General HELP!! 2019 Fiat 500 Dualogic

[auto500owner]

Hi everyone, I’m from the UK.
I’m collecting my 69 plate Fiat on Tuesday. It has the semi-auto Dualogic gearbox. I currently drive a 2009 semi-auto Kia picanto. The Fiat doesn’t have a “P” for park. The dealership I’m buying it from (not specialising in Fiat) have instructed me to park the car in “N” - neutral. Looking online I have found conflicting information, some people say “N” is correct whilst others say park in gear “A/M” if parked flat or uphill and park in “R” if downhill. I would like to know correct procedure as I definitely don’t want to cause damage to my lovely new car.
Thanks in advance for any responses.
Molly

 

[jackwhoo]

Hi,
The dualogic gearbox does not have a good reputation for reliability at all.
Very few people in UK can correctly fit a new clutch , fewer fix it when it goes wrong.
How many miles has your proposed new car covered?
There is a whole very extensive thread dedicated to dualogic failing.
Please reconsider buying the car.

@varesecrazy may be more positive

Best wishes

Jack

 

[Troubles with 500c]

We have a 2010 500c Dualogic and faced the same issue when we bought it many years ago and we always leave it in neutral, unless on a hill.

The reasoning is that if you leave it in gear the car will always put the gearbox back into neutral before it starts the engine and relies on residual pressure in the system. Why put it through this additional and unnecessary effort.

 

[Troubles with 500c]

I should add that our car is 13 years old this year and has done 90,000 miles.

 

[richie17]

Correct procedure is to leave it in gear - it gives warning beeps if you turn off in neutral (all three of mine from 2009 - 2019 have done this).

Move selector to neutral then start engine.

 

[auto500owner]

Hi,
The dualogic gearbox does not have a good reputation for reliability at all.
Very few people in UK can correctly fit a new clutch , fewer fix it when it goes wrong.
How many miles has your proposed new car covered?
There is a whole very extensive thread dedicated to dualogic failing.
Please reconsider buying the car.

@varesecrazy may be more positive

Best wishes

Jack

Hi Jack,
Thanks for your response.
I’m very nervous now
It has done 13,000 miles.
Thanks.

 

[auto500owner]

Correct procedure is to leave it in gear - it gives warning beeps if you turn off in neutral (all three of mine from 2009 - 2019 have done this).

Move selector to neutral then start engine.

This is what I thought would be correct, thank you.

 

[auto500owner]

I should add that our car is 13 years old this year and has done 90,000 miles.

Wow, have you had any issues with the gearbox at all in that time?

 

[Troubles with 500c]

The only thing we’ve noticed is in the last year is it can occasionally be a little slow to change from 2nd to 3rd.

 

[Troubles with 500c]

Correct procedure is to leave it in gear - it gives warning beeps if you turn off in neutral (all three of mine from 2009 - 2019 have done this).

Move selector to neutral then start engine.

The trouble is you don’t put the car back into neutral manually, the gearbox does this for you with the residual pressure in the system. It may be the intended procedure, but I don’t think it’s best practice.

I also read somewhere that the system holds enough pressure to make one gear change when switched off, so try to resist moving the gear lever too much when the engine is switched off.

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi,
The dualogic gearbox does not have a good reputation for reliability at all.
Very few people in UK can correctly fit a new clutch , fewer fix it when it goes wrong.
How many miles has your proposed new car covered?
There is a whole very extensive thread dedicated to dualogic failing.
Please reconsider buying the car.

@varesecrazy may be more positive

Best wishes

Jack

Hi

Ive had Autos for a while..

Had dealings with a few dualogics

They drive ok..but the 'lag' or gearchanges can be a pain

I bought a 2007 panda for my mum

(Owned by a young lady with a degenerative condition..who was gutted she had to buy a modern mini..as it could support her needs)

The Panda was great.. blipped throttle on downshifts like a friends Alfa147

Didnt have it long..as my mum also needed a full auto


Also found a 1.4 dualogic for a friend

Owned it for years with no mechanical issues.. also drove nicely

My last semi.auto was a VAG group DSG

Nice smooth delivery.. but awful going downhill !!
Also a very expensive thing to repair


I look at all of this kit as a forced compromise.. a bit like a Gas CombiBoiler in a house

Serves a relatively straightforward purpose.. with the aim of simple function and economy

But has so much Complex Kit working hard in the background..
Requires specialist servicing and upkeep, getting the WrongPerson looking at it can be an expensive disaster.



