light Lancia Thesis 2009 Owner handbook (in English)

243
Automatic dynamic beam adjust-
ment device
Bi-Xeno headlights require, due to
produced brilliancy, an automatic,
dynamic beam adjustment system.
This system is managed by an elec-
tronic control unit that controls the
actuators mounted on each dipped
beam headlight. Actuator control
depends on the processing of the sig-
nals from two orientation sensors.
This automatic dynamic beam
adjustment system provides the fol-
lowing advantages:
– it avoids dazzling the vehicles
coming from the opposite direction
– it stabilizes the illuminated area
so as to improve active safety.Headlight beam adjustment con-
trol unit
The control unit calculates the
instant car trim, by comparing the
signals from the orientation sensors.
A “correction” signal is sent to the
actuators to adapt light beam orien-
tation to the calculated car trim.
To avoid oscillation of the anti-
dazzling beam in case of particular
road surfaces (paved surfaces, dirt
roads, etc.) or abrupt movements of
the car caused by the driver (clutch
disengagement, gear change, etc.),
the control unit reduces the number
of corrections to be made on the
light unit.Fault indication
Anomalies in the operation of one
or several system components are
signalled by the lighting of symbol
6on the multifunction display,
together with message “HEAD-
LAMP INCLINATION ADJUST-
MENT SYSTEM FAULT”.
IMPORTANTIn case of faults,
contact a Lancia Dealership.
In case of component anomaly or
voltage drop, the system controls in
any case system operation according
to the following logic:
– faulty front sensor: trim calcula-
tion is made by replacing the voltage
value read on the faulty sensor with
a stored, fixed value
– faulty rear sensor: the system is
switched to the safety operation
mode and keeps the headlights in a
preset position of maximum lower-
ing allowed by the light beam.

244
– Failed connection of actuators: if
the control signal is failing, the actu-
ators will be brought back to the
position of maximum lowering per-
mitted for the light beam
– control unit failure: depending on
the type of failure, the system can
remain in the position where it was
when the failure occurred, or set
itself for the maximum lowering per-
mitted for the light beam
– voltage drop: when voltage falls
below 9 V, the system remains in the
position where it was when the fail-
ure occurred.HEADLAMP ORIENTATION FOR
LEFT-/RIGHT HAND DRIVE
The car headlights are equipped
with Bi-Xeno lamps with high light-
ing power; therefore, when you trav-
el from a country with right-hand
drive to one with left-hand drive, or
vice versa, dipped beam headlight
orientation must be modified.
This operation is necessary to avoid
dazzling the vehicle coming from the
opposite direction, as well as to opti-
mize road edge illumination.To carry out this opera-
tion, contact a Lancia
Dealership.
When you go back to
your country of origin,
remember to have the
dipped beam headlight orienta-
tion modified again.

245
EOBD SYSTEM
The EOBD (European On Board
Diagnosis) system continuously
monitors the engine emission system
components. Furthermore, the sys-
tem warns the driver of deterioration
concerning the emission system
components by means of the instru-
ment panel warning light Ucoming
on with message “ENGINE CON-
TROL SYSTEM FAULT”.The objective is to:
– monitor system efficiency;
– warn when failures can increase
emissions over the threshold estab-
lished by the European regulations;
– warn of the need to replace dete-
riorated components.
Furthermore, the system is
equipped with a connector for inter-
facing with specific tools used to
read the error codes stored in the
control unit memory along with a set
of diagnostic and engine specific
parameters. This check can also be
performed by traffic controller
agents.Contact a Lancia
Dealership as soon as
possible if the instrument
panelUwarning light either
does not come on when the key is
turned to MAR or comes on, with
fixed or flashing light, when trav-
elling together with message
“ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM
FAULT”. Warning light Uoper-
ation can be checked by traffic
controller agents. Comply with
the regulations in force in the
country where you are travelling.
IMPORTANTAfter eliminating
the problem, your Lancia
Dealershipwill run a bench test to
fully check the system. In some
cases, a long road test may be
required.

246
ABS
GENERAL
If this is the first car with ABS you
drive, get familiar with it by some
preliminary “driving tests” on poor
grip roadbeds, obviously under safe-
ty conditions and in compliance with
the traffic regulations of the Country
you are driving in. Read carefully
the following instructions.
The ABS (wheel anti-locking) sys-
tem prevents wheel locking and con-
sequent slipping in all road surface
conditions. This ensures greater con-
trol, as it is possible to steering and
brake at the same time, and reduces
braking space.
If the road conditions decrease the
friction coefficient (i.e. due to the
presence of water, snow, ice, etc.) a
wheel may slip; in this case, the
wheel does not ensure correct decel-
eration or the possibility of main-
taining the running direction and
the ability to steer. Here, the ABSsystem comes into operation, elimi-
nating hydraulic pressure only from
the brake caliper of the locked wheel
and, as soon as the latter start spin-
ning again, brakes it again, thus
ensuring optimum braking and car
driveability.
EBD (ELECTRONIC BRAKE-
FORCE DISTRIBUTOR)
The car is equipped with an elec-
tronic brakeforce distributor (EBD)
which, by means of the ABS control
unit and sensors, makes it possible
to optimally distribute the braking
force between the front and rear
wheels, thus avoiding car skidding
in the most difficult situations.ABS OPERATION
The electronic control unit receives
and processes the signals from the
brake pedal and from the four sen-
sors on the wheels. It consequently
controls the hydraulic system so to
decrease, hold or increase the pres-
sure in the braking circuit of every
single wheel, and prevent locking.
The main components of the ABS
system are:
- an electronic-hydraulic control
unit, which processes the signals
from the various sensors and per-
forms the most appropriate opera-
tions by acting on the solenoid
valves
- four sensors which detect the
rotation speed of every single wheel
- a pump provided with pressure
switch, to restore brake fluid pres-
sure.
IMPORTANTA slight pulsation of
the brake pedal may be felt when
the ABS system comes into play.

