NEW Fiat 500 US nightmare
new US member. i bought a 2012 Fiat 500.
basic info: 1.4 multiair engine, auto trans
sunroof, elec windows, elec mirrors.
everything on this car is electronic.

cool car, but i bought it as a flood salvage. all the interior electronics are messed up. cleaned everything best i could. major problems:
1) instrument cluster mostly nonfunctional (onlyLCD and warning messages)
LCD warning messages:
a) fuel cutoff - unavailable?...
b) airbag ..... see handbook...
c) check daytime running lights
2) no speaker output from radio
3) no functional passenger side directionals (US)
4) functional driver side directionals go off by themselves (US)
(can be shutoff by pressing hazards)
5) battery drain from an item at interior fuse box (top green connector at back of fuse box)
6) setoff airbag warning code. UGH im an idiot.:doh:
6a) guessing I triggered fuel cutoff switch
6b) took apart airbag ECU to clean it. all looks good but broke 2 screws
appears that ECU board has external ground? those 2 screws broke
7) electric power steering mother board appears fried in several spots
(disconnected for now)
8) when i reconnect battery i hear a short funny buzzing sound that
seems to be coming from wiper area?
(too quick to diagnose)
THINGS THAT ARE FUNCTIONAL
left turn signals, power windows, power mirrors, power sunroof, interior lights, headlights.
FUSEBOXES
All fuses have power except:
underhood: A 30 amp fuse. medium size. (#F85 from downloaded FIAT FORUM handbook)
underdash: 2 fuses (F12?,F13?) unsure cuz my fusebox looks different
could be F47,F48. either way, 2 fuses at end of fuse block

that's about it. car started, ran and drove fine before i took it apart.
so engine ECU, engine, trans, engine fusebox seem fine. auto trans is a sealed unit, not even a dipstick. put in new air filter, cleaned throttle body
engine ECU has smallest bit of corrosion on 2 pins, but no signs of water
getting into ECU. CHANGED ALL FUSES AND DOUBLE CHECKED, triple checked. fuel pump relay(T17) has no power. probably cuz i tripped the airbag ECU:doh:. relay T19 seems to have no power to one connector.

SOOOOO.... i'm lookin for an electrical god
i can follow electrical directions fairly well, just need help from someone who is intimately familiar with the electrical of a FIAT 500. just keep in mind that this is a left hand drive US model. dunno what might be different from UK models or year changes etc...

can send pics, more info etc... with electrical, just be as specific as possible. so if you made it this far....; Thanks for your help.
JIJ
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Not sure how much help anyone here will be able to be. The Auto you get and the multiair 1.4 are not in the range anywhere other than North America.

But I'm no Auto Electrician so hopefully I'm wrong.

Google Fiat ECU Scan. It can clear a lot of the errors via the OBDII port. Might give you an indication of what's still a current fault, ie clear them all, see what comes back when you start it up.

Jij - just so you know - I have a defective gauge cluster on my new 500 and there's a parts shortage for gauge clusters. I've been waiting for almost two weeks to get a new one so if you need a new gauge cluster, order it right away as it could be a couple weeks to get one unless a local studio has one in stock they will sell to you. Otherwise, best of luck to you on your project in bringing that 500 back to life. Might I suggest Lazurus as name for your project?

bryanintowson said:

@Jij - just so you know - I have a defective gauge cluster on my new 500 and there's a parts shortage for gauge clusters. I've been waiting for almost two weeks to get a new one so if you need a new gauge cluster, order it right away as it could be a couple weeks to get one unless a local studio has one in stock they will sell to you. Otherwise, best of luck to you on your project in bringing that 500 back to life. Might I suggest Lazurus as name for your project?

Click to expand...

Or, given the anniversary, Titanic?

Jij again - you may want to head over to fiat500usaforum dot com for some good US spec specific chat. There are quite a few gearheads over there who could probably help you out.

update: reminder this is a 2012 USA model
bought a used instrument cluster; all of my warning lights were burned out.
put in new BCM and it cleared up most of my problems.
engine now runs; new BCM turned the fuel pump back on.
my OBD2 still won't communicate. I've triedmy old Actron OBD2 reader and my new Elm327 bluetooth; no go on either.
there is a short in that circuit (F36) 10Amp fuse. the problem is not the radio, although the radio works, there is no speaker output. the short is not in the ECU.
for radio; it has power in. no speakers output; but i also switched out a similar used model radio with similar results. i have the Bose premium system and am guessing the speaker output problem lies with the amplifier. i also have Sirius XM radio.

the other item on the F36 fuse is climate control. i have manual climate controls and the lights work. the fan works on HIGH only (#4). the A/C switch lights up but not working. A/C seems to be well charged. all fuses in under hood fuse box good. all relays good; even took them apart. all fuses have power. keep in mind, this car has 6K miles, with no body or mechanical damage; just submerged in water.
I do still need a EPS motor. dealer wants $1700+tax. just need the mother board. electric motor is good.
my 1st order of business is my short in my F36 fuse. if anyone understands what is on the "climate control" circuit. :bang:i'm guessing right now. hopefully, i gave enough info to diagnose the problem.

by the way, i replaced the airbag ECU. seems unbelievable, but i got it from the dealer for $25!, under a Chrysler part number. :slayer:
if anyone has any schematics they can send, please do. i am working off of my electrical deduction abilities only. already bought a radio for nothing. thats about it.
thanks, Jij

Hi I have a 2013 fiat 500 USA model was a in a flood had 6" of water in it replaced air bad moduel .Still no start no radio and no heater contols checked body control modeul looks good ,any help.

katzklassics said:

Hi I have a 2013 fiat 500 USA model was a in a flood had 6" of water in it replaced air bad moduel .Still no start no radio and no heater contols checked body control modeul looks good ,any help.

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Insurance?

Ahmett - if your reply is meant to be funny, it is. If it is meant to be serious then I suspect that Katzklassics bought the car post flood damage and so won't have a claim available to him.

Of course, this dealer may be willing to buy it off him?

RobinPJ said:

Of course, this dealer may be willing to buy it off him?

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Now that is funny. I wonder if they do arc welding?

In the UK at least, I always thought flood-damaged cars were Cat A/B writeoffs, and should never be put back on the road.

jrkitching said:

Now that is funny. I wonder if they do arc welding?

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I don't know, but they don't sell four by fours (only two by twos).

RobinPJ said:

I don't know, but they don't sell four by fours (only two by twos).

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:Offtopic::Offtopic::Offtopic::Offtopic::Offtopic::Offtopic:

It's not well known, but that garage proprietor's ancestor also built a second vessel, with eight decks, and only led pairs of fish into it.



It was the world's first multi storey carp ark.


I'll get my coat.....

OK, I give up. You win. I can't do better (worse?) than that.

Don't give up the day job just yet, JR......

jrkitching said:

Now that is funny. I wonder if they do arc welding?

In the UK at least, I always thought flood-damaged cars were Cat A/B writeoffs, and should never be put back on the road.

Click to expand...

Nope. Depends upon the nature of damage and water which flooded it (fresh vs salt or sewage contaminated).