FIAT DUCATO BASE CAMPER 2015 Owner handbook (in English)

120) Do not travel carrying objects in
your lap, in front of your chest or
between your lips (pipe, pencils,
etc.). They could cause severe
injury if the airbag is deployed.
121) Always drive keeping your
hands on the steering wheel rim
so that the airbag can inflate
freely if necessary. Do not drive
with your body bent forward.
Keep your back straight against
the backrest.122) If the key is inserted and turned
to MAR-ON, airbags may be
deployed if another vehicle
crashes into the vehicle even if
the engine is not running and the
vehicle is stationary. Therefore,
even if the car is stationary, when
an active front passenger airbag
is fitted, DO NOT install rear
facing child restraint systems on
the front passenger seat.
Deployment of the airbag
following an impact could cause
fatal injuries to the child.
Therefore, always deactivate the
passenger airbag when a rear
facing child restraint system is
installed on the front passenger
seat. The front passenger seat
must also be positioned back as
far as possible in order to prevent
the child restraint system from
coming into contact with the
dashboard. Immediately
reactivate the passenger airbag
as soon as the child restraint
system has been removed. Also
remember that, if the key is
turned to STOP, none of the
safety devices (airbags or
pretensioners) will be deployed in
the event of collision. Non-
deployment in such cases does
not indicate a system malfunction.123) If the vehicle has been subject
to theft, attempted theft,
vandalism, or flooding, have the
airbag system inspected at a Fiat
Dealership.
124) When the ignition key is turned
to MAR-ON, the LED on button
on the dashboard blinks for a
few seconds (the number of
seconds may depend on the
market) to check the correct
operation of the LED on the
button.
125) Do not wash the seats with
water or pressurised steam (by
hand or at automatic car seat
washing stations).
126) The front airbag deploys in the
event of more severe collisions
than those required for deploying
the pretensioners. For impacts
whose intensity falls between the
two levels, normally, only the
pretensioners will be activated.
127) Do not affix rigid objects to the
coat hooks or support handles.
177

128) The airbag does not replace
seat belts but increases their
efficiency. Furthermore, since
front airbags are not deployed in
low-speed frontal impacts, side
impacts, rear shunts or roll-overs,
the passengers are protected
only by the seat belts which must
therefore be fastened at all
times.
178
SAFETY

STARTING AND DRIVING
Let’s get to the "heart" of the
vehicle: seeing how you can exploit
all of its potential to the full.
We’ll look at how to drive it safely in
any situation, so that it can be a
welcome companion, with our
comfort and our wallets in mind.STARTING THE ENGINE .................180
PARKING ........................................181
USING THE GEARBOX ...................183
LOADING ADVICE...........................184
SAVING FUEL .................................185
TOWING TRAILERS ........................187
SNOW TYRES ................................195
SNOW CHAINS...............................195
PROLONGED VEHICLE
INACTIVITY .....................................196
179

STARTING THE
ENGINE
The vehicle is fitted with an
electronic engine lock device: if the
engine fails to start, see the
paragraph “The Fiat CODE system”
in section “Know your vehicle”.
27) 28)
129)
PROCEDURE
Proceed as follows:
❒engage the handbrake;
❒put the gear lever into neutral;
❒turn the ignition key to MAR-ON: the
warning lights
andon the
instrument panel will turn on;
❒wait for the warning lights
and
to switch off. The hotter the
engine is, the quicker this will
happen;
❒fully press the clutch pedal without
touching the accelerator;
❒turn the ignition key to AVV as soon
as warning light
switches off.
Waiting too long will waste the
heating work carried out by the glow
plugs.
Release the key as soon as the
engine starts.
If the engine does not start at the
first attempt, return the ignition key
to STOP before repeating the
starting procedure.
If, when the ignition key is at
MAR-ON the
warning light
remains lit, turn the key to STOP
and then back to MAR-ON; if
the warning light remains lit, try with
the other keys provided with the
car.
IMPORTANT Go to a Fiat
Dealership immediately if warning
light
stays on constantly on the
instrument panel.
IMPORTANT Never leave the
ignition key in MAR-ON position
when the engine is stopped.
29)
WARMING UP THE
ENGINE JUST AFTER
IT HAS STARTED
Proceed as follows:
❒drive off slowly, letting the engine turn
at medium revs. Do not accelerate
abruptly;❒do not demand full performance at
first. Wait until the engine coolant
temperature gauge starts moving.
30) 31)
STOPPING THE
ENGINE
Turn the ignition key to STOP while
the engine is idling.
32) 33)
IMPORTANT
27) It is advisable not to demand
maximum performance from
your vehicle (e.g. excessive
acceleration, long distances at
high speeds, excessively intense
braking, etc.) during the initial
period of use.
28) When the engine is off, do not
leave the ignition key turned to
MAR-ON to prevent unnecessary
electrical consumption from
draining the battery.
180
STARTING AND DRIVING

