Fiat Bravo (2015 year). Manual - part 11
Electric devices
DRIVING STYLE
GETTINGTOKNOW
Use electrical devices only for the amount of time
The main driving styles that affect fuel consumption
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necessary. The heated rear window, additional
are listed below.
headlights, windscreen/rear window wipers and
heater fan need a considerable amount of energy,
Starting
therefore increasing fuel consumption (by up to 25%
Do not warm the engine with the car at a standstill
in the urban cycle).
or at idle or high speed: under these conditions
the engine warms up much more slowly, increasing
Climate control system
electrical consumption and emissions. It is therefore
Air conditioning leads to higher fuel consumption (on
advisable to move off immediately, slowly, avoiding
average up to +20%). If the temperature outside
high speeds: in this way the engine will warm faster.
permits, try and use the air vents.
Unnecessary actions
Spoilers
Avoid accelerating when starting at traffic lights or
The use of non-certified spoilers may adversely affect
before switching off the engine. This and also double
air drag and fuel consumption.
declutching is absolutely pointless on modern cars
and also increases consumption and pollution.
Gear selection
As soon as the conditions of the traffic and road
allow, use a higher gear. Using a low gear for faster
acceleration will increase consumption.
In the same way improper use of a high gear
increases consumption, emissions an engine wear.
Max. speed
Fuel consumption increases considerably with speed.
Maintain a constant speed, avoiding unnecessary
braking and acceleration, which cost in terms of both
fuel consumption and emissions.
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Acceleration
TOWING TRAILERS
GETTINGTOKNOW
Accelerating violently severely affects consumption
IMPORTANT NOTES
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and emissions: acceleration should be gradual and
should not exceed the maximum torque.
For towing caravans or trailers the car must be fitted
with a certified tow hook and an adequate electric
USAGE CONDITIONS
system. Installation should be carried out by
specialised personnel who will issue the required
The main usage conditions that negatively affect fuel
papers for travelling on roads.
consumption are listed below.
Install any specific and/or additional rear view mirrors
Cold starting
as specified by the Highway Code.
Remember that when towing a trailer, steep hills are
Short journeys and frequent cold starts do not allow
harder to climb, braking distances increase and
the engine to reach optimum operating temperature.
overtaking takes longer depending on the overall
This results in a significant increase in consumption
weight.
levels (from +15 to +30% on the urban cycle) and
emissions.
Engage a low gear when driving downhill, rather than
constantly using the brake.
Traffic and road conditions
The weight the trailer exerts on the car tow hook
Rather high consumption levels are linked to
reduces the car's loading capacity by the same
situations with heavy traffic, for instance when
amount. To make sure that the maximum towable
travelling in queues with frequent use of the lower
weight is not exceeded (given in the car registration
gears or in cities with many traffic lights. Winding
document) account should be taken of the fully
mountain roads and rough road surfaces also
laden trailer, including accessories and luggage.
adversely affect consumption.
Respect the speed limits specific to each country for
vehicles towing trailers.
Traffic hold-ups
In any case, the maximum speed must not exceed 80
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g. level crossings) the
km/h.
engine should be switched off.
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IMPORTANT The use of auxiliary loads other than
WARNING
external lights (electric brake, winch, etc.) must
GETTINGTOKNOW
The ABS with which the car may be
be used with engine running.
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equipped will not control the braking
For the electric connection a unified connector
system of the trailer. Particular caution is
should be used, which is generally placed on a special
required on slippery roads.
bracket fastened to the towing device, and a special
ECU should be installed on the car to control the
trailer's exterior lights.
WARNING
7 or 13-pole 12 V DC connections should be used
(CUNA/UNI and ISO/DIN Standards). Follow any
Never modify the braking system of the
instructions provided by the car manufacturer and/or
car to control the trailer brake.The
the towing device manufacturer.
trailer braking system must be fully
independent of the car’s hydraulic system.
An electric brake or winch should be powered
directly by the battery through a cable with a
cross-section of no less than 2.5 mm2.
