2014 Fiat 500L Redneck Review of the Dual Clutch Auto Transmission Thingamado

[@fiatofgreenville]

Thanks Joe!! The dual dry clutch design means that when you are going very slow in bumper to bumper traffic, or a slow "drive thru" line (like a bank or fast food, etc...) or stopped at a traffic light with the car transmission in "Drive".... KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE! Give it a few pounds of foot pressure too, not just barely resting your foot pressing on the brake pedal pad. Doing this automatically tells the "Electronic Control Unit" (ECU) to separate the twin clutches so no heat builds up. When you let off the brake, the clutches get very close and warm up if you do not hit the gas right away to drive forward. Take my advice here and you will never have a problem and the dual dry clutch... It will give you good service and much better fuel economy than a typical regular automatic! Remember, your 2014 500L transmission has as hydraulic clutch that separates the plates and stops the plates from heating up in very low speed or stop/go conditions! By the way, the "Hill assist" Joe mentioned can be turned off or on from the "menu" (use the up & down arrow keys) when the car is not moving. It will only work on 5% or greater grades, does not work on level ground! Also, speaking of grounds.... keep the battery terminals clean, especially the negative terminal under the clamp near the base of the post... it will keep you from getting a "non start" or check engine light! Replace your key fob battery (battery #CR2032) every 3 years too. [e-mail]

[@carlosroberto167]

What if i put the car on park on traffic lights? Is the same thing or not?

[@maxboya]

Our transmission in ours just went out. 80K and average driving. Plates shattered inside and started dumping it.

[@mountaindewjoe]

i do know that lukash, this was a demonstration of this transmission, a standard automatic (which is in the current 500L) will lock up when switched from P to R to D in motion, this transmission has no torque converter and is basically a computer operated standard therefore responds much differently

[@rolinslist]

Great review my friend because I was wondering if I was going crazy 😅because the one I got do the same thing. Think you much

[@mountaindewjoe]

I'm an even bigger guy, 6ft 365lb and the seats are fine, very comfortable even on long trips -- the front seats that it, i haven't ridden in the back -- but an added feature in the back is that the seats recline which is awesome....even my Mother-In-Law liked the seats on a 4 hour ride

[@mountaindewjoe]

That sounds about right to me, its just something a driver should be aware of...especially after driving only automatic transmissions for years -- its just something a 500L owner has to get used to, we don't even think about it now

[@carlosroberto167]

Joe wich one is more reliable? The 9 speed auto or the 6 speed dual clutch? I am about to buy a 500l but i am getting scared i dont know lol. You still have your 500l?

[@mountaindewjoe]

Carlos Roberto We still have the black one but we did sell the red one.... the 6 speed has been flawless despite all the reports... if you drive it as it should be driven it's really a great transmission...... but also, it would make a lot of send to have 9 gears and I believe the new transmissions have a torque converter which translates to it driving more like traditional American vehicles.... I wouldn't have a problem driving either..... the BIG problem with these cars is the resale value, If you want to save a lot of money simply buy a used one with low miles as the resale value is absolutely in the gutter... we lost a lot of money on the red 500L and will lose a lot on the black where my Abarth was no loss at all.... good luck with whichever route you choose!

[@carlosroberto167]

Joe Douglas Thanks Joe Yes I am buying a 2014 500L trekking with only 34k miles for my wife. Thanks for your response.

[@mint2574]

Hi Joe I see from the comments that you have sold your 500l but I have a question about it. How many miles did you get out of car and following this video were there any problems with the dual clutch? Thank you

[@mountaindewjoe]

I had no problems with it but sold the car with less than 60,000 miles on every one I had. If you drive it correctly they are fine. One lady who bought mine had trouble with it but I don't think she was driving right and took it to a mechanic that didn't know the cars. I would only ever have Fiat trained mechanics work on them. They are good cars but they're Italian and therefore they need special care

[@mint2574]

Understandable. I’ll need to see if there are any trained mechanics near me. Thank you

[@motofan16]

I guess what happens there is that the car is programmed to protect the clutch/gearbox. So it won't engage the clutch for the purpose to hold the car still, to prevent burning the clutch, as you should do to a manual car.

[@klukash]

uh you do realize you are supposed to come to a complete stop before putting the car in D or R or P for that matter. the car didnt stop so you dont put extra wear and tear on it.

[@r335]

Hey man i know this vid is old but did you ever change the transmission fluid?

[@mountaindewjoe]

Never did, I didn't keep them long enough to require it

[@robertbonner398]

Hey Joe really enjoyed your review of the 500L. I have a question about the seats. I'm a larger guy, 225lb 6 ft, and wanted to know if the seats seem uncomfortable when driving around for a while. Thanks for any feed back you can give.

[@DLoreleiSweetPea]

Hi joe, Curious, do you hear a clutch 'whistle'? Similar to that emitted from a high performance clutch? I used to hear a slight whistle with the ATC clutch in my miata at low RpMs.

