traction control Lancia Thema 2014 Owner handbook (in English)

speed will only be determined by
the position of the accelerator
pedal.
TO CANCEL
The system will disable ACC without
erasing the memory if:
You softly tap the brake pedal.
You depress the brake pedal.
You press the CANCEL switch.
An Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)event occurs.
If the transmission is shifted into NEUTRAL.
The Electronic Stability Control/ Traction Control System (ESC/
TCS) activates. NOTE: If ACC is resumed or set
with the ESC/TCS off, ESC will au-
tomatically be re-engaged.TO TURN OFF
The system will turn off and erase the
set speed in memory if:
You push and release the ON/OFF
button.
You turn OFF the ignition.
TO RESUME SPEED
Press the RES +button and release.
Then remove your foot from the ac-
celerator pedal. The EVIC will dis-
play the last set speed.
NOTE: You can resume ACC from
a minimum of 30 km/h.
WARNING!
The Resume function should only
be used if traffic and road condi-
tions permit. Resuming a set speed
that is too high or too low for pre-
vailing traffic and road conditions
could cause the vehicle to acceler-
ate or decelerate too sharply for
safe operation. Failure to follow
these warnings can result in a colli-
sion and death or serious personal
injury.
TO VARY THE SPEED
SETTING
While ACC is set, you can increase the
set speed by pressing and holding the
RES +button. The increase in set
speed is reflected in the EVIC display:
While in US Mode, if the button is
continually pressed, the set speed will
continue to increase in 8 km/h incre-
ments. While in Metric Mode, if the
button is continually pressed, the set
speed will continue to increase in
10 km/h increments.
Driver OverrideAdaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
Cancelled
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accelerator. Cruise Control can only
be operated if the vehicle speed is
above 30 km/h.
To change modes, press the MODE
button when the system is in either the
OFF, READY, or SET position.
“Cruise Ready” will be displayed if
the system was in ACC READY or
ACC SET position. “Cruise Off” will
be displayed if the system was in the
ACC OFF position. To switch back to
Adaptive Cruise Control mode, press
the MODE button a second time.
WARNING!
In the normal Cruise Control mode,
the system will not react to vehicles
ahead. In addition, the proximity
warning does not activate and no
alarm will sound even if you are too
close to the vehicle ahead since nei-
ther the presence of the vehicle
ahead nor the vehicle-to vehicle
distance is detected. Be sure to
maintain a safe distance between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead.
Always be aware which mode is
selected.To Set A Desired Speed
When the vehicle reaches the speed
desired, press the SET
-button and
release. The EVIC will display the set
speed.
NOTE: You must observe the dis-
play when setting or changing
speed, not the speedometer.
To Vary The Speed Setting
There are two ways to change the set
speed:
Use the accelerator pedal to adjust the vehicle to the desired speed and
press the SET -button.
Tap the RES +or SET -button to
increase or decrease the set speed in
1.6 km/h increments respectively.
Hold the RES +or SET -button for
10 km/h increments.
To Cancel
The system will disable normal Cruise
Control without erasing the memory
if:
You softly tap or depress the brake pedal. You press the CANCEL button.
The Electronic Stability Control/
Traction Control System (ESC/
TCS) activates.
To Resume
Press the RES +button and then re-
move your foot from the accelerator
pedal. The EVIC will display the last
set speed.
To Turn Off
The system will turn off and erase the
set speed in memory if:
You push and release the ON/OFF button.
You turn off the ignition.
You switch off ESC.
If the Cruise Control system is turned
off and reactivated, the system will
return to the last driver setting (ACC
or Normal Cruise Control).
135

DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES..........213
ACCELERATION ........................213
TRACTION ............................214
DRIVING THROUGH WATER ...............214
FLOWING/RISING WATER ................214
SHALLOW STANDING WATER .............214
POWER STEERING .......................215
PARKING BRAKE ........................216
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ...............217
ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM .....219
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) ........219
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS) .......219
BRAKE ASSIST SYSTEM (BAS) ............219
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) . .220
HILL START ASSIST (HSA) ...............222
READY ALERT BRAKING ................223
RAIN BRAKE SUPPORT ..................223
ESC ACTIVATION/MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT AND ESC OFF INDICATOR LIGHT . . . .223
SYNCHRONIZING ESC ...................224
TIRES — GENERAL INFORMATION ..........224
Tire Pressure ..........................224
Tire Inflation Pressures ..................225
Tire Pressures For High Speed Operation . . . .226
Radial Ply Tires ........................226
Tire Types.............................227
194

WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery sur-
faces is dangerous. Unequal trac-
tion can cause sudden pulling of the
rear wheels. You could lose control
of the vehicle and possibly have a
collision. Accelerate slowly and
carefully whenever there is likely to
be poor traction (ice, snow, wet
mud, loose sand, etc.).
TRACTION
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
it is possible for a wedge of water to
build up between the tire and road
surface. This is known as hydroplan-
ing and may cause partial or complete
loss of vehicle control and stopping
ability. To reduce this possibility, the
following precautions should be ob-
served:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or
when the roads are slushy.
2. Slow down if the road has standing
water or puddles.
3. Replace tires when tread wear in-
dicators first become visible.4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance be-
tween your vehicle and the vehicle in
front of you to avoid a collision in a
sudden stop.
DRIVING THROUGH
WATER
Driving through water more than a
centimeters deep will require extra
caution to ensure safety and prevent
damage to your vehicle.
FLOWING/RISING WATER
WARNING!
Do not drive on or across a road or
path where water is flowing and/or
rising (as in storm run-off). Flow-
ing water can wear away the road
or path's surface and cause your
vehicle to sink into deeper water.
Furthermore, flowing and/or rising
water can carry your vehicle away
swiftly. Failure to follow this warn-
ing may result in injuries that are
serious or fatal to you, your passen-
gers, and others around you.
SHALLOW STANDING
WATER
Although your vehicle is capable of
driving through shallow standing wa-
ter, consider the following Caution
and Warning before doing so.
CAUTION!
Always check the depth of the
standing water before driving
through it. Never drive through
standing water that is deeper
than the bottom of the tire rims
mounted on the vehicle.
Determine the condition of the road or the path that is under
water and if there are any ob-
stacles in the way before driving
through the standing water.
Do not exceed 8 km/h when driv- ing through standing water. This
will minimize wave effects.
(Continued)
214

The Electronic Brake Force Distribu-
tion (EBD) prevents the rear wheels
from over-braking and provides
greater control of available braking
forces applied to the rear axle.
When the vehicle is driven over
11 km/h, you may also hear a slight
clicking sound as well as some related
motor noises. These noises are the sys-
tem performing its self check cycle to
ensure that the ABS is working prop-
erly. This self check occurs each time
the vehicle is started and accelerated
past 11 km/h.
ABS is activated during braking un-
der certain road or stopping condi-
tions. ABS-inducing conditions can
include ice, snow, gravel, bumps, rail-
road tracks, loose debris, or panic
stops.
You also may experience the following
when the brake system goes into Anti-
Lock:
The ABS motor running (it maycontinue to run for a short time
after the stop), The clicking sound of solenoid
valves,
Brake pedal pulsations, and
A slight drop or fall away of the brake pedal at the end of the stop.
These are all normal characteristics of
ABS.
WARNING!
The ABS contains sophisticated electronic equipment that may be
susceptible to interference caused
by improperly installed or high
output radio transmitting equip-
ment. This interference can cause
possible loss of anti-lock braking
capability. Installation of such
equipment should be performed
by qualified professionals.
Pumping of the Anti-Lock Brakes will diminish their effectiveness
and may lead to a collision.
Pumping makes the stopping dis-
tance longer. Just press firmly on
your brake pedal when you need
to slow down or stop.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
The ABS cannot prevent thenatural laws of physics from act-
ing on the vehicle, nor can it in-
crease braking or steering effi-
ciency beyond that afforded by
the condition of the vehicle
brakes and tires or the traction
afforded.
The ABS cannot prevent colli- sions, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, fol-
lowing another vehicle too
closely, or hydroplaning.
The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must never be
exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner that could jeopardize
the user's safety or the safety of
others.
All vehicle wheels and tires must be
the same size and type and tires must
be properly inflated to produce accu-
rate signals for the computer.
218

