engine overheat FIAT SPIDER ABARTH 2017 Owners Manual

Note: Do not use the Outside Air
Position in cold or rainy weather is
dangerous as it will cause the windows
to fog up. Your vision will be hampered,
which could lead to a serious accident.
6 – A/C Button
Push the A/C Button to turn on the air
conditioner.
The LED on the switch will illuminate
when the Blower Control Knob is in any
position except the OFF position.
Push the button again to turn off the air
conditioner.
Note: The air conditioner may not
function when the outside temperature
approaches 32 °F (0 °C).
Heating
Proceed as follows:
1. Set the Mode Selector Knob to the
position.
2. Set the Air Recirculation Button to
the outside air position.
3. Set the Temperature Control Dial to
the hot position.
4. Set the Blower Control Knob to the
desired speed. 5. If dehumidified heating is desired,
turn on the air conditioner.
If the windshield fogs up easily, set the
Mode Selector Knob to the
position.
If cooler air is desired at face level, set
the Mode Selector Knob to the
position and adjust the Temperature
Control Knob to maintain comfort.
The floor vents will blow warmer air
while the side air vents will blow cooler
air (except when the temperature
control dial is set at the maximum hot
or cold position).
Cooling (With Air
Conditioner)
Proceed as follows:
1. Set the Mode Selector Knob to the
position.
2. Set the Temperature Control Knob
to the cold position.
3. Set the Blower Control Knob to the
desired speed.
4. Turn on the air conditioner by
pushing the A/C Button.
5. After cooling begins, adjust the
Blower Control Knob and Temperature
Control Knob as needed to maintain
comfort. Note:
If the air conditioner is used while
driving up large hills or in heavy traffic,
monitor the Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light to see if it
is illuminated or flashing. The air
conditioner may cause engine
overheating in these situations. If the
warning light is illuminated or flashing,
turn the air conditioning off
immediately.
When maximum cooling is desired,
set the Temperature Control Knob to
the extreme cold position, push the Air
Recirculation Button to activate the
recirculated air position, and then turn
the fan control dial fully clockwise.
If warmer air is desired at floor level,
set the Mode Selector Knob to the
position, and adjust the
Temperature Control Knob to maintain
comfort.
The floor vents will blow warmer air
while the side air vents will blow cooler
air (except when the temperature
control dial is set at the maximum hot
or cold position).
50
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VEHICLE

Tachometer
The tachometer shows engine speed in
thousands of revolutions per minute
(rpm).
The range varies depending on the type
of gauge. Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge And
Fuel Gauge
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
Note: If the high engine coolant
temperature warning light (red) turns
on, there is a possibility of overheating. Park the vehicle in a safe place
immediately and take appropriate
measures. If the vehicle continues to be
driven, it could cause damage to the
engine.
Fuel Gauge
The fuel gauge 2 shows approximately
how much fuel is remaining in the tank
when the ignition is in the ON position.
We recommend keeping the tank over
1/4 full.
E = Empty
F = Full
If the low fuel warning light illuminates
or the fuel level is very low, refuel as
soon as possible.
Note:
After refueling, it may require some
time for the indicator to stabilize. In
addition, the indicator may deviate
while driving on a slope or curve since
the fuel moves in the tank.
The display indicating a quarter or
less remaining fuel has more segments
to show the remaining fuel level in
greater detail.
The direction of the arrow on the
fuel gauge indicates that the fuel door
lid is on the left side of the vehicle.05020103-12A-002AB
Tachometer
1 — Tachometer Display 0502010417A007
Fuel/Temperature Gauge
1 — Engine Coolant Temperature
2 — Fuel Gauge
80
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Red Warning Lights Warning Light What It Means
High Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light
The light flashes when the engine coolant temperature is extremely high, and illuminates when
the engine coolant temperature increases further.
Handling procedure
Flashing light : drive slowly to reduce engine load until you can find a safe place to stop the
vehicle and wait for the engine to cool down.
Illuminated light : this indicates the possibility of overheating. Park the vehicle in a safe
place immediately and stop the engine. Refer to “Overheating” in “In Case Of Emergency” for
further information.
Note:
Do not drive the vehicle with the high engine coolant temperature warning light illuminated.
Otherwise, it could result in damage to the engine.
Air Bag/Seat Belt Pretensioner System Warning
A system malfunction is indicated if the warning light constantly flashes, constantly illuminates or
does not illuminate at all when the ignition is placed in the ON position. If any of these occur,
contact an authorized dealer as soon as possible. The system may not operate in an accident.
89

