications . . . .263
▫ MMT In Gasoline ....................263
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ...............264
▫ Fuel System Cautions ..................264
▫ Carbon Monoxide Warnings ............265
 ADDING FUEL ...................... .265
 VEHICLE LOADING ...................268
▫ Certification Label ...................268
 DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES ........270
▫ Acceleration ....................... .270
▫ Traction .......................... .270
 DRIVING THROUGH WATER ............271
▫ Flowing/Rising Water .................271 ▫
Shallow Standing Water ................271
 POWER STEERING ....................272
 TRAILER TOWING ....................273
▫ Common Towing Definitions ............273
▫ Trailer Hitch Classification ..............276
▫ Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer
Weight Ratings) .....................277
▫ Trailer And Tongue Weight .............277
▫ Towing Requirements .................278
▫ Towing Tips ....................... .283
 RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.) ..................284
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle .284
7
STARTING AND OPERATING 213

4. If the engine does not start, place the ignition in theOFF mode and wait 10-15 seconds before attempting
to restart the engine.
Tip Start Feature
Do not press the accelerator. Cycle the ignition switch
briefly to the START mode and release it. The starter
motor will continue to run but will automatically dis-
engage when the engine is running.
If Engine Fails To Start
WARNING!
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into the
throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt to start
the vehicle. This could result in flash fire causing
serious personal injury.
If the engine fails to start after you have followed the
Normal Starting orExtreme Cold Weather proce-
dure, and has not experienced an extended park condi-
tion as identified in Extended Park Starting procedure
it may be flooded. Push the accelerator pedal all the
way to the floor and hold it there. Crank the engine for
no more than 15 seconds. This should clear any excess
fuel in case the engine is flooded. Leave the ignition RUN mode, release the accelerator pedal and repeat the
“Normal Starting” procedure.
WARNING!
•
Never pour fuel or other flammable liquid into
the throttle body air inlet opening in an attempt
to start the vehicle. This could result in flash fire
causing serious personal injury.
• Do not attempt to push or tow your vehicle to get
it started. Vehicles equipped with an automatic
transmission cannot be started this way. Un-
burned fuel could enter the catalytic converter
and once the engine has started, ignite and dam-
age the converter and vehicle.
• If the vehicle has a discharged battery, booster
cables may be used to obtain a start from a
booster battery or the battery in another vehicle.
This type of start can be dangerous if done
improperly. Refer to “Jump-Starting” in “In Case
Of Emergency” for further information.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 215

NOTE:
•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. Apply
the EPB before placing the gear selector in PARK,
otherwise the load on the transmission locking
mechanism may make it difficult to move the gear
selector out of PARK. The EPB should always be
applied whenever the driver is not in the vehicle.
• If the clutch pedal is released at the same time the gas
pedal is pressed, the EPB will be automatically
released (manual transmissions only).
WARNING!
• When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key
fob from the ignition and 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. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake
pedal or the transmission gear selector.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or
in a location accessible to children), and do not
leave the ignition in the ON or RUN mode. A
child could operate power windows, other con-
trols, or move the vehicle.
• 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 leav-
ing your vehicle, or it may roll and cause damage
or injury. Also be certain to leave the transmission
in PARK. Failure to do so may allow the vehicle to
roll and cause damage or injury.
CAUTION!
If the Brake System Warning Light remains on with
the parking brake released, a brake system mal-
function is indicated. Have the brake system ser-
viced by an authorized dealer immediately.
If exceptional circumstances should make it necessary
to engage the EPB while the vehicle is in motion,
maintain upward pressure on the EPB switch for as
220 STARTING AND OPERATING

Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE when the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.
Be sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when
shifting between these gears.
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
CAUTION!
After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to
allow the selected gear to engage before accelerat-
ing. This is especially important when the engine is
cold.
Gear Ranges
PARK (P)
This range supplements the Electric Park Brake (EPB)
by locking the transmission. The engine can be started
in this range. Never attempt to use PARK while the
vehicle is in motion. Apply the EPB when leaving the
vehicle in this range.
When parking on a level surface, you may shift the
transmission into PARK first, and then apply the EPB.
When parking on a hill, apply the EPB before shifting
the transmission to PARK, otherwise the load on the
transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult
to move the gear selector out of PARK. As an added
precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a
downhill grade and away from the curb on an uphill
grade.
Gear Selector Lock Button7
STARTING AND OPERATING 229

