warning Lancia Thema 2013 Owner handbook (in English)

NOTE: Press the "ESC Off"
switch, to place the Electronic Sta-
bility Control (ESC) system in
"Partial Off" mode, before rocking
the vehicle. Refer to “Electronic
Brake Control” in “Starting And
Operating” for further informa-
tion.Once the vehicle has been
freed, press the "ESC Off" switch
again to restore "ESC On" mode.CAUTION!
 When “rocking” a stuck vehicleby shifting between DRIVE and
REVERSE, do not spin the
wheels faster than 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 48 km/h while in gear (no
transmission shifting occurring).
WARNING!
Fast spinning tires can be danger-
ous. 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 48 km/h or for
longer than 30 seconds continu-
ously without stopping when you
are stuck and do not let anyone
near a spinning wheel, no matter
what the speed.
TOW EYES
Your vehicle is equipped with tow
eyes, which are mounted in the front
and the rear.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 tow-
ing. You could damage your ve-
hicle. Tow straps are recommended
when towing the vehicle; chains
may cause vehicle damage.
WARNING!
Stand clear of vehicles when pull-
ing with tow eyes. Tow straps and
chains may break, causing serious
injury.
SHIFT LEVER
OVERRIDE — 5 SPEED
TRANSMISSION
If a malfunction occurs and the shift
lever cannot be moved out of the
PARK position, you can use the fol-
lowing procedure to temporarily
move the shift lever:
1. Turn the engine OFF.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the rubber liner from the
storage tray (located next to the
shifter on the center console).
4. Press and maintain firm pressure
on the brake pedal.
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5. Insert a screwdriver or similar tool
into the access port (in the left side of
the storage bin), and push and hold
the override release lever in.
6. Move the shift lever to the NEU-
TRAL position.
7. The vehicle may then be started in
NEUTRAL.
8. Reinstall the rubber storage bin
liner.MANUAL PARK
RELEASE — 8 SPEED
TRANSMISSION
(3.6L Engine)
WARNING!
Always secure your vehicle by fully
applying the parking brake, before
activating the Manual Park Re-
lease. Activating the Manual Park
Release will allow your vehicle to
roll away if it is not secured by the
parking brake or by proper connec-
tion to a tow vehicle. Activating the
Manual Park Release on an unse-
cured vehicle could lead to serious
injury or death for those in or
around the vehicle.
In order to push or tow the vehicle in
cases where the transmission will not
shift out of PARK (such as a dead
battery), a Manual Park Release is
available. Follow these steps to use the Manual
Park Release:
NOTE:
To prevent the vehicle
from rolling unintentionally, firmly
apply the parking brake.
1. Remove the console storage bin to
access the Manual Park Release lever.
2.
Using a small screwdriver or similar
tool, fish the tether strap up through
the opening in the console base.
Shift Lever Override
Console Storage Bin
264

ENGINE OIL – DIESEL
ENGINE
Engine Oil Selection – 3.0L
EngineCAUTION!
Car maintenance should be done at
a LANCIA Dealership. For routine
and minor maintenance operations
you wish to carry out yourself, we
do recommend you have the proper
equipment, genuine LANCIA spare
parts and the necessary fluids; do
not however carry out these opera-
tions if you have no experience.
SAE Grade 5W-30 SELENIA MUL-
TIPOWER C3 fully synthetic engine
oil that meets FIAT Qualification
9.55535 API SM/CF, ACEA C3 or
equivalent.
The engine oil filler cap also shows the
recommended engine oil viscosity for
your engine. For information on en-
gine oil filler cap location, refer to
“Engine Compartment” in “Main-
taining Your Vehicle” for further in-
formation. SYNTHETIC ENGINE OILS
You may use synthetic engine oils pro-
vided the recommended oil quality
requirements are met, and the recom-
mended maintenance intervals for oil
and filter changes are followed.
MATERIALS ADDED TO
ENGINE OILS
Do not add supplemental materials,
other than leak detection dyes, to the
engine oil. Engine oil is an engineered
product, and its performance may be
impaired by supplemental additives.
