Picked up my Fiat 500 1.4 Sport last week. Generally seems fine, but 8/10 times, when I start the engine, there's a beep, I get the message 'Check Engine' on the dash, followed by 'Start&Stop unavailable'.

Then I have the 'injection system failure' amber warning sign displayed, along with the S with a cross through it, as well as the 'general failure indication' sign. I'm pretty sure my dealer pointed to that sign (small yellow triangle with exclamation mark in bottom left corner of display) and told me that was to show the 'side lights' were on (is there even a symbol to indicate that?)

Anyway, the car seems to be behaving OK, though it being so new, I have little frame of reference.

I will be contacting my dealer as soon as I get the chance, wondering if anyone had any clues?

This is definately a back to the dealer job! They can then plug it in to their system and it should tell them what the errors are and the reason for the lights coming on.

It's telling you to open the open the bonnet and behold the greatness of the 1.4

Seriously, take it to a dealer.

Cheers for the comments, I'll be paying the dealer a visit shortly.

But in the meantime, I've found what would seem to be the source of the problem.

If I turn my sidelights off, everything's fine again, no warning lights are displayed, start and stop behaving properly... so I'm thankful it doesn't seem to be a serious problem. Indeed, I don't even want my sidelights on by default, so I'd probably not notice the problem ever again. Still, will get it double checked, out of principle if nothing else.

Onwards and (hopefully) upwards!

On a side note, when's a good time to let my 500 'stretch its legs'? it's put in over 300 miles of gentle, low rev, careful driving... and I'm rather looking forward to pressing the sports button and giving it a good hard thrashing. Do I really need to hit the 1000 mile mark first?

ilsen said:

If I turn my sidelights off, everything's fine again, no warning lights are displayed, start and stop behaving properly...

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What's a side light?

jnoiles said:

What's a side light?

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I am guessing a DRL.

Cheers

SPD

Finally someone with the same problem as me! That message can mean all sorts of things in your engine - a sensor is picking up that something is wrong in the engine. To save your car living at the dealer for the next few weeks I would recommend you check the wiring loom is fitted in place (mine wasn't and I had to get a new one), then if that doesn't work get the sensors checked, I have had 2 oxygen sensors replaced now - they think I had faulty sensors due to the wiring loom coming loose. With my car the fault came on whenever the car became low on petrol and then refuelled and now it's been back four times and head office are involved I'm hoping it's fixed. My fault came on within a few miles of driving the car...

Oh and mine's a 1.4 sport too...

Hey was wondering if you have managed to sort this problem? I have had this same problem since buying my 500 new a month ago. It has been back to the dealers twice now the last time they had it for two days. It is fixed as soon as I get the carback but the problem comes back quickly. Not sure what to do next fed up of it now.

Cheers

I experienced same problem today and my 500 (1.2 lounge) is only a month old. Until now all has been fine. I drove to work this morning (20 miles) and suspected something was up when I was stopped at lights and used the start stop. As soon as gear was in neutral the engine cut out as normal. Initially, I had my foot on the brake pedal but as the lights were going to be on red for a while, I decided to put the handbrake on - as soon as I did, the engine started! It did this everytime today.

Later after driving back from work then collecting my son from school, I set off for home. Suddenly there was a beep and the 3 amber lights appeared on the dash (start stop light, the EOBD injection light and triangle). The Check Engine message came on. I rang the dealer and am going to take it in tomorrow morning for them to check. I was very nervous driving it home after that. I hope it is a quick fix.

FiddyThe500 said:

Finally someone with the same problem as me! That message can mean all sorts of things in your engine - a sensor is picking up that something is wrong in the engine. To save your car living at the dealer for the next few weeks I would recommend you check the wiring loom is fitted in place (mine wasn't and I had to get a new one), then if that doesn't work get the sensors checked, I have had 2 oxygen sensors replaced now - they think I had faulty sensors due to the wiring loom coming loose. With my car the fault came on whenever the car became low on petrol and then refuelled and now it's been back four times and head office are involved I'm hoping it's fixed. My fault came on within a few miles of driving the car...

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Exactly what has just happened to me...

I ran the car down to about 1/4 of a tank, filled up yesterday and upon leaving the petrol station the warning light comes on, followed by beeps and "Check Engine". Garage won't even look at my car until Thursday! Only had it for 1 month

1.4 Sport.

Guys the same happened to me...

I have 1.4 sport and i found that its got something to do with engine oil level..... together with a bug in the system.. and thats all gone after they hock it up on the system and check for defaults.. you should not be worried but have to call the dealer to finalize the issue

Got my car going back in to the garage for a second time to fix this issue.

Ryuno said:

Got my car going back in to the garage for a second time to fix this issue.

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Me too, I spoke to my dealer who said he also had a Start Stop car that his wife could not even drive as she kept setting off the lights! Apparently if you hold the gearstick too long or ride the clutch it just happens! I was reversing in a tight space with lots of people about had to slip the clutch as it was too dangerous to drive with the clutch fully out even on no throttle.

They were too busy to fix it any time soon so called another dealer. The man there said if it was caused by a fault with the car it would be a warranty job but as it seemed as though I had caused it by riding the clutch I would have to pay. I nearly spat my coffee across the room! He eventually agreed to fixing it under warranty though. I am still really annoyed as obviously this is not always caused by driver error. :bang:

Found this post (link below) on the official Fiat forum.... I have just been told that Fiat FINALLY recognise that there is a fault with the new 500 with Stop&Start technology. My dealer (I currenly live in Holland) has found that there is a problem with Right Hand Drive Fiat 500s in that when the driver is in a situation that requires him/her to ride the clutch for more than 10 seconds (clutch no fully depressed/released and with power applied) for example, in a multi-storey car park or when holding the vehicle steady on a hill/gradient, the Start&Stop Warning Light AND the General Warning Light (Exclamation mark inside a yellow triangle) are illuminated. To resolve this problem, the dealer has to update your on-board software for the Marelli IAW 5SF9 CF4/EOBD (using FLASH-CD 5.60.5 that the dealer should download from the Examiner WEB). I have the Dutch technical solution which Fiat are rolling out under Service News 10/35.09 - please e-mail me for a Dutch copy that can be easily translated through Language Tools on the Google home page. That said, my Dutch dealer just tried to update my software without success but this may be down to the Left-Hand Drive 'v' Right-Hand Drive incompatibility.

http://www.fiat.co.uk/Community/forums/2/5222/ShowThread.aspx

Yeah, but the warranty only covers 'manufacturing failure' and in your instance it wasn't.

Cheers

D

rallycinq said:

Yeah, but the warranty only covers 'manufacturing failure' and in your instance it wasn't.

Cheers

D

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I sort of see where you're coming from, however I think that if you can't creep a a car along at below the speed it would go with the clutch fully out and throttle closed for a short time for reasons of safety i.e not wanting to mow down pedestrians, then that is a fault. Say for example you want to move forward or back at 3mph and the car does 4mph with both clutch and brake pedals released when in gear what do you do? The more I think about it the worse I fear the problem is. I am sure too that my car goes faster than 4mph anyway in the above situation.

It has FIXED itself!!!! Went on a trip 120 miles round and the lights went out on their own!:slayer:

Sticking to "low revs" is a mistake - let the engine rev freely without thrashing it but absolutely avoid lugging in too high a gear.

babbo_umbro said:

Sticking to "low revs" is a mistake - let the engine rev freely without thrashing it but absolutely avoid lugging in too high a gear.

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According to a post on another thread, revs don't seem to matter just have to slip the clutch for 10secs (used to be three until recent s/w update). Still a bit simplistic though really. Sometime it just hass to be done