2018 FIAT 500X Owner handbook (in English)

WARNING
113)Depress the clutch pedal fully to
change gear correctly. It is therefore
essential that there is nothing under the
pedals: make sure the mats are lying flat
and do not get in the way of the pedals.
IMPORTANT
47) Do not drive with your hand resting on
the gear lever as the force exerted, even if
slight, could lead over time to premature
wear of the gearbox internal components.
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
GEAR LEVER
The fig. 96 lever has the following
positions:
P = Park
R = Reverse
N = Neutral
D= Drive, (automatic forward speed)
AutoStick: + shifting to higher gear
in sequential driving mode; – shifting to
lower gear in sequential driving mode.
114) 115) 116) 117)
48) 49) 50) 51)
The gear engaged is shown on the
display. The lever has a button A fig. 96, which
must be pressed to move the lever to P
or R.
To select the "sequential" mode, move
the lever from D (Drive) to the left: the
position + (upper gear) or – (lower gear)
can be reached; these are unstable
positions, which means that the lever
always returns to the central position.
To exit from the P (Park) position, press
the brake pedal and button A on the
knob.
To shift from position N (Neutral) to
position D (Drive) or R (Reverse), you
need to press the brake pedal.
IMPORTANT DO NOT accelerate while
shifting from position P (or N) to another
position.
IMPORTANT After selecting a gear, wait
a few seconds before accelerating. This
precaution is particularly important with
a cold engine.
AUTOMATIC DRIVING
MODE
To select the automatic driving mode,
you need to shift the gear lever to D
(Drive): the best ratio is selected by the
electronic transmission control unit
depending on vehicle speed, engine
load (accelerator pedal position) and
gradient of the road.
96F1B0137C
119

D can be selected from sequential
operation in any driving conditions.
“Kick-Down” function
To resume speed quickly, when the
accelerator pedal is pressed fully, the
transmission control system downshifts
(kick-down function).
IMPORTANT When driving on roads
with poor grip conditions (snow, ice,
etc.) avoid activating the kick-down
function.
Gearshifting suggestion
With the transmission in automatic
mode (selector lever in position D),
when gearshifting is required by the
paddles on the steering wheel (where
provided), the system shifts to
"Sequential mode" ("Autostick"),
displaying the engaged gear for about
5 seconds.
When this time has elapsed, if the
paddles are not operated anymore, the
system goes back to the automatic
mode (D), with following displaying.
AUTOSTICK - Sequential
mode
In the case of frequent gearshifting (e.g.
when the vehicle is driven with a heavy
load, on slopes, with strong headwind
or when towing heavy trailers), it is
recommended to use the Autostick
(sequential shifting) mode to select and
keep a lower fixed ratio.
In these conditions, using a lower gear
improves vehicle performance and
prolongs the transmission's life, limiting
gearshifting and preventing overheating.
It is possible to shift from position D
(Drive) to the sequential mode
regardless of vehicle speed.
Activation
With gear lever in position D (Drive), to
activate the sequential drive mode,
move the lever to the left (– and +
indication of the trim). The gear
engaged will be shown on the display.
Gearshifting is made by moving the
gear lever forwards, towards symbol –
or backwards, towards symbol +.
Deactivation
To deactivate the sequential driving
mode, bring the gear lever back to
position D (Drive), automatic mode.
STEERING WHEEL
CONTROLS
(where provided)
52)
On some versions, the gearbox can be
managed sequentially using the
steering wheel controls fig. 97.
To use the controls on the steering
wheel, the gear lever must be in
position D (Drive) between (+) and (–):
steering wheel paddle ( +) (pulling
paddle towards driver): engage higher
ratio;
steering wheel paddle ( -) (pulling
paddle towards driver): engage lower
ratio.
The engagement of a lower (or higher)
gear is only permitted if the engine revs
allow it.
97F1B0508C
120
STARTING AND DRIVING

STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting the engine is allowed only
when the gear lever is in position P or
N. Therefore, when the engine is
started, the system will be at position N
or P (the latter means neutral, but with
the vehicle's wheels are locked
mechanically).
MOVING THE CAR
To move the car, from P press the brake
pedal and, using the button on the gear
lever, move the lever to the desired
position (D, R or "Sequential mode").
The display will show the gear engaged.
When the brake pedal is released, the
car starts moving forwards or
backwards, as soon as the manoeuvre
is activated ("creeping" effect). The
accelerator should not be pressed in
this case.
IMPORTANT The inconsistency
between the speed actually engaged
(shown on the display) and the position
of the gear lever is indicated by the
letter corresponding to the position of
the lever flashing on the trim (also
accompanied by an acoustic signal).
This condition should not be interpreted
as an operational fault, but simply as a
request by the system to repeat the
manoeuvre.
IMPORTANT With the electric parking
brake released and brake pedal
released, engine at idling speed and
gear lever in position D, R or sequential,
pay the utmost care because the car
can move even without the operation of
the accelerator pedal. This condition
can be used with the car on a level
surface during tight parking
manoeuvres using the brake pedal only.
GEAR ENGAGEMENT
INHIBITION
This system prevents you from moving
the gear lever from position P (Park) or
N (Neutral) if the brake pedal has not
been previously depressed.
When the ignition device is in MAR
(engine on or off):
to shift the gear to a position
different from P (Park) or from N to R,
you need to press the brake pedal and
the button A fig. 96 on the knob of the
gear lever;
to shift the lever from position N to
position D, press the brake pedal.
In case of a failure or when the vehicle's
battery is flat, the lever remains locked
in position P. To manually unlock the
lever, see paragraph "Automatic
transmission - lever unlocking" in the "In
an emergency" chapter.
VEHICLE SHUTDOWN
Versions equipped with the Keyless
Go system: this function requires the
gear lever to be positioned at P (Park);
then bring the ignition device to STOP.
Versions equipped with key without
remote control: this function requires
the gear lever to be positioned at P
(Park) before extracting the key from the
ignition device.
If the vehicle battery is flat and the
ignition key is engaged, the latter is
locked in position. To remove the key
manually see paragraph "Automatic
transmission - key removal" in the
chapter "In an emergency".
"RECOVERY" OPERATION(where provided)
Transmission operation is constantly
monitored to detect any fault. If a
condition that might damage the
transmission is detected, the "recovery"
function is activated.
In this condition, the transmission stays
in 4
thgear, regardless of the selected
gear.
Positions P (Parking), R (Reverse) and N
(Neutral) still work. Icon
might light
up in the display.
In the case of "recovery" operation
immediately contact the nearest Fiat
Dealership.
121

Temporary failure
In the event of a temporary failure,
correct transmission operation can be
restored for all the forwards gears by
proceeding as follows:
stop the vehicle;
bring the transmission lever to P
(Park).
bring the ignition device to STOP;
wait for about 10 seconds, then
restart the engine;
select the desired gear: correct
transmission operation should be
restored.
IMPORTANT In the event of a
temporary failure it is in any case
recommended to contact a Fiat
Dealership as soon as possible.
WARNING
114) Never use position P (Park) instead of
the electric parking brake. Always engage
the electric parking brake when parking the
vehicle to avoid the accidental movement
of the vehicle.
115) If the P (Park) position is not engaged,
the vehicle could move and injure people.
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that
the gear lever is in position P and that the
electric parking brake is engaged. 116)
Do not shift the gear lever to N
(Neutral) and do not stop the engine when
driving on a downhill road. This type of
driving is dangerous and reduces the
possibility of intervening in the case of
variation of the road traffic or surface. You
risk losing control of your vehicle and
causing accidents.
117) Never leave children alone in an
unattended vehicle; make sure that when
you move away from the vehicle, you have
the key with you.
IMPORTANT
48) Before moving the gear lever from
position P (Park), bring the ignition device
to position MAR and press the brake pedal.
Otherwise, the gear lever may get
damaged.
49) Engage reverse only with the car
stationary, engine at idling speed and
accelerator fully released.
50) If the car is on a gradient, always
engage the electric parking brake BEFORE
placing the gear lever in P.
51) Engage reverse only with the car
stationary, engine at idling speed and
accelerator pedal fully released.
52) Using the paddles incorrectly (paddles
pushed towards the dashboard ) could
break them.
TWIN CLUTCH
TRANSMISSION
GEAR LEVER
The fig. 98 lever has the following
positions:
P = Park
R = Reverse
N = Neutral
D= Drive, (automatic forward speed)
"AutoStick": + shifting to higher
gear in sequential driving mode; –
shifting to lower gear in sequential
driving mode.
118) 119) 120) 121)
53) 54) 55)
The gear engaged is shown on the
display.
To select the "sequential" mode, shift
the lever from D (Drive) towards the left.
98F1B0137C
122
STARTING AND DRIVING

