Get CORRECT USE OF THE CAR Guide for Fiat Punto SUV 1999-2010

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR

ENGINE STARTING............................................................ 160

PARKING................................................................................ 163

USING THE MANUAL GEARBOX.................................. 164

CONTAINING RUNNING COSTS................................ 165

TOWING TRAILERS ........................................................... 168

SNOW TYRES....................................................................... 171

SNOW CHAINS................................................................... 172

CAR INACTIVITY ................................................................ 173

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If the engine does not start at the first attempt, return

the ignition key to STOP before repeating starting.

ENGINE STARTING

The car is fitted with an electronic engine lock device.

If the engine fails to start, see paragraph “Fiat Code

system” in section “Dashboard and controls”.

If, when the ignition key is on MAR, warning light

Y

remains lit together with warning light U, turn the

key to STOP and then back to MAR; if the warning

light remains on, try with the other keys provided with

the car.

STARTING PROCEDURE FOR PETROL

VERSIONS

If you are still unable to start the engine, perform the

emergency start-up procedure (see “Emergency start-

up” in section “In an emergency”) and contact Fiat

Dealership.

Proceed as follows:

❒ Ensure that the handbrake is up;

❒ Put the gear lever into neutral;

IMPORTANT Never leave the ignition key at MAR

when the engine is off.

❒ Press the clutch pedal down to the floor without

touching the accelerator;

❒ Turn the ignition key to AVV and let it go the

moment the engine starts.

We recommend that during the initial period you do not drive to full vehicle performance (e.g.:

excessive acceleration, long journeys at top speed, sharp braking, etc).

When the engine is switched off never leave the ignition key in the MAR position to prevent

pointless current absorption from draining the battery.

Running the engine in confined areas is extremely dangerous. The engine consumes

WARNING

oxygen and produces carbon monoxide which is a highly toxic and lethal gas.

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STARTING PROCEDURE FOR DIESEL

VERSIONS

If the engine does not start at the first attempt, return

the ignition key to STOP before repeating starting.

^{If, when the ignition key is on MAR, warning light}Y

remains lit, turn the key to STOP and then back to

Proceed as follows:

❒ Ensure that the handbrake is up;

❒ Put the gear lever into neutral;

❒ Turn the ignition key to MAR. The warning lights

MAR; if the warning light remains on, try with the

other keys provided with the car.

If you still cannot start the engine, contact Fiat

Dealership.

m

^andY ^{will light up on the instrument panel;}

IMPORTANT Never leave the ignition key at MAR

when the engine is off.

m

to go out.

^{❒ Wait for the warning lights}Y ^and

The hotter the engine is, the quicker this will

happen;

❒ Press the clutch pedal down to the floor without

touching the accelerator;

❒ Turn the ignition key to AVV as soon as warning

light

m

goes out. If you wait too long you will lose

the benefit of the work done by the glow plugs.

Release the key as soon as the engine starts.

The warning light

m

will flash for 60 seconds at start-up or during prolonged cranking to signal

a fault in the glow plug heating system. You can use the car as usual if the engine starts but you

should contact a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.

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HOW TO WARM UP THE ENGINE

AFTER IT HAS JUST STARTED

(petrol and diesel versions)

EMERGENCY START-UP

^{If the instrument panel warning light}Y ^{stays on with}

fixed light, the emergency start-up can be performed

by using the CODE card code (see section “In an

emergency”).

Proceed as follows:

❒ Drive off slowly, letting the engine turn at medium

revs. Do not accelerate abruptly;

STOPPING THE ENGINE

❒ Do not drive at full performance for the initial

kilometres. Wait until the coolant temperature

gauge starts moving.

Turn the ignition to STOP while the engine is idling.

IMPORTANT After a taxing drive, you should allow

the engine to “catch its breath” before turning it off by

letting it idle to allow the temperature in the engine

compartment to fall.

Never bump start the engine by pushing, towing or coasting downhill. This could cause fuel to flow

into the catalytic exhaust system and damage it beyond repair.