DISPOSING OF USED
ENGINE OIL AND FILTERS
Care should be taken in disposing of
used engine oil and oil filters from
your vehicle. Used oil and oil filters,
indiscriminately discarded, can pres-
ent a problem to the environment.
Contact your local authorized dealer,
service station, or governmental
agency for advice on how and where
used oil and oil filters can be safely
discarded in your area.
ENGINE OIL FILTER
The engine oil filter should be re-
placed with a new filter at every oil
change.
Engine Oil Filter Selection
The manufacturer's engines have a
full-flow type disposable oil filter. Use
a filter of this type for replacement.
The quality of replacement filters var-
ies considerably. Only high-quality
filters should be used to assure most
efficient service. LANCIA engine oil
filters are high-quality oil filters and
are recommended.
ENGINE AIR CLEANER
FILTER
Refer to the “Maintenance Schedule”
for the proper maintenance intervals.
WARNING!
The air induction system (air
cleaner, hoses, etc.) can provide a
measure of protection in the case of
engine backfire. Do not remove the
air induction system (air cleaner,
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275

WARNING!(Continued)
hoses, etc.) unless such removal is
necessary for repair or mainte-
nance. Make sure that no one is
near the engine compartment be-
fore starting the vehicle with the air
induction system (air cleaner,
hoses, etc.) removed. Failure to do
so can result in serious personal
injury.
Engine Air Cleaner Filter
Selection
The quality of replacement engine air
cleaner filters varies considerably.
Only high quality filters should be
used to assure most efficient service.
LANCIA engine air cleaner filters are
a high quality filter and are recom-
mended. MAINTENANCE-FREE
BATTERY
The top of the maintenance-free
battery is permanently sealed. You
will never have to add water, nor is
periodic maintenance required.
NOTE: The battery is stored un-
der an access cover in the trunk.
Remote battery terminals are lo-
cated in the engine compartment
for jump-starting.
WARNING!
 Battery fluid is a corrosive acid
solution and can burn or even
blind you. Do not allow battery
fluid to contact your eyes, skin, or
clothing. Do not lean over a bat-
tery when attaching clamps. If
acid splashes in eyes or on skin,
flush the area immediately with
large amounts of water.
 Battery gas is flammable and ex-
plosive. Keep flame or sparks
away from the battery. Do not use
a booster battery or any other
booster source with an output
greater than 12 Volts. Do not
allow cable clamps to touch each
other.
 Battery posts, terminals, and re- lated accessories contain lead and
lead compounds. Wash hands
after handling.
 The battery in this vehicle has a vent hose that should not be dis-
connected and should only be re-
placed with a battery of the same
type (vented).
Battery Location
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CAUTION!
It is essential when replacing the
cables on the battery that the posi-
tive cable is attached to the posi-
tive post and the negative cable is
attached to the negative post. Bat-
tery posts are marked positive (+)
and negative (-) and are identified
on the battery case. Cable clamps
should be tight on the terminal
posts and free of corrosion.If a “fast charger” is used while the
battery is in the vehicle, disconnect
both vehicle battery cables before
connecting the charger to the bat-
tery. Do not use a “fast charger” to
provide starting voltage.
AIR CONDITIONER
MAINTENANCE
For best possible performance, your
air conditioner should be checked and
serviced by an authorized dealer at
the start of each warm season. This
service should include cleaning of the
condenser fins and a performance
test. Drive belt tension should also be
checked at this time.
CAUTION!
Do not use chemical flushes in your
air conditioning system as the
chemicals can damage your air
conditioning components. Such
damage is not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.WARNING!
Use only refrigerants and compres-
sor lubricants approved by the
manufacturer for your air condi-
tioning system. Some unapproved
refrigerants are flammable and can
explode, injuring you. Other unap-
proved refrigerants or lubricants
can cause the system to fail, requir-
ing costly repairs. The air conditioning system con-tains refrigerant under high pres-
sure. To avoid risk of personal
injury or damage to the system,
adding refrigerant or any repair
requiring lines to be disconnected
should be done by an experienced
technician. Refrigerant Recovery And
Recycling
R-134a Air Conditioning Refrigerant
is a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) that is
endorsed by the Environmental Pro-
tection Agency and is an ozone-saving
product. However, the manufacturer
recommends that air conditioning
service be performed by authorized
dealer or other service facilities using
recovery and recycling equipment.
