engine FIAT SEICENTO 2007 1.G Owner's Manual

73DRIVING YOUR CAR
IMPORTANT Reverse gear can
only be engaged when the car is com-
pletely stationary. With the engine
running, before engaging the reverse
gear, wait for at least two seconds
with the clutch pedal pressed fully
down to avoid damaging or grating the
gears. SAFE DRIVING
In designing the Fiat 600, Fiat has
made every effort to come up with a
car able to provide driver and pas-
sengers with top-class levels of safety.
Nevertheless it is always the behav-
iour of the person at the wheel that
determines road safety.
Below you will find some simple tips
to help you travel in safety under dif-
ferent conditions. You will no doubt
be familiar with many of them already
but it will be useful to read them all
carefully.
BEFORE GETTING BEHIND
THE WHEEL
– Make sure all lights including the
headlights are working properly.
– Adjust the position of the seats,
steering wheel, inside and outside rear
view mirrors properly for the best
driving position.
– Carefully adjust the head restraints
so the back of the head and not the
nape of the neck is supported. – Make sure that nothing (mats etc.)
gets in the way of the pedals when
they are pushed down.
– Make sure that any child restraint
systems (child seats, carriers etc.) are
properly fixed preferably on the back
seat.
– Place any objects in the boot in
such a way that they cannot be
thrown forwards in the event of an
accident.
– Do not eat a heavy meal before
travelling. Light eating will help keep
your reflexes prompt. Above all, do
not have anything alcoholic to drink.
Periodically, remember to check:
– tyre pressure and condition
– level of battery electrolyte
– engine oil level
– coolant level and condition of the
system
– brake fluid level
– windscreen washer fluid level. To change the gear
properly (with mechani-
cal clutch) 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.

74DRIVING YOUR CAR
WHEN TRAVELLING
– The first rule of safe driving is pru-
dence.
– Prudence also means putting your-
self into a position where you can pre-
dict wrong or imprudent behaviour
from other drivers.
– Stick closely to the rules of the
road in the particular country where
the vehicle is being driven and, above
all, do not exceed speed limits.
– Ensure that, besides yourself, all
the other passengers in the car have
their seat belts fastened, that children
are sitting in the appropriate child
seats and any animals in the car are
placed in suitable compartments.
– You should be physically fit and
mentally alert before setting out on
long journeys. Always fasten both front
and back seat belts and
those of any child seats.
Travelling with the seat belts un-
fastened increases the risk of in-
jury or death if you are in a colli-
sion.
Driving while drunk or
under the influence of
drugs or certain medi-
cines is dangerous for both you
and other road users.
Water, ice or salt on
road surfaces can deposit
on brake disks, reducing
braking efficiency on the first
braking.
Consider that fitting ex-
tra spoilers, alloy rims or
non standard wheel caps
can reduce ventilation of the
brakes and reduce their effi-
ciency under conditions of violent
or repeated braking or long
downhill travel.
Do not drive with ob-
jects on the floor in front
of the driver’s seat: they
could get caught under the ped-
als making braking or accelerat-
ing impossible. Pay attention to the
mats: even a minor prob-
lem to the braking sys-
tem may require increases brake
pedal stroke with respect to nor-
mal.
– Do not drive too many hours at a
time but stop at intervals to stretch
your legs and recover your energies.
– Constantly change the air in the
passenger compartment.
– Never coast downhill (i.e. with the
engine off): if you do, you lose the aid
of the engine brake, brakes booster
and power steering, so that braking
and steering require greater effort.

