2014 FIAT 500L stop start

•When stopped on an incline, always use the brakes to
hold the vehicle in place. On steep inclines, Hill Start
Assist (HSA) will temporarily hold the car in position
when the brake pedal is released. If the accelerator
pedal is not applied after a short time, the car will roll
back. Either reapply the brake (to hold the vehicle) or
press the accelerator to climb the hill.
• Before and after the engine is started, you may hear a
hydraulic pump for a short period of time. This noise
is normal and will not damage the transmission.
• When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as
when operating the vehicle under heavy loading con-
ditions, in hilly terrain, or traveling into strong head
winds), use the AutoStick® shift control (refer to
“AutoStick®” in this section for further information) to
select a lower gear. Under these conditions, using a lower gear will improve performance and extend
transmission life by reducing excessive shifting and
heat buildup.
• During extremely cold temperatures, the transmission
will not operate if the oil temperature is -22° F (-30° C)
or below. Allow the engine to idle briefly with the
transmission in PARK in order to warm the fluid.
Normal operation will resume once the transmission
temperature has risen to a suitable level.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 225

Instrument Cluster Messages
Messages will be displayed in the instrument cluster to alert the driver when certain unusual conditions occur. These
messages are described below.
MESSAGEDESCRIPTION
GEAR NOT AVAILABLE In AutoStick® mode, the gear selected by the driver is not available
due to a fault condition. See your authorized dealer for diagnosis and service.
SHIFT NOT ALLOWED The gear position requested by the driver is currently blocked. This
occurs if: REVERSE is requested while moving (at 6 mph [10 km/h]
or faster), if DRIVE is requested while moving backwards (at 6 mph [10 km/h] or faster), or if (in AutoStick® mode) a DOWNSHIFT is
requested while in 1st gear, 3rd gear or higher is requested at a stop, or a requested shift would cause engine lugging or overspeed. Make sure the vehicle is stopped before engaging DRIVE or REVERSE.
226 STARTING AND OPERATING

MESSAGEDESCRIPTION
SHIFT TO NEUTRAL – THEN D or R The transmission has shifted itself into NEUTRAL (due to a fault condition, or overheat due to excessive idling when stopped in
DRIVE with the brakes released), but the shift lever remains in gear. Shift into NEUTRAL and then back into gear for continued driving. If the transmission will not re-engage, see your authorized dealer.
AUTOSTICK NOT AVAILABLE AutoStick® mode is unavailable due to a shift lever fault. See your authorized dealer for diagnosis and service.
AUTOMATIC MODE NOT AVAILABLE The transmission is unable to shift itself automatically, due to a fault condition. Use the AutoStick® mode to shift the transmission manu-ally. See your authorized dealer for diagnosis and service.
REDUCE GEAR CHANGES The transmission pump is overheating. In AutoStick® mode, try to drive in one specific gear as much as possible, avoiding frequent
gear changes. In DRIVE, the transmission will automatically modify its shift schedule to reduce the number of shifts.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 227

MESSAGEDESCRIPTION
TRANS. GETTING HOT PRESS BRAKE The transmission driving clutch is overheating, usually due to re- peated launches in stop-and-go traffic. Pull over and allow the trans-mission to cool in NEUTRAL until “TRANS. COOL READY TO DRIVE” is displayed.
TRANS. HOT STOP SAFELY SHIFT TO P The transmission driving clutch has overheated. Pull over and shift
the transmission into PARK and allow the vehicle to cool until “TRANS. COOL READY TO DRIVE” is displayed.
SERVICE TRANSMISSION A transmission fault has been detected. See your authorized dealer for diagnosis and service.
SERVICE SHIFTER A shift lever fault has been detected. See your authorized dealer for
diagnosis and service.
ENGAGE PARK BRAKE The sensor that confirms PARK engagement is not functioning prop- erly. Engage the parking brake to ensure that the vehicle will not rollwhen in PARK.
228 STARTING AND OPERATING

