Lancia Thesis 2009 Owner handbook (in English)

190
If the sensors detect the conditions
which might cause car skidding, the
ESP system affects the engine and
the brakes by generating a torque
which makes the car recover the
right driving direction.
The system operations,
in terms of safety, should
not make the driver run
useless risks. The driving behav-
iour must always be appropriate,
according to the conditions of the
road bed, visibility and traffic.
Anyway, the driver is held
responsible for a safe driving.
The ESP system helps the driver
control the car in case of tyre grip
loss, however the forces used by
the system to control the car sta-
bility still depend on the grip
ratio between tyres and road bed.ESP SYSTEM OPERATION
ESP is automatically started when
the car is started and it cannot be
disengaged. On the contrary, it is
possible to exclude the ASR system
by pressing the related button on the
central console.
The ESP main components are the
following:
– an electric-hydraulic control unit
processing signals coming from the
various sensors and choosing the
most appropriate strategy by operat-
ing solenoid valves and the engine
control unit;
– a sensor detecting the steering
wheel rotation angle;
– 4 sensors detecting the rotation
speed of each wheel;
– a sensor detecting the car rota-
tion around a vertical axis;
– a sensor detecting side accelera-
tion (centrifugal force).The ESP core is a sensor, of aero-
nautic origin, detecting the car rota-
tions around its vertical axis.
Centrifugal forces generated when
the car is cornering are detected by a
high-sensitive side acceleration sen-
sor.
The ESP stabilizing action is based
on the signals coming from the steer-
ing wheel rotation sensors, from the
side acceleration sensors and the
wheel speed sensors, thus recogniz-
ing the driving direction selected by
the driver when turning the steering
wheel.
The control unit processes each
information coming from the sensors
and is able to recognize every single
moment of the car position and to
compare it with the direction the
driver is willing to follow. In case of
discrepancy, the control unit
instantly selects and controls the
most appropriate actions to make
the car recover the required direc-
tion: it brakes with a different inten-
sity one or more wheels and, if nec-
essary, reduces the power supplied
by the engine. Corrections are con-

191
To make ESP, ASR and
ABS systems work prop-
erly, the tyres must
absolutely be of the same brand
and type on all wheels, in perfect
conditions and, above all, of type,
brand and size specified. stantly changed and controlled in
the attempt to keep the driver’s
direction.
The ESP system considerably
increases the car safety in several
critical conditions and it is particu-
larly useful during overtaking, when
the grip conditions on the road bed
change.ASR FUNCTION (ANTISLIP
REGULATION)
General
The ASR function is part of the
ESP system and it checks the car
drive, taking action every time one
or both driving wheels slip, thus pre-
venting car instability and tyre wear.
On the basis of slipping conditions,
two different check systems are acti-
vated:
– if slipping affects both driving
wheels, as a result of the excessive
force transmitted, the ASR function
reduces the power supplied by the
engine;
– if slipping affects only one of the
driving wheels, the ASR function
automatically brakes the slipping
wheel, with an effect similar to the
self-locking differential.The action of the ASR function is
particularly useful in the following
conditions:
– internal wheel slipping when cor-
nering due to load dynamic varia-
tions and excessive acceleration;
– excessive power supplied to
wheels according to the road bed;
– acceleration on slippery ground,
covered with snow or ice;
– in case of grip loss on wet ground
(aquaplaning).
ASR function activation
The ASR function is activated
automatically whenever the engine
is started.
During driving it is possible to dis-
engage and engage this function by
pressing button A(fig. 142) on the
central console.
When the ASR function is on, sym-
bolVis lighted on the multifunc-
tion display together with the mes-
sage “ASR ON”.

192
When the ASR function is off, sym-
bolVis lighted on the multifunc-
tion display together with the mes-
sage “ASR OFF”.
The function deactivation is indi-
cated by switching on of the related
warning light Bon the button. If this
function is deactivated during dri-
ving, it will be reactivated automat-
ically at the following start up.
IMPORTANTDuring driving on a
snow-covered ground, with snow
chains on, it might be useful to deac-
tivate the ASR function: in these
conditions driving wheel slipping at
start up is useful to reach higher
drive.MSR SYSTEM
(ENGINE DRIVE ADJUSTMENT)
The car is fitted with a system, part
of ASR, affecting the engine torque
in case of sudden gear shift, thus
preventing excessive driving wheel
dragging which, in extremely low
grip conditions, can make the car
loose stability.
ESP SYSTEM ACTION
The ESP action is indicated by
flashing of warning light áon the
instrument panel, to inform the dri-
ver that the car is in critical stability
and grip conditions.
ESP AND ASR FAILURE
INDICATION
In case of failure, ESP and ASR
systems are automatically deactivat-
ed and symbol áand message “ESP
FAULT” will come on with fixed
light on the multifunction display
together with warning light Bon the
ASR button.
If the failure affects only the ESP
system, symbol áand message“ESP FAULT” are lighted on the
multifunction display, while the
warning light on button Bis off and
the ASR system remains operating.
If the failure affects only the ESP
system, symbol áand message
“ESP FAULT” are lighted on the
multifunction display, while the
warning light on button Bis off and
the ASR system remains operating.
In case of ESP or ASR failure, the
car behaves in the same way as a car
that is not fitted with this system: in
any case it is advisable to contact a
Lancia Dealershipas soon as pos-
sible.
fig. 142
L0A0243b