Dualogic:
Drive it with a bit of care
Service it regularly( fluid is crucial)

Be aware of fluid leaks..and changes in behaviour


The previous tech to this was the CVT also nice to use... average life expectancy seemed to be @40k...

Some members got 120k

Its a bit of a lottery..

But if its not already 'damaged' you have a fair chance of trouble free driving

Got any warranty from this garage?

 

[varesecrazy]

Wow, have you had any issues with the gearbox at all in that time?

They tend to do 'odd things' as a hint of trouble .. before major faults occur

Does your new 500 come with a good warranty?

Worth getting somebody who knows dualogics to spend 20 minutes driving it to let you know if anything needs investigating... while the warranty and legal support is still in place

 

[auto500owner]

They tend to do 'odd things' as a hint of trouble .. before major faults occur

Does your new 500 come with a good warranty?

Worth getting somebody who knows dualogics to spend 20 minutes driving it to let you know if anything needs investigating... while the warranty and legal support is still in place

It comes with a 12 month warranty, I’ll have to look into getting someone to have a look at it. I live in Staffordshire, do you know if there’s anyone in this area? Thank you

 

[jackwhoo]

Check exactly what is covered by the warranty.
You need the clutch and transmission, gearbox, gearbox controls and ecu to be covered.

 

[puntodeltathema]

It comes with a 12 month warranty, I’ll have to look into getting someone to have a look at it. I live in Staffordshire, do you know if there’s anyone in this area? Thank you

Carl Douthwaite at CD Motors in Longport, Stoke is probably the country's leading expert on these gearboxes. He's ex-Fiat but runs his own garage now and has overhauled several dualogic actuators for me and is always helpful. Search "CD Motors Staffordshire". He primarily uses facebook.

Given the newness of your car I'm sure it will give years of good service though. Enjoy it!

Nick

 

[auto500owner]

Carl Douthwaite at CD Motors in Longport, Stoke is probably the country's leading expert on these gearboxes. He's ex-Fiat but runs his own garage now and has overhauled several dualogic actuators for me and is always helpful. Search "CD Motors Staffordshire". He primarily uses facebook.

Given the newness of your car I'm sure it will give years of good service though. Enjoy it!

Nick

Thanks so much for your reply, stoke is local to me (30 min drive) so that’s amazing to hear. I fell in love with the car and only have an auto licence so manual wasn’t an option for me. I’ve heard bad things so nervous to get it but I just couldn’t be put off buying it I love it that much haha. Perhaps will regret decision in future who knows, good to know there’s an expert local though.

 

[Troubles with 500c]

Yep, just drive it, they’re lovely cars to float about in.

I can’t separate my Wife from hers, even for a new one.

 

[DaveMcT]

My mother had an early Panda Duologic. I regret not keeping it when she passed away.

Issues -
Slow to get around to selecting first gear from Park/Neutral. Bad enough to get honked at traffic lights. Solution - Leave it in gear and everything goes fine. Select neutral before switching off.
The software tries to mimic an old-fashioned "slush box" by using too much clutch slip. Solution dont use the creep in traffic and done use it as a hill holder. Both lead to excessive clutch wear.
They all wear the clutch faster than (most) manual drivers.

Benefits -
It's bloody good. Treat it like a manual and you'll be happy. Though I never got used to the gear lever direction. Suck that up it's how it is.

 

[puntodeltathema]

We've a 2006 Panda Dualogic in the stable. It's had an actuator refurb and a new clutch but keeps on going. I do enjoy driving them - technically, dualogic is endlessly impressive and given what it has to do I think it's pretty smooth. It's only really the 1st to 2nd change which you feel, but you adjust and it's no different from what you would feel in a manual, it's just someone - something - else is doing the gears!

Anorak fact is that the gear lever orientation changed - early cars, changing up is forwards, later cars it's back. Or vice versa.

 

[auto500owner]

We've a 2006 Panda Dualogic in the stable. It's had an actuator refurb and a new clutch but keeps on going. I do enjoy driving them - technically, dualogic is endlessly impressive and given what it has to do I think it's pretty smooth. It's only really the 1st to 2nd change which you feel, but you adjust and it's no different from what you would feel in a manual, it's just someone - something - else is doing the gears!

Anorak fact is that the gear lever orientation changed - early cars, changing up is forwards, later cars it's back. Or vice versa.

Hi everyone.
I’m really enjoying my car so far!
I’m just wondering is it normal that I can hear the clutch? Can’t hear it when the gears are changing but can hear it when slowing to a stop. So once the car has stopped I can hear the clutch release? I’m no expert, just assuming that’s what it is?