CAUTION!
Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any
other reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL
can cause severe transmission damage. Refer to
“Recreational Towing” in “Starting And Operating”
and “Towing A Disabled Vehicle” in “In Case Of
Emergency” for further information.
Drive (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and down-
shifts, and the best fuel economy. The transmission
automatically upshifts through all forward gears. The
DRIVE position provides optimum driving characteris-
tics under all normal operating conditions.
When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading con-
ditions, in hilly terrain, traveling into strong head
winds or while towing a heavy trailer), use the
AutoStick shift control (refer to “AutoStick” in this
section for further information) to select a lower gear.
Under these conditions, using a lower gear will im-
prove performance and extend transmission life by
reducing excessive shifting and heat buildup. If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operat-
ing limits, the transmission controller may modify the
transmission shift schedule, reduce engine torque,
and/or expand the range of torque converter clutch
engagement. This is done to prevent transmission dam-
age due to overheating.
If the transmission becomes extremely hot, the “Trans-
mission Temperature Warning Light” may illuminate
and the transmission may operate differently until the
transmission cools down.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation may
be modified depending on engine and transmission
temperature as well as vehicle speed. This feature
improves warm up time of the engine and transmission
to achieve maximum efficiency. Engagement of the
torque converter clutch, and shifts into 8th or 9th gear,
are inhibited until the transmission fluid is warm.
Normal operation will resume once the transmission
temperature has risen to a suitable level.
AutoStick
AutoStick is a driver-interactive transmission feature
providing manual shift control, giving you more control
of the vehicle. AutoStick allows you to maximize engine
braking, eliminate undesirable upshifts and downshifts,
232 STARTING AND OPERATING

and improve overall vehicle performance. This system
can also provide you with more control during passing,
city driving, cold slippery conditions, mountain driv-
ing, trailer towing and many other situations.
Operation
When the gear selector is in the AutoStick position
(beside the DRIVE position), it can be moved forward
and rearward. This allows the driver to manually select
the transmission gear being used. Moving the gear
selector forward (-) triggers a downshift, and rearward
(+) an upshift. The current gear is displayed in the
instrument cluster.
NOTE:In AutoStick mode, the transmission will only
shift up or down when the driver moves the gear
selector rearward (+) or forward (-), except as described
below.
• The transmission will automatically upshift when
necessary to prevent engine overspeed.
• The transmission will automatically downshift as the
vehicle slows (to prevent engine lugging) and will
display the current gear.
• The transmission will automatically downshift to
first or second gear (depending on model) when coming to a stop. After a stop, the driver should
manually upshift (+) the transmission as the vehicle
is accelerated.
• You can start out (from a stop) in first or second gear.
Starting out in second gear can be helpful in snow or
icy conditions. Tap the gear selector forward or
rearward to select the desired gear after the vehicle is
brought to a stop.
• If a requested downshift would cause the engine to
overspeed, that shift will not occur.
• The system will ignore attempts to upshift at too low
of a vehicle speed.
• Avoid using speed control when AutoStick is en-
gaged because the transmission will not shift auto-
matically.
• Transmission shifting will be more noticeable when
AutoStick is enabled.
• The system may revert to automatic shift mode if a
fault or overheat condition is detected.
To disengage AutoStick mode, return the gear selector
to the DRIVE position. You can shift in or out of the
7
STARTING AND OPERATING 233