29) If thewarning light flashes
for about 60 seconds after
starting or during prolonged
cranking, this indicates a fault in
the glow plug preheating system.
Use the vehicle normally if the
engine starts, but contact a Fiat
Dealership as soon as possible.
30) Remember that the brake servo
and power steering are not
operational until the engine has
been started, so you need to apply
much more force than usual to
the brake pedal and steering
wheel.
31) Never start the engine by
pushing, towing or driving
downhill. This could cause fuel to
flow into the catalytic converter
and damage it beyond repair.
32) 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.
33) In some cases, when the engine
switches off, the fan could
activate for max. 120 seconds.
WARNING
129) It is dangerous to run the
engine in enclosed areas. The
engine takes in oxygen and
releases carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and other toxic gases.
PARKING
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the
handbrake;
❒engage a gear (on a slope, engage
first gear if the car is facing uphill or
reverse if it is facing downhill) and
leave the wheels steered.
If the vehicle is parked on a steep
slope, it is advisable to block the
wheels with a wedge or stone.
Do not leave the key in the ignition
as this drains the battery. Always
remove the key when you leave the
car.
130)
HANDBRAKE
The handbrake lever is located to
the left of the driver's seat fig. 171.
Pull the lever upwards to engage
the handbrake and ensure that the
vehicle does not move.
IMPORTANT Make sure that the
handbrake is engaged in such
a way as to ensure the stationing of
the vehicle, especially in the case
of steep slopes and full load.
181

IMPORTANT If this is not the case,
contact a Fiat Dealership to have
the handbrake adjusted. If the lever
travel gets longer, contact a Fiat
Dealership.
When the handbrake lever is
engaged and the ignition key is in
MAR-ON position, the instrument
panel warning light
will switch
on.
Proceed as follows to release the
handbrake:
❒slightly lift the lever and press release
button A;
❒keep button A pressed and lower the
lever.
Thewarning light in the
instrument panel will switch off.
Press the brake pedal when
carrying out this operation to
prevent the vehicle from moving
accidentally.
34)
IMPORTANT Apply the handbrake
only when the vehicle is at a
standstill or with the vehicle in
motion only in the event of a failure
in the hydraulic system. If
exceptional use is made of the
handbrake with the vehicle in
motion, moderate traction is
advisable in order not to cause
locking of the rear end with
consequent swerving of the vehicle.
WARNING
130) Never leave children
unattended in the vehicle. Always
remove the ignition key when
leaving the vehicle and take it out
with you.
IMPORTANT
34) If the vehicle is equipped with
self-levelling air suspension,
always check that there is
sufficient space above the roof
and around the vehicle when
parking. Indeed, the vehicle could
raise (or lower) automatically
depending on load or temperature
changes.
171F1A0162
182
STARTING AND DRIVING

USING THE
GEARBOX
To engage the gears, press the
clutch pedal fully and put the gear
lever into the required position
(the diagram for gear engagement
is shown on the knob fig. 172).
To engage 6th gear (where
provided), operate the lever by
pressing it towards the right in
order to avoid engaging 4th gear by
mistake. The action is similar for
shifting from 6th gear to 5th gear.IMPORTANT Reverse may only be
engaged when the vehicle is at a
standstill. With the engine running,
wait for at least 2 seconds with
the clutch pedal fully pressed
before engaging reverse to prevent
damage to the gears and grating.
To engage reverse R from neutral,
proceed as follows: raise sliding
ring A under the knob and at the
same time move the gear lever
to the left and then forwards.
131)
35)
WARNING
131) Depress the clutch pedal fully
to change gear correctly. It is
therefore essential that there is
nothing under the pedals: make
sure the mats are lying flat and do
not get in the way of the pedals.
IMPORTANT
35) Do not drive with your hand
resting on the gear lever as the
force exerted, even if slight, could
lead over time to premature wear
of the internal gearbox
components. The clutch pedal
should be used only for gear
changes. Do not drive with your
foot resting on the clutch pedal,
however lightly. For versions/
markets where provided, the
electronic clutch pedal control
could cut in, interpreting the
incorrect driving style as a fault.
172F1A0163
183

