Just bought a 1.2 lounge fiat 500 (2016 reg) before xmas, 48000 miles. Intermittently, typically when after driving in traffic or when its done alot of gear changes in short period of time, the gearbox "freezes" and will not allow any gear to be selected , even after switching the engine off. It seems to be once in neutral It won't allow any gear to be selected. It's as if the clutch isn't disengaging. It's still under warranty and is booked into the garage next week but has anyone any ideas?
Technical Fiat 500 Cannot select Gear
- Thread starter Rek
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Technical Fiat 500 Cannot select Gear
Hi 
Manual.. or Auto?
Manual.. or Auto?
Hello and welcome to the forum; good to have you along.
If it's still under warranty, the best thing you can do is to take it back to the selling dealer and ask them to fix it. If you mess with it yourself, it could prejudice your right to have this repaired.
I'm assuming yours is a manual car. On that assumption, a failing clutch actuating mechanism or wear in the gear selection cables are my first thoughts; both are relatively common issues at this sort of age and mileage. But if it's still under warranty, I don't want to prejudge what might be wrong; it's the selling dealer's responsibility to sort this out.
And if it is an auto, give them one chance to fix it and if it then fails again, just ask for your money back and go find something else.
If it's still under warranty, the best thing you can do is to take it back to the selling dealer and ask them to fix it. If you mess with it yourself, it could prejudice your right to have this repaired.
I'm assuming yours is a manual car. On that assumption, a failing clutch actuating mechanism or wear in the gear selection cables are my first thoughts; both are relatively common issues at this sort of age and mileage. But if it's still under warranty, I don't want to prejudge what might be wrong; it's the selling dealer's responsibility to sort this out.
And if it is an auto, give them one chance to fix it and if it then fails again, just ask for your money back and go find something else.
ManualHi
Manual.. or Auto?
Try with engine OFF
Next time it gets difficult
If better its the clutch..
If not might be the cables
Let us know what you find
Next time it gets difficult
If better its the clutch..
If not might be the cables
Let us know what you find
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Low gearbox oil?
should be ok at that milage but you never know what's happened to a new to you car.
should be ok at that milage but you never know what's happened to a new to you car.
Hello - low gearbox oil, is it easy to check, top-up? Or even change completely? 500 TA 0.9 2014.
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It's easily if you can get the car high enough to get underneath,
and can identify the level and if you want to drain it the drain plug,
I don't know exactly were they are on your car it should tell you in the
owners book what oil you need.
and can identify the level and if you want to drain it the drain plug,
I don't know exactly were they are on your car it should tell you in the
owners book what oil you need.
Interesting… our car has a similar fault…
Wife rang me to say she couldn’t get 1st & had people beeping her after getting out of Liverpool in traffic.
She got home and it felt a little stiffer than normal perhaps but I usually drive hire cars so not that familar.
Defiantly easier with the engine off though which points to clutch or hydraulics not cables.
Drove it today and couldn’t find any fault.
Took it to the garage I’m booked in for service & MOT on Friday, told them of the issues and asked them to look at it.
Replacing the clutch slave cylinder and all the pipes I’m guessing is a couple of hours labour? Removing the battery and bits to get at the slave cylinder is 15 mins, then 90 to change and 15 to rebuild?
Then the part at £125 approx, so a £250ish bill?
Wife rang me to say she couldn’t get 1st & had people beeping her after getting out of Liverpool in traffic.
She got home and it felt a little stiffer than normal perhaps but I usually drive hire cars so not that familar.
Defiantly easier with the engine off though which points to clutch or hydraulics not cables.
Drove it today and couldn’t find any fault.
Took it to the garage I’m booked in for service & MOT on Friday, told them of the issues and asked them to look at it.
Replacing the clutch slave cylinder and all the pipes I’m guessing is a couple of hours labour? Removing the battery and bits to get at the slave cylinder is 15 mins, then 90 to change and 15 to rebuild?
Then the part at £125 approx, so a £250ish bill?
Mine is all fixed (not sure what they’ve done but nothing replaced) serviced and MOT done (annoying they did it on last day on Feb when it’s a march 31) maybe they thought they did me a favour doing it quicker.
I read this thread so perhaps just a clean up/adjustment.
www.fiatforum.com
I read this thread so perhaps just a clean up/adjustment.
stiff gear change | FIAT Panda (Mk3)
Hi there, Over Christmas the clutch on my 55 plate panda (1.1 Active) was very heavy. It seems to have gone back to normal but now the gear chnages are very stiff. I've been told that the clutch control cable needs to be replaced. Does that sound right? Thanks
www.fiatforum.com
The biggest PITA on this job is that the slave has an alloy sleeve at the other end, which is the female end of quick-detachable system. The male end is on the pipework connected to the master cylinder.
The two pieces connect inboard of the wheel arch, so get covered in spray, salt and the like and corrode together, so the "quick detach" becomes unachievable, and frequently the male bit swells up and splits the female sleeve.
Anyhow, if they come apart okay then replacing the slave is probably a 30 minutes job. Slave is not too dear if you buy a LUK (the OE manufacturer) one on eBay.
If the two connectors don't come apart (the joint is like a plumbing speed-fitting; you press in a plastic sleeve that disengages some metal prongs, so the male end can slide out) then you can either;
a) Replace the male connector, which means a new pipe and a new master cylinder.
Some people dismantle the new m/cylinder and just use the pipe with the connector, onto their existing m/cylinder. The difficulty of replacing the master cylinder is trivial though, so it's not worth going to all this trouble and then keeping the old m/cylinder, in my opinion. The biggest impact is additional cost, since the m/cylinder, pipe and connector only come as a single "part".. . at £150 or more, depending where you buy it. Replacing the m/cylinder and pipe etc. only takes 20 minutes.
b) Cut off both connectors and attach plumbing fittings to the pipes. This deletes the connector, which contains a damper valve and isn't my cup of tea compared to doing it properly... especially if you bought a new slave with a shiny new female on it... but if you're a plumber and/or skint then this is a cheap piece of bodgery that apparently works okay.
Also bleed the system... it's a lot easier with the battery tray removed and that gives you great access to detach the cables, which you can pack with Lithium grease while you're there.. so it's probably worth the slight extra effort.
Ralf S.
Remember you can replace slave and master using the original old pipework if the end seals are ok
Think I’d just play it safe and go for A.
Anyway drove the car today and seems fine, perhaps just over thinking, passing the midpoint of the clutch pedal travel can feel a slight change occasionally. Perhaps it’s always been there but I’ve never noticed, I imagine it’s the spring on the pedal.
Lucky I have RAC through the bank and breakdown inc with the car insurance too!!
Least it passed MOT with nothing to advise, having checked over I thought possible advise on rear shock bushes.
Anyway drove the car today and seems fine, perhaps just over thinking, passing the midpoint of the clutch pedal travel can feel a slight change occasionally. Perhaps it’s always been there but I’ve never noticed, I imagine it’s the spring on the pedal.
Lucky I have RAC through the bank and breakdown inc with the car insurance too!!
Least it passed MOT with nothing to advise, having checked over I thought possible advise on rear shock bushes.