•Clean the Rear ParkSense sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them. The sensors must
not be covered with ice, snow, slush, mud, dirt or
debris. Failure to do so can result in the system not
working properly. The Rear ParkSense system might
not detect an obstacle behind the fascia/bumper, or it
could provide a false indication that an obstacle is
behind the fascia/bumper.
• Objects such as bicycle carriers, etc., must not be
placed within 12 inches (30 cm) from the rear fascia/
bumper while driving the vehicle. Failure to do so
can result in the system misinterpreting a close object
as a sensor problem, causing a failure indication to be
displayed in the instrument cluster.
WARNING!
• Drivers must be careful when backing up even
when using ParkSense. Always check carefully
behind your vehicle, look behind you, and be
sure to check for pedestrians, animals, other ve-
hicles, obstructions, and blind spots before back-
ing up. You are responsible for safety and must
continue to pay attention to your surroundings.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
Failure to do so can result in serious injury or
death.
• Before using ParkSense, it is strongly recom-
mended that the ball mount and hitch ball assem-
bly is disconnected from the vehicle when the
vehicle is not used for towing. Failure to do so can
result in injury or damage to vehicles or obstacles
because the hitch ball will be much closer to the
obstacle than the rear fascia when the loud-
speaker sounds the continuous tone. Also, the
sensors could detect the ball mount and hitch ball
assembly, depending on its size and shape, giving
a false indication that an obstacle is behind the
vehicle.
CAUTION!
• ParkSense is only a parking aid and it is unable to
recognize every obstacle, including small ob-
stacles. Parking curbs might be temporarily de-
tected or not detected at all. Obstacles located
(Continued)
250 STARTING AND OPERATING

components sometimes specified by purchasers for
increased durability does not necessarily increase the
vehicle’s GVWR.
Tire Size
The tire size on the Vehicle Certification Label repre-
sents the actual tire size on your vehicle. Replacement
tires must be equal to the load capacity of this tire size.
Rim Size
This is the rim size that is appropriate for the tire size
listed.
Inflation Pressure
This is the cold tire inflation pressure for your vehicle
for all loading conditions up to full GAWR.
Curb Weight
The curb weight of a vehicle is defined as the total
weight of the vehicle with all fluids, including vehicle
fuel, at full capacity conditions, and with no occupants
or cargo loaded into the vehicle. The front and rear curb
weight values are determined by weighing your vehicle
on a commercial scale before any occupants or cargo are
added.
Loading
The actual total weight and the weight of the front and
rear of your vehicle at the ground can best be deter-
mined by weighing it when it is loaded and ready for
operation.
The entire vehicle should first be weighed on a com-
mercial scale to insure that the GVWR has not been
exceeded. The weight on the front and rear of the
vehicle should then be determined separately to be sure
that the load is properly distributed over the front and
rear axle. Weighing the vehicle may show that the
GAWR of either the front or rear axles has been ex-
ceeded but the total load is within the specified GVWR.
If so, weight must be shifted from front to rear or rear to
front as appropriate until the specified weight limita-
tions are met. Store the heavier items down low and be
sure that the weight is distributed equally. Stow all
loose items securely before driving.
Improper weight distributions can have an adverse
effect on the way your vehicle steers and handles and
the way the brakes operate.
7
STARTING AND OPERATING 269

If the “SERVICE POWER STEERINGOR
POWER STEERING ASSIST OFF - SERVICE
SYSTEM” message and a steering wheel icon
are displayed on the instrument cluster screen, it indi-
cates that the vehicle needs to be taken to the dealer for
service. It is likely the vehicle has lost power steering
assistance. Refer to “Instrument Cluster Display” in
“Getting To Know Your Instrument Panel” for further
information.
NOTE:
• Even if the power steering assistance is no longer
operational, it is still possible to steer the vehicle.
Under these conditions there will be a substantial
increase in steering effort, especially at low speeds
and during parking maneuvers.
• If the condition persists, see your authorized dealer
for service.
TRAILER TOWING
In this section you will find safety tips and information
on limits to the type of towing you can reasonably do
with your vehicle. Before towing a trailer, carefully
review this information to tow your load as efficiently
and safely as possible. To maintain the New Vehicle Limited Warranty cover-
age, follow the requirements and recommendations in
this manual concerning vehicles used for trailer towing.
Common Towing Definitions
The following trailer towing related definitions will
assist you in understanding the following information:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
The GVWR is the total allowable weight of your vehicle.
This includes driver, passengers, cargo and tongue
weight. The total load must be limited so that you do
not exceed the GVWR. Refer to “Vehicle Loading/
Vehicle Certification Label” in “Starting And Operat-
ing” for further information.
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus the weight of
all cargo, consumables and equipment (permanent or
temporary) loaded in or on the trailer in its
loaded and
ready for operation condition.
The recommended way to measure GTW is to put your
fully loaded trailer on a vehicle scale. The entire weight
of the trailer must be supported by the scale.
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STARTING AND OPERATING 273