Lancia Y. Service Manual - part 5

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SAFE DRIVING

In designing the Lancia Y, we made

every effort to come up with a car
able to provide driver and passengers
with top-class levels of safety. Never-
theless it is always the behaviour of
the person at the wheel that deter-
mines road safety.

Below you will find some simple tips

to help you travel in safety under dif-
ferent conditions. You will no doubt
be familiar with many of them al-
ready but it will be useful to read
them all carefully.

BEFORE GETTING BEHIND 
THE WHEEL

– Make sure all lights including the

headlights are working properly.

– Adjust the position of the seats,

steering wheel, driving and door mir-
rors properly for the best driving po-
sition.

– On long journeys, it is a good idea

to slightly alter the lumber support
and/or seat inclination to vary the
weight on the spine and therefore re-
duce tiredness and strain.

– Carefully adjust the head restraints

so the back of the head and not the
nape of the neck is supported.

– Carefully adjust the height of the

seat belts to suit the wearer’s stature
(see the instructions given in the sec-
tion “Getting to know your car - seat
belts”).

– Make sure that nothing (mats etc.)

get in the way of the pedals.

– Make sure that any child restraint

systems (child seats, carriers, etc.) are
properly fixed to the rear seat. Follow
the indications given in “Transport-
ing children safely” in the section
“Getting to know your car”.

– Make sure that objects are care-

fully arranged in the boot so they will
not fly forward if you have to brake
sharply.

– Avord placing light-coloured arti-

cles or papers on the object tray which
may be reflected on the windscreen.

– 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.
The use of some drugs may affect
your driving, read the relevant in-
structions sheet carefully.

Remember to periodically check

what is specified in the “Repeated
checks and checks before long trips”
paragraph given in this section.

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Consider the space re-

quired by extra mats: even
a small problem to the

braking system may indicate addi-
tional brake pedal stroke is re-
quired with respect to normal.

Water, ice and salt sprin-

kled on the road deposit
on the brake disc and re-

duce effectiveness the first time
you brake.

WHEN TRAVELLING

– The first rule of safe driving is pru-

dence.

– Prudence also means putting your-

self into a position where you can pre-
dict wrong or imprudent behaviour
from other drivers.

– Stick closely to the rules of the

road in the particular country where
the car is being driven and, above all,
do not exceed speed limits.

– Ensure that, besides yourself, all

the other passengers in the car have
their seat belts fastened, that children
are sitting in the appropriate child
seats and any animals are in special
compartments.

– You should be physically fit and

mentally alert before setting out on
long journeys.

Driving when you are not

mentally alert, drunk, un-
der the influence of drugs

or certain medicines is dangerous
both for you and other road users.

Always fasten both front

and back seat belts in-
cluding child seat seat belt

if fitted. Travelling with the seat
belts unfastened increases the risk
of injury or death if you are in a
collision.

Pay attention when in-

stalling additional spoil-
ers, alloy wheel rims and

caps that are not standard. They
could reduce the brake ventilation
and as a consequence, the braking
efficiency if you brake suddenly
and repeatedly, or when driving
downhill.

Do not drive with objects

on the floor in front of the
driver’s seat. Objects

could get stuck under the pedals
making accelerating and braking
impossible.

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– 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 (if on) as soon

as you see cars coming in the other di-
rection and pass them with the head-
lights 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 re-
duced. This is why braking distances
are much longer and roadholding is
lower.

DRIVING AT NIGHT

If you are driving at night these are

the main rules to follow:

– 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 your-
self and everybody else. Only start
driving again when you have had
enough rest.

– 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.

– Make sure the headlight beams are

properly positioned: if they are too
low, they reduce visibility and strain
your eyes. If they are too high they
can dazzle other drivers.

– Do not drive too many hours at a

time but stop at intervals to stretch
your legs and recover your energies.

– Make sure the air in the car is be-

ing changed continuously.

– Never coast downhill (i.e. with the

engine off): if you do, you lose the aid
of engine brake, power brakes and
power steering so that braking and
steering require greater effort.

– Never coast downhill (i.e. with the

engine off): if you do, you lose the aid
of engine braking and power.

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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 heavily,

visibility is also reduced. In these
cases, switch on the dipped headlights
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: 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”), to avoid visibility
problems.

– Periodically check the condition of

the windscreen wiper blades.

DRIVING IN FOG

– If the fog is thick, do not start out

on a journey unless you absolutely
have to.

If driving in mist, blanket fog or

when there is the danger of fog
patches:

– Keep your speed down.

