Hello,


I am looking for some help / advice please.


I have a 2006 Fiat Punto (grande) Active Sport (77), 1368CC Petrol. For the last 3 or so months, when it's minus degrees, my car refuses to start. It turns but doesn't actually engage (if that is the term?!).


I have had the spark plugs changed, a full service, new battery and new temperature sensor but its still doing the same thing. They are now saying it might be the ECU?


Seriously losing the will to live.


Thank you.


Mandi

mandiprevedello said:

Hello,


I am looking for some help / advice please.


I have a 2006 Fiat Punto (grande) Active Sport (77), 1368CC Petrol. For the last 3 or so months, when it's minus degrees, my car refuses to start. It turns but doesn't actually engage (if that is the term?!).


I have had the spark plugs changed, a full service, new battery and new temperature sensor but its still doing the same thing. They are now saying it might be the ECU?


Seriously losing the will to live.


Thank you.


Mandi

Click to expand...

Hi Mandi, and welcome,

sounds like whoever has been handed the keys have just "thrown parts at it" with no real reasoning to their actions..

it sounds like a poor electrical connection,

where are you / the car based..??

Charlie - Oxford

Am assuming that when it's warm, or the car has actually been running, it starts fine? If so would point to something electrical...or maybe water in the electrics. Get someone to check the battery earth lead as these are a known problem. You probably need to try and do some basic diagnosis rather than let a garage just change parts....would suspect many of the parts that were flung away were fine.

Hi Mandy
Just fixed what sounds like the same problem on my daughters Grande - 2006. After months of denial I finally coughed up for new battery. A duracell one, no less, all the problems disappeared. I think the problem is that Punto's will start on the weakest of power and when, after 10 years, it couldn't manage, we dismissed its pleas. Anyway job done for less than £50. Good luck.

RobboPuntoFixer said:

Hi Mandy
Just fixed what sounds like the same problem on my daughters Grande - 2006. After months of denial I finally coughed up for new battery. A duracell one, no less, all the problems disappeared. I think the problem is that Punto's will start on the weakest of power and when, after 10 years, it couldn't manage, we dismissed its pleas. Anyway job done for less than £50. Good luck.

Click to expand...

hi, and welcome,

"Mandi" says it's had a new battery , a starter too

varesecrazy said:

Hi Mandi, and welcome,

sounds like whoever has been handed the keys have just "thrown parts at it" with no real reasoning to their actions..

it sounds like a poor electrical connection,

where are you / the car based..??

Charlie - Oxford

Click to expand...

Hi Charlie,


Apologies for the delay in replying. I am based in Norfolk.


I have taken it to 4 different garages. The 4th one has run diagnostics. There was a fault with the temperature sensor which he changed but it didn't help. He said the air temperature sensor isn't coming up as a fault but is reading 107.


Mandi

KenMavor said:

Am assuming that when it's warm, or the car has actually been running, it starts fine? If so would point to something electrical...or maybe water in the electrics. Get someone to check the battery earth lead as these are a known problem. You probably need to try and do some basic diagnosis rather than let a garage just change parts....would suspect many of the parts that were flung away were fine.

Click to expand...

Hi,


1 degree and upwards and it starts first time. I have been told it may be the air temperature sensor.


Mandi

RobboPuntoFixer said:

Hi Mandy
Just fixed what sounds like the same problem on my daughters Grande - 2006. After months of denial I finally coughed up for new battery. A duracell one, no less, all the problems disappeared. I think the problem is that Punto's will start on the weakest of power and when, after 10 years, it couldn't manage, we dismissed its pleas. Anyway job done for less than £50. Good luck.

Click to expand...

Hi,


I had a similar problem last winter. Changed the battery and it was fine... until now. Have replaced the battery (again) but hasn't helped.


Mandi

mandiprevedello said:

Hi Charlie,


Apologies for the delay in replying. I am based in Norfolk.


I have taken it to 4 different garages. The 4th one has run diagnostics. There was a fault with the temperature sensor which he changed but it didn't help. He said the air temperature sensor isn't coming up as a fault but is reading 107.


Mandi

Click to expand...

That could be the problem.
The air temp sensor will only be read as a fault if the reading is impossible, like no reading, or -50, or +1000, etc. If the reading given is possible, the ECU will believe it.
If it says 107, and that's not true, needs to be replaced. Or at least the connections checked first. Might just need cleaning?

Can you put a potentiometer in the circuit instead, and adjust it to give a truer reading, then see if it behaves? Cheap Maplin purchase? Only guessing, no idea if it would work.

portland_bill said:

That could be the problem.

Can you put a potentiometer in the circuit instead, and adjust it to give a truer reading, then see if it behaves? Cheap Maplin purchase? Only guessing, no idea if it would work.

Click to expand...

You can do that, but you will not know what value it should be.
You can unplug the sensor's connection .. that will make the ECU take the default -35 degree C temperature, but if the MAP and temp sensor is one item.. that will cause additional problems.
The best way will be ho have live data from the ECU to see the exact values it's seeing.( i'm not talking about fault codes here).

Has the coolant temperature sensor been changed?

Other possible fault for difficult cold starting: bad fuel pump, bad fuel pressure regulator (these can be measured only with a pressure gauge), bad/cracked hoses to the intake manifold -any air leaks in the intake manifold.

Hi there, here are the curves for a combined Pressure/Temp MAP in case you'd play with a poti...

Regards, Bernie

mandiprevedello said:

Hi Charlie,

He said the air temperature sensor isn't coming up as a fault but is reading 107.

Mandi

Click to expand...

If it reads that temperature first thing to do is unplug the sensor. and with the key to ON check the voltages and ground. i have a feeling something might not be ok with the wires... voltage higher on the signal wire.