INSTALLING THE TOW HOOK
IMPORTANT Electric brakes or other devices must
The towing device should be fastened to the
be used with engine running.
bodywork by specialised personnel according to any
In addition to the electrical branches, the vehicle's
additional and/or integrative information supplied
electrical system can be connected only to the supply
by the Manufacturer of the device. The towing device
cable for an electric brake and to the cable for an
must meet current regulations with reference to
internal trailer light, though not more than 15 W. For
Directive 94/20/EEC and subsequent amendments.
connections use the preset control unit with battery
For any version the towing device used must be right
cable no less than 2.5 mm2.
for the towable weight of the car on which it is to
be installed.
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SNOW TYRES
All four tyres should be the same (brand and track)
to ensure greater safety when driving and braking
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Use snow tyres of the same size as the normal tyres
and better driveability.
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provided with the car.
Remember that you should not change the rotation
A Fiat Dealership will be happy to provide advice
direction of the tyres.
concerning the most suitable type of tyre for the
customer's requirements.
WARNING
For the type of tyre to be used, inflation pressures
The maximum speed for snow tyres
and the specifications of snow tyres, follow the
marked “Q” is 160 km/h, while it is 190
instructions given in paragraph "Wheels" in section
km/h for “T” tyres and 210 km/h for "H" tyres.
"Technical specifications".
You should, however, always stick to the speed
The winter features of these tyres are reduced
limits of the Road Traffic Code.
considerably when the tread depth is below 4 mm.
Replace them in this case.
Due to snow tyre features, under normal conditions
of use or on long motorway journeys, the
performance of these tyres is much lower than that
of standard tyres. Their usage should therefore be
restricted in accordance with their type approval.
IMPORTANT When using snow tyres with a
maximum speed index below the one that can be
reached by the car (increased by 5%), place a notice
in the passenger compartment, plainly in view, which
states the maximum speed allowed by the snow
tyres (as per EC Directive).
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SNOW CHAINS
Keep your speed down when snow chains
GETTINGTOKNOW
are fitted; do not exceed 50 km/h. Avoid
The use of snow chains should be in compliance with
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potholes, steps and pavements and avoid
local regulations.
driving for long distances on roads not covered
Snow chains may be fitted to the tyres of the front
with snow to prevent damaging the car and
wheels (drive wheels) only.
the roadbed.
Check the tension of the snow chains after the first
few metres have been driven.
Use reduced size snow chains:
❒ for 205/55 R16" tyres, use reduced size snow
chains with a maximum projection of 9 mm
beyond the tyre profile;
❒ for 225/45 R17" tyres, use reduced size snow
chains with a maximum projection of 7 mm
beyond the tyre profile.
IMPORTANT 225/40 R18 92V tyres cannot be fitted
with chains. Snow chains may cause interference
with the surrounding elements.
IMPORTANT Snow chains cannot be fitted to the
space-saver wheel. If a front tyre is punctured,
replace a rear wheel with the space-saver wheel and
move the rear wheel to the front axle. In this way,
with two normal drive wheels at the front, snow
chains can be fitted.
144
CAR INACTIVITY
❒ cover the car with a cloth or perforated plastic
sheet. Do not use sheets of non-perforated plastic
GETTINGTOKNOW
If the car is to be left inactive for longer than a
as they do not allow moisture on the car body
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month, the following precautions should be
to evaporate;
observed:
❒ inflate tyres to +0.5 bar above the standard
❒ park the car in covered, dry and if possible
specified pressure and check it at intervals;
well-ventilated premises and slightly open
❒ do not drain the engine cooling system.
the windows;
❒ engage a gear and disengage the handbrake;
IMPORTANT Where relevant, switch off the car
alarm with the remote control.