– Turn on the dipped headlights,

rear foglights and front foglights, if
fitted, even during the day. Do not
drive with your headlights at full-
beam.

– Remember that fog also means the

tarmac is wet and therefore manoeu-
vres of all kinds are more difficult and
stopping distances are longer.

– Keep a good distance from the cars

in front of you.

– As far as possible, avoid spurts of

speed or sudden deceleration.

– Do not overtake other vehicles if

you can help it.

– If you are forced to stop your car

(breakdown, limited visibility etc.)
try to stop off the road. Turn on the
hazard lights and, if possible, the
dipped headlights. Rhythmically
sound the horn if you realise another
car is coming.

IMPORTANT On stretches of road

with good visibility, switch off your
rear foglights; the brightness of these
lights could annoy the people travel-
ling in the cars behind.

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DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS

– When driving downhill use the en-

gine braking effect by engaging a low
gear so as not to overheat the brakes.

– Under no circumstances should

you drive downhill with the engine off
or with the car in neutral, let alone
with the ignition key out.

– Drive at a moderate speed without

cutting corners.

– Remember that overtaking while

going uphill is slower and therefore re-
quires more free road. If you are being
overtaken while driving uphill, make
it easier for the other vehicle to pass.

DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE

Here are some tips for driving in

these conditions.

– Before starting off, check that the

windscreen wiper blades are not stuck
to the windscreen.

– Remove any snow from the climate

control system air intake.

– Keep your speed down.

– Use chains or snow tyres if the

roads are covered in snow, see the re-
spective paragraphs in this chapter.

– Do not keep the engine running for

long periods in deep snow as the snow
could push exhaust gases into the pas-
senger compartment.

– Mainly use the braking effect of

the engine and under all circum-
stances avoid braking sharply.

– When braking in a car not fitted

with ABS, avoid the wheels locking by
varying the pressure you exert on the
brake pedal.

– Do not accelerate suddenly and

avoid swerving.

– In the winter, even apparently dry

roads may have icy patches. Be care-
ful therefore when driving over
stretches that do not get much expo-
sure to the sun or that are lined by
trees and rocks, where ice might not
have melted. 

– Keep a good distance from the ve-

hicles in front.

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DRIVING WITH ABS

The car can be fitted with a wheel

anti-locking system (ABS) and with
electronic brake correction (EBD) sys-
tem.

ABS is a braking system that essen-

tially offers two advantages:

1) It prevents wheel locking and

consequent skidding in emergency
stops, particularly when the road does
not offer much grip.

2) It makes it possible to brake and

steer at the same time so you can
avoid unexpected obstacles and direct
the car where you want while brak-
ing. The extent to which this can be
done will depend on the physical lim-
its of the tyre’s total grip.

To get the most out of ABS:

– During emergency stops or when

grip conditions are poor, you will feel
a slight pulsation on the brake pedal.
This is the sign that the ABS is work-
ing. Do not release the brake pedal
but continue to press so as not to in-
terrupt the braking action.

– ABS prevents the wheels from

locking, but it does not increase ac-
tual grip conditions between tyre and
road. Therefore, even if your car is fit-
ted with ABS, respect the safety dis-
tance from the car in front of you and
keep your speed down when driving
into bends.

ABS serves to increase the controlla-

bility of the car, not to enable you to
go faster.

If warning light 

>

switches on when the en-
gine is running, this usu-

ally indicates an ABS fault. In such
cases the braking system is still ef-
ficient, although the anti-locking
device does not function. The EBD
system may also be less efficient.
Go to a LANCIA Dealership imme-
diately, taking care not to brake
suddenly, and have the system
checked.

The car is fitted with an

electronic brake corrector
(EBD). If warning lights 

>

and

x light up simultaneously

when the engine is running, this
indicates an EBD fault. This
means that violent braking could
cause early locking of the rear
wheels causing the car to skid.
Drive the car extremely carefully
to the nearest LANCIA Dealership
to have the system checked.

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CONTAINING
RUNNING COSTS
AND POLLUTION

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 at-
mosphere are given below.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

Car maintenance

The overall state of the car is an im-

portant factor which has a marked in-
fluence over fuel consumption and
driving comfort and on the life span
of your car. For this reason care
should be taken to maintain your ve-
hicle by carrying out the necessary
checks and regulations in accordance
with the specifications given in the
Servize Schedule (see spark plugs,
idle, air filters, timing sections).

