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Technical Power Steering Failure, Battery light on dashboard

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Technical Power Steering Failure, Battery light on dashboard

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Watmo64

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Dec 21, 2011
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Hiya everyone.
Having a nightmare with my 08 punto at the min. I have no knowledge of cars so any advice at all will be a great help.
This morning on my way to work (only a 3/4 min journey) my car was making a screaching noise. Started about 30/45secs in. The battery light also lit up for the whole journey. When i came to park the power steering had lost power and i couldnt move the car at all (i am only small, please dont laugh). I ended up leavin the car at work until just now when a friend took me to try retrieve it. He managed to move it and once over about 5mph the power steering seems fine. Battery light is still on though. Any ideas on what this could be? Is it safe for me to try get to work at 5am tomorrow?
Any questions please ask.
Thank you all
Claire
 
Most prob nothing related but my left hand signal and brake lights are also faulty. One minute working and the next not. I have only had the car for 5 months, its proving to be a lot of trouble.
Thanks
 
Watmo64 said:
Hiya everyone.
Having a nightmare with my 08 punto at the min. I have no knowledge of cars so any advice at all will be a great help.
This morning on my way to work (only a 3/4 min journey) my car was making a screaching noise. Started about 30/45secs in. The battery light also lit up for the whole journey. When i came to park the power steering had lost power and i couldnt move the car at all (i am only small, please dont laugh). I ended up leavin the car at work until just now when a friend took me to try retrieve it. He managed to move it and once over about 5mph the power steering seems fine. Battery light is still on though. Any ideas on what this could be? Is it safe for me to try get to work at 5am tomorrow?
Any questions please ask.
Thank you all
Claire
Click to expand...

I'd say an aux belt or similar has snapped. If so the alternator won't charge and it won't go far.

Best to get it looked at. Do you have breakdown cover at all?
 
Js spoke to a mechanic who is saying it will cost me about £600/700 as it needs a new steering stick. I just dont think i can trust them, am sure their trying to make money from me. I dont even know what a steering stick is just know i dont want to pay that much if possible.
Thanks Andy
 
Hi vegasphil,
yes with the RAC.
Is it possible to tell if a belts snapped from looking. Apologies i am awful with cars.
Thank you
 
Watmo64 said:
Js spoke to a mechanic who is saying it will cost me about £600/700 as it needs a new steering stick. I just dont think i can trust them, am sure their trying to make money from me. I dont even know what a steering stick is just know i dont want to pay that much if possible.
Thanks Andy
Click to expand...

probably bull **** without some advanced diagnostics eg plugging the car in to a decent fiat orientated diagnostic system its impossible to tell without doing plenty of tests... ...

a bad Battery/ alternator or earth cable (or belt) can cause this and loads more issues (air bag faults imobiliser faults all sorts) .......


to check the belt do you have air conditioning or not?

this is a pic i took mid strip down of a punto 1.2 (same as the 1.4 8v ) engine you can see the alternator silver thing with gold wires inside the vents this is the cars without air con

with the rubber drive belt half removed

attachment.php



stand near the drivers side wheel and look near the dipstick its just behind that


the air con version uses a much longer belt but if you can see the belt going round when the car is running it should be ok...

(just keep any hair or loose clothing away from it or your fingers)
 
Last edited:
it could be a siezed alternator that would make the belt screech and snap. with no alternator to charge the battery, the steeering which runs off the battery wont work for long.
 
Thank you all so much. Turned out to be the alternator. Getting fitted with a new one in the morning.
Just thought I forgot to mention the problem with my lights. Brake lights not working then coming back on and also indicator not working and coming back on. At times left brake lights would flash when indicating left instead of indicator flashing.
Could this have been caused by the alternator being broke or is this just an additional problem.
Again thanks for the previous guidance. Spot on
 
As for your lights it sounds like a earthing issue...

take the rear light cluster out clean the plug, socket and contacts up in the light cluster with a bit of contact cleaner and a bit of scotchbrite (green pan scourer should be ideal)



https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-punto-guides/170508-how-replace-tail-light-bulb.html



it could also be the brake light bulb at fault (has been mentioned before ) whilst you have the lights in bits might as well replace them to be sure (dont buy them from halfords try a smaller car shop they are often MUCH cheaper just ensure you fit it correctly as with a bit of force you can fit it the wrong way round meaning the sidelight becomes as bright as the brake light and the brake light becomes as dim as the side light...


http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_195717_langId_-1_categoryId_255223
 
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