check FIAT PUNTO EVO 2009 1.G Owner's Guide
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Page 149 of 270

148
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
If the key is turned to MAR, even if the en-
gine is switched off, airbags may be de-
ployed when the car is stationary and hit by an-
other vehicle. For this reason, young children must
never sit on the front seat, even if the car is not
moving. We remind you that if the key is turned
to the STOP position, no safety device (airbag or
pretensioner) activates following a collision. Non-
deployment in such cases should not be consid-
ered as the sign of a malfunction.
WARNING
If the car has been stolen or has been the
subject of an attempted theft, if it has
been vandalised or flooded, have the airbag sys-
tem checked at a Fiar Dealership.
WARNING
When the ignition key is turned to MAR,
the warning light “turns on (with front
airbag on passenger’s side enabled) and blinks for
a few seconds to remind you that the passenger
airbag will activate in the event of a collision. Then
it turns off.
WARNING
Do not pressure wash the seats with steam
or water (either by hand or at automatic
seat washing stations).
WARNING
The front airbags deploy in the event of
more severe collisions than those required
for deploying the pretensioners. For collisions in
the range between the two activation thresholds,
pretensioner activation alone is normal.
WARNING
Do not hook rigid objects to clothes hang-
ers and support handles.
WARNING
The airbag does not replace seat belts; it
increases their effectiveness. Furthermore,
since front airbags are not deployed in low speed
collisions, side-on collisions, rear-end shunts or
roll-overs, the passengers are protected only by
the seat belts which must therefore be fastened
at all times.
WARNING
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154
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
SAVING FUEL
Here are some suggestions which may help you to save fu-
el and reduce the amount of toxic emissions released in-
to the atmosphere.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
Have checks and adjustments carried out in accordance
with the “Scheduled Servicing Plan”.
Tyres
Check the tyre pressures at least once every 4 weeks: if
the pressure is too low, consumption levels increase as re-
sistance to rolling is higher.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with an overloaded boot. The weight of
the car (especially when driving in town) and its arrange-
ment greatly affect fuel consumption and stability.
Roof rack/ski rack
Remove the roof rack or ski rack from the roof after use.
These accessories decrease aerodynamic penetration and
have a negative effect on fuel consumption. It is better to
use a trailer to transport particularly bulky objects.Electrical devices
Use electrical devices only for the amount of time need-
ed. The heated rear window, auxiliary headlights, wind-
screen wipers and fan heater use up a considerable amount
of current, causing increased fuel consumption (up to
+25% in the urban cycle).
Air conditioning
Air conditioning leads to higher fuel consumption (on av-
erage up to +20%). If the temperature outside is not too
extreme, try and use the air vents.
Spoilers
The use of non-certified spoilers may adversely affect aero-
dynamics and fuel consumption.
DRIVING STYLE
Starting
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 advisable to set off immediately and slowly, avoiding high
revs: this allows the engine to warm up more quickly.
Unnecessary actions
Avoid revving up when stationary at traffic lights or before
stopping the engine. The latter action, like double de-
clutching, is entirely unnecessary and causes increased fu-
el consumption and pollution.
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159
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
SNOW TYRES
Use snow tyres of the same size as the normal tyres pro-
vided with the car.
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 performance of these tyres is considerably reduced
when the tread depth 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
car (increased by 5%), place a notice in the passenger com-
partment, 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.
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). Use of Lineaccessori Fiat snow
chains is recommended. Check the tension of the chains
after the first few metres have been driven.
IMPORTANT When the snow chains are on, use the ac-
celerator with extreme care to prevent, or to limit as much
as possible, the driving wheels from skidding. This could
cause the chains to break, resulting in damage to the ve-
hicle body or mechanical components.
IMPORTANT Snow chains can only be fitted on 15”
tyres. Use compact 9-mm snow chains.
The maximum speed for snow tyres
marked “Q” is 160 km/h, while it is 190
km/h for “T” tyres and 210 km/h for “H” tyres.
