Rebooting a Fiat500e

I’ve never had to reboot a car before, but it is software, and turning it off and on again is a thing.

The media system and navigation can be reset by holding the centre console button.

There’s a more complicated dance for rebooting the rest of the car. We needed it as the car was in a state where it wouldn’t shutdown or lock.

Uploaded image — A worrying message. In this state, you can walk up to the vehicle get in, put it into drive, and off you go. No key needed. I suspect this is some kind of service mode.

The Fiat 500 Owners forum came to the rescue inside 30 minutes with the magic sequence to bring up the shutdown menu.

But the menu said the car will not restart. That’s a problem.

Jane worked the logic:

If it won’t shutdown, the 12V battery will drain and the car won’t work.
On the other hand, if we run the shutdown there’s a chance the car will restart and the message is wrong (a mistranslation, she suggested, perhaps “restart automatically” is what they mean).

At exactly the same time, the forum post said “yes, we ignore that message”. Jane’s hunch, and the forum, were absolutely right. The car shutdown and restarted without a hitch.

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Disclaimer: this is our experience and may not apply to you. Similar actions could damage your vehicle or void warranties. Always consult an authorized dealer or qualified professional before making changes. Or: give it a go and see what happens, but use this information at your own risk.