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Technical Rev limiter and auto shifting in Auto-Manual?

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Technical Rev limiter and auto shifting in Auto-Manual?

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HandBanana

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My wife just got a 2012 Fiat 500 sport (US Edition) With an automatic transmission. She knows absolutely nothing about cars. One of the features on the car is the ability to move the shift knob to the left while it is in D in order to shift up and down on your own. She apparently has never heard of this before and red lined the hell out of the car and I guess just assumed that it was made to only get up to about 20 and was super loud. She made it 40 miles without the car exploding, she also informed me that she was able to get up to speed on the Hi way (although it took quite some time). She also told me that eventually the car would shift on it's own (at about 7,000 rpms). I am wondering if anyone can tell me if the car has some sort of dummy proof safety feature that automatically shifts the gear. I tried calling Fiat but the US hotline does not know any mechanical specifications of the cars. And I speak least Italian out of anyone I know. I am assuming since she was able to get up to 75 MPH that the car did shift it's self. I also tried calling several Fiat dealerships and asking their head mechanics. But they did not know if the car has the ability to override stupidity either, as they probably assumed no one would ever do that.
 
I know most have a rev limiter which kicks in at about 7000rpm In a manual so sounds about right. Just don't know whether it would actually shift up or just limit the revs. Usually just makes a small knock and then I shift up if I ever accidentally red line it and keep going.... :L
 
HandBanana said:
My wife just got a 2012 Fiat 500 sport (US Edition) With an automatic transmission. She knows absolutely nothing about cars. One of the features on the car is the ability to move the shift knob to the left while it is in D in order to shift up and down on your own. She apparently has never heard of this before and red lined the hell out of the car and I guess just assumed that it was made to only get up to about 20 and was super loud. She made it 40 miles without the car exploding, she also informed me that she was able to get up to speed on the Hi way (although it took quite some time). She also told me that eventually the car would shift on it's own (at about 7,000 rpms). I am wondering if anyone can tell me if the car has some sort of dummy proof safety feature that automatically shifts the gear. I tried calling Fiat but the US hotline does not know any mechanical specifications of the cars. And I speak least Italian out of anyone I know. I am assuming since she was able to get up to 75 MPH that the car did shift it's self. I also tried calling several Fiat dealerships and asking their head mechanics. But they did not know if the car has the ability to override stupidity either, as they probably assumed no one would ever do that.
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car should be fine. either case the car wouldn't have been able to go above 7250 rpm which is where the rev limiter kicks in and it must have been at 2nd or 3rd gear to hit the rev limiter at those speeds.
 
All auto's with a sport function I have ever driven are like this, they will hold onto the revs until the red line, it's what the sport function is for. TBH if someone is driving a car and doesn't know this then they shouldn't really be driving it IMHO, if you get a new car you should read the handbook and make yourself familiar with all it's functions etc.

As to if it will have harmed the car, probably not but I wouldn't make a habit out of it! (y)
 
ahmett said:
car should be fine. either case the car wouldn't have been able to go above 7250 rpm which is where the rev limiter kicks in and it must have been at 2nd or 3rd gear to hit the rev limiter at those speeds.
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Yeah I'm pretty sure the car wouldn't let you wreck the engine. After all, the car will beep and refuse to carry out the instruction when you try to shift gears on a Dualogic at an inappropriate speed.

It's all too easy to even accidentally put the car into the manual mode. Happened to me when I first drove my 500 off the dealer's lot -- the salesguy had left the car in manual mode. I drove for about 50 metres wondering why the engine was so loud and I couldn't build up any speed, then realised and put the car back into auto mode :D
 
44sunsets said:
Yeah I'm pretty sure the car wouldn't let you wreck the engine. After all, the car will beep and refuse to carry out the instruction when you try to shift gears on a Dualogic at an inappropriate speed.



It's all too easy to even accidentally put the car into the manual mode. Happened to me when I first drove my 500 off the dealer's lot -- the salesguy had left the car in manual mode. I drove for about 50 metres wondering why the engine was so loud and I couldn't build up any speed, then realised and put the car back into auto mode :D
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Yes manual mode thing happens all the time. No worries about wrecking the engine, the electronics don't let you on either the up shifts or the downshifts on the auto box!
 
ahmett said:
Yes manual mode thing happens all the time. No worries about wrecking the engine, the electronics don't let you on either the up shifts or the downshifts on the auto box!
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I'm sorry, but needlessly revving the engine that high will wear the engine more than is necessary.
 
FWIW, Euro cars won't let you redline for more than ten seconds. The ECU will cut revs after that. Don't know about the MA engines but presumably they have similar logic.
 
I had a Hyundai Sonata with the manual mode feature and it was "dummy" proof. Once it redlined it would shift regardless. Like 306maxi said, it puts unnecessary wear on the car but no permanent damage.
 
Really?

I thought revving the engine was ok as long as the engine is warm and coolant and oil are topped up.
 
ahmett said:
Really?

I thought revving the engine was ok as long as the engine is warm and coolant and oil are topped up.
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There's a reason production race engines only last maybe one season, which might only be 5000km and usually less.
 
UFI said:
There's a reason production race engines only last maybe one season, which might only be 5000km and usually less.
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Oh dear! But I guess race engines are much closer to their limits than a Fiat 500's engine, even at max revs.
 
UFI said:
It depends on who you ask really:

http://www.autegmotorsport.com/servicing/drt_build

http://www.rent4ring.de/en/news/2011/two-years-and-2800-laps-later.html

http://www.rent4ring.de/en/news/2012/600000kms-and-1-mechanical-failure.html
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Thanks for the link UFI, it made for fun reading!

Rent for ring sounds more on the ball that Suzuki did just fine. And 8700 RPM??? haha luckily I cant do that on my Fiat 500 as, due to it being a auto box, it doesn't let you downshift if it thinks revs are too high for it.
 
I've really wondered at the proliferation of auto makers even offering this option on automatics. I mean, if you WANT to shift your car, buy the bloody manual version :devil:
 
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