Hi!

I have a '03 5-door hatchback stilo with central locking and front electric windows.

The car's had had this annoying problem for quite a while now:

When opening the doors from drivers side turning the key, both front windows go down automatically almost every time.

1. I know they are supposed to do this after 1-2sec of turning and holding the key but my car does this immediately and you can't prevent it from happening..

2. I've tried to spray crc into the lock and tried to clean from outside this way + put lock oil in it.. It kind of helps for a while but the fault starts again in under 1 days time.

3. Now it's getting worse as more and more often I can't close the windows after getting inside the car and I have to start the car 2-3 times and turn the engine off before the windows finally allow themselves to go up.. ( window buttons have no effect before i do this )

Starts to get really annoying. Has anyone had this same problem before?

Can this feature be programmed off somehow so that opening the door lock won't effect the windows? I heard it might be possible in a repair shop, I asked one place but I have a feeling they would have liked to rob my money and install a completely now lock to fix the problem.. They didn't even want to investigate if it was possible to fix this by computer..

Thanks!

Fiat127net said:

Hi!

Can this feature be programmed off somehow so that opening the door lock won't effect the windows? I heard it might be possible in a repair shop, I asked one place but I have a feeling they would have liked to rob my money and install a completely now lock to fix the problem.. They didn't even want to investigate if it was possible to fix this by computer..

Thanks!

Click to expand...

I know that on my 2004 3dr 1.4 I can't open/close the windows with the door lock but I can open/close them wit the remote key. So i can only assume it can be enabled/disabled with the examiner.

Maybe its a faulty fob. Does this happen when you use your second key, if you have one?

Yes I've tried this too, same thing with the spare key. Opening the central locking from the passenger side won't cause windows to open.

an ex-Fiat service shop guys guessed the problem is directly in the lock and they'd like to change the whole thing to a new one and make some profit with it. ( seems like it )

I just don't trust that service any more, they provenly tried to cheat me in another repair job a little later when I went there with another car, they tried to make me pay for a repair of a perfectly working part which they hadn't even replaced really.

But anyway.. In this earlier occasion when I was asking about fixing the lock and told them that I had heard from a guy who owned a Stilo some years ago that another fiat service shop programmed this feature off in his car, this cheating car shop of mine "had no clue if this could be done or not and it is best to buy a new lock", even though they used to be an official fiat service a couple of years ago themselves with the same people still working there. They probably knew the answer but would have preferred me to buy a new expensive lock instead of just quickly programming this problem away..

So I'd like a second opinion about this.

If it's not a silly question, why aren't you using remote unlocking ?

I've owned mine for 5 years now and yet I've never once used the key.

Argonought said:

If it's not a silly question, why aren't you using remote unlocking ?

I've owned mine for 5 years now and yet I've never once used the key.

Click to expand...

Always a good idea to use the key occasionally, just to prevent the lock barrels from seizing.

Fiat127net said:

But anyway.. In this earlier occasion when I was asking about fixing the lock and told them that I had heard from a guy who owned a Stilo some years ago that another fiat service shop programmed this feature off in his car, this cheating car shop of mine "had no clue if this could be done or not and it is best to buy a new lock", even though they used to be an official fiat service a couple of years ago themselves with the same people still working there. They probably knew the answer but would have preferred me to buy a new expensive lock instead of just quickly programming this problem away..

Click to expand...

If you think your getting ripped off by a garage then find a new garage? Even if this can be switched off with examiner (never heard of this myself) thats a quick fix, not a repair. Something has to be wrong to cause the problem and I think you already know the solution

I don't have a remote, the keys don't have this feature.

I was thinking that I'd ask here before going to another car service shop as some of them will charge from "examining the problem".. In a way like "bring it over and we'll have a look" - Yes you need a new lock and that'll be 50€ thank you... for the info

I've just tried (thanks Davren) and manual key locking/unlocking on driver's door is identical to operation with remote which would lead me to concludes it's not the lock.

....but if putting oil in lock improves the situation then it does kinda speak for itself.

Apologies for resurrecting this thread, but was there ever a fix? Mine is doing the exact same thing. The fob doesnt work, PCB inside is rusty and it even does it on the spare key which has no internals. Every time I put key in door, both front windows go down. It's p---ing down and car gets soaked while I faff about getting in, starting and pressing them up...!

heyup, not sure but a common cause of this is actually the car battery - have you checked yours? is it decent, fairly new and charging strong?

probably not your issue, but was for me. I later re programmed my key using MES, maybe you could try that? I think you can do it via the demo version of the software (don't quote me on that) so it might be worth a try.

Another point to note, that if you use the key, and turn it and hold it that will make the windows wind down. Same as if you press and hold the unlock button on the keyfob - is the lock in the car sticky?

Hi, yeh - new battery, biggest one I could get. It starts quicker, lights brighter, but the problem with the windows still remains. They're getting worse like OP.. now I have to put key in ignition and start, switch off, start, just to put them up.

It does it on both driver and passanger side unlocking too. I think it's something to do with the car security maybe. I recently had to swap ECU, Body computer and Clocks from a donor car. They all work ok, it's just this window problem. Really frustrating!

I've been to Fiat dealer who've just told me to book it in and they'll have a look @£35 + labour. But they couldnt tell me how long it would take..

I would guess it is the switch attached to the lock that triggers the central locking. Try spraying a contact cleaner or similar into the switch. You may need to remove door card to access.

Was this ever fixed?

More than just door card, i gave up as my key turns but does nothing, big metal plate and lots of stuff to remove to inside the door shell!! Not for faint hearted

If it's any consolation, our Stilo did pretty much the same thing some few years ago, back when we bought it. Sprayed key fob lubricant (some K2 brand or something like that) and the problem was gone. For us it was a sticking switch in the key fob. Simple lubricant fixed it.