247
The car is fitted with an
electronic brake force
distributor (EBD). The x
and>warning lights come on at
the same time on the multifunc-
tion display, together with mes-
sage “EBD SYSTEM FAULT”,
when the engine is running to
indicate that there is an EBD sys-
tem failure. In this case violent
braking may be accompanied by
early rear wheel locking with the
possibility of skidding. Drive the
car extremely carefully to the
nearest Lancia Dealership to
have the system checked.
If warning light x
comes on together with
message “LOW BRAKE
FLUID LEVEL”, on the multi-
function display, stop the car
immediately and contact a Lancia
Dealership. Fluid leakage will
compromise efficiency of both the
traditional brake system and the
ABS system.The system performance
in terms of active safety
must not lead the driver
to take unnecessary or unjusti-
fied risks. Always suit your dri-
ving style to the weather, visibili-
ty and traffic conditions.
Excessive use of engine
braking (gears tooshort
and limited grip) may
make the wheels slip. The ABS
will have no effect on this type of
skidding.
The maximum possible
deceleration always
depends on the available
road grip. Obviously, grip will be
considerably decreased in the
presence of snow and ice. In these
conditions, the braking space
will still be high, even with the
ABS.The coming on of the
>warning light on the
multifunction display,
together with message “ABS SYS-
TEM FAULT”, when the engine is
running, normally indicates a
fault in the ABS system. In this
case the braking system will still
be effective although without the
anti-lock device assistance. In
these conditions, EBD system
operation may also be reduced.
Drive the car extremely carefully
to the nearest Lancia Dealership
to have the ABS system checked.

251
HOW TO START PETROL
VERSIONS
IMPORTANTNever press the
accelerator before the engine has
started.
1) Ensure that the electric parking
brake is on (instrument panel warn-
ing light xon).
2) Ensure that electrical systems
and devices, especially high absorp-
tion ones (e.g. heated rear window),
are off.
3) On versions with manual gear-
box, set the gear lever to neutral and
press the clutch pedal fully down to
avoid the starter dragging the gears.4) On versions with electronic
automatic gearbox, ensure that the
selector is at Pand keep the brake
pedal pressed.
5) Turn the ignition key to AVV
and release it as soon as the engine
starts.
6) If the engine fails to start, return
the key to STOPand repeat the pro-
cedure.
IMPORTANTIf the engine does
not start at the first attempt, do not
keep turning the ignition key to
avoid damaging the catalyst.
Contact a Lancia Dealership.HOW TO START JTD VERSIONS
1) Ensure that the electric parking
brake is on (instrument panel warn-
ing light xon).
2) Put the gear lever to neutral.
3) Turn the ignition key to MAR.
4) Wait until the mwarning light
is off: the hotter the engine is, the
quicker this will happen.
When the engine is particularly hot
the warning light may come on so
quickly that it is impossible to notice
it.
5)Press the clutch pedal down to
the floor.
6) Turn the ignition key toAVV
immediately after the mwarning
light goes out. If you wait too long,
you will lose the benefit of the work
done by the glow plugs.

253
Remember that until the
engine has started, the
brake booster and power
steering systems will not work
and a greater effort will therefore
be required to press the brake
pedal and turn the steering
wheel. For cars equipped with
turbosupercharger in
particular, but generally
for any kind of cars, avoid abrupt
accelerations immediately before
turning the engine off. A quick
burst on the accelerator serves
absolutely no practical purpose,
wastes fuel and may damage seri-
ously the turbosupercharger
rotor bearings.EMERGENCY START-UP
If the Lancia CODE system fails to
recognise that code transmitted by
the ignition key (symbol Ytogeth-
er with message “VEHICLE PRO-
TECTION SYSTEM FAULT” on the
multifunction display) the emer-
gency start-up can be performed by
using the CODE card code.
For the correct procedure see chap-
ter “In an emergency”.
Before opening the lug-
gage compartment bonnet
to reload the battery or to
connect an auxiliary battery,
carefully read and comply with
the instructions contained in the
paragraph “If battery is to be dis-
connected” in the chapter “In an
emergency”.Never bump start the
engine (by pushing, tow-
ing or coasting downhill)
as this could cause fuel to flow
into the catalytic exhaust system
and damage it beyond repair.
IMPORTANTIf the engine turns
off while the car is running, the
Lancia CODE symbol Yand the
message “VEHICLE PROTECTION
SYSTEM FAULT” may appear on
the multifunction display when the
engine starts again. In this case
check that the warning light switch-
es off when turning the engine off
and on again with the car stationary.
Otherwise contact aLancia
Dealership.