LOADING ADVICE
The Fiat Ducato version used by
you has been designed and type
approved on the basis of certain
maximum weights (see "Weights"
table in the "Technical Data"
chapter): kerb weight, payload,
total weight, maximum weight on
front axle, maximum weight on rear
axle, towable weight.
IMPORTANT The maximum
permitted load on the floor
fastenings is 500 kg; the maximum
permitted load on the side panel
is 150 kg.
IMPORTANT For versions with right
and left side flaps, it is advisable
to reposition the release lever in the
closed position before lowering
the sides.
36)
132) 133) 134)
In addition to these general
precautions, some simple
precautions can improve driving
safety, travelling comfort and
vehicle durability:
❒distribute the load evenly over the
platform: if it is necessary to
concentrate it in a single area,
choose an area mid-way between
both axles;
❒lastly, remember that the vehicle’s
dynamic behaviour is affected by
the weight transported: in particular,
the stopping distances are longer,
especially at high speed.
IMPORTANT
36) Each of these must be strictly
observed and MUST NEVER BE
EXCEEDED in any case. In
particular, ensure that you never
exceed the maximum permitted
weights on the front and rear
axles when arranging the load on
the vehicle (particularly if the
vehicle is equipped with a specific
trim level).
WARNING
132) Irregular trajectories and abrupt
braking 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 appropriate
hooks on the floor and use steel
cables, ropes or chains strong
enough to hold the items to be
secured.
133) If a vehicle is parked on a very
steep gradient or with a side
gradient, opening the rear door or
side door could cause any
unsecured items to emerge
suddenly.
134) If you wish to carry a reserve of
petrol in a can, observe the legal
restrictions and only use a can
that is type-approved and
properly secured to the load
anchorage eyebolts. Anyway, by
doing so, you increase the risk
of fire in the event of an accident
with your vehicle.
184
STARTING AND DRIVING

SAVING FUEL
Some useful tips are given below
for fuel saving and reducing harmful
emissions of CO2 and other
pollutants (nitrogen oxides, unburnt
hydrocarbons, Particulate Matter
(PM), etc.).
GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
The general factors that affect fuel
consumption are listed below.
Vehicle maintenance
Have checks and adjustments
carried out in accordance with the
“Scheduled Servicing Plan”.
Tyres
Check the tyre pressures at least
once every four weeks: if the
pressure is too low, consumption
levels increase as resistance to
rolling is higher.Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with an overloaded
luggage compartment. The weight
of the vehicle (especially when
driving in town) and its geometry
greatly affect fuel consumption and
stability.
Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or the ski
rack from the roof after use. These
accessories decrease aerodynamic
penetration of the vehicle and
have a negative effect on fuel
consumption. When transporting
particularly large objects, use a
trailer if possible.
Electric devices
Use electrical devices only for the
amount of time needed. The heated
rear window, additional headlights,
windscreen/rear window wipers
and heater fan need a considerable
amount of energy, therefore
increasing fuel consumption (by up
to 25% in the urban cycle).Climate control
system
Air conditioning leads to higher fuel
consumption (on average up to
+20%). If the temperature outside
permits, try and use the ventilation
only.
Devices for
aerodynamic control
The use of non-certified spoilers
may adversely affect air drag and
fuel consumption.
DRIVING STYLE
The main driving styles that affect
fuel consumption are listed below.
Cranking
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 and
emissions. It is therefore advisable
to move off immediately, slowly,
avoiding high speeds: in this way
the engine will warm up more
quickly.
185

Unnecessary actions
Avoid accelerating when stopped at
traffic lights or before switching off
the engine. This action and also
double declutching is absolutely
pointless on modern cars and also
increases consumption and
pollution.
Gear selection
As soon as the conditions of the
traffic and road permit, use a higher
gear. Using a low gear for faster
acceleration will increase
consumption.
In the same way improper use of a
high gear increases consumption,
emissions and engine wear.
Max. speed
Fuel consumption increases
considerably with speed. Maintain a
constant speed, avoiding
unnecessary braking and
acceleration, which cost in terms of
both fuel consumption and
emissions.Acceleration
Accelerating violently will greatly
affect consumption and emissions:
acceleration should be gradual.
USAGE CONDITIONS
The main usage conditions that
negatively affect fuel consumption
are listed below.
Cold starting
Short journeys and frequent cold
starts do not allow the engine
to reach optimum operating
temperature.
This results in a significant increase
in consumption levels (from +15
to +30% on the urban cycle) and
emissions.Traffic and road
conditions
Rather high consumption levels are
linked to situations with heavy
traffic, for instance when travelling
in queues with frequent use of
the lower gears or in cities with
many traffic lights. Winding
mountain roads and rough road
surfaces also adversely affect
consumption.
Stops in traffic
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g.
level crossings) the engine should
be switched off.
186
STARTING AND DRIVING