brake light FIAT BARCHETTA 2003 1.G Owners Manual

18
If the ignition switch has
been tampered with (e.g.
someone has tried to steal your
car), get a Fiat Dealership to make
sure it is still functioning properly
before you start driving again.
WARNING
Always remove the ignition
key when you get out of the
car. This will prevent anyone from
accidentally working the controls.
Remember to apply the handbrake
and, if the car is pointing uphill, first
gear. Put the car into reverse if it
is pointing downhill. Never leave
children in the car by themselves.
WARNING
STEERING COLUMN LOCK
To engage the lock: remove the
ignition key from either theSTOP or
PARKposition, and turn the steering
wheel until it locks.
To release: move the steering
wheel slightly as you are turning the
ignition key to MAR.INDIVIDUAL
SETTINGS
All seat adjustments must
be made when the car is
stationary.
WARNING
SEATS fig. 12
Moving the seat backwards
or forwards
Lift lever Aand push the seat for-
wards or backwards: you are in the
correct position for driving when your
hands are resting on the steering
wheel rim and your arms are slightly
bent.
fig. 12
P5S00627m
Never remove the ignition
key while the car is moving.
The steering wheel would auto-
matically lock as soon as you tried
to turn it. This also applies when
the vehicle is being towed.
WARNING

21
SEAT BELTS
HOW TO USE THE SEAT
BELTS fig. 17When the driver’s seat belt is not fas-
tened, instrument panel indicator light
turned to MAR.
Press button Cto unfasten the belts.
Keep holding the belt as it rewinds to
prevent it from getting twisted.The seat belt retractor will adapt the
belt to the body of the person wear-
ing it to give him/her freedom of
movement. The retractor could lock
when the vehicle is parked on a steep
slope, but this should be considered
normal.
In addition, the reel mechanism
blocks the belt when it is jerked or if
the car brakes sharply, is in a collision
or when taking bends at high speed.
To fasten the seat belts, take the
tongue of fastener Aand push it into
buckle Buntil you hear it click.
If the belt jams, let it rewind for a
short stretch, then pull it out again
without jerking.
Before fastening the seat
belts, check they pass
through the slots at the top of the
seat back behind the shoulder.
WARNING
For maximum safety, keep
the back of your seat up-
right, lean back into it and make
sure the seat belt fits closely across
your chest and hips.
WARNING
fig. 17
P5S00632m

ABS (ANTI-LOCK
BRAKING SYSTEM)
INEFFICIENT
(amber) (where fitted)
When the ABS device is faulty.
The normal braking system contin-
ues to work but you should have the
car seen to at a Fiat Dealership.
When the key is turned toMARthe
warning light will come on but should
go out after about 2 seconds. HANDBRAKE ON/
BRAKE FLUID
LEVEL LOW (red)
In two cases:
1. When the handbrake is applied.
2. When the brake fluid level falls be-
low the minimum.BATTERY NOT
RECHARGED
PROPERLY (red)
When there is a malfunction in the
current generating system.
The light comes on when you turn
the ignition key to MARbut it should
go out when the engine starts.
FRONT BRAKE
WEAR (red)
When the front brake
pads have worn out. When having
them replaced, have the rear brakes
checked, too.
31
w>
d
x
If the xwarning light
comes on while travelling,
check that the handbrake is not en-
gaged. If the warning light stays on
when the handbrake is disengaged,
stop immediately and contact a Fi-
at Dealership.
WARNING
The car is fitted with an
electronic braking device
(EBD). If the >and xwarning
light turn on at the same time, this
means that there is an EBD system
fault. In this case violent braking
may be accompanied by early rear
wheel locking with the possibility of
skidding. Drive the car extremely
carefully to the nearest Fiat Deal-
ership to have the system checked.
WARNING

56
ABS
(where fitted)
The vehicle is fitted with an ABS
braking system, which prevents the
wheels from locking when braking,
makes the most of road grip and gives
the best control when emergency
braking under difficult road conditions.
The driver can tell the ABS system
has come into play when he feels the
brake pedal pulsating slightly and the
system gets noisier.
This should not be interpreted as a
fault in the brakes; on the contrary it
is a sign that the ABS system is work-
ing: it tells the driver that the vehicle
is travelling at the limit of its road grip
and that he should alter his speed to
fit the type of road surface.
The ABS system is an addition to the
basic braking system. If there is a mal-
function, the system turns off auto-
matically and only the ordinary brakes
continue to work.If a failure occurs, and consequently
the anti-lock function is not effective,
the braking system will continue to
work as usual.
If you have never driven a vehicle
with ABS before, you should practice
using the system on slippery terrain,
obviously with the necessary safety
precautions and keeping to the High-
way Code of the country you are in.
It is also a good idea to read the fol-
lowing information carefully.
The advantage in using the ABS sys-
tem is that it continues to give you
maximum manoeuvrability even when
braking hard in conditions of poor grip
by preventing the wheels locking.
You should, however, not expect the
braking distance to always decrease:
for example surfaces with gravel or
fresh snow on a slippery road will in
fact increase the braking distance.To exploit the ABS system to the full
in the event of necessity, you should
take heed of the following advice:
The ABS exploits the tyre-
road grip available to the
full, but it cannot improve it; you
should therefore take every care
when driving on slippery surfaces,
and not take unnecessary risks.
WARNING
If the ABS system cuts in it
is a sign that the grip be-
tween the tyre and the road surface
has reached the limit: you must
slow down to match the speed to
the road grip available.
WARNING