❒ disconnect the negative battery terminal and check
charge (see paragraph “Battery - Charge and
electrolyte level check” in chapter “Maintenance
and care”);
❒ clean and protect the painted parts using
protective wax;
❒ clean and protect the shiny metal parts using
special compounds available commercially;
❒ sprinkle talcum powder on the rubber windscreen
and rear window wiper blades and lift them off the
glass;
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WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
GETTINGTOKNOW
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WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
BRAKE FLUID LOW (red) /
HANDBRAKE ENGAGED (red)
GENERAL WARNINGS
Warning lights are accompanied by a specific message
Turning the key to the MAR-ON position the
and/or acoustic warning where provided by the
warning light switches on, but it should switch off
control panel. These indications are concise and
after a few seconds.
precautionary and, as such, must not be
considered as exhaustive and/or an alternative to the
LOW BRAKE FLUID LEVEL
information contained in this Owner Handbook,
which you are advised to read carefully in all cases. In
The warning light switches on when the level of the
the event of a failure indication, always refer to
brake fluid in the reservoir falls below the minimum
the contents of this chapter.
level due to a possible leak in the circuit. On some
versions the display shows the dedicated message.
IMPORTANT Failure indications displayed are divided
into two categories: very serious and less serious
failures.
WARNING
Very serious failures are indicated by a repeated
If the
warning light switches on while
and prolonged warning "cycle".
driving, stop immediately and contact
a Fiat Dealership.
Less serious failures are indicated by a shorter
warning "cycle".
The display cycle of both failure types can be stopped
HANDBRAKE APPLIED
by pressing the MODE button. The warning light
(or symbol in the display) will remain on until the
The warning light turns on when the handbrake is
cause of the malfunction is eliminated.
applied. If the car is moving the buzzer will also
sound.
146
IMPORTANT If the warning light comes on when the
WARNING
car is in motion, check that the handbrake is not
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on.
If when turning the key to MAR-ON the
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warning light does not turn on or
BRAKE PAD WEAR (amber)
stays on whilst driving, a failure may have
occurred in the restraint systems. In this case
the airbags or pretensioners may not be
deployed in an impact or, in a lower number of
cases, they may be deployed accidentally.
The warning light switches on if the front brake pads
Contact a Fiat Dealership immediately to have
are worn. In this case replace them as soon as
the system checked.
possible.
The display will show the dedicated message.
IMPORTANT Because the car is equipped with a
WARNING
wear detection system only for the front brake pads,
A fault with the warning light is
when these are replaced the rear brake pads should
indicated by flashing of the warning
also be checked for wear.
light, which signals the deactivation of the
passenger side front airbag. In addition, the
AIRBAG FAILURE (red)
airbag system automatically disables the
airbags on the passenger's side (both front and
side airbags for versions/markets, where
provided). In this case, the warning light
may
Turning the key to the MAR-ON position the
not indicate a fault in the restraint systems.
warning light switches on, but it should switch off
Before continuing, contact a Fiat Dealership
after a few seconds. The warning light stays on
immediately to have the system checked.
constantly if there is a failure in the airbag system.
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PASSENGER/SIDE AIRBAGS
The warning light will flash and a buzzer will sound if
DEACTIVATED (amber)
the car is in motion and the front seat belts are
GETTINGTOKNOW
not correctly fastened.
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The SBR (Seat Belt Reminder) system buzzer can
The warning light switches on when the front
only be permanently switched off by a Fiat
passenger's airbag and side bag are disabled. With
Dealership.
front passenger airbag on, when the ignition key
The system can be reactivated using the Setup Menu.
is turned to MAR-ON, the warning light switches
on constantly for several seconds, it flashes for
LOW BATTERY CHARGE (red)
another few seconds and then it should switch off.
WARNING
The warning light comes on when the ignition key is
A failure of the warning light is
turned to MAR-ON, but it should go out as soon
indicated by warning light switching
as the engine has started (with the engine running at
on. In addition, the airbag system automatically
idle speed a brief delay before going out is
disables the airbags on the passenger's side
acceptable).
(both front and side airbags where provided).
Before continuing, contact a Fiat Dealership
If the warning light stays on constantly or continues
immediately to have the system checked.
to flash, contact a Fiat Dealership immediately.
