Technical Sudden signal: “Start Stop is unavailable” & “Check Engine”.

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Technical Sudden signal: “Start Stop is unavailable” & “Check Engine”.

Bobo69

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Hi,

I am driving a Fiat 500 (Lounge 2016 edition). This morning, after a drive of +/- 10 minutes, there suddenly appeared two warning signals at the same time, mentioning “Start Stop is unavailable” & “Check Engine”.

I stopped the car and did some general checks and everything seemed ok.
- the engine oil temperature was ok
- the engine oil level was ok
- the car was not leaking
- there were no visible battery issues
- the cap for the fuel reservoir was correctly put on the reservoir
- the fuel consumption was not different from the days before
- i also refueled the car (with the correct fuel)

The error, however, is shown every time i start the car. The car drives perfectly and there are no clear differences from the driving conditions before.

Is this a common or known defect for the Fiat 500? If so, is there a method to resolve these warning signals or do I need to go to a garage for a more thorough check?
 
Same thing happened to ours this weekend, although ours is now stuck in limp mode so isn't really driveable. Fortunately we've only owned the car for a couple of months so we're still inside the dealership warranty. Just need to arrange recovery from home to our garage and hopefully they'll be able to figure out the cause and get it all sorted.

From looking through the forum I can see a few instances of the same thing happening but haven't been able to find anyone confirming what the outcome was. Fingers crossed it isn't something expensive!
 
-- Speaking about my case only and this can guide you with the help of mechanic or a knowledgeable friend--
FIAT 500l (2012) multijet 1.6 D 105hp
I had the same issue and experience. I've checked the trouble codes with a scanner (P0487;P0490) and it highly linked to the EGR Exhaust Gas Recirculation. which is a valve system taking the exhaust gas and refeeding it to the air intake for recombustion. they say, on low use of diesel cars, generates lots of not totally burnt exhaust thick particles that clog that valve system with the time and needs cleaning. for intensive use, this is meant to be burnt at a point that slows down tremendously the accumulation of particles. If curious enough, go and watch videos on cleaning EGR on youtube. it'll give you some insights on this kind of issue. Hope this helps.
 
We have the same issue on 0.9 TwinAir 2014. Start/stop not Available goes to limp mode. We have had the accelerator potentiometer changed, a new battery, oil pressure sensor changed and yet it still happens every few weeks. Luckily under warranty, but so fed up. You never know if it going to work or not.
 
Just had our diagnostic results back and apparently our particular issue is the DPF being clogged up. Seems like a reasonably straight forward fix but now I'm waiting around to hear if the warranty company will approve our claim and pay for the work.
 
Turns out the AA warranty doesn't cover DPF Regen so looks like I'm stuck with the bill for the repairs.
 
The saga continues...Seems the DPF was completely blocked so the garage can't perform a regen. Now it looks like they'll need to remove it and send it off for manual cleaning. No idea on cost or timescale...what a mess!

I'm also not sure where we stand since we've only had the car about 8 weeks. I have a hard time believing that we've caused the issue in that short space of time so may need to explore options with our finance company.
 
hI I have read that if you drive car upto 2000 revs for 15 mins it will activate a regen then put addative into fuel on a regular basis
 
hI I have read that if you drive car upto 2000 revs for 15 mins it will activate a regen then put addative into fuel on a regular basis

That doesnt sound correct

VW Group cars have an additive tank..to cheat emissions (its termed AdBlu.. PSA use similar)

Most manufacturers do not

They rely on the motor being allowed to spend enough time at full operating temperature that the engines own management system will allow a regeneration

People often notice the engine cooling fan activate when at traffic lights.. so NOT approaching 2,000 rpm.. as part of the Regen.

In the case of a car owned for 8 weeks :

I would ask how often they have noticed it Regen..
Followed by a question about the vehicles use
 
Hi all i drive a Peugeot 308 sw 2016 had issue with Urea light come on was told that i needed a new AdBlue tank £1000 but on the Peugeot Form like being on this Fiat Forum you get lots of help from people with same issues all i had to do was remove AdBlue cap which is in the spare wheel compartment drive around for a while then remove a very tiny filter in cap replace cap all warning lights gone evidently there was a recall on the tank cap it wasn't getting enough air making tank pressure to high forcing pump in tank to work harder release the pressure by removing the cap he ho no £1000 bill RAC guy told me need a new tank as he read about fault on Peugeot Forum so moral of story is read whats put on your Forum it might just save you mega bucks.
 
Hi,

I am driving a Fiat 500 (Lounge 2016 edition). This morning, after a drive of +/- 10 minutes, there suddenly appeared two warning signals at the same time, mentioning “Start Stop is unavailable” & “Check Engine”.

Etc…I thought I’d shorten the quote for convenience.

Hi folks. I was on this forum about a year ago stating the same problem but can’t find my thread. Fortunately I have found yours.

I bought my 500L 3 years ago with only 13k on the clock. Bargain I thought. Drives perfectly around town but motorway driving is dangerous as at 65mph and above I get 'Stop &Start function unavailable' on the dial with a flashing s&s icon and ! The car then feels like it is dragging an elephant which is no fun in the fast lane.

I took it to Fiat in Battersea where they changed the coil pack and plugs - £680 , oh and they cleaned the car…..
A few months later a second mechanic changed the leads ..£180
Third mechanic after being taken off the M4 changed the plugs and advised me to get it 'looked at'. £250

Each time one of the points misfires…

I’m driving to Cornwall this year for a holiday driving behind our MH and making a detour to Wales on the way back to drop in on my recently widowed sister. I am not looking forward to it.