76DRIVING YOUR CAR
IMPORTANT On stretches of
road with good visibility, switch off
your rear fog lights; the brightness of
these lights could annoy the people
travelling in the cars behind
– Remember that fog also means the
tarmac is wet and therefore manoeu-
vres of all kinds are more difficult and
stopping distances are longer.
– Keep a good distance from the
cars in front of you.
– As far as possible, avoid spurts of
speed or sudden deceleration.
– Do not overtake other vehicles if
you can help it.
– If you are forced to stop your car
(breakdown, limited visibility etc.) try
to stop off the road. Turn on the haz-
ard lights and, if possible, the dipped-
beam headlights. Rhythmically sound
the horn if you realise another car is
coming.DRIVING IN
THE MOUNTAINS
– When driving downhill use the en-
gine braking effect by engaging a low
gear so as not to overheat the brakes.
– Under no circumstances should
you drive downhill with the engine off
or with the car in neutral, let alone
with the ignition key out.
– Drive at a moderate speed with-
out cutting corners.
– Remember that overtaking while
going uphill is slower and therefore
requires more free road. If you are
being overtaken while driving uphill,
make it easier for the other vehicle to
pass. DRIVING ON SNOW
AND ICE
Here are some tips for driving in
these conditions:
– keep your speed down;
– use chains if the roads are covered
in snow: see paragraph
SNOW TYRESin
this chapter;
– mainly use the braking effect of the
engine and under all circumstances
avoid braking sharply;
– when braking in a car not fitted
with ABS, reduce the possibility of the
wheels locking by varying the pressure
you exert on the brake pedal;
– do not accelerate suddenly and
avoid swerving;
– in the winter, even apparently dry
roads may have icy patches. Be care-
ful therefore when driving over
stretches that do not get much expo-
sure to the sun or are lined with trees
or rock where ice might not have
melted;
– keep a good distance from the ve-
hicles in front;

77DRIVING YOUR CAR
– do not remain stationary in deep
snow with the engine running: the
snow could deviate the exhaust gas
into the passenger compartment.
DRIVING WITH ABS
ABS is a braking system that essen-
tially offers two advantages:
1)it prevents wheel lock-up and
consequent skidding in emergency
stops, particularly when the road does
not offer much grip;
2)it makes it possible to brake and
steer at the same time so you can
avoid unexpected obstacles and direct
the car where you want while braking.
The extent to which this can be done
will depend on the physical limits of
the tyre’s sideways grip.To get the most out of ABS:
– during emergency conditions or
when grip conditions are poor, you
will feel a slight pulsation on the brake
pedal. This is the sign that the ABS is
working. Do not release the brake
pedal but continue to press so as not
to interrupt the braking action;
– ABS prevents the wheels from
locking, but it does not increase actual
grip conditions between tyre and
road. Therefore, even if your car is fit-
ted with ABS, respect the safety dis-
tance from the car in front of you and
keep your speed down when driving
into bends;
– ABS serves to increase the con-
trollability of the car, not to enable
you to go faster.CONTAINING
RUNNING COSTS
AND POLLUTION
Some suggestions which may help
you to keep the running costs of the
vehicle down and lower the amount
of toxic emissions released into the
atmosphere are given below.
GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Car maintenance
The overall state of the car is an im-
portant factor which has a marked in-
fluence over fuel consumption and
driving comfort and on the life span of
your car. For this reason care should
be taken to maintain your car by car-
rying out the necessary checks and
regulations in accordance with the
specifications given in the
SERVICE
SCHEDULE
(see sections: SPARK PLUGS,
IDLING, AIR CLEANERS, TIMING).

78DRIVING YOUR CAR
Tyres
Tyre pressure should be checked at
least once every four weeks: if the
pressure is too low fuel consumption
increases as the resistance to the
rolling movement of the tyre is
greater. In this state, tyre wear is in-
creased and vehicle handling suffers
which will effect safety.
Unnecessary loads
Do not travel with too much luggage
stowed in the boot. The weight of the
vehicle and its trim greatly effects con-
sumption and stability.
Roof rack/ski rack
Remove roof racks and ski racks
from the roof of the car as soon as
they are no longer needed. These ac-
cessories reduce the aerodynamic
penetration of the vehicle and will in-
crease consumption. When having to
transport particularly large loads it is
better to use a trailer.Electric devices
Use electric devices for the neces-
sary time only. The heated rear win-
dow, fog lights, windscreen wipers,
heating system blower require large
amounts of electricity, and as a con-
sequence, the fuel consumption in-
creases (up to +25% in town).
Climate control system
The climate control system is a fur-
ther drag on the engine causing higher
fuel consumption (on average, up to
20%). When outside temperatures
permit, use the vents.
Aerodynamic accessories
The use of aerodynamic accessories
not certified for that specific purpose
can diminish the car’s aerodynamic
penetration and increase consump-
tion.BEHIND THE WHEEL
Starting-up
Do not warm up the engine when
the car is stationary, neither by idling
nor revving up. If you do, the engine
will warm up much more slowly and
increase fuel consumption and emis-
sions. It is therefore better to start
slowly and to keep the engine speed
down.
Unnecessary manoeuvres
Do not give quick bursts on the ac-
celerator when waiting at the traffic
lights or before turning off the engine.
This type of action, like the “double
clutch” are absolutely useless on mod-
ern cars. They only increase fuel con-
sumption and pollution.
Gear selection
As soon as traffic conditions allow,
shift up to a higher gear. Using a low
gear to have a sharp acceleration in-
creases the consumption. Likewise,
using a high gear when this is not
called for increases consumption,
emissions and wear on the engine.