193
The following table summarizes warning light indications according to the different operating conditions.
Operating or failure conditions
Engine start up (key turned to MAR)
Driving in
normal
conditions
Driving inconditions which
might lead to
slipping
ASR fault
ESP fault
System condition
Warning light check
ASR on
ESP on
ASR off
ESP on
ASR active
ESP active
ASR off
ESP active
ASR and ESP off
ASR on
ESP off ASR on
ASR off
manually
ASR on
ASR off
manuallyASR button warning light
On for about 3 seconds
Off
On
Off
On
On
OffESP warning light on
instrument panel
On for about 4 seconds
Off
Off
Flashing
Flashing
On
On
INITIALISING THE ESP SYSTEM CONTROL UNIT
Whenever the battery is electrically connected again or it is reloaded after being completely flat or after replacing one of
the protection fuses, to restore the correct operation of the ESP system, of the door locking, and of the air conditioning, it
is necessary to perform the initialisation operations contained in the paragraph “If battery is to be disconnected” in the chap-
ter “In an emergency”.

194
CRUISE CONTROL
(CONSTANT SPEED
REGULATOR)
GENERAL
The electronic cruise control allows
to drive your car at the required
speed without pressing the accelera-
tor pedal. This reduces fatigue when
driving on motorways, especially
during long journeys, because the
set speed is automatically main-
tained.
IMPORTANTThe device can only
be set to speeds exceeding 30 km/h
(40 to 180 km/h for 2.4 JTD 20V
CAE version).The cruise control must
only be used when the
road and traffic condi-
tions allow to keep a constant
speed in total safety for an ade-
quately long time.CONTROLS (fig. 143)
The cruise control is operated by
means of switch A, ring Band but-
tonC(RCL).
SwitchAhas two positions:
–OFFin this position, the device is
off
–ONthis is the normal device
operating position. When the device
is ON, symbol Ülights up on the
multifunction display, together with
message “CRUISE CONTROL ON”.
RingBis used to set and maintain
the car speed or to increase or
decrease the set speed.
The device is automatically
switched off when:
– the brake pedal is pressed
– the clutch pedal is pressed
– the gear lever is unintentionally
shifted to N.
In versions with auto-
matic transmission, never
shift the lever to N when
the car is running.
fig. 143
L0A0208b

195
Turn ring Bto position (+) to set
the speed reached or to increase the
stored speed.
Turn ring Bto position (–) to
decrease the stored speed.
The speed will be increased or
decreased by approximately 1 km/h
each time ring Bis operated. Hold
the ring turned to set the speed con-
tinuously. The new set speed will be
automatically kept.
ButtonC(RCL) allows to reset the
stored speed.
IMPORTANTTurn the ignition
key to STOPor switch AtoOFFto
delete the stored speed and switch
the system off.Storing the speed
Move switch AtoONand take the
car to the required speed normally.
Turn ring Bto (+) for at least three
seconds and release it. The car speed
will be stored and you can now
release your foot from the accelera-
tor.
The car will continue at the con-
stant speed until one of the following
events occur:
– the brake pedal is pressed
– the clutch pedal is pressed
– the automatic gear lever is unin-
tentionally shifted to N.
IMPORTANTIf required (e.g. for
overtaking) you can accelerate sim-
ply by pressing the accelerator. The
car will return to the previously set
speed when the accelerator pedal is
released.Resetting the stored speed
To reset the stored speed after
switching the device off, e.g. by
pressing the brake or the clutch ped-
als:
– accelerate progressively to reach
a speed which is close to the previ-
ously set speed
– engage the gear which was
engaged when the speed was set (4
th,
5thor 6th gear)
– press button C(RCL).
Increasing the stored speed
The stored speed can be increased
in two ways:
– by pressing the accelerator pedal
and storing the new speed (turning
ringBfor longer than three seconds)

196
or
– by momentarily turning ring Bto
(+): each turn of the ring will corre-
spond to a small speed increase
(approximately 1 km/h), while a
continuous pressure will correspond
to a continuous speed increase.
Release ring B: the new speed will
automatically be stored.
Reducing the stored speed
The stored speed can be decreased
in two ways:
– by switching the device off (e.g.
by pressing the brake pedal) and
then storing the new speed (turning
ringBto (+) for longer than three
seconds)
or
– by turning ring Bto (–) until the
new speed is reached. The new speed
will automatically be stored.Deleting the stored speed
The stored speed is automatically
deleted when:
– the engine is stopped
or
– switch Ais turned to OFF.
When driving with the
cruise control, do not
shift the gear lever to neu-
tral. You should only switch the
cruise control on when the traffic
and road conditions allow this in
complete safety, i.e. straight and
dry roads, motorways, fast mov-
ing traffic and smooth road sur-
face. Do not use the device in
cities or in heavy traffic.The cruise control can
be switched on at speeds
higher than 30 km/h (40
to 180 km/h for 2.4 JTD 20V CAE
version). The device can only be
switched on in 4th, 5th or 6th
gear, according to car speed. In
versions with automatic trans-
mission, the device must only be
switched on with the gear lever at
D during automatic operation
without shifting the lever subse-
quently, or with the 3
rdor 4thgear
engaged during manual sequen-
tial operation.
When travelling down-hill the
speed may increase with respect
to the stored value according to
the change in engine load.

