automatic transmission FIAT 500C 2018 User Guide

CAUTION!Damage to the transmission may occur if the following
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, NEUTRAL,
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.
Key Ignition Park Interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a Key Ignition Park Interlock
which requires the transmission to be in PARK before the
ignition can be turned to the LOCK/OFF (key removal)
position. The key can only be removed from the ignition
when the ignition is in the LOCK/OFF position, and once
removed, the transmission is locked in PARK. Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock System
This vehicle is equipped with a Brake Transmission Shift
Interlock System (BTSI) that holds the transmission gear
selector in PARK unless the brakes are applied. To shift the
transmission out of PARK, the ignition must be in the
ON/RUN mode (engine running or not), and the brake
pedal must be pressed.
Six-Speed Automatic Transmission
The transmission gear position display (located in the
instrument cluster) indicates the transmission gear range.
You must press the brake pedal to move the gear selector
out of PARK (Refer to “Brake/Transmission Shift Interlock
System” in this section). To drive, move the gear selector
from PARK or NEUTRAL to the DRIVE position.
The electronically-controlled transmission adapts its shift
schedule based on driver inputs, along with environmental
and road conditions. The transmission electronics are self-
calibrating; therefore, 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). 6STARTING AND OPERATING 169

WARNING!Do not coast in NEUTRAL and never turn off the
ignition to coast down a hill. These are unsafe practices
that limit your response to changing traffic or road
conditions. You might lose control of the vehicle and
have a collision.
CAUTION!Towing the vehicle, coasting, or driving for any other
reason with the transmission in NEUTRAL can cause
severe transmission damage. Refer to “Recreational
Towing” in “Starting And Operating” and “Towing A
Disabled Vehicle” in “In Case Of Emergency” for
further information.
DRIVE (D)
This range should be used for most city and highway
driving. It provides the smoothest upshifts and downshifts,
and the best fuel economy. The transmission automatically
upshifts through all forward gears. The DRIVE position
provides optimum driving characteristics under all normal
operating conditions. When frequent transmission shifting occurs (such as when
operating the vehicle under heavy loading conditions, in
hilly terrain, or traveling into strong head winds), use the
AutoStick shift control (refer to AutoStick in this section for
further information) to select a lower gear. Under these
conditions, using a lower gear will improve performance
and extend transmission life by reducing excessive shifting
and heat buildup.
If the transmission temperature exceeds normal operating
limits, the transmission controller will expand the range of
torque converter clutch engagement. This is done to pre-
vent transmission damage due to overheating.
During cold temperatures, transmission operation may be
modified depending on engine coolant temperature. Nor-
mal operation will resume once the engine temperature has
risen to a suitable level.
Instrument Cluster Messages
Dedicated messages will be displayed in the instrument
cluster to alert the driver when certain unusual conditions
occur. 6STARTING AND OPERATING 173

NOTE: In AutoStick mode, the transmission will only shift
up or down when the driver moves the gear selector
rearward (+) or forward (-), except as described below.
• The transmission will automatically upshift when nec-
essary to prevent engine over-speed.
• The transmission will automatically downshift as the
vehicle slows (to prevent engine lugging) and will
display the current gear.
• The transmission will automatically downshift to first
gear when coming to a stop. After a stop, the driver
should manually upshift (+) the transmission as the
vehicle is accelerated.
• You can start out (from a stop) in first, second, or third
gear. Starting out in second or third gear can be helpful
in snow or icy conditions. To select second or third gear
after the vehicle is brought to a stop, tap the gear selector
rearward (+) once or twice.
• The system will ignore shift commands that would
cause engine lugging or overspeed. An audible beep will
sound if an inappropriate gear is requested. • Avoid using speed control when AutoStick is engaged
because the transmission will not shift automatically.
• Transmission shifting will be more noticeable when
AutoStick is enabled.
• The system may revert to automatic shift mode if a fault
or overheat condition is detected.
To disengage AutoStick mode, return the gear selector to
the DRIVE position. You can shift in or out of the AutoStick
position at any time without taking your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
WARNING!Do not downshift for additional engine braking on a
slippery surface. The drive wheels could lose their grip
and the vehicle could skid, causing a collision or
personal injury. 6STARTING AND OPERATING 175

