Hi
I have a Fiat 500 POP multi jet on an 09 plate. A couple of weeks ago I got a warning light saying CHANGE OIL (or something like that). I took it to our local garage who serviced it and changed the oil. However they failed to tell me that they couldn't turn the flashing warning light off. In fact, they told me to drive it round for 100 miles or so.....that should do the trick. IT DIDNT!! My husband rang Kwikfit who said they could do it do £30. Just been in and THEY CANT!! In desperation, took it to Fiat who said they would only do it if I booked in for a full service (didn't even dare ask how much that would be!) and when I asked about the back rear light that both myself and Halfords have tried to fix with a number of new bulbs, they said it MIGHT work if I bought a Fiat bulb for......wait for it......£33!!!
If anyone is kind enough to still be reading this, have you any advice both for the flashing light and the broken rear light? When the petrol light comes on as well, it's like Cape bloody Canaverel!!!
Thinks
Janie

Welcome to the forum. I believe that fiatecuscan can reset service warning lights, so if Fiat want to charge the earth maybe someone on here has a copy and can do it for you. These modern cars can be a bit fickle with bulbs, and I'm sure an expert (my newest Fiat is 14 years old now ) will be along to help

Welcome to the forum

Is the rear light warning about a number plate bulb, perchance? If so, search for "boot wiring issue" or similar- likely the wires by the hinges for the tailgate have/are broken/breaking.

Indicator wise, a local non-specialist garage reset my "service needed" indicator in my petrol 500 fine, but the oil degradation warning might be more difficult. Worth remembering that it is distinct from the "service needed" light, you'd need to check if multiecuscan can reset it.

I used Multiecuscan to reset all my service lights - the diesel has an extra reset to the petrol cars. Oil degradation is the extra one, going from memory.

If the OP can give an indication of where they are based, perhaps a member could help out here?

Janiedelang said:

Hi

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Hi Janie. Welcome to the forum :wave:.

On diesel engined 500's, it's important to reset the Change Oil warning as soon as possible after an oil & filter change. The Change Oil warning is independent of the Service Interval warning.

If you don't, the car will stop doing DPF regenerations (to protect the engine) and you risk the DPF becoming so badly clogged that it cannot be regenerated and will have to be replaced. The bill for that will likely be at least £1000.

It's worrisome to note that some independent garages are servicing the DPF equipped mJet without resetting the oil degradation counter. This could result in some expensive bills for the owners, and possible claims against those garages.

This post suggests that the licenced version of multiECUscan is able to reset the oil degradation counter, but it would be helpful if someone with recent experience of using it could confirm this.

Will confirm, as my post above, JR.

snes said:

Will confirm, as my post above, JR.

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Thanks snes.

Do you have a link to the specific interface cable you bought to go with it?

Hi everybody and thanks for taking the time to get in touch. My car is indeed a diesel. Other than that and the fact it's a very pretty pale blue, I know NOTHING else about cars!!!! Could you possibly give me advice as if you are talking to a not very bright six year old please.....??! Thanks, Janie

Janiedelang said:

Could you possibly give me advice as if you are talking to a not very bright six year old please.....??! Thanks, Janie

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Ok Janie, I'll try.

Diesel engines produce a lot of very small soot particles, which if released into the environment can cause cancer & lots of other nasty stuff, so modern cars are fitted with a filter in the exhaust to remove most of these particles. That filter is the DPF that we're talking about.

Now if that's all the DPF did, the collected soot would soon block the filter and you wouldn't be going anywhere - remember when Eddie Murphy shoved a banana up
the tailpipe in Beverly Hills Cop? So periodically the engine goes through a regeneration cycle to burn the accumulated soot out of the filter. To do this, it injects extra fuel straight into the exhaust - but some of this extra fuel can end up in the engine oil, diluting and contaminating it. Eventually there is so much diesel in the engine oil that the oil can't do its job of protecting the engine and the engine could be damaged. Before you get to this point, the Oil Service light comes on to tell you that you need to change the oil & filter. If you don't, the car will stop doing DPF regenerations to prevent the oil getting diluted any more, and then the DPF will get clogged up with soot.

If it becomes too clogged, it can't be regenerated and you need to buy a new one - think £1000+ .

After you've changed the oil, you need to reset the counter so the car knows it's got clean oil & can keep doing DPF regenerations. If you don't reset the counter, the car doesn't know the oil's been changed and will stop doing regenerations - so you need to reset it or you'll be facing a big bill.

As you've already found out, not all garages have the tools needed to reset the oil counter. Fiat obviously do, but you've already experienced a little of their attitude.

Another alternative is to buy a licence for a piece of third party software which runs on a laptop - that's multiECUscan (it's well regarded BTW), and you also have to buy some interface cables to connect the laptop to the car. Then you use the software running on the laptop to reset the oil counter. This is what most folks here who service their own cars do.

