General Another fault!!!

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General Another fault!!!

Ross1979

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After spending £300 I didn't want to spend on my little Sei sporting last month it has been running like a dream!

BUT...
Now the brakes completely failed whilst driving on the M25, lucky the road wasn't busy and I managed to use the Handbrake to come to a halt!

Fiat have told me that it is a £500 job as the brake pipes have corroded and a few other bits too, I kinda lost focus after he told me the price so can't remember what exactly is wrong! oh, he said the handbrake is seized too. Seems very expensive to me, especially as the car is only worth about double that!

Does that seem expensive to anyone else? Fiat claim it will take 4.5hrs labour which i'm guessing is the major part of the cost!

Where is the best place to get parts?

If I can't get it sorted cheap then this really is the end for my Seicento which to be honest I really will not miss!
 
handbrake will have seized because of the linkages in the drums. 15 quid from fiat and an hour of your time to swap.

as for brake lines. there is cheaper places out there. have a shop around.
 
500 quid, they are avin a laugh. go to a backstreet garage or two and get some quotes.
 
I will have replaced the whole car by the time I'm done lol

£65 just for them to look at it and tell me what was wrong! Getting it towed home tomorrow for £20. I might just flog it to someone that is after an abarth bodykit, interior, rims etc... engine has only done 40k but i have really had enough of it now!
 
I'm in Brighton, the garage that quoted me was PDH in hassocks.
 
there have been several FIAT recall's on brake line corrosion. None for the Sei, but it may be worth asking the dealer to photograph it, and speak to FIAT UK. It may be done under good will. If they are unwilling, speak to FIAT UK yourself. Explain the severity of the situation, and that it lucky you survived. Put on a big sad sob story and highlight the dangers.

Being by the sea it may be just general corrosion however, in which case you'll have to bite the bullet, but as others say, go to a non-dealer.

Alternativly you can do it DIY and save a lot of money. I reccommend copper lines so you avoid any future corrosion. Think you can get them.

Good luck, and heres hoping nothing else goes wrong!

Kristian
 
Reference : R/2000/117
Manufacturer Ref : 4089
Make: FIAT
Model : Seicento
Launch Date : 07/12/2000
Numbers Involved : 1084
Build Start Date : 01/01/1998
Build End Date : 31/12/1999
Concern : POSSIBLE CHAFING OF BRAKE PIPES.
Description : Possible chafing of front rigid brake pipes at near side front against the plastic wheel arch liner or against the gearbox mounting. Also at the off side front against the engine timing belt cover.
Remedial Action : Reposition any chafing brake pipe to comply with the manufacturer's prescribed clearance between adjacent parts. Renew any brake pipe that has been chafed beyond a serviceable condition.
Vehicle Id : ZFA187000000001 to ZFA18700000192967
 
what exactly is the post above? some sort of fiat recal? My car is an S reg which puts it inside the dates above. It is also strange that it mentions the timing belt cover as that is one of the things that fiat replaced when it went it for repair last month.
 
Just found that same info on AA site, cheers. Also my car is one of the ones that could be affected. I'll take that up with them :D
 
cool, thanks for that :D

My car is def in that range so does that mean i could possibly be getting it repaired free of charge? Surely they would know it was a recalled car? or would a fiat main dealer really try to rip me off?
 
here is exactly what was found to be wrong with the car...

strip out rear drums and found... brake hose leaking, brake pipe rusted, both rear cylinders leaking, rear shoes worn, both handbrake levers seized.

Total repair cost £502

I've had a quote from a local guy and he seems to think A LOT less, around about £120 inc parts. I've seen the shoes and cylinders on ebay (4 shoes, 2 cylinders) for £23 delivered so I'll snap those up then its just the brake pipe/hose!

Fiat must be charging a shed load per hour £90ish and taking there time with the job too!

Thanks to everyone that replied to this thread, shame it wasn't the front pipe as in the recall (bummer!).

Cheers :D
 
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