ELECTRONIC BRAKE
CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with an ad-
vanced electronic brake control sys-
tem that include Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS), Traction Control Sys-
tem (TCS), Brake Assist System
(BAS), and the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC). All four of these sys-
tems work together to enhance vehicle
stability and control in various driv-
ing conditions.
Also, your vehicle may be equipped
with Hill Start Assist (HSA), Ready
Alert Braking, and Rain Brake Sup-
port.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE
SYSTEM (ABS)
This system aids the driver in main-
taining vehicle control under adverse
braking conditions by controlling hy-
draulic brake pressure. This prevents
wheel lock-up to help avoid skidding
on slippery surfaces during braking.
Refer to “Anti-Lock Brake System” in
“Starting and Operating” for further
information.
WARNING!
The ABS cannot prevent the natu-
ral laws of physics from acting on
the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing
road conditions. The ABS cannot
prevent collisions, including those
resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery sur-
faces, or hydroplaning. The capa-
bilities of an ABS-equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reck-
less or dangerous manner that
could jeopardize the user's safety or
the safety of others.
TRACTION CONTROL
SYSTEM (TCS)
This system monitors the amount of
wheel spin of each driven wheel. If
wheel spin is detected, brake pressure
is applied to the slipping wheel(s) and
engine power is reduced to provide
enhanced acceleration and stability.
A feature of the TCS system, Brake
Lock Differential (BLD), controls the
wheel spin across a driven axle. If one
wheel on a driven axle is spinningfaster than the other, the system will
apply the brake of the spinning wheel.
This will allow more engine torque to
be applied to the wheel that is not
spinning. This feature remains active
even if TCS and ESC are in the “Par-
tial Off” mode. Refer to “Electronic
Stability Control (ESC)” in this sec-
tion for more information.
BRAKE ASSIST SYSTEM
(BAS)
This system complements the ABS by
optimizing the vehicle braking capa-
bility during emergency brake ma-
neuvers. This system detects an emer-
gency braking situation by sensing
the rate and amount of brake applica-
tion and then applies optimum pres-
sure to the brakes. This can help re-
duce braking distances.
Applying the brakes very quickly re-
sults in the best BAS assistance. To
receive the benefits of this system, you
must apply continuous brake pedal
pressure during the stopping se-
quence. Do not reduce brake pedal
pressure unless braking is no longer
219

desired. Once the brake pedal is re-
leased, the BAS is deactivated.
WARNING!
The BAS cannot prevent the natu-
ral laws of physics from acting on
the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded by prevailing
road conditions. The BAS cannot
prevent collisions, including those
resulting from excessive speed in
turns, driving on very slippery sur-
faces, or hydroplaning. The capa-
bilities of a BAS-equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reck-
less or dangerous manner that
could jeopardize the user's safety or
the safety of others.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY
CONTROL (ESC)
This system enhances directional con-
trol and stability of the vehicle under
various driving conditions. The ESC
corrects for oversteering and under-
steering the vehicle by applying the
brake of the appropriate wheel. En-
gine power may also be reduced to
assist in counteracting the condition
of oversteer or understeer and help
the vehicle maintain the desired path.
The ESC uses sensors in the vehicle to
determine the path that the driver
intends to steer the vehicle and com-
pares it to the actual path of the ve-
hicle. When the actual path does not
match the intended path, the ESC
applies the brake of the appropriate
wheel to assist in counteracting the
condition of oversteer or understeer.
Oversteer - when the vehicle isturning more than appropriate for
the steering wheel position.
Understeer - when the vehicle is turning less than appropriate for
the steering wheel position.
WARNING!
The Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) cannot prevent the natural
laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle, nor can it increase the trac-
tion afforded by prevailing road
conditions. ESC cannot prevent all
accidents, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, driv-
ing on very slippery surfaces, or
hydroplaning. ESC also cannot
prevent collisions resulting from
loss of vehicle control due to inap-
propriate driver input for the con-
ditions. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent acci-
dents. The capabilities of an ESC
equipped vehicle must never be ex-
ploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the
user’s safety or the safety of others.
ESC Operating Modes
The ESC system has two or three
available operating modes:
ESC On
This is the normal operating mode for
the ESC. Whenever the vehicle is
220

started, the ESC system will be in this
mode. This mode should be used for
most driving conditions. The ESC
should only be turned OFF for spe-
cific reasons as noted in the following
paragraphs.
Partial Off
The “Partial Off” mode is intended
for times when a more spirited driving
experience is desired. It is also in-
tended for driving in deep snow, sand,
or gravel. This mode disables the TCS
portion of the ESC and raises the
threshold for ESC activation, which
allows for more wheel spin than what
ESC normally allows.
The “ESC Off” switch is located on
the switch bank in the center of the
instrument panel. To enter the “Par-
tial Off” mode, momentarily press the
“ESC Off” switch and the “ESC off
indicator light” will illuminate. To
turn the ESC on again, momentarily
press the “ESC Off” switch and the
“ESC off indicator light” will turn off.WARNING!
When in “Partial Off” mode, theTCS functionality of ESC, (ex-
cept for the limited slip feature
described in the TCS section), has
been disabled and the “ESC Off
Indicator Light” will be illumi-
nated. When in “Partial Off”
mode, the engine power reduction
feature of TCS is disabled, and
the enhanced vehicle stability of-
fered by the ESC system is re-
duced
Trailer Sway control (TSC) is dis- abled when the ESC system is in
the “Partial Off” mode.
NOTE:
To improve the vehicle's traction when driving with snow chains,
or when starting off in deep
snow, sand, or gravel, it may be
desirable to switch to the “Par-
tial Off” mode by momentarily
pressing the “ESC Off” switch.
Once the situation requiring
“Partial Off” mode is overcome, turn the ESC on again by mo-
mentarily pressing the “ESC Off”
switch. This may be done while
the vehicle is in motion.
Trailer Sway control (TSC) is disabled when the ESC system is
in the “Partial Off” mode.
Full Off (for versions/markets,
where provided)
This mode is intended for off-
highway or off-road use only and
should not be used on any public
roadways.
In this mode, all TCS and ESC stabil-
ity features are turned OFF. To enter
the “Full Off” mode, press and hold
the “ESC Off” switch for five seconds
while the vehicle is stopped with the
engine running. After five seconds, a
chime will sound, the “ESC Off Indi-
cator Light” will illuminate, and the
“ESC OFF” message will display in
the Electronic Vehicle Information
Center (EVIC). To turn ESC ON
again, momentarily press the “ESC
Off” switch.
221