Extended Park Starting
Note: Extended Park condition occurs
when the vehicle has not been started
or driven for at least 30 days.
1. Install a battery charger or jumper
cables to the battery to ensure a full
battery charge during the crank cycle.
2. Place the ignition in the START
mode and release it when the engine
starts.
3. If the engine fails to start within
10 seconds, place the ignition in the
STOP (OFF/LOCK) mode, wait five
seconds to allow the starter to cool,
then repeat the Extended Park Starting
procedure.
4. If the engine fails to start after eight
attempts, allow the starter to cool for at
least 10 minutes, then repeat the
procedure.
Caution!To prevent damage to the starter, do not
crank continuously for more than
10 seconds at a time. Wait 10 to
15 seconds before trying again. After Starting —
Warming Up The Engine
Proceed as follows:
1. Travel slowly, letting the engine run
at a reduced RPM, without accelerating
suddenly.
2. It is recommended to wait until the
digital engine coolant temperature
indicator starts moving before
demanding full performance.
Stopping The Engine
Proceed as follows:
1. Park the car in a position that is not
dangerous for oncoming traffic, if
equipped with manual transmission
place gear selector in FIRST (1st) or
REVERSE (R) gear, if equipped with
automatic transmission place the gear
selector to PARK (P).
2. Push and release the ignition button
to STOP the engine. BRAKE SYSTEM This vehicle has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through
normal use. Should power-assist fail,
you can stop by applying greater force
than normal to the brake pedal. But the
distance required to stop will be greater
than usual.
Note: Always depress the brake pedal
with the right foot. Applying the brakes
with the unaccustomed left foot could
slow your reaction time to an
emergency situation resulting in
insufficient braking operation.
Do not drive with your foot held on the
clutch pedal or brake pedal, or hold the
clutch pedal depressed halfway
unnecessarily. Doing so could result in
the following:
The clutch and brake parts will wear
out more quickly.
The brakes can overheat and
adversely affect brake performance.
150
STARTING AND OPERATING

be covered under New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
E-85 Usage In Non-Flex
Fuel Vehicles
Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV) are
compatible with gasoline containing up
to 15% ethanol (E-15). Gasoline with
higher ethanol content may void the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
If a Non-FFV vehicle is inadvertently
fueled with E-85 fuel, the engine will
have some or all of these symptoms:
Operate in a lean mode.
OBD II “Malfunction Indicator Light”
on.
Poor engine performance.
Poor cold start and cold drivability.
Increased risk for fuel system
component corrosion.
MMT In Gasoline
Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese
Tricarbonyl (MMT) is a manganese-
containing metallic additive that is
blended into some gasoline to increase
octane. Gasoline blended with MMT
provides no performance advantage
beyond gasoline of the same octane
number without MMT. Gasoline blended
with MMT reduces spark plug life and
reduces emissions system performance
in some vehicles. The manufacturer
recommends that gasoline without MMT be used in your vehicle. The MMT
content of gasoline may not be
indicated on the gasoline pump;
therefore, you should ask your gasoline
retailer whether the gasoline contains
MMT. MMT is prohibited in Federal and
California reformulated gasoline.
Materials Added To Fuel
Besides using unleaded gasoline with
the proper octane rating, gasolines that
contain detergents, corrosion and
stability additives are recommended.
Using gasolines that have these
additives will help improve fuel
economy, reduce emissions, and
maintain vehicle performance.
Designated TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline
contains a higher level
of detergents to further
aide in minimizing
engine and fuel system
deposits. When available, the usage of
Top Tier Detergent gasoline is
recommended. Visit
www.toptiergas.com for a list of TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline Retailers.
Indiscriminate use of fuel system
cleaning agents should be avoided.
Many of these materials intended for
gum and varnish removal may contain
active solvents or similar ingredients.
These can harm fuel system gasket and
diaphragm materials. Fuel System Cautions
Caution!Follow these guidelines to maintain your
vehicle’s performance:
The use of leaded gasoline is prohibited
by Federal law. Using leaded gasoline can
impair engine performance and damage
the emissions control system.
An out-of-tune engine or certain fuel or
ignition malfunctions can cause the
catalytic converter to overheat. If you notice
a pungent burning odor or some light
smoke, your engine may be out of tune or
malfunctioning and may require immediate
service. Contact your authorized dealer for
service assistance.
The use of fuel additives, which are now
being sold as octane enhancers, is not
recommended. Most of these products
contain high concentrations of methanol.
Fuel system damage or vehicle
performance problems resulting from the
use of such fuels or additives is not the
responsibility of the manufacturer and may
void or not be covered under the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Note: Intentional tampering with the
emissions control system can result in
civil penalties being assessed against
you.
174
STARTING AND OPERATING

