General Calling all start 'n' stop owners!

[RobinPJ]

The other argument is you cannot run the daylight driving lights when the start stop is engaged. Uhmmm...Bulls...

I was driving this morning with the Stop & Start working as it should, and I realised that I had on (i) headlights (ii) wipers (iii) rear screen demister (iv) radio and (v) aircon. It never stopped the S/S working once.

The idea that the system won't work if you have DRLs on is laughable.

 

[bgunn]

I was driving this morning with the Stop & Start working as it should, and I realised that I had on (i) headlights (ii) wipers (iii) rear screen demister (iv) radio and (v) aircon. It never stopped the S/S working once.

The idea that the system won't work if you have DRLs on is laughable.

It is, and indicates battery charge/IBS calibration issues.

Bear in mind your car will have the later Body Computer software that allows S&S to cut the engine with the rear screen demister on, as well as the wipers on full speed. Earlier models (without the software update) do not.

Which reminds me, I must get my BCU updated, as I can prove to the (useless) FIAT dealers what software version I'm on now I have MES.

The way you can tell you're running the later software is that you can turn off the S&S with the button, and it retains the setting after a key-off.

 

[flashyphotos]

The way you can tell you're running the later software is that you can turn off the S&S with the button, and it retains the setting after a key-off.

Not 100%. on my 2012 500c I have the software that allows the S&S to work with the heater on wiper on full demister on etc. But it still resets the S&S Switch each time its started.

I did ask them to upgrade it last time I was in but they told me there was no upgrade for my chasis number - even tho I provided the update numbers (You) Kindly posted on the boards some months ago.

 

[jrkitching]

Hardly, anyone with their head screwed on who realises the car suddenly costs £70 a year more for RLF would keep it selected even if it never worked

Not on the 1.2 - it makes no difference.

The 1.2 500 went from 119g/km to 113g/km after fitting S/S, but interestingly the Mk3 Panda went from 119g/km to 113g/km just by changing to the Euro5 engine (which is the same as the 1.2 500), without needing S/S.

@jrkitching I'm a bit surprised tbh! The S&S in your car has worked flawlessly hasn't it? Tbh I think this is proof that a properly maintained car driven by someone who knows how to drive a car (don't hold the clutch in needlessly, rest your hand on the gear lever and so on.....)

S/S is a nice to have. I use it, appreciate having it, and I certainly wouldn't deliberately disable it. It makes driving in town a bit more comfortable, but I'm far from convinced it saves any appreciable fuel unless all your driving is in a big city.

If given the choice between S/S & £300 off the car, I'd take the money, but then again, I'm a tight fisted old git .

If you have it and it's not working, keep badgering the dealership until it's properly fixed. I don't buy into the argument that most of the issues are down to driver error; more likely the fitters either don't know how, or can't be bothered, to set the cars up correctly before delivering them to the customer .

 

[larslarsen]

Re: Calling all start 'n' stop owners! Outside air temp

Just another point to note on my 18 months of twin air ownership and 7 dealership visits to investigate my ss issue - car cuts out and restarts after 3- 30 seconds on own.

I am now convinced that after two new battery changes (fully charged) and three different senors fitted that in my case the out side air temperature effects or rather causes my random restarts.
....
Anyone else have the same issue?

Yes, same here, see my post #822 here.

In spring the dealer replaced again the FIAT OEM battery by a Bosch S&S battery. Seems to be more stable.

No problem during summer, but on cold morning last week the problem reoccured.

That battery capacity is going down with outside temperature is normal.

Abnormal is, in my opinion, that S&S does not let engine run on stop if capacity is too low, but restarting engine after 20 - 30 seconds.

LarsLarsen

 

[deeyup]

Following on from my post in another thread CLICK (best to update in this one I think) my battery was trickle charged over night to full capacity.

No difference as I thought. The car still intermittently fails to restart for an unknown reason

Back into the dealer yet again.

 

[Ricard]

A pal has just bought a six years old BMW, it has stop/start that always works regardless of if he's toasting bread or has all his lights on.

Fiat are accomplished at bull****, at the very least the dealership service manager here admitted Fiat have far to much electronics going on in to short a period and with too few knowledgable designers on the project when it started.

Whats happening now is that the blue-and-me connection to the phone doesn't work properly. I'm not bothered because I mostly use the satnav blue-and-me but it's a damn let-down and just another nail in the coffin for us.

No more Fiat no matter how cute they are.

 

[Ulpian]

the S&S is designed and built by Bosch, and the Blue and Me is Microsoft.

And BMWs are sometimes known as BM troubleyous. FYI.

 

[Ricard]

Thanks, and that is interesting because I would be surprised if BMW are not using Bosch designed kit so if that was the case I wonder why Fiats Stop/start is causing so many problems.

Just for the record, ours works most of the time and since this 500 has been retired to shopping-basket duties it'll sit for many days without use. I have never done a voltage or current check because if S/S doest work it's just another thing from Fiat that I expect.

Thanks to whoever it was who told me about the plastic covers being available that go over the shock-tops. £5 a pair including VAT. Scandalous they weren't fitted in the first place.

