Well the wife's 500c hasn't liked being stood out in the winter as she's come home saying a couple of the bulbs / LEDs in the centre brake light (in the spoiler on the fabric roof) are out and it is full of condensation.

Before anybody says anything the pressure washer hasn't been any where near the roof

I've just been to the 'dealer' who took 45 minutes to establish that; yes it does need replacing (now on backorder) and the 'technician' managed to break a chunk off of the original whilst trying to prise it out :doh: with a screwdriver

They tell me the spoiler needs removing to get it out - is this true ? as it looks like the headlining needs removing and I don't trust them to put it back as it should be without damaging something else.

Surely it clips in, bit annoyed they didn't check the workshop manual or whatever they use to check

Cledwen said:

Well the wife's 500c hasn't liked being stood out in the winter as she's come home saying a couple of the bulbs / LEDs in the centre brake light (in the spoiler on the fabric roof) are out and it is full of condensation.

Before anybody says anything the pressure washer hasn't been any where near the roof

I've just been to the 'dealer' who took 45 minutes to establish that; yes it does need replacing (now on backorder) and the 'technician' managed to break a chunk off of the original whilst trying to prise it out :doh: with a screwdriver

They tell me the spoiler needs removing to get it out - is this true ? as it looks like the headlining needs removing and I don't trust them to put it back as it should be without damaging something else.

Surely it clips in, bit annoyed they didn't check the workshop manual or whatever they use to check

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Funny you should mention it but I noticed some condensation in the 3rd brake light on the 500c I testdrove last year.

Slightly off, my, topic but from that pic you attached there is a dealer somewhere in the UK who knows how to properly attach a number plate

The plate looks like it has been attached using the correct holes.

Cledwen said:

Slightly off, my, topic but from that pic you attached there is a dealer somewhere in the UK who knows how to properly attach a number plate

The plate looks like it has been attached using the correct holes.

Click to expand...

Slaters in Abergele

The "proper" way IMO is with double sided foam tape as it lokks nice & clean

Mark Elvin said:

The "proper" way IMO is with double sided foam tape as it lokks nice & clean

Click to expand...

At least when someone tries to steal your plate your car is less likely to be damaged if they can just unscrew it

Mark Elvin said:

The "proper" way IMO is with double sided foam tape as it lokks nice & clean

Click to expand...

No thats bodge it way #2

In answer to your question.

Only part of the roof lining needs to be removed, and for the best part it's fairly routine stuff providing they follow the procedures outlined in e-learn.

Maybe ask the dealership if they can provide you with a copy of the procedures for remove and refit as you would like to be able to change the bulb's yourself ? they may give them to you.

PM me if you get no joy tho.

Omad said:

Maybe ask the dealership if they can provide you with a copy of the procedures for remove and refit as you would like to be able to change the bulb's yourself ? they may give them to you.

PM me if you get no joy tho.

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and customer damages roof in progress and demands a new one under warranty because it was done according to instructions from dealership....no way!

Fair enough then T

Then Cledwen all i can suggest is that you go to a different dealer as the one you visited clearly didnt have a clue... maybe it was just that one tech at the dealer.

Omad said:

Fair enough then T

Then Cledwen all i can suggest is that you go to a different dealer as the one you visited clearly didnt have a clue... maybe it was just that one tech at the dealer.

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Cledwen, I know Hartwell will be close to you but in my experience the salespeople were pretty useless. I know the service dept could be better but first impressions count and I wouldn't take my car there. Slaters on the other hand have always been good to me

Omad / 306Maxi thanks for your comments, dealer has already ordered the offending part but I'll ask if I can watch whilst they replace it.

I'll chat to the service manager, we have a rapport after me throwing my toys out of the pram when sales put self tappers through the boot lid to mount the number plate - long story.

Omad I'll drop you a PM about the procedure.

Cledwen said:

Omad / 306Maxi thanks for your comments, dealer has already ordered the offending part but I'll ask if I can watch whilst they replace it.

I'll chat to the service manager, we have a rapport after me throwing my toys out of the pram when sales put self tappers through the boot lid to mount the number plate - long story.

Omad I'll drop you a PM about the procedure.

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Any updates to this..??
Omad
Cledwen

do you know scout..??

thanks,
Charlie

Nope, not me.

Hello all

New to the forum and hoping to get some advice.......
I have a Fiat 500 convertible and one of the brake lights has stopped working. Also having issues with the roof were I have to hold the button down now to close or open it fully, a click simply won't do it anymore. there is also a front running light out.

