battery Lancia Thesis 2007 Owner handbook (in English)

304
IF THE BATTERY
IS FLAT
First of all, read the “Car mainte-
nance” chapter for the steps to be
taken to avoid the battery running
down and to ensure it has a long life.
RECHARGING THE BATTERY
IMPORTANTThe description of
the battery recharging procedure is
just for information. To carry out
this procedure go to a Lancia
Dealership.
You are advised to recharge the
battery slowly for a period of
approximately 24 hours at a low
amperage. Charging for too long
could damage the battery.Before reloading, care-
fully read and comply with
the instructions contained
in the previous paragraph “If bat-
tery is to be disconnected”.
Proceed as follows:
– Disconnect the terminal from the
battery negative pole (-).
– Connect the charger cables to the
battery terminals (observe polarity).
– Turn on the charger.
– When you have finished, turn the
charger off before disconnecting the
battery.
– Reconnect the terminal to the
battery negative pole (-).The liquid in the battery
is poisonous and corro-
sive. Do not let it touch
the skin or eyes. Recharging the
battery should be done in a well-
ventilated area and away from
naked flames or possible sources
of sparks: explosion and fire risk.
JUMP STARTING
See “Jump starting” in this chap-
ter.

305
Under no circumstances
should a battery charger
be used to start the
engine: it could damage the elec-
tronic systems and in particular
the ignition and injection control
units.Carefully clean the
threading before fastening
the tow ring. Before start-
ing to tow the car, make sure the
ring has been fully fastened. Never try to charge a
frozen battery: first let it
thaw out, otherwise it
may bust. If the battery has
frozen, check that the internal
elements are not broken (risk of
short circuit) and that the casing
is not cracked causing the acid to
leak out. This acid is poisonous
and corrosive.
TOWING THE CAR
The tow ring provided with the car
is to be found in the tool box under
the boot carpet.
To fit the tow ring proceed as fol-
lows:
– Remove the clipped in Acover
from the front (fig. 82) or rear
bumper (fig. 83), by using a screw-
driver as a lever in the point shown
in the figure.IMPORTANT To carry out this
operation, if you use the provided
flat-head screwdriver, cover its head
with a piece of cloth to prevent paint
damaging.
– Screw the tow ring Bin its hous-
ing.
fig. 82
L0A0090b
fig. 83
L0A0091b

308
– In pile-ups on the motorway,
particularly when the visibility is
bad, there is a high risk of other
vehicles running into those already
stopped. Get out of the car immedi-
ately and take refuge behind the
guard rail.
– If the doors are blocked, do not
attempt to smash the windscreen to
get out of the car. It is made of lay-
ered glass and is very hard. Side and
rear window are much more easily
broken.
– Remove the ignition keys from
the vehicles involved.
– If you can smell petrol or other
chemicals, do not smoke and make
sure all cigarettes are extinguished.
– Use a fire extinguisher, blanket,
sand or earth to put out fires no
matter how small they are. Never
use water.
– If it is not necessary to use the car
light system, disconnect the negative
terminal (–) from the battery pole.IF ANYONE IS INJURED
Never leave the injured person alone.
The obligation to provide assistance
exists even for those not directly in-
volved in the accident
– Do not congregate around the in-
jured person
– Reassure the injured person that
help is on its way and will arrive soon.
Stay close by to calm him/her down
in case of panic
– Unfasten or cut seat belts holding
injured parties
– Do not give an injured person any-
thing to drink.
– Do not move an injured person un-
less the following situations arise
– Pull the injured person from the
car only if it risks catching fire, it is
sinking in water or is likely to fall over
a cliff or similar. Do not pull his/her
arms or legs, do not bend the head
and, as far as possible, keep the body
horizontal.IF AN ACCIDENT
OCCURS
– It is important to keep calm.
– If you are not directly involved in
the accident, stop at least ten metres
away from the accident.
– If you are on a motorway do not
obstruct the emergency lane with
your car.
– Turn off the engine and turn on
the hazard lights.
– At night, illuminate the scene of
the accident with your headlights.
– Act carefully, you must not risk
being run over.
– Mark the accident by putting the
red triangle at the regulatory dis-
tance from the car where it can be
clearly seen.
– Call for rescue making the infor-
mation you give as accurate as you
can. On the motorway use the spe-
cial column-mounted emergency
phones.

