Hi all, just stumbled across this forum and it looks like its just what im after.

After some help and advice after making my first fiat purchase.

1.4 Bravo P reg with 48k miles. Mint inside and great bodywork. Only thing is its not the best of starters, especially in the morning. It does start but at times seems a little reluctant to fire up.

My local garage hooked it up and said there was a faulty temp sensor that was to do with the choke, made sense so had it done for £80. Still doing it now and they say they cant find anything wrong at all on computer, battery fine etc. They have now said however that after testing the key ( can you test them? ) that its showing a fault on the key.

What do these keys do exactly and does it sound likely that could indeed be the problem? I have my red key so will try that in the morning to see if it makes any difference at all. If the gubbins inside the key is faulty will the car still turn over but not start or would it just be completely dead and not even attempt to start?

Anyone have any other ideas of what it could be? At the moment im having to hold off my joy at owning my first fiat.

Welcome to the forum Probably best to check simple things first.
So as its winter check your battery has the correct cold cranking amps.

Minimum for 1.4 12v is 40Ah and cold crank 200A
Its always best to go a bit above the minimum.

Everytime you start the car first turn they key one notch to power the car, wait for the orange key code/immobiliser light to go out on the dash. Once that light goes out turn they key all the way to start. See if that’s any better.

Worth noting because If you just jump in and turn the key all the way your fighting against the immobiliser for a few seconds.

This testing the key sounds strange, the key has one chip inside that holds a code to disable the immobiliser, hardly something that can go faulty or have an intermittent fault. If they all start they car they should be fine. Keep the red one safe it is a master key.

Adrian_Bravo_96 said:

Welcome to the forum Probably best to check simple things first.
So as its winter check your battery has the correct cold cranking amps.

Minimum for 1.4 12v is 40Ah and cold crank 200A
Its always best to go a bit above the minimum.

Everytime you start the car first turn they key one notch to power the car, wait for the orange key code/immobiliser light to go out on the dash. Once that light goes out turn they key all the way to start. See if that’s any better.

Worth noting because If you just jump in and turn the key all the way your fighting against the immobiliser for a few seconds.

This testing the key sounds strange, the key has one chip inside that holds a code to disable the immobiliser, hardly something that can go faulty or have an intermittent fault. If they all start they car they should be fine. Keep the red one safe it is a master key.

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Thanks for the advice. Im not at all up on cars so I would need to get a garage to check my battery out, but the one ive been to said it was fine. I thought the key thing was a little strange, certainly the only way I should have a problem would be if the orange key light wasnt going out right?

I think I may have to take it to another garage, hopefully a fresh pair of eyes may try something simple that the other garage has overlooked. To be honest It might be best if I dont tell them where we are up to so far, I might just let them make their own mind up about it. Will be interesting to see what they come up with.

Any further advice would be appreciated and I will post any outcomes.

Yeah your right you will only get a problem with the keys if the code light does not go out

Defiantly take it to another garage, but can you look at the stickers on your battery yourself? If you ask them something so simple they may take advantage of you.

Your starting problem may be something as simple as a dirty battery contacts or dirty earth contacts. You can easily test the alternator if you have a multimeter.

Good luck

Just had my battery checked twice, once at Halfords who simply stated it was unservicable. Then tried another local garage I have used before ( not the one I used for the previous checks on the fiat who have stated the battery was fine ).

The battery report is as follows ....

Battert Test

Input parameter

Cold start Cur : 410A
Batt Standard SAE
Battery Temp > 0c

Battery Test

Test Result

Voltage 13.22V
Start capacity : 60%
Battery Unserviceable

.....

Does that mean its likely indeed to be a problem with the battery? Just seems strange the other garage said it was ok????

He said the other thing it could be is a lazy starter, but he said its unlikely as I would be likely to have trouble starting it constantly, not just first thing in a morning more than anything.

So, new battery time?

binkee said:

So, new battery time?