Tyres

Tyres should be checked at least

every four weeks: if the pressure is too
low fuel consumption increases as the
resistance to the rolling movement of
the tyre is greater. In this state, tyre
wear is increased and car handling
suffers which will affect safety.

Unnecessary loads

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 consump-
tion and stability.

Roof/ski racks

Remove roof or ski racks from the

roof of the car as soon as they are no
longer needed. These accessories re-
duce the aerodynamic penetration of
the car and will increase consump-
tion. When transporting particularly
large objects, use a trailer where pos-
sible.

Electrical devices

Use the electrical devices for the nec-

essary time only. The heated rear win-
dow, supplementary lights, wind-
screen wipers, heating system blower
require large amounts of energy and,
increasing the request for power also
increases fuel consumption (up to
+25% when driving in built-up areas).

Air conditioner

The air conditioner is an additional

load which greatly affects the engine
leading to higher consumption (on av-
erage up to +20%). When the tem-
perature outside the car permits it,
use the air vents where possible.

Spoilers

The use of aerodynamic optional ex-

tras which are not certified for specific
use on the car, may reduce the aero-
dynamic penetration of the car and
increase consumption.

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Gear selection

As soon as the traffic and road con-

ditions allow it, shift to a higher gear.
Using a lower gear to liven up accel-
eration greatly increases consumption.
In the same way, improper use of the
higher gears will increase consump-
tion, emissions and wear and tear on
the engine.

Top speeds

Fuel consumption increases consid-

erably as speed increases. For exam-
ple, when accelerating from 90 to
120 kph, fuel consumption increases
by about +30%. Your speed should
be kept as even as possible and su-
perfluous braking and acceleration
avoided as this increases both con-
sumption and emissions. A “soft” way
of driving should be adopted by at-
tempting to anticipate manoeuvres to
avoid imminent danger and to keep a
safe distance from the vehicle in front
in order to avoid braking sharply.

Acceleration

Accelerating violently increasing the

revs will greatly affect consumption
and emissions: acceleration should be
gradual and not exceed the maximum
torque.

CONDITIONS OF USE

Cold starting

Frequent cold starting will not en-

able the engine to reach optimal run-
ning temperature. It follows therefore
that consumption will be higher (from
+15% to +30% in built-up areas) as
will the production of toxic emissions.

STYLE OF DRIVING

Starting

Do not warm the engine when the

car is stationery or at high or low revs:
in this way the engine will warm up
gradually increasing consumption and
emissions. You should drive off slowly
straight away avoiding high revs so
that the engine will warm up more
quickly.

Unnecessary actions

Avoid revving the engine when

stopped at traffic lights or before
switching off the engine and avoid
doubling the clutch as these actions
have no purpose on modern vehicles
and serve only to increase consump-
tion and pollution.

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Traffic and road conditions

Heavy traffic and higher consump-

tion are synonymous; for example,
when driving slowly with frequent use
of the lower gears or in large towns
where there are numerous traffic
lights.

Winding roads, mountain roads and

bumpy roads also have a negative ef-
fect on consumption.

Enforced halts

During prolonged hold-ups (traffic

lights, level crossings) the engine
should be switched off.

LOOKING AFTER EMISSION
CONTROL DEVICES

The correct use of pollution control

devices not only ensures respect for
the environment but also has an effect
on the car’s performance. Keeping
these devices in good condition is
therefore a fundamental rule for dri-
ving that is easy on your pocket and
on the environment too.

The first step to take is to follow the

Service Schedule to the letter.

Use only unleaded petrol.

If you have trouble starting, do not

keep turning the ignition key for long
periods. Be especially careful to avoid
bump starting the car by pushing,
towing or rolling down hill: these are
all manoeuvres that can damage the
catalytic exhaust.

CHEAP RUNNING
THAT RESPECTS
THE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental protection has been

one of the guiding principles in the
production of the Lancia Y. It is no ac-
cident that its pollution control equip-
ment is much more effective than that
required by current legislation.

Nonetheless, the environment can-

not get by without a concerted effort
from everyone.

By following a few simple rules you

can avoid harming the environment
and often cut down fuel consumption
at the same time.

On this subject, a few useful tips

have been given below to supplement
those marked by symbol 

# at various

points of the handbook.

You are asked to read both the for-

mer and latter carefully. 

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For emergency starts use only an

auxiliary battery.

If the engine begins to “loose its

smoothness” when travelling, con-
tinue your journey but reduce the de-
mands you are making on the engine
and have the car seen to at a LANCIA
Dealership as soon as you can.

