Technical Trip Distance reset / Avg speed issue?

[DBunX]

Hi, I'm really sorry if this is in the wrong section, but I'm stuck and need help.

I've had my TA about 2 months now, and want to start evaluating how it is functioning and I'm driving it.

When I view the average speed indicator on Trip A/B they both show as just 8 mph, and that doesn't appear to have changed at all in the 2 weeks I have been monitoring it. My morning commute is about a 15/20 mins journey and around 10 miles or so. The getting out of Portsmouth/into Havant bit being the stop/start territory so maybe 2-3 stops for lights but otherwise doing about 30-40 mph with a good 5 mins (at least) of 50-70 mph A27 driving.

Due to this I would have thought that the average speed would surely be over 8 mph?

Also, and this is embarrassing, how do I actually reset Trip A/B data so I can see what I'm actually doing? I spent a good 10 mins in the car last night after I got home going through all of the menus and SatNav stuff and couldn't see anywhere for resets.

I'd appreciate it if someone can help clear these things up for me. I wouldn't be surprised if the car was a bit broken tbh, as the speed beep doesn't work at all (going to nip back to the dealer about that one).

 

[Mercky]

dont actually have a 500 at the moment but from memory you hold in the button on the end of the stalk to reset. Avg speed sounds low but you can be surprised

 

[jrkitching]

Resetting either Trip A or Trip B is easily done - just hold in the button on the end of the stalk for a bit longer than you think you'll need to & whichever trip computer is currently active will reset. It doesn't matter which function is currently being displayed - Trip A or B will reset according to which one you're displaying at the time. You need to hold it in for about the same length of time as you need to press the radio button to turn it off.

Once you've reset the trip, you'll have a much better idea of whether the average speed function is working as intended. Most folks are initially surprised at how low their overall average speed is, especially if you're stop-start commuting in town.

If you exceed the speed you've set the beep to on a regular basis, it will temporarily disable itself - so it's really only any use for setting a 'never exceed' speed for the vehicle.

What is much more useful is a device which beeps whenever you're exceeding the speed limit for the bit of road you're on - but you need a satnav with an up-to-date database for that.

 

[DBunX]

Thanks, I knew it would be something simple in the end!

The speed beep is set to 70mph, but I guess the just tipping over/under for a few mins a day is turning it off.

 

[scout]

As a guide to average speed, I do mixed driving with speeds of anything between 0-60ish MPH and the average is generally in the low 30's. I'm never surprised at how slow the average is. Also remember any time you are sitting idling (when defrosting etc.) is monitored at 0 MPH.

 

[jrkitching]

The speed beep is set to 70mph, but I guess the just tipping over/under for a few mins a day is turning it off.

It shouldn't, unless you are making a habit of it.

Try setting it to something lower & see how it behaves.

 

[Ulpian]

Average speeds are always lower than we think. We sail along at 70 thinking we are going reasonably fast, but forget the delays, hold-ups, roundabouts, and crawling through towns. Most of any ordinary journey isn't at a consistently high speed and this tells in the averages.

 

[DBunX]

After doing a reset before leaving work tonight, I've found the trip data it recorded for my journey seems much more realistic than before. 9.7 mile journey, caught in rush hour traffic for most of it, avg mph of 17 mph which sounds about right!

In regards to the speed beep, I've tried setting it lower with no change. Besides, any lower and I will be going over it constantly so I'm sure that would switch it off.

 

[Heidi]

I go up and down a338 every day and my average speed over a tank is just 23mph.

 

[DBunX]

I go up and down a338 every day and my average speed over a tank is just 23mph.

After reading a few more posts and changing my driving style somewhat (I now shift at lower revs before the change indicator advises) my MPG has gone up to 45 from 38 and my average speed to 25mph. I still think its a bit mad that it wants me to be in 5th before I've even hit 40...

 

[Heidi]

After reading a few more posts and changing my driving style somewhat (I now shift at lower revs before the change indicator advises) my MPG has gone up to 45 from 38 and my average speed to 25mph. I still think its a bit mad that it wants me to be in 5th before I've even hit 40...

What's a 'change indicator'? I rarely get in 4th round town as it ensures if I keep in 3rd that I don't go over 30. I have a heavy right foot according to my husband so will never get good MPG

 

[DBunX]

What's a 'change indicator'? I rarely get in 4th round town as it ensures if I keep in 3rd that I don't go over 30. I have a heavy right foot according to my husband so will never get good MPG

On the centre console, just below where the date/time is shown it displays when you should be changing gear up or down. My 500 is a Twin Air, not sure if its the same on normal ones.

 

[Heidi]

Ah right don't think I have that on the standard petrol

 

[306maxi]

It is only on cars built after a certain date.

 

[Super Uwe]

It is only on cars built after a certain date.

Indeed - I think that date is probably Jan 2010 (in the UK at least) as that is when S/S was fitted as standard to the 500 range.

The new 1.2 Pandas also have the feature, but don't have S/S.

