Hi All,

I returned to my 08 plate Grande Punto 1.2 at the station last night, and turned the ignition key - and nothing!! The only sound was from the radio. Dash lights came on - with the immobilser light remaining illuminated.

Breakdown guy thought it was a key fault, but after running diagnostics it detected an ECU fault, and said Key was OK. Couldn't get me started so recovered to home. Have now arranged for a garage to look at it tomorrow, and will need recovery to take me there.

I always used to get the car serviced/repaired near my old workplace, and trusted that garage - however due to redundancy I have changed jobs and they are now over 30 miles away. Using a new garage locally now and just wondered if anyone on here had any hints & tips of what it could be so I am armed with a bit of knowledge - forgive stereotyping but as a female get worried I might get ripped off!

Breakdown report says (if I read his writing correctly!)
No cam message from ECM:
-BC/ABS report "U" codes for ECM
-Key OK
-EC relay has no switches earth signal from ECM
-Fuses OK
-Relays OK

After driving 50 miles round trip to work everyday for 9 years, car is on 94500 miles. But now I have a new job I commute by train so car is rarely driven now apart from short trips at weekends - hence repair not urgent and dont want to spend a fortune on it (relative to its value)

Any advice greatly appreciated
Many thanks

Similar thing happened to my car last week, I had the clutch slave cylinder replaced and the bloke had left the gearbox covered in brake fluid.

Problem was a wet gearbox earth, he dried it up and the car started normally. I suggest its a similar fix for your car check the 'electrical gremlins thread' (something like that)

That's interesting Sam, thanks.
Car is already with garage now, just waiting for them to call with their verdict!

I would agree with sam and be thinking maybe a bad earth or electrical problem. Hopefully wont be to much and take to long to fix.

You'll have to let us all know if you don't mind what the problem seemed to be.

Well I called the garage when I hadn't heard anything by 16:45. They had been looking at the car for around an hour and couldn't detect what the fault is.
So I told him what Sam had said on the forum, and they are going to continue investigations and call me in the morning!
Will keep you posted

If you have a printer then print (https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-punto/318839-electrical-gremlin-thread.html and https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-pu...nto-engine-bay-earthing-points.html?p=4010410) ones the electrical gremlin faq and other is earthing points in the engine bay

These may help if they cant figure it out

Thanks Cobalt01 I will see what they say in the morning and email the links over to them.
Your help is much appreciated!

So I heard from the garage.... not good news

Says it needs a new ECU, costs as follows. Going to cost more than the car is worth so don't think it's worth it....

"Vehicle Not Starting due to Engine ECU not communicating with the vehicle.

Cost for repair as below:

Diagnostic £70.00 + VAT
ECU £570 + VAT
Labour £140 + VAT
Programming £120 + VAT
Battery £100 + VAT"

The initial recovery guy suggested a second hand ECU would be fine but the garage wouldn't recommend / entertain the idea...

Any suggestions?

You go to main dealer or a normal garage? Have they checked for bad earth and the ecu connectors or they just going off a diagnostic test? Maybe wrong but read on other parts of the forum this can cause an issue with not communicating with the ecu

Here is the link https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/350780-ecu-fault.html

It was a local garage, not a Fiat dealer.
I will ask them your questions, thanks

SKA said:

It was a local garage, not a Fiat dealer.
I will ask them your questions, thanks

Click to expand...

According to my hand book the fuse box in the engine bay (by the battery) seems to have a few ecu fuses. These are numbers:

11 (Engine management system secondary load) 10 amps (under 17)

16 (Engine management control unit/system management and relay) 5 amps (middle one on the right)

17 (Engine management control unit power supply) 10 amps (top left)

18 (Engine control unit/system management relay) 5 amps (bottom fuse on the left)

By your post they may have been checked already but if not its worth a check.

Mine has u1700 error code which is engine control to body computer an runs fine.

Only spend what you can afford on putting into the car. My last car i had, i got told by a dealer that needed new cylinders has no compression on 1 and 4 (new engine more or less). Turned out was egr valve and injector seals (car wouldn't start)/ Got them replaced and all was good.

Thanks Cobalt. The recovery mechanic checked all the fuses and relays and said they were all OK.

I sent your links to the garage last night to see if they had checked the earths and ecu connections, just to verify what exactly they've looked at - will see what they say.

