Technical Overheating problem- new to the forum

[Lucy115]

Hi all. Completely new to this forum thing so not 100% sure how it works. I posted this same question in the Newbies section but was told to put it somewhere else.

So i have a Fiat Siecento (first car). It has been going fine without problems. A little while ago i was driving and it slowed down and stopped. At first i thought my petrol was too low (i have only recently started to drive) however it wasnt that. So i restarted it after 5- 10 minutes and it would drive fine for a few minutes then slow down and stop. The car seemed to act like it was overheating & cutting out the engine. I would pull up for a while then it would drive fine. So thought maybe it was overheating. and thought nothing of it. I had it checked over as i had a MOT due the next week and wanted it to pass. So I took it for the MOT last week (and it passed) and on the way home it broke down AGAIN.

What seems to be happening is overheating and the engine is cutting out. If it is left for a few minutes it will start again but repeat the overheating and cutting out continuously.
However the fans are working perfectly fine and i don't think the car is actually over heating.

On the diagnostic computer the error P0115 is coming up which apparently means water temperature sensor so we replaced it for a new one- however, the problem is still happening.

it runs slightly longer than it did before changing the sensor however it is still cutting out repeatedly.

We think there might be 2 sensors but can only find one. Maybe a cam pulley sensor?

Just to be clear - All my waters, oils, etc are filled and the fans work perfectly fine.

Has anyone ever experienced this before or know what could be wrong with it?

All help is appreciated.

Sorry it seems to be a bit of a long essay too!
Thanks.

 

[Eklipze3k]

For those who've not seen it (I did reply to the original thread btw) here it is - https://www.fiatforum.com/newbie-central/354885-help-overheating.html

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi Again,

when it cuts out while driving..WHAT lights are on.. ?

where ( in degrees Celsius ) is the temp gauge showing ?.

does the engine cooling fan cut in when it's coasting to a stop..??

where are you based..??,
this is a popular section, somebody may be quite local,
and be able to rule out the obvious..

charlie - Oxford

 

[Eklipze3k]

where ( in degrees Celsius ) is the temp gauge showing ?

Seicentos don't have a gauge, just an "oh crap" light

 

[varesecrazy]

Seicentos don't have a gauge, just an "oh crap" light

I'd suspected that.. hence the "WHAT lights" question..,

charlie

 

[The Black Box]

I'd be suspecting the crank sensor located at the bottom near oil filter if give it a clean first of all they tend to get covered in muck.

 

[fingers99]

Worth trying spraying the crank sensor with something like WD40 (to clean it), but sure signs of the crank sensor being the issue are:

No spark (when cranked) and dry plugs after cranking. If not both, look elsewhere.

If the ECU doesn't recieve a message from the crank sensor it simply believes that the engine isn't running, so supplies no spark and doesn't open the injector(s) -- no fuel.