NOTE: Use only manufacturer
approved A/C system sealers, stop
leak products, seal conditioners,
compressor oil, and refrigerants.
A/C AIR FILTER
CAUTION!
Car maintenance should be done at
a LANCIA Dealership. For routine
and minor maintenance operations
you wish to carry out yourself, we
do recommend you have the proper
equipment, genuine LANCIA spare
parts and the necessary fluids; do
not however carry out these opera-
tions if you have no experience.
277

WINDSHIELD WIPER
BLADES
Clean the rubber edges of the wiper
blades and the windshield periodi-
cally with a sponge or soft cloth and a
mild nonabrasive cleaner. This will
remove accumulations of salt or road
film.
Operation of the wipers on dry glass
for long periods may cause deteriora-
tion of the wiper blades. Always use
washer fluid when using the wipers to
remove salt or dirt from a dry wind-
shield.
Avoid using the wiper blades to re-
move frost or ice from the windshield.
Keep the blade rubber out of contact
with petroleum products such as en-
gine oil, gasoline, etc.
NOTE: Life expectancy of wiper
blades varies depending on geo-
graphical area and frequency of
use. Poor performance of blades
may be present with chattering,
marks, water lines or wet spots. If
any of these conditions are pres-
ent, clean the wiper blades or re-
place as necessary.ADDING WASHER FLUID
The windshield washer and the head-
light washer share the same fluid res-
ervoir. The fluid reservoir is located in
the front of the engine compartment.
Be sure to check the fluid level in the
reservoir at regular intervals. Fill the
reservoir with windshield washer
solvent (not radiator antifreeze) and
operate the system for a few seconds
to flush out the residual water.
When refilling the washer fluid reser-
voir, apply some washer fluid to a
cloth or towel and wipe the wiper
blades clean. This will help blade per-
formance.
To prevent freeze-up of your wind-
shield washer system in cold weather,
select a solution or mixture that meets
or exceeds the temperature range of
your climate. This rating information
can be found on most washer fluid
containers.
The fluid reservoir will hold nearly
4 Liters of washer fluid when the mes-
sage “Low Washer Fluid” appears in
the Electronic Vehicle Information
Center (EVIC).
WARNING!Commercially available windshield
washer solvents are flammable. They
could ignite and burn you. Care must
be exercised when filling or working
around the washer solution.CAUTION!
Car maintenance should be done at
a LANCIA Dealership. For routine
and minor maintenance operations
you wish to carry out yourself, we
do recommend you have the proper
equipment, genuine LANCIA spare
parts and the necessary fluids; do
not however carry out these opera-
tions if you have no experience.
INTERVENTION
REGENERATION
STRATEGY –
3.0L DIESEL ENGINE
This vehicle is equipped with a state-
of-the-art engine and exhaust system
containing a diesel particulate filter.
The engine and exhaust after-
treatment system work together to
279

meet the Emission standards. The
system manages engine combustion to
allow the exhaust system’s catalyst to
trap and burn Particulate Matter
(PM) pollutants with no input or in-
teraction on your part.
Refer to “Electronic Vehicle Informa-
tion Center (EVIC)” in “Understand-
ing Your Instrument Cluster” for fur-
ther information.
EXHAUST SYSTEM
The best protection against carbon
monoxide entry into the vehicle body
is a properly maintained engine ex-
haust system.
Whenever a change is noticed in the
sound of the exhaust system, when
exhaust fumes can be detected inside
the vehicle, or when the underside or
rear of the vehicle is damaged, have a
competent mechanic inspect the com-
plete exhaust system and adjacent
body areas for broken, damaged, de-
teriorated, or mispositioned parts.