IMO it's the independent garage that serviced your car that are at fault here. They should know all of this and either buy the tools they need to do the job properly or stop servicing DPF equipped cars. They have returned the car to you in a condition which is very likely to leave you facing a substantial bill for repairs in the not so distant future.

Also servicing the car without resetting the oil degradation counter will almost certainly invalidate any warranty you may have on the car.

Personally I'd go back and complain - loudly.

If they can't reset that oil light - I'd ask for a full refund.

jrkitching said:

Thanks snes.

Do you have a link to the specific interface cable you bought to go with it?

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Will get back to you on this, JR, as the cables are a cold walk away in my shed, and I'm presently cosy indoors. Pure cowardice, I know!

In the meantime, going from memory, I recall buying all cables, interfaces etc from established specialists, avoiding for once, E-Bay, as a lot of the cheap Chinese versions were not working reliably.

Also, going from memory again, I recall having to use 2 different interface cables - one for service reset and one for oil degradation, as they involved accessing different control chips. Off the top of my head, I can't recall the exact details as to why, but maybe another member can fill in the gaps here.

Incidentally, all my purchases were guided by Jason Noiles, who used to post on here. Maybe a search under his moniker (JRNoiles?) might be helpful.

Sorry to appear vague and unhelpful, will post back tomorrow with more concrete info.

In the meantime, OP, where are you located?

the 3 coloured cables, along with ideally a KKL /vagcom cable \
and or a ELM 327 are what I use,
Charlie - Oxford,

This thread is a credit to this forum.

Hope things get sorted soon Janie, you're certainly in good hands.

Thank you all soooo much for yr help. Who knew that a little light could potentially cause so much trouble? I am considering going back to the garage to complain and ask for a refund on the service.....but feel bad as I have used them for a long time. Would any other small garage ie NOT FIAT have the necessary equipment, do my think? By the way, I am halfway between Salisbury and Fordingbridge.
Thank you again
Janie

Janiedelang said:

Thank you all soooo much for yr help. Who knew that a little light could potentially cause so much trouble? I am considering going back to the garage to complain and ask for a refund on the service.....but feel bad as I have used them for a long time. Would any other small garage ie NOT FIAT have the necessary equipment, do my think? By the way, I am halfway between Salisbury and Fordingbridge.
Thank you again
Janie

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go back, mention it, see where it goes.., if it falls on "deaf ears", you'll know their limits..,

a FIAT / Alfa specialist could sort it easily,

Charlie

Janiedelang said:

Thank you all soooo much for yr help. Who knew that a little light could potentially cause so much trouble? I am considering going back to the garage to complain and ask for a refund on the service.....but feel bad as I have used them for a long time. Would any other small garage ie NOT FIAT have the necessary equipment, do my think? By the way, I am halfway between Salisbury and Fordingbridge.
Thank you again
Janie

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If you have a good relationship with them just explain how worried you are. Even if they don't have the right equipment they will know someone in the trade/a mate who I'm sure will be able to fix it. Ok they've not finished the job but it's maybe a little early to fall out.

RussH said:

If you have a good relationship with them just explain how worried you are. Even if they don't have the right equipment they will know someone in the trade/a mate who I'm sure will be able to fix it. Ok they've not finished the job but it's maybe a little early to fall out.

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I've a lot of sympathy for small independent garages - for many folks, they're the only option to paying ever-more ridiculous main dealer prices & without the independents, who knows what prices the franchised ones would be quoting .

Cars keep getting more complex technically and the list of marque-specific tools you need to do jobs properly just keeps on getting longer; it's getting harder for the independents in much the same way it's getting harder for owner-maintainers.

That still doesn't excuse taking on jobs you don't have the tools or knowledge to complete, returning a car with unfinished work which could leave someone seriously out of pocket, or fobbing the customer off with nonsense platitudes; "just leave it for 100 miles & it'll be OK".

OK, JR, as promised, some OBD links. The first is for the ELM 327 interface. I can use this on its own, plugged into a pc with Multiecuscan, to do the diesel oil change reset. I suspect that this is also the connection needed to do the oil degradation reset. Fading memory and all that...

Note, you can buy these units far cheaper on E-Bay - but they don't always work...

http://electronic-fuchs.de/epages/e...8-46da-4792-be6d-42392d89d882/Products/1000-4

The second link is for the cable that plugs into the ELM interface, then into the car OBD port, I use this to do the diesel service reset.

https://www.gendan.co.uk/product_FESYELLOW.html

Sorry for the deadly dull post!!!

Janie, if you fancy a little outing to Staines, I will happily reset your service light, oil degradation and diesel oil change readings. Just PM me if interested.

I only use this software once a year - and each year, have to re-teach myself how to use it. Am I the only old buffer on here or do others have to go through a relearn process when performing car maintenance operations?

snes said:

Am I the only old buffer on here or do others have to go through a relearn process when performing car maintenance operations?

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Know the feeling!
I need to go through the relearning process, but I forget what it is I'm supposed to be relearning!