57
Braking while cornering always re-
quires extreme care even when using
ABS.
The most important advice to follow
is the following:If you follow these tips you will be
able to brake better in any situation.
IMPORTANTVehicles fitted with
ABS may only be fitted with wheel
rims, tyres and brake pads of the make
and model approved by the vehicle
manufacturer.
An Electronic Brake Distributor
EBD integrates the ABSsystem and
uses the control unit and sensors of
theABSsystem to increase perfor-
mance of the brake system.
If there is a fault, the warn-
ing light >will light up on
the dashboard. At this point, reduce
speed and go to a Fiat Dealership
to have your vehicle checked and
put right immediately.
WARNING
When the ABS cuts in, and
you feel the brake pedal
pulsating, do not remove your foot,
but keep it pressed. In doing so you
will stop in the shortest amount of
space possible under the current
road conditions.
WARNING
The car is fitted with an
electronic braking device
(EBD). If the >and xwarning
light turn on at the same time, this
means that there is an EBD system
fault. In this case violent braking
may be accompanied by early rear
wheel locking with the possibility of
skidding. Drive the car extremely
carefully to the nearest Fiat Deal-
ership to have the system checked.
WARNING
The lighting of warning
light >when the engine is
running normally indicates a fault
in the ABS system only. In this case,
the braking system will still be ef-
fective without the anti-lock device.
In these conditions EBD system op-
eration can be reduced. Also in this
case we recommend immediately
taking the car to a Fiat Dealership
avoiding sudden braking to have
the system checked.
WARNING
If the xbrake fluid low
warning light comes on,
stop the vehicle immediately and
contact the nearest Fiat Dealership.
Fluid leaks from the hydraulic sys-
tem, in fact, can compromise brake
system operation, both traditional
systems and systems with ABS.
WARNING

68
If warning light ¢remains lit
together with the warning light
U
when the ignition key is at MAR,
turn the key toSTOPand then to
MAR; if the warning light still
remains lit, try with the other keys
provided with the car.
If you are still unable to start the
engine, follow the emergency startup
procedure (see “Emergency startup”
in the section “In an emergency”)
and go to the nearestFiat
Dealership immediately.
IMPORTANTDo not leave the
ignition key at MARwhen the
engine is off.
STARTING
THE ENGINE
The engine may seem noisier than
usual during the first seconds after
startup, especially after a long period
of inactivity. This phenomenon is
characteristic of hydraulic tappets,
and does not affect the functioning
and reliability of the engine: this par-
ticular timing system has been select-
ed for the Fiat barchetta engine to
reduce the number of maintenance
interventions necessary.IMPORTANT It is important that
the accelerator is never pressed until
the engine is started.
1) Make sure the handbrake is on.
2) Put the gear lever in neutral.
3) Press the clutch pedal right
down, without touching the acceler-
ator pedal.
4) Turn the ignition key to AVV
and let it go the moment the engine
starts.
If the engine does not start at the
first attempt, return the ignition key
to STOPbefore trying to start the
engine again.
It is dangerous to let the
engine run in a garage or
other closed area. The engine con-
sumes oxygen and gives off carbon
dioxide, carbon monoxide and oth-
er poisonous fumes.
WARNING
Never touch the high ten-
sion cables (spark plug
cables) when the engine is run-
ning.
WARNING

69
HOW TO WARM UP
THE ENGINE AFTER
IT HAS JUST STARTED
– Begin to move forward slowly, let-
ting the engine turn over at medium
revs. Do not floor the accelerator.
– Do not push the engine to its lim-
it for the first few kilometres. You are
recommended to wait until the water
temperature has reached 50° to 60°C.
EMERGENCY START-UP
If the Fiat CODE system fails to
recognise the code transmitted by
the ignition key (warning lamp ¢on
instrument panel lit with a fixed
light), you can start the engine by fol-
lowing the emergency procedure
using the code written on the CODE
card.
See the section “In an emergency”.Do not bump start by
pushing, towing or coast-
ing downhill. This way of
starting could cause a rush of fu-
el into the catalytic exhaust pipe
and damage it beyond repair.
A quick burst on the ac-
celerator before turning
off the engine serves ab-
solutely no practical purpose and
wastes fuel.
IMPORTANT After a taxing drive it
is better to allow the engine to “catch
its breath” before turning it off by let-
ting it idle to allow the temperature in
the engine compartment to fall.STOPPING THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition key to STOP
while the engine is idling.
Remember that as long as
the engine is not running,
the power brakes and power steer-
ing do not work. You therefore have
to use considerably more effort on
both the brake pedal and the steer-
ing wheel.
WARNING