Open seams or loose connections
could permit exhaust fumes to seepinto the passenger compartment. In
addition, have the exhaust system in-
spected each time the vehicle is raised
for lubrication or oil change. Replace
as required.
WARNING!
Exhaust gases can injure or kill.
They contain carbon monoxide
(CO), which is colorless and odor-
less. Breathing it can make you un-
conscious and can eventually poi-
son you. To avoid breathing CO,
refer to “Safety Tips/Exhaust Gas”
in “Things To Know Before Start-
ing Your Vehicle” for further infor-
mation.CAUTION!The catalytic converter requires the
use of unleaded fuel only. Leaded
gasoline will destroy the effective-
ness of the catalyst as an emissions
control device and may seriously re-
duce engine performance and cause
serious damage to the engine.
Under normal operating conditions,
the catalytic converter will not require
maintenance. However, it is impor-
tant to keep the engine properly tuned
to assure proper catalyst operation
and prevent possible catalyst damage.CAUTION!Damage to the catalytic converter
can result if your vehicle is not kept
in proper operating condition. In the
event of engine malfunction, par-
ticularly involving engine misfire or
other apparent loss of performance,
have your vehicle serviced promptly.
Continued operation of your vehicle
with a severe malfunction could
cause the converter to overheat, re-
sulting in possible damage to the
converter and the vehicle.NOTE: Intentional tampering
with emissions control systems can
result in civil penalties being as-
sessed against you.
280

WARNING!
A hot exhaust system can start a fire
if you park over materials that can
burn. Such materials might be
grass or leaves coming into contact
with your exhaust system. Do not
park or operate your vehicle in ar-
eas where your exhaust system can
contact anything that can burn.
In unusual situations involving
grossly malfunctioning engine opera-
tion, a scorching odor may indicate
severe and abnormal catalyst over-
heating. If this should occur, safely
bring the vehicle to a complete stop,
shut the engine OFF, and allow the
vehicle to cool. Thereafter, obtain ser-
vice, including a tune-up to manufac-
turer's specifications immediately.
To minimize the possibility of catalyst
damage:
 Do not shut off the engine or inter- rupt the ignition when the trans-
mission is in gear and the vehicle is
in motion.
 Do not try to start the engine by pushing or towing the vehicle.  Do not idle the engine with any
spark plug wires disconnected or
removed, such as when diagnostic
testing, or for prolonged periods
during very rough idling or mal-
functioning operating conditions.
COOLING SYSTEM
WARNING!
 When working near the radiator cooling fan, disconnect the fan
motor lead or turn the ignition
switch to the LOCK position. The
fan is temperature controlled and
can start at anytime the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
 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 radia-
tor has had time to cool. Never try
to open a cooling system pressure
cap when the radiator is hot.
CAUTION!
Car maintenance should be done at
a LANCIA Dealership. For routine
and minor maintenance operations
you wish to carry out yourself, we
do recommend you have the proper
equipment, genuine LANCIA spare
parts and the necessary fluids; do
not however carry out these opera-
tions if you have no experience.
Coolant ChecksCheck engine coolant (antifreeze) pro-
tection every 12 months (before the
onset of freezing weather, where appli-
cable). If the engine coolant (anti-
freeze) is dirty or rusty in appearance,
the system should be drained, flushed,
and refilled with fresh coolant. Check
the front of the A/C condenser for any
accumulation of bugs, leaves, etc. If
dirty, clean by gently spraying water
from a garden hose vertically down the
face of the condenser.Check the coolant recovery bottle
tubing for brittle rubber, cracking,
tears, cuts, and tightness of the con-
nection at the bottle and radiator.
Inspect the entire system for leaks.
281

quality water will reduce the amount
of corrosion protection in the engine
cooling system.Please note that it is the owner's respon-
sibility to maintain the proper level of
protection against freezing according to
the temperatures occurring in the area
where the vehicle is operated.NOTE: Mixing engine coolant
(antifreeze) types will decrease the
life of the engine coolant (anti-
freeze) and will require more fre-
quent engine coolant (antifreeze)
changes.
