Hello, can any one help please, i have a 2004 panda semi automatic and need to know if there is a way i can get it out of gear mannualy so that i can tow it to the mechanic as it is stuck in reverse, thanks in advance.

Could try giving it a push with the hand brake off. It may be enough to move the gear so it disengages. Worked on an old Rover we once had that jammed itself in a forward gear but no idea on modern auto boxes.

How far away is the mechanic, and is it a busy route? :chin::devil:

The only way to move it will be to wedge the clutch arm open. To gain access you'll need to either remove the front of the car, which isn't practicle, or remove battery and battery tray / housing.

Lever it open and wedge a thick heavy duty chock of wood in there

Jon.

Thanks for the reply Jon that sounds doable, do you know if the automatic transmission specialist who i am trying to get the car to will be able to get it out of gear using his diagnostic equipment ?

Row said:

Thanks for the reply Jon that sounds doable, do you know if the automatic transmission specialist who i am trying to get the car to will be able to get it out of gear using his diagnostic equipment ?

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I doubt it. It depends upon why its stuck in gear. Sounds like there is no hydraulic pressure in the system. Does the dash come up with gearbox failure?

Has it lost any hydraulic fluid? Its either lost fluid or the pump has failed I suspect. Does the pump still go when you open the drivers door?

Keep us up to date though

Thanks again Jon, the pump goes when you open the door, no failure notice on the dash but the car wont start and the display just says to press the brake pedal, the oil level is on the minimum and i have noticed a few drops on the floor from the pump area, what oil do i need to top it up ?, also if it is anything to do with the oil and that gets fixed would it remove itself from gear ? thanks again.

Need to pop along to a Fiat or Alfa dealer and the fluid you need is 'CS Speed' gearbox fluid. No cheaper alternative available, from empty the reservoir takes 700ml approx, so a 1Litre bottle will surfice.

If its low pressure due to a lack of fluid then topping it up should get it out of gear. However you need to inspect where its leaking from, and if it is on the low side try not to run the pump as you might burn it out if its running continuously (although I'm not 100% sure on that one).

I believe that it should come up with a warning on the dash if the system pressure is low though from memory.

Hi Jon, i found the leak it was the big round chamber near the reservoir that was alittle loose, i tightend it up and then topped it up with the correct fluid but still stuck in reverse, can you tell me is it the 3 solenoids at the back that changes the gears if so do you think one could be faulty or any other ideas why it is still stuck in reverse there are no warning symbols or messages on the dash disply it just will not start and shows R on the gear display, also i have noticed when i get someone to try and start the car and i look at the gearbox the clutch actuation works like normal so the car is operating the clutch side of things ? thanks.

Is the car physically stuck in gear? Will it not Move with the handbrake off? It's just the gear possition sensor is around the Same area as the leak, so I'm wondering if its been contaminated by the oil.

Yes it is physically stuck in gear, when you try to push the car it turns the engine over, but if you leave the handbrake off and try to start the car it momentarily lets the car move because the clutch is disengaging for a moment or two when it operates, thanks.

Might be worth disconnecting the battery for an hour or two just to reset everything incase it's an electrical glitch then, but I suspect it'll need to go on the Fiat Examiner to check the system is pressurising propery etc.

Seems strange that it's not kicking up a fault as a defective actuator would do this I suspect.

If your confident at having a look yourself and saving a few £££ if you purchase the registered version of FiatEcuScan (FES) you can do it all yourself with a laptop

Thanks for the reply, i have left the battery off overnight and it was still the same, could you tell me where i could buy the Fes software, thanks.

Hi Jon, update, i managed to get the car into neutral by removing a plate at the back of the gearbox and moving the selector manually, now the car starts ok but stays in neutral gear display shows N but the warning message shows gearbox fail and the red gear warning light flashes, when i plugged my OBD scanner in it came up with fault code 571 "brake switch circuit A malfunction", so i changed the brake light switch but still the same !, interestingly the car starts everytime ok but without having to put your foot on the brake, also however i move the gear lever in the car makes no difference at all, any ideas

Are the brake lights on? Maybe the switch is not adjusted properly.
Try lifting the pedal up with your foot and see if that changes anything, also clear the error if you haven't done so already.

Dan

Hi Dan, yes brake pedal switch adjustment is ok makes no difference how i adjust it, fault code cleared and still exactly the same fault just comes back

OK, but do the lights work? if you step on the brake do the light come on? Do the go off when the pedal is not pressed?
This is a long shot, but check the brake light fuse, F37.

Www.fiatecuscan.net

Might be worth a read here also https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/216751-fiatecuscan-diagnostic-software.html


May be worth checking the brake lights function as they should. Seems strange that it'll not start ok without your foot on the break. Can't remember if ours allows that though if it's in neutral

unsure if this applies to the panda but isnt there a fuse for the brake pedal switch? looks like theres one in the 156, so id assume as this is the same system and it monitors the brake switch via the sillyspeed (dual logic) ECU then there may also be a fuse for the brake switch

Hi everyone, yes brake lights function as normal.