Hi all, new here and this is on behalf of my sister who is having a real issue with her car. The car itself is Fiat 500 2016 1.2. (Not sure if there's any other info to give on that?)

For a few weeks now she's been having an intermittent problem that when she stops the car, leaves engine running, gets out to open the gates.. when she gets back in the car won't drive. Gear engaged, foot off clutch, handbrake off. Nothing happens. Car doesn't rev. Just idles like nothing is happening. Engine off and on is the only way to fix.

Then, this week it's decided to cut out as she gets out. It beeps loudly twice then dies. Ignition off/on fixes it.

There's no unusual lights. The stop/start option is turned off and always has been.

Fiat (Arbury) have been ZERO help. Had the car 3 weeks and said found no faults. They say they checked all the braking system. Diagnostics. And found no errors. Although, they gave her no evidence of diagnostics, I'd have expected some kind of report? Then they fob her off and say there's nothing wrong and it must be her at fault. Well myself, mother and father have all experienced it now so we know it's not that!

Does anyone have ANY idea what it could be? Any way to help diagnose the problem?

Cheers for any help, much appreciated!

With the car in gear, regardless if it will rev will it move at idle when the clutch is released?
When it beeps is there any message on the screen?

Will this not be the start stop? If you open the drivers door and seatbelt off, the start stop cuts the engine. Mine does anyway x

John202020 said:

With the car in gear, regardless if it will rev will it move at idle when the clutch is released?
When it beeps is there any message on the screen?

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No, foot fully off the clutch and nothing happens. No stall. No movement. In fact, the first time the car rolled backwards whilst in 1st with foot off clutch..

No error message has ever shown. No lights either.

JNAnderson said:

Will this not be the start stop? If you open the drivers door and seatbelt off, the start stop cuts the engine. Mine does anyway x

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Hi, it does sound like it's linked to that, but the start stop is turned off and always is. We've tried turning it on and off again to see if it fixes it but the problem still happens. As it's intermittent it's hard to diagnose.

Villab0y said:

Hi, it does sound like it's linked to that, but the start stop is turned off and always is. We've tried turning it on and off again to see if it fixes it but the problem still happens. As it's intermittent it's hard to diagnose.

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That's annoying. Is the start stop always off, or does she switch it off every time? I have mine off but have to put it back off each time I get into the car, as it doesn't remember I've had it off. Yet my wee sisters is turned off all the time, even after having the engine off. Hers is a 2014, mine 2011 so maybe a new feature. Hopefully you get it sorted.

Yeah when she turns it off it stays off. It's annoying cause it's her first car and it's worrying her. The garage have been no help really and all but accused her of being stupid.

I've had 3 cars in the 5 years I've passed and I've had so many issues, but my Fiat 500 has been the worst by far with all the faults. I'm the 11 months I've had it it's been issue after issue and just failed it's mot yesterday with £500 bill at the end.

I thought it could've been start stop only because mine cuts off if I leave it for a few minutes without doing anything, or if I take my seatbelt and open the door, it does exactly what you're describing. Z

It does seem like it's a stop/start fault to me. But it's more than that too. I think something is causing the ecu to mess up.

Forgetting for a moment that the car stalls or stops(when it beeps), are you saying you can put it in any gear including reverse and with the foot off the clutch it does not move or at that point stall? And also it will not rev when the pedal is pressed whilst the gear is fully engaged ? Just to clarify, , others will have to say if im wrong but I was under the impression that you had to turn off the stop start every time you start the car?

So this cannot be an entirely electronic problem. The clutch is a mechanical connection between the gearbox and wheels. So either the clutch is not engaging when the pedal is released or it is not mechanically in gear. The latter is the one most prone to human error, perhaps the gear shift feels engaged when not, or needs a small adjustment. Try pulling off in second next time. All very unlikely but you describe an odd situation.

Villab0y said:

Yeah when she turns it off it stays off. It's annoying cause it's her first car and it's worrying her. The garage have been no help really and all but accused her of being stupid.

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Hi,
any kind of weird issue is far from what you want when "finding your feet"

it's certainly odd,

so just a recap;
it's a conventional 5 speed manual gearbox,
and the start/stop button is pressed..do you get a message saying "disconnected"..??

if it's a normal manual..,then rolling( "free wheeling") in gear is virtually impossible.. = that's a certain fault..!!

the cutting out of the engine - that's trickier..,
there are still the odd report of such stuff.. but generally a "software update" of the engines management system does the trick

there is NOTHING stopping you using a different FIAT dealer..other than convenience

but TBH - I'd just get a normal place to have a quick look, as it sounds as if it's a fairly obvious issue with the rolling away..

Charlie - Oxford

John202020 said:

Just to clarify, , others will have to say if im wrong but I was under the impression that you had to turn off the stop start every time you start the car?

