Hi everyone,

Just joined this forum in the hope that someone can give me some idea's what is going on with my Fiat Bravo Trofeo (W-reg). I'm no mechanic I'm afraid, so my descriptions are bound to be limited!

I'd noticed a few days ago that the power to accelerate would disappear when driving (scary at junctions / roundabouts etc). Seemed to happen more often from cold than when the car had warmed up. No warning lights seemed to appear so far when this is happening.

Also over the past couple of days I've had problems with starting it. It sounds to me as if the engine isn't firing up because there is no fuel getting through. (i.e. the starter motor seems OK and I've reciently got a new battery plus it doesn't seem electrical) If I leave the car for 5 or 10 mins and try again it seems to work again. (like when it is flooded but it isn't... honest!)

I hadn't noticed any warning lights to give me an idea of what could be causing this problem, but today the car wouldn't start and I noticed that the fuel Injection light did not go out after turning on the ignition. Again after leaving the car for about 10 mins the light went out again and the car started.

Any help and advise would be welcome

Thanks all

what engine is it? (always helps a lot )

what work/servicing have you had done in the last few months/year?

Sorry Jug, Told you I'm no mechanic! My car is a Bravo 80 16V Trofeo and I'm pretty sure it is only 1.2 or 1.3.

The only major work that has happened on this car is that the steering column and drivers airbag had to be replaced when it went off as I was driving along. Other than than it has been regularly serviced (although the last couple have not been through Fiat dealerships as the one's around here don't seem to be very reputible)

I've got the car booked in to have come diagnostics run next Wednesday, but wondered if you might have any ideas of what I might be looking at?

a diagnsotic is the best thing to do at this stage. it sounds like you have a sensor fault, but which one is difficult to say with the info you've provided. i'd hazard a guess that its the lambda sensor or throttle position sensor, but its best to see what the diagnostic shows up.

Woz.Zed said:

drivers airbag had to be replaced when it went off as I was driving

Click to expand...

WHAT!!!
thats terrible. i'd have crapped my pants!!

Hi Jug,

Yes, all pretty scary at the time... the airbag warning light had come on just prior to the car needing a service (and before we were planning to go on holiday to Ireland), so I had specifically told the Fiat garage to look into it when I put it in. I was then told that they hadn't had time but that it is was OK, they see this type of thing quite often and it was safe. :nutter:
I was told to get it booked in again after we get back off holiday, but whilst driving back from Ireland (at 3 in the morning in the middle of no where in Wales) there was an electrical burning smell and the air bag deployed! Luckly I was slowing down to pull over on a roundabout where there was some street lights, so didn't lose control.
When I went back to the garage I was told that they would never had suggested such a thing, and that I shouldn't have been driving a car with a red warning light!! Cost just under a grand to fix all the electrics, airbag, clockspring and replace the steering column. I was not happy. Several years later the light came back on, and when I took it to another dealership (after several tests and computer re-sets) I was told I needed a new airbag and steering column as the last one had been fitted by cowboys! :bang: (hence my distrust of Fiat dealership's)

I'll let you know what the diagnostic's come up with (if anything) and will pass your comments on to the garage to see if they agree.

Thanks again.

Hi Jug,

Sorry I've not been about for a while, garage had a look and identified the problem with a sensor on the crank shaft. I wanted to give it a little while to make sure that replacing the sensor has cured the problem, but seems that all is well.

Thanks for all your help

Hi all, i m new here, and i have same problem as you .. few months i experienced some bad cold starts and poor driving when engine is cold, but suddenly during the day it would not start and yellow lamp on the dash appeard...

i didnt went to diagnostic because it works fine now, i dont now how and it goes better as before .. i will first change my spark plugs didnt change it for 20000miles

one question more, my temperature clock suddenly jumps up and when i punch it falls off to the middle line, does it have any connection to my problem

aha mine does that to... i fort she was over heating but i gave her a little tap and she dropped back down.

my fuel gauge does the same aswel, i fort i was in the red but i actually had half a tank!

Italian Electrics are aweful!

yeah right, but i need some assistence about that, how can i fix the problem ?

the gauge problem is fairly common, and usually due to a short on the pcb in the instrument panel. it is worth while checking the 2 connectors behind the instrument panel are securely connected.

if a yellow light illuminates (which says key code) when it will not start it means the immob is not switching off, which means the code reader aerial around the ignition barrel is not working, or the immob is not getting power, or there is a wiring fault somewhere. since your problme is intermittent it is most likely to be a dirty or rusty connection, such as on the immob's fuse in the engine bay.