2014 FIAT 500X Owners Manual

Service Mode has requirements that must be met in
order to be activated:
•The vehicle must be at a standstill.
• The parking brake must be disabled.
• The transmission must be in park or neutral.
• The EPB switch not activated.
• The ignition is in the ON mode.
• The brake pedal not pressed.
While in service mode, the EPB fault lamp will flash
continuously while the ignition is cycled ON.
NOTE: A dedicated message will appear in the instru-
ment cluster if Brake Service Mode cannot be activated.
When brake service work is complete, the following
steps must be followed to reset the parking brake
system to normal operation:
• Ensure the vehicle is at a standstill.
• Press the brake pedal with moderate force.
• Apply the EPB Switch. NOTE:
A dedicated message will appear in the instru-
ment cluster if Brake Service Mode cannot be deacti-
vated.
WARNING!
You can be badly injured working on or around a
motor vehicle. Do only that service work for which
you have the knowledge and the right equipment.
If you have any doubt about your ability to perform
a service job, take your vehicle to a competent
mechanic.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WARNING!
You or others could be injured if you leave the
vehicle unattended without having the parking
brake fully applied. The parking brake should
always be applied when the driver is not in the
vehicle, especially on an incline.
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CAUTION!
Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch
pedal, or attempt to hold the vehicle on a hill with
the clutch pedal partially engaged, as this will cause
abnormal wear on the clutch.
NOTE: During cold weather, you may experience in-
creased effort in shifting until the transmission fluid
warms up. This is normal.
To shift the gears, press the clutch pedal to the floor and
put the gear selector to the desired position (the dia-
gram for the engagement of the gears is displayed on
the handle of the lever). To engage REVERSE gear from the NEUTRAL position
lift the REVERSE ring, located below the knob and
simultaneously move the lever to the left and then
forward.
Shifting
Fully press the clutch pedal before shifting gears. As
you release the clutch pedal, lightly press the accelera-
tor pedal.
You should always use first gear when starting from a
standing position.
REVERSE Ring
224 STARTING AND OPERATING

Recommended Vehicle Shift Speeds
To utilize your manual transmission efficiently for fuel
economy and performance, it should be upshifted as
listed in the recommended shift speed chart. Shift at thevehicle speeds listed for acceleration. When heavily
loaded or pulling a trailer, these recommended up-shift
speeds may not apply.
Manual Transmission Shift Speeds in MPH (KM/H)
All Engines Gear Selection 2 to 3 3 to 44 to 5 5 to 6
Accel. 24 (39)34 (55)47 (76) 56 (90)
Cruise 19 (31)27 (43)37 (60) 41 (66)
Downshifting
Moving from a high gear down to a lower gear is
recommended to preserve brakes when driving down
steep hills. In addition, downshifting at the right time
provides better acceleration when you desire to resume
speed. Downshift progressively. Do not skip gears to
avoid overspeeding the engine and clutch.
WARNING!
Do not downshift for additional engine braking on
a slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their
grip, and the vehicle could skid.
CAUTION!
•Skipping gears and downshifting into lower
gears at higher vehicle speeds can damage the
engine and clutch systems, Any attempt to shift
into lower gear with clutch pedal depressed may
result damage to the clutch system. Shifting into
lower gear and releasing the clutch may result in
engine damage.
• When descending a hill, be very careful to down-
shift one gear at a time to prevent overspeeding
the engine which can cause engine damage,
and/or clutch damage, even if the clutch pedal is
pressed. If transfer case is in low range the vehicle
(Continued)
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CAUTION!(Continued)
speeds to cause engine and clutch damage are
significantly lower.
• Failure to follow the maximum recommended
downshifting speeds may cause the engine dam-
age and/or damage the clutch, even if the clutch
pedal is pressed.
• Descending a hill in low range with clutch pedal
depressed could result in clutch damage.
Maximum Recommended Downshift Speeds
CAUTION!
Failure to follow the maximum recommended
downshifting speeds may cause the engine to over-
speed and/or damage the clutch disc, even if the
clutch pedal is pressed.
Manual Transmission Shift Speeds in MPH (KM/H)
Gear Selection 6 to 5 5 to 44 to 3 3 to 2 2 to 1
Maximum Speed 80 (129)
70 (113) 50 (81)30 (48) 15 (24)
CAUTION!
If you skip a gear while downshifting or downshift
at too high of a vehicle speed, these conditions may
cause the engine to overspeed if too low of a gear is
selected and the clutch pedal is released. Damage to
the clutch and the transmission can result from
skipping a gear while downshifting or downshift-
ing at too high of a vehicle speed even if the clutch
pedal is held pressed (i.e., not released).
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Your vehicle is equipped with a state of the art, fuel
efficient nine-speed transmission.
The transmission gear range (PRND) is displayed both
beside the gear selector and in the instrument cluster. To
select a gear range, press the lock button on the gear
selector and move the lever rearward or forward. You
must also press the brake pedal to shift the transmission
out of PARK, or to shift from NEUTRAL into DRIVE or
226 STARTING AND OPERATING

