General Advice pls:-how to operate the automatic gear stick and alloys

[just wondering]

Hi , i have put a deposit on 03 plated punto dynamic 16v 1.2 petrol 5 door, but with it been a auto i have never driven one before.....any starters tips would be most helpful on how to use a automatic gear box.....i've been driving manuals for like 18 years....but automatics are new to me....i'm even confused by all the different letters and options on the gear lever/stick....

Plus i was looking on line at 03 plated dynamics , do they normally come as standard with alloy wheels ??? as the one i have bought does not have alloys .

I bought it from auction £1080 all in including the auction fees...1 owner from new 35 k miles , direct from the dealer , trade in etc.

great to find a good forum

 

[Fiatpuntomk2b]

First of all im guessing its a ' Dualogic ' this means you can either have it in full automatic mode, or you can select the gears yourself just without a clutch.

the letters a pretty self explanatory,
N-neutral
P-park
+ change up a gear
- change down a gear
E Economy

To start the car put your foot on the brake move the lever into N ( neutral) and start the car.Once started you can select the direction you want to go in, you just need to make sure when changing from n/r to 1st gear you need to have your foot on the brake.


Hope you can understand this,any more help needed just ask.

 

[just wondering]

First of all im guessing its a ' Dualogic ' this means you can either have it in full automatic mode, or you can select the gears yourself just without a clutch.

the letters a pretty self explanatory,
N-neutral
P-park
+ change up a gear
- change down a gear
E Economy

To start the car put your foot on the brake move the lever into N ( neutral) and start the car.Once started you can select the direction you want to go in, you just need to make sure when changing from n/r to 1st gear you need to have your foot on the brake.


Hope you can understand this,any more help needed just ask.

Hi thank you for your reply, hmmm with the gears i think one of the letters was a "L" is that for lower gear etc ? i pressume if i put it in that mode , do i just tap it up and tap it down to go up and down gear etc ? my mate is coming over with me to pick up the car , he has driven a automatic years ago , but i guess this will be a bit different .

I have been having a look around about alloy wheels , i'm starting to wonder if my car has in face got alloy wheels , but are fairly badly scuffed and kinda just looked like wheel trims to me based on there condition........

 

[Fiatpuntomk2b]

Mines not got a 'L button but ive just googled and your right it just makes use of the lower gears.

also forgot to mention if you put the stick in the center and push it all the way to the right and hold it there a few seconds,you can activate/diactivate full automatic.you will see if you are in auto mode near the center of the dials, it will say 'auto' above the gear you are in.

as for driving you just move the stick into the center and tap for to go up a gear and back to change down (does this its self but sometimes you may need to intervene.)

as for alloys,dynamic models normally have quite a few extras,so you should have alloys like in this picture http://www.netcarshow.com/fiat/2003-punto_dynamic/800x600/wallpaper_07.htm

 

[just wondering]

Okay , i have found a picture of the gears .

 

[Fiatpuntomk2b]

ah mines a little different to that but, still the same principal

as for the alloys check my other post,i just edited it

 

[just wondering]

the alloys do look the same , but they where so scuffed , they looked like they might of been wheel trims.....i guess i can tidy em up a bit.....

i tried youtubing for a punto gearbox video....but nothing there , usually is for most things on youtube.

I'm starting to get a bit worried about driving the car , the automatic situation soons odd to me.......i guess as long as i can get it into normal automatic mode then i should be okay , any idea how to get this version of the automatic into normal automatic mode.

 

[just wondering]

Ive found a bit a bit more info on how to use the gear box .

link for anyone else future reference

http://irishcar.com/fiatpuntospgeargb.htm

but if anyone has a link to a owners manual that would help also please.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Sounds like you have the speed gear auto gearbox,

P = when you park the car which locks the gearbox
R = reverse speaks for its self
N = neutral again speaks for its self
D = automatic operation forward gears only high range
L = automatic operation forward gear only low range (manual states for sporty driving and engine braking)

The only other thing is + and - for sequential operation (manual gear box without a clutch) you can manually select when to change up.

There is also a Eco button which I presume changes gear earlier for fuel economy

Fiatpuntomk2b sounds like yours is a Duralogic, so different operating software and controls.
If you want to force it to change down in auto mode bury your foot in the carpet and the gearbox will drop a cog
Not really much more to it than that go everywhere in D basically.

If you have an iPad you can download the Fiat touch app which has all the manuals for most fiat cars made in the last 10 years

 

[Fiatpuntomk2b]

they should be alloys and if they are a little scuffed they are easily repairable, diy or get someone to repair them for you

http://irishcar.com/fiatpuntospgeargb.htm this has a little information,but not how to switch between manual and auto,

 

[just wondering]

Ahhhhhh thank you , things are becoming a bit clearer now , i'm feeling a bit more confident about driving the car , all the letters on the gear box in particular the "L" did not make much sense .....so i presume what fiatpuntotom said " put your foot on the break and put it in neutral" still applys to this gear box ?

Also when i park the car , i put it in P , or is P just when i have parked the car and leave it in P mode ? does P mode move slowy for parking.?

 

[PuntoHowTo]

No park as I stated above locks the gearbox so it won't go anywhere, it will also disengage drive.

You will need to be in park or neutral to start the car as well it won't start in the other gears

 

[just wondering]

Thank you Andy , i've not got a ipad or iphone , i'm on Android based phone, i had a look for Fiat touch on the marketplace but no luck ...

 

[dave]

p is like a parking brake

 

[just wondering]

Whats the difference between park and neutral ? i imagine they dont do the same thing...

so if i was in park , when i started up the car , i guess i would need to put my foot on the brake then go into neutral ? then foot on brake and then into drive gear ? assuming i want to drive forwards ?

 

[dave]

neutral you can push car a few feet if needed in p you cant.

 

[just wondering]

Thank you everyone for you help i picked the car up today , car seems to drive very well , i am happy with the car so far no lights are showing on the dash etc.

my first experience with the brakes where a bit of a sharp shock in comparison to my aging ford focus , boy are they sharp !!! , i kinda figured out on a auto , its not just braking its going to be gearing down at the same time , so gentle on the brakes and its super smooth , a really nice

only issue , only 1 key supplied.....i've asked on another thread...but , i was supplied with what i guess is the spare key it has no buttons to press on the key , would the original main key of had buttons for remote locking and also to set the alarm ( does this car come with a alarm ? if so can i set with out the remote button? i have tried a extended hold to the left when i lock the car )

Also what is E mode , i can put it in E mode , i assume this is economy mode for the fuel ??

 

[dave]

yes e is economy i never used mine i liked the better drive in standard mode. 1 remote an 1 non remote is what they all came with, alarms are rare.

an auto often has bigger brakes than a non auto as you have no engine braking

 

[just wondering]

The key i have is blue , so i am guessing its a replacement key...i asked on another thread about keys , i was told red is the spare.....but i dont have the red one....i guess the last owner last the key and went for the cheaper option of a blue key with no remote....oh well its not a deal breaker , but i think i read else where on the forum that a new key is like 100.00 so i shall pass on that ! if the new key was like 35ish i would be tempted...

 

[dave]

what thread was that? mk2's never had a red key