The reachable positions are + (higher
gear) or - (lower gear). These positions
are unstable: the lever always returns to
central position.
The lever has a button A fig. 98, which
must be pressed to move the lever to P
or R.
Shifting from P to any other position of
the selector lever, with ignition key in
MAR-ON position, must be made
pressing the brake pedal and using the
button on A fig. 98.
To shift from R to P, it is necessary to
push button A fig. 98 when engine is at
idle speed.
To shift from position N to D or R, you
need to press the brake pedal. It is
advisable not to accelerate and to
make sure that the engine is stabilised
at idle speed.
Shifting from D to N is free, while
shifting from D to R or P can only be
made by the button A fig. 98.
AUTOMATIC DRIVING
MODE
To select the automatic driving mode,
you need to shift the gear lever to D
(Drive): the best ratio is selected by the
electronic transmission control unit
depending on vehicle speed, engine
load (accelerator pedal position) and
gradient of the road.D can be selected from sequential
operation in any driving conditions.
“Kick-Down” function
To resume speed quickly, when the
accelerator pedal is pressed fully, the
transmission control system downshifts
(kick-down function).
IMPORTANT When driving on roads
with poor grip conditions (snow, ice,
etc.) avoid activating the kick-down
function.
Gearshifting suggestion
With the transmission in automatic
mode (selector lever in position D),
when gearshifting is required by the
paddles on the steering wheel (where
provided), the system shifts to
"Sequential mode" ("Autostick"),
displaying the engaged gear for about
5 seconds.
When this time has elapsed, if the
paddles are not operated anymore, the
system goes back to the automatic
mode (D), with following displaying.
AUTOSTICK - Sequential
mode
In the case of frequent gearshifting (e.g.
when the vehicle is driven with a heavy
load, on slopes, with strong headwind
or when towing heavy trailers), it is
recommended to use the Autostick
(sequential shifting) mode to select and
keep a lower fixed ratio.
In these conditions, using a lower gear
improves vehicle performance and
prolongs the transmission's life, limiting
gearshifting and preventing overheating.
It is possible to shift from position D
(Drive) to the sequential mode
regardless of vehicle speed.
Activation
With gear lever in position D (Drive), to
activate the sequential drive mode,
move the lever to the left (– and +
indication of the trim). The gear
engaged will be shown on the display.
Gearshifting is made by moving the
gear lever forwards, towards symbol –
or backwards, towards symbol +.
Off
To deactivate the sequential driving
mode, bring the gear lever back to
position D (Drive), automatic mode.
123

STEERING WHEEL
CONTROLS
(where provided)
56)
On some versions, the steering wheel
paddles fig. 99 can be used to change
gear.
To use the paddles on the steering
wheel, the gear lever must be in
"Sequential mode" or in D:
operating the steering wheel paddle (
+) (pulling the paddle towards the
driver): engage higher gear;
operating the steering wheel paddle (
−) (pulling the paddle towards the
driver): engage lower gear.
The engagement of a lower (or higher)
gear is only permitted if the engine revs
allow it.
STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting the engine is allowed only
when the gear lever is in position P or
N. Therefore, when the engine is
started, the system will be at position N
or P (the latter means neutral, but with
the vehicle's wheels are locked
mechanically).
MOVING THE CAR
To move the car, from P press the brake
pedal and, using the button on the gear
lever, move the lever to the desired
position (D, R or "Sequential mode").
The display will show the gear engaged.
When the brake pedal is released, the
car starts moving forwards or
backwards, as soon as the manoeuvre
is activated ("creeping" effect). The
accelerator should not be pressed in
this case.
IMPORTANT The inconsistency
between the speed actually engaged
(shown on the display) and the position
of the gear lever is indicated by the
letter corresponding to the position of
the lever flashing on the trim (also
accompanied by an acoustic signal).
This condition should not be interpreted
as an operational fault, but simply as a
request by the system to repeat the
manoeuvre.
GEAR ENGAGEMENT
INHIBITION
This system prevents you from moving
the gear lever from position P (Park) or
N (Neutral) if the brake pedal has not
been previously depressed.
When the ignition device is in MAR
(engine on or off):
to shift the gear to a position
different from P (Park) or from N to R,
you need to press the brake pedal and
the button A fig. 98 on the knob of the
gear lever;
to shift the lever from position N to
position D, press the brake pedal.
In case of a failure or when the vehicle's
battery is flat, the lever remains locked
in position P. To manually unlock the
lever, see paragraph "Twin clutch
automatic transmission - lever
unlocking" in the "In an emergency"
chapter.
VEHICLE SHUTDOWN
Versions equipped with the Keyless
Go system: this function requires the
gear lever to be positioned at P (Park);
then bring the ignition device to STOP.
Versions equipped with key without
remote control: this function requires
the gear lever to be positioned at P
(Park) before extracting the key from the
ignition device.
99F1B0508C
124
STARTING AND DRIVING