REVERSE when the vehicle is stopped or moving at low
speeds (refer toBrake/Transmission Shift Interlock
System in this section). Select the DRIVE range for
normal driving.
WARNING!
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL
if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If
your foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal,
the vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in
reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and
hit someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine
is running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply
the parking brake, shift the transmission into
PARK, and turn the ignition OFF. When the
ignition is in the OFF mode, the transmission is
locked in PARK, securing the vehicle against
unwanted movement.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the OFF mode, remove the key fob
from the vehicle, and lock the vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children
to be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
warned not to touch the parking brake, brake
pedal or the transmission gear selector.
• Do not leave the key fob in or near the vehicle (or
in a location accessible to children), and do not
leave the ignition in the ACC or ON/RUN mode.
A child could operate power windows, other
controls, or move the vehicle.
CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the fol-
lowing precautions are not observed:
• Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE only after
the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
(Continued)
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CAUTION!(Continued)
•Do not shift between PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, or DRIVE when the engine is above idle
speed.
• Before shifting into any gear, make sure your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
NOTE: You must press and hold the brake pedal while
shifting out of PARK.
Gear Selector
The transmission gear selector has PARK, REVERSE,
NEUTRAL, DRIVE, and AutoStick (+/-) shift positions.
Manual shifts can be made using the AutoStick shift
control (refer to “AutoStick” in this section for further
information). Toggling the gear selector forward (-) or
rearward (+) while in the AutoStick position (beside the
DRIVE position) will manually select the transmission
gear, and will display the current gear in the instrument
cluster as 1, 2, 3, etc. NOTE:
If the gear selector cannot be moved to the
PARK, REVERSE, or NEUTRAL position (when pushed
forward) it is probably in the AutoStick (+/-) position
(beside the DRIVE position). In AutoStick mode, the
transmission gear is displayed in the instrument cluster
without the Dindicator (i.e. as 1, 2, 3, etc. rather than
D1, D2, D3, etc.). Move the gear selector to the right
(into the DRIVE [D] position) for access to PARK,
REVERSE, and NEUTRAL.
The electronically-controlled transmission adapts its
shift schedule based on driver inputs, along with envi-
ronmental and road conditions. The transmission elec-
tronics are self-calibrating. The first few shifts on a new
vehicle may be somewhat abrupt. This is a normal
condition, and precision shifts will develop within a
few hundred miles (kilometers).
228 STARTING AND OPERATING

Only shift from DRIVE to PARK or REVERSE when the
accelerator pedal is released and the vehicle is stopped.
Be sure to keep your foot on the brake pedal when
shifting between these gears.
DO NOT race the engine when shifting from PARK or
NEUTRAL into another gear range.
CAUTION!
After selecting any gear range, wait a moment to
allow the selected gear to engage before accelerat-
ing. This is especially important when the engine is
cold.
Gear Ranges
PARK (P)
This range supplements the Electric Park Brake (EPB)
by locking the transmission. The engine can be started
in this range. Never attempt to use PARK while the
vehicle is in motion. Apply the EPB when leaving the
vehicle in this range.
When parking on a level surface, you may shift the
transmission into PARK first, and then apply the EPB.
When parking on a hill, apply the EPB before shifting
the transmission to PARK, otherwise the load on the
transmission locking mechanism may make it difficult
to move the gear selector out of PARK. As an added
precaution, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a
downhill grade and away from the curb on an uphill
grade.
Gear Selector Lock Button7
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When exiting the vehicle, always:
•Apply the parking brake.
• Shift the transmission into PARK.
• Turn the engine OFF.
• Remove the key fob.
WARNING!
•Never use the PARK position as a substitute for
the parking brake. Always apply the parking
brake fully when exiting the vehicle to guard
against vehicle movement and possible injury or
damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and
others if it is not in PARK. Check by trying to
move the transmission gear selector out of PARK
with the brake pedal released. Make sure the
transmission is in PARK before leaving the ve-
hicle.
• It is dangerous to shift out of PARK or NEUTRAL
if the engine speed is higher than idle speed. If
your foot is not firmly pressing the brake pedal,
the vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and
hit someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and your foot
is firmly pressing the brake pedal.
• Unintended movement of a vehicle could injure
those in or near the vehicle. As with all vehicles,
you should never exit a vehicle while the engine
is running. Before exiting a vehicle, always apply
the parking brake, shift the transmission into
PARK, and turn the ignition OFF. When the
ignition is in the OFF mode, the transmission is
locked in PARK, securing the vehicle against
unwanted movement.
• When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the OFF mode, remove the key fob
from the vehicle, and lock the vehicle.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Allowing children
to be in a vehicle unattended is dangerous for a
number of reasons. A child or others could be
seriously or fatally injured. Children should be
(Continued)
230 STARTING AND OPERATING