Howdy all. I've got a 57 1.4 Punto Grande Eleganza and I've had the most bizzairre faults with it. I got this car brand new from the dealer and had problems with it since day one, which is a shame because it is ruining an otherwise fun car.

Problems/Faults I've had:

• Front Window Switches stopped working in stages (first driver's side passenger window switch stopped working, then automatic roll up and down went on drivers switch, then stopped completely) - now fixed with replacement switch.
• Horn needed excess force to work: solved, lubricated.
• Pieces of trim coming away - Intermittent, pop back in where possible
• Operation not Ammisible error message on display: come to the conclusion this only happens when you try to put it in reverse before can has settled in first
• No Media Found Error on blue and me: Fixable if you put another iPod/flash drive in then put original back in to re-build database.
• Crackiling with SE C905 and Blue&Me, fixed with phone firmware upgrade.

All these are rather minor faults, no big deal, doesn't really affect the driving. However I have a major issue that is quite dangerous. I have a automatic transmission and occassionally (although more frequently) it seems to get "stuck" in gear. The display will show either 1 or 2 and then rev and keep revving, so I push the gear stick up to manual override up a gear and I get "Gear not Available" It wont go up down or neutral. I have to come to a stop, switch the engine off wait and turn it back on, put it in neutral, rev it up a bit and try again. So far it's only been when the car is cold and after it hasn't been driven for over 12hours! So luckily its been around my estate, that being said, I'm getting rather worried it might start happening on a motoway slip road.

Sorry for the long post, but any ideas?

Cheers,

Natt

Has no one had any of the problems? Cause I find it hard to believe I'm that unlucky! And also the message doesn't come up in the diagnostics, why is that?

Gearbox oil?

Really need to take it to a dealer so they can run tests on it. This might involve leaving it with them overnight so they can try it from cold the following morning.

thanks for the reply, I've taken it a few times and said they can't find a fault, and no errors come up in their diagnostics jobby. Its really intermittent, I can't really force any situation to get it to do it!

I'm rather interested whether its happened to anyone else

squiddie said:

The display will show either 1 or 2 and then rev and keep revving, so I push the gear stick up to manual override up a gear and I get "Gear not Available" It wont go up down or neutral. I have to come to a stop, switch the engine off wait and turn it back on, put it in neutral, rev it up a bit and try again.

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I had this once a few weeks ago - haven't had it since.

I know this is an old post but i found it through a google search. My Punto, an 07 plate has the dualogic (semi auto) box and having owned the car for 2.5 years i have exactly the same problem. It has been like this since i bought the car.
It seems to be worse on cold mornings 5deg or less. If i don't stop and turn off the engine and restart, it will rev along in 1st gear for an uncomfortably long time before it changes up. It's embarrasing if there are any pedestrians about.
Also from cold starts when i pull up to a junction down the road, it does'nt always disengage the gear quick enough and feels as though it is still trying to drive you forward while you are braking. Once warmed up all is ok. I have now started shifting to neutral before i come to a stop until things have warmed up.
My local dealer also says they can find nothing wrong.

I have 56 Punto Dynamique with the Auto / Semi-Auto gearbox. 3-4 times over the last year the auto signal on the dash goes off and the box won't work as an auto. This doesn't me so much as I can adapt to manual but plays havoc with my Wife who only drives autos.

After anytime from a few days to a month, I get in the car and it's back on again.

Any ideas why or anyone with this experience?

Apart from that, I love this little funky car.

Cheers, Andrew

Hello I have the same have car and mine does the same anyone know what it is and does anyone know what transmission oil it take as mine has been chucking it out

We've had an 08 Dualogic for 3 years and get the gear unavailable message first thing in the morning since we had it. It only does it first thing on a cold morning in the winter - all summer long its fine. It's had a new battery and diagnostics done but fiat can't find anything wrong with it. We've found that when it gets stuck in 1st,all we need to do is take your foot of the accelerator and let the revs fall to near idle and then put your foot back on the accelerator and its ok them. The guy at the fiat garage said he's had them do it a few times there, and its often caused by moving between R & D too quickly - ie once you've reversed, sit stationary with your foot in the brake for about 5 seconds and then shift to drive. It's not solved it but has made it better. It only does it a couple of times a week doing that.

molly chapman said:

Hello I have the same have car and mine does the same anyone know what it is and does anyone know what transmission oil it take as mine has been chucking it out

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hi again,

OK , your gearbox has GEAR OIL in it. as per a normal gearbox

BUT it also has the "Selespeed Fluid" reservoir right next to it..,

so unless you can actually SS where it's leaking,

best bet is to use the level plug on gearbox, and a dip-stick,
I tend to use the crank of a 6mm allen key

the fluid for the clutch / gear actuators is pretty clear.. so seeing a level can be tricky,

SEARCH for the useful pics/ posts on here over the years,

Charlie