Hey guys, new to the forum, signed up on behalf of my mother since this website has came up time and time again after searches on google.

Second of all, i hope this is posted in the right place

Now, to the problem!

A few month back now we were driving along like normal and the reverse beeping noice came on (for those that dont own an automatic, when in reverse the car makes a beeping noice)
which was strange! i do remember at the time she had the indicator on left.

It happend every now and again, but now its happening alot, and for longer, the "D" on the dash to say its in drive Changes to "R" and the gearbox warning light flashes on, which is worrying!

I have a few friends that work in a garage, they didnt know what it would be as they dont really deal with fiats or automatics but linked it up to the dynostics for me, he said it didnt give a fault descritipion, just a dealers code (i dont have the code, sorry)

It just happens i dropped my car off at another garage (i have a mk4 vauxhall astra) this morning to get a new exhaust fitted and mentiond it to him and he said his friend had just bought the same punto and has the same problem, but when he puts his foot in the brake the car read it as in reverse and makes the beeping noise.

so in summary, driving along at say 40mph the car thinks its in reverse, but still drives fine. usualy worse if we go over a bump, seems to happen when the indicators are on but might be linked to the car going round corners etc..

hope you guys can help, Thanks for any replies

EDIT: forgot to mention, i think its a 04 plate 1.4 automatic, dynamic?

hutchysrs50,

Welcome to the forum. Not sure that I'm going to be much help but didn't want you to think we were ignoring you.

These cars are prone to problems with electrical connectors and the symptoms you describe (intermittent, sometimes when going over a bump) fit with a loose connection somewhere.

The automatic gearbox has some sort of electronic control unit (ECU) and I suspect the sensor for reverse gear goes to that. The gearbox ECU communicates with the instrument panel via a serial line (my data suggests that's for oil level but it could be for any gearbox data I suppose).

You need to be looking for any connectors that are on the gearbox and then probably seeking out the gearbox ECU to see whether anything is loose around that.

A lot of other electrical control on the car goes to the body computer and that controls the instrument panel (among other functions). The body computer is behind the fuses (driver's side, below dash) but I can't see any info to suggest gearbox signals go there, just the line to the instrument panel.

Some of us use an interface called USB VAG-COM KKL to interrogate ECUs. You could look into that but would need to know whether the gearbox is supported by FiatECUScan - a free programme (the only auto box I can see listed is Marelli Selespeed CFC208F on a Punto '03 1.3JTD but I don't have the latest software). If you think the software covers what you have, see "Guides", "Punto" for a "tenner and a laptop" ECU reader that uses that programme.

red

rear light earth is dodgy, normally taking the plug off it and giving it a clean up solves it

Thanks for both replies!

I have done a search on the forum and thought it would be the rear lights or a bad earth, also seen somepeople mention a switch on the gearbox.

is it worth taking the whole back lights apart? or doing as said and just unplugging them and giving it abit of a clean?

at least i know its safe to drive and not going to slam into reverse going along the motorway!

you have to remove light to get to the plug to clean it and when it plugs into