Fiat Panda 2004 1.1 - Overheating and heater failure

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Wed 27 Jun 2012 22:35
Fiat Panda 2004 1.1 - Overheating and heater failure - Benet

The Fiat has been suffering from loss of heat (yes I know it's *supposed* to be summer but the mornings are cold!) There is a little warm air when I first start up then as the engine warms up the heater gets cold. And then I don't get any more warm air till I'm on the motorway going pretty fast. Back on the A-roads the heat subsides again. The garage I use is usually good and they have replaced the thermostat twice but now the problem has occured again. Any ideas?

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Wed 27 Jun 2012 23:10
Fiat Panda 2004 1.1 - Overheating and heater failure - Peter.N.
Sounds as though you have air in the cooling system, either it wants bleeding or you possibly have head gasket failure.
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Thu 28 Jun 2012 16:02
Fiat Panda 2004 1.1 - Overheating and heater failure - Benet
Now you mention it they have bled the air out once. Head gasket may not be an economic repair??
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Thu 28 Jun 2012 18:07
Fiat Panda 2004 1.1 - Overheating and heater failure - Peter.N.

Probably not unless you do it yourself.

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Wed 15 Jul 2015 22:11
Fiat Panda 2004 1.1 - Overheating and heater failure - Benet

To update this for the archives, I can report that I decided to replace the head gasket. That cost me £800 which was cheaper than any kind of new car. This was done in autumn 2012 and the car then gave trouble free motoring until yesterday- when the head gasket blew *properly* - spectacular amounts of steam coming out of the exhaust. But I have learned my lesson and I'm on the lookout for a new car now

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