79DRIVING YOUR CAR
Top speed
As speed increases, so does the fuel
consumption: note that passing from
90 to 120 km/h increases consump-
tion by about +30%. Keep your speed
as steady as possible and avoid un-
necessary braking and accelerations
that cost fuel and increase emissions
considerably. It is better to drive
“smoothly” trying to foresee the ma-
noeuvres to avoid imminent dangers
and always respect the safety distance
to avoid the need to slow down sud-
denly.
Acceleration
Sudden and sharp accelerations
revving up the engine increase con-
sumption and emissions; accelerate
gradually and do not exceed the max-
imum torque.USE
Cold start
Short journeys and frequent cold
start-ups do not allow the engine to
reach the best running temperature.
As a result, consumption rises (from
+15 to +30% in town) and so do the
harmful emissions.
Traffic situations and road
conditions
Consumption rises in heavy traffic, in
traffic jams where it is constantly nec-
essary to shift to low gears or in big
cities with many traffic lights.
Also twisting roads, mountain roads
and rough road surfaces pay a heavy
toll on consumption.
Hold-ups in traffic
During hold-ups (e.g.: level crossings)
switch off the engine.CHEAP RUNNING
THAT RESPECTS
THE ENVIRONMENT
Environmental protection has been
one of the guiding principles in the
production of Fiat 600. It is no acci-
dent that its pollution control equip-
ment is much more effective than that
required by current legislation.
Nonetheless, the environment can-
not get by without a concerted effort
from everyone.
By following a few simple rules you
can avoid harming the environment
and often cut down fuel consumption
at the same time.
On this subject, a few useful tips
have been given below to supplement
those marked by symbol #, at various
points of the handbook.
You are asked to read both the for-
mer and the latter carefully.

80DRIVING YOUR CAR
LOOKING AFTER EMISSION
CONTROL DEVICES
The correct use of pollution control
devices not only ensures respect for
the environment but also has an effect
on the car’s performance. Keeping
these devices in good condition is
therefore a fundamental rule for dri-
ving that is easy on your pocket and
on the environment too.
The first step to take is to follow the
Service Schedule to the letter.
If your car has a petrol engine use
only unleaded petrol.
If you have trouble starting, do not
keep turning the ignition key for long
periods. Be especially careful to avoid
bump starting the car by pushing, tow-
ing or rolling down hill: these are all
manoeuvres that can damage the cat-
alytic exhaust. For emergency starts
use only an auxiliary battery.If the engine begins to “lose its
smoothness” when travelling, con-
tinue your journey but reduce the de-
mands you are making on the engine
and go to a Fiat Dealershipas soon
as you can.
When the instrument panel fuel re-
serve warning light comes on, fill up as
soon as possible. A low level of fuel
can cause an uneven supply of fuel to
the engine with the inevitable increase
in the temperature of the exhaust gas
and serious damage to the catalytic
converter.
Never run the engine with one or
more spark plugs disconnected, even
for testing purposes.
Do not warm up the engine by let-
ting it idle for a while before moving
off unless the outside temperature is
very low and, even in this case, only
do so for less than 30 seconds.Do not install other heat shields
and do not remove those already fit-
ted to the catalytic converter and
exhaust pipe.
When functioning nor-
mally the catalytic con-
verter reaches high tem-
peratures. For this reason do not
park the car over flammable ma-
terial (grass, dry leaves, pine nee-
dles etc.): fire hazard.
Ignoring the above rules
may lead to fire.
Do not allow anything to
be sprayed onto the cat-
alytic converter, Lambda
sensor or exhaust pipe.

