Owners manual

[Alvon Elrod]

Has anybody tried to obtain a printed version of the owner's manual?  Having a CD is nice, but I find it a challenge to learn about the car's functions when sitting at my computer.  I'd rather be sitting in the car and trying out the function while reading about it.  Yeh, I know I can print out my own copy, but I would rather that a printed copy come with the car.

Same goes for a workshop manual.  Anybody know where I could get one.  So far, in reading the owner's manual, I haven't seen anything about how to find the oil drainplug or oil filter, air filter, transmission oil level check, or any such maintenance item.  Maybe it is in the CD owner's manual somewhere, but I haven't found it yet.

Alvon

[ciddyguy]

Alvon Elrod wrote

Has anybody tried to obtain a printed version of the owner's manual?  Having a CD is nice, but I find it a challenge to learn about the car's functions when sitting at my computer.  I'd rather be sitting in the car and trying out the function while reading about it.  Yeh, I know I can print out my own copy, but I would rather that a printed copy come with the car.

Same goes for a workshop manual.  Anybody know where I could get one.  So far, in reading the owner's manual, I haven't seen anything about how to find the oil drainplug or oil filter, air filter, transmission oil level check, or any such maintenance item.  Maybe it is in the CD owner's manual somewhere, but I haven't found it yet.

Alvon

Alvon,

I know this is a bit late to respond but if you have a smart phone, like a Droid, the Blackberry or iPhone, you can download the Fiat 500 App to it and there is a page on it that shows what's where in the maintenance section on the 1.4L motor. Also, Chris gave us a download of the Euro manual that's so current it even has the 900cc twinair listed and even it shows us where the major fluids etc are. I found out the 900cc TwinAir uses a combined oil cap and dipstick instead of the separate dipstick due to space restrictions. First time I've seen that done and think it's quite clever to be honest.

Also, on a separate page, you'll find the fluid capacities and what Fiat recommends you use. One thing, the Euro manual shows the car having a hydraulic clutch, no mention on the smart phone app if the US version is or is not hydraulic (but I suspect it most likely is).

[sjmst]

They don't give you are hardcopy owner's manual?

[Alvon Elrod]

I don't have a smart phone, so that rules out the download.  Even if I did, the tiny screen on those things would make it impossible for me to read.  I prefer to read from a printed paper, and find it a little odd that Fiat doesn't provide that.  

Though the European Manual supplied by Chris has a lot of useful info, it doesn't show much in the way of maintenance.  It shows where to put oil in, but not where to drain it or to find the oil filter, air filter, jacking points for the car, etc.  

Maybe that info is covered in a Service Manual.  I'd like to get one.

The Euopean Manual suggests 30,000km (18,000 miles) between oil & filter changes and the same interval for changing spark plugs.  Seems quite optimistic for the oil change and pessimistic for the spark plug changes to me.  I generally go 5000 miles between oil changes for all my vehicles, though I do slide to 7500 for our Honda Odyssey, since it's mostly all road miles.  Spark plugs seem to last forever, or at least 50K miles for most modern engines.

Alvon

[ciddyguy]

Alvon Elrod wrote

I don't have a smart phone, so that rules out the download.  Even if I did, the tiny screen on those things would make it impossible for me to read.  I prefer to read from a printed paper, and find it a little odd that Fiat doesn't provide that.  

Though the European Manual supplied by Chris has a lot of useful info, it doesn't show much in the way of maintenance.  It shows where to put oil in, but not where to drain it or to find the oil filter, air filter, jacking points for the car, etc.  

Maybe that info is covered in a Service Manual.  I'd like to get one.

The Euopean Manual suggests 30,000km (18,000 miles) between oil & filter changes and the same interval for changing spark plugs.  Seems quite optimistic for the oil change and pessimistic for the spark plug changes to me.  I generally go 5000 miles between oil changes for all my vehicles, though I do slide to 7500 for our Honda Odyssey, since it's mostly all road miles.  Spark plugs seem to last forever, or at least 50K miles for most modern engines.

Alvon

I could be wrong but I thought I saw some things about where to change the oil etc in the Euro manual in its own section and I thought it also showed us about the jack points and such too as most cars include that in their manuals.

That said, as far as the DVD etc, I'm sure there is a way to print up the manual or go to your local Fiat dealer to get the physical book.

I'm sure there is a service manual available for the car already.

[sonicsby5]

My dealer told me when I picked up the Prima that if you call the 800 number in the front of the mini-manual ("User's guide" i think it's called) that FIAT will send you the full manual for free.  I haven't tried this yet but will.  

