Indeed, the self righteous brigade. I would say your battery is duff or there is something pulling it down but more likely the battery, mine does the same as do many others and my car was a fresh delivery from the factory but who knows how long they were hanging around before been put in the car. Lead acid batteries don't like the cold so if it's a bit iffy it'll definitely act up in cold weather, mine is fine April to November!
Technical Panda Start Stop Fix
- Thread starter Dunturin
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Technical Panda Start Stop Fix
Indeed, the self righteous brigade. I would say your battery is duff or there is something pulling it down but more likely the battery, mine does the same as do many others and my car was a fresh delivery from the factory but who knows how long they were hanging around before been put in the car. Lead acid batteries don't like the cold so if it's a bit iffy it'll definitely act up in cold weather, mine is fine April to November!
I'd like it to work, simply because it is in the spec for the vehicle, so it should. However it is not to be trusted so i don't bother. Everyone knows my view on how flawed FIAT's s/s system is, so I won't bang on too much again!
if FIAT and others are insistent that the system is indeed fine and it is duff batteries, say, at the heart of the problem, then I'd like to see a software fix that has the s/s system send a message to the dashboard to explain to the driver that it can't enter the stop part of the cycle as it has detected a duff battery. That would be a useful message indeed and one that could be read by the garage when the car is in for its service.
Alternatively buy in the same system that BMW use
if FIAT and others are insistent that the system is indeed fine and it is duff batteries, say, at the heart of the problem, then I'd like to see a software fix that has the s/s system send a message to the dashboard to explain to the driver that it can't enter the stop part of the cycle as it has detected a duff battery. That would be a useful message indeed and one that could be read by the garage when the car is in for its service.
Alternatively buy in the same system that BMW use
I'd like it to work, simply because it is in the spec for the vehicle, so it should. However it is not to be trusted so i don't bother. Everyone knows my view on how flawed FIAT's s/s system is, so I won't bang on too much again!
if FIAT and others are insistent that the system is indeed fine and it is duff batteries, say, at the heart of the problem, then I'd like to see a software fix that has the s/s system send a message to the dashboard to explain to the driver that it can't enter the stop part of the cycle as it has detected a duff battery. That would be a useful message indeed and one that could be read by the garage when the car is in for its service.
Alternatively buy in the same system that BMW use
They need to supply better quality batteries in their cars or lower the sensitivity of the software / IBS by a few 100 millivolts or preferably both! I'd like mine to work consistently too, it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside when stopped in traffic for 3 mins causing zero emissions!
Alternatively buy in the same system that BMW use
what system do they use to crank their sub 900cc twins,
mm:idea: - BMWMotorrad
You're on the right lines, and I think it goes further than that. The way the system is designed is responsible for a lot of extra wear on the battery, so that even the significantly more expensive batteries currently fitted to S/S vehicles only last half as long as their much lower spec equivalents in non-S/S cars.
It's time to redesign the system so that it can achieve its desired objective without putting so much stress on the main vehicle battery; IMO there could be some merit in a hybrid system involving supercapacitors.
The S/S concept is sound, but Fiat's implementation is technically weak.
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The extra cost of the new batteries especially if they do wear out quicker than the regular non agm batteries totally negates any fuel savings.
I've said it before, if the only positive of stop/start is the dropping of one tax group, which in the case of my ta4x4 saves me £80 a year, then that'll do for me.
It would be a lovely bonus if it worked properly though!
I've said it before, if the only positive of stop/start is the dropping of one tax group, which in the case of my ta4x4 saves me £80 a year, then that'll do for me.
It would be a lovely bonus if it worked properly though!
Heavy duty batteries will likely have a higher self discharge rate and thus use more fuel just to keep them topped up. Self discharge rates increase as the battery ages, thus this effect gets worse over time. There comes a point when the extra fuel needed to keep a S/S battery charged is greater than the fuel saving made when the engine is stopped (and that's before you take account of the extra cost of the S/S battery).
I remember reading a report somewhere that said the crossover point for the 500 system was only a few months - after that, the S/S system is actually costing you fuel, not saving it.
As deeyup says, car manufacturers use a lot of smoke & mirrors to make the most of the fiscal policy of the day.
The real benefit of S/S is that it helps to reduce noise and air pollution near busy junctions in city centres. I must say that I find it more comfortable to have the engine stopped when sitting in stationary traffic.
