Panda Automatic Gearbox Failure

[Idro]

Hi Everyone, it's another newbie.
I bougth a year and half ago a 54 panda 1.2 auto. This is my first ever owning an automatic car. At the beginning, it made and still make some weird noises when i unlocked the car. About 3 weeks ago I changed the 2nd part of the exhaust system being rusty and old. Few days later after finishing my work, driving auto mode and in a hurry, I pressed hard the accelerator to speed up a bit and MAYBE accidently shift it to manual, which made a big engine noise then GEARBOX ligth came up on the dashboard. The car wouldn't to gear expect Manual, stopped in the middle of the rounabout. Luckily someone help me to clear to a safe place. Then i called a friend who own an auto car and came to help. My friend told me to get in the car, start the engine he then push the car. as the car moved a bit, I sligthly pressed the brake pedal and put into drive mode , it went gear 1 and drove safely home. The following day was fine then it stroke again same again. I started to drive on manual mode but still the problem was there.
Has anyone experienced these issues and will be glad to hear any tips from the expert.

 

[Goudrons]

These are not really automatic gearboxes as we all used to know, but what is known as an Automated Manual gearbox.

So it's like a normal 5 speed manual and it has a clutch rather than a torque converter, but this one uses hydraulics and electronics to operate solenoids and actuators to disengage the clutch and select gears for you.

It's meant to be as efficient as a normal manual gearbox as it doesn't sap the same sort of power as a torque converter automatic.

The sound you hear when unlocking the door is the systems hydraulic pump, unlocking is it's signal to prime the system, so it's common to hear a whirr when unlocking.

As for the fault, the list is pretty extensive of other Dualogic (what Fait calls the system) owners with faults and issues.
https://www.fiatforum.com/500/425006-one-only-dualogic-failure-thread.html

They aren't easy to self diagnose without a suitable diagnostic tool like the dealers carry, though there is a similar version called Multiecuscan that will work and is available to owners, though the chances are, even of you knew what was wrong, you'd struggle to fix it yourself anyway.

You can do some basic checks though, see if there are any leaks and that the hydraulic fluid in the system is topped up.
There is a purge procedure to expel any air in the system, but you'd need to look it up.

Your best bet would be to find a independent Fiat specialist or a gearbox specialist that knows about these Dualogic systems and can read the unit's control unit for faults.

 

[Idro]

Hi tks for quick reply,
I bougth the car for £995 just over a year and half ago, it might worth now around £500 or less. After a good reading of the link you've provided me and more around other gearboxes faillure post from differents FIAT types, I decided it's not worthy to spend any money and to scrap it.
And Tks again.

 

[jrkitching]

Hi tks for quick reply,
I bougth the car for £995 just over a year and half ago, it might worth now around £500 or less. After a good reading of the link you've provided me and more around other gearboxes faillure post from differents FIAT types, I decided it's not worthy to spend any money and to scrap it.
And Tks again.

I'd say that's a good call; it's all too easy to get drawn into an ever decreasing spiral of paying for more repairs to try to get some value from the repairs you paid for the month before.

In the final analysis, 18 months motoring for £995 isn't bad value, and you'll likely still get something back for the salvage.

Most mainstream cars would be considered end of life after 13 years.

Of course, the only good replacement for a Panda is...

...another Panda .

If you've somewhere to keep it, buying a slightly newer Panda and keeping this one for spares could work out well. I did the same with a pair of Hillman Avengers back in the early '80's.