2016 FIAT 500X Owners Manual

To shift the gears, press the clutch pedal to the floor and
put the shift lever to the desired position (the diagram 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 accelerator
pedal.
You should always use first gear when starting from a
standing position.
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 the
vehicle speeds listed for acceleration. When heavily
loaded or pulling a trailer, these recommended up-shift
speeds may not apply.
REVERSE Ring
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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 dam-
age 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
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CAUTION!(Continued)
clutch damage, even if the clutch pedal is pressed.
If transfer case is in low range the vehicle speeds to
cause engine and clutch damage are significantly
lower.
• Failure to follow the maximum recommended
downshifting speeds may cause the engine damage
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 down-
shifting speeds may cause the engine to overspeed
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 33 to 2 2 to 1
Maximum Speed 80 (129)
70 (113) 50 (81)30 (48) 15 (24)
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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 downshifting
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 shift lever and in the Electronic Vehicle Infor-
mation Center (EVIC). To select a gear range, press thelock button on the shift lever and move the lever rear-
ward or forward. You must also press the brake pedal to
shift the transmission out of PARK, or to shift from
NEUTRAL into DRIVE or REVERSE when the vehicle is
stopped or moving at low speeds (refer to
Brake/
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 RE-
VERSE. 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.
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WARNING!(Continued)
•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,
turn the engine STOP/OFF, and remove the Key
Fob. When the ignition is in the STOP/OFF (key
removal) position, the transmission is locked in
PARK, securing the vehicle against unwanted
movement.
• When leaving the vehicle, always make sure the
ignition is in the STOP/OFF position, 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
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WARNING! (Continued)
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 shift lever.
• Do not leave the Key Fob in or near the vehicle (or
in a location accessible to children), and do not
leave the ignition (of a vehicle equipped with
Keyless Enter-N-Go) in the or MAR/RUN position.
A child could operate power windows, other con-
trols, or move the vehicle.
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CAUTION!
Damage to the transmission may occur if the follow-
ing precautions are not observed:
•Shift into or out of PARK or REVERSE only after
the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
• 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.
Shift Lever
The transmission shift lever has PARK, REVERSE, NEU-
TRAL, 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 shift lever 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 shift lever cannot be moved to the PARK,
REVERSE, or NEUTRAL position (when pushed for-
ward) 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 shift lever to the right (into the
DRIVE [D] position) for access to PARK, REVERSE, and
NEUTRAL.
The transmission gear range (PRND) is displayed both
beside the shift lever and in the Electronic Vehicle Infor-
mation Center (EVIC). To select a gear range, press the
shift lever lock button on the shift lever and move the
292 STARTING AND OPERATING

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 REVERSE when the
vehicle is stopped or moving at low speeds (refer to
Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock Systemin this sec-
tion for further information). Select the DRIVE range for
normal driving.
The electronically-controlled transmission provides a
precise shift schedule. The transmission electronics 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). 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.
Shift Lever Lock Button
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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 accelerating.
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 trans-
mission locking mechanism may make it difficult to
move the shift lever out of PARK. As an added precau-
tion, turn the front wheels toward the curb on a downhill
grade and away from the curb on an uphill grade.
WARNING!
•
Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the
Electric Parking Brake (EPB). Always apply the
EPB fully when parked to guard against vehicle
movement and possible injury or damage.
• Your vehicle could move and injure you and others
if it is not completely in PARK. Check by trying to
move the shift lever out of PARK with the brake
pedal released. Make sure the transmission is in
PARK before leaving the vehicle.
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