Index FIAT DOBLO COMBI 2012 Owner handbook (in English)
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TECHNICAL
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STARTING PROCEDURE FOR PETROL
VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❒ensure that the handbrake is on;
❒put the gear lever into neutral;
❒fully depress the clutch pedal without touching the ac-
celerator;
❒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 STOP before repeating the procedure.
If, when the ignition key is at MAR, the instrument panel
warning light
Yremains on together with warning light
U, turn the key to STOP and then back to MAR; if the
warning light remains on, try the other keys provided with
the vehicle. If you still cannot start the engine, perform
an emergency start (see “Emergency starting” in the “In
an emergency” section) and go to a Fiat Dealership.
STARTING THE ENGINE
The vehicle is fitted with an immobiliser: if the engine fails
to start, see the paragraph on “The Fiat CODE system” in
the “Dashboard and controls” section.
The engine may be noisier during the first few seconds of
operation, particularly after a long period of inactivity. This
is due to the hydraulic tappets, the timing system chosen
for petrol engine versions to reduce the number of ser-
vicing interventions, and affects neither functionality nor
reliability.
STARTING AND DRIVING
It is advisable not to demand maximum
performance from your vehicle (e.g. exces-
sive acceleration, long distances at high
speeds, excessive intense braking, etc.) during the
initial period of use.
To avoid draining the battery, do not leave
the ignition key in the MAR position when
the engine is off.
It is dangerous to run the engine in closed
environments. The engine takes in oxygen
and discharges carbon dioxide, carbon monox-
ide and other toxic gases.
WARNING
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STARTING PROCEDURE FOR DIESEL
VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
❒ensure that the handbrake is on;
❒put the gear lever into neutral;
❒turn the ignition key to MAR: the warning lights Yand
mon the instrument panel will turn on;
❒wait for the warning lights Yand mto turn off. The
hotter the engine is, the quicker this will happen;
❒fully depress the clutch pedal without touching the ac-
celerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVV as soon as warning light
mgoes out. Waiting too long will waste the heating
work done by the glow plugs.
Release the key as soon as the engine starts.
IMPORTANT With the engine cold, the accelerator ped-
al must be fully released when you turn the ignition key to
AVV.
If the engine does not start at the first attempt, return
the ignition key to STOP before repeating the procedure.
If instrument panel warning light
Yremains lit when the
ignition key is at MAR, turn the key to STOP and then back
to MAR; if the warning light remains lit, try the other keys
provided with the vehicle. Contact a Fiat Dealership if the
engine still does not start.
Warning light mwill flash for 60 seconds
after starting or during prolonged crank-
ing to indicate a fault in the glow plug pre-
heating system. Use the vehicle normally if the en-
gine starts, but go to a Fiat Dealership as soon as
possible.
HOW TO WARM UP THE ENGINE
AFTER IT HAS JUST STARTED
Proceed as follows:
❒drive off slowly at medium revs, and accelerate
smoothly;
❒do not demand maximum performance for the first few
kilometres. Wait until the engine coolant gauge starts
moving.
EMERGENCY STARTING
If the instrument panel warning light Ystays on steadily, you
can perform an emergency start by using the code on the CODE
card (see the “In an emergency” section).
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HANDBRAKE
The handbrake is located between the two front seats.
Pull the lever upwards to engage the handbrake and en-
sure that the vehicle does not move.
STOPPING THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition key to STOP while the engine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a long drive, you should allow the en-
gine to “catch its breath” before turning it off by letting it
idle to allow the temperature in the engine compartment
to fall.
Never jump start the engine by pushing,
towing or driving downhill. This could cause
fuel to flow into the catalytic converter and
damage it beyond repair.
The vehicle should be secured after sev-
eral clicks of the lever. If it is not, contact
a FIAT Dealership to have it adjusted.
WARNING
When the handbrake is on and the ignition key is at MAR,
the instrument panel warning light
xwill come on.
Proceed as follows to release the handbrake:
❒lift the lever slightly and press release button A-fig. 126;
❒hold button A down and lower the lever. The xwarn-
ing light on the instrument panel will go out.
Depress the brake pedal when carrying out this operation
to prevent the vehicle from moving accidentally.
