Naughty Fiat Punto

ilovemarmite

I have a fiat punto, would not have been my first choice but it was given to me so can't complain too much, saved me few grand i'd have spent on first car.

Anyway had some problems where it would not start, had aa out twice in one week. They thought maybe it was battery or solenoid. Yesterday had it serviced got new battery, it drive lovely yesterday and today. Then I was parking and it cut out (I went a bit slow in 2nd gear) but it would not start and made strangly choky sound if that makes any sense. I left it for about half an hour thinking maybe I had flooded engine a bit. I went to shops cam back. Still would not start so called aa, luckily they were there in 15mins, the guy got it started and said it looked like starter motor wasn't working properly, He did something where he sort of pumped accelerator and it started. He looked under bonnet and everything else seemed grand. I drove the few mins home and kept car running til I got there (aa guy told me not to turn engine off til I got home).

So I have a few q's.
1.Should my mechanic have realised there was problem with starter motor yesterday? (he was told the solonoid or battery had problems maybe and that I had problems starting it up.)

2.What does the starter motor look like and where is it located, so if I look under bonnet I can tell which it is.

3. How do I start car way aa guy did with the accelerator incase this happens again before I get to bring it in?

4. If starter motor has to be replaced what is cost?

5.This car is 9years old and has 60,000 miles is it understandable starter motor has problems?

6. Is there anything I can do myself. I heard some people can take it out and clean it a bit, is this difficult?

7. What causes starter motor to not work right?

Thanks for your help, please dont slag me for having a punto I am so aware that they can be quite troublesome!

Thanks

Muckie

If your going to get into servicing your car yourself and sorting out any

problems, get a Haynes manual for your car and a good set of tools.

These's manuals are great, diagrams, fault finding and tips. Cost about

€20. Halfords or any Easons. As for the stater motor they can be re-

conditioned and one from the scrapyard should cost €30. Disconnect

battery before you remove yours.

ilovemarmite

Not sure how good I'd be at doing much on car myself, wa just checking if it'd be a simple thing I could do, I dont want to kill myself or do anything worng to car. Might have a look at one of those manuals so I can at least know what everything is and make sure stuff is tightened atc.

Should my mechanic have known starter motor had problem on Wednesday since he did full service and knew I had problems starting it?


If it won't start up, to save me time calling aa (who are going to know me way to well) is there any tricks to get it going, like with accelerator the way aa guy did today, is there some knack to it?

Thanks

Volvoboy

Some cars just dont justify the expense being laid out on them, as much as i'd like to defend the usuall suspects;

MK2 Punto
MK2 Laguna
Or a 156

These cars are a pandora's box of expensive repairs, and just pure heartship.

Sure no car can be 100% reliable, but the like of these 3 of which were built around the turn of the 00's are put to shame of the older cars built in the early 90's which are still on the road.

I drive a 96 Toyota Carina i bought it for €1200 2 years ago this September, it's never let me down and i earn my living out of it, i've spent about €500 on servicing in 50,000 miles never left me on the side of the road.

It truely is a disgrace when the likes of these cars are out living newer more ''Technically advanced'' cars.

OP my advice buy a Micra. Atleast it will start in the morning

stratos

Where do Puntos get this bad name, I have sourced a few for beginner drivers. Yes stuff goes wrong but they are cheap to fix. I think they are a great little car. easy to work on and cheap to buy secondhand. The earlier ones look a bit bland, but they got better with age.

Shercobar

Sounds like a problem I had with my Punto. The pinion gear in the starter motor somtimes sticks and will not engage with the engine to rotate it. This can be an intermittant problem, so your mechanic could miss it doing a service.
The only solution is to remove the starter motor which is a tricky job as it is hidden at the back of the engine under the inlet manifold as you look under the bonnet from the front of the car. When the starter is removed, you have to clean the shaft that the pinion gear slides on. I used a bit of petrol. Once clean you can lubricate the shaft and gear so that it slides freely and refit the starter.
+1 to buying a Haynes manual.

Cosmo K

Volvoboy wrote: »

Some cars just dont justify the expense being laid out on them, as much as i'd like to defend the usuall suspects;

MK2 Punto
MK2 Laguna
Or a 156

These cars are a pandora's box of expensive repairs, and just pure heartship.

Sure no car can be 100% reliable, but the like of these 3 of which were built around the turn of the 00's are put to shame of the older cars built in the early 90's which are still on the road.

I drive a 96 Toyota Carina i bought it for €1200 2 years ago this September, it's never let me down and i earn my living out of it, i've spent about €500 on servicing in 50,000 miles never left me on the side of the road.

It truely is a disgrace when the likes of these cars are out living newer more ''Technically advanced'' cars.

OP my advice buy a Micra. Atleast it will start in the morning

So should we all buy old Carina's then?
Very helpful comment!

@OP

You can pick up a second hand starter motor for 20-40€, takes about 1h max to fit it.

Biro

Volvoboy wrote: »

OP my advice buy a Micra. Atleast it will start in the morning

I'd rather cycle than be seen in a Micra. Horrible things. Starlets too, unless I turn into a 70 year old woman with a blue rince then no thanks!
More to a car than reliability! The Carina has a nasty habbit of wanting to swap ends in a less grippy corner!

ilovemarmite

Thanks for advice

It was making choky noise starting this morning, but when I was driving home it started with less trouble and was ok when I went out later. But it was doing that before where one time it'd start no trouble and another was very difficult or wouldn't start.

My mechanic is having look at it in the morning so hopefully it'll be sorted soon. I just want it to be reliable so I dont have to have aa on speed dial!

Dont think I'd get a micra, I know about 3 people who have them and all are over 70!

I'll probably get car in few years when I can afford it (and hopefully the punto will last) and will probably go for a ford fiesta or vw polo or golf

Unless I win the lotto then I am getting a jag