FIAT IDEA 2007 1.G Owners Manual

HOW TO WARM UP THE ENGINE AFTER IT
HAS JUST STARTED (petrol and Multijet
versions)
Proceed as follows:
❒Drive off slowly, letting the engine turn at medium
revs. Do not accelerate abruptly;
❒Do not drive at full performance for the initial
kilometres. Wait until the coolant temperature
gauge starts moving.
EMERGENCY START-UP
If the instrument panel warning light
Ystays on with
fixed light, the emergency start-up can be performed
by using the CODE card code (see section “In an
emergency”).STOPPING THE ENGINE
Turn the ignition to STOP while the engine is idling.
IMPORTANT After a taxing drive, you should allow
the engine to “catch its breath” before turning it off by
letting it idle to allow the temperature in the engine
compartment to fall.
180
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
Never bump start the engine by pushing, towing or coasting downhill. This could cause fuel to flow
into the catalytic exhaust system and damage it beyond repair.
A quick burst on the accelerator before turning off the engine serves absolutely no practical
purpose, it wastes fuel and is damaging especially to turbocharged engines.
Remember that the servobrake and power steering are not operational until the
engine has been started, therefore much effort than usual is required on the brake
pedal and steering wheel.WARNING

PARKING
Proceed as follows:
❒stop the engine and engage the handbrake;
❒engage a gear (on a slope, engage first gear if the car is faced uphill or
reverse if it is faced downhill) and leave the wheels steered.
Block the wheels with a wedge or a stone if the car is parked on a steep
slope. Avoid leaving the car parked with a wheel on the sidewalk or
steered against the kerb. Do not leave the ignition key at MAR to
prevent draining the battery. Always remove the key when you leave
the car.
181
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
HANDBRAKE
The handbrake lever is located between the two front seats.
Pull the handbrake lever upwards until the car cannot be moved.
Four or five clicks are generally enough when the car is on level ground while nine or ten may be required if the car
is on a steep slope or laden.
IMPORTANT If this is not the case, contact Fiat Dealership to have the handbrake adjusted.
When the handbrake lever is pulled up and the ignition key is at MAR the panel warning light xwill come on.
To release the handbrake:
❒slightly lift the handbrake and press release button (A);
❒keep button (A) pressed in and lower the lever. Warning light xwill go out.
Press the brake pedal when carrying out this operation to prevent the car from moving accidentally.
IMPORTANT If the handbrake lever tends to approach the end of stroke (slot on central console), contact Fiat
Dealership to have the handbrake adjusted.
WARNINGNever leave children unattended in the car. Always remove the ignition key when
leaving the car and take it out with you.
F0H0149m

USING THE GEARBOX
To engage the gears, press the clutch pedal fully and shift the gear lever
into one of the required positions (the diagram is shown on the knob).
IMPORTANT The car can only be put into reverse gear when it has
stopped moving completely. With the engine running, before engaging the
reverse, wait at least 2 seconds with the clutch pedal fully down to
prevent damage and grating of the gears.
To engage 6
thgear (where fitted), press the lever to the right to prevent
engaging 4thgear by mistake. A similar action is required to shift down
from 6thto 5th
To engage reverse (R) from neutral, lift the sliding ring (A) under the
knob and shift the lever to the right and back (only for petrol versions).
For Multijet versions, just shift lever to the right and back.
182
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
F0H0150m
F0H0353m
To change gears properly you must push the clutch pedal fully down. It is therefore
essential that there is nothing under the pedals: make sure mats are lying flat and do
not get in the way of the pedals.WARNING
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 on the gearbox internal components.