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You obviously don't use it in something resembling an Aussie summer where in a few minutes, the car becomes very unpleasant. I'll see what it's like in winter, but anything with a clear sky means cars heat up pretty quickly here. Maybe S/S is only useful in Europe.
I'd agree that what works in downtown Paris might not be appropriate for downtown Birdsville.
Peter Rawlings
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I think I need a 'body control module' ! I've tried the gym, diets......so this sounds just what I'm after!
WoollyPanda
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My 63 plate TA Duologic has had intermittent problems with the S/S since I bought it in Jan. As long as the air temp is above 8c, it worked fine (below that, it switches off but only for a very short time). Since the warmer weather, it has been fine but recently it just stopped working altogether (not switching off). I recently performed the F90 fuse trick and all worked fine again, but only for a couple of days. Now back to not switching off at all.
My question is, what does removing the fuse and then putting it straight back actually do, and if its a cure (temporary in my case), what is actually wrong with the system?
Thanks, W.
My question is, what does removing the fuse and then putting it straight back actually do, and if its a cure (temporary in my case), what is actually wrong with the system?
Thanks, W.
99% sure you need a new battery, mine was similar, new battery sorted 100% and it works better now then when new!
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The battery when 'new' had probably been sitting in the car while it waited to be bought and thus was 'old', hence the improvement.
There's one spot I regularly get caught (major intersection with a tram line 50m the other side of it :bang: ) so I tend to use it there. I noticed it was acting up the last time I came through, but also wasn't sure if I was getting a chance to go fast enough to set it properly - make mental note, turn the damned thing on BEFORE you need it, not after you've found yourself in a traffic jam. Heavy traffic here in almost universally slow, creeping traffic so it's pretty much a useless feature for me anyway, just that one intersection where at peak times, you'll sit through four or five traffic cycles because the tram line is in full operation and if it's not stopping your road from getting through, it's stopping the cross road so turning traffic gets held up which then stops you (some cycles, you don't even move). It wouldn't be so bad if it was just heavy traffic, it's not, it's lousy traffic design. [/rant]
Hey, I just turned 60 so I'm now officially allowed to be a grumpy old git
The battery when 'new' had probably been sitting in the car while it waited to be bought and thus was 'old', hence the improvement.
There's one spot I regularly get caught (major intersection with a tram line 50m the other side of it :bang: ) so I tend to use it there. I noticed it was acting up the last time I came through, but also wasn't sure if I was getting a chance to go fast enough to set it properly - make mental note, turn the damned thing on BEFORE you need it, not after you've found yourself in a traffic jam. Heavy traffic here in almost universally slow, creeping traffic so it's pretty much a useless feature for me anyway, just that one intersection where at peak times, you'll sit through four or five traffic cycles because the tram line is in full operation and if it's not stopping your road from getting through, it's stopping the cross road so turning traffic gets held up which then stops you (some cycles, you don't even move). It wouldn't be so bad if it was just heavy traffic, it's not, it's lousy traffic design. [/rant]
Hey, I just turned 60 so I'm now officially allowed to be a grumpy old git
My car was a fresh factory build though but maybe the battery was not! I find with the new battery it behaves more intelligently in traffic and cuts in every time if i move a few car lengths in traffic but not if i just move by a meter or two, but if I move just slightly it will cut out which is quite smart, overall it now behaves perfectly as designed and I leave it permanently switched on, I reckon on my typical daily commute my engine is switched off for about 25 or 30 mins which can't be bad! I've a 500 ta btw.
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WoollyPanda
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I bought mine 2nd hand in January. I know for a fact that the dealer had it since September, so probably sat there for at least 4 months. Coupled with the fact that despite being 2 years old, it had only covered just over 5000 miles (lots of short journeys?)means I think you're correct about the battery being "tired".
I'm guessing batteries aren't warranty items?
Well I got mine under warranty after 2 years but I had reported issues early on, it was more of a good will gesture tbh as I have a good relationship with them. If I was you I'd bite the bullet and just buy one but make sure it's fresh and designed for SS. It does make driving the car more enjoyable when it works correctly, also my mpg went up significantly partly due to less load on the alternator but also obviously with the engine cutting out more frequently and for longer. As a plus you can use the old battery in a non SS car as it will work just fine for years to come.
My "start stop" have never worked from the moment i bought the car.
Not that i really care.
Next month it will be serviced, so i also did mentioned the not working start stop.
They will have a look at it.
Not that i really care.
Next month it will be serviced, so i also did mentioned the not working start stop.
They will have a look at it.
