Hi guys,

I am new to the forum but have found a lot of useful info in here. I have bought a Fiat 500 Dualogic (Start/Stop) three weeks ago and it drives ok. However, I have noticed recently when I stop at traffic light for a long time, the car decides to change to Neutral (with the lever is still on Auto Mode) and wouldn't go back to 1st gear when I release foot break. I have to shift the level back to N and change to Auto in order to move away. So my question is, my friends, is it normal for a dualogic car to behave this way or something is wrong with my car???

I have seen many horrors happened with Fiat 500 Dualogic in the forum and got paranoid with the gearbox breakdown :worship::worship::worship:

jollie312 said:

Hi guys,

I am new to the forum but have found a lot of useful info in here. I have bought a Fiat 500 Dualogic (Start/Stop) three weeks ago and it drives ok. However, I have noticed recently when I stop at traffic light for a long time, the car decides to change to Neutral (with the lever is still on Auto Mode) and wouldn't go back to 1st gear when I release foot break. I have to shift the level back to N and change to Auto in order to move away. So my question is, my friends, is it normal for a dualogic car to behave this way or something is wrong with my car???

I have seen many horrors happened with Fiat 500 Dualogic in the forum and got paranoid with the gearbox breakdown :worship::worship::worship:

Click to expand...

no it's not normal. check the gearbox fluid level and keep monitoring the system. doesn't mean it will break immediately, mine was doing this for 2 years before it finally died = )

if i remember correctly they go in neutral after 3mins which is normal, you dont need to move to n just pull lever back to + and it puts it in auto

jazzster500 said:

if i remember correctly they go in neutral after 3mins which is normal, you dont need to move to n just pull lever back to + and it puts it in auto

Click to expand...

Just checked my Dualogic supplement PDF (2009 edition) -- it automatically goes into Neutral and emits the dingdingding sound after 3 mins of not pressing either the accelerator or brake pedal.

Or after pressing the brake pedal for longer than 10 mins.

So if OP has been keeping their foot on the brake pedal and it goes into Neutral in under 10 mins, then there is something wrong.

For reference, I've never had my Dualogic gearbox go into Neutral while stopped at a long traffic light.

from what I remember mine went in neutral with brake pressed after 3 mins also maybe wrong not got car now, used to stop at level crossing a lot which could be a while

jazzster500 said:

from what I remember mine went in neutral with brake pressed after 3 mins also maybe wrong not got car now, used to stop at level crossing a lot which could be a while

Click to expand...

stopping for 3 mins? any longer than 60 seconds turn the engine off!

never used start stop, even that was useless restarted after 3mins a level crossing, i know the gearbox went to neutral after so long could of been 5mins or more 3 or 10 but it was normal does say in the manual somewhere but i havent got the car anymore because the first sign of the gearbox sticking in gear, I part exchange it. not wanting to get stuck in the middle of traffic without being able to drive was no fun. I loved the car but need reliable auto gearbox.

jazzster500 said:

never used start stop, even that was useless restarted after 3mins a level crossing, i know the gearbox went to neutral after so long could of been 5mins or more 3 or 10 but it was normal does say in the manual somewhere but i havent got the car anymore because the first sign of the gearbox sticking in gear, I part exchange it. not wanting to get stuck in the middle of traffic without being able to drive was no fun. I loved the car but need reliable auto gearbox.

Click to expand...

keep driving it and let us know how it gets on. if you see the red transmission light at any stage, change the car immediately.

ahmett said:

keep driving it and let us know how it gets on. if you see the red transmission light at any stage, change the car immediately.

Click to expand...

changed it in february 17 months old after all lights came on the first time it got stuck in 3rd, didnt trust it after that

jazzster500 said:

never used start stop, even that was useless restarted after 3mins a level crossing,

Click to expand...

Reading the owners manual helps sometimes. It's supposed to restart after 3 mins just like it's supposed to go into neutral. 3mins is the maximum cycle time that can be programmed into a set of traffic lights, as per EU regs.

jazzster500 said:

changed it in february 17 months old after all lights came on the first time it got stuck in 3rd, didnt trust it after that

Click to expand...

good move.

UFI said:

Reading the owners manual helps sometimes. It's supposed to restart after 3 mins just like it's supposed to go into neutral. 3mins is the maximum cycle time that can be programmed into a set of traffic lights, as per EU regs.

Click to expand...

hahaha 3 mins fiat start stop? the lancia with ss i sometimes drive, you are lucky if you get 60 seconds = ))

UFI said:

Reading the owners manual helps sometimes. It's supposed to restart after 3 mins just like it's supposed to go into neutral. 3mins is the maximum cycle time that can be programmed into a set of traffic lights, as per EU regs.

Click to expand...

Yes did read the manual, but very rare it did 3mins on start stop, because i did mainly sort journeys, I charged my battery on a regular basis because of that. my personal opinion is start stop on any car is something I woudnt want again, dont think it saves much fuel versus wear and tear to engine and battery and cost of extra components, I get stopped at level crossing regulary for 5 to 15 mins, so engine off for 3mins is pointless. my girlfriend has a 2010 model and she hates the start stop also, but her problem is she has to remember to turn it off every time the car is started, where as mine stayed of once switch off as it was a 2014 model, as for gearbox going in neutral it was rare for it happen as if i stopped a long period i would put it in neutral anyway.

S/S saves me 0.5l/100km, which is a lot on a car that uses 4.7 (60mpg UK)

Wouldn't want to be without, so much so that I modifed my Renault for stop start duty. For the $300 that Fiat charged for it, it's probably worth it just in reduced engine wear.