driven several kilometers at speeds
greater than 48 km/h, see your autho-
rized dealer as soon as possible to
have the problem diagnosed and
corrected.
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction In-
dicator Light” (located in the instru-
ment cluster) starts to flash as soon as
the tires lose traction and the ESC
system becomes active. The “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator
Light” also flashes when TCS is ac-
tive. If the “ESC Activation/
Malfunction Indicator Light” begins
to flash during acceleration, ease up
on the accelerator and apply as little
throttle as possible. Be sure to adapt
your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions.
NOTE:
The “ESC Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light”
and the “ESC OFF Indicator
Light” come on momentarily
each time the ignition switch is
turned ON. Each time the ignition is turned
ON, the ESC system will be ON
even if it was turned off
previously.
The ESC system will make buzz- ing or clicking sounds when it is
active. This is normal; the
sounds will stop when ESC be-
comes inactive following the
maneuver that caused the ESC
activation.
The “ESC OFF Indicator
Light” indicates the Elec-
tronic Stability Control
(ESC) is in Partial OFF
mode.
SYNCHRONIZING ESC
If the power supply is inter-
rupted (battery disconnected
or discharged), the “ESC
Activation/Malfunction In-
dicator Light” may illuminate with the
engine running. If this should occur,
turn the steering wheel completely to
the left and then to the right. The “ESC
Activation/Malfunction Indicator Light” should go out. However, if the
light remains on, have the ESC and
BAS checked at your authorized dealer
as soon as possible.
TIRES — GENERAL
INFORMATION
Tire Pressure
Proper tire inflation pressure is essen-
tial to the safe and satisfactory opera-
tion of your vehicle. Three primary
areas are affected by improper tire
pressure:
Safety
WARNING!
Improperly inflated tires are dan-
gerous and can cause collisions.
Under-inflation increases tire flexing and can result in over-
heating and tire failure.
(Continued)
224

It is recommended you contact your
authorized tire dealer or original
equipment dealer with any questions
you may have on tire specifications or
capability. Failure to use equivalent
replacement tires may adversely af-
fect the safety, handling, and ride of
your vehicle.
WARNING!
Do not use a tire, wheel size orrating other than that specified
for your vehicle. Some combina-
tions of unapproved tires and
wheels may change suspension
dimensions and performance
characteristics, resulting in
changes to steering, handling,
and braking of your vehicle. This
can cause unpredictable handling
and stress to steering and suspen-
sion components. You could lose
control and have a collision re-
sulting in serious injury or death.
Use only the tire and wheel sizes
with load ratings approved for
your vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
Never use a tire with a smallerload index or capacity, other than
what was originally equipped on
your vehicle. Using a tire with a
smaller load index could result in
tire overloading and failure. You
could lose control and have a col-
lision.

Failure to equip your vehicle with
tires having adequate speed capa-
bility can result in sudden tire fail-
ure and loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION!
Replacing original tires with tires of
a different size may result in false
speedometer and odometer read-
ings.
TIRE CHAINS
(TRACTION DEVICES)
Use of traction devices require suffi-
cient tire-to-body clearance. Follow
these recommendations to guard
against damage.
Traction device must be of proper size for the tire, as recommended by
the traction device manufacturer.
Install on Rear Tires Only.
Due to limited clearance, on a 235/ 55R18 100V, use reduced size snow
chains or traction devices with a
maximum projection of 6 mm be-
yond the tire profile.
WARNING!
Using tires of different size and type
(M+S, Snow) between front and
rear axles can cause unpredictable
handling. You could lose control
and have a collision.
231