CONTAINING RUNNING COSTS
Here are some suggestions which may help you to
keep the running costs of your car down and lower
the amount of toxic emissions released into the
atmosphere.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried out in
accordance with the “Service schedule”.
Tyres
Check the pressure of the tyres routinely at an
interval of no more than 4 weeks: if the pressure is
too low, consumption levels increase as resistance to
rolling is higher.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with too much luggage stowed in the
boot. The weight of the car (especially when driving in
town) and its trim greatly affects consumption and
stability.Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or the ski rack from the roof as
soon as they are no longer used. These accessories
lower air penetration and adversely affect
consumption levels. When needing to carry
particularly voluminous objects, preferably use a
trailer.
Electric devices
Use electric devices only for the amount of time
needed. Rear heated window, additional headlights,
windscreen wipers and heater fan need a considerable
amount of energy, therefore increasing the
requirement of current increases fuel consumption (up
to +25% in the urban cycle).
Climate control
The air conditioner is an additional load which greatly
affects the engine leading to higher consumption (on
average up to +20%). When the temperature outside
the vehicle permits it, use the air vents where possible.
Spoilers
The use of non-certified aerodynamic items may
adversely affect air drag and consumption levels.
183
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR

DRIVING STYLE
Starting
Do not warm the engine with the car at a standstill or
at idle or high speed: under these conditions the
engine warms up much more slowly, increasing
electrical consumption and emissions. It is therefore
advisable to move off immediately, slowly, avoiding
high speeds. This way the engine will warm faster.
Unnecessary actions
Avoid accelerating when waiting at traffic lights or
before switching off the engine. This and also double
declutching is absolutely pointless on modern cars and
also increase consumption and pollution.
Gear selection
As soon as the conditions of the traffic and road allow,
use a higher gear. Using a low gear to obtain brilliant
performance increases consumption.
In the same way improper use of a high gear increases
consumption, emissions an engine wear.
Top speed
Fuel consumption considerably increases with speed.
Keep speed as constant as possible, avoid superfluous
braking and accelerating, which cost in terms of both
fuel and emissions. Acceleration
Accelerating violently increasing the revs will greatly
affect consumption and emissions: acceleration should
be gradual and should not exceed the maximum
torque.
CONDITIONS OF USE
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
emission of harmful substances.
Traffic situations and road conditions
Rather high consumption levels are tied to situations
with heavy traffic, for example in queues with frequent
use of the lower gears or in cities with many traffic
lights. Also winding mountain roads and rough road
surfaces adversely affect consumption.
Traffic hold-ups
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g.: level crossings) the
engine should be switched off.
184
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR

TOWING TRAILERS
IMPORTANT NOTES
For towing caravans or trailers the car must be fitted
with a certified tow hook and an adequate electric
system. Installation should be carried out by
specialised personnel who release a special document
for circulation on the road.
Install any specific and/or additional rear-view mirrors
as specified by law.
Remember that when towing a trailer, steep hills are
harder to climb, the braking spaces increase and
overtaking takes longer depending on the overall
weight.
Engage a low gear when driving downhill, rather than
constantly using the brake.The weight the trailer exerts on the car tow hook
reduces by the same amount the actual vehicle loading
capacity. To make sure the maximum towable weight
is not exceeded (given in the log book) account should
be taken of the fully laden trailer, including accessories
and personal belongings.
Do not exceed the speed limits of the country you are
driving in. In any case do not exceed 100 km/h.
185
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
WARNING
Under no circumstances should the vehicle brake system be altered to control the
trailer brake. The trailer braking system must be fully independent of the vehicle’s
hydraulic system.WARNING
The ABS system with which the car may be fitted does not control the trailer
braking system. Great care should therefore be taken when driving on slippery
road surfaces.

