CAR MAINTENANCE & CAR SERVICE

Periodically checking your tyre pressure is good for your safety and your wallet. Deflated, worn tyres or those more than five years old make your car unstable on curves, on wet surfaces and when braking. In addition, they have greater resistance rolling and require more energy.

If you look at the side of a tyre, you’ll notice a group of numbers and letters, for example 215 65 R 16 95H. This is it's marking, which lets you verify if that tyre is in compliance with the measurements shown in the car registration: 215 indicates the width in mm, 65 the height/width ratio, R the carcass radial set-up, 16 the rim diameter in inches, 95 the load index, H the speed index. Another code shows the week and year it was produced.

Tyre measurements matter, and how! Mounting tyres whose measurements are different from those in the handbook is illegal. Moreover, you can’t choose tyres with a speed index lower than the one shown in the book; but you can mount ones with higher index. See your Alfa Romeo Dealership: our specialists will tell you what the right tyre for your car is.

Oil:
• Reduces friction.
• Limits wear on moving parts in your engine (rods, pistons, etc.).
• Allows proper engine cooling.
• Keeps the engine clean.
• Helps to keep a watertight seal between the cylinder bore and the piston.
• Protects against corrosion.
• Ensures engine start-up in all temperatures.

New generation synthetic oils also allow you to:
• Reduce your CO2 emissions by reducing your fuel consumption.
• Optimise the operation of your engine's filtration systems like the catalytic converter and the particulate filter.

Oil filter:
• Keeps the oil as clean as possible.
• Traps all dust, combustion residue and abrasive particles generated by the normal wear of engine parts.
• Helps to keep the oil cool.

• Before checking the oil, make sure you have parked your car on a level surface.
• Turn off the engine, wait 5 minutes and, minding the heat, check the oil inside the engine.
• Do not add oil with features that are different from those already in the engine.
• See a Alfa Romeo Retailer for replacement and the correct disposal methods.

Choosing Petronas lubricants which are produced exclusively for Alfa Romeo guarantees your car optimum performance, low consumption, safety and respect for the environment. With more than 30 brands in more than 20 countries, Petronas is leader in producing, distributing and sales of functional fluids and antifreeze that are top of the range for the automotive sector. Original Petronas products are recommended in the user and maintenance handbooks for your Alfa Romeo.

Are you experiencing any vibrations, strange noises or excessive braking distance when you begin to press on your brake pedal? These are some early and clear warning signs that your brakes may need to be replaced or looked at. It's important for you, your passengers and all those around you that your entire brake system is in top condition.

We test extensively with the latest equipment and technology to make sure our brake discs can withstand the heat and pressure, guaranteeing you a safe and worry-free ride. Our genuine spare parts are made with the quality materials and designed specifically with your vehicle in mind to ensure a proper functioning braking system.

Fortunately, even though braking systems are complex, we have Alfa Romeo authorised workshops and retailers that know exactly what you and your vehicle need. Our certified mechanics can easily identify the issues that can arise from old and worn brake pads or brakes, or when the system isn't functioning properly.

It is a legal requirement to make sure your MOT is completed annually once your vehicle reaches X years old.  A valid MOT is crucial to ensure your Alfa Romeo's safety on the road.

An MOT checks your vehicle’s essential components, such as brakes, seatbelts, fuel system and exhaust, to ensure it runs smoothly and safely. MOT due in [MONTH -2] or [Month -1]? Book in for the month before

Anticipate bad surprises with the Alfa Romeo pre-MOT check. A simple phone call enables you to make an appointment. All check points are verified by our technicians according to the same level of strictness as MOT check.

Prevent a follow-up inspection thanks to Alfa Romeo pre-MOT check During the Alfa Romeo pre-MOT check, an extra attention is paid on items that could cause a follow-up inspection. If a work is necessary to ensure a valid MOT, a quote is submitted, free of charge.

• Avoid unnecessarily turning on items that consume electricity when the engine isn't working.
• Make sure the surface of the battery is always clean and dry. With regular use, and if you follow the maintenance guidelines, your battery could last up to four or five years.
• An annual check on the battery and the charging system by your Alfa Romeo expert will help to avoid any malfunctions. At the beginning of winter especially, have your Alfa Romeo specialist check the battery with a tester. You can also choose to replace the battery as a preventive measure and avoid the inconvenience of a breakdown.

The battery experiences natural degradation as it gets older, and depending on its level of usage. In addition, a high discharge rate, faults in the electrical circuit or extreme temperatures can also cause premature deterioration.

