If this was a problem with the actual transmission, you’d find the problem would probably not come and go. But since it’s dependent on the battery being disconnected and then reconnected, the smart money says it’s a problem with either a sensor that sends information to the driveline computer, or the computer itself.

You could start by scanning the vehicle to see if a dud sensor reveals itself. But you may also find that a replacement ECU (computer) is the ultimate fix.

Assuming the vehicle is starting and stopping correctly via the start button, you could be looking at anything from a faulty component in the switch’s lighting circuit, to a bigger problem with the car’s body computer. An auto electrician should be your first stop to get it sorted.

But until you can book in to an auto sparkie, try this trick at home. Disconnect the battery and leave it disconnected for an hour or so. Then reconnect it and see if the problem has gone away. Sometimes, a body computer needs a reset, and disconnecting the battery is the equivalent of Alt-Ctrl-Delete, or turning a computer off at the wall and switching it back on.

I’m going to assume your vehicle has a petrol engine, as this type of question is usually one regarding the need, or otherwise, for high-octane (Premium) unleaded petrol. (Diesel tends to be diesel and that’s that). On that basis, your Fiat will be fine to run on standard ULP, and you don’t need to go to the expense of filling up with the more expensive PULP brew as you won’t achieve anything in the process apart from emptying your wallet faster.

You won’t harm the engine by using PULP, but there’s nothing to be gained. The other common question on this subject revolves around the use of ethanol-blended fuels (say, E10, which consists of 90 per cent ULP and 10 per cent ethanol). The short answer is that, no, a 2013 Freemont can not use ethanol-blended fuel without risking damage to the vehicle’s fuel system. The alcohol in E10 can attack the plastic and rubber parts of a car’s fuel system, leading to expensive damage down the track. If a car has been designed with materials to cope with that, then it’s fine on E10, but the Fiat does not fall into that category.