70
PARKING
Turn off the engine, pull up the hand-
brake, put the car in gear (1st if the car
is pointing uphill, reverse if downhill)
and turn the wheels. If the car is on a
steep incline, you should put a stone
or wedge under the wheels to block
them.
Do not leave the ignition key at
MAR because it drains the battery.
Always remove the key when you
leave the car.IMPORTANTIf this is not the
case, have the handbrake adjusted at
a Fiat Dealership.
When the hand brake is on and the
ignition key is at MAR, panel indica-
tor light xcomes on.
To release the handbrake:
1) Slightly lift the handbrake and
press release button A.
2) Keep the button pressed in and
lower the lever. Instrument panel in-
dicator light xwill go out.
3) To prevent the vehicle acciden-
tally moving, carry out this manoeuvre
with the brake pedal pressed. HANDBRAKE fig. 1
The handbrake lever is situated be-
tween the two front seats.
To operate the handbrake pull the
lever upwards until the car is pre-
vented from moving: pulling the lever
through four or five “clicks” is gener-
ally enough on level ground while nine
or ten might be necessary on a steep
incline and with a load in the car.
fig. 1
P5S00678mDo not leave children
unsupervised in the car.
WARNING

73
– Do not drive too many hours at a
time but stop at intervals to stretch
your legs and recoup your energies.
– Make sure the air in the car is be-
ing changed continuously.
– Never coast down steep slopes
with the engine off: you lose the aid of
engine brake, power brakes and pow-
er steering so that braking and steer-
ing require greater effort.
DRIVING AT NIGHT
If you are driving at night these are
the main rules to follow.
– Drive especially carefully: it is hard-
er to drive at night.
– Slow down especially if the road is
not lit.
– At the first signs of sleepiness, stop:
continuing would be a risk for yourself
and everybody else. Only start driving
again when you have had enough rest.
Driving while drunk or un-
der the influence of drugs
or certain medicines is dangerous
for both you and other road users.
WARNING
Always fasten your seat
belt and ensure your pas-
senger does the same. Travelling
with the seat belts unfastened in-
creases the risk of injury or death
if you are in a collision.
WARNING
Water, ice or salt on road
surfaces can deposit on
brake disks, reducing braking effi-
ciency on the first braking.
WARNING
Pay attention to assembly
of extra spoilers, wheels in
alloy or non standard wheel caps.
These could reduce ventilation of
the brakes and reduce their effi-
ciency under conditions of violent
or repeated braking or long down-
hill travel.
WARNING
Do not travel with objects
on the floor in front of dri-
ver’s seat: when braking they could
block the pedals making accelera-
tion or braking impossible.
WARNING
Pay attention to the mea-
surements of any carpets:
any hindrance, even slight, to the
braking system could result in a
longer than normal pedal run.
WARNING

75
– Remember that fog also means the
tarmac is wet and therefore manoeu-
vres of all kinds are more difficult and
stopping distances are longer.
– Keep a good distance from the cars
in front of you.
– As far as possible, avoid spurts of
speed or sudden deceleration.
– Do not overtake other vehicles if
you can help it.
– If you are forced to stop your car
(breakdown, limited visibility etc.) try
to stop off the road. Then turn on the
hazard lights and, if possible, the
dipped headlights. Rhythmically sound
the horn if you realise another car is
coming.
DRIVING
IN THE MOUNTAINS
– When driving downhill, use the en-
gine brake by engaging a low gear so
as not to overheat the brakes.
– Under no circumstances should
you drive downhill with the engine off
or with the car in neutral, let alone
with the ignition key out.– Drive at a moderate speed without
cutting corners.
– Remember that overtaking while
going uphill is slower and therefore re-
quires more free road. If you are be-
ing overtaken while driving uphill,
make it easier for the other vehicle
to pass.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
Here are some tips for driving in
these conditions:
– Keep your speed down.
– Use chains if the roads are covered
in snow (refer to the “Snow chains”
paragraph in this section).
– Mainly use the engine brake and
under all circumstances avoid braking
sharply.
– When braking in a car not fitted
with ABS, avoid the wheels locking by
varying the pressure you exert on the
brake pedal.
– Do not accelerate suddenly and
avoid swerving.– In the winter, even apparently dry
roads may have icy patches. Be care-
ful therefore when driving over
stretches that do not get much expo-
sure to the sun or that are lined by
trees and rocks where ice might not
have melted.
– Keep a good distance from the ve-
hicles in front.
– Do not remain for long periods in
deep snow with the engine running as
the snow could force the exhaust gas-
es into the passenger compartment.
DRIVING WITH ABS
ABS is a braking system that essen-
tially offers two advantages:
1)It prevents wheel lock-up and
consequent skidding in emergency
stops, particularly when the road does
not offer much grip.
2)It makes it possible to brake and
steer at the same time so you can
avoid unexpected obstacles and direct
the car where you want while braking.
The extent to which this can be done
will depend on the physical limits of
the tyre's sideways grip.