DISCHARGED BATTERY

Using things that consume electricity while the engine is off (headlights, radio, air conditioning, etc.) will lead to deep discharge.

FAULTY ALTERNATOR

An alternator that doesn't produce enough energy won't charge the battery properly. Conversely, an alternator that produces too much energy will over-charge the battery and wear it out prematurely. Lastly, bad connections can lead to leakage current, which will accelerate the discharge of the battery.

EXTREME TEMPERATURES

Extreme temperatures will damage the battery's fuel cells, reducing the conductivity of the electrolyte (mixture of water and acid). The battery is then impaired and will deteriorate.

Check the blades every six months
Imagine having to clean the surface of 13 football fields during endless rain or in the snow. That’s hard, right? Well, that’s the work that your window wipers do in 6 months, during which, on average, they carry out 125 thousand wipes, before they start to wear. Their life is no better when they are at rest either, as they're relentlessly exposed to heat, cold, dust and UV rays. Add a couple of checks every year to your schedule and never wait to replace them when you have to.

Take care of your window wipers
Window wiper blades that are well taken care of last longer, you just need a few tricks. Regularly clean the rubber blade, by wiping with a clean cloth moistened with a special detergent on both sides, lengthwise. Remember that ice damages rubber: remove it from the windscreen before operating the wipers. And always replace blades together: a difference in age makes them less effective over time.

• Slow demisting. Have the cabin filter checked.
• Generation of cold air is irregular or too slow. Have an air conditioning assessment carried out by your Alfa Romeo expert: it could be caused by a tiny gas leak. That could lead to the thermal cycle not working properly.
• The system is noisy: the compressor could be faulty. Have the belt checked.
• Poor distribution of cold air. Check the blower, it could be faulty.

Alfa Romeo is here to help
In summer as in winter, you should turn on your air conditioning for at least ten minutes every 15 days as a minimum, in order to increase its life span.

Different levels of filtration
There are three categories of Alfa Romeo filters* that offer different levels of protection against different types of pollutant: cabin particle filters, cabin carbon filters and cabin anti-allergen filters.

If you want to persistently combat the growth of bacteria (which cause allergies), microbes and bad odours, you will benefit from having the cabin filter changed by your Alfa Romeo expert as part of the maintenance of your air conditioning system, as this will cleanse the interior.

On average:
• Changing the cabin filter every 15,000 km or at least once a year.
• An assessment of the condition of your air conditioning system at least every two years.
• Changing the drier every four years (or between 60,000 and 80,000 km).
• Topping up the oil in the compressor before 100,000 km.
• Regularly cleaning the interior to constantly eliminate microbes and bad odours. Please refer to your Alfa Romeo expert to find out more.

• Unusual tendency for the vehicle to veer on sharp bends.
• Vehicle appears to ""float"" around long bends.
• Muffled clunks when going over a speed bump.
• Juddering wheels when accelerating, leading to a loss of grip.
• Oil leak detected on the body of the shock absorber.
• Irregular wear on the tyres.

• Your braking distance can increase by up to 35%.
• Your vehicle will become more prone to aquaplaning (+15%).
• The life span of the tyres may decrease by up to 25%.
• There is the risk of parts around it deteriorating as well: gimbal, suspension ball joints, engine mount, etc.

To keep your shock absorbers healthy, you just need a few simple tricks: have them checked regularly, always replace them in pairs and don’t forget to also change the end of travel buffers and dust protector caps. Shock absorbers should be replaced on average every 80.000 km. However, depending on their type and your driving style, their wear can change.
Find out about our Mopar® Vehicle Protection personalised service plan!

REPAIRABLE DAMAGE (when the impact does not exceed the size of a two euro coin and is outside of the driver's field of vision.)
• Star break chips.
• Combination breaks.
• Bull's eyes.
• Half moons.

NON-REPAIRABLE DAMAGE
• Any damage in the driver's line of sight.
• Any damage around the edge of the windscreen.
• Star break chips whose surface area is larger than a €2 coin, or within the driver's field of vision.
• Likewise, any damage that has already been repaired cannot be repaired a second time.
• Any damage that has caused a small piece of glass to be removed.
• Any damage to athermic windscreens.

If the impact cannot be repaired, our Alfa Romeo experts will take care of replacing your windscreen with your insurance.

The original rearview mirrors distributed by Alfa Romeo are available as both complete and as individual spare parts. You can ask separately for the reflector, the cap or the badges, according to your needs, and the repairs that you have to have done, at the Authorised Alfa Romeo Dealership.