312
SERVICE SCHEDULE
20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 thousands of kilometres
ççççç çççç
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ççççç çççç
ççççç ççççCheck tyre conditions and wear; adjust pressure, if required
Check primary and secondary battery charge status
Check wear of windscreen/rear window blades
Check rear disc brake pad wear
Inspect conditions of: underbody protection and outside
bodywork, piping (exhaust - fuel lines - brake lines), rubber parts
(boots, sleeves, bushings, etc.), brake and fuel line hoses
Check for bonnet and boot lock cleanness, lever cleanness
and lubrication
Sight check for conditions of Poly-V accessory drive belt
Check diesel engine smokiness in exhaust
Replace fuel filter (JTD versions)
Check fuel evaporation system operation
Replace air cleaner cartridge (petrol versions)
Replace air cleaner cartridge (JTD versions)
Check and top up fluids (engine coolant, brakes,
hydraulic clutch, power steering, windscreen washer, battery, etc.)

314
ADDITIONAL
CHECKS
Every 1,000 kmor before long
trips, check and top up as necessary:
– engine coolant level
– brake/hydraulic clutchfluid
level
– power steering fluid level
– windscreen/rear window and
headlight washer fluid level
– tyre pressure and conditions.
Every 3,000 kmcheck the engine
oil level and top up as necessary.
You are recommended to use FL
Seleniaproducts that are designed
and produced specifically for LAN-
CIA cars (see “Capacities” in
“Technical Specifications”).
ANNUAL
INSPECTION
SCHEDULE
The following annual inspection
schedule is recommended for
cars travelling less than 20,000
km a year (e.g. approximately
10,000 km). The schedule
includes the following opera-
tions:
1) Check tyre condition and wear
and adjust pressure (including spare
wheel)
2) Check wear on windscreen/rear
window blades
3) Check rear disc brake pad con-
ditions and wear
4) Inspect conditions of: under-
body protection and outside body-
work, piping (exhaust - fuel lines -
brake lines), rubber parts (boots -
sleeves - bushings, etc.), brake and
fuel line hoses5) check for bonnet and boot lock
cleanness, lever cleanness and lubri-
cation
6) Check primary and secondary
battery charge status
7) Check conditions of various con-
trol belts
8) Check and top up fluid levels
(engine coolant, brakes, windscreen
washer, battery, etc.)
9) Change engine oil
10) Replace engine oil filter
11) Replace dust/pollen filter.

316
IMPORTANT - Diesel filter
The different grades of purity in
diesel fuel normally available might
make it necessary to replace the fil-
ter more frequently than indicated
in the Service Schedule. If the engine
misfires it shows the filter needs
changing.IMPORTANT - Dust/pollen filter
If the car is often used in dusty or
extremely polluted environments,
you should change the filter element
more frequently. It should be
changed especially if the amount of
air introduced into the passenger
compartment is reduced.IMPORTANT - Battery
The charge in your battery should
be checked, where possible at the
start of the winter, to limit the risk
of the battery electrolyte freezing.
This check should be carried out
more frequently if the car is mainly
used for short trips or if it is fitted
with accessories that permanently
take in electricity even when the
ignition key is removed, especially in
the case of after market accessories.
If the car is used in very hot cli-
mates or particularly demanding
conditions check the battery elec-
trolyte more frequently than shown
in the “Service Schedule” in the
“Car maintenance” chapter.

326
Batteries contain sub-
stances that are very
harmful for the environ-
ment. You are advised to have the
battery changed at a Lancia
Dealership. It is properly
equipped for disposing of used
batteries in an environmentally-
friendly way that complies with
the law.
With the battery flat, or
after the interruption of
one of the protection
fuses, or if you want to disconnect
a loaded battery (e.g. for a car
stop period), before opening the
luggage compartment bonnet
carefully read and comply with
the instructions contained in the
paragraph “If battery is to be dis-
connected” in the chapter “In an
emergency”.
DUST/POLLEN
FILTER
This filter has a mechanical/elec-
trostatic air filtering action, provid-
ed that windows and doors are
closed.
Have the dust/pollen filter checked
once a year at a Lancia Dealership,
preferably at the onset of summer.
If the car is often used in dusty or
extremely polluted environments,
have the filter replaced more fre-
quently than specified in the Service
Schedule.
IMPORTANTFailure to replace
this filter can significantly reduce
climate control system effectiveness.
BATTERY
The battery is of the “Low
Maintenance” type and is fitted with
an indicator A(fig. 18) for checking
the electrolyte level and battery
charge.
Under normal condition of use top-
ping up the electrolyte with distilled
water is therefore not required. A
periodical check is however neces-
sary to make sure it is in efficient
conditions through the indicator on
the battery cover which should be
dark in colour with a green central
area.If the indicator is a bright colour,
or dark without the green central
area, contact a Lancia Dealership.
fig. 18
L0A0164b

