Hi all,

As a non start stop owner, I understand this can be turned off in the menus? Does it stay off or does it default back on when you restart?
I'm interested in buying a new 500 but as its now standard I'm not sure I could put up with the constant stopping / restarting particularly in heavy bumper to bumper traffic.
Thanks in advance
Mercky

I think that you can de-specify it if you order a new build. But I do not think you can turn it off in the menus.

Not 100% sure on either front though.

I have a 2010 S/S and to the best of my knowledge there is no way for the user to permanently disable the S/S function - you would have to press the S/S inhibit switch each time you started the car.

Thanks for that, is the SS inhibit switch an actual switch on the dash or is it a menu item you have to access? In other words, is it simple to do or a pain if you have to do it every time?

Mercky said:

Thanks for that, is the SS inhibit switch an actual switch on the dash or is it a menu item you have to access? In other words, is it simple to do or a pain if you have to do it every time?

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It's a simple push button toggle switch on the heater control panel, similar to & diagonally opposite the heated rear window switch. So it's easy to disable (and re-enable) whenever you want to.

I test drove a Twin Air yesterday, and the dealer said to me on the test-drive that you can de-activate the stop-start. He even said something like " 'cos you probably won't want it on when it's bumper to bumper down Canal Road in rush-hour traffic."

I didn't ask him how to de-activate it though.

Littala said:

I test drove a Twin Air yesterday, and the dealer said to me on the test-drive that you can de-activate the stop-start. He even said something like " 'cos you probably won't want it on when it's bumper to bumper down Canal Road in rush-hour traffic."

I didn't ask him how to de-activate it though.

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You'd have to say that is bonkers - the time it is meant to be doing its work, you turn it off.....

Or maybe it is just a gimmick to get the mpg figure up.

Yes, why would you turn it off just when it's meant to be useful?

306maxi said:

Yes, why would you turn it off just when it's meant to be useful?

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Perhaps the salesperson thought it'd be a distraction to someone driving an unfamiliar vehicle? My local FIAT dealer recommends new purchasers turn it off for the first few journeys until they are more familiar with the car.

But this was a test drive - and if I were test driving a car, I'd want all the features of the car enabled, so that I could have a proper test. Buying a S/S car without having first test driven the S/S function seems daft to me - and as Maxi and others have said, driving through traffic in town is an ideal opportunity to check it out.

306maxi said:

Yes, why would you turn it off just when it's meant to be useful?

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I more or less said the same to the Dealer. He just said he preferred it switched off in that sort of traffic

Littala said:

I more or less said the same to the Dealer. He just said he preferred it switched off in that sort of traffic

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I suspect a combination of (a) experience of people not liking it (being conservative not having experienced such a system before) and (b) concern about it malfunctioning*.


* Please don't let's get into a semantic debate about whether it is malfunctioning or just not being operated properly - flashing lights on the dash is what I mean.

i dont have it anymore and wish i did.

completely intuitive and makes you realise how wasteful idling engines in traffic are.

never disabled it once in 14 months. why would you?

I'm slightly confused. I heard to enable start/stop you have to put the car in neutral with the clutch raised therefore surely if you don't want it leave in gear with the clutch down? Am I being too sensible here? lol

Mikey1985 said:

I'm slightly confused. I heard to enable start/stop you have to put the car in neutral with the clutch raised therefore surely if you don't want it leave in gear with the clutch down? Am I being too sensible here? lol

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your exactly rite! Ive had mine only 10 days and if im in bumper to bumper i just keep the car in gear therefore s/s doesnt kick in! but all in all i love the start stop, except in two lane traffic when people think ive stalled!!

Mikey1985 said:

I'm slightly confused. I heard to enable start/stop you have to put the car in neutral with the clutch raised therefore surely if you don't want it leave in gear with the clutch down? Am I being too sensible here? lol

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No, not too sensible, actually very correct, unless you have a Dualogic.

What I find amazing (or not!) is that a Fiat dealer doesn't undderstand or have any idea how SS works. As Maxi would say "read the manual".

The SS system is actually very clever. For eg in creeping traffic it will only cut out the first time you come to a stop. The next time you drive off and start to creep the system recognises the traffic conditions and won't stop the engine. Once you go over 10kmh the systems resets and then when you stop again it shuts down the engine. BUT as said here just don't put it in neutral and realease the clutch. Makes far more sense than switching off.

However as already said here I think SS is absolutely fantastic and completely intuitive. I can't stand driving our other car which sits there wasting petrol in traffic. To the point where you can see the average consumption dropping in front of your eyes.
SS has never once let me down. It restarts perfectly, it knows when to and when not to shut down / restart and I would never buy a car without it again.

Steve

Hi all just had my 500 sport in the garage to reset the s/s asked why it happened the receptionist said its a common fault "its cockpit error" i asked what she meant and she said riding the clutch!!! i said i never ride the clutch my last car did 105thousand miles on the original clutch so i don't think i do , anyway after i'd calmed down it took about 10mins to sort. I asked for do's and don'ts they gave me a sheet of info and said about the sensor in the gearstick and not to hover or touch the stick in between gear changes, i'm still a little aprehensive to use the s/s in traffic or at lights though so will try on a quiet road first to get the hang of it, i do love my car though

There are lots of times when it is not suppose to activate. Like having the heated rear window on, or while reversing. I was told when the car is brand new it can take a few short drives before it starts to work.

I really like it.

monkeynic110 said:

my last car did 105thousand miles on the original clutch so i don't think i do

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Tbh a clutch should last longer than that.

I have the system fitted to my 500 & so far it's worked perfectly. I have a friend with a near-identical car who's tearing her hair out with it.

Reading this and other similar threads, there appears to be much speculation on the reasons why some folks are having problems with their S/S, sometimes by those whose cars don't even have the system fitted.

I'd find it helpful to see more detailed technical information about how the system actually works, and the algorithms and parameters programmed into it. Is there anyone out there who can help with this?

306maxi said:

Tbh a clutch should last longer than that.

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My last 3 long term cars covered 217000, 116000 & 101000 miles respectively. None ever needed clutch replacement.

A former company car I was allocated after it had already done 28000 miles from new was slipping within a week of my getting it.

So I think 306maxi has a valid point, but I'd also agree with monkeynic100 that if someone was habitually riding the clutch, it wouldn't have lasted for 105000 miles.