Otherwise, my bf knows an independent mechanic and is going to speak to him - we looked online and can get an ecu much cheaper so if he can fit and program it and get the car running again will go down that route.

Had been planning to change the car this year, but when I got made redundant and changed job, it meant that I only use the car at weekends so didn't seem worth buying new car for it to sit on drive all week. But may have to rethink as don't want to be worried that it's going to break down every time I go out! At my last service and MOT the garage said the car was "very tired" and expected lots of things to need replacing over the coming years... (I know how it feels!! LOL)

Will let you know how I get on today... only issue is getting the car back from garage in its undriveable state

Thanks again

Good luck an hope you sort it out. Not sure but think multiecu scan can reprogram the ecu if go down that route.

When my old car wouldn't start I rang a independent recovery guy to take it from place to place.

Thanks.

I just spoke to the garage and they say they have tested earths and all connectors are clean. They aren't getting any error codes as the ECU isn't communicating with the vehicle. I asked them if a Fiat dealership would get any additional results from their own diagnostics and he didn't seem to think so.

I get it recovered to my partner's friend and see what he can do - only prob he's away til Tues, so hope they can hold onto the car until then to avoid 2 recovery call outs!

SKA said:

Thanks.

I just spoke to the garage and they say they have tested earths and all connectors are clean. They aren't getting any error codes as the ECU isn't communicating with the vehicle. I asked them if a Fiat dealership would get any additional results from their own diagnostics and he didn't seem to think so.

I get it recovered to my partner's friend and see what he can do - only prob he's away til Tues, so hope they can hold onto the car until then to avoid 2 recovery call outs!

Click to expand...

Did you get this sorted ? I am experiencing similar.

Hi Dymmy
Well very strangely when my friends mechanic got the car it started first time!! He was unable to detect or replicate any fault. He kept the car for a week, tried a few different things and every time the same, ran diagnostics and no fault! Disconnected battery and left for a while and can only think the ECU reset itself and cleared the fault.
I was a bit concerned about taking the car and driving it, so I rang a fiat dealership and explained what had happened, read out the error codes the first garage had given me, none of which he said would be any cause for concern apart from the non communication between the ECU and the engine, causing the immobiliser light to come on, but as the car was now starting this would have cleared. He was very honest and said bringing the car to them for further diagnostics wouldn't help unless the fault occurred again.
The only thing I can think was as a previous poster had said something had got wet and once dried out it was fine. The day it happened was a very wet day, and I had parked facing downwards on a hill, when I opened the bonnet lots of water ran out.... Not a very technical explanation I know!!!
Hope you get yours sorted! Glad I got a second opinion and saved myself a grand!!

SKA said:

Hi Dymmy
Well very strangely when my friends mechanic got the car it started first time!! He was unable to detect or replicate any fault. He kept the car for a week, tried a few different things and every time the same, ran diagnostics and no fault! Disconnected battery and left for a while and can only think the ECU reset itself and cleared the fault.
I was a bit concerned about taking the car and driving it, so I rang a fiat dealership and explained what had happened, read out the error codes the first garage had given me, none of which he said would be any cause for concern apart from the non communication between the ECU and the engine, causing the immobiliser light to come on, but as the car was now starting this would have cleared. He was very honest and said bringing the car to them for further diagnostics wouldn't help unless the fault occurred again.
The only thing I can think was as a previous poster had said something had got wet and once dried out it was fine. The day it happened was a very wet day, and I had parked facing downwards on a hill, when I opened the bonnet lots of water ran out.... Not a very technical explanation I know!!!
Hope you get yours sorted! Glad I got a second opinion and saved myself a grand!!

Click to expand...

Thx for replying, i reckon you are right something dried out. Water can get stuck in the scuttle between the windscreen and the battery area. Holes are there to allow water out but often block up, this is an age old car problem for every make. It really depends if you park under trees or leaves etc The Fiat garage were very honest and I agree the car has sorted itself out due to the ability to reset once it gets good readings. You have got me thinking as mine went wrong on a very rainy wet day too, I had the battery tested and it said it was bad, despite starting the car and running fine. These modern car electrics are a mystery. Again thx for the response and I think I am going to checkout a couple of areas for water. Once i fit the new battery