FIAT SPIDER ABARTH 2017 Owners Manual

IF YOUR ENGINE
OVERHEATS If Your Engine Overheats
In any of the following situations, you
can reduce the potential for overheating
by taking the appropriate action.
On highways — slow down.
In city traffic — while stopped, place
the transmission in NEUTRAL, but do
not increase engine idle speed.
Note: There are steps that you can
take to slow down an impending
overheat condition:
If your air conditioner (A/C) is on,
turn it off. The A/C system adds heat
to the engine cooling system and
turning the A/C off can help remove
this heat.
You can also turn the temperature
control to maximum heat, the mode
control to floor and the blower control
to high. This allows the heater core to
act as a supplement to the radiator
and aids in removing heat from the
engine cooling system. Warning!You or others can be badly burned by hot
engine coolant (antifreeze) or steam from
your radiator. If you see or hear steam
coming from under the hood, do not open
the hood until the radiator has had time to
cool. Never try to open a cooling system
pressure cap when the radiator or coolant
bottle is hot.
Caution!Driving with a hot cooling system could
damage your vehicle. If temperature gauge
reads “H”, pull over and stop the vehicle.
Idle the vehicle with the air conditioner
turned off until the pointer drops back into
the normal range. If the pointer remains on
the “H”, turn the engine off immediately,
and call for service. If Steam Is Coming From The
Engine Compartment:
Do not go near the front of the vehicle.
Stop the engine. Wait until the steam
dissipates, then open the hood and
start the engine.
If Neither Coolant Nor Steam Is
Escaping:
Open the hood and idle the engine until
it cools.
Note:
If the cooling fan does not operate
while the engine is running, the engine
temperature will increase. Stop the
engine and contact an authorized
dealer.
If the engine continues to overheat
or frequently overheats, have the
cooling system inspected. The engine
could be seriously damaged unless
repairs are made. Contact an
authorized dealer.
219

TOWING THE
VEHICLE Attaching The Tow Eyes
— If Equipped
Warning!Stand clear of vehicles when pulling with
tow eyes.
Do not use a chain with a tow eye.
Chains may break, causing serious injury or
death.
Do not use a tow strap with a tow eye.
Tow straps may break or become
disengaged, causing serious injury or
death.
Failure to follow proper tow eye usage
may cause components to break resulting
in serious injury or death. Caution!The tow eye must be used exclusively
for roadside assistance operations. Only
use the tow eye with an appropriate device
in accordance with the highway code (a
rigid bar or rope) to flat tow the vehicle for
a short distance to the nearest service
location.
Tow eyes MUST NOT be used to tow
vehicles off the road or where there are
obstacles.
In compliance with the above
conditions, towing with a tow eye must
take place with two vehicles (one towing,
the other towed) aligned as much as
possible along the same center line.
Damage to your vehicle may occur if these
guidelines are not followed.
When towing, only use a facility that can
tow vehicles with low ground clearances as
extensive damage can result by using a
standard tow truck platform.
Proceed as follows:
1. Remove the towing eyelet and the
lug wrench from the luggage
compartment.
2. Wrap a flathead screwdriver or
similar tool with a soft cloth to prevent
damage to a painted bumper, and open
the cap located on the front or rear
bumper. Note: Do not use excessive force as it
may damage the cap or scratch the
painted bumper surface. Remove the
cap completely and store it so as not to
lose it. 08060203-121-001AB
Front Bumper Cap Location
1— Front Bumper Cap 08060203-122-001AB
Rear Bumper Cap Location
220
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

3. Securely install the tow eye in front
or rear using the lug wrench or
equivalent.
4. Hook the towing rope to the tow
eye. Caution!Tow eyes are for emergency use only, to
rescue a vehicle stranded off road. Do not
use tow eyes for tow truck hookup or
highway towing. You could damage your
vehicle.
When using the tow eyes, always pull
the lead or chain in a straight direction
with respect to the eyelet. Never apply
a sideways force.
Note: Follow the precautions below to
avoid damage to the towing eyelet and
towing hook, vehicle body, or
transmission system when towing:
Do not tow a vehicle heavier than
yours.
Do not suddenly accelerate your
vehicle as it will apply a severe shock
to the tow eye and towing hook or
rope.
Do not attach any rope other than
to the tow eye and towing hook. Emergency Towing
Towing Description
Proper lifting and towing are necessary
to prevent damage to the vehicle.
Government and local laws must be
followed.
A towed vehicle usually should have its
drive wheels (rear wheels) OFF of the
ground. If excessive damage or other
conditions prevent this, use wheel
dollies.
When towing with the rear wheels on
the ground, release the parking brake.
Caution!DO NOT use sling-type equipment when
towing. When securing the vehicle to a
flatbed truck, do not attach to front or rear
suspension components. Damage to your
vehicle may result from improper towing.08060201-121-001AB
Installing Front Towing Eye 08060201-122-001AB
Installing Rear Tow Eye
221