INSTALLING THE TOW HOOK
The towing device should be fastened to the body by
specialised personnel according to any additional
and/or integrative information supplied by the
Manufacturer of the device.
The towing device must meet current regulations with
reference to 94/20/EC Directive and subsequent
amendments.
For any version the towing device used must match
the towable weight of the vehicle on which it is to be
installed.
For the electric connection a unified connector should
be used which is generally placed on a special bracket
normally fastened to the towing device, and a special
ECU for external trailer light control shall be installed
on the car. For the electrical connection 7 or 13 pins 12VDC
connection is to be used (CUNA/UNI and ISO/DIN
Standards). Follow the instructions provided by the car
manufacturer and/or the tow hitch manufacturer.
An electric brake should be supplied directly by the
battery through a cable with a cross section of no less
than 2.5 mm
2.
IMPORTANT Electric brake or other device shall be
used with running engine.
In addition to the electrical branches, the car’s electric
system can only be connected to the supply cable for
an electric brake and to the cable for an internal light,
though not above 15W.
For connections use a preset control unit with battery
cable no less than 2.5 mm
2.
186
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR

187
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
ASSEMBLY DIAGRAM
The tow hook structure must be fastened in the points
shown by the symbol
Øusing a total of 4 M8 screws,
2 M10 screws and 2 M12 screws.
The hook should be fastened to the body avoiding any
type of drilling and trimming of the rear bumpers that
remains visible when the hook is removed.
IMPORTANT It is compulsory to fasten a label (plainly
visible) of suitable size and material with the following
wording:
MAX LOAD ON BALL 60 kg
WARNINGAfter fitting, screw holes shall be sealed to prevent exhaust gas inlet.
F0H0151m
Full load
Standard ball Existing holes
Existing holes Existing holes
≥65

SNOW TYRES
Use snow tyres of the same size as the normal tyres
provided with the car.
Fiat Dealership will be happy to provide advice
concerning the most suitable type of tyre for the
customer’s requirements.
For the type of tyre to be used, inflation pressures and
the specifications of snow tyres, follow the
instructions given in paragraph “Wheels” in section
“Technical specifications”.
The winter features of these tyres are reduced
considerably when the tread depth is below 4 mm. In
this case, they should be replaced.Due to the snow tyre features, under normal
conditions of use or on long motorway journeys, the
performance of these tyres is lower than that of
normal tyres. It is therefore necessary to limit their
use to the purposes for which they are certified.
IMPORTANT When snow tyres are used with a max
speed index below the one that can be reached by the
car (increased by 5%), place a notice in the passenger
compartment, plainly in the driver’s view which states
the max permissible speed of the snow tyres (as per
EC Directive).
All four tyres should be the same (brand and track) to
ensure greater safety when driving and braking and
better driveability.
Remember that it is inappropriate to change the
direction of rotation of tyres.
188
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
The max speed for snow tyres with “T” marking is 190 km/h. The Road Traffic
Code speed limits must however be always strictly observed.WARNING

SNOW CHAINS
Use of snow chains should be in compliance with local
regulations.
Snow chains should only be applied to the driving
wheels (front wheels). We recommend using
Lineaccessori Fiat snow chains.
Check the tension of the chains after driving some ten
metres.IMPORTANT Snow chains cannot be fitted to the
space-saver spare wheel. So, if a front (drive) wheel is
punctured and chains are needed, a rear wheel should
be fitted to the front of the vehicle and the spare
wheel should be fitted to the rear. This way with two
normal drive wheels, snow chains can be fitted to
them to solve an emergency.
IMPORTANT Tyres 205/50 R16 87V cannot be fitted
with snow chains.
189
SAFETY
DEVICES
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD
AND CONTROLS
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
Versions
ACTIVE
DYNAMIC
EMOTION
Tyres on which chains can be fitted
185/65 R14 86T
195/60 R15 88T
195/60 R15 88T
195/60 R15 88T
Type of snow chains to be used
Snow chains with standard size
with max protrusion beyond the tyre profile of 12 mm.
Keep your speed down when snow chains are fitted. Do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid potholes,
steps and pavements and avoid also to drive for long distances on roads not covered with
snow to prevent damaging the car and the roadbed.
Refer to the above mentioned table for information on the wheels where snow chains can be fitted.
Follow the prescriptions.