I'm sure Andy Monty has mentioned the exact timings somewhere before, I think its less than 15min, but if you wait that long everything should most definitely have shut down on the car.
General Calling all start 'n' stop owners!
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General Calling all start 'n' stop owners!
I'm sure Andy Monty has mentioned the exact timings somewhere before, I think its less than 15min, but if you wait that long everything should most definitely have shut down on the car.
off the top of my head its 10 mins (this is also the point the battery sensor checks the battery voltage (to ensure the battery is holding its charge properly)
We had a similar problem, in that the warnings and S/S failure happened (low mileage car <4,000 miles per year). It just needed the sensors resetting and recalibrating. Not a big job for a garage with the right diagnostic computers. I'll repost if it happens again, but for now, we're warning light-less again 
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Hi, Two months ago I bought a second hand 500 TwinAir 2012 with 2700 km and now its 5000 km (so the car getting it's charge). I usually turn off the s&s because it is good for european traffic, here (Israel) it till stop the engine for 2 seconds 100's of times in one drive.
But when I want to use it or forget to turn it off, some of the times it is having problems starting the engine! today in a traffic light it tried for like 5 times to start but just left me without a running engine. it wasn't the first start&stop in that drive, the engine was not cold and I drove like 70 km today so it charged.
When starting the car manually it always start very quickly, always on the first try.
I will go to the dealer tomorrow but is it a common problem? I hope that the battery is not good or something simple like that.
But when I want to use it or forget to turn it off, some of the times it is having problems starting the engine! today in a traffic light it tried for like 5 times to start but just left me without a running engine. it wasn't the first start&stop in that drive, the engine was not cold and I drove like 70 km today so it charged.
When starting the car manually it always start very quickly, always on the first try.
I will go to the dealer tomorrow but is it a common problem? I hope that the battery is not good or something simple like that.
Beaudelaire Fleur
New member
Hello ! I have Start Stop on my Fiat500c and I am new here.
The light coming on and off randomly started about 3 years ago and Start Stop not being available, even when you start the car (!)
Having found absolutely no cure for it, I do have a suggestion (as the problem started to bug me).
Since I started having my car serviced at my local Halfords (now it's out of warranty), I just pop in there and they re-set the whole thing, for free. I'd say the fix lasts for about 6 months before it starts again. it's completely random, but I love my car so much, I can forgive it !
The light coming on and off randomly started about 3 years ago and Start Stop not being available, even when you start the car (!)
Having found absolutely no cure for it, I do have a suggestion (as the problem started to bug me).
Since I started having my car serviced at my local Halfords (now it's out of warranty), I just pop in there and they re-set the whole thing, for free. I'd say the fix lasts for about 6 months before it starts again. it's completely random, but I love my car so much, I can forgive it !
Hi, and welcome to FF,
it's usually associated with poor battery charge / condition,
interesting that something other than a deep charge lasts for so long..,
charlie
it's usually associated with poor battery charge / condition,
interesting that something other than a deep charge lasts for so long..,
charlie
The dealer said that because it's intermittent problem he can't really check it, he says the computer don't save logs for such things (I checked later with OBD and he was right) and he also said that the battery warranty is two years so I shouldn't replace it because its expensive and I don't really need it.
He said to wait and see if it is getting worse.
On the way back home I didn't turned S&S off to check it, but it didn't stopped the engine the whole drive. maybe the battery is not so good.
when the car is off the battery is 12.62 volt, when starting the engine its slowly goes to 14.5 volts.
I'd say that's bad advice. Old batteries use a little more fuel than new ones and that could offset some of the cost of replacement.
Also here in the UK you can buy an aftermarket battery of the correct specification for less than half what you would pay at a franchised dealership.
If you get another year out of a 2 1/2 yr old battery, you've saved about £35 (New batteries here are around £90 ish). Replace it now and you'll save some of that £35 in fuel because S/S is working, and some more of that in fuel because the new battery won't be self-discharging as much.
Plus you'll have a car that's working the way it's supposed to.
(And if I'm wrong about the last bit, then I likely won't be around much beyond the middle of next week, because Mick will probably hunt me down & kill me
.)
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No, not kill you!
Just send you a bill for my (pointless) new battery!
As it happens, I reckon that the battery in our Clio is on it's way out. She failed to even turn over yesterday - only been parked a week. Charged, driven, and ok now.
If we find the new battery cures the S/S in the 500, the old battery is probably better than the Clio's, so I may fit it and then send the Clio's one off for recycling.
Clio is on her second battery in 95,000miles (13.5years) Present one was fitted Dec 2008 - six full years ago, so is well past its best.
Regards,
(and stand by for news early next week)
Mick.
Just send you a bill for my (pointless) new battery!
As it happens, I reckon that the battery in our Clio is on it's way out. She failed to even turn over yesterday - only been parked a week. Charged, driven, and ok now.