You should, however, always stick to the speed
limits of the highway code.
WARNING
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❒clean and protect the painted parts using protective
wax;
❒clean and protect the shiny metal parts using special
compounds readily available;
❒sprinkle talcum powder on the rubber windscreen
and rear window wiper blades and lift them off the
glass;
❒open the windows slightly;
❒cover the car with a fabric or perforated plastic sheet.
Do not use compact plastic sheets which do not allow
humidity to evaporate from the surface of the car;
❒inflate tyres to a pressure of +0.5 bar above the nor-
mal specified pressure and check regularly;
❒if you don’t disconnect the battery from the electrical
system, check its charge every month and recharge it
if the indicator shows a dark colour without the cen-
tral green area;
❒do not drain the engine cooling system.
IMPORTANT Where relevant, switch off the car alarm
with the remote control.
CAR INACTIVITY
If the car is to be left inactive for longer than a month,
the following precautions should be observed:
❒park the car in covered, dry and, if possible, well-ven-
tilated premises;
❒engage a gear;
❒check that the handbrake is engaged;
❒disconnect the clip for the negative battery terminal
and check battery charge. Repeat this check once
every three months during storage. Recharge the
battery if the indicator is dark and the middle area is
not green;
160
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
16” and 17” tyres cannot be fitted with
chains.
WARNING
Keep your speed down when snow chains
are fitted: do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid
potholes, steps and pavements, and do
not drive for long distances on roads not
covered with snow to prevent damaging
the car and the road surface.
WARNING
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161
WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
GENERAL WARNINGS
Warning lights are accompanied by a specific message
and/or sound when applicable. These indications are brief
and precautionary and as such must not be considered as
exhaustive and/or alternative to the information contained
in the Owner’s Handbook, which you are recommended
to read carefully in all cases. Always refer to the informa-
tion in this chapter in the event of a failure indication.
IMPORTANT The fault indicators appearing on the dis-
play are divided into two categories: very serious and less
serious failures.
Serious failures prompt a prolonged cycle of signals.
Less serious failures prompt a shorter cycle of signals.
Press MENU ESC to stop the warning cycle in both cas-
es. Warning lights on the instrument panel will stay on un-
til the cause of the failure is eliminated.
For messages relevant to the versions equipped with
a Dualogic gearbox, see the attached Supplement.
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
If the warning light xturns on when trav-
elling (on certain versions together with
the message on the display) stop the car imme-
diately and contact a Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
BRAKE FLUID LOW (red)
HANDBRAKE ENGAGED (red)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR posi-
tion, the warnintg light turns on but should go off
after a few seconds.
Brake fluid low
The warning light turns on when the level of the brake flu-
id in the reservoir falls below the minimum level, possi-
bly due to a leak in the circuit.
On some versions the display shows the associated mes-
sage.
x
Handbrake engaged
The warning light turns on when the handbrake is on.
If the car is moving, an audible warning will also sound on
certain versions.
IMPORTANT If the warning light turns on when travel-
ling, check that the handbrake is not engaged.
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162
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
AIRBAG FAILURE (red)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR position,
the warnintg light turns on but should go off af-
ter a few seconds.
The warning light stays on constantly if there is a failure
in the airbag system. A specific message is displayed on cer-
tain versions.
¬
If the warning light ¬does not come on
when turning the key to MAR or stays on
during car travel, a failure may be present in the
restraint systems. If this is the case, the airbags
or pretensioners may not be deployed after an im-
pact or, in a minor number of cases, they may be
deployed accidentally. Contact a Fiat Dealership
immediately to have the system checked before
driving off.
WARNING
A problem with the warning light ¬(light
off) is indicated by the warning light “,
which indicates the front passenger airbag is de-
activated, flashing for more than the usual four
seconds.