If towing service is not available in an
emergency, the vehicle may be towed
with all four wheels on the ground using
the towing hook at the front of the
vehicle. Only tow the vehicle on paved
surfaces for short distances at low
speeds.
Follow these instructions when towing
the vehicle with all wheels on the
ground:
1. Shift to NEUTRAL for manual
transmission or automatic transmission.
2. Place the ignition to ACC.
3. Release the parking brake.
Note: Remember that power assist for
the brakes and steering will not be
available when the engine is not
running. EVENT DATA
RECORDER (EDR) This vehicle is equipped with an Event
Data Recorder (EDR). The main
purpose of an EDR is to record data
that will assist in understanding how a
vehicle’s systems performed under
certain crash or near crash-like
situations, such as an air bag
deployment or hitting a road obstacle.
Please refer to “Occupant Restraint
Systems” in “Safety” for further
information on the Event Data Recorder
(EDR).
222
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

SERVICING AND MAINTENANCEINTRODUCTION ............ .224
ENGINE COMPARTMENT ..... .231
BATTERY RECHARGING ...... .235
MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES . . .235
RAISING THE VEHICLE ....... .237
WHEELS AND TIRES ......... .238
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY
GRADES ................ .254
STORINGTHEVEHICLE ...... .255
BODYWORK .............. .256
INTERIORS ............... .262
223

INTRODUCTION Be extremely careful and prevent injury
to yourself and others or damage to
your vehicle when using this Owner’s
Manual for inspection and maintenance.
If you are unsure about any procedure it
describes, we strongly urge you to have
a reliable and qualified service shop
perform the work, preferably at your
authorized dealer.
Factory-trained FCA technicians and
genuine FCA parts are best for your
vehicle. Without this expertise and the
parts that have been designed and
made especially for your vehicle,
inadequate, incomplete, and insufficient
servicing may result in problems. This
could lead to vehicle damage or an
accident and injuries.
For expert advice and quality service,
contact your authorized dealer.
Note: Under no circumstances should
oil change intervals exceed 10,000
miles (16,000 kilometers) or 1 year.
To continue New Vehicle Limited
Warranty eligibility and to protect your
investment, it is your responsibility to
properly maintain your vehicle
according to factory recommended
schedules outlined in this Owner’s
Manual. As part of this you must keep
your maintenance records, receipts,
repair orders and any other documents
as evidence this maintenance was
performed. You must present these
documents, should any New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage
disagreement occur. Failure to do so
can result in your New Vehicle Limited
Warranty being voided either in whole
or in part.
This evidence may consist of the
following:
The FCA Scheduled Maintenance
Record, refer to the Warranty Booklet,
must be completely filled out showing
mileage, repair order number, date for
each service, and signed by a qualified
automotive service technician who
service vehicles.
Original copies of repair orders or
other receipts that include the mileage
and date the vehicle was serviced.
Each receipt should be signed by a
qualified automotive service technician.
For self maintenance, a statement
that you completed the maintenance
yourself, displaying mileage and the
date the work was performed. Also,
receipts for the replacement parts (fluid,
filters, etc.) indicating the date and
mileage must accompany this
statement.
Note: If you elect to perform
maintenance yourself or have your
vehicle serviced at a location other than
an authorized dealer, FCA requires that
all fluids, parts and materials must meet
FCA standards for durability and
performance as described in this
Owner’s Manual. Claims against the warranty resulting
from lack of maintenance, as opposed
to defective materials or authorized FCA
workmanship, will not be honored.
Any auto repair shop using parts
equivalent to your vehicle's original
equipment may perform maintenance.
But we recommend that it always be
done by an authorized dealer using
genuine FCA parts. Selecting
“Maintenance Monitor” enables the
system to notify you of your vehicle's
approaching inspection/servicing
period.
Owner Maintenance
Precautions
The owner or a qualified service
technician should make these vehicle
inspections at the indicated intervals to
ensure safe and dependable operation.
Bring any problem to the attention of an
authorized dealer or qualified service
technician as soon as possible.
When refueling perform inspection
of:
Brake and clutch fluid level
Engine coolant level
Engine oil level
Washer fluid level
224
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE

At least monthly perform inspection
of:
Tire inflation pressures
At least twice a year (for example,
every spring and fall) perform
inspection of:
Engine coolant
Engine oil
As explained in the “Introduction”
paragraph, several procedures can be
done only by a qualified service
technician with special tools.
For details, read the separate Warranty
Booklet provided with the vehicle. If you
are unsure about any servicing or
maintenance procedure, have it done
by an authorized dealer.
There are strict environmental laws
regarding the disposal of waste oil and
fluids. Please dispose of your waste
properly and with due regard to the
environment.
We recommend that you entrust the oil
and fluid changes of your vehicle to an
authorized dealer. Periodic Checks
Every 620 miles (1,000 km) or before
long trips check and, if necessary, top
off:
Engine coolant level.
Brake fluid level.
Windshield washer fluid level.
Tire inflation pressure and condition.
Operation of lighting system
(headlights, direction indicators, hazard
warning lights, etc.).
Operation of windshield
washer/wiper system and
positioning/wear of windshield wiper
blades.
Every 1860 miles (3,000 km) check
and top off the engine oil level if
required.
Heavy-Duty Use Of The
Vehicle
If the vehicle is used under one of the
following conditions:
Dusty roads.
Short, repeated trips less than 4.4 -
5 miles ( 7-8km)atsub -zero outside
temperatures.
Engine idling for long periods of time
or driving long distances at low speeds
or long periods of inactivity. The following checks must be carried
out more often than indicated in the
Scheduled Servicing Plan:
Check front disc brake pad condition
and wear.
Check cleanliness of underhood area
and all door and trunk locks, cleanliness
and lubrication of linkage.
Visually inspect conditions of the:
engine, transmission, lines and hoses
(exhaust/fuel system/brakes) and
rubber elements (hoses/belts/etc.).
Check battery charge and battery
fluid level.
Visually inspect conditions of the
accessory drive belts.
Check and, if necessary, change
engine oil and replace oil filter.
Check and, if necessary, replace
cabin air filter.
Check and, if necessary, replace air
cleaner.
Severe Duty All Models
Change Engine Oil at 4,000 miles
(6,500 km) if the vehicle is operated in a
dusty and off road environment or is
operated predominately at idle or only
very low engine RPM’s. This type of
vehicle use is considered Severe Duty.
225

Scheduled Servicing Plan
Mileage or time passed
(whichever comes first)
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000Or Years: 123 456789101112131415
Or Kilometers:
16,000
32,000
48,000
64,000
80,000
96,000
112,000
128,000
144,000
160,000
176,000
192,000
208,000
224,000
240,000Check tire condition/wear
and adjust pressure, if
necessary, check TIREKIT
expiration date (if
provided). •••••••••••••••
Check operation of lighting
system (headlamps,
direction indicators, hazard
warning lights, luggage
compartment, passenger
compartment, glove
compartment, instrument
panel warning lights, etc.). •••••••••••••••
Check and, if necessary,
top up fluid levels
(brakes/hydraulic clutch,
windshield washer, battery,
engine coolant, etc.). •••••••••••••••
226
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE

Mileage or time passed
(whichever comes first)
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000Or Years: 123 456789101112131415
Or Kilometers:
16,000
32,000
48,000
64,000
80,000
96,000
112,000
128,000
144,000
160,000
176,000
192,000
208,000
224,000
240,000Check engine control
system operation (via
diagnostic tool). •••••••••••••••
Visually inspect condition
of: exterior bodywork,
underbody protection,
pipes and hoses (exhaust -
fuel system - brakes),
rubber elements (boots,
sleeves, bushings, etc.). •••• • • •
Visually inspect conditions
of steering elements and
check their operation. •••• • • •
Check the front and rear
suspension, tie rods, CV
Joints, and replace if
necessary. •••• • • •
Check endfloat of wheel
bearings. •••• • • •
227

Mileage or time passed
(whichever comes first)
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000Or Years: 123 456789101112131415
Or Kilometers:
16,000
32,000
48,000
64,000
80,000
96,000
112,000
128,000
144,000
160,000
176,000
192,000
208,000
224,000
240,000Check windshield/rear
window wiper blade
position/wear. •• •• • • • •
Check operation of
windshield washer system
and adjust jets if
necessary. •• •• • • • •
Check cleanliness of hood
and trunk locks and
cleanliness and lubrication
of linkages. •• •• • • • •
Check parking brake lever
travel and adjust, if
necessary. •••••••••••••••
Visually check the
condition and wear of the
front and rear brakes. •••••••••••••••
Visually inspect condition
of evaporation control
system. ••• • •
228
SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE