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Monday, February 25, 2013

A look at the Fiat 500 Instrument Panel

Fiat 500 Abarth Instrument Panel
The Fiat 500 instrument cluster contains all the vital information needed and sits directly in front of the driver and not scattered around the dashboard. Fiat 500 Abarth Instrument Panel shown.


The stylized instrument cluster on the Fiat 500 is a favorite feature among Fiat owners. The attractive panel houses the speedometer, tachometer, and an Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) that contains an engine temperature and fuel gauge. There is also an ambient light sensor that automatically adjust panel lighting for changing light conditions and the cluster has provisions for up to 31 warning indicators.

 Fiat 500 Warning Lights

fiat 500 warning lights
Fiat 500 Warning Lights

Indicators
  1. Cruise Indicator
  2. Seat Belt Indicator
  3. Charging Indicator
  4. Electric Power Steering Malfunction Indicator - Electric Power Steering (EPS)
  5. Rear Fog Lamp Indicator - with rear fog lamp in certain markets where required only
  6. Blank
  7. EVIC
  8. Electronic Throttle Control Indicator - Electronic Throttle Control (ETC)
  9. Tire Pressure Monitor Indicator - Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)
  10. Automatic Transmission Malfunction Indicator - with optional automatic transmission only
  11. Change Oil Indicator
  12. Malfunction Indicator Lamp - Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
  13. Engine Coolant Temperature Indicator
  14. Turn Signal (Right and Left) Indicators (14 and 27)
  15. Brake Indicator - text only for the U.S. market, icon only for markets outside the U.S.
  16. Electronic Stability Control OFF Indicator - Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
  17. Electronic Stability Control Indicator - Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
  18. Antilock Brake System Indicator - Antilock Brake System (ABS)
  19. Ajar Indicator
  20. Security Indicator
  21. Wait-To-Start Indicator - with diesel engine only
  22. Rear Window Defrost Indicator
  23. Front Fog Lamp Indicator - with optional front fog lamps only
  24. Low Fuel Indicator
  25. High Beam Indicator
  26. Master Lighting Indicator
  27. Turn Signal
  28. Generic Failure Indicator
  29. Airbag Indicator

Engine Oil Pressure Low Message -
Each time the IPC receives a message from the PCM indicating the engine oil pressure is about 4 psi (27.5 kPa) or lower, the low oil pressure indicator will be illuminated.

The indicator remains illuminated until the IPC receives a message from the PCM indicating that the engine oil pressure is above about 4 psi (27.5 kPa), or until the ignition switch is turned to the OFF position, whichever occurs first. The IPC will only turn the indicator on in response to an engine oil pressure low message if the engine speed is greater than zero.

Engine Temperature High Message
Each time the IPC receives a message from the PCM indicating the engine coolant temperature is above about 248° F (120° C), the engine temperature indicator will be illuminated and a single chime tone is sounded.

The indicator remains illuminated until a message from the PCM indicating that the engine coolant temperature is below about 246° F (119° C) is received, or until the ignition switch is turned to the OFF position, whichever occurs first. The chime tone feature will only repeat during the same ignition cycle if the engine temperature indicator is cycled off and then on again by the appropriate engine temperature messages from the PCM.

Gauges
In addition to the analog speedometer and tachometer, a digital bar graph engine temperature gauge and fuel level gauge are also provided.

Fiat 500 Temperature Gauge

Engine Temperature Gauge
This eight segment bar graph indicates the engine coolant temperature. When you turn on the ignition, the first segment of the gauge always illuminates, even if the temperature is -40 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature is constantly monitored, and the Engine Coolant Temperature Indicator will illuminate when the upper segments on the bar graph are lit. Three fully illuminated temperature indicator bars equal 140° F (60° C)


Fiat 500 Fuel Gauge


Fuel Gauge
The fuel level in the Fiat 500's 10.5 gallon gas tank is displayed by a gauge broken up into a nine segment bar graph. The low fuel indicator (about the one-sixteenth graduation on the bar graph) and a single warning chime tone is sounded whenever the fuel gauge receives a signal indicating the tank is: about 10 percent full or less and the vehicle speed is zero, or about 10 percent full or less for 60 consecutive seconds and the vehicle speed is greater than zero.

The low fuel indicator will remain lit until one of the following conditions occurs first: the fuel gauge receives a message that the fuel tank is greater than 13 percent full for 10 consecutive seconds and the car's speed is zero, or for 60 consecutive seconds and the speed is greater than zero, or the ignition is finally turned off. The warning chime will repeat during the same running period only if the low fuel indicator is cycled OFF and then ON.

The fuel gauge receives its input from the Body Control Module (BCM) which monitors the signal from the fuel tank sending unit. The BCM applies an algorithm that tells the gauge what to display and also compensates for the effect of sloshing fuel in the gas tank.


Fiat 500 self leveling headlight icon
Cars with self leveling headlights have this icon that replaces the digital mph reading.



Fiat 500 EVIC layout
Fiat 500 models with automatic transmissions use the EVIC on the left. Manual transmission models use the EVIC on the right.

Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC)
The Fiat 500's EVIC features a reconfigurable driver display and contains:
  1. Clock - An electronic digital clock within the EVIC electronic display can be configured for either a 24 hour display mode or a 12 hour display mode with AM and PM notations.
  2. Odometer - An electronic digital total odometer displays either kilometers (km) or miles (mi), depending upon the unit of measure required by the market for which the vehicle was originally manufactured for.
  3. Sport Mode Indicator - The word SPORT illuminates whenever the vehicle is being operated with the optional Sport mode.
  4. Electronic Message Display - The 14 character pseudo dot matrix display within the EVIC is used to display vehicle information to the driver. This includes audio system message displays, warnings and information from the trip computer.
  5. Digital Speedometer (5) - Except in vehicles equipped with headlamp leveling, the driver can choose to have an electronic digital speedometer display supplement the standard analog speedometer readings. Kilometers (km/h) or miles (MPH) may be chosen.
    Headlamp Leveling Indicator (5) - Depending on what market the vehicle is being sold, this indicator replaces the digital speedometer found in vehicles manufactured for markets where headlamp leveling is required.
  6. Ice Indicator - A snowflake icon is illuminated whenever the outside ambient temperature indicates that ice could be present on the roadway.
  7. Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
  8. Shift Indicator - In vehicles equipped with a manual transmission (except Abarth) a shift indicator text and arrow are illuminated each time a transmission upshift is indicated by the Powertrain Control Module. Fiat 500 Abarth models have this light built into the turbo boost gauge.
  9. Fuel Gauge
  10. Outside Ambient Temperature Display - The outside ambient temperature displayed is driver selectable from Celsius (°C) or Fahrenheit (°F).
  11. Reserve Fuel Indicator - In vehicles manufactured for certain Latin American markets where an on-board fuel reserve feature is required, the fuel icon and the text GASOLINA will be illuminated whenever the vehicle is being operated on the reserve fuel supply.
  12. Gear Selector Indicator - In vehicles equipped with an optional automatic transmission, the gear selector indicator displays the transmission range currently selected.
Fiat 500 Lounge Instrument Panel
Depending on the model, the Fiat 500 instrument panel has different themes. This panel is from a Fiat 500 Lounge and features highly stylized gauge graphics.

Fiat 500 Sport Instrument Panel
The Fiat 500 Sport instrument cluster is clean, crisp and sporty .


Read more:


Information courtesy Fiat USA
Images: Fiat Press, Chrysler LLC, Author

16 comments:

Guilherme Chagas said...

One correction. In item 11, the indicator GASOLINE is used for a second fuel tank exclusively for gasoline (600ml), since in Brazil we have a model (Fiat 500 Cult) that can be fueled with gasoline or Ethanol (Flex). If the car is fueled solely with ethanol, the second tank is used for starting a cold (gasoline) and not used as a store, since the main reserve tank 4 liters

John M said...

Wow! Great post Chris... this is great information!!
The Fiat 500 is an amazing car!

Anonymous said...

I believe that 6 isn't blank, but is indeed the ambient light sensor, which is of course the light sensor that is responsible for when your speedo cluster lights come on and off automatically. I am going to place a piece of black tape over it so to make the car think it's always night, as the 500 speedo is bloody hard to see most of the time.
-aaron, '12 Abarth

Pederb said...

Hi Chris,

Just changed speedo from miles to km so now I need to add my milage to my new speedo, any idea how to do that?

Fiat500USA.com said...

Hi Pederb,

I think that would need to be brought to a dealer and needs to be certified in some way. In the old days, the dealer would have to send it out to have it certified. There has to be some kind of controlled way of doing it or anyone could just change the mileage. Your dealer should know. Good luck and post on the forum to let us know how you made out.

pederb said...

Hi Chris,

Found out that you can use a MultiEcuScan to program pretty much anything including the mileage but you can only add milege not subtract.

Blackdog said...

The picture of the 500 sport instrument panel shows 3 horizontal dashes followed by a capital F, but does not explain them.

Unknown said...

The digital speed indicator on my 2014 Fiat 500 POP is too small for a quick glance at the mph, while the semi-circle analog speedometer is hard to see while driving, especially at night. Is it possible to re-program the dash so that the time (which is larger) can be swapped for the mph ( which is smaller)?

Unknown said...

Guerry I totally agree with you on the MPH display. I don't care what day it is I want to know how fat I am going! If you found the answer please post it!

Unknown said...

Guerry Tanner I totally agree with you on the MPH display. I want to know how fast I am going not the date! During the day if I have polarized glasses I cannot see the red display at all!
Please post if this can be changed.

Anonymous said...

The 2015 Fiat Abarth has an electronic instrument combination. I would like to reprogram the software so that the tachometer shows a green band to redline then changes to red. That would be logical to me. The green band is already available in the thin film transistor LCD, so it should be doable. Any opinions on this?

Janet said...

My Outside Ambient Temperature Display isn't reading correctly (it was 76*F out and it was reading at 117*F). How can I reset this? Do I just need to do updates at the dealership?

Unknown said...

Just bought a 2012 Fiat 500 Sport, originally from Canada. I want to rearrange the display items so the large center is SPEED in mph. .. maybe move the clock to the lower right which current shows speed. How can this be done? Large speedometer guage is currently in Kilometers. Can it be changd to MPH?

wmusico said...

Hello Paul! I appreciate what you are doing. I am planning to replace my odometer with a TFT one so I need to know if you did fixed the mileage shown on the new one and how. I will need mine to be in Km,I just ordered it from the UK but I am from Romania. Thank you!


wmusico said...

The 2015 Fiat Abarth has an electronic instrument combination. I would like to reprogram the software so that the tachometer shows a green band to redline then changes to red. That would be logical to me. The green band is already available in the thin film transistor LCD, so it should be doable. Any opinions on this?

Anonymous said...

Does anyone recognize the following message that comes up on the instrument panel in my 2012 Fiat 500:
Instan.Economy
Which within a few seconds changes to:
InE -.- MP9

The message never disappears, and I do not notice any loss of functionality (it's been this way a couple months at least). No one in the Fiat dealership community in Sacramento has been able to identify what this means. I mostly make short trips in town, but I plan an out-of-town trip in a couple weeks (about 180 miles each way) and would love to know whether I need to be alarmed.