Since my 1.2 8v basic 2001 Fiat Punto had its 48000 mile service the engine management warning light flashes when the engine is working hard.
The problem began less than 2 miles from the Fiat dealer's service department and has continued intermittently throughout the 2 months and 3000 miles since then.
It has been back to the dealer 3 times and neither he nor Messrs Fiat appear to have any idea of what is causing it. They have offered to have it back for another day but admit that they don't have a clue and they aren't prepared to admit any liability anyway, and who can blame them.
Rather than mess about any more I decided to live with it. After all, it seems to run perfectly OK.....UNTIL I checked fuel consumption over the last 446 miles: 32.5mpg. Admittedly I have no idea of what it was doing before but that seems pathetic.
Does anyone have any idea of what I should do next?
bax
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If it happened just after a service the likely culprit is the dealer knocking something when servicing it. If the service included a cambelt change then even more likely to be something they have done. The engine management warning light should leave a code on the ECU and any fiat diagnostic tool should tell you what it is. If it isn't leaving a code then it suggests a physical fault which is sending one of the other sensors daft every so often. Decent dealers admit when they make mistakes. Ones that avoid saying it is their fault or even saying it might be are best given a wide berth.
I'd take it somewhere else, preferably an independent. When they fix it then present the original dealer with a bill if the indy thinks it was definitely the fault of the dealer. The original dealer have had 3 opportunities to fix it so they should have by now really.
teabelly
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Thankyou for your reply TB. The service did include a timing belt change and there is, apparently, a fault code coming up on the diagnostic equipment but they are apparently unable to interpret it.
They tell me that Fiat advised them to fit another set of plugs and plug leads and that's apparently all they've done during the 3 days it's been back in for their attention.
I was prepared to live with the flashing light but the fuel consumption is unacceptable.
bax
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Thankyou for your reply TB. The service did include a timing belt change and there is, apparently, a fault code coming up on the diagnostic equipment but they are apparently unable to interpret it.
That says all you need to know about the dealer. Make a call to FIAT UK and ask them to name a dealer that is capable of interpreting fault codes. Inform the dealer that did the warrenty work that they have one last chance of rectifying the problem that they caused. If they fail then you will take it elsewhere at there expense. You need to put this in writing to the Dealer Principle.
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I read often, only post occasionally
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What is the fault code ? I am sure someone on here could look it up.
Check Engine Lights were put in to inform the driver that something is causing excessive emissions. So I suppose the error may just be that the engine is running too rich.
How does that engine measure air flow into the engine ? I would guess that either the timing is wrong or the air flow sensor is not working. How much do they need to dismantle on that to get access to the t/belt - have they broken or failed to reconnect the air flow sensor ?
Just a thought
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The first dealer should clearly be paying for any rectification work needed in that case. There is also a chance that the catalytic converter will have been damaged so I'd make them cough up for that too if it has. If they can't do something as simple as interpret a code then they're muppets and you need to take the car somewhere else!
teabelly
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I wonder if they mucked up the valve timing by either putting the cambelt back one tooth out, or by moving the engine with the old belt off.
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It rather sounds like it.
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The car apparently runs exactly as it did before the service and so I would guess that the timing belt was put on correctly.
The only indication that anything is wrong is that the warning light comes on if you accelerate hard or tackle a long, hard hill.
It occasionally flashes at around 70mph.
That caused me some concern but I'd effectively reconciled myself to it until I checked the petrol consumption and that was over 446 miles over 7 days and 32.5 was a bit of a shocker and I guess that's costing me about an extra tenner-a-week.
Once again, thankyou for your input.
bax
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It may wee fail an emissions test, in which case you shouldn't really be using it.
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Sorry, that's ..may well fail..
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You don't have to live with it, get them to fix it. Jump up and down, make noises at them, because it looks pretty clear cut that whatever is wrong is down to whatever they have or haven't done. If it was just a service then maybe give them the benefit of the doubt, but with a cambelt change then it is highly likely its down to their 'meddling'. If they can't read a fault code then it sounds like they are a very poor dealer. Call Fiat UK, complain to them and if that goes nowhere, try another dealer and send any bills to the original garage. This makes it sound so simple, but you could end up taking them to the small claims court. Anyway don't back down until its sorted properly.
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