197
RADAR CRUISE
CONTROL (RCC)
(where provided)
GENERAL
The Radar Cruise Control (RCC)
assists the driver by monitoring both
the cruise speed and the distance of
the vehicle ahead along the running
path: it allows to drive your car at
the required speed, without pressing
the accelerator pedal.
The system reduces fatigue when
driving on motorways, especially
during long journeys, since the
stored speed is maintained automat-
ically; moreover, the system con-
tributes to keeping a safe distance
from the vehicle ahead. Constant
speed driving also allows to cut
down fuel consumption and makes
traffic smoother.The Radar Cruise
Control is not an “auto-
matic pilot” but a driver-
assisting device; therefore, only
the driver is responsible for
his/her driving behaviour and
must comply with the highway
code regulations in force, as well
as with any other provision con-
cerning road traffic.
This system detects just
moving vehicles and
ignores whatever immo-
bile object.The Radar Cruise
Control is not an anti-col-
lision device: it cannot
detect the presence of obstacles
on the road or stop the car in case
of danger. Any action performed
by the driver on the brake or
accelerator pedals takes priority
over the cruise control system; for
this reason, the responsibility for
road safety always rests with the
driver.
The system is electronically con-
trolled, self-contained and, there-
fore, does not require communica-
tion with other vehicles or the pres-
ence of similar systems on the other
vehicles.
The system cannot actu-
ate emergency braking:
the maximum decelera-
tion automatically performed by
the system is limited compared to
the actual braking power of the
brake system; therefore, emer-
gency braking can and must be
performed only by the driver.

198
The Radar Cruise Control
must only be used when
the road and traffic condi-
tions allow to keep a constant
speed in total safety for an ade-
quately long time. IMPORTANTThe system can only
be switched on when the car speed
ranges from 30 to 160 km/h and is
automatically switched off by press-
ing the brake pedal. If the car speed
falls below 30 km/h when the system
is on, a buzzer and a visual indication
warn the driver to take control of car
speed again. When the car speed ex-
ceeds 160 km/h after a slight acceler-
ation (“override” mode), a buzzer and
a visual indication will warn the dri-
ver that the system is off.
IMPORTANTThe Radar Cruise
Control cannot be activated when the
driver has switched the ASR system
off.CONTROLS (fig. 144)
The Radar Cruise Control is oper-
ated by three controls, as well as by
the accelerator (to increase speed)
and the brake pedal (to switch the
system off).
Controls are as follows:
– ring Ato switch the system on/off
and to set the distance from the
vehicle ahead, depending on its
speed
– ring Bto increase/decrease the
set speed
– button Cto restore the stored
speed.
fig. 144
L0A0020b
As long as the car speed exceeds
160 km/h, one of the following indi-
cations will warn the driver that themax. speed limit controlled by the
system is exceeded.
If the road in front of car fitted
with Radar Cruise Control is free.
If a vehicle is detected in front of
the car fitted with Radar Cruise
Control.

199
RingAhas four positions:
OFF: system off
x: greatest distance from the vehi-
cle ahead
x: intermediate distance from the
vehicle ahead
x: shortest distance from the vehi-
cle ahead.
The distance between the two vehi-
cles is gradually increased as the
speed is increased, set levels being
equal.
IMPORTANTTurn the ignition
key to STOPor ring AtoOFF, to
delete the stored speed and switch
the system off. To restore system
operation, turn the ring AtoOFF
and repeat the setting operations.When the system is on, that is, ring
Ais in any position other than OFF,
symbolúlights up on the multi-
function display, together with mes-
sage “RADAR CRUISE CONTROL
ON”. The warning light will remain
on until the system is switched off by
turning ring AtoOFF.
RingBis used to store the car
speed and keep it constant, or to
increase or decrease the stored
speed.
Turn ring Bto (+) to store the
speed reached or increase the stored
speed.
Turn ring Bto (–) to decrease the
stored speed. Slowing down can also
be obtained, when required, by
braking system automatic operation.
Every time ring Bis turned, the
speed is increased or decreased by
about 1 km/h. By keeping the ring
rotated, the stored speed will change
continuously at intervals of 10
km/h. The new speed reached will
be maintained automatically.
When ring Bis turned, the car’s
actual speed is considered as refer-
ence speed (cruise speed). This
speed can automatically decrease
depending on traffic conditions, and
the system can shift from the speed
control condition to the distance
control condition. The driver is
informed of the system’s operating
condition by the instrument panel
display.
ButtonC(RCL) allows to reset the
stored speed. In fact, when driving
the car with the system on, the dri-
ver can switch the system off by sim-
ply braking. In this case, the cruise
speed previously set is kept in the
memory and can be enabled again at
any time by pressing button RCL.