Fiat Panda 199Poor Starting

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Mon 29 Aug 2005 17:37
Fiat Panda 199Poor Starting - mikes
The above car will turn over but will not fire I have just got the car and have been told it could be a imoboliser problem is this easy to check and can I bypass it
Mikes
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Tue 30 Aug 2005 00:25
Fiat Panda 199Poor Starting - Jamesh266
The 1980s/90s Panda did not have an immobiliser fitted as standard, so it would probably be some sort of after-market type thing that would be quite easy to identify and remove.

The later Fiats, from around 1995, with factory fitted immobilisers, have a yellow "Code" light on the dashboard that has a key symbol illuminated when you first try to start the car. The light goes off once the immobiliser is deactivated.

What is the exact year of the car? The design of the fuel system was changed in 1992.
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Tue 30 Aug 2005 10:16
Fiat Panda 199Poor Starting - Another John H
As commented above, pre 1993 Pandas have a carburettor and choke knob which needs to be pulled out to start from cold.
(although in very warm weather it would generally fire up without the choke, provided that the throttle had been floored once, and then left slightly deperessed while cranking.)

1993 "K" plate and onwards were fuel injected, and just start on turning the key.

Very late (1995?) are rumoured to have an inertia switch which cuts off the fuel pump supply if you stop abruptly/crash. There is a reset button, which could be either under the carpet below the passenger seat, or on the bulkhead /firewall on that side.

Did the Panda run before you bought it?
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Tue 30 Aug 2005 20:31
Fiat Panda 199Poor Starting - mikes
It is 1996 and drove ok till now I bought it a week ago
Mikes
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Tue 30 Aug 2005 22:17
Fiat Panda 199Poor Starting - Petel
1996 ? Please tell us what is the model and cc, also what colour is the dash and steering wheel?
Thank you, Pete.
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Tue 30 Aug 2005 22:25
Fiat Panda 199Poor Starting - Another John H
It is 1996 and drove ok till now I bought it
a week ago
Mikes

I thought UK sales stopped in 1995.

Anyway, late model, fuel injected, twin coil wasted spark ignition - might have inertia trip, as mentioned above.

Head gasket problems can make starting difficult due to moisture in the cylinders - is the coolant level where it was when you bought it?
Has it previously started on 4 cylinders, or spluttered a bit and then cleared?
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