CONTINUOUSLY ON: LOW
UNFASTENED SEAT BELTS (red)
ENGINE OIL PRESSURE (red)
ON FLASHING: ENGINE OIL
The warning light switches on constantly with the
DETERIORATED
car stationary and the driver's side or passenger side
(only MultiJet versions with DPF - red)
seat belt (when the passenger is present) not
When the ignition key is turned to MAR-ON, the
fastened.
warning light switches on but should switch off
as soon as the engine is started.
148
Low engine oil pressure
The flashing of this warning light should not be
considered as a fault; it informs the customer that
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The warning light switches on constantly together
the oil needs to be changed following normal car use.
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(for versions/markets, where provided) with a
message on the display when the system detects that
Note that engine oil degrades faster under the
the engine oil pressure is too low.
following circumstances:
❒ mainly town use of the car which makes the DPF
regeneration process more frequent;
WARNING
❒ use of the car for short drives, in which the engine
If the warning light
turns on when
does not have time to reach its regular operating
the car is travelling (on certain versions
temperature;
together with the message on the display) stop
the engine immediately and contact a Fiat
❒ repeated interruption of the regeneration process,
Dealership.
signalled by the DPF warning light coming on.
WARNING
Engine oil degraded
(versions with DPF only)
If the warning light switches on, the
deteriorated engine oil must be changed
The warning light will flash and a specific message will
as soon as possible, and never more than 500
appear on the display (for versions/markets, where
km from the first time that the warning light
provided). The warning light may flash in the
switches on. Failure to observe the above
following ways, depending on the version:
indication may result in severe damage to the
❒ for 1 minute every two hours;
engine and invalidate the warranty. Remember
that the operation of this warning light is not
❒ cycles of 3 minutes with intervals with the warning
related to the amount of oil in the engine.
light off for 5 seconds until the oil is changed.
Therefore, never top up with oil when the
After the first indication, at each engine start-up the
warning light starts flashing.
warning light will continue flashing as described
above until the oil is changed. The display (for
versions/markets, where provided), shows a
dedicated message together with the warning light.
149
“DUALDRIVE” ELECTRIC POWER
EXCESSIVE ENGINE COOLANT
STEERING FAILURE (red)
TEMPERATURE (red)
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The warning light comes on when the ignition key is
Turning the key to the MAR-ON position the
turned to MAR-ON, but it should switch off after
warning light switches on, but it should switch off
a few seconds.
after a few seconds. The warning light turns on when
the engine is overheated. If the warning light comes
The electric power steering system will not work
on, proceed as follows:
when the warning light is on and considerably more
effort is needed on the steering wheel. The car
❒ when driving normally: stop the car, switch off
can still be steered. In this case, contact a Fiat
the engine and check that the water level in the
Dealership.
reservoir is not below the MIN mark. If it is, wait
for the engine to cool down, then slowly and
The display will show the dedicated message.
carefully open the cap, top up with coolant and
check that the level is between the MIN and MAX
“DUALDRIVE” ELECTRIC POWER
marks on the reservoir. Also check visually for
STEERING ACTIVATION (indication
any fluid leaks. If, when restarting, the warning
on display)
light switches on again, contact a Fiat Dealership.
❒ If the car is used under demanding
The indication CITY switches on when the
conditions (e.g. towing trailers uphill or fully
"Dualdrive" electric power steering system is
loaded): slow down and, if the light stays on, stop
activated by pressing the button on the dashboard.
the car. Wait for 2 or 3 minutes with the engine
The indication CITY will switch off when the
running and slightly accelerated to further favour
button is pressed again.
the coolant circulation. Then stop the engine.
Check the correct coolant level as described
above.
IMPORTANT Over demanding routes, it is advisable
to keep the engine on and slightly accelerated for
a few minutes before switching it off.
The display will show the dedicated message.
150
INCOMPLETE DOOR LOCKING
Rain sensor failure
(red)
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The warning light switches on when a rain sensor
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fault is detected. The display shows the dedicated
message.
