I have a problem with my Stilo Abarth. Sometimes the car drives fine, but then jumps into neutral & won't select 1st or reverse. If i turn the engine off for 10 mins or so it works fine. This also sometimes happens when i stop the car, then try using it a few mins later.
I was thinking it was something to do with the brake light switch but the brake lights work fine!
My friend has a Snap-On diagnostic machine, will this tell me or do i have to use Fiat examiner?
Please help, as last time this happened i was at the lights on a right turn, with about 10 cars behind me. Had to push it through the lights, to most peoples annoyance!
I did post this on another thread, but realised it was over 12months ols so re-posting.
Thanks in advance.

Looked round the forum and found some posts regarding this issue, but none seems a definitive answer. I did notice the selespeed resevoir was on min so topped that up with dexron III, got a new brake switch gonna fit that later. Just hope that solves problem. Couldn't find out if the Snap-on diagnostics will work, so gonna book that in at me mates garage and see if it does.
So far not gone back into neutral when stopping. Also only been using Manual mode instead of Auto.
Fingers crossed!!

Managed to change the brakelight switch & car seemed fine for the last 2 weeks till yesterday & it happened again.
I did notice this time that when i couldn't select 1st or reverse i also could not change into auto mode. The asr could be activated and deactivated.
It has been on the snap on diagnostic & ran every test no fault codes reported, only thing it says is "unable to select reverse gear 33 times" & "unable to select 1st gear 3 times".
PLEASE has anyone got any clue what to do next? The nearest Fiat Garage is over 3o miles away & car is just too unreliable to get there.
Thanks in advance Anthemmaster.

Is the selespeed pump working? Do you hear the pump run when you open the door?
If not then do a search on selespeed pump. It often seems to be the pump relay

Deckchair5 said:

Is the selespeed pump working? Do you hear the pump run when you open the door?
If not then do a search on selespeed pump. It often seems to be the pump relay

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply, yes pump is working. It never happens when i first start it, just randomly when running.Hot or cold seems to make no diffrence. You just pull up at the lights and it jumps into neutral for about 20 mins, then can be fine for weeks.
Gonna have to see if i can get it to a fiat dealer. Hopefully this will tell me what it is.

The Plot thickens, managed to get me car on examiner at Corkhils Alfa & Abarth garage & came back with no fault codes?? Really nice guy didn't charge me either. He said he could start stripping stuff down etc, but at £84 an hr mabe its time to just scrap it. Tried to sell it & was offered £300!!!!! Looks like the scrap yard it is.

You might have an airlock in your selespeed fluid because the fluid level went so low. See if you can find the reason why the fluid level dropped.

Make sure the selespeed pump relay has good electrical contacts. I'd take it out, spray with contact cleaner to clean the contacts up

Thanks for the reply Deckchair. I,m not that brave to go takin it to bits & most garages want silly money just to look at it. Auto Italia said " to be honest mate, i'd just sell it for scrap as it will cost more to diagnose than its worth". And all Fiat places want on average £60+ per hr.
I don't know if theres anyone on here willing to help me out, i am willing to travel from Liverpool.
Such a shame cause when it's workin ok(like now,lol) its such a nice car!!
Any help is appreciated.
Alan.

Have a look here there's a few Alfas with same problem
http://forum.alfa156.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6928&PN=0&TPN=2

Thanks for the reply , that looks similar to my problem.
Looking at it, it needs examiner to change the fluid, is that right? Or can it be done with a normal diagnostic machine?
My friend has a garage and owes me a favour, he only has the snap-on diagnostic. Which is the only one so far that even mentioned it had failed to select gears.
I have been driving it for 2 days with no faults, but have been using paddles & changing to 1st myself just before it does on its own at a dead stop. This is usually when it goes into neutral at that "jump to 1st" when you stop.
Alan.

