Technical Abarth Selespeed - won't downshift on wheel

[aj47coupe]

Hi all,

My selespeed is fine and the gearbox and gearstick work fine to. However the down shift paddle on my steering wheel won't work. The up shift is fine.

It been like this since I bought it about a month ago, just wondering if a connection might be loose or something.

I'm not a techie so I'm not sure where to start before I ask my local garage.

Thanks in advance.

Aj

 

[DraganUS]

Same problem, but with +.

 

[aj47coupe]

Anyone? I reckon a wire is loose or a fuse has gone.

 

[Davren]

It will be the same fuse for both the + and - paddle circuit switches.

You could try disconnecting the connectors and cleaning them with electrical contact cleaner. The connector sockets are the 2 empty blue ones in the diagram below. The problem is more likely to be with the paddle switches though. There's a small springy copper disc inside each of the switches that can becone dislodged, or become misshapen.
.

 

[aj47coupe]

This is great I'll try and have a look. Now to figure out hoe to get the wheel off?!

 

[Davren]

You don't have to take the steering wheel off to do the connectors, just the airbag.

Disconnect the battery and wait at least 20 minutes before disturbing any airbag components.

 

[MarkThompson4]

This is great I'll try and have a look. Now to figure out hoe to get the wheel off?!

Behind each spoke of the wheel is a hole where each if the three Allen bolts are which hold the airbag in place. Best to turn the wheel such that whichever bolt you're going for that the hole as at the top of the column shroud, bit of a pain to get to the side ones with the wheel in the dead straight position. Careful with the two airbag wires when you pull the unit out, gently out till you can reach behind it and pop the clips off the back

P.s if you wanted to take the wheel right off you'd have to remove the airbag anyway to get to the nut that holds the wheel on

 

[DraganUS]

It will be the same fuse for both the + and - paddle circuit switches.

You could try disconnecting the connectors and cleaning them with electrical contact cleaner. The connector sockets are the 2 empty blue ones in the diagram below. The problem is more likely to be with the paddle switches though. There's a small springy copper disc inside each of the switches that can becone dislodged, or become misshapen.
.

Davren, do you know how to remove paddle as I think that microswitch that clicks is probably gone and it needs replacing

 

[alexGS]

Davren, do you know how to remove paddle as I think that microswitch that clicks is probably gone and it needs replacing

From the back of the paddle, you can see two holes - one large and one small.
The large hole is for one of the three bolts that secure the airbag (6mm hex I think, or 5mm).

The small hole has a Philips screw inside and this is the one you need to undo to release the paddle from the steering wheel. There is also a push-fitted tang into the soft material of the steering wheel, so you need to prise the paddle out evenly.

The airbag must be removed to get to the paddle wiring. These days I just do this by unplugging the airbag, I don't disconnect the battery. Maybe I live dangerously, but the way I look at it is that no-one's airbag ever went off because of a faulty clock spring. Perhaps do it properly for the first 50 times until you are sage, old, and cynical. I'll update this post when a reconnected airbag has gone off, I might still be able to type with the unbroken hand, but paralysis from the broken neck might be a problem.

The paddle has likely failed because of one pivot point being broken. You might be able to effect a repair with powder-and-superglue (a new wonderous repair material). Mine's lasted a year now. New paddles are hopelessly expensive (I was quoted over $900 retail/£450). Second-hand is the only real option, or you could make something out of stainless steel and a microswitch as you would find in a Ferrari, which would be better quality than FIAT's effort (except the illuminated ideogram might be difficult to replicate). Also, you can leave off the gorgeous rubbery coating that goes sticky and scratches off.

I thought about whether the paddles from my Logitech G25 racing wheel might be usable, as they are stainless steel with microswitches, and I haven't bothered to use my G25 since replacing a high-powered desktop PC with a gutless laptop years ago.

Actually you will be horrified to discover that the "microswitch which clicks" in FIAT's design is actually a triangular piece of tin held on to a circuit board with sticky tape. Microswitches of the proper type cost about £1.50 each, clearly too expensive for mass-production...!

-Alex