When the instrument panel fuel re-

serve warning light comes on, fill up
as soon as possible. A low level of fuel
can cause an uneven supply of fuel to
the engine with the inevitable increase
in the temperature of the exhaust gas
and serious damage to the catalytic
converter.

Never run the engine with one or

more spark plugs disconnected, even
for testing purposes.

Do not warm up the engine by let-

ting it idle for a while before moving
off unless the outside temperature is
very low and, even in this case, only
do so for less than thirty seconds.

When functioning nor-

mally the catalytic con-
verter reaches high tem-

peratures. For this reason do not
park the car over inflammable
material (grass, dry leaves, pine
needles etc.): fire hazard.

Failure to heed these pre-

cautions could cause a
fire.

Do not install other heat shields and

do not remove those already fitted to
the catalytic converter and exhaust
pipe.

Do not allow anything to be sprayed

onto the catalytic converter, Lambda
sensor and exhaust pipe.

TOWING A TRAILER

IMPORTANT The car must be fit-

ted with a homologated tow hitch and
suitable electrical system for towing a
caravan or trailer.

Have the tow hitch fitted by an ex-

pert who will issue specific documen-
tation for use on roads.

Fit special and/or additional

rearview mirrors in accordance with
the highway code.

Remember that towing a trailer

makes it harder for the car to climb
the maximum gradients specified.

Engage a low gear when driving

downhill rather than constantly brak-
ing.

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The ABS system with

which the car may be fitted
does not control the brak-

ing system of a trailer. Special care
must therefore be taken on slip-
pery surfaces.

Under no circumstances

modify the car’s braking
system for trailer braking

control. The trailer’s braking sys-
tem must be completely indepen-
dent of the car’s hydraulic system.

The weight the trailer exerts on the

car’s tow hitch coupling reduces the
car’s carrying capacity by the same
amount.

In order to be sure you are not ex-

ceeding the maximum towing weight
(given on the car’s registration pa-
pers), you have to take into account
the trailer’s weight fully laden in-
cluding the accessories and personal
luggage.

Do not exceed the speed limits for

towing a trailer in the country you are
driving in. In any case, do not exceed
the top speed of 100 km/h.

SNOW CHAINS

The use of snow chains is regulated

by the legislation in force in the coun-
try the car is driven in.

The chains may only be applied to

the drive wheel tyres (front wheels).

Use only low profile chains (maxi-

mum height off the tyre: 12 mm).

Check the tautness of the chains af-

ter driving some twenty to thirty me-
tres.

IMPORTANT As the spare wheel is

small (space-saver), it is not possible
to fit snow chains to it. If a front tyre
is punctured, first exchange a rear
wheel with the spare tyre and then
change the flat tyre with the rear wheel
thus removed. This way there will be
two ordinary wheels at the front and
the snow chains can be fitted.

Remember that the wheels should

always be exchanged on the same side
of the vehicle; never change wheels
over from one side of the car to the
other.

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Standard tyre

Snow tyre

165/65 R14 78T
185/60 R14 82H

165/65 R14 78Q (M+S) (*)

185/60 R14 82T

185/60 R14 82Q (M+S) (*)

195/50 R15 82H

195/50 R15 82H

(*) See the warnings concerning maxi-
mum speed on the next page.

SNOW TYRES

These are tyres that have been

specifically designed for driving on
snow and ice, to be fitted in place of
the car’s standard tyres.

Only replace with the type of tyre in-

dicated in the table below:

LANCIA Dealership is pleased to

offer advice concerning the choice of
the most suitable tyre according to the
use required by the Customer.

Refer to the pressure of standard

tyres of the same size to find the cor-
rect inflation pressure: see “Tyre pres-
sure” in the “Technical Specifica-
tions” section.

The winter characteristics for snow

tyres are considerably less when the
tread is less than 4 mm. In such cases
it is safer to replace them.

The snow tyre characteristics are

such that, with normal environmen-
tal conditions or on long journeys on
the motorway their performance is
lower than that of standard tyres. 

Keep you speed

down when snow
chains are fitted.

Avoid potholes, steps and kerbs.
Do not drive for long distances on
roads free from snow as not to
damage the car and the road sur-
face.

The 1.2 

16V

M

N

red

car is

fitted with 195/50 R15 82H
tyres; snow chains cannot

be fitted on these tyres. Alterna-
tively, have 185/60 R14 82H tyres
fitted on which snow chains can be
mounted. If it is desired to use
snow tyres see the section “Snow
tyres”.