The warning light switches on when one or more
doors are not completely shut. An acoustic signal is
Parking sensor failure
activated with the doors open and the car moving.
(for versions/markets, where provided)
The warning light turns on when failure is detected in
GENERIC FAILURE INDICATION
the parking sensors.
(amber)
Tyre pressure monitoring system failure
(for versions/markets, where provided)
Fuel cut-off inertia switch tripped
The warning light turns on when a failure is detected
The warning light comes on when the inertial fuel
in the TPMS (for versions/markets where provided).
cut-off switch is triggered. The display shows the
Should one or more wheels without a sensor be
dedicated message.
fitted, the instrument panel warning light will come
on and stay on until the initial conditions are
Engine oil pressure sensor failure
restored. The display shows the dedicated message.
The warning light comes on when the engine oil
Note If one of the above mentioned failures occurs,
pressure sensor is faulty.
contact a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
Dusk sensor failure
This warning light comes on when a dusk sensor
fault is detected. The display shows the dedicated
message.
Preset speed limit exceeded
(for Arab countries only)
The warning light switches on when the vehicle
speed exceeds 120 km/h.
151
DPF (DIESEL PARTICULATE
WARNING
FILTER) CLEANING IN PROGRESS
GETTINGTOKNOW
(only versions with DPF) (amber)
The driving speed must always be
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suitable for traffic and weather
conditions and the driver must always comply
When the key is turned to MAR-ON, the warning
with the Highway Code.The engine may be
light switches on but should switch off after a few
switched off even if the DPF warning light is on:
seconds. The warning light (together with a message
repeated interruptions of the regeneration
and a symbol on the display on some versions)
process could cause an early deterioration of
switches on constantly to notify the driver that the
engine oil. For this reason it is always advisable
DPF system needs to eliminate captured pollutants
to wait for the light to go off before turning
(particulate) through the regeneration process.
off the engine, following the instructions above.
The warning light does not switch on during every
It is not a good idea to complete DPF
DPF regeneration, but only when driving conditions
regeneration with the car stationary.
require that the driver is notified. To switch the
warning light off, the car must be kept moving until
the regeneration process is completed.
On average, the process lasts fifteen minutes. The
best conditions to complete the regeneration
process are reached driving the car at about 60 km/h
with engine speed over 2000 rpm.
If this light switches on, it does not mean that the
car is defective, so there is no need to take it to
a workshop. On some versions, together with the
warning light switching on, the display shows a
dedicated message.
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FUEL RESERVE (amber)
The display will show the dedicated message.
Under these conditions, you may continue travelling
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at moderate speed without demanding excessive
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effort from the engine. Prolonged use of the car with
Turning the key to the MAR-ON position the
the warning light on may cause damage: contact a
warning light switches on, but it should switch off
Fiat Dealership as soon as possible.
after a few seconds. The warning light turns on when
The warning light goes out after the fault disappears,
8-10 litres of fuel are left in the tank.
but the notification is stored in the system.
IMPORTANT The warning light will flash to indicate
a system failure. If this is the case, go to the Fiat
Contact a Fiat Dealership as soon as
Dealership to have the system checked.
possible if the
warning light either does
not switch on when the key is turned to
EOBD/INJECTION SYSTEM
MAR-ON or if while driving the warning light
FAILURE (amber)
switches on either constantly or flashes (along
with a message and a symbol on the display
on some versions).The operation of warning light
In normal conditions, when the ignition key is turned
may be checked by the traffic police using
to MAR-ON the warning light switches on, but
specific devices. Comply with the laws and
should switch off as soon as the engine is started.
regulations of the country where you are driving.
If the warning light remains on or comes on whilst
driving, it means that the injection system is not
working properly; in particular, if the warning light
comes on constantly, this indicates a malfunction in
the supply/ignition system that could cause excessive
exhaust emissions, a possible loss of performance,
poor driveability and high fuel consumption.
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