The bleeding and calibrations are usually done with Examiner so you'd need that or something equally capable

Found out why it had no error codes. The Lad who put the Snap-on diagnostic told me he cleared them all(genius!!).
Luckily(well unluckily) it happened again last night. Gonna take it back to Abarth on Monday & get another diagnostic done.Hopefully will have at least a fault code on monday. If it is the pump, gonna break it & sell it for parts as everythin else on the car is fine.
On another note, phoned All Italia in Wrexham & asked him if he would look at it. His response was "can't be bothered with the hassle mate" & rekons if its a soleniod or relay they cannot be replaced & i will need a new ecu or selespeed pump, he rekons about 2 grand to fix!!!
Think he's just fobbing me off.

Al

Just back from the Abarth dealer £102 pounds lighter but still with no result. The Diagnostic came back with no faults at all. As they went to drive the car out of the workshop suprise suprise, it wouldn't go in gear. They put it on the machine & there were no faults??
The only thing they said was i have the wrong ampage battrey on the car. So i went & bought a brand new Battery & still the same.
They said "we can get to the bottom of this, but it may take some time" and at £102 per hour i said no.
10 mins later it started & i came home none the wiser.
I mentioned the clutch pin adjustment to the Abarth Mechanic and he said he's never heared of it!!
Anyone got anymore ideas? Please as i really don't wanna scrap the car.
Al

Fault diagnosis > C GEAR SHIFT > C25 THE CAR GOES INTO NEUTRAL BY ITSELF
Whilst stopping
Travelling at a speed of below 40 km/h
When stationary with a gear engaged (1st, 2nd or R)
Results of the tests
0
OIL LEVEL CHECK
All OK
Problems met
Operation
Check the oil level See Test 2127B OIL LEVEL CHECK
Continue to Step 2
Level below Max reference
Top up the level
Continue to Step 1
Level above Max reference
Reduce to the Max level
Continue to Step 2
1
CHECK FOR OIL LEAKS
All OK
Problems met
Operation
Check that there are no oil leaks See Test 2127C CHECK FOR FLUID LEAKS
Continue to Step 2
Oil leaks detected
Replace/repair the relevant parts, and top up the oil level
Continue to Step 1
2
OIL PRESSURE CHECK
All OK
Problems met
Operation
Check the oil pressure See Test 2127D OIL PRESSURE CHECK
Neutral for low pressure only exists if the vehicle is stationary or moving at low speed (about 10-15 km/h)
Continue to Step 4
Pressure < 40 bar
Continue to Step 3
3
CHECK ON PUMP OPERATION
All OK
Problems met
Operation
Check that the pump is working properly See Test 2127E ELECTRIC PUMP OPERATION CHECK
Continue to Step 4
Voltage below 11 V
Check the battery
Continue to Step 3
It is not possible to make gear changes from the lever
Activate the 'clutch bleed' service from the Examiner Plus or Smart to activate the pump
Continue to Step 3
4
CONTROL UNIT ERRORS CHECK
All OK
Problems met
Operation
Check that there are no control unit errors. In particular:

• Microprocessor 2 error (in the following condiions: engine on, accelerator pedal released, brake not pressed and speed below 4.5 km/h)
• Errors on CAN network (in the following conditions: engine on, accelerator pedal released, brake not pressed and speed below 4.5 km/h)
• Engine speed (in the following conditions: engine on, accelerator pedal released, brake not pressed and speed below 4.5 km/h)
• Electromagnetic brake (Selection solenoid)
• Clutch solenoid current
• Clutch sensor
• Selespeed pump