If the vehicle battery is flat and the
ignition key is engaged, the latter is
locked in position. To remove the key
manually see paragraph "Twin clutch
automatic transmission - key removal"
in the chapter "In an emergency".
"RECOVERY"
FUNCTIONS
In case of a gear lever failure, the
instrument panel display could show a
dedicated message recommending that
the driver continues driving without
shifting the lever to the P position.
In this case, the transmission will
maintain the forward gear (with reduced
performance) even if the lever is
positioned at R or N.
Once the lever is positioned at P, or
after shutting down the vehicle,
selecting R or any other forward gear
will no longer be possible. In this case,
contact a Fiat Dealership.
WARNING
118)Never use position P (Park) instead of
the electric parking brake. Always engage
the electric parking brake when parking the
vehicle to avoid the accidental movement
of the vehicle. 119)
If the P (Park) position is not engaged,
the vehicle could move and injure people.
Before leaving the vehicle, make sure that
the gear lever is in position P and that the
electric parking brake is engaged.
120) Do not shift the gear lever to N
(Neutral) and do not stop the engine when
driving on a downhill road. This type of
driving is dangerous and reduces the
possibility of intervening in the case of
variation of the road traffic or surface. You
risk losing control of your vehicle and
causing accidents.
121) Never leave children unattended in
the car. Always remove the ignition key
when leaving the car and take the key with
you.
IMPORTANT
53) Before moving the gear lever from
position P (Park), bring the ignition device
to position MAR and press the brake pedal.
Otherwise, the gear lever may get
damaged.
54) If the car is on a gradient, always
engage the electric parking brake BEFORE
placing the gear lever in P.
55) Engage reverse only with the car
stationary, engine at idling speed and
accelerator pedal fully released.
56) Using the paddles incorrectly (paddles
pushed towards the dashboard ) could
break them.
START&STOP
SYSTEM
The Start&Stop system automatically
stops the engine each time the vehicle
is stationary and starts it again when
the driver wants to move off.
In this way, the vehicle efficiency is
increased, by reducing consumption,
dangerous gas emissions and noise
pollution.
122)
57)
OPERATING MODE
Engine stopping mode
Versions with manual gearbox
With the vehicle stopped, the engine
stops with gearbox in neutral and clutch
pedal released.
Versions with automatic
transmission
With vehicle at a standstill and brake
pedal pressed, the engine switches off
if the gear lever is in a position other
than R.
In the event of stops uphill, engine
switching off is disabled to make the
"Hill Hold Control" function available
(works only with running engine).
125

Thewarning light on the instrument
panel switches on to signal that the
engine was stopped.
Engine restarting mode
Versions with manual gearbox
To restart the engine, press the clutch
pedal. If the vehicle does not start when
the clutch is pressed, place the gear
lever in neutral and repeat the
procedure. If the problem persists,
contact a Fiat Dealership.
Versions with automatic
transmission
To restart the engine, release the brake
pedal.
With brake pressed, if the gear lever is
in automatic mode - D (Drive) - the
engine can be restarted by moving the
lever to R (Reverse) or N (Neutral) or
"AutoStick".
With brake pressed, if the gear lever is
in "AutoStick" mode, the engine can be
restarted moving the lever to "+" or "–",
or R (Reverse) or N (Neutral).
When the engine has been stopped
automatically, keeping the brake pedal
pressed, the brake can be released
keeping the engine off by quickly
shifting the gear lever to P (Park).
To restart the engine, just move the
lever out of position P.SYSTEM MANUAL
ACTIVATION /
DEACTIVATION
To activate/deactivate the system
manually, press the fig. 100 button
located on the dashboard.
4x4 Versions: every time "Traction"
mode is set using Drive Mode (or Mood
Selector, depending on the market), the
Start&Stop system is deactivated. To
reactivate it, press the fig. 100 button
again. When exiting from the "Traction"
mode, the Stop/Start system returns to
the previously set status.
System activation
The system activation is indicated by a
message shown on the display. In this
case, the LED on the button fig. 100 is
off. System deactivation
A message will appear on the display
when the system is deactivated. In this
condition, the LED on the
fig. 100 button is on.
SAFETY FUNCTIONS
When the engine is stopped through
the Start&Stop system, if the driver
releases their seat belt or opens the
driver's or passenger's door, the engine
can be restarted only by using the
ignition device.
This condition is indicated to the driver
both through a buzzer and a message
on the display.
WARNING
122)
If the battery needs to be replaced,
always contact a Fiat Dealership. Replace
the battery with one of the same type
(HEAVY DUTY) and with the same
specifications.
IMPORTANT
57) If the climate comfort is to be favoured,
the Start&Stop system can be deactivated,
for a continuous operation of the climate
control system.
100F1B0631C
126
STARTING AND DRIVING