(T) Pre Heat Fault Stilo jtd...Can anyone Help?

Can anyone help me? I've just got my 1st Shiny yellow stilo and i'm over the moon with it except that since i brought her home a message has appered saying pre heat fault? what am i doing wrong?? is it anything serious im really concerned i hope its an easy fix. Any help would be apprieciated thanks

Hi and welcome to the forum!

I take it the you've owned a diesel before and know to let the heater coil get to temperature before starting the engine? If not, then you need to turn the ignition to the first stop and wait for the coil light to go out, then you can start the engine.

Apologies if you know this already!

Greggers

will it damage the car if you start it without the coil light going out, i.e. straight away, mines always started no probs

sometimes i turn it and the light doesnt even show up (maybe only for a quick flash)

Thanks for reply. I thought that you did have to wait but because the pre heat message appers the coil lights stays on untill the the message goes which is quite a long time is that right???

99% of the time with the preheat fault message all you need to do is change your glow plugs

simple as eh

There are quite a few useful tips on this if you search the Forum.

Most likely you only need one plug replaced which is a nice cheap job from a specialist Fiat garage (about £30 all in from my local) although this does assume you're able to diagnose which glow plug is down which is fairly easy if you can use a multi-meter.

If you just take it to a garage for diagnosis then they will most likely replace all 4 plugs which will obviously cost a bit more.

Be warned though that the glow plugs are NOT always faulty which is why I recommend diagnosing before you take it to the garage.

Why do you say that Argo? Dealers diagnose these faults all the time and I have never recommended a full set of glow plugs. Examiner does not isolate the faulty glow plug, it has to be done manually using a multimeter checking resistence and current drain on each glow plug.

Sorry NumanR, didn't mean to denigrate your diagnosis skills

Fiat garage I went to suggested they change all 4 and clearly looked a bit surprised when I told them which one to change.

Even worse, I've had it suggested the relay unit should be changed as well (because that's as far as Examiner can 'see').

Obviously your skills are a lot greater than many garages/dealers out there

I aways thought to be honest you may as well change all four at once, When one or more went on my escort td i just bought 4 and replaced them. Dont know what price they are for a Jtd but for the escort it cost less than £30 quid.

Seems silly just to change one as then the others could go one by one shortly after. Oh and it dont make any difference to start it before the light go's out.

Ok thanks guys i live in spain so just gotta find me a fiat specialist and i'll get all 4 of the buggars replaced and hope that cures it

I've started to get this fault today, was fine last nights at 11pm, at 53oam this morning, "Pre heat fault", had it every time i start the car today about 6 times.

Could someone talk me through the test procedure, i've got a multimeter but not 100% on all of it's uses

This thread should help but make sure you follow all the links.

It's resistance you need to set your multimeter to. The faulty plug will read open circuit but make sure you get a good contact on the plug connector with one probe and a good earth point on the engine for the other probe.

The rest of the info you need to know is in the various threads.

If you get stuck then ask away

Cool, cheers Argo,
it doesn't appear that anyone has managed to change a glow plug themselves though?
Shame i like to things myself generally.
At least i can find out which one is duff and save on that side of it with Fiat

Been looking on shop4parts and two glowplugs are shown for the 8v JTD;

Glow Plug (x1)
1.9 JTD 8v CF3
Part Number: S4P2925
Manufacturer: Fiat

Listed Price: £11.66
Our Price: £9.91



Glow Plug (x1)
1.9 JTD CF4
Part Number: S4P2926
Manufacturer: Fiat

Listed Price: £17.39
Our Price: £14.78

Anyone know what the difference is between CF3 and CF4?
My local garage wanted £120 to supply and fit all 4

The second isn't for the 1.9 JTD 16v 150 is it? It's what it looks like to me