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F0V0069mfig. 127F0V0087mfig. 126
PARKING THE VEHICLE
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the handbrake;
❒engage a gear (first gear if parked uphill or reverse if fac-
ing downhill) and leave the wheels turned.
If the vehicle is parked on a steep slope, it is advisable to
block the wheels with a wedge or stone.
To prevent draining the battery, do not leave the ignition
key turned to MAR. Always remove the key when you
leave the vehicle.
Never leave children unattended in the vehicle. Always re-
move the ignition key when leaving the vehicle, and take
it with you.
USING THE GEARBOX
To engage the gears, depress the clutch pedal fully and shift
the gear lever A-fig. 127 into the required position (the di-
agram is shown on the gear knob fig. 127).
IMPORTANT Reverse may be engaged only when the ve-
hicle is at a standstill. With the engine running, wait for
at least 2 seconds with the clutch pedal fully depressed be-
fore engaging reverse to prevent damage to the gears and
grating.
To engage reverse R from neutral, lift ring B under the
knob and at the same time move the gearstick to the right
and then backwards (as shown in the diagram).
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Depress the clutch pedal fully to change
gear correctly. Therefore, the floor area
under the pedals should be clear: ensure that any
rubber mats are flat and do not interfere with the
pedals.
WARNING
Do not drive with your hand resting on the
gear lever, because this pressure, even if
light, can wear out the inner components
of the gearbox over time. The clutch pedal should
be used only for gear changes. Do not drive with
your foot resting on the clutch pedal, however
slightly. For versions/markets where provided, the
electronic clutch control could cut in by interpret-
ing the incorrect driving style as a fault.
SAVING FUEL
Here are some useful tips to save fuel and minimise harm-
ful emissions of CO
2and other pollutants (nitric oxides,
unburnt hydrocarbons, fine dusts etc…).
PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR REDUCING FUEL
CONSUMPTION AND HARMFUL EMISSIONS
Vehicle conditions
1. Have checks and adjustments carried out in
accordance with the “Scheduled Servicing Plan”.
2. Check tyre pressures regularly, at least once every
four weeks. Excessively low pressures will increase
consumption because rolling resistance will be high-
er. In addition, this wears the tyre more quickly and
impairs performance.
3. Only use snow tyres when the weather conditions
make them absolutely necessary. They increase con-
sumption and noise.
4. Do not travel with a heavy load: the weight of the vehicle (especially when driving in town) and its trim
greatly affect fuel consumption and stability.
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2. Avoid pointless actions such as revving up when at
traffic lights or before stopping the engine. The latter
action, like double-declutching, is unnecessary and
causes increased fuel consumption and pollution.
3. Gear selection: select a high gear as soon as possi-
ble (taking into account normal engine operation and
traffic conditions) without pushing the engine to high
revs during the intermediate gears. Using low gears
at high revs to get lively acceleration increases fuel
consumption, harmful emissions and engine wear.
4. Vehicle speed: fuel consumption increases expo-
nentially as the speed of the vehicle increases. Keep
your speed moderate and as even as possible, avoid-
ing unnecessary braking and acceleration, which
cause excessive fuel consumption and increased
emissions. Keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in
front helps to maintain a steady speed.
5. Acceleration: accelerating violently severely affects
consumption and emissions. Acceleration should be
gradual and should not exceed the maximum engine
torque rate.
5. Remove
roof racks or ski racks after use. These
accessories reduce the vehicle’s aerodynamic pene-
tration and have a negative effect on fuel consump-
tion.
6. It is better to use a trailer to transport particularly bulky objects.
7. Use the vehicle’s air vents if possible: travelling with the windows open impairs the aerodynamics.
8. Only use electrical devices for the amount of time needed. The heated rear window, auxiliary head-
lights, windscreen wipers and fan heater use up
a considerable amount of current, causing increased
fuel consumption (up to +25% in the urban cycle).
9. Using the climate control leads to higher fuel con- sumption (on average up to +30%). If the tempera-
ture outside is not too extreme, try and use the air
vents.
Driving style
1. After starting the engine you should drive away
immediately and slowly, avoiding high revs. Do not
warm up the engine at low or high revs when the
vehicle is stationary; this causes the engine to warm
up more slowly, thereby increasing fuel consumption,
emissions and mechanical component wear.