A quick burst on the accelerator before turning off the engine serves absolutely no practical

purpose, it wastes fuel and is damaging especially to turbocharged engines.

Remember that the servobrake and power steering are not operational until the

engine has been started, therefore much effort than usual is required on the brake

pedal and steering wheel.

WARNING

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HANDBRAKE

PARKING

The handbrake lever is located between the two front

seats.

Proceed as follows:

❒ Stop the engine and engage the handbrake;

Pull the handbrake lever upwards until the car cannot

be moved. Four or five clicks are generally enough

when the car is on level ground while nine or ten may

be required if the car is on a steep slope or laden.

❒ Engage a gear (first if the car is faced uphill or

reverse if it is faced downhill) and leave the wheels

steered.

IMPORTANT If this is not the case, contact Fiat

Dealership to have the handbrake adjusted.

Block the wheels with a wedge or a stone if the car is

parked on a steep slope. Do not leave the ignition key

at MAR to prevent draining the battery. Always

remove the key when you leave the car.

When the handbrake lever is pulled up and the ignition

key is at MAR the panel warning light

x

will come on.

Never leave children unattended in the car. Always remove the ignition key when

leaving the car and take it out with you.

WARNING

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To release the handbrake:

❒ Slightly lift the handbrake and press release button (A);

❒ Keep button (A) pressed in and lower the lever. Warning light

x

will

go out.

Press the brake pedal when carrying out this operation to prevent the

car from moving accidentally.

F0I0108m

USING THE MANUAL GEARBOX

To engage the gears, press the clutch pedal fully and shift the gear lever

into one of the required positions (the diagram is shown on the knob).

To engage 6th gear press the lever to the right to prevent engaging 4th

gear by mistake. A similar action is required to shift down from 6th to

5th.

IMPORTANT The car can only be put into reverse gear when it has

stopped moving completely. With the engine running, before engaging the

reverse, wait at least 2 seconds with the clutch pedal fully down to

prevent damage and grating of the gears.

F0I0109m

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To engage reverse (R) from neutral proceed as

follows:

CONTAINING RUNNING COSTS

Here are some suggestions which may help you to

keep the running costs of your car down and lower

the amount of toxic emissions released into the

atmosphere.

❒ for 1.28V and 1.216V versions, lift the sliding ring (A)

under the knob and shift the lever to the right and

back;

❒ for 1.816V versions, just shift the lever to the right

and back.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

Car maintenance

Have checks and adjustments carried out in

accordance with the “Service schedule”.

To change gears properly you must push the clutch pedal fully down. It is therefore

essential that there is nothing under the pedals: make sure mats are lying flat and

do not get in the way of the pedals.

WARNING

Do not drive with your hand resting on the gear lever as the force exerted, even if slight, could lead

over time to premature wear on the gearbox internal components.

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Tyres

Climate control

Check the pressure of the tyres routinely at an

interval of no more than 4 weeks: if the pressure is

too low, consumption levels increase as resistance to

rolling is higher.

The air conditioner is an additional load which greatly

affects the engine leading to higher consumption (on

average up to +20%). When the temperature outside

the vehicle permits it, use the air vents where possible.

Unnecessary loads

Spoilers

Do not travel with too much luggage stowed in the

boot. The weight of the car (especially when driving in

town) and its trim greatly affects consumption and

stability.

The use of non-certified aerodynamic items may

adversely affect air drag and consumption levels.

DRIVING STYLE

Starting

Roof rack/ski rack

Remove the roof rack or the ski rack from the roof as

soon as they are no longer used. These accessories

lower air penetration and adversely affect

consumption levels. When needing to carry

particularly voluminous objects, preferably use a

trailer.

Do not warm the engine with the car at a standstill or

at idle or high speed: under these conditions the

engine warms up much more slowly, increasing

electrical consumption and emissions.

It is therefore advisable to move off immediately,

slowly, avoiding high speeds. This way the engine will

warm faster.