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Only the early cars had to be turned off every time. Later cars (including our 2013 model) keep the last choice.

JNAnderson said:

I've had 3 cars in the 5 years I've passed and I've had so many issues, but my Fiat 500 has been the worst by far with all the faults. I'm the 11 months I've had it it's been issue after issue and just failed it's mot yesterday with £500 bill at the end.

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To be fair you bought a second hand car that is now around 6 years old, things are wearing out with age and mileage.

I would think that signs of the repairs you have just spent £500 on were probably on the car when you bought it 11 months ago, maybe even MOT advisories that are now failures.

Some second hand 500s have had hard lives as driving instructor cars. Inspect future car purchases carefully. RAC/AA type companies can help you here.

Although the 500 has known faults they are generally inexpensive/easy to fix.

Oh definitely. I agree. None of this years failures were an advisory in the past. There's only been one advisory before and this was the first time it failed, and that advisory is still just an advisory this year. My last two cars were 2001 and 55 plate clios, 11 and 9 years old when I first got them. Had none of these issues.
Io
Fiat 500s are lovely cars to drive and look at though. I hope this start stop issue gets resolved x

John202020 said:

Forgetting for a moment that the car stalls or stops(when it beeps), are you saying you can put it in any gear including reverse and with the foot off the clutch it does not move or at that point stall? And also it will not rev when the pedal is pressed whilst the gear is fully engaged ? Just to clarify, , others will have to say if im wrong but I was under the impression that you had to turn off the stop start every time you start the car?

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When this happens, yes. It is as if nothing is engaged and the pedals don't work. The brake pedal is also solid as in won't press at all.

varesecrazy said:

Hi,
any kind of weird issue is far from what you want when "finding your feet"

it's certainly odd,

so just a recap;
it's a conventional 5 speed manual gearbox,
and the start/stop button is pressed..do you get a message saying "disconnected"..??

if it's a normal manual..,then rolling( "free wheeling") in gear is virtually impossible.. = that's a certain fault..!!

the cutting out of the engine - that's trickier..,
there are still the odd report of such stuff.. but generally a "software update" of the engines management system does the trick

there is NOTHING stopping you using a different FIAT dealer..other than convenience

but TBH - I'd just get a normal place to have a quick look, as it sounds as if it's a fairly obvious issue with the rolling away..

Charlie - Oxford

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Yeah I've suggested we take it elsewhere and have them look it over. There's obviously some kind of fault and fiat don't seem to interested in finding it.

Just to confirm, 5 speed manual. Yes. And the stop start being off shows a little yellow light to confirm it is off.

The rolling back in gear has only happened to my sister... so I'd be willing to accept maybe driver error on this as she may have panicked being young and new to driving etc. All the other issues have been experienced by more than one person though.

As said before, the clutch is a purely mechanical connection between engine and gearbox. Its engagement should have no effect on the engine's ability to rev.

Two issues: Lets, separate them.

Mechanical engagement of the clutch. (You also mentioned the brake pedal being solid? Won't move?)
First thing to look at then is the pedal pivot. The brakes are operated by a rod across the car under the fascia. The left end should be protected, but it is possible to get stuff up there to jam it. So check the footwells, both sides. Remove the cover over the linkage on the left end, and check for correct movement, without being tight. If it needs lubrication, needs proper grease, not WD40. If the brake pedal is seizing, it can affect the clutch pedal too.

There is a switch on the clutch pedal, to tell the stop/start system where the clutch pedal is. If the clutch pedal has not returned to the top, that may well prevent the engine from revving.

If all that seems ok, you now need to get under the bonnet, and see the clutch lever moving on top of the gearbox. That can also get tight, although a more normal wear issue, after a lot of years/use, is that its pivots in the gearbox casing wear, allowing it to move off its intended axis, so reducing the movement, or casuing it to stick.

Check one thing at a time. Logically, carefully.

If it's safe to do so, next time this happens would it be possible to video what you're doing to help any garage, to show say clutch/into gear/ clutch out/ nothing? and again if safe when it seems not to move in gear, try selecting 2nd without using the clutch it should make a horrible noise and kick out of gear if it will engage even this way the clutch or control of it is suspect (only try once and there should be no lasting damage though it's a rough way of checking)

John202020 said:

If it's safe to do so, next time this happens would it be possible to video what you're doing to help any garage, to show say clutch/into gear/ clutch out/ nothing? and again if safe when it seems not to move in gear, try selecting 2nd without using the clutch it should make a horrible noise and kick out of gear if it will engage even this way the clutch or control of it is suspect (only try once and there should be no lasting damage though it's a rough way of checking)

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Video evidence..YES

CLUTCHLESS GEARCHANGE... CERTAINLY NOT.