WARNING
OVERHEATED ENGINE COOLANT
(red)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR position,
the warnintg light turns on but should go off after a few
seconds. The warning light turns on when the engine is
overheated. If the warning light comes on, proceed as fol-
lows:
❒when driving normally: stop the car, switch off the en-
gine and check that the water level in the reservoir is
not below the MIN mark. If it is not, wait for a few min-
utes for the engine to cool down then slowly and care-
fully open the cap, top-up with coolant and check that
the level is between the MIN and MAX marks. Also
visually check for leaks. Go to a Fiat Dealership if the
warning light comes on again when the engine is next
started.
❒if the vehicle is used under demanding conditions (e.g.
towing trailers uphill or fully loaded): slow down and,
if the light stays on, stop the car. Stop for 2 or 3 min-
utes with the engine running and slightly accelerated to
assist better coolant circulation. Then switch the en-
gine off. Check correct fluid level as described above.
IMPORTANT On particularly demanding journeys, it is ad-
visable to keep the engine on and slightly accelerated for
a few minutes before switching it off.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
ç
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165
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
SEAT BELT NOT FASTENED (red)
The warning light on the display lights up per-
manently when the car is not moving and the dri-
ver’s seat belt is not correctly fastened. It will flash,
and be accompanied by an audible warning, if the front seat
belts are not correctly fastened when the vehicle is mov-
ing. The SBR (Seat Belt Reminder) system’s audible warn-
ing can be disabled only by a Fiat Dealership. On some ver-
sions the system can be reactivated from the setup menu.
<
LOW ENGINE OIL LEVEL (red)
(for versions/markets where provided)
When turning the ignition key to MAR, the
warning light turns on but it should go off after a
few seconds. This warning light where provided comes on
when the engine oil level falls below the minimum rec-
ommended value. Restore the correct engine oil level (see
“Checking fluid levels” in the “Servicing and care” section).
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
k
EBD FAULT (red)
(amber)
Warning lights
xand >lit at the
same time with the engine running in-
dicates an EBD system failure or that the system is not
available. This may cause premature locking of the rear
wheels in the event of violent braking, causing the car to
swerve. Drive very carefully to a Fiat Dealership to have
the system inspected immediately.
On some versions the display shows the associated mes-
sage.> x
INJECTION SYSTEM FAULT
(Multijet versions – amber)
EOBD SYSTEM FAULT
(petrol versions – amber)
Injection system failure
Under normal conditions, turning the ignition key to MAR,
the warning light turns on but it should go off after the en-
gine starts.
If the warning light stays on or comes on when travelling,
it means there is a fault in the injection system which could
cause loss of performance, poor handling and high fuel con-
sumption levels.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions. Un-
der these conditions, the vehicle can continue travelling at
moderate speed without demanding excessive effort from
the engine. In any case, you should go to a Fiat Dealer-
ship as soon as possible.
U
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166
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Go to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possi-
ble if warning light Udoes not light up
when the key is turned to MAR or if, while trav-
elling, the warning light comes on either perma-
nently or flashing (along with a message on the
display on certain versions). The operation of the
Uwarning light may be checked by traffic police
using appropriate equipment. Follow the laws in
force in the country where you are driving.
WARNING
FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG
DEACTIVATED (amber)
The warning light
“comes on when the front
passenger airbag is disabled.
With the front passenger air bag enabled, when the igni-
tion key is turned to MAR the
“warning light comes on
constantly for about 4 seconds, flashes for another 4 sec-
onds and then should go out.
“
Engine management system failure – EOBD
Under normal conditions, turning the ignition key to MAR,
the warning light turns on but it should go off after the en-
gine starts. This indicates that the warning light is work-
ing correctly. If the warning light either stays on or comes
on during car travel:
❒on permanently: this means there is a fault in the sup-
ply/ignition system which could cause high exhaust
emissions, loss of performance, poor handling and high
fuel consumption levels.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
Under these conditions, the vehicle can continue travel-
ling at moderate speed without demanding excessive ef-
fort from the engine. Prolonged use of the car with the
warning light on may cause damage. Go to a Fiat Dealer-
ship as soon as possible. The warning light goes out after
the fault disappears, but the indication is stored in the sys-
tem.