My regular mechanic thinks that one problem may be that the fuel filter is blocked but I am still waiting for him to call. I have no knowledge of cars, (67 yr old grannie) but I don’t know how that would start the S&S icon up. I think the engine light comes on as well as the icon. Also told me to leave the petrol cap off or loose to let air in. Half the time I can’t even lock it!.

I don’t want to get another car but this is ridiculous. I never ever use the Startstop as my mechanic said it would be more expensive to replace when it’s gone.

Someone mentioned a DPF? What is that?
 
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The saga continues...Seems the DPF was completely blocked so the garage can't perform a regen. Now it looks like they'll need to remove it and send it off for manual cleaning. No idea on cost or timescale...what a mess!

I'm also not sure where we stand since we've only had the car about 8 weeks. I have a hard time believing that we've caused the issue in that short space of time so may need to explore options with our finance company.

Did you get a resolution on this?

I'd be wary of manual cleaning providing a long term fix. If they cut and reweld the DPF to do this, keep all the documentation; without this, you'll have problems getting an MOT. If you're planning on keeping this for more than a year or two I'd seriously consider replacing the DPF; but if you go for a decent quality aftermarket part, it likely won't be cheap.
 
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Did you get a resolution on this?

I'd be wary of manual cleaning providing a long term fix. If they cut and reweld the DPF to do this, keep all the documentation; without this, you'll have problems getting an MOT. If you're planning on keeping this for more than a year or two I'd seriously consider replacing the DPF; but if you go for a decent quality aftermarket part, it likely won't be cheap.

We did. They removed the DPF, sent it away for manual cleaning and it's solved the immediate problem. They did however say that during the manual cleaning, the company reported that the filter was beginning to degrade so it's highly likely we'll need to replace it completely in the not too distant future. According to them, it's a sign that the car has had issues with the DPF at various stages and has likely had this procedure done before, however none of the paperwork we have shows any indication of it being manually cleaned previously.

All around frustrating experience. Around £400 out of pocket and the knowledge that there is potentially another £1k+ bill coming our way if we choose to keep the car for any length of time.
 
Thanks for the update; I can understand why you've found this frustrating.

In fairness to Fiat, this is a common issue with DPF-equipped diesels of all marques. Much of the additional paraphenalia needed to comply with current emissions control legislation consists of limited life components which are generally considered wear and tear items not covered by warranty. Over the vehicle's lifetime, the additional costs of cleaning and/or replacing these easily outweights any fuel savings you might gain from most smaller diesel cars.*

You may also have now discovered the reason why the previous owner chose to get rid of it.

*at UK fuel prices
 
Neither do I.

The car probably just needs a new battery to get S/S working properly again.



A Diesel Particulate Filter. As you have a petrol car, you don't have one.
Thanks for the advice I am going ot Halfords tomorrow for a free battery check.
 
Just an update on the saga. I had the petrol filter changed for a reliable used one and the sucking-in of air into the tank stopped when I take off the petrol cap. unhooked the battery for an hour to reset but S&S still plays up at 60mph. The car is 7 years old now and only has 27k on the clock. I need the car to drive to Wales now and again. I give up!
 
Hi,

I am driving a Fiat 500 (Lounge 2016 edition). This morning, after a drive of +/- 10 minutes, there suddenly appeared two warning signals at the same time, mentioning “Start Stop is unavailable” & “Check Engine”.

I stopped the car and did some general checks and everything seemed ok.
- the engine oil temperature was ok
- the engine oil level was ok
- the car was not leaking
- there were no visible battery issues
- the cap for the fuel reservoir was correctly put on the reservoir
- the fuel consumption was not different from the days before
- i also refueled the car (with the correct fuel)

The error, however, is shown every time i start the car. The car drives perfectly and there are no clear differences from the driving conditions before.

Is this a common or known defect for the Fiat 500? If so, is there a method to resolve these warning signals or do I need to go to a garage for a more thorough check?
I am having this issue with my wife's 500 Twinair. I have both the engine and stop/start lights on but the SS light will not switch off even if I push the button to deactivate. Engine appears to be running normally, ie no evidence of missing or irregular firing, but am obviously concerned about driving the car far without knowing if it is safe to do so. Nearest FIAT garage about 10 miles away and don't want to do any serious damage. Any thoughts please?
 
Hi,

I am driving a Fiat 500 (Lounge 2016 edition). This morning, after a drive of +/- 10 minutes, there suddenly appeared two warning signals at the same time, mentioning “Start Stop is unavailable” & “Check Engine”.

I stopped the car and did some general checks and everything seemed ok.
- the engine oil temperature was ok
- the engine oil level was ok
- the car was not leaking
- there were no visible battery issues
- the cap for the fuel reservoir was correctly put on the reservoir
- the fuel consumption was not different from the days before
- i also refueled the car (with the correct fuel)

The error, however, is shown every time i start the car. The car drives perfectly and there are no clear differences from the driving conditions before.

Is this a common or known defect for the Fiat 500? If so, is there a method to resolve these warning signals or do I need to go to a garage for a more thorough check?
 
Mine has done this before, If you ignore it goes out after a few days, I think it’s because the service reset hasn’t been done it’s a reminder to go get it serviced.Scroll through to the service and it will show 0 miles to service. Only a garage can reset service interval. Stop start works again later also.
 
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