Automatic warning

[barge1914]

Has anyone had this transmission message on an automatic? (Euro 6C1 2019-20) with new Fiat auto box). Twice it’s happened now, once in spring and again a couple of days ago, both times travelling in mountains. A message comes up to check auto transmission, put in park to restart…after which it goes into limp mode until you stop…embarrassingly this time just in the entrance to a tunnel. I turned everything off and restarted in Park, and all was well again. A bit like pressing control-alt- delete. I’ve no idea about the cause, but don’t particularly want to start swanning around garages in Switzerland. Wondering if it’s ‘just one of those things’ or if it bodes ill.

 

[jagmanx]

Thin air ?

 

[argoose]

You mentioned traveling in the mountains, could it be a sensor issue.
As you travel up or down hill for an extended time, it might think the oil in the transmission is low. As it will pool at front or rear of the box.

 

[Fisherman]

You mentioned traveling in the mountains, could it be a sensor issue.
As you travel up or down hill for an extended time, it might think the oil in the transmission is low. As it will pool at front or rear of the box.

Yep that’s exactly what it is.
Hence why your told to check your oil on a flat surface.
When climbing for longer periods your oil level for auto transmission may read low on the dash. On some vehicles this happens going downhill. This depends on the position of the sensor.

 

[barge1914]

Not sure. First time it happened was going downhill. The auto gear seemed to slip a bit on a change-down, then the message came up.

This time was going gently uphill on an open road. I know the oil level is ok this time as it’s just recently been topped up.

 

[RoadTrek Boy]

I would still check the oil level just to make sure..

 

[Canalsman]

Question is 'Why did it need topping up?'

The gearbox oil level should stay constant unless there's a leak.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

I’m going back to horse and cart.

Regular breaks on the road for food and water, the vets for an ‘mot’ to keep the old hosses strong and healthy, a blacksmith to keep the iron road wheels safe & comfortable.

Not an over-engineered lump of metal or microchip in sight. Bliss!

Just call me Mrs Luddite!

 

[Fisherman]

Question is 'Why did it need topping up?'

The gearbox oil level should stay constant unless there's a leak.

Some say that the oil should never be replaced, others every 50,000 miles.
But as you say it should never require topping up.
From what I know, it’s either replaced entirely or left.

 

[mistericeman]

Some say that the oil should never be replaced, others every 50,000 miles.
But as you say it should never require topping up.

Having seen the insides of a good few auto boxes....
Some of the gantry ways/pump/and intricate valve bodies on some....

I'd reckon probably changing earlier than 50,000 miles especially with stop start/hilly work involved.

 

[Fisherman]

Having seen the insides of a good few auto boxes....
Some of the gantry ways/pump/and intricate valve bodies on some....

I'd reckon probably changing earlier than 50,000 miles especially with stop start/hilly work involved.

Well that’s what some do say, and others leave alone.
I would tend to do what I am told because I am not an engineer.
But what concerns me is this topping up, I have never had to have mine topped up on any vehicle in my decades of driving many different types of vehicles.
What’s your opinion on that.
Dors that suggest a leak.

 

[Scotia]

I’m going back to horse and cart.

Regular breaks on the road for food and water, the vets for an ‘mot’ to keep the old hosses strong and healthy, a blacksmith to keep the iron road wheels safe & comfortable.

Not an over-engineered lump of metal or microchip in sight. Bliss!

Just call me Mrs Luddite!

Ye have tae chip a dug whayano a orse?

 

[mistericeman]

Well that’s what some do say, and others leave alone.
I would tend to do what I am told because I am not an engineer.
But what concerns me is this topping up, I have never had to have mine topped up on any vehicle in my decades of driving many different types of vehicles.
What’s your opinion on that.
Dors that suggest a leak.

Some have fairly complex 'breathers' to allow for when the oil/box gets warm...
But they're not like an engine burning a proportion of the oil as it runs, there isn't really anywhere for it to go barring out.

 

[Fisherman]

Some have fairly complex 'breathers' to allow for when the oil/box gets warm...
But they're not like an engine burning a proportion of the oil as it runs, there isn't really anywhere for it to go barring out.

That’s what I thought cheers.

 

[trevskoda]

Some say that the oil should never be replaced, others every 50,000 miles.
But as you say it should never require topping up.
From what I know, it’s either replaced entirely or left.

Correct never change oil in auto box, scotty kilmear utube

 

[barge1914]

I would still check the oil level just to make sure..

Did that

 

[barge1914]

Question is 'Why did it need topping up?'

The gearbox oil level should stay constant unless there's a leak.

Oops sorry, I meant I checked engine oil.
Never seen any oil drips when parked that might suggest a leak.

Doesn’t the fact that stopping and restarting immediately ’resets’ it suggest the issue is likely to do with the electronics or sensors?

 

[Pauljenny]

I’m going back to horse and cart.

Regular breaks on the road for food and water, the vets for an ‘mot’ to keep the old hosses strong and healthy, a blacksmith to keep the iron road wheels safe & comfortable.

Not an over-engineered lump of metal or microchip in sight. Bliss!

Just call me Mrs Luddite!

And a source of fertilizer for your Rhubarb.

 

[Tezza33]

Marie puts custard on her rhubarb

 

[barge1914]

Spent time in Fiat Professional in Domodossola today. Ran diagnostic checks, no gearbox related faults. Fluid ok, no leaks.

However they cleared a number of indicator light faults. Previously I had a number of left indicator faults even though they worked perfectly well. Curiously every time an indicator fault appeared the automatic transmission warning light came on too. It turned out Roller Team provided led bulbs in main indicators, but normal ones in the side repeaters. Adding resistors in the indicator circuits compensated for the different power consumptions and stopped the alerts.

At the last service Fiat assured me the software update would fix the auto warnings. Seemingly with hindsight not so. My Italian friends could only suggest in the absence of OBD fault codes some intermittent short or other wiring glitch triggering the spurious warnings, the tracing of which would consume more time than available now.

Previously just an annoyance. But now the thing goes into limp mode when a warning appears…b****y inconvenient or potentially hazardous when it happens, like last time, in a tunnel entrance on a narrow mountain road!

I guess the quest continues when we get home. At least before embarking on the Simplon Pass tomorrow I know there is nothing seriously wrong…hmmm!