As for whether it's any good or not, my personal experience is that the indicators aren't really much use as they don't take into account the load on the engine. As an example, I might be going uphill at 30mph in 4th, and the indicators will be telling me to shift up to fifth. Errr...yeah, OK!

But glad DBunX has found some benefit. Maybe they are more useful on the TA?

 

[Luigi e Lanziano]

Hi everyone,
I found this link to a 500 user manual and it's a jolly sight better than that rather feeble 'getting started' booklet issued to new owners. Here it is:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49755408/Fiat-500-Owners-Manual
and it's free of charge.
It takes a fairly long time to load on my PC, so it needs a little patience but I hope if you try the link you'll find it useful. The trip functions are shown on pages 20 & 21.
With regard to the 'change up' 'change down' indicators, then, yes, I did find the change up indicator was useful when I was trying to run the car in. Luigi's a 500S with a pretty dark interior and on a cloudy day it's quite difficult to see the rev counter and the illuminated change up arrow was a good help at those times, but as an indication only. As pointed out in another post, it doesn't take account of engine loading and the last thing I wanted to do was try to drive in too high a gear whilst running in.
However, I've never been prompted in more than 1,000 miles by the change down arrow and wonder whether it works at all, or whether I would have to be on the edge of a stall to make it illuminate. It's not really something I'm very fussed about but do wonder if others have experienced the same thing and this thread seemed the ideal place to ask. Thus far, it hasn't got any kind of mention at all. Are we all too good as drivers making the change down prompt redundant?

I'd be interested in your experiences and views.
Cheers,
L'anziano

 

[DBunX]

Indeed - I think that date is probably Jan 2010 (in the UK at least) as that is when S/S was fitted as standard to the 500 range.

The new 1.2 Pandas also have the feature, but don't have S/S.

As for whether it's any good or not, my personal experience is that the indicators aren't really much use as they don't take into account the load on the engine. As an example, I might be going uphill at 30mph in 4th, and the indicators will be telling me to shift up to fifth. Errr...yeah, OK!

But glad DBunX has found some benefit. Maybe they are more useful on the TA?

The 500 is only my 2nd car, and I have not been driving very long so initially I did found it quite useful
However, after a few weeks you learn how it works so I don't really use it that much and find I glance down to see it asking me to use 5th when I'm going slightly uphill in 4th.

This leads me to Luigi's point. You can get the change down indicator to display if you come off the power and then drop speed to the point where the car starts to judder as you didn't change down as expected. The down arrow then make an appearance.

Granted, you do have to be driving quite badly to have it pop up!

 

[Cei]

Hi everyone,
I found this link to a 500 user manual and it's a jolly sight better than that rather feeble 'getting started' booklet issued to new owners. Here it is:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49755408/Fiat-500-Owners-Manual
and it's free of charge.
It takes a fairly long time to load on my PC, so it needs a little patience but I hope if you try the link you'll find it useful. The trip functions are shown on pages 20 & 21.
With regard to the 'change up' 'change down' indicators, then, yes, I did find the change up indicator was useful when I was trying to run the car in. Luigi's a 500S with a pretty dark interior and on a cloudy day it's quite difficult to see the rev counter and the illuminated change up arrow was a good help at those times, but as an indication only. As pointed out in another post, it doesn't take account of engine loading and the last thing I wanted to do was try to drive in too high a gear whilst running in.
However, I've never been prompted in more than 1,000 miles by the change down arrow and wonder whether it works at all, or whether I would have to be on the edge of a stall to make it illuminate. It's not really something I'm very fussed about but do wonder if others have experienced the same thing and this thread seemed the ideal place to ask. Thus far, it hasn't got any kind of mention at all. Are we all too good as drivers making the change down prompt redundant?

I'd be interested in your experiences and views.
Cheers,
L'anziano

I've had my 500 just over two months and have seen the shift down indicator once. It does work, but you need to be doing something silly like trying to crawl along at 15mph in fifth for it to cut in. It's nowhere near as persistent as the shift up!

 

[UFI]

As for whether it's any good or not, my personal experience is that the indicators aren't really much use as they don't take into account the load on the engine. As an example, I might be going uphill at 30mph in 4th, and the indicators will be telling me to shift up to fifth. Errr...yeah, OK!

But glad @DBunX has found some benefit. Maybe they are more useful on the TA?

The TA is so smooth and quiet at higher revs that I find it easy to accidently leave the car in a lower gear on occasion (at 30mph in 3rd it really feels/sounds like a 4cyl car in fifth). The shift indicator can make a handy reminder. It's also good for coasting to a stop, just flip the lever into neutral when the light comes on (no clutch).

 

[Luigi e Lanziano]

Yes, agree with UFI that it’s all too easy to drive along in 3rd. gear in a TA, thinking you’re in 4th. The give away for me though, is the visual mis-match between indicated engine speed and road speed and it’s this that gives me the prompt to change up rather than the indicator. Frankly, the indicator illuminates so often (and often inappropriately) that I’ve now come to think of it as being akin to the boy who cried wolf. But I accept I may be slightly missing out on economy as a result.