255
SAFE DRIVING
In designing THESIS, LANCIA has
made every effort to come up with a
car able to provide driver and pas-
senger with top-class levels of safety.
Nevertheless it is always the behav-
iour of the person at the wheel that
determines road safety.
Below you will find some simple
tips to help you travel in safety
under different conditions. You will
no doubt be familiar with many of
them already, but it will be useful to
read them all carefully.
BEFORE GETTING BEHIND
THE WHEEL
– Make sure all lights, including
the headlights, are working proper-
ly.
– Adjust the position of the seats,
steering wheel, driving and door
mirrors properly for the best driving
position.
– Carefully adjust the head
restraints so that the back of the
head and not the nape of the neck is
supported.Make sure that nothing (mats etc.)
gets in the way of the pedals when
they are pushed down.
– Make sure that any child
restraint systems (child seats, carri-
ers etc.) are properly fixed on the
rear seat.
– Place any objects in the boot in
such a way that they cannot be
thrown forwards in the event of an
accident.
– Do not eat a heavy meal before
travelling. Light eating will help
keep your reflexes prompt. Above
all, do not have anything alcoholic to
drink.
Periodically, remember to check:
– tyre pressure and conditions;
– engine oil level;
– coolant level and cooling system
conditions;
– brake fluid level;
– power steering fluid level;
– windscreen washer fluid level. WHEN TRAVELLING
– The first rule of safe driving is
prudence.
– Prudence also means putting
yourself into a position where you
can predict wrong or imprudent
behaviour from other drivers.
– Stick closely to the rules of the
road in the particular country where
the vehicle is being driven and,
above all, do not exceed speed limits.
– Ensure that, besides yourself, all
the other passengers in the vehicle
have their seat belts fastened, that
children are sitting in the appropri-
ate child seats and any animals in
the car are placed in suitable com-
partments.
– You should be physically fit and
mentally alert before setting out on
long journeys.

256
Make sure that any mats
are appropriate in size:
any hindrance, even
slight, to the braking system may
require a higher pedal stroke
than normal.
Water, ice and salt on
the road may deposit on
brake disks, reducing
braking efficiency the first time
they are used.Driving while drunk or
under the influence of
drugs or certain medi-
cines is dangerous both for you
and other road users.
Always fasten both front
and back seat belts,
including child restraint
systems if there are children trav-
elling with you. Travelling with
seat belts unfastened increases
the risk of injury or death if you
are involved in a collision. Take care when fitting
additional spoilers, alloy
rims and wheel caps: they
might reduce ventilation of the
brakes, thus their efficiency dur-
ing abrupt braking or long down-
hill slopes.
Never drive with objects
on the floor in front of the
driver’s seat: they might
get stuck under the pedals mak-
ing it impossible to accelerate or
brake.

257
– Keep a greater safety distance
from the cars in front of you than
during daylight hours: it is hard to
judge how fast other cars are going
when all you can see are their lights.
– Only use main beam headlights
when you are driving outside town
and when you are sure they do not
annoy other drivers.
– Dip your headlights as soon as
you see cars coming in the other
direction and pass them with the
headlights dipped.
– Keep all lights clean.
– Be careful of animals crossing the
road when driving in the country.
DRIVING IN THE RAIN
Rain and wet road surfaces spell
danger.
All manoeuvres are more difficult
on a wet road because the grip of the
wheels on the tarmac is greatly
reduced. This is why braking dis-
tances are much longer and road-
holding is lower.Here is some advice for driving in
the rain:
– Reduce speed and maintain a
greater safety distance from the cars
in front.
– If it is raining particularly heavi-
ly, visibility is also reduced. In these
cases, switch on the dipped head-
lights even if it is still daylight so you
can be seen more easily.
– Do not drive through puddles at
speed and hold on tightly to the
wheel if you do: a puddle taken at
high speed might cause you to lose
control of the car (“aquaplaning”).
– Move the ventilation controls to
the position for demisting the win-
dows (see the section “Getting to
know your car”), so to avoid visibil-
ity problems.
– Periodically check the condition
of the windscreen wiper blades. – Do not drive too many hours at a
time but stop at intervals to stretch
your legs and recoup your energy.
– Make sure the air in the car is
being changed continuously.
– Never coast downhill (i.e.: with
the engine off): if you do, you lose
the aid of engine braking and power
brakes so that braking requires
greater effort.
DRIVING AT NIGHT
There are the main rules to follow
when you are driving at night.
– Drive especially carefully: it is
harder to drive at night.
– Slow down especially if the road
is not lit.
– At the first signs of sleepiness,
stop: continuing would be a risk for
yourself and everybody else. Only
start driving again when you have
had enough rest.