SPORT MODE
The Sport mode increases steering feedback to the driver
with slight increases in effort and throttle pedal-to-engine
response. Changes to the transmission shift schedules for
more aggressive shifting will occur on automatic transmis-
sion versions.
Sport driving mode is useful while driving on winding
roads where more steering precision is desired. Manual Transmission — If Equipped
1. Push the SPORT button, located above the climate con-
trols to activate SPORT mode.
NOTE: Once activated, a SPORT message will be dis-
played in the instrument cluster.
2. Momentarily release the accelerator pedal.
3. Press the accelerator pedal again to activate.
4. Push the SPORT button again to return to the standard
driving mode.
Automatic Transmission — If Equipped
1. Push the SPORT button, located above the climate
controls to activate SPORT mode.
NOTE: Once SPORT mode is activated, a “SPORT” mes-
sage will be displayed in the instrument cluster. The
“SPORT” message may change to italic font and only
display for a few seconds on some models.
2. Push the SPORT button again to return to the standard
driving mode.SPORT Button176 STARTING AND OPERATING

REAR PARK ASSIST
The Rear Park Assist system provides audible and visual
indications of the distance between the rear fascia/bumper
and a detected obstacle when backing up, e.g. during a
parking maneuver. Refer to the “Park Assist System Usage
Precautions” for the limitations of this system and recom-
mendations.
The Rear Park Assist is automatically activated when the
transmission is placed into REVERSE.
Rear Park Assist Sensors
The four Rear Park Assist sensors, located in the rear
fascia/bumper, monitor the area behind the vehicle that is
within the sensors’ field of view. The sensors can detect
obstacles, in the horizontal direction, from approximately
12 inches (30 cm) up to 55 inches (140 cm) from the center
of the rear fascia/bumper and up to 24 inches (60 cm) from
the corners of the rear fascia/bumper, depending on the
location, type and orientation of the obstacle.
If several obstacles are detected, the Rear Park Assist
system indicates the nearest obstacle.
The minimum height of a detectable obstacle corresponds
to the maximum height of an obstacle that would clear the
underside of the vehicle during the parking maneuver. Rear Park Assist Warning Display
The Rear Park Assist Warning screen is located within the
instrument cluster display. It provides audible and visual
warnings to indicate the distance between the rear fascia/
bumper and the detected obstacle. The settings can be
adjusted through the Uconnect screen. Refer to  Uconnect
Settings  in “Multimedia  for further information.
Rear Park Assist Display
When the vehicle is in REVERSE, the warning display will
turn ON indicating the system status.
The system will indicate a detected obstacle by showing
arcs in one or more regions based on the obstacle’s distance
and location relative to the vehicle.
If an obstacle is detected in the center rear region, the
display will show solid arcs in the center rear region and
will produce an audible alert. As the vehicle moves closer
to the obstacle, the display will show fewer arcs and the
audible alert becomes more frequent.
If an obstacle is detected in the left and/or right rear
region, the display will show solid arcs in the left and/or
right rear region and will produce an audible alert. As the
vehicle moves closer to the obstacle, the display will show
fewer arcs and the audible alert becomes more frequent. 6STARTING AND OPERATING 181

RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND MOTORHOME, ETC.)
Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
Towing Condition Wheels OFF the
Ground Manual Transmission Automatic Transmission
Flat Tow NONE Transmission in NEUTRAL
65 mph (105 km/h) max speed NOT ALLOWED
Dolly Tow Front OK OK
Rear NOT ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED
On Trailer ALL OK OK
NOTE: When towing your vehicle, always follow appli-
cable state and provincial laws. Contact state and provin-
cial Highway Safety offices for additional details.
This vehicle may be towed on a flatbed or vehicle trailer
provided all four wheels are OFF the ground.
This vehicle may also be towed using a tow dolly (with the
front wheels OFF the ground).
Vehicles equipped with manual transmissions may be flat
towed (with all four wheels on the ground) speeds up to
65 mph (105 km/h), for any distance, if the manual
transmission is in NEUTRAL. CAUTION!• DO NOT flat tow any vehicle equipped with an
automatic transmission. Damage to the drivetrain
will result. If these vehicles require towing, make
sure all drive wheels are OFF the ground.
• Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe transmission damage. Dam-
age from improper towing is not covered under the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.190 STARTING AND OPERATING

IN CASE OF EMERGENCYCONTENTS  HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS ........... .197
 BULB REPLACEMENT ................... .197
▫ Replacement Bulbs .................... .197
▫ Replacing Exterior Bulbs ................. .198
▫ Replacing Interior Bulbs ................. .200
 FUSES ............................... .200
▫ Interior Fuses ......................... .200
▫ Underhood Fuses ...................... .202
 TIRE SERVICE KIT — IF EQUIPPED ......... .204
▫ Tire Service Kit Storage .................. .204
▫ Tire Service Kit Components And Operation . . .205
▫ Tire Service Kit Usage Precautions ......... .206
▫ Sealing A Tire With Tire Service Kit ........ .208  TIRE SERVICE KIT — IF EQUIPPED ......... .212
▫ Tire Service Kit Storage .................. .212
▫ Tire Service Kit Components And Operation . . .213
▫ Tire Service Kit Usage Precautions ......... .214
▫ Sealing A Tire With Tire Service Kit ........ .216
 JUMP STARTING PROCEDURE ............ .220
▫ Preparations For Jump Start .............. .220
▫ Jump Starting Procedure ................. .221
 GEAR SELECTOR OVERRIDE ............. .223
 IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS ............ .224
 FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE ............. .224
 TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE ........... .226
▫ Automatic Transmission ................. .227
▫ Manual Transmission ................... .2277

IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate action.
• On the highways — slow down.
• In city traffic — while stopped, place the transmission in
NEUTRAL, but do not increase engine idle speed.
NOTE: There are steps that you can take to slow down an
impending overheat condition:
• If your air conditioner (A/C) is on, turn it off. The A/C
system adds heat to the engine cooling system and
turning the A/C off can help remove this heat.
• You can also turn the temperature control to maximum
heat, the mode control to floor and the blower control to
high. This allows the heater core to act as a supplement
to the radiator and aids in removing heat from the
engine cooling system.
WARNING!You or others can be badly burned by hot engine
coolant (antifreeze) or steam from your radiator. If you
see or hear steam coming from under the hood, do not (Continued) WARNING! (Continued)open the hood until the radiator has had time to cool.
Never try to open a cooling system pressure cap when
the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
CAUTION!Driving with a hot cooling system could damage your
vehicle. If the pointer rises to the H (red) mark, the
instrument cluster will sound a chime. When safe, pull
over and stop the vehicle with the engine at idle. Turn
off the air conditioning and wait until the pointer
drops back into the normal range. If the pointer
remains on the H (red) mark for more than a minute,
turn the engine off immediately and call for service.
FREEING A STUCK VEHICLE
If your vehicle becomes stuck in mud, sand or snow, it can
often be moved using a rocking motion. Turn the steering
wheel right and left to clear the area around the front
wheels. Then shift back and forth between DRIVE and
REVERSE (with automatic transmission) or SECOND224 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

TOWING A DISABLED VEHICLE
This section describes procedures for towing a disabled
vehicle using a commercial towing service.
Towing Condition Wheels OFF The Ground Automatic Transmission Manual Transmission
Flat Tow NONE NOT ALLOWED If transmission is operable:
• Transmission in NEUTRAL
• 65 mph (104 km/h)
max speed
Wheel Lift Or Dolly Tow Rear NOT ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED
Front OK OK
Flatbed ALL BEST METHOD BEST METHOD
Proper towing or lifting equipment is required to prevent
damage to your vehicle. Use only tow bars and other
equipment designed for this purpose, following equipment
manufacturer ’s instructions. Use of safety chains is man-
datory. Attach a tow bar or other towing device to main
structural members of the vehicle, not to bumpers or
associated brackets. State and local laws regarding vehicles
under tow must be observed. If you must use the accessories (wipers, defrosters, etc.)
while being towed, the ignition must be in the ON/RUN
mode.
CAUTION!• Do not use sling type equipment when towing.
Vehicle damage may occur. (Continued)226 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

CAUTION! (Continued)• When securing the vehicle to a flat bed truck, do not
attach to front or rear suspension components. Dam-
age to your vehicle may result from improper towing.
Automatic Transmission
• Vehicle can be towed with the front wheels elevated.
• Vehicle can be towed on a flatbed truck (all wheels off
the ground).
If the ignition key is unavailable, or the vehicle’s battery is
discharged, refer to “Gear Selector Override” in this section
for instructions on shifting the transmission out of PARK in
order to move the vehicle.
CAUTION!• DO NOT flat tow any vehicle equipped with an
automatic transmission. Damage to the drivetrain
will result. If these vehicles require towing, make
sure all drive wheels are OFF the ground. (Continued) CAUTION! (Continued)• Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe transmission damage. Dam-
age from improper towing is not covered under the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Manual Transmission
• Vehicle can be flat towed (all four wheels on the ground)
with the transmission in NEUTRAL.
• Vehicle can be towed with the front wheels elevated.
• Vehicle can be towed on a flatbed truck (all wheels off
the ground).
CAUTION!Towing this vehicle in violation of the above require-
ments can cause severe engine and/or transmission
damage. Damage from improper towing is not covered
under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. 7IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 227