 

[bgunn]

A pal has just bought a six years old BMW, it has stop/start that always works regardless of if he's toasting bread or has all his lights on.

Fiat are accomplished at bull****, at the very least the dealership service manager here admitted Fiat have far to much electronics going on in to short a period and with too few knowledgable designers on the project when it started.

Whats happening now is that the blue-and-me connection to the phone doesn't work properly. I'm not bothered because I mostly use the satnav blue-and-me but it's a damn let-down and just another nail in the coffin for us.

No more Fiat no matter how cute they are.

Bye then. Seems to me that you've come here to moan constantly with little other input.

 

[bgunn]

Scandalous they weren't fitted in the first place.

...of the century!

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Thanks to whoever it was who told me about the plastic covers being available that go over the shock-tops. £5 a pair including VAT. Scandalous they weren't fitted in the first place.

They were an after thought, fitted to new ones now maybe?

 

[bgunn]

They were an after thought, fitted to new ones now maybe?

Yeah, FIAT started doing from the end of 2012 it to appease owners complaining about the appearance of rust.

 

[Ricard]

Bye then. Seems to me that you've come here to moan constantly with little other input.

I came to this site for help and I received help. I also shared stuff about repairs to our Ducato and by confirming others problems i'm contributing thought i'm not going to become apathetic just because I have invested in Fiat.

I also commented that the Fiat service round these parts as much better than VW even though it's flawed in the way the dealerships make up stories and in the way you are expecting apathy they expect group-apathy.

I also wrote that the Fiat 500 is the very best small car I have ever driven.

As a moderator you are are exceeding your remit.

 

[bgunn]

As a moderator you are are exceeding your remit.

If you say so. I'm sure you're the perfect moderator on your own site

 

[Ricard]

Oh come-on, you're getting cross because i'm bitching about Fiat. When people come to this site they are likely to be looking for help and advise which can all turn negative.

The stop/start thread is all about unhappy owners because of stop/start.

If you're a Fiat fanboy, regardless, then you already lost the argument by picking on me rather than throwing some heat into discussing the issues.

Regardless of your view we have two Fiat vehicles that show a disgraceful lack of attention to detail comparing them to just two other well known vehicles.

If you concentrate your policing on foul language, bullying, personal insult and the like then you'll be doing just fine as a moderator rather than showing sharp elbows to unhappy Fiat owners.

I notice that there has been some concern about the treatment of newbies and a reminder that most come to the site in desperation, some help with problems at the very least. I'll be one member who will be able to share experiences and give advise with the Ducato and the 500.

Perfect, isn't that what this site is all about ? Together with sharing the love for a flashy paint-job or a set of gladiator wheels your so proud of it's about sharing.

 

[bgunn]

Oh come-on, you're getting cross because i'm bitching about Fiat. When people come to this site they are likely to be looking for help and advise which can all turn negative.

The stop/start thread is all about unhappy owners because of stop/start.

If you're a Fiat fanboy, regardless, then you already lost the argument by picking on me rather than throwing some heat into discussing the issues.

Regardless of your view we have two Fiat vehicles that show a disgraceful lack of attention to detail comparing them to just two other well known vehicles.

If you concentrate your policing on foul language, bullying, personal insult and the like then you'll be doing just fine as a moderator rather than showing sharp elbows to unhappy Fiat owners.

I notice that there has been some concern about the treatment of newbies and a reminder that most come to the site in desperation, some help with problems at the very least. I'll be one member who will be able to share experiences and give advise with the Ducato and the 500.

Perfect, isn't that what this site is all about ? Together with sharing the love for a flashy paint-job or a set of gladiator wheels your so proud of it's about sharing.

You're hardly adding anything new to the argument though are you? You might like to look back through the post and find out what technical know how I've added to the thread, and compare it with your own before calling me on what's been said. If we're working on basic stats, you've been here over a year and made 35 posts.

I'm no fan boy - I don't just own or look at FIAT cars, but my car has worked perfectly well throughout it's life - and I have a pretty good idea why. That assistance I have added to this post indicates this, because I have an understanding of how the system works, borne through experience and knowledge. No Daily Mail style hate campaigns or language calling my car a 'disgrace', I just deal with things as they crop up.

So, to be frank, go and disappear into your own hole and regale in how wonderful you are at bitching about things. Yes, in a perfect world, car dealerships would fix faults - FIAT don't have a monopoly on **** car dealer servicing though. So if you think the Germans are better at it, go and buy a German car. I happen to have worked on cars from many marques over the years and know that if you want to see a spectacular, catastrophic failure, you're probably better off buying a recently made German car. But hey, I don't go bleating on BMW or Audi forums about it.

Newbies that come here with attitude get treated with short shrift. Those that don't, don't. It's simple. Telling moderators how to get on with their job is a good way of getting treated with short shrift - I'm certainly no different to the others in that regard (if you actually read a forum other than the 500 one).

 

[deeyup]

 

[bgunn]

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

You seem to have an issue consuming that popcorn