Cooling System Pressure Cap
The cap must be fully tightened to
prevent loss of engine coolant (anti-
freeze), and to ensure that engine
coolant (antifreeze) will return to the
radiator from the coolant recovery
bottle.The cap should be inspected and
cleaned if there is any accumulation of
foreign material on the sealing surfaces.
WARNING!
 The warning words “DO NOTOPEN HOT” on the cooling sys-
tem pressure cap are a safety pre-
caution. Never add engine cool-
ant (antifreeze) when the engine
is overheated. Do not loosen or
remove the cap to cool an over-
heated engine. Heat causes pres-
sure to build up in the cooling
system. To prevent scalding or in-
jury, 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.
Disposal Of Used Engine Coolant
Used ethylene glycol-based engine
coolant (antifreeze) is a regulated
substance requiring proper disposal.
Check with your local authorities to
determine the disposal rules for your
community. To prevent ingestion by
animals or children, do not store
ethylene glycol-based engine coolant
(antifreeze) in open containers or allow it to remain in puddles on the
ground. If ingested by a child or pet,
seek emergency assistance immedi-
ately. Clean up any ground spills im-
mediately.
Coolant Level
The coolant bottle provides a quick
visual method for determining that
the coolant level is adequate. With the
engine OFF and cold, the level of the
coolant in the bottle should be be-
tween the ranges indicated on the
bottle.
The radiator normally remains com-
pletely full, so there is no need to
remove the radiator cap unless check-
ing for engine coolant (antifreeze)
freeze point or replacing engine cool-
ant (antifreeze). Advise your service
attendant of this. As long as the en-
gine operating temperature is satis-
factory, the coolant bottle need only
be checked once a month.
When additional engine coolant (an-
tifreeze) is needed to maintain the
proper level, it should be added to the
coolant bottle. Do not overfill.
283

Points To Remember
NOTE: When the vehicle is
stopped after a few kilometers of
operation, you may observe vapor
coming from the front of the engine
compartment. This is normally a
result of moisture from rain, or
high humidity accumulating on
the radiator and being vaporized
when the thermostat opens, allow-
ing hot engine coolant (antifreeze)
to enter the radiator.
If an examination of your engine com-
partment shows no evidence of radia-
tor or hose leaks, the vehicle may be
safely driven. The vapor will soon dis-
sipate.
 Do not overfill the coolant recoverybottle.
Check engine coolant (antifreeze)
freeze point in the radiator and in
the coolant recovery bottle. If engine
coolant (antifreeze) needs to be
added, contents of coolant recovery
bottle must also be protected against
freezing.
 If frequent engine coolant (anti- freeze) additions are required, or if
the level in the coolant recovery
bottle does not drop when the en-
gine cools, the cooling system
should be pressure tested for leaks.
Maintain engine coolant (antifreeze)
concentration at 50% engine coolant
(antifreeze) (minimum) and dis-
tilled water for proper corrosion pro-
tection of your engine, which con-
tains aluminum components. Make sure that the radiator and coolant recovery bottle overflow
hoses are not kinked or obstructed.
 Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your vehicle is equipped with air
conditioning, keep the front of the
condenser clean.
 Do not change the thermostat for Summer or Winter operation. If re-
placement is ever necessary, install
ONLY the correct type thermostat.
Other designs may result in unsat-
isfactory engine coolant (anti-
freeze) performance, poor gas mile-
age, and increased emissions. BRAKE SYSTEM
In order to assure brake system per-
formance, all brake system compo-
nents should be inspected periodi-
cally. Refer to the “Maintenance
Schedule” for the proper maintenance
intervals.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake
failure and possibly an accident.
Driving with your foot resting or
riding on the brake pedal can result
in abnormally high brake tempera-
tures, excessive lining wear, and
possible brake damage. You would
not have your full braking capacity
in an emergency.CAUTION!
Car maintenance should be done at
a LANCIA Dealership. For routine
and minor maintenance operations
you wish to carry out yourself, we
do recommend you have the proper
equipment, genuine LANCIA spare
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284