Transmission Limp Home Mode
Transmission function is monitored electronically for
abnormal conditions. If a condition is detected that could
result in transmission damage, Transmission Limp Home
Mode is activated. In this mode, some gears will be
unavailable. The transmission will operate only in a
certain select set of gears (such as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and
Reverse, or 1st, 3rd, 5th, and Reverse, or 2nd, 4th, and 6th
[with no Reverse]). PARK and NEUTRAL will continue
to be available. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)
may be illuminated. Limp Home Mode allows the vehicle
to be driven to an authorized dealer for service without
damaging the transmission.
In the event of a momentary problem, the transmission
can be reset to regain all forward gears by performing the
following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle.2. Shift the transmission into PARK.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position.
4. Wait approximately 10 seconds.
5. Restart the engine.
6. Shift into the desired gear range. If the problem is no
longer detected, the transmission will return to normal
operation.
NOTE: Even if the transmission can be reset, we recom-
mend that you visit your authorized dealer at your
earliest possible convenience. Your authorized dealer has
diagnostic equipment to determine if the problem could
recur.
If the transmission cannot be reset, authorized dealer
service is required.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 229

AUTOSTICK® — IF EQUIPPED
AutoStick® is a driver-interactive transmission feature
providing manual shift control, giving you more control
of the vehicle. AutoStick® allows you to maximize en-
gine braking, eliminate undesirable upshifts and down-
shifts, and improve overall vehicle performance. This
system can also provide you with more control during
passing, city driving, cold slippery conditions, mountain
driving, and many other situations.
Operation
When the shift lever is in the AutoStick® position (beside
the Drive position), it can be moved forward and rear-
ward. This allows the driver to manually select the
transmission gear being used. Moving the shift lever
forward (-) triggers a downshift, and rearward (+) an
upshift. The current gear is displayed in the instrument
cluster.NOTE:
In AutoStick® mode, the transmission will only
shift up or down when the driver moves the shift lever
rearward (+) or forward (-), except as described below.
• The transmission will automatically upshift when nec-
essary to prevent engine over-speed.
• The transmission will automatically downshift as the
vehicle slows (to prevent engine lugging) and will
display the current gear.
• The transmission will automatically downshift to first
gear when coming to a stop. After a stop, the driver
should manually upshift (+) the transmission as the
vehicle is accelerated.
• With six-speed automatic transmission, you can start
out (from a stop) in first, second, or third gear. Starting
out in second or third gear can be helpful in snow or
230 STARTING AND OPERATING

icy conditions. To select second or third gear after the
vehicle is brought to a stop, tap the shift lever rear-
ward (+) once or twice.
• If a requested downshift would cause the engine to
over-speed, that shift will not occur.
• Avoid using speed control when AutoStick® is en-
gaged because the transmission will not shift auto-
matically.
• Transmission shifting will be more noticeable when
AutoStick® is engaged.
• The system may revert to automatic shift mode if a
fault or overheat condition is detected.
To disengage AutoStick® mode, return the shift lever to
the DRIVE position. You can shift in or out of the
AutoStick® position at any time without taking your foot
off the accelerator pedal.WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid, causing a collision or
personal injury.
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
Acceleration
Rapid acceleration on snow covered, wet, or other slip-
pery surfaces may cause the driving wheels to pull
erratically to the right or left. This phenomenon occurs
when there is a difference in the surface traction under
the front (driving) wheels.
5
STARTING AND OPERATING 231

WARNING!
Rapid acceleration on slippery surfaces is dangerous.
Unequal traction can cause sudden pulling of the
front wheels. You could lose control of the vehicle
and possibly have a collision. Accelerate slowly and
carefully whenever there is likely to be poor traction
(ice, snow, wet, mud, loose sand, etc.).
Traction
When driving on wet or slushy roads, it is possible for a
wedge of water to build up between the tire and road
surface. This is hydroplaning and may cause partial or
complete loss of vehicle control and stopping ability. To
reduce this possibility, the following precautions should
be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms or when the roads areslushy. 2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace the tires when tread wear indicators first
become visible.
4. Keep tires properly inflated.
5. Maintain sufficient distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to avoid a collision in a
sudden stop.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Driving through water more than a few inches/
centimeters deep will require extra caution to ensure
safety and prevent damage to your vehicle.
232 STARTING AND OPERATING