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Based on the report print-out I'd say so. That engine should fire up straight away - if the battery's only got 60% capacity left, it could be that the battery voltage is dropping enough when you crank the engine that it drops below the voltage at which the coils will trigger.
Get a new battery and check all the connections before looking elsewhere.

plugs and leads the 1.4s do anialate plug leads pretty often normally due to old plugs

or is it actually turning over slowly aswell

littlepip17 said:

or is it actually turning over slowly aswell

Click to expand...

I would say possibly a little slowly yes. Does that tend to indicate the battery more?

binkee said:

I would say possibly a little slowly yes. Does that tend to indicate the battery more?

Click to expand...

well hard to say really unless i hear it exactly what it's doing if it's turning over and making no attempt to start atall not even a splutter then yea sounds like the ecu is cutting out from volt drop you could always get someone to take a lead off and put a plug in it and watch for a spark wile holding it on the engin will tell you if it's doing anything

other things that can test that is toe/bump starting it see if it fires any better

a posibility could be a weak signal from the crank sensor aswell not giving it a signal at lower rpms

So what exactly does

start capacity 60%
Battery Unserviceable

mean in real terms? From the report was it right that the first garage said the battery is ok as its giving 13v and over 400a ?

i had simalar trouble with my bravo, it struggle to start, almost like the battery was weak, but i had new battery, starter motor and alternator fitted but did not fix the starting troubles, i cleaned the crank sensor and it did the trick.

Still been chasing this fault and now it seems to have exploded. Had the battery, CPS changed. Then it came up with an engine management fault saying fuel circuit or something.

So today it was back in and decided to start revving of its own accord. We have now been told that it seems to be the engine management itself that is faulty. Its showing no faults anymore but still has this difficult to start after its been sat a while and now at the moment revving up to maybe 2000rpm and then back down while idling.

So does the ecu itself being faulty sound logical? The garage are trying to source a price of a second hand one and have told me a new one is around the £600 mark.

Any advise or experience of this kind of thing?

£600!?!?!

Try ebay, a good second hand one for my hgt was only £80!

Before you do that though I would look through some of the other posts on here about similar situations as I doubt its the ECU, unless they didn't disconnect the battery before testing it?

I reckon they have buggered a sensor somewhere when the battery was re-connected.

Lee

If you really do need another ecu, try this guy:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Brand-New-Fia...14&_trkparms=72:1301|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

You could try checking your throttle pedal link bar gap. This needs to be adjusted when engine is fully warmed up. See Vol1 page 143

We adjusted our sons car when cold (so as to take up all the slack) and found the engine idle to rise and fall when warm. Don't think our engine managements lights came on though.

Go with the others suspect something silly..
Let us all know when you've got it sorted.

Also.....
Bravo service manuals can be found here...
http://www.babarmalik.com/ledmods.htm

Vol 1 Engine, Clutch,Gearbox&Diff, Brakes, Steering, Suspension & wheels
Vol 2 Alarm,Electrics & Bodywork

Good luck
Tracy.

Thanks for the replies on this. Im a bit frazzled at the moment as ive spend around about £1,000 now on a car thats just running mental at the moment.

The idling thing has now stopped now, were on the cutting out completely phase while driving.

The annoying thing is, when a dash light first came on, it came up fuel circuit and the guy at the garage just cleared it ( who didnt know the history our car had ) and said it might not come back on now, just see how it goes. Now that fault isnt showing up when the ecu is plugged in, its just saying the ecu itself is faulty so they have told me.

I know nothing about cars, but this whole thing definately seems fuel related to me. Struggling to start first time after being stood and when it does start you can hear its like its struggling to get that first bit of fuel through. Then the idling thing, cutting out.

Ive emailed the guy from ebay as per the link above and asked if he has any ecu's for my model. If he has, its down to asking my garage if they are confident that replacing the ecu will solve the problem.

Will keep you updated as to how this goes and of course if anyone else has any relevant experiences / info, it would be appreciated.

Thanks.