Electric devices

Use electric devices only for the amount of time

needed. Rear heated window, additional headlights,

windscreen wipers and heater fan need a considerable

amount of energy, therefore increasing the

requirement of current increases fuel consumption (up

to +25% in the urban cycle).

Unnecessary actions

Avoid accelerating when waiting at traffic lights or

before switching off the engine. This and also double

declutching is absolutely pointless on modern cars and

also increase consumption and pollution.

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Gear selection

CONDITIONS OF USE

Cold starting

As soon as the conditions of the traffic and road allow,

use a higher gear. Using a low gear to obtain brilliant

performance increases consumption. In the same way

improper use of a high gear increases consumption,

emissions an engine wear.

Short journeys and frequent cold starts do not allow

the engine to reach optimum operating temperature.

This results in a significant increase in consumption

levels (from +15 to +30% on the urban cycle) and

emission of harmful substances.

Top speed

Fuel consumption considerably increases with speed.

Avoid superfluous braking and accelerating, which cost

in terms of both fuel and emissions.

Traffic situations and road conditions

Rather high consumption levels are tied to situations

with heavy traffic, for example in queues with frequent

use of the lower gears or in cities with many traffic

lights. Also winding mountain roads and rough road

surfaces adversely affect consumption.

Acceleration

Accelerating violently increasing the revs will greatly

affect consumption and emissions: acceleration should

be gradual and should not exceed the maximum

torque.

Traffic hold-ups

During prolonged hold-ups (e.g.: level crossings) the

engine should be switched off.

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Engage a low gear when driving downhill, rather than

constantly using the brake.

TOWING TRAILERS

The weight the trailer exerts on the car tow hook

reduces by the same amount the actual vehicle loading

capacity. To make sure the maximum towable weight

is not exceeded (given in the log book) account should

be taken of the fully laden trailer, including accessories

and personal belongings.

IMPORTANT NOTES

For towing caravans or trailers the car must be fitted

with a certified tow hook and an adequate electric

system. Installation should be carried out by

specialised personnel who release a special document

for circulation on the road.

Do not exceed the speed limits of the country you are

driving in. In any case do not exceed 100 km/h.

Install any specific and/or additional rear-view mirrors

as specified by law.

Remember that when towing a trailer, steep hills are

harder to climb, the braking spaces increase and

overtaking takes longer depending on the overall

weight.

The ABS system with which the car may be fitted does not control the trailer braking

system. Great care should therefore be taken when driving on slippery road surfaces.

WARNING

Under no circumstances should the vehicle brake system be altered to control the

trailer brake. The trailer braking system must be fully independent of the vehicle’s

hydraulic system.

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INSTALLING THE TOW HOOK

For the electrical connection, a 7 or 13 pole 12ESP

coupling must be used (CUNA/UNI and ISO/DIN

standards). Follow the instructions provided by the car

manufacturer and/or the tow hitch manufacturer.

The towing device should be fastened to the body by

specialised personnel according to any additional

and/or integrative information supplied by the

Manufacturer of the device.

An electric brake should be supplied directly by the

battery through a cable with a cross section of no less

than 2,5 mm².

The towing device must meet current regulations with

reference to 94/20/EC Directive and subsequent

amendments.

IMPORTANT Electric brake or other device shall be

used with running engine.

For any version the towing device used must match

the towable weight of the vehicle on which it is to be

installed.

In addition to the electrical branches, the car’s electric

system can only be connected to the supply cable for

an electric brake and to the cable for an internal light,

though not above 15W.

For the electric connection a unified connector should

be used which is generally placed on a special bracket

normally fastened to the towing device, and a special

ECU for external trailer light control shall be installed

on the car.

For connections use a preset control unit with battery

cable no less than 2,5 mm².

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725

Assembly diagram

280

The tow hook structure must be fastened in the points

>65

shown by the symbol

Ø

using a total of 4 M8 screws 2

Fori esistenti

M10 screws and 2 M12 screws.