#

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The maximum speed of

snow tyres with a “Q” in-
dication must never ex-

ceed 160 km/h and in any case
must always observe the regula-
tions of the Highway Code.

Therefore they should only be used

for the purpose for which they have
been homologated (“Q” indicates that
the tyre is designed for a speed of less
than 160 km/h).

IMPORTANT When using snow

tyres with a maximum speed index
that is less than the capacity of the car
(increased by 5%), place in the pas-
senger compartment, well in sight, a
warning that indicates the maximum
speed permitted by the snow tyres (in
accordance with the EC Directive).

Fit four identical tyres (same make

and tread) on the wheels to ensure
safety when driving and when brak-
ing as well as easy handling.

Do not reverse the direction of rota-

tion of the tyres.

STORING THE CAR

Do the following if the car is not to

be used for more than a month:

– Park the car in covered, dry and if

possible well-ventilated premises.

– Engage a gear.

– Remove the cables from the bat-

tery terminals (first remove the cable
to the negative terminal) and check
the battery charge. This check should
be carried out once every three
months while the car is in storage.
Recharge the battery if the no-load
voltage is less than 12.5V.

– Make sure the handbrake is not

engaged.

– Clean and protect the painted

parts using protective wax.

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REPEATED CHECKS
AND CHECKS
BEFORE LONG
TRIPS

Periodically, remember to check:

– tyre pressure and condition

– engine oil level

– coolant level and condition of the

system

– brake fluid level

– windscreen washer liquid level

– power steering fluid level.

ACCESSORIES
PURCHASED
BY THE OWNER

RADIO TRANSMITTERS
AND CELL PHONES

Cell phones and other ra-

dio transmitters (e.g. CB radios) can-
not be used inside the car, unless you
use a separate aerial mounted outside
the car.

– Clean and protect the shiny metal

parts using special compounds avail-
able on the market.

– Sprinkle talcum powder on the

rubber windscreen and rear window
wiper blades and lift them off the
glass.

– Slightly open the windows.

– Cover the car with a cloth or per-

forated plastic sheet. Do not use
sheets of imperforated plastic as they
do not allow moisture on the car body
to evaporate.

– Inflate the tyres to 0.5 bar above

the normal specified pressure and
check it at intervals.

– Do not drain the engine cooling

system.

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USEFUL
ACCESSORIES

In addition to the legal requirements

we recommend keeping the following
in the car (fig. 4):

– first-aid kit with non-alcoholic

base disinfectant, sterile gauze, a roll
of gauze bandage, plasters, etc.,

– fire extinguisher,

– all-purpose round-nose scissors,

– work gloves.

fig. 4

P4C00425

IMPORTANT The use of cellular

phones, CB transmitters or other sim-
ilar devices inside the passenger com-
partment (without an aerial) produces
RF electromagnetic fields which, am-
plified by the resonance effects inside
the passenger compartment may
cause electrical systems equipping the
vehicle (engine control unit,
ABS/EBD control unit etc.) to mal-
function. This could compromise ve-
hicle safety as well as constituting a
potential hazard for the occupants.

The transmission and reception effi-

ciency of this equipment may also be
affected by the shielding effect of the
car’s body.

The parts described and illustrated

are available from Lineaccessori
LANCIA.

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IN AN EMERGENCY

P

eople who find themselves in an emergency

situation need immediate and concrete help.

The following pages have been written to help

you if the need arises. 

As you will see, a host of little snags have been

taken into account and, for each of them, the
measures you yourself can take are suggested. If
the problems are more serious however, you
should have the car seen to at a LANCIA Dealer-
ship.

With regard to this, we would like to remind you

that, in addition to the Owner handbook, you
have also been provided with the WARRANTY
BOOKLET where you will find details of all the
services Lancia can provide should you find your-
self in difficulty.

We nevertheless recommend you read these

pages. If in need you will be able to find the in-
formation you require much more quickly.

EMERGENCY STARTUP ...............................

91

JUMP STARTING ...........................................

92

BUMP STARTING ..........................................

93

IF A TYRE IS PUNCTURED ..........................

94

IF A BULB NEEDS REPLACING ...................

99

IF AN EXTERIOR LIGHT BURNS OUT ......... 102
IF AN INTERIOR LIGHT BURNS OUT  .......... 106
IF A FUSE BLOWS ........................................ 107
IF THE BATTERY IS FLAT ............................ 113
IF THE CAR NEEDS TO BE RAISED  ............ 114
IF THE CAR NEEDS TO BE TOWED  ............ 116
IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURS ........................... 117

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