❒flashing: this indicates possible damage to the catalytic
converter (see “EOBD system” in the “Dashboard and
controls” section).
If the light flashes, come off the accelerator pedal to re-
duce engine revs until the warning light stops flashing; con-
tinue the journey at moderate speed, trying to avoid dri-
ving conditions that may cause further flashing, and get
to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.For versions/markets, where provided, the
Uwarning
light in the instrument panel does not have the EOBD func-
tion (European On Board Diagnosis) but only that of sig-
nalling that the injection system is not working perfectly.
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167
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
FUEL RESERVE (amber)
Turning the key to the MAR position illuminates
the warning light, but it will switch off after a few
seconds.
The warning light turns on when about 7 litres of fuel are
left in the tank.
IMPORTANT The warning light will blink to indicate a sys-
tem failure. If this happens, go to a Fiat Dealership to have
the system checked.
Warning light “indicates a failure of warn-
ing light ¬. This condition is indicated by
intermittent blinking of warning light “for longer
than 4 seconds. In this case, warning light ¬may
not be indicating that there is a fault in the restraint
systems. Before driving off, contact a Fiat Dealer-
ship to have the system checked immediately.
WARNING
ç
ABS SYSTEM FAULT (amber)
Turning the key to the MAR position illuminates
the warning light, but it will switch off after a few
seconds.
The warning light comes on when the system is either not
working properly or not available. Under these circum-
stances, the braking system will work as normal but without
the extra performance offered by the ABS system. Drive
carefully and go to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
On some versions the display shows the associated message.
>
GLOW PLUG PREHEATING
(Multijet versions – amber)
GLOW PLUG PREHEATING FAULT
(Multijet versions – amber)
Glow plugs
This warning light comes on when the key is turned to
MAR. It will go out as soon as the glow plugs have reached
a preset temperature. Start the engine as soon as the
warning light goes out.
IMPORTANT When it is particularly warm outside, the
warning light stays on for an extremely short time.
Glow plug preheating fault
The warning light flashes if there is a fault in the preheat-
ing system. Go to a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
A specific message is displayed on certain versions.
m
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172
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
IMPORTANT Do not continue driving with one or more
flat tyres as handling may be compromised. Stop the car,
avoiding harsh braking or steering manoeuvres. Replace
the wheel immediately with the small spare wheel (for ver-
sions/markets where provided) or carry out a repair us-
ing the dedicated kit (see “Changing a wheel” in the “In
an emergency” section) and contact a Fiat Dealership as
soon as possible.
Tyre pressure unsuitable for speed
Should you need to travel at a speed higher than 160 km/h,
inflate the tyres to the pressures specified in “Tyre pres-
sures”.
If the TPMS system (for versions/markets where provid-
ed) detects that the pressure of one or more tyres is un-
suitable for the current speed, the warning light will turn
on (together with the message on the display) (see “Tyre
pressure low” in this section) and it will stay on until the
car slows down to a speed below the preset threshold.
IMPORTANT In this case, slow down immediately because
tyre overheating could damage tyre performance and dura-
bility beyond repair, and may even make the tyre explode. CHECK TYRE PRESSURE
(amber)
TYRE PRESSURE LOW (amber)
TYRE PRESSURE UNSUITABLE FOR
SPEED
(amber)
(for versions/markets where provided)
When the ignition key is moved to MAR position, the
warnintg light turns on but should go off after a few sec-
onds.
Check tyre pressures
The warning light turns on to indicate the flat tyre. Should
two or more tyres be flat, the display will show the indi-
cations corresponding to each tyre in sequence.
Restore correct tyre pressures as soon as possible (see
“Cold tyre pressures” in the “Technical specifications” sec-
tion).
Tyre pressure low
The warning light on the panel comes on when the pres-
sure of one or more tyres falls below a preset level. In this
way, the TPMS system warns the driver that one or more
tyres may be dangerously flat and probably punctured.
n
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