[alfista]

Page 63 of the User Manual:
"If you are the first registered retail owner of your vehicle, you may obtain one free printed copy of the Owner's Manual, Warranty Booklet or Radio Manuals on your DVD by calling 1-888-242-6342 (U.S.0 or 1-800-387-1143 (Canada) or by contacting your dealer."

[Alvon Elrod]

I called this morning and talked to Brian at extension 800.8101.  He checked and reported back that no printed manuals are available yet, and it was not known when the printed material will be available.  He took my contact information, and promised to call and inquire daily on this topic, and will call me to keep me posted of status.  

I encourage any of you to make the same call.  The more people asking for the printed manuals, the more attention will be put on making it happen.

I like that we can review the info presented in the DVD's on our computers, though the organization and presentation of the information has room for improvement.  The DVD is an added benefit, in my opinion.  But it does not replace the need of having a printed version available to be kept with the car, for a lot of reasons.

Alvon

[alfista]

I've posted full PDF copies of the Owner's Manual and the Navigation and Multimedia Manual (AKA Blue&Me) from the USA 500 DVD. Complete with bookmarks! Available for download now:

Owner's Manual

Navigation and Multimedia Manual

[Alvon Elrod]

Thanks!  I'll check it out.  I found the DVD to be replicating much of the information in a somewhat disorganized manner, and am hoping that the printed owner's manuals will have a more logical layout.  Since your .pdf version is probably searchible, that may solve the challenge of the lack of organization of the information.  

In any event I would still need to print it out for it to do me any good, and then it would be on 8.5" x 11" sheets, with page breaks wherever it works out.  When I plop down $21K for a car, I expect a decent quality printed manual of a convenient size to carry in the car.

Alvon

[Giallo Edizione]

alfista wrote

I've posted full PDF copies of the Owner's Manual and the Navigation and Multimedia Manual (AKA Blue&Me) from the USA 500 DVD. Complete with bookmarks! Available for download now:

Owner's Manual

Navigation and Multimedia Manual

Good stuff! Well done, man!

[sonicsby5]

I second that.  Thanks for taking the time on the PDF's.

[Jim McKenzie]

thanks Alf!

[Gavin]

Thanks!

Gavin

[cogtooth]

It has been taking hours to go through the manual, which helps during the wait for my Fiat to be delivered.  A lot of features compared to the car it is replacing at only 1/2 the cost.

[SeaDawg]

Bless you, BLESS you, BLESS YOU!!!  I've been wanting to see one of these for a couple of weeks or more.  The dealer had the demo manual AT HOME, so they could learn from it.  Even the local prospective Fiat dealer, who opens in Mid April, has received no materials from Fiat USA.

FIAT is NOT handling this introduction well, at all.  And I'm talking about the regular cars and dealers.

Looking forward as #1 on the waiting list here in Central Florida.

[SeaDawg]

Note European 500's are delivered with SYNTHETIC oil, which can deal with those intervals.  Amsoil here in the states has a 25,000 mi or 1 year SYNTHETIC oil.

[Fiat500USA]

alfista wrote

I've posted full PDF copies of the Owner's Manual and the Navigation and Multimedia Manual (AKA Blue&Me) from the USA 500 DVD. Complete with bookmarks! Available for download now:

Owner's Manual

Navigation and Multimedia Manual

Thanks alfista for posting those.

[Fiat500USA]

Alvon Elrod wrote

Thanks!  I'll check it out.  I found the DVD to be replicating much of the information in a somewhat disorganized manner, and am hoping that the printed owner's manuals will have a more logical layout.  Since your .pdf version is probably searchible, that may solve the challenge of the lack of organization of the information.  

In any event I would still need to print it out for it to do me any good, and then it would be on 8.5" x 11" sheets, with page breaks wherever it works out.  When I plop down $21K for a car, I expect a decent quality printed manual of a convenient size to carry in the car.

Alvon

I love owners manuals and love to collect them.  The DVD thing is something new from Chrysler, and is touted as a way to save trees, the environment, etc., etc. They got a lot of publicity for it. Of course, it also saves them $$.

This and the lack of a standard spare are, I guess, what new cars are coming to. Can't say I like it.

[SpidArman]

Apparently, there is a 3rd edition pdf manual that has been created for cars produced after 3/21/11...   It contains real pictures in color.  It wouls be interesting to see what the improvements are...   I heard that they did correct the towing issues using dollies and explain the sport mode button in detail.

Regards,

Arman