In the fastening points of the rear external covering,

the dampening pad fastening plates must be replaced

with right plate A and left plate B (code 50901257 and

50901258) that shall compulsorily be mounted in the

external side of the rear covering, as shown in the

figure.

n. 2 M12

112

70

155

90

30

M10

Existing holes

A

Fori esistenti

The hook should be fastened to the body avoiding any

type of drilling and trimming of the rear bumpers that

remains visible when the hook is removed.

Standard

tow ball

IMPORTANT It is compulsory to fasten a label (plainly

visible) of suitable size and material with the following

wording:

Sfera

a

norme

MAX LOAD ON BALL 60 kg

Existing holes

Fori esistenti

B

M10

30

70

155

90

112

After fitting, screw holes

WARNING

shall be sealed to

prevent an exhaust gas inlet.

A

B

F0I0037m

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Due to the snow tyre features, under normal

conditions of use or on long motorway journeys, the

performance of these tyres is lower than that of

normal tyres. It is therefore necessary to limit their

use to the purposes for which they are certified.

SNOW TYRES

Use snow tyres of the same size as the normal tyres

provided with the car.

Fiat Dealership will be happy to provide advice

concerning the most suitable type of tyre for the

customer’s requirements.

IMPORTANT When snow tyres are used with a max

speed index below the one that can be reached by the

car (increased by 5%), place a notice in the passenger

compartment, plainly in the driver’s view which states

the max permissible speed of the snow tyres (as per

EC Directive).

For the type of tyre to be used, inflation pressures and

the specifications of snow tyres, follow the

instructions given in paragraph “Wheels” in section

“Technical specifications”.

All four tyres should be the same (brand and track) to

ensure greater safety when driving and braking and

better driveability.

The winter features of these tyres are reduced

considerably when the tread depth is below 4 mm. In

this case, they should be replaced.

Remember that it is inappropriate to change the

direction of rotation of tyres.

The max speed for snow tyres with “Q” marking is 160 km/h; 190 km/h for tyres

with “T” marking and 210 km/h for tyres with “H” marking. The Road Traffic Code

speed limits must however be always strictly observed.

WARNING

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IMPORTANT Snow chains cannot be fitted to the

space-saver spare wheel. So, if a front (drive) wheel is

punctured and chains are needed, a rear wheel should

be fitted to the front of the vehicle and the spare

wheel should be fitted to the rear. This way with two

normal drive wheels, snow chains can be fitted to

them to solve an emergency.

SNOW CHAINS

Use of snow chains should be in compliance with local

regulations.

Snow chains should only be applied to the driving

wheels (front wheels). We recommend using

Lineaccessori Fiat snow chains.

IMPORTANT Use only reduced clearance snow chains

with maximum projection off wheel equal to 12 mm.

Check the tension of the chains after driving some ten

metres.

Keep your speed down when snow chains are fitted. Do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid potholes,

steps and pavements and avoid also to drive for long distances on roads not covered with

snow to prevent damaging the car and the roadbed.

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❒ sprinkle talcum powder on the rubber windscreen

and rear window wiper blades and lift them off the

glass;

CAR INACTIVITY

If the car is to be left inactive for longer than a month,

the following precautions should be noted:

❒ slightly open the windows;

❒ park the car in covered, dry and if possible well-

❒ cover the car with a cloth or perforated plastic

sheet. Do not use sheets of non-perforated plastic

as they do not allow moisture on the car body to

evaporate;

ventilated premises;

❒ engage a gear;

❒ check that the handbrake is not engaged;

❒ inflate tyres to +0.5 bar above the normal specified

❒ disconnect battery terminals (first disconnect the

negative terminal) and check the battery charge.

This check is to be repeated every three months.

Recharge if the optical indicator shows a dark

colour without the central green area;

pressure and check it at intervals;

❒ if you don’t disconnect the battery from the electric

system, check its charge every month and recharge

it if the optical indicator shows a dark colour

without the central green area;

❒ clean and protect the painted parts using protective

❒ do not drain the engine cooling system.

wax;

❒ clean and protect the shiny metal parts using special

compounds readily available;

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CORRECT USE OF THE CAR for Your Fiat Punto SUV 1999-2010

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