If we find the new battery cures the S/S in the 500, the old battery is probably better than the Clio's, so I may fit it and then send the Clio's one off for recycling.
Clio is on her second battery in 95,000miles (13.5years) Present one was fitted Dec 2008 - six full years ago, so is well past its best.
Regards,
(and stand by for news early next week)
Mick.
I really don't like S&S, it is the worst thing in a country which is just one big traffic jam.
yesterday was the first day I found a real use to it (really bad traffic light on a downhill), all the other times I use it is when I forget to turn it off.
If I will buy a smaller battery when mine dies, will it make the S&S to never work?
It's sad you can update the ECU to paramantully disable s&s only in 2013+ models.
yesterday was the first day I found a real use to it (really bad traffic light on a downhill), all the other times I use it is when I forget to turn it off.
If I will buy a smaller battery when mine dies, will it make the S&S to never work?
It's sad you can update the ECU to paramantully disable s&s only in 2013+ models.
two days ago I forgot to turn S&S off and the engine turned off in a red light
after a minute off I pressed the disable S&S button so I wont stop traffic when it wont be able to start. anyway when I pressed the button the car restarted - the radio and lights stopped and started again, like when starting the car with the key. something is wrong with my S&S.
after a minute off I pressed the disable S&S button so I wont stop traffic when it wont be able to start. anyway when I pressed the button the car restarted - the radio and lights stopped and started again, like when starting the car with the key. something is wrong with my S&S.
Most likely the battery is getting worn - the extra power drain when restarting lowered the voltage sufficiently to trip the radio & light relays.
If your car is old enough not to be able to accept the upgrade which permanently disables S/S, then the battery is probably due for replacement anyway, if it's the original. They typically will only give full S/S performance for 3-4 years at most.
Original batteries here usually last very very long, 2.5 years is new. If S&S dont work but the car will start normally for more 5 years, I won't replace the battery yet
What annoys me is that the computer decides to turn off the engine when it should know that the battery is in this state, why it have all those checks if they dont actually good (everyone here complaining about the S&S not activating!! I wish mine did this)
What annoys me is that the computer decides to turn off the engine when it should know that the battery is in this state
, why it have all those checks if they dont actually good (everyone here complaining about the S&S not activating!! I wish mine did this)That's easily fixed. Just wait a few more months.
Actually we have more complaints about S/S restarting the car after only a few seconds, which I'd agree is more frustrating than not working at all.
Yes, now that ours is working perfectly, it's not annoying at all, in fact it makes driving in traffic though junctions and traffic lights more peaceful.
I didn't like it all before, and would happily have had it permanently disabled.
Now it's fixed by fitting a new battery, I reckon that S/S is great idea.
During my investigations, I was trying to find a way of not having to buy a new battery. I tried charging it overnight, and that helped a great deal. I also tried charging it whilst fully connected, and fully disconnected. The fully disconnected charge worked best .............. but it was short-lived.
I found that by disconnecting the small connector off the back of the neg terminal, counting to ten, then re-connecting, the S/S stopped working entirely!
A day later, I did another fully disconnected charge, and when all was connected up again, S/S worked fine, but short lived.
Whether by temporarily disconnecting the small plug will permanently stop the S/S working, I don't know, but it could be worth a trial.
Maybe try it?
Regards,
Mick.
I didn't like it all before, and would happily have had it permanently disabled.
Now it's fixed by fitting a new battery, I reckon that S/S is great idea.
During my investigations, I was trying to find a way of not having to buy a new battery. I tried charging it overnight, and that helped a great deal. I also tried charging it whilst fully connected, and fully disconnected. The fully disconnected charge worked best .............. but it was short-lived.
I found that by disconnecting the small connector off the back of the neg terminal, counting to ten, then re-connecting, the S/S stopped working entirely!
A day later, I did another fully disconnected charge, and when all was connected up again, S/S worked fine, but short lived.
Whether by temporarily disconnecting the small plug will permanently stop the S/S working, I don't know, but it could be worth a trial.
Maybe try it?
Regards,
Mick.
Piccolo Nero e Bella
Prominent member
Pretty much how I felt about it but my 'logic' was that since I'd paid for it (not by choice - it was standard in the local Lounge) I wanted it to work, even if I then switched it off and never used it again. As it happens I've gotten used to the idea and I leave it on.
One drawback; I like to be smartly off at the lights but with S/S engaged you have to take your time. Any attempt to release the clutch and accelerate away too quickly results in a fumble as the car starts and stalls almost together. Then you have to depress the clutch to restart and try again. I still find myself going for the ignition key...
Merry Christmas!
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Watch the cross traffic lights where possible and restart on the red. If you're second or third car in the queue starting on green should do, you just have to be a touch more attentive.
I've found the same issue with a tendency to stall if you don't let it idle for a sec.
