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Sick of Fiat 500 cutting out

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  • 12-02-2015 9:44pm
    #1
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭


    Short Version:

    After going to several mechanics, the engine light coming on and going off and not recording the fault I'm at my wits end. The throttle body and pedal position sensor have been replaced and it still has an issue at idle. It's especially a problem when the engine is cold or on a hill.

    Long Version:

    Had issues with the car 2 years or so ago, seemed to start after it was out of warranty so we took it to an independant for it's yearly service rather than the main dealer. They said there were issues with the throttle body so cleaned it, got worse, so fixed the seal in it, still didn't work properly - engine not idling properly. Feck it - going back to main dealer to get it replaced.

    Ordered throttle body - ended up in an accident so got the TB from the main dealer and gave it to the body shop to replace, they did - assured me they had all the kit to work on what is essentially a laptop on wheels. Replaced TB still had issues, told me it was pedal sensor, got that replaced too, that didn't fix it so got the bullcrap line of it's something that Fiat need to fix with magic (in other words the ECU needed resetting and they couldn't do it) Fiat dealer did it for me FOC so I said I stick with them.

    Happy days - or so I thought. Issue returned, took it back to dealer, they said couldn't find fault - kept it for a week, engine light wouldn't come on for them picked it up, drove it yesterday and today still not idling right! At wits end. The only lead I have is that when it was in for the ECU reset the mechanic mentioned he was also getting a fuel manifold pressure error. Unable to repeat fault so they say not to replace it.

    Apart from the obvious suggestion of don't by Fiats, does anyone have any suggestions on what to do, the care is a PITA to drive as it's a city car so I spend alot of time at idle!

    Thanks in advance.


«13

Comments

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    #2
    Mad4simmental
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,580 ✭✭✭Mad4simmental


    Buy a Toyota,

    Ahh no but did they check the inlet manifold gasket? Sumtimes it's the simple things. But that's sumtimes. It's also possible the new tb is faulty it wouldn't be the first time it happened.


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    #3
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    Mad4simmental wrote: »
    Buy a Toyota,

    Ahh no but did they check the inlet manifold gasket? Sumtimes it's the simple things. But that's sumtimes. It's also possible the new tb is faulty it wouldn't be the first time it happened.

    I'm thinking to chucking it in for a Kia - 7 year warranty and all that good stuff. Buying a house at the mo so every penny counts. :(

    If it was the TB again would it not force the engine light on and record the fault?

    PS any suggestions for a good Fiat dealer not based in Swords as I think Michael Barrable think I'm making this stuff up!


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    #4
    Tazio
    Registered Users Posts: 698 ✭✭✭Tazio


    problem with idle.. OK some questions for you...

    do the revs climb and fall when you hit the brakes coming to a compete stop? Also how do the brakes feel in general.. ever feel there was an issue with them? ie not enough braking power??

    how many miles on car? when were spark plugs changed last?? and by who??

    is she a 1.4 multiair??


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    #5
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    Tazio wrote: »
    problem with idle.. OK some questions for you...

    do the revs climb and fall when you hit the brakes coming to a compete stop? Also how do the brakes feel in general.. ever feel there was an issue with them? ie not enough braking power??

    how many miles on car? when were spark plugs changed last?? and by who??

    is she a 1.4 multiair??

    Very odd you should mention the brakes! Yes they've had some issues; right as this all began but the garage put it down to a hose not being connected properly. After the accident something had become disconnected on one side and it took a while to spot. When it went for NCT there was a significant imbalance and wear on one side. Imbalance was corrected by reconnecting the (not shocks but something like that one one side) but I don't think that caused there wear as it was only like it for a few days.

    Not sure on the rise and fall, it did cut out as I went on to a mini-roundabout today, also cut out on the hill on Bridgefoot street but that was right after starting off.

    I think it's a 1.2 - it's an 09 - I'll just go check.

    Thanks for reading all that and coming back to me folks!

    Oh sparks done a few months ago by the Body shop - will name names if needs be as the rest of the service was faultless other than this TB issue. Miles - 50-60K Km approx.


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    #6
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    FIAT 500 1.2 (69Hp) Petrol.


