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Hi friends mum-in-law's Punto Selecta 60 is showing an intermittent problem with the auto transmission. The red warning light illuminates for no obvious reason. She follows the handbook advice - stops, switches off/on and usually the light stays off but sometimes remains on until she repeats this process. She had the car looked at and 'repaired' for this same problem (cost £120) 2-3 months ago but the problem has started again. She's in her 70's, knows less about cars than even I do and I don't want her to get ripped off so can anyone shed any light on what this might be. Thanks again.
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No idea what the problem is, but if it was a franchised garage that made the "repair" then as a matter of course they should have diagnosed the Engine Management for faults. My local Fiat dealer did this for me and although they didn't find a problem they only charged a tenner.
Apart from that, take it back to the garage that made the repair and get them to do the repair properly !!
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Hi Puntoo - MIL had a diagnostic scan @ £45 and a new generic relay @ £15 plus labour & VAT - total £120. sShe has taken the car back but heard nothing yet as to what the fault might be - mind you, at £45 a shot, diagnostic scans are good business aren't they !!
Anyone out there in tecchie-land got any thoughts as to what might be wrong ?
Cheers
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£45 for a diagnostic scan? Vauxhall charged my £11.50+vat to check the auto error codes when my wife's corsa's auto 'box started to play up.
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£45 quid to plug something into the engine and get a print out, they must be ripping of your MIL big time. Ring round a few other dealers and ask them what they would charge. (Salmons in Colchester,Essex did my car for no more than twenty quid with the vat).
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Hello Volvoman. Any progress with the Punto yet please?
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Sorry for not replying earlier Pete but I didn't see your post until today when I wanted to update with the latest.
The red warning light hasn't come on since the garage had it in again after the initial repair. Don't know what they did but they didn't charge for it.
Anyway MIL took the car in again today 'cos in the last week or so it has been misbehaving. At traffic lights or junctions etc. she stops as normal, in Drive with her foot on the brake but the car won't then pull away. It revs as if it's in neutral and won't budge until she puts it into Park and then back to Drive. Can anyone shed any light on this ? Is this likely to become a very expensive problem ?
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Well it seems as if the worst has happened. MIL got the car back early last week and was charged £450 for a service plus new battery (which the dealer claimed would help with the gear box problem ???) and various other bits and pieces including new gearbox fluid/filter and yet another diagnostic scan (at £45 each they're very good business aren't they !). The car was ok for 2 days but then went wrong again - the same symptoms reappearing as previously notified to the garage.
I might be being a tad cynical but I can't help feeling that they either haven't got a clue what they're doing or are running up large bills to lock MIL into the car and a very large bill for auto-box repairs.
MIL has taken the car back to the garage but heard nothing yet. She's told them not to do any work before advising her what and how much. Can anyone suggest what else she can/should do to sort this mess out ? She's also now thinking of selling the car and giving up driving but wants to be sure the car is sound before doing so (doesn't want any angry purchasers hammering at her door !!) and hences wants the repair work done. Is this a mistake? Any thoughts welcomed.
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Why thats cheap, our Ford Main dealer here in Wigan charges 50 quid for a diagnostic test and then tells you only they can fix your car.
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Hello again Volvoman.
Looks like you may have to take control of this situation yourself.
1, Is this garage a Fiat dealer with Fiat diagnostic gear ?
2, Did you MIL ask the garage to service the car or to fix the gearbox problem ?
3, Advise you get second opinion from an auto transmission specialist. Contact them first and explain the symptoms, it sounds to me like one of the valves is sticking ( having to move to park ) and there are repair kits for them. Also, this model uses the powder clutch which can suffer from eletrical connection problems.
Please keep us informed. Rgds, Pete.
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Hi Pete - in answer to your questions, the garage is a Fiat dealer and I presume they have Fiat diagnostics. MIL asked to have the problem sorted and service done at same time. Very interesting to hear about the possible causes, I'll suggest she gets a second opinion before agreeing to any new work by the dealer. I've seen one or two garages listed in the Good Garage Directory which mention auto-box repairs so I'll suggest she calls one of them to see what they have to say. Thanks again, will keep you better informed this time !
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