Fiat Punto Electrical Problem

smree

Hi

Having a strange problem with my stupid 1999 punto. Tried to start it today and lights came on in dashboard but nothing happened. Tried it a couple of times and the same thing. I then tried switching on the indicators and sometimes they worked others times they didn't and then the indicator light on the dashboard would flash really quickly. Switched on the window wipers and they were moving really slow moving. Switched on the hazard lights and a strange noise was comming from the dashboard.

THe car was working fine the last time I drove it. Anybody any ideas what this could be and if it might be another expensive garage visit.

Thanks

colm_mcm

your battery is flat. simple as that.

smree

Colm thanks for that but I've had a flat battery in the past a couple of times and this behaviour is completely different in that there is a strange noise comming from the dashboard when hazzard light switched on and the indicaters not working, then working, flashing very quickly etc..

colm_mcm

The battery is most likely not completely flat, with enough current to partly run the cars electrics. low power on the battery will cause clicking sounds etc.

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

its a FIAT, leave it alone today....




and Fix It Again Tomorrow.

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

its a FIAT, leave it alone today....




and Fix It Again Tomorrow.

Hur hur that is a good one. :rolleyes:


How come everytime there is a Fiat thread somebody chimes in with this nugget.

colm_mcm

so did you try a new battery?

smree

HI colm

The battery in the car is 2 months old as I had major probs with the previous battery. Car was fully serviced last month.

I noticed today that when I turn the key in the ignition the milage counter is counting up fairly rapidly and the car is showing 100 MPH?????

To be honest I'm sick of this car had it fully serviced a month ago, sump replaced 2 weeks ago as it was rusted and now this. Arggggg

colm_mcm

smree wrote:

HI colm

The battery in the car is 2 months old as I had major probs with the previous battery. Car was fully serviced last month.

I noticed today that when I turn the key in the ignition the milage counter is counting up fairly rapidly and the car is showing 100 MPH?????

To be honest I'm sick of this car had it fully serviced a month ago, sump replaced 2 weeks ago as it was rusted and now this. Arggggg

Check the connections on the battery, they may be loose or corroded. . the speedo etc. are electronic, so can give irrational readings sometimes.

Eoin

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

its a FIAT, leave it alone today....




and Fix It Again Tomorrow.

Can we just sticky this and one for Alfas as well, so we can be done with these gems?

colm_mcm

a customer was in with me on Monday, and the subject of Fiats came up.
In an atttempt to be funny he said "You know what that stands for don't you" I said "Yes." But he still had to hit me with "Fix It Again Tomorrow!" like I'd never heard it before, I then asked him if he knew what it actually stood for. He didn't.

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

ronoc wrote:

Hur hur that is a good one. :rolleyes:


How come everytime there is a Fiat thread somebody chimes in with this nugget.

that's because FIAT is an acronym for Fix It Again Tomorrow

i thought everybody knew this old one,

maidhc

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

that's because FIAT is an acronym for Fix It Again Tomorrow

i thought everybody knew this old one,

Do you enjoy acting the muppet?

The alternator is possibly faulty, and as a result the car is eating batteries. Does the battery light ever stay(dimly) lit when driving?

Gurgle

smree wrote:

The battery in the car is 2 months old as I had major probs with the previous battery.

I'm guessing some lazy mechanic couldn't find/fix what was wrong with it so he threw in a new battery & hoped for the best.

smree wrote:

Car was fully serviced last month.

The symptoms you're describing aren't releated to service items.

smree wrote:

I noticed today that when I turn the key in the ignition the milage counter is counting up fairly rapidly and the car is showing 100 MPH?????

Thats bad.
AFAIK your car has a microcontroller board tracking everything from CAM speed to engine temperature. Your mechanic will probably swap this out with a new one next. When this doesn't work he'll start swapping out sensors, which will eventually fix it when he gets the right one (through luck, not knowledge).
I'm guessing damaged wiring on a sensor.

Hope you have a good credit rating, you're going to need it.

maidhc

In fairness Colm is right. Low batt voltage causes all kinds of weird things. The Speedo might just be another symptom.

Eoin

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

that's because FIAT is an acronym for Fix It Again Tomorrow

No, FIAT is an acronym for "Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino"

Your one is a "bacronym", as that's obviously not what is stands for officially.

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

i thought everybody knew this old one,

Yes, we have all heard it. Hence no need for the pointless post(s).

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

eoin_s wrote:

No, FIAT is an acronym for "Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino"

Your one is a "bacronym", as that's obviously not what is stands for officially.



Yes, we have all heard it. Hence no need for the pointless post(s).

speaking of pointless posts... i think you'll find its a "backronym" but i have heard the yanks spell it like "bacronym"

dudara

maidhc wrote:

The alternator is possibly faulty, and as a result the car is eating batteries. Does the battery light ever stay(dimly) lit when driving?

I'd agree with this. Get the alternator checked. I recently bought a Punto with a faulty alternator, in return for a few quid off the asking price. All it needed was for the regulator to be replaced.

smree

Thanks guys for your replies.

Just have to decide now if it's worth getting this sorted.

Anan1

smree wrote:

Thanks guys for your replies.

Just have to decide now if it's worth getting this sorted.

With respect, how could it not be worth it? A replacement alternator for a 99 Punto is hardly going to cost a fortune, if it were my car I'd be calling that a result!:)

smree

Agree that it would be great if it is just the alternator but half afraid that it's going to be a bigger prob.

Thanks again for your help.

Anan1

smree wrote:

Agree that it would be great if it is just the alternator but half afraid that it's going to be a bigger prob.

Thanks again for your help.

Try charging the battery. If the problems disappear then you'll know that they were only caused by a flat battery.

colm_mcm

yeah but then you have to figure out why you had a flat battery in the first place.

Anan1

colm_mcm wrote:

yeah but then you have to figure out why you had a flat battery in the first place.

True, but problems with the charging system are a lot simpler & cheaper to fix than problems with, say, an ECU.

smree

Anan1 wrote:

True, but problems with the charging system are a lot simpler & cheaper to fix than problems with, say, an ECU.

That's what I'm afraid of. if it's a problem with the ECU not worth fixing.

AMurphy

This side of the world, it means "Fix It Again Toni",

that aside,
I'd agree with the low voltage summary, however, IF the voltage is within spec, which I'd peg at 13.5 VDC, then I might look at loose ground connections or any loose/corroded connections, either at the battery or behind the dash.

Thereafter, I might look at switches on the dash and steering colm,

Thereafter, I might look the the "Body Control ECU", not to be confused with the EFI ECU, and should cost at most $100.

It is also possible the dash which often has it's own logic ECU has gone whako.

Good luck.

TempestSabre

smree wrote:

That's what I'm afraid of. if it's a problem with the ECU not worth fixing.

Why how much is a new ECU?

Besides cross that bridge IF you have to.