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    #7
    ba_barabus
    Registered Users Posts: 9,615 ✭✭✭ba_barabus


    No actual experience of the garages other than viewing some cars but both are in DunLaoighre. One is now a Fiat specialist the other is a main dealer. Found both knowledgeable. Might be worth a call tbh.

    Grace and Harvey is the main dealers


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    #8
    dgt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,985 ✭✭✭✭dgt


    There is a known issue with non ESC cars. It affects throttle response. I'm going to take a wild stab and say this could be your problem if you don't have ESC


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    #9
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    dgt wrote: »
    There is a known issue with non ESC cars. It affects throttle response. I'm going to take a wild stab and say this could be your problem if you don't have ESC

    Any fix you're aware of?


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    #10
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    ba_barabus wrote: »
    No actual experience of the garages other than viewing some cars but both are in DunLaoighre. One is now a Fiat specialist the other is a main dealer. Found both knowledgeable. Might be worth a call tbh.

    Grace and Harvey is the main dealers

    Brill, out by the DART. Thanks! Been a nightmare getting back from Swords.


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    #11
    Hachiko
    Registered Users Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭Hachiko


    there was an article on watchdog about these, struggling to get up a hill.

    I drove a Fiat 500 as a hire car in the last few years, was the worst thing ever, I was crapping myself at every set of lights and every time I came to a roundabout, absolutely no go at all in it.


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    #12
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    Hachiko wrote: »
    there was an article on watchdog about these, struggling to get up a hill.

    I drove a Fiat 500 as a hire car in the last few years, was the worst thing ever, I was crapping myself at every set of lights and every time I came to a roundabout, absolutely no go at all in it.

    I've no issue with it, I'm pretty heavy, load the thing up with crap and have no issues with it at all, it's a city car and drives well in the city. No issue with in on the motorway either although it's not the most comfortable at over 120Kph but it's not the worst thing I've ever driven either.

    Been a great little car until this all started. Bear in mind the range goes from a little two cylinder thing to a 1.4 (IIRC). In a car this size a 1.2L petrol engine is plenty if not particularly exciting.


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    #13
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    Just to be clear mines not one of the new types which had this problem from April 2014 on it's an 09 model. I do wonder though if something they've done in the software to fix the new ones has caused an issue with mine.


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    #14
    sky18
    Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭sky18


    I had a fiat bravo in 99 from new it was 1.2 petrol around 40k it started cutting out for no reason it would struggle to stay at idle revs would drop down and nearly cut out then would go up to 1000 rpm and then cut out no faults found but was eventually sorted the valves in the engine were sticking i think they put a better grade of oil in it.maybe something you could try


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    #15
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    sky18 wrote: »
    I had a fiat bravo in 99 from new it was 1.2 petrol around 40k it started cutting out for no reason it would struggle to stay at idle revs would drop down and nearly cut out then would go up to 1000 rpm and then cut out no faults found but was eventually sorted the valves in the engine were sticking i think they put a better grade of oil in it.maybe something you could try

    Nice catch and great first post! :) Might explain why it's worse when the engine is cold. Thanks!


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    #16
    sky18
    Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭sky18


    MarkAnthony wrote: »
    Nice catch and great first post! :) Might explain why it's worse when the engine is cold. Thanks!

    I'm trying to remember but i think it took the engine a while to sort itself after the oil change it was still happening for about a week.I hope it sorts it for you.let us know anyway


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    #17
    Tea 1000
    Registered Users Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Tea 1000


    If you're changing the oil, would be no harm to take out the spark plugs and check those too. If the tips are all black, it won't be helping. Chocolate brown is the phrase often used to describe the condition they should be in!


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    #18
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    So the engine light came on, went out to the mechanic, like a d!ck left the thing in gear and stalled it in the car park when I went to get out with the engine running; hopping mad.

    Went in and they said once the light goes out the fault clears (bloody stupid design). Eventually went back out and car was still acting up so I finally convinced them to take a look at it despite the engine light not being on.

    They replaced the spark plugs for me as they said that Fiats are very sensitive to off brand plugs etc. When they had it in doing that one of the lads said it was having a split second where it seemed to be starved of air.