My local garage has had a look and says it needs a new computer...... I know very little about cars but I am not sure how a single brake light stops working due to a computer fault. There is nothing I or the garage can find physically wrong with the light.
Also previously the same garage had said the unit for the front running light was corroded but now think a new computer will fix that as well ?

My question is is the above situation even possible and am I being ripped off ?

Any advice is greatly appreciated as they aren't asking for peanuts

Is anyone able to advise of a decent reliable garage in the Swindon area ?

Also helps when I put this in the right place

carnovice13 said:

Hello all

New to the forum and hoping to get some advice.......
I have a Fiat 500 convertible and one of the brake lights has stopped working. Also having issues with the roof were I have to hold the button down now to close or open it fully, a click simply won't do it anymore. there is also a front running light out.

My local garage has had a look and says it needs a new computer...... I know very little about cars but I am not sure how a single brake light stops working due to a computer fault. There is nothing I or the garage can find physically wrong with the light.
Also previously the same garage had said the unit for the front running light was corroded but now think a new computer will fix that as well ?

My question is is the above situation even possible and am I being ripped off ?

Any advice is greatly appreciated as they aren't asking for peanuts

Is anyone able to advise of a decent reliable garage in the Swindon area ?

Also helps when I put this in the right place

Click to expand...

Check the hatch wiring before doing anything else. If the wiring is damaged (and it's an extremely common problem), then diagnostics can't be trusted.

carnovice13 said:

Hello all

New to the forum and hoping to get some advice.......
I have a Fiat 500 convertible and one of the brake lights has stopped working. Also having issues with the roof were I have to hold the button down now to close or open it fully, a click simply won't do it anymore. there is also a front running light out.

My local garage has had a look and says it needs a new computer...... I know very little about cars but I am not sure how a single brake light stops working due to a computer fault. There is nothing I or the garage can find physically wrong with the light.
Also previously the same garage had said the unit for the front running light was corroded but now think a new computer will fix that as well ?

My question is is the above situation even possible and am I being ripped off ?

Any advice is greatly appreciated as they aren't asking for peanuts

Is anyone able to advise of a decent reliable garage in the Swindon area ?

Also helps when I put this in the right place

Click to expand...

The first thing to do with the recalcitrant roof is to run an initialization procedure. I posted the page from the 500C supplementary manual a couple of years ago but basically it's this;

1. With the engine running, make sure the roof is fully closed.
2. Hold down the 'Open' button until the roof is fully open, i.e. right to the boot, and continue to hold the button down for another two seconds before you let go.
3. Hold the 'Close' button down until the roof is fully closed and again hold the button for another two seconds before releasing it.

The roof, unless there really is a problem, will then automatically go through a complete opening and closing sequence and should function normally thereafter.

The 'blown' LED in the brake light has probably succumbed to condensation. The only cure is a new brake light which is fitted from inside the spoiler. Forum member BigKev outlined the procedure a couple of years ago and I'll try to find the post for you. Basically it involved pulling the trim above the window aside and undoing about four screws to remove the spoiler.

Later;

Quote from BigKev;
“Well, actually I had a go at this last year (this is an old thread). The rear portion of head lining is unclipped, then four screws are removed to release the spoiler, then the whole LED unit can be replaced. On assembly, apply more sealant to the four screw holes to combat leaks, replace screws and headlining. Fiddly working in the back of the car (it is for me as I am a huge fella!) but not difficult for a competent DIY type.
The new LED unit is hellishly expensive though, at over £100!!!”


And here’s the link to the thread with the 500C manual page;
https://www.fiatforum.com/500/437720-fiat-500c-roof-problems.html?p=4184024


Good luck with it.

I wonder how they got on...?

I just had to remove my third 500c brake light due a some of the LED's not working. I've had the car from new and the Brake light has lasted 5yrs ...not good really .

Ordered a replacement from today , Fiat Part number : 77365246 @ £155 !!!

As they always seem to fill up with water I thought I would take the old light apart to see where it needs sealing to stop the new one leaking and becoming faulting again at this silly price!
The issue seems to be around the red lens and its mount to the lens backing , so once the new one arrives I will be sealing around the light to try and make it last longer then 5yrs !

To gain access to the light is quite easy once the roof lining is removed and the previously notes written on this are quite easy to follow but here are a few pictures of the lining and the lens apart showing the issue with the SMD ( surface mounted device) Led broken off the circuit board , I suspect due to the damp of the water getting into the lens .

Here are the Fiat notes to gain access to the 500c third brake light :