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TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA TIONS
INDEX
TOWING TRAILERS
IMPORTANT NOTES
The vehicle must be provided with a type-approved tow
hitch and adequate electrical system to tow trailers. In-
stallation must be performed by specialised personnel who
will issue the required papers for travelling on roads.
Install any specific and/or additional rear-view mirrors in
accordance with the highway code of the country in which
you are travelling.
Remember that when towing a trailer, steep hills are hard-
er to climb, braking distances increase and overtaking takes
longer depending on the overall weight of the trailer.
Engage a low gear when driving downhill, rather than con-
stantly using the brake.
The weight of the trailer on the vehicle tow hitch will re-
duce the loading capacity of the vehicle by the same
amount.
Consider the weight at full load, including accessories and
luggage, to make sure you do not exceed the maximum
towable weight (shown in the log book).
Respect each country’s speed limits for vehicles towing
trailers. In all cases, the top speed must not exceed
80 km/h.
CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Short distances and frequent cold start-ups prevent the
engine from reaching its optimum running temperature.
Consequently, both consumption (from +15 to +30% on
the urban cycle) and emissions will increase.
Traffic and road conditions
Heavy traffic, for instance when travelling in a queue with
frequent use of low gears or in cities with lots of traffic
lights, causes fairly high fuel consumption. Mountain roads
and uneven surfaces also have a negative effect on con-
sumption.
Traffic hold-ups
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g. at level crossings) the en-
gine should be switched off.
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SNOW TYRES
A Fiat Dealership will be happy to provide advice con-
cerning the most suitable type of tyre for the customer’s
requirements.
For the type, pressures and specifications of the snow tyre
to be used, follow carefully the instructions given in the
“Wheels” paragraph of the “Technical specifications” sec-
tion.
The winter performance of these tyres is considerably re-
duced when the tread thickness is less than 4 mm. If this
is the case, replace them.
Due to their specific features, the performance of snow
tyres is much lower than that of standard tyres in normal
conditions or on long motorway stretches. You should
therefore use them only in the conditions for which they
were designed.
IMPORTANT When using snow tyres with a maximum
speed index below the one that can be reached by the
vehicle (increased by 5%), place a notice in the passenger
compartment, plainly in view, which states the maximum
speed allowed by the snow tyres (as per EC Directive).
All four tyres should be the same (brand and profile) to
ensure greater safety when driving and braking as well as
making the car more responsive.
Remember that you should not change the rotation di-
rection of the tyres.The ABS with which the vehicle may be
equipped will not control the braking sys-
tem of the trailer. Particular caution is therefore
required on slippery roads.
WARNING
Never modify the braking system of the ve-
hicle to control the trailer brake. The trail-
er braking system must be fully independent from
the hydraulic system of the vehicle.
WARNING
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SNOW CHAINS
The use of snow chains should be in compliance with lo-
cal regulations.
Snow chains may be fitted only to the front wheel tyres
(drive wheels).
Check the tension of the chains after the first few metres
have been driven.You must not exceed 160 km/h on snow
tyres with a “Q” mark; in any case, make
sure you stick to the rules of the highway code.
WARNING
Keep your speed down when snow chains
are fitted – do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid
potholes, steps and pavements and also
avoid driving for long distances on roads not cov-
ered with snow to avoid damaging the car and the
road surface.
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❒sprinkle talcum powder on the rubber windscreen and
rear window wiper blades and lift them off the glass;
❒open the windows slightly;
❒cover the vehicle with a piece of fabric or perforated
plastic sheet; Do not use compact plastic tarpaulins,
which prevent humidity from evaporating from the sur-
face of the vehicle;
❒inflate tyres to a pressure of +0.5 bar above the nor-
mal specified pressure and check regularly;
❒do not drain the engine cooling system.
VEHICLE INACTIVITY
If the vehicle needs to be off the road for longer than one
month, the following precautions must be taken:
❒park the vehicle indoors in a dry and, if possible, well-
ventilated place;
❒engage a gear and check that the handbrake is not on;
❒disconnect the negative terminal from the battery pole
(see paragraph “Vehicle inactivity” in the "Dashboard
and controls" chapter) and check the charge conditions
(see paragraph “Battery” in the “Care and mainte-
nance” chapter);
❒clean and protect the painted parts using protective
wax;
❒clean and protect the shiny metal parts using special
compounds readily available;