For more traction in starting on
slippery surfaces such as ice or packed
snow, use sand, rock salt, chains,
carpeting, or other nonslip material
under the rear wheels.
Note: Use snow chains only on the
rear wheels.
Floor Mat Safety
Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit
the footwell of your vehicle. Use only
floor mats that leave the pedal area
unobstructed and that are firmly
secured so that they cannot slip out of
position and interfere with the pedals or
impair safe operation of your vehicle in
other ways. Warning!An improperly attached, damaged, folded,
or stacked floor mat, or damaged floor mat
fasteners may cause your floor mat to
interfere with the accelerator, brake, or
clutch pedals and cause a loss of vehicle
control. To prevent SERIOUS INJURY or
DEATH:
ALWAYS securely attach your floor
mat using the floor mat fasteners. DO NOT
install your floor mat upside down or turn
your floor mat over. Lightly pull to confirm
mat is secured using the floor mat
fasteners on a regular basis.
ALWAYS REMOVE THE EXISTING
FLOOR MAT FROM THE VEHICLE
before installing any other floor mat.
NEVER install or stack an additional floor
mat on top of an existing floor mat.
ONLY install floor mats designed to fit
your vehicle. NEVER install a floor mat that
cannot be properly attached and secured
to your vehicle. If a floor mat needs to be
replaced, only use a FCA approved floor
mat for the specific make, model, and year
of your vehicle.
ONLY use the driver’s side floor mat on
the driver’s side floor area. To check for
interference, with the vehicle properly
parked with the engine off, fully depress the
accelerator, the brake, and the clutch pedal
(if present) to check for interference. If your
floor mat interferes with the operation of
any pedal, or is not secure to the floor,
remove the floor mat from the vehicle and
place the floor mat in your trunk. ONLY use the passenger’s side floor mat
on the passenger’s side floor area.
ALWAYS make sure objects cannot fall
or slide into the driver’s side floor area
when the vehicle is moving. Objects can
become trapped under accelerator, brake,
or clutch pedals and could cause a loss of
vehicle control.
NEVER place any objects under the floor
mat (e.g., towels, keys, etc.). These objects
could change the position of the floor mat
and may cause interference with the
accelerator, brake, or clutch pedals.
If the vehicle carpet has been removed
and re-installed, always properly attach
carpet to the floor and check the floor mat
fasteners are secure to the vehicle carpet.
Fully depress each pedal to check for
interference with the accelerator, brake, or
clutch pedals then re-install the floor mats.
It is recommended to only use mild soap
and water to clean your floor mats. After
cleaning, always check your floor mat has
been properly installed and is secured to
your vehicle using the floor mat fasteners
by lightly pulling mat.
Rocking The Vehicle
Note: Too much rocking may cause
engine overheating, transmission failure,
and tire damage.
If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from snow, sand or mud, depress the
accelerator slightly and slowly move the
gear selector from 1 (D) to R.04090400-USA-001
Floor Mat Retention Post Location
179