    They recalibrated the throttle body again and touch wood, with new plugs and the recalibration it seems to be behaving again - here's hoping!


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    #19
    sadie1502
    Registered Users Posts: 666 ✭✭✭sadie1502


    Wouldn't touch a fiat. Flog it and get a reliable car.


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    #20
    mullingar
    Registered Users Posts: 5,341 ✭✭✭mullingar


    sadie1502 wrote: »
    Wouldn't touch a fiat. Flog it and get a reliable car.

    I nominate this to be the most constructive post of the year


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    #21
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    Meh, 6 years old, had one issue with it precipitated by getting it a cheap service.


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    #22
    goz83
    Registered Users Posts: 8,034 ✭✭✭goz83


    Cute car. Not my style...but whatever you drive, always have top quality:

    Oil
    Spark Plugs
    Tyres

    IMO these are the things not to cheap out on.

    Crap oil can leave your engine open to damage and decreases efficiency.
    Crap Plugs, much the same.
    Crap tyres can kill.


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    #23
    Foxhole Norman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,875 ✭✭✭Foxhole Norman


    MarkAnthony wrote: »
    So the engine light came on, went out to the mechanic, like a d!ck left the thing in gear and stalled it in the car park when I went to get out with the engine running; hopping mad.

    Went in and they said once the light goes out the fault clears (bloody stupid design). Eventually went back out and car was still acting up so I finally convinced them to take a look at it despite the engine light not being on.

    They replaced the spark plugs for me as they said that Fiats are very sensitive to off brand plugs etc. When they had it in doing that one of the lads said it was having a split second where it seemed to be starved of air.

    They recalibrated the throttle body again and touch wood, with new plugs and the recalibration it seems to be behaving again - here's hoping!

    The light going on and off will still store a code, get them to read it!


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    #24
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    Foxhole Norman wrote: »
    The light going on and off will still store a code, get them to read it!

    That's what I thought but they were insisting it wouldn't.


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    #25
    Foxhole Norman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,875 ✭✭✭Foxhole Norman


    MarkAnthony wrote: »
    That's what I thought but they were insisting it wouldn't.

    It definitely does, I'd try elsewhere for diagnostics if they're saying that.


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    #26
    Hachiko
    Registered Users Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭Hachiko


    sell it and get a different car tbh, its not like you are forced to drive that thing.

    Driving a car should not be made into a nightmare of owning a shoddy car and wondering will it take me where i want to go when you sit into it.


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    #27
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,464 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    This might seem like a strange one, but any fiats ive had that kept stopping at idle came to a Problem with The fuel line safety switch. Basically this is a switch that turns the fuel lines off if you have a crash etc. Find the switch on your car and press it and it might stop the issue entirely, if it happens again it can always be replaced or bypassed.


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    #28
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    FECKING THING, has started doing it again.

    Lost the plot with it an redlined it in traffic trying to stop it from cutting out (it's a problem at idle) low and behold cleared the fault.

    I genuinely love the car, it's been great apart from this one issue and I'm not a great driver so it takes a bit of punishment. I have to say though, definitely steering clear of Fiats going forward.

    I just can't believe the fault aren't stored somewhere - I'm really beginning to think it's a faulty replacement throttle body but please keep the suggestions coming.


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    #29
    Foxhole Norman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,875 ✭✭✭Foxhole Norman


    The light going out doesn't mean it's not stored anymore, get it to a proper diagnostic specialist and get the code read!


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    #30
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    Foxhole Norman wrote: »
    The light going out doesn't mean it's not stored anymore, get it to a proper diagnostic specialist and get the code read!

    It's been out with a certain North Co. Dublin dealer telling me this - I have to say I think it's rubbish also. Who designs something that stupid. Might spin it out to Dun Laoghaire.


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    #31
    galwaytt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,761 ✭✭✭✭galwaytt


    Hachiko wrote: »
    sell it and get a different car tbh, its not like you are forced to drive that thing.

    Driving a car should not be made into a nightmare of owning a shoddy car and wondering will it take me where i want to go when you sit into it.

    ... sounds like a description of a VW Passat tbh. ...

    changing the car is no guarantee of anything..

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