(T) Is this right?

I have a 06 plate 1.2 Fiat Grande Punto active. Ever since I have had the car, there is a very slight knocking when driving very slowly over uneven surfaces. There is also a knocking noise when turning the steering wheel from side to side.

I took the car into my local Fiat dealer a few months ago. While there, I mentioned that early models had been experiencing problems with the steering rack. The technician at the garage said that there are steps they have to go through before they come to that conclusion. The upshot was that they fixed the clock spring in the steering wheel. However, the noise is still there.

The other day, I went into another Fiat dealer in my area on spec. One of the technicians came out in the car with me and I showed him the knocking/creaking steering wheel. We then went for a drive on a bumpy road in order for me to show him the slight knocking noise. I also mentioned to him about the problems experienced by others with the faulty steering rack. He said that, if it was the steering rack, the noise would be more prevalent on the passenger side, which its not.

He took the car into the workshop. Later, I received a telephone call to say that I do indeed need a new steering rack.

I am a bit puzzled. Does the car need a new steering rack or could it be that the technician could not find what was wrong, so went with "customer mentioned faulty steering rack, that's what it must be".

Thanks in advance for your help.

well, considering like you say, other members from the gp section have flagged this same problem up, then maybe you are suffering from the same thing. but it does seem a little weird that he dismissed it and now he has confirmed that you need the new part/s.

have the work done and see if the noise stops, if not, then get them to look into it more. hope it all gets sorted matey!!!

I have this as well. Dealer has tried to fix this several times; first they said it was a loose bolt, then they said something else, but nonetheless the problem is still there. Since (for me) its so minor I've just learned to live with it.

A little off topic; I wonder how much faith people have in their dealers/technicians. I know T is really helpful on the forum, but what about the ones you've dealt with? I've had cases where I've been told completely different things depending on who I spoke to. Is it really that difficult to get things right?

Check out my thread about my rack replacement HERE

My rack has been replaced, and still the noises are there. That is of course assuming that the dealer did actually replace the rack when they said they did......

They probably didnt want to change it because i would imagine its quite a big job, but the tech probably got back and told his manager and his manger told him to replace it. Remember......the dealership makes a nice few quid on warranty work....my dealership charger 120 an hour.....FOR A FIAT WTF!!!

Steering rack is 2.2 hours...dealer will get about £60 for it.

Warranty work is poorly paid (and no time for diagnosis even if it takes you 3 days to find a fault!) so garages prefer retail work.

i get a knocking after ive just started the car. can hear it at low speeds. pretty sure it goes away though.

i have decided that fiat dealers are a bunch of cow boys try and find someone maybe a mate that can taqke a look at it coz fiat are ******s

Why do you say this 'gppunto'?

I think to be fair to all the dealers you should pinpoint which ones you believe are cowboys and describe why you think so. Its a bit like say "All French people are loud", but not all of them are, right?

The ABS light came on again in the wifes GP this week, she panics about things like this so she rang me at work to tell me. I told her to speak to the dealer and make arrangements to get it looked at. She rang the service dept 8 times, on each occasion it went unanswered. After about an hour and 15mins and on the ninth try someone finaly answered. She made arrangements to have the car looked at on Monday morning. An hour later the service receptionist rang back asking what time it was booked in for because, and by her own admission! she had forgot to add the details onto the system........ It hardly inspires confidence in me and Fiat wonder why people complain about their dealers. It hurts me to say it but every time I have dealings with them its like being at a fuggin` Chimps tea-party!

1) Make sure body computer has had software updated.
2) If its a rear sensor fault let me know