General Hight adjustment handle missing?

[gluodin]

Hello all,

Just got a 2014 Fiat 500 (POP with Dualogic) last Friday! We had some issues popping up straight away ; check engine light on within 24 hrs of purchase + dualogic failure with gear shifting to N at random.

I had an independent Fiat guy had a look at it and got a report, and the car is being sent back to the dealer's mechanic, who's done the RWC (I'm in Australia).

Something I thought was kind of odd was that the driver's seat's height adjustment handle appears to be missing where it's supposed to be? It was advertised to be height adjustable but I just cannot figure out how! I had a look at owner's manual online (didn't come with the car) and it's meant to be there.

The plastic casing for the seat appears to be clean and free of damage so I'm wondering if someone's swapped the seat altogether at some point. I just sent a note re; this with the car.

Would you have any insight? Was there a model/trim that didn't come with the height adjustment? It's just hard to imagine a car being shipped without height adjustment at that point in time (2014).

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Cheers!

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Cheers!

Welcome to the forum. Looks like it never had one; perhaps the base model Pop model didn't - even if it had been removed it'd be obvious. Mine's a 2013 500C Lounge.

 

[jrkitching]

dualogic failure with gear shifting to N at random

I'd be much more concerned about this than about the driver's seat height adjustment.

If you have a serious transmission fault on a dualogic 500, getting it repaired could easily cost substantially more than the value of a 10yr old car. That, coupled with the engine check light, would suggest reversing the purchase if you are able to do so.

 

[gluodin]

I'd be much more concerned about this than about the driver's seat height adjustment.

If you have a serious transmission fault on a dualogic 500, getting it repaired could easily cost substantially more than the value of a 10yr old car. That, coupled with the engine check light, would suggest reversing the purchase if you are able to do so.

I am definitely more concerned about that and aiming for a full refund. Getting everything we can to support our case.

We paid 8.5k for the car and the Fiat specialist suggested 4k-7k for dualogic to be replaced. He hasn’t been able to actually look at the unit by taking it off, as it may void the warranty, and could not actually quote for the repair without doing so.

Shame I like the car a lot.

 

[gluodin]

Welcome to the forum. Looks like it never had one; perhaps the base model Pop model didn't - even if it had been removed it'd be obvious. Mine's a 2013 500C Lounge.
View attachment 449277

Thanks! The ad we saw must have had wrong information.

 

[jrkitching]

I am definitely more concerned about that and aiming for a full refund. Getting everything we can to support our case.

In case you haven't found it already, take a look at this thread.

Shame I like the car a lot.

I can understand that; dualogic 500's are nice cars, when they work.

But I'd only ever consider owning one if buying brand new, and I'd trade it away before the expiry of the manufacturer's warranty.

At ten years old, they're a potentially expensive liability just waiting to happen.

Many owners in the know will sell them at the first indication of a problem; anyone contemplating the purchase of a used one would do well to bear in mind that the previous owner may have done exactly that!

 

[gluodin]

In case you haven't found it already, take a look at this thread.


I can understand that; they're nice cars, when they work.

But I'd only ever consider owning one if buying brand new, and I'd trade it away before the expiry of the manufacturer's warranty.

At ten years old, they're a potentially expensive liability just waiting to happen.

Many owners in the know will sell them at the first indication of a problem; anyone contemplating the purchase of a used one would do well to bear in mind that the previous owner may have done exactly that!

I have done a deep dive on that thread and scrapped some. The work of this community is fantastic.

Hoping I can reach an agreeable outcome with the dealership. Although I'd like to return the car and have a full return, I might accept if they agree on replacing the selespeed actuator unit without costing us anything. The unit alone seems to be available at ~$3500 brand new online currently, so this may be a long shot.

 

[The Panda Nut]

If you can, get it returned as not fit for sale. There are few people who seem to be ableto fix these units. Its a shame as they are great when they work.

 

[decappottabile]

From what I can read here, the Pop doesn't have seat height adjustment. And it's not even an option.

500 1.2 pop seat height adjustment uk | FIAT 500 (2007+)

Hi, Really sorry if this has been asked before but I've trawled the Internet for answers, and may be being a little stupid. But in the flat 500 pop (U.K. Version), is it possible to adjust/lower the driver seat height. The manual indicates a lever by the seat belt plug and I've also seen...

www.fiatforum.com

(Kind of unbelievable in my opinion. Can't remember seeing a car without it in the last 20 years?!)

 

[gluodin]

From what I can read here, the Pop doesn't have seat height adjustment. And it's not even an option.

500 1.2 pop seat height adjustment uk | FIAT 500 (2007+)

Hi, Really sorry if this has been asked before but I've trawled the Internet for answers, and may be being a little stupid. But in the flat 500 pop (U.K. Version), is it possible to adjust/lower the driver seat height. The manual indicates a lever by the seat belt plug and I've also seen...

www.fiatforum.com

(Kind of unbelievable in my opinion. Can't remember seeing a car without it in the last 20 years?!)

I'm both disappointed and fascinated by this.

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

When we bought our two 500C's in 2013, mine a Lounge Twinair Manual and my wife's a Pop DL, both had the seat height adjustment, but a flick through the Carsales website just now shows that it was standard on most, but not all, Pop's in Oz;

The above is a 2014 example.

I drove both cars more or less side-by-side for six years and I have to say I hated the DL!