86DRIVING YOUR CAR
STORING THE CAR
The following precautions should be
taken if the car will not be used for
several months:
– Park the car in covered, dry and if
possible well-ventilated premises.
– Engage a gear.
– Make sure the handbrake is not
engaged.
– Remove the cables from the bat-
tery terminals (first remove the cable
to the negative terminal), and check
the battery charge. If the car is to be
stored for long periods the charge of
the battery should be checked every
month and recharged if it falls below
12.5V.– 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 cloth or per-
forated plastic sheet. Do not use
sheets of non-perforated plastic as
they do not allow moisture on the car
body to evaporate.
– Inflate the tyres to + 0.5 bar above
the normal specified pressure and
check it at intervals.
– Do not drain the engine cooling
system.

87IN AN EMERGENCY
I I I I
N N N N

A A A A
N N N N

E E E E
M M M M
E E E E
R R R R
G G G G
E E E E
N N N N
C C C C
Y Y Y Y
EMERGENCY
START-UP
If the Fiat CODE cannot deactivate
the engine immobilising system, the
¢and
Uwarning lights stay on and
the engine will not start. Follow the
emergency start-up procedure to
start the engine.
Read the whole procedure care-
fully before trying to carry it out.
If you make a mistake, you must turn
the ignition key back to STOPand
repeat the whole operation from the
beginning (step 1).
1)Read the 5-figure electronic code
given on the CODE card.
2)Turn the ignition key to MAR.3)Press and hold down the acceler-
ator pedal. The injection system warn-
ing light
Uwill come on for about 8
seconds, and then go out. At this
point release the accelerator pedal
and get ready to count the flashes of
warning light
U.
4) Count the number of flashes that
corresponds to the first figure of the
code on the CODE card, then press
the accelerator pedal and keep it there
until the
Uwarning light comes on
for four seconds and then goes out;
release the accelerator pedal.
5) The
Uwarning light will start
flashing again: after it has flashed the
number of times that corresponds to
the second figure on the CODE card,
press the accelerator pedal to the
floor and keep it there.
6) Do the same for the remaining
figures on the CODE card. 7) Once the final figure has been en-
tered, keep the accelerator pedal
pressed. The injection warning light
Uwill light up for four seconds and
then go out; release the accelerator
pedal.
8)The
Uwarning light will flash
rapidly for about 4 seconds to indicate
that the operation has been com-
pleted correctly.
9) Start the engine by turning the ig-
nition key from MARto AVV.
If, however, the
Uwarning light
stays on, turn the ignition key to
STOPand repeat the procedure
from step 1.
IMPORTANTAfter an emergency
start, you should contact a Fiat Deal-
ership, otherwise you will have to re-
peat the procedure described each
time you want to start the engine.

88IN AN EMERGENCY
JUMP STARTING
If the battery is flat, you can use an-
other battery to start the engine. Its
capacity must be the same or slightly
greater than the flat battery (see the
chapter
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS).
Proceed as follows:
1)connect positive terminals Aand
B-fig. 1of the two batteries with a
jump lead.
2)With a second lead, connect the
negative terminal Cof the auxiliary
battery to an earth point Dof the car.IMPORTANTDo not directly
connect the two negative terminals:
sparks could ignite the flammable gas
from the battery.
If the auxiliary battery is fitted in an-
other vehicle, prevent accidental con-
tact of metallic parts.
3)Start the engine.
4)When the engine has been
started, remove the leads in the re-
verse order: D, C, Band finally A.
If the engine fails to start after a few
attempts, do not keep on but have the
car seen to at a Fiat Dealership. Do not carry out this
procedure if you lack ex-
perience; if it is not done
correctly it can cause very in-
tense electrical discharges. In ad-
dition, the fluid contained in the
battery is poisonous and corro-
sive. Avoid contact with skin and
eyes.
You are also advised not to put
naked flames or lighted ciga-
rettes near the battery and not
to cause sparks.
fig. 1
P4Q00087
Under no circumstances
should a battery charger
be used to start the en-
gine: it could damage the elec-
tronic systems and in particular
the ignition and injection control
units.