Warning!Fast spinning tires can be dangerous.
Forces generated by excessive wheel
speeds may cause damage, or even
failure, of the axle and tires. A tire could
explode and injure someone. Do not spin
your vehicle's wheels faster than 30 mph
(48 km/h) or for longer than 30 seconds
continuously without stopping when you
are stuck and do not let anyone near a
spinning wheel, no matter what the speed.
Caution!When “rocking” a stuck vehicle by
shifting between DRIVE and REVERSE, do
not spin the wheels faster than 15 mph
(24 km/h), or drivetrain damage may result.
Revving the engine or spinning the
wheels too fast may lead to transmission
overheating and failure. It can also damage
the tires. Do not spin the wheels above
30 mph (48 km/h) while in gear (no
transmission shifting occurring).
Winter Driving
Carry emergency gear, including tire
chains, window scraper, flares, a small
shovel, jumper leads, and a small bag
of sand or salt. Contact an authorized dealer to check
the following:
Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in
the radiator.
Inspect the battery and its leads.
Cold reduces battery capacity.
Use an engine oil appropriate for the
lowest ambient temperatures that the
vehicle will be driven in.
Inspect the ignition system for
damage and loose connections.
Use winter windshield washer fluid
that will not freeze.
Note:
Remove snow before driving. Snow
left on the windshield is dangerous as
it could obstruct vision.
Drive slowly. Braking performance
can be adversely affected if snow or
ice adheres to the brake components.
If this situation occurs, drive the vehicle
slowly, releasing the accelerator pedal
and lightly applying the brakes several
times until the brake performance
returns to normal.
Do not open or close the soft top when
the temperature is 41 °F (5 °C) or less.
The material of the soft top could be
damaged by freezing. Do not apply excessive force to a
window scraper when removing ice or
frozen snow on the mirror glass and
windshield.
Never use warm or hot water for
removing snow or ice from windows
and mirrors as it could result in the
glass cracking.
Snow Tires
If your vehicle is equipped with the tire
pressure monitoring system (vehicle
with run-flat tires), the system may not
function correctly when using tires with
steel wire reinforcement in the
sidewalls.
Use Snow Tires on all Four Wheels :
Do not exceed the maximum
permissible speed for your snow tires or
legal speed limits.
When snow tires are used, select the
specified size and pressure.
Tire Chains
Check local regulations before using tire
chains.
If your vehicle is equipped with the
TPMS system, the system may not
function correctly when using tire
chains.
180
STARTING AND OPERATING

IN CASE OF EMERGENCYHAZARD WARNING LIGHTS . . . .184
REPLACING A BULB ......... .184
REPLACING FUSES ......... .194
JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING . .203
TIRE SERVICE KIT .......... .208
JUMPSTARTING........... .217
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS . . .219
TOWINGTHEVEHICLE....... .220
EVENT DATA RECORDER (EDR) . .222
183

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

Inspecting Coolant Level
Note: Changing the coolant should be
done by your authorized dealer.
Inspect the antifreeze protection and
coolant level in the coolant reservoir at
least once a year, at the beginning of
the winter season, and before traveling
where temperatures may drop below
freezing.
Inspect the condition and connections
of all cooling system and heater hoses.
Replace any that are worn or
deteriorated.
Warning!Do not open hot engine cooling system.
Never add engine coolant (antifreeze) when
the engine is overheated. Do not loosen or
remove the cap to cool an overheated
engine. Heat causes pressure to build up in
the cooling system. To prevent scalding or
injury, do not remove the pressure cap
while the system is hot or under pressure.
Do not use a pressure cap other than
the one specified for your vehicle. Personal
injury or engine damage may result.
The coolant should be at full in the
radiator and between the F (Full) and L
(Low) marks on the coolant reservoir
when the engine is cool. If it is at or near L (Low), add coolant by
mixing a minimum solution of 50%
Mopar Long Life Coolant Concentrate
for FIAT Spider. Use higher
concentrations (not to exceed 70%) if
temperatures below −34°F (−37°C) are
anticipated. Bring the level to F (Full).
Please contact your authorized dealer
for assistance.
Securely tighten the coolant reservoir
tank cap after adding coolant.
If the coolant reservoir is empty or new
coolant is required frequently, contact
your authorized dealer.
Brake/Clutch Fluid
Inspecting Brake/Clutch Fluid Level
The brakes and clutch draw fluid
from the same reservoir.
Inspect the fluid level in the reservoir
regularly. It should be kept between the MAX
and MIN lines.
The level normally drops with
accumulated use, a condition
associated with wear of brake and
clutch linings. If it is excessively low,
have the brake/clutch system
inspected. Contact your authorized
dealer.
Warning! Use only manufacturer's recommended
brake fluid. Refer to “Fluids And Lubricants”
in “Technical Specifications” for further
information. Using the wrong type of brake
fluid can severely damage your brake
system and/or impair its performance. The
proper type of brake fluid for your vehicle is
also identified on the original factory
installed hydraulic master cylinder reservoir. 07030501-121-001
Coolant Reservoir 07030601-121-002
Brake Fluid Reservoir
233