FIAT DUCATO BASE CAMPER 2017 Owner handbook (in English)

The LED is tested also for markets
where the passenger protection
deactivation is not provided, and the
LED switches on for less than one
second when the key is turned to MAR,
and then switches off again.
The warning light may light up with
various intensity levels depending on
the vehicle conditions. The intensity
may also vary during the same key
cycle.
109

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIRBAG AND CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS: IMPORTANT
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110
SAFETY

SIDE BAGS
101) 102) 103) 104) 105) 106) 107) 108) 109) 110)
111) 112) 113) 114)
To help increase occupant protection in
the event of a side impact, for
versions/markets where provided, the
car is equipped with front side bags
and window bags.
Side bags (for versions/markets where
provided) protect occupants from
side impacts of medium-high severity,
by placing the bag between the
occupant and the internal parts of the
side structure of the vehicle. Non-
activation of side bags in other types of
collisions (front collisions, rear shunts,
roll-overs, etc.) is not a system
malfunction.
An electronic control unit causes the
bags to inflate in the event of a side-on
collision. The bags inflate
instantaneously, placing themselves
between the occupant's body and the
structures which could cause injury.
They deflate immediately afterwards.
Side bags (for versions/markets where
provided) are not a replacement of
but complementary to the belts, which
you are recommended to always wear,
as specified by law in Europe and
most non-European countries.FRONT SIDE BAGS FOR
CHEST PROTECTION
(for versions/markets, where provided)
Housed in the seat backrests fig. 105,
they are composed of an instantly
inflating bag, which serves to protect
the occupants' chest and pelvis in the
event of a medium-high severity side
impact.
WINDOW BAGS
(for versions/markets, where provided)
They are composed of two bags,
one on the right side and one on the left
side of the vehicle, housed behind the
side roof trims and covered by special
trims fig. 106.
Window bags have been designed for
protecting the head of front occupants
in the event of side impact, thanks to
the wide bag inflation surface.IMPORTANT In the event of a side-on
crash, the system offers best protection
if you keep a correct position on the
seat because this allows the side bags
to inflate correctly.
IMPORTANT The front airbags and/or
side bags may be deployed if the
vehicle is subject to heavy knocks or
accidents involving the underbody area,
such as for example violent shocks,
against steps, kerbs or low obstacles,
vehicle falling into big potholes or
depressions in the road.
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111

IMPORTANT A small amount of dust
will be released when the airbags
are deployed. The dust is not harmful
and does not indicate the beginning of
a fire. Furthermore, the surface of the
deployed bag and the interior of the
vehicle may be covered in a dusty
residue: this may irritate your skin and
eyes. Wash with mild soap and water in
the event of exposure.
IMPORTANT Should an accident occur
in which any of the safety devices are
activated, take the vehicle to a Fiat
Dealership to have the activated
devices replaced and to have the whole
system checked.
Every control, repair and replacement
operation concerning the airbags must
be carried out only at Fiat Dealerships.
If you are having the vehicle scrapped,
have the system deactivated at a Fiat
Dealership first. If the vehicle changes
ownership, the new owner must be
informed of how to use the airbags and
the above warnings and also be given
this "Owner Handbook".
IMPORTANT Pretensioners, front
airbags and front side bags are
deployed differently according to the
type of collision. Failure to activate one
or more of the devices does not
indicate a system malfunction.
WARNING
99)Do not apply stickers or other objects
to the steering wheel, the dashboard in
the passenger side airbag area and the
seats. Never put objects (e.g. mobile
phones) on the passenger side of the
dashboard since they could interfere with
correct inflation of the passenger airbag
and also cause serious injury to the
passengers.
100)When there is an active passenger
airbag, DO NOT install rearward facing
child restraint systems on the front seat.
Deployment of the airbag in an accident
could cause fatal injuries to the child
regardless of the severity of the impact.
Therefore, always deactivate the passenger
side airbag when a rearward 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.
101)Never rest head, arms and elbows on
the doors, on the windows and in the
side air bag head protection area (Window
Bag) to prevent possible injuries during
inflation phase.
102)Never lean your head, arms or elbows
out of the window.103)If when turning the key to MAR the
warning light
does not turn on or if
it stays on when travelling (together with
the message on the multifunction display,
for versions/markets where provided), there
could be a fault in the safety systems; in
this event, airbags or pretensioners may
not trigger in the case of impact or, in
a lower number of cases, they could be
triggered accidentally. Contact a Fiat
Dealership immediately to have the system
checked.
104)Do not cover the backrest of the front
or rear seats with covers which are not
suitable for use with side bags.
105)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.
106)Always drive keeping your hands on
the steering wheel rim so the airbag can
inflate freely if necessary. Do not drive with
your body bent forward. Keep your back
straight against the backrest.
112
SAFETY

107)Airbags may be deployed if another
vehicle crashes into yours if the key is
inserted and on, even if the engine is not
running and your vehicle is standing.
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 side airbag when a rearward
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.
108)Have the airbag system checked by a
Fiat Dealership if the car was stolen, if
theft was attempted, or if the car was
subjected to vandalism or flooding.
109)By turning the ignition key to MAR
position, the LED on the
button located
on the dashboard lights up (the time it
stays lit up can vary depending on the
market), to check that the button LED is
working correctly.
110)Do not wash the seats with water or
pressurised steam (wash by hand or at
automatic seat washing stations).111)The front airbag is designed to be
deployed for impacts of a greater intensity
than for the pretensioners. For impacts
whose intensity falls between the two
levels, normally, only the pretensioners will
be activated.
112)Do not affix rigid objects to the
garment hooks or support handles.
113)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.
114)In some versions, in the event of a
LED
OFFfailure (located on the
dashboard trim), thewarning light on
the instrument panel turns on and the
passenger side bags are deactivated. In
some versions, in the event of a LED
ONfailure (located on the dashboard
trim), thelight on the console turns on.
113

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 .................115
WHEN PARKED ..............................116
MANUAL TRANSMISSION ..............117
COMFORT-MATIC GEARBOX .........117
START&STOP SYSTEM ..................119
CRUISE CONTROL (CONSTANT
SPEED REGULATOR) .....................119
SPEED BLOCK ...............................121
PARKING SENSORS.......................122
REAR CAMERA (PARKVIEW®
REAR BACK UP CAMERA) .............123
TRAFFIC SIGN RECOGNITION .......124
REFUELLING THE VEHICLE ...........125
ADDITIVE FOR DIESEL EMISSIONS
ADBLUE (UREA)..............................130
VERSION WITH METHANE
SYSTEM (NATURAL POWER) .........131
LOADING ADVICE...........................133
SAVING FUEL .................................134
TOWING TRAILERS ........................135
PROLONGED VEHICLE
INACTIVITY .....................................141
114
STARTING AND DRIVING

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”.
Before starting the vehicle, adjust the
seat, the interior rear view mirrors,
the door mirrors and fasten the seat
belts correctly. Never press the
accelerator pedal for starting the
engine.
115)
14) 15)
PROCEDURE FOR
VERSIONS WITH MANUAL
TRANSMISSION
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake;
put the gear lever into neutral;
turn the ignition key to theMAR
position: the warning lights
and
on the instrument panel will turn on;
wait for the warning lightsand
to turn off, which will happen faster
the warmer the engine is;
fully depress the clutch pedal
without touching the accelerator;
turn the ignition key to the AVV
position as soon as the warning light
turns off. Waiting too long will waste
the heating work carried out by the
plugs.
Release the key as soon as the engine
starts.
PROCEDURE FOR
VERSIONS WITH
COMFORT MATIC
TRANSMISSION
The system allows the engine to be
started both with a gear engaged and
with the gearbox in neutral (N);
however, the brake pedal must be
pressed first with a gear engaged.
It is advisable to place the gear lever in
neutral (N) before starting the engine.
16)
PROCEDURE FOR
NATURAL POWER
VERSIONS
(For versions/markets, where provided)
The various engine cranking methods
are described below:
METHANE tank not on reserve –
petrol tank not empty:
the engine is always started in methane
mode;
METHANE tank empty – petrol tank
not empty:the engine is forced to start on petrol
and it will not switch to methane until
the methane tank has been filled. At the
same time, the reserve warning light
will turn on and the "REFUELLING
REQUIRED" message will be shown on
the instrument panel display;
METHANE tank not on reserve –
petrol tank empty:
the engine is always started in methane
mode.
17) 18) 19) 20) 21)
WARNING
115)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.
WARNING
14)It is advisable not to demand maximum
performance from your vehicle (e.g.
excessive acceleration, long distances at
high speeds, excessive intense braking,
etc.) during the initial period of use.
15)When the engine is switched off never
leave the key turned to MAR-ON to prevent
useless current absorption from draining
the battery.
115

16)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 a buzzer.
17)If the warning light
flashes for 60
seconds after starting or during an
extended towing period, this indicates a
problem in the glow plug pre­heating
system. Use the vehicle normally if the
engine starts, but contact a Fiat Dealership
as soon as possible.
18)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.
19)Never bump start the engine by
pushing, towing or coasting downhill. This
could cause fuel to flow into the catalytic
converter and damage it beyond repair.
20)A quick burst on the accelerator before
stopping the engine serves no practical
purpose; it wastes fuel and is especially
damaging to turbocharged engines.
21)In some cases, when the engine
switches off, the fan could activate for max.
120 seconds.
WHEN PARKED
116)
22)
Proceed as follows when parking and
leaving the vehicle:
engage the gear (on a slope, engage
first gear if the vehicle is facing uphill
or reverse if it is facing downhill) and
leave the wheels steered;
stop the engine and engage the
handbrake;
always remove the ignition key.
If the vehicle is parked on a steep
slope, it is advisable to block the
wheels with a wedge or stone.
On versions equipped with automatic
transmission (Comfort matic), wait
for the letterPto appear on the display
before releasing the brake pedal.
IMPORTANTNEVERleave the vehicle
with the gearbox in neutral (or, on
versions equipped with automatic
(Comfort matic) transmission, before
putting the shift lever in thePposition).HANDBRAKE
Handbrake engagement:The
handbrake lever is located to the left of
the driver's seat. Pull the lever upwards
to engage the handbrake and ensure
that the vehicle does not move.
Handbrake disengagement:slightly
raise the lever, hold the button A
pressed and check that the
warning light switches off on the
instrument panel.
Press the brake pedal when carrying
out this operation to prevent the vehicle
from moving accidentally.
WARNING
116)Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle. Always remove the ignition key
when leaving the vehicle and take it out
with you.
WARNING
22)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.
116
STARTING AND DRIVING

MANUAL
TRANSMISSION
To engage the gears, press the clutch
pedal fully and put the shift lever into
the required position (the diagram
is shown on the knob A fig. 107).
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.
117)
23)
WARNING
117)Press the clutch pedal fully to shift
gears 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.
WARNING
23)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 gearbox internal 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 control
could cut in, interpreting the incorrect
driving style as a fault.
COMFORT-MATIC
GEARBOX
(For versions/markets, where provided)
The vehicle is equipped with an
electronically controlled manual
gearbox known as COMFORT-MATIC
that has two operating modes:
MANUALandAUTO.
The gearbox consists of a traditional
manual transmission with a leverA,to
which an electronically controlled
electro-hydraulic device has been
added to automatically control the
clutch and gear the engagement.
CONTROL LEVER
The control leverAfig. 108 on the
central tunnel is of the multi-stable
floating type, in other words it has three
stable and three unstable positions.
The three stable positions correspond
to neutralN, reverseRand the central
position between the unstable(–)
and(+)positions.
The unstable positions, in other words
those that are left as soon as the lever
is released, are the positions for
requesting a higher gear(+), requesting
a lower gear(–)and requesting
automatic operating mode(A/M).
You can return to manual mode by
moving the lever back to the(A/M)
position.
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MANUAL MODE
IMPORTANT To use the system
correctly, it is advisable to only use your
right foot to operate the pedals.
Press the brake pedal;
start the engine;
if AUTO is on the display, move the
shift lever to A/M to select MANUAL
mode;
push the shift lever towards(+)(shift
up) to engage first gear (if starting
fromNorR, simply move the lever to
the middle position), or R to engage
reverse;
release the brake pedal and press
the accelerator pedal;
when driving, push the shift lever
towards(+)to engage a higher gear or
towards(–)to engage a lower gear.AUTOMATIC MODE
IMPORTANT To use the system
correctly, it is advisable to only use your
right foot to operate the pedals.
Press the brake pedal;
start the engine;
if AUTO is not on the display, move
the shift lever to A/M to select
AUTOMATIC mode;
push the shift lever toA/Mto enable
automatic mode; push the shift lever
towards(+)(shift up) to engage first
gear (if starting fromNorR, simply
move the lever to the middle position),
orRto engage reverse.
Release the brake pedal and press
the accelerator pedal.
AUTOMATIC OPERATION
(AUTO with UP function
on)
TheUPfunction can be turned on by
pressing theUPfig. 109 button located
among the dashboard controls. After
turning this function on, the warning
light
on the instrument panel turns
on, together with a confirmation
message on the reconfigurable
multifunction display.With theUPfunction on, the system
will select the most suitable gear
depending on the vehicle speed, the
engine speed and the intensity with
which the accelerator pedal is pressed,
with the aim of tackling roads with
steep gradients in a smooth and
comfortable manner.
If necessary, (for example when
overtaking), after pressing the
accelerator pedal fully, the system shifts
down one or more gears to provide
suitable torque and power for the
acceleration requested by the driver
(this all takes place automatically
whether theUPfunction is on or off).
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STARTING AND DRIVING