Continue to Step 7
Presence of one or more of the errors included in the list
Continue to Step 5
5
CHECKS ON FAULTS DETECTED
All OK
Problems met
Operation
Check the faults See Test 2127I What to do depending on the error' present in the Selespeed control unit No accelerator pedal information.
End of diagnosis
One of the control units does not dialogue (Errors on CAN network)
Repair/replace the control unit concerned
Continue to Step 6
Faulty connection (Engine speed)
Repair/replace the part concerned
Continue to Step 6
Faulty connections (Electromagnetic brake, Clutch solenoid current, Clutch sensor and/or Selespeed pump)
Repair/replace the wiring
Continue to Step 6
The test is not successful (Electromagnetic brake)
Replace the solenoid valve Op. 2127C54
Continue to Step 6
There are no faulty connections (Clutch solenoid current)
Replace the solenoid valve Op. 2127C56 and check its operation by carrying out a gear change.
Continue to Step 6
There are no faulty connections (Clutch sensor)
Replace the clutch actuator (CSC) and check its operation by carrying out a gear change.
Continue to Step 6
Fault in pump relay and/or fuse (Selespeed pump)
Replace the component
Continue to Step 6
Faults on pump winding (Selespeed pump)
Replace the component Op. 2127C30
Continue to Step 6
6
AFTER THE CHECKS ON THE FAULTS DETECTED
All OK
Problems met
Operation
Check that the fault is no longer present
End of diagnosis
The fault persists
Continue to Step 7
7
DOOR SWITCH CHECK
All OK
Problems met
Operation
Check the state of the driver's door switch (it should be remembered that the system recognizes the opening of the door if the accelerator pedal is released for 4 seconds, the brake not pressed and the speed is below 4.5 km/h)
Continue to Step 9
The door switch is not working properly
Check the state of the connections, the wiring and the switch. Repair/replace the part that is not working
Continue to Step 8
8
AFTER THE DOOR SWITCH CHECK
All OK
Problems met
Operation
Check that the fault is no longer present
End of diagnosis
The fault persists
Continue to Step 9
9
CHECK THE CORRECT OPERATION OF THE LEVER
All OK
Problems met
Operation
Check the operation of the lever (remembering that neutral can be engaged with the vehicle moving at speeds below 40 km/h)
End of diagnosis
The lever is not working properly
Check the state of the connections and the wiring. Repair/replace the part that is not working
Continue to Step 10
10
AFTER THE CHECK ON THE CORRECT OPERATION OF THE LEVER
All OK
Problems met
Operation
Check that the fault is no longer present
End of diagnosis
Fault persists
Search for the fault starting from another symptom'

Thats the instructions from e-learn in relation to your problem i reckon its the pump by what you already said ill post what it saysabout testing the pump.

Testing the pump:



Turn the ignition key to the ON position.
Connect the Examiner Plus or Smart diagnostic equipment.
Using the Examiner Plus or Smart, check that the battery voltage is above 11 V;
Make gear changes until the pump is activated.
Halt the gear change requests and check how long the electric pump remains activated (listening to the pump and, at the same time, looking at the Examiner Plus or Smart when the 'Pump relay' parameter state changes from ON to OFF).
If the battery voltage, at ambient temperature (15-20 °Χ), is more than 11V and the "Pump relay ON" time is betwee 4 and 14 seconds, the pump is working properly.
Repeat the test several times for safety reasons.

You may be able to do this with 2 ppl with a multimeter. Or maybe FES could help i think you should get it anyway to help diagnose

It also mentioned that the brake switch can cause problems so might be worth checking it too. gl

Thanks ramborobert, i was looking at Elearn today & saw that too. I have spoke to a place Called Alfatune who is prepared to look at it for me & Says he knows the selespeed system inside out
He thinks The Clutch Pin or something like that could need resetting??
I already replaced the brake light switch & checked the selespeed fluid. And as of today a new battery.
If this guy cant do it reasonably cheap, i think my only other option is to find a space & break it for parts!!
I'm sure people will want stuff as everything else on the car works fine & all body panels interior are clean.
Al

As you lost fluid level and the amount of fluid used in the system is so small then it had to go somewhere so if you have no external leaks but you are suffering sudden loss of pressure then I would suspect the accumulator which is a kind of storage jar for fluid pressure

Right the final part of the chapter. Had my insurance renewal quote through & it's increased from £400 per yr to just under £800!!!
Just not worth fixin or driving anymore, so i've just bought a 307 hdi xsi.
Still have the Stilo, gonna advertise it for sale with intermittent gearbox fault for about £900.
If not sold after 2 weeks, will be breaking for parts.
So if ya need any bits, the car is 100% apart from just jumping into neutral now & again.
Shame really, but had my moneys worth after 5 yrs of owning it.
Alan