Hi there
I am hoping that by posting general thread someone might be able to help
I posted thread-intermittent booming noise from engine in Croma area
although I received wise words I am still no further from Knowing what problem with the car is
Took car to Exeter fiat-who said that when the noise returned I should drive direct to them!
It is intermittent and happens if I am stationary or on the move
I noticed that the noise appeared as I changed gear on one occasion
normally when travelling at low speeds
I can get rid of the noise by lifting foot off accelerator pedal slightly when travelling at 70mph
the noise is more noticeable behind the wheel
and when stationary it was noticed to originate from top left hand side of the engine if one was looking at the car from front on so to speak
also one of the fuel pipe was shaking (but I am not sure which)
all diagnostic checks have been clear
not turbo related or exhaust apparently

Does anyone have any ideas?
At wits end!

Amanda

Interesting that no-one has a clue
However I Know more now
The noise was located to the fuel filter
that has been replaced
still have the noise
which is an almost constant drowning
I went to yet another garage

He lifted a rubber fuel pipe that was touching the engine
and voila the noise diappeared

However not completely
When accelerating hard the noise is apparent but not constant

Wondering whether it is the tank fuel pump or high pressure one
or something else
Thanks
Amanda


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What's the exact model of your Croma? Petrol or diesel? Turbo or not? Could you just describe the noise itself a bit? A small video could perhaps help too.

does it sound like an induction type of noise? could be a loose or split part of the induction that opens up at certain times like going over a bump or turning a corner

The noise now generates itself pre-ignition before turning over to start the car
By the way it is 1.9 multivalve diesel engine
I have had the cam belt and all other belts changed
rear suspension
2 new tyres
fuel filter and oil change
spent nearly £1000 and still have the problem

It is the worst car ever made
and the knowledge of mechanics in the garages I have visited non-existent it could be this it could be that etc

Anyone got any ideas now?

Amanda

Just to update everyone on situation
The noise happens at pre ignition (still happens)

and only yesterday
a warning to all croma drivers
the steering lock engaged whilst driving the bloody car.

I have been in touch with FIAT and have a case no
I will update in due course

This is the worst car I have ever owned
No wonder fiat ditched it.

are you sure it was steering lock and not just pas cut out, it can go very stiff and seem like its locked

abininie said:

and only yesterday
a warning to all croma drivers
the steering lock engaged whilst driving the bloody car.

I have been in touch with FIAT and have a case no
I will update in due course
.

Click to expand...

Now this is very worrying.

On old style mechanical locks it was almost impossible to get the steering lock to engage as this required

a) ignition to be turnd off
b) key physically extracted

if electrical gremlins can enged the steering lock whilst driving then this is a serious design fault. On something like this then I would expect a double or trebble fault event to happen before this scenario could be reached.

There is a double safety on the steering lock system, it requires the ignition to be turned off and the car to be stationary I believe. Question to Amanda is; what indication did you have that the steering lock engaged - did you hear it engage or did the steering wheel just lock/went almost impossible to turn (i.e. loss of power assistance)?

Don't doubt the double safety but we are now talking about a electromechanical device that responds to a state table, possible previous events in that state table, etc. All this is now computer controlled, electrically driven and potentially subject to all sorts of events such as Electrostatci Discharge, Low Battery, multiple connector oxidation/corrosion.

I've not even attempted to deeply research this but my fist thoughts are:

1) lock is solenoid driven (plunger in a slot type of restriction)
2) default safe postion in an event of any system or electrcal failure would be "out" and thus disengaged and requiring power and command to engage
3) Item 2) would require/mean
a) positive power to engage/drive solenoid thus draining battery whilst parked
b) battery removal would remove steering lock

I'm pretty sure my Croma steering lock remains engaged with the battery removed.

In a pure traditional mechanical steering lock the driver is the source of the power and the source of the command.

You don't get steering locks, ignition locks etc. on aircraft. Just entry locks of the obvious safety reasons.

isnt the steering lock a saab design that they have used for years and years with no problem?

From the zzupp noise when it takes it off, I'd guess that it's stable and uses no power in either the locked or unlocked state. It only needs power to change its state.

In other words, it's like a light switch, and the solenoid is like your finger.

I would have thought it is designed to fail safely. As said above, I'd hope the OP's problem was actually a failure of the power steering. I have parked mine when the battery was flat, and it's incredibly heavy.

abininie,
So by pre-ignition noise do you mean it happens while the engine is cranking and being driven only by the starter motor?

Is the car cranking swiftly? Or is it lethargically cranking along? Over time my cars cranking slowed down as the battery died. But I didnt really notice the slowing as it happened slowly over time. Also note that having a new battery fitted does not exactly put that possibility out of the question. As fitters have been known to fit batteries that are much smaller than the factory supplied unit.

A decent mechanic should recognize this immediately, but its worth a mention since no-one else has.

As for the power steering...I have had a couple instances where the steering has been very hard ie...not power assisted..manual steering(including moving the electrically assisted motor), but not locked. Depending on how hard you tried to steer? I think its possible the steering might have seemed locked. But my experiences were directly related to alternator/battery failure. But again I was able to steer but at considerable increased effort.

No real solution here, sorry for that, but I would make sure to have someone put a voltmeter on the car and make sure the alternator is supplying something like 14 volts while running. Also I would physically look at the battery and make sure it fills the battery box supplied from Fiat. If its been replaced with a significantly smaller unit it could be a problem!

John