327
If the car is left inactive
for long periods at cold,
remove the battery and
store it in a warm place to pre-
vent freezing.CHECKING THE BATTERY
CHARGE
The quality of the battery charge can be checked through the indicator (where
required).
If the battery is not fitted with electrolyte level indicator, the relevant checks
must only be carried out by authorised personnel.
To check the battery charge, slacken the two fastening screws and open the
cover. Check the battery charge and then reclose the cover, take care to prevent
pinching and short circuits.
Depending on the colour of the indicator, proceed as described in the table
below or on the label B(fig. 18) on the battery. Incorrect fitting of elec-
trical and electronic
accessories can seriously
damage the car. If you want to
add accessories after buying the
car (free-hand phone kit, etc.)
visit a Lancia Dealership. They
can suggest the most suitable
accessories to get and check
whether the electric system can
support the required load or
whether a larger capacity battery
is required.
When working on the
battery or near it, always
wear the proper goggles.
Running the battery with
low fluid level can dam-
age the battery beyond
repair and could also cause its
explosion.
Bright white colour
Dark colour
without green
central area
Dark colour
with green
central areaTop up electrolyte
Low battery
charge
Electrolyte level
and battery charge
sufficientContact a
Lancia Dealership
Charge the battery
(advisable to contact a
Lancia Dealership)
No action needed

328
CHARGING THE BATTERY
IMPORTANTThe battery charg-
ing procedure is described only for
information purposes since this
operation must be carried out by a
Lancia Dealership.
Charging should be slow at a low
amp rating for about 24 hours.
Charging for a longer period of time
may damage the battery.
Before reloading care-
fully read and comply with
instructions contained in
the paragraph “If battery is to be
disconnected” in the chapter “In
an emergency”.
To charge the battery proceed as
follows:
– Disconnect battery negative ter-
minal (–).
– Connect the battery charger wires
to the battery terminals and check
for proper bias.
– Turn the battery charger on.– After charging, turn the battery
charger off before disconnecting it
from the battery.
– Reconnect the battery negative
terminal (–).
The liquid in the battery
is poisonous and corrosive.
Do not let it touch the skin
or eyes. Recharging the battery
should be done in a well-venti-
lated area and away from naked
flames or possible sources of
sparks: explosion and fire risk.
Never attempt to charge
a frozen battery: it must
be thawed first, otherwise
it may explode. If freezing has
took place, the battery should be
checked before charging by spe-
cialised personnel, to make sure
that the internal elements are not
damaged and that the body is not
cracked, with the risk of leaking
poisonous and corrosive acid.IMPORTANTA battery which is
kept at a charge of less than 50% for
any length of time will be damaged
by sulphation leading to a reduction
in cranking power and a higher risk
of the battery electrolyte freezing
(this may even occur at –10 °C). If
the car is inactive for a long period
of time, refer to “Storing the car”, in
chapter “Driving your car”.
REPLACING THE
BATTERY
If required, replace the battery
with a genuine spare part presenting
the same specifications. If a battery
with different specifications is fitted,
the frequencies shown in the Service
Schedule in this chapter will no
longer apply. Refer to the instruc-
tions provided by the battery
Manufacturer.
IMPORTANTBefore opening the
luggage compartment bonnet to dis-
connect the battery, carefully read
and comply with instructions con-
tained in the paragraph “If battery is
to be disconnected” in the chapter
“In an emergency”.

329
USEFUL ADVICE FOR
LENGTHENING THE LIFE OF
YOUR BATTERY
To prevent rapidly draining the
battery and ensure that it continues
to work correctly, the following
should be noted:
– Terminals must always be firmly
tightened.
– Do not keep accessories (e.g.
sound system, hazard lights, parking
lights, etc.).
– When you park the car, ensure
the doors, boot and bonnet are
closed properly. The ceiling lights
must be off.
– Before working on the electrical
system, disconnect the negative
cable from the battery.– If after buying the car, you want
to install electric accessories which
require permanent electric supply,
visit a Lancia Dealership, whose
qualified personnel, in addition to
suggesting the most suitable devices
belonging to the Lineaccessori
Lancia, will evaluate the overall
electric absorption, checking
whether the car’s electric system is
capable of withstanding the load
required, or whether it should be
integrated with a more powerful
battery. These devices in fact take
electricity also when the ignition key
is removed (car parked, engine off),
and can gradually drain the battery.
The overall intake of these devices
(standard and after-market) must
be less than 0.6 mA x Ah (of the bat-
tery), as shown in the following
table.Battery Maximum
idle intake
70 Ah 42 mA
80 Ah 48 mA
100 Ah 60 mA
It is also important to remember
that high intake devices (such as
bottle warmers, vacuum cleaners,
cellular phones, frigo bar, etc.) will
speed up battery discharging when
powered with engine off or running
idle.
– Please note that when installing
additional systems in the car, incor-
rect wiring can be dangerous espe-
cially when concerning safety sys-
tems.