[@DLoreleiSweetPea]

Sorry my phone wouldn't allow me to complete my thought anyhow I am hearing a similar sound with my 500 L I don't know if it's the clutch because it does sound similar Fiat says it's normal for a dry clutch which confuses me a bit because most cars have dry clutches not all dry clutches make this rotational whistle noise sounds kind a like a flywheel

[@mountaindewjoe]

No whistle at all, its pretty quiet overall.... never notice the transmission at all

[@mountaindewjoe]

SweetPea ThePod No problem, thats odd for the car from the one we've driven...don't hear that at all

[@bettybacon-ward5037]

I really like this care , suppose to go look at one tomorrow, but I am so afraid of the duel dry clutch transmission, I just might wait for the automatic transmission; any advise.

[@mountaindewjoe]

I don't think its anything to be afraid about, this tranny has been in use for a while and has shown to be great and trustworthy while returning great fuel mileage --- plus there is no waiting for a fully traditional automatic as far as i know this will be the closest thing to an automatic in the 500L, the choice is 6 speed manual or 6 speed twin clutch

[@aprilolthoff1781]

I just bought same one today & found out about the Neutral thing. So when I stop I need to put it in neutral?

[@mountaindewjoe]

No, but keep your foot on the brake and don't sit at idle in gear not moving because then the clutch gets hot...if you bought a brand new 2016 i believe they have a traditional transmission that is like most American transmissions.....my wife and I drive ours all the time without problems, like I said just don't sit there with your foot off the brake and barely on the gas or off the gas...if you're going go, if you're stopped stop....sounds simple but a lot of people do that

[@clay070707]

I have a 2014 500L with 67k miles and the transmission light just started coming on and I don’t have 1,3,5 or reverse, only sometimes though.. WTH?!?! When I took to Dodge to ask them questions about the clutch because it felt like it was just slipping at first, and they said they just replace the whole transmission.. That ain’t happenin.. Is it common and is it an easy fix?

[@luiscornejo6896]

How did you come up with the fix?? I have the same problem and the dealer wants 12K to replace it.

[@misaelibarra4311]

have you had any Trans problems waiting at a drive thru. I have a 500L was on line for about 10 minutes and started to smell like burning rubber then it started smoking Trans icon came on then the check engine cane on. seems this was the 2nd time first time only the smell will be taking it in to dealership any problems like this?

[@mountaindewjoe]

no, i haven't....but my wife did once in hers and sorry to say but its usually operator error.....when you hold the brakes at a stop, as in a drive thru the transmission shifts to neutral....if you let off the brakes then the clutch is engaged and the computer puts the transmission in gear to go....if you sit there, slightly letting off the brake but maybe at an incline just enough where you are no moving forward then you are essentially letting the clutch halfway out and not choosing to go in gear or go into neutral therefore heating the clutch up.....my wife did the same thing in hers....... you have to drive it with the knowledge of it really is a manual transmission without a clutch you push......so many people have had this occur that the new ones have a regular tranny with a torque converter like you are used to.....I've sat in traffic in both of ours and never had the problem.........just don't sit there easing forward slightly on the brakes for a long period.....either stop,or go...just like a regular manual transmission

[@jeffreed566]

+Joe Douglas Thank you so much for posting the video and the response above, this happened to my wife's car today while waiting in a long slightly uphill drive thru. She called me in a panic about the burning smell and then the car would automatically go into neutral and not drive. By the time she got it into a space and it sat there for a while till i could bring her my car, it had cooled enough to drive fine.

[@mountaindewjoe]

+Jeff Reed no problem, it's a bit weird, hopefully she's not freaked out too much by it

[@luiscornejo6896]

@@mountaindewjoe The manufacture should go back to the regular transmission because NOBODY works on them.

[@GiOvAnNiSaNcHeZ420]

Im scared of buying since people have been saying in reviews about bad transmission and needing to buy a new one

[@mountaindewjoe]

People complain alot, we've had 5 of these cars in various forms and have honestly never had a problem that wasn't our fault. The transmission is different in the newer ones and less prone to being driven wrong... the only bad sad is the resale value, if you get one of these be prepared to lose on the sell if you don't keep cars very long.

[@luiscornejo6896]

@@mountaindewjoe Sometime is not a complain just sharing the problems. I had a 2012 500 coupe new when I was waiting for the light to change it was downshifting and I felt like a rear hit brought to the dealer and the answer was its ok. I applied for the Lemon Law and the rep from the manufacture came plug it up with his laptop and the answer was nothing wrong that day it downshifted and almost hit a pedestrian. I traded with a trekking 500L and the coupe went to the front lot for sale with no repairs. Now the trekking has transmission problem with errors and the dealer told me the solution is to put a new transmission only $11950 more than the car is value. That was on Herb Chambers dealer in Milbury Mass. just for everybody info

[@rebeccacervantez-foley1158]

I HATE THIS CAR. I have had the transmission overheat 2 times and they didn't explain anything to me when I took it in.

[@mountaindewjoe]

My wife had hers overheat once as well... if you have the dual clutch transmission you simply cannot sit still with your foot off the brake as you can in a normal car. They have since changed the transmissions but it was true for this model year... they should have explained this to you.... when you are at the slightest of inclines and feel the desire to let off the brake and not touch the gas the clutch is trying to hold you but not actually going into gear... ideally you'll hold the brake which puts the transmission in neutral then when you want to accelerate go straight from brake to gas and go just as though you've put it into first and are taking off in a car with a standard transmission. Once you can make yourself do that you won't have any problems.

[@bigmacdaddy1234]

Dude - you put me to sleep..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz