We have had our Stilo since 2002. It's done about 60 thousand miles.

It has been reliable, safe, comfortable and economical, but we have a couple of problems that perhaps are not worth repairing - an airbag warning light whose solution eludes me https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/349804-stilo-airbag-warning-again.html and a headlight cluster that needs to be replaced https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/350410-replace-headlamp-cluster.html.

At what point does it stop being sensible trying to fix these, and to give up on what is essentially still an excellent car?

It seems insane that a car that runs reliably and smoothly should have to be scrapped for parts.

the two items you have mentioned are common and simple fixes, the air bag could be a the sensor under the seat that can be emulated instead of changing (search the board).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-STIL...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4ad61276d0

and headlight cluster, get a new one from the breakers fit it and get it lined up, probally about £100 for both items.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-STIL...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item27e493a91f

To me that is cheap for a car that you know and trust.
Mine has over 200k miles on it now, 53 plate and i will now keep her while shes cheap to repair, my next bill is wheel bearing and cam belt as i can hear they are both going (squeek on the wheels on corners as they bearings are now loose and the tensioner is also squeeking under load).
I would love your bill over mine lol.

roy lovelock said:

the two items you have mentioned are common and simple fixes, the air bag could be a the sensor under the seat that can be emulated instead of changing (search the board).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-STIL...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4ad61276d0

Click to expand...

In the thread I mentioned, https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/349804-stilo-airbag-warning-again.html, you'll see that unfortunately I have a mat emulator, and bought a diagnostic kit, but that it's still reporting a fault with the OCS.

Conceivably the mat emulator is no longer working, but since I'm not the only one who has mysterious problems of this kind I think it's likely there is a poor connection somewhere between it and the ECU that I can't find.

roy lovelock said:

and headlight cluster, get a new one from the breakers fit it and get it lined up, probally about £100 for both items.

Click to expand...

To me that is cheap for a car that you know and trust.

I'd be delighted to pay twice or even three times that to keep it rolling - I'm just not at all confident that it will work.

If I could get the airbag OCS problem fixed, I'd be happy to take on the headlamp.

hello!


looking at your previous threads, I would say the car is well worth saving - certainly isn't at the point of scrapping it, it would sell easily for a start.


The OCS issue is indeed a pain, but it could be the sensor in the seat or the actual connector. Though you have cleaned it, it may be worth replacing the actual connector if you can get hold of one from a scrapper. I may have missed it, but if you haven't already got it connected to a laptop to clear the codes and test everything, then I suggest doing that.


The headlamps are fairly easy, just take the bumper off then remove the headlamp units. The hard part is removal of the bumper. You have to be very careful with the nuts and bolts, make sure you don't shear the side ones off though its not the end of the world if you do because you can drill a new hole and fit a new bolt.


best of luck with this one, I am sure its well worth saving and fixing. I would say that anything major after this is the point to start thinking about moving it on, but for me it would have to be a VERY major issue because these are lovely cars and worth a bit of attention!

Clivvy said:

hello!

looking at your previous threads, I would say the car is well worth saving - certainly isn't at the point of scrapping it, it would sell easily for a start.

The OCS issue is indeed a pain, but it could be the sensor in the seat or the actual connector. Though you have cleaned it, it may be worth replacing the actual connector if you can get hold of one from a scrapper. I may have missed it, but if you haven't already got it connected to a laptop to clear the codes and test everything, then I suggest doing that.

Click to expand...

Yes, I've done everything I can with the diagnostic kit and software,

I've bypassed the seat sensor with a mat emulator.

I am pretty sure that the problem is not in the airbag connections, but in the OCS connections - that's what the diagnostic software reports.

I've cleaned every connector I can find. One I can't find is the OCS connector on the airbag ECU, because I think the ECU is under the gear lever/handbrake console, and I can't find a way to remove that.

Clivvy said:

best of luck with this one, I am sure its well worth saving and fixing. I would say that anything major after this is the point to start thinking about moving it on, but for me it would have to be a VERY major issue because these are lovely cars and worth a bit of attention!

Click to expand...

Thanks. I am thoroughly dispirited after a weekend cutting my knuckles to ribbons and the prospect of having to give up this car.

I see, you have done a lot so far. Its perfectly possible that the issue is the actual sensor in the seat. The wires run from the seat pad down to the connector, so assuming that wire isn't snagged or cut, the actual sensor is a bugger to get out. The seat cover does come off, but you have to remove the seat, then remove the lower cover - its held on by a shoe-lace type fixing, so its a bit fiddly but easy enough. That will reveal the sensor itself.


Might not be the issue, but I am usually loathed to believe the ECU end of things are at fault unless I know there has been some sort of water issue or some other issue that has directly connected with the ECU.

Clivvy said:

I see, you have done a lot so far. Its perfectly possible that the issue is the actual sensor in the seat. The wires run from the seat pad down to the connector, so assuming that wire isn't snagged or cut, the actual sensor is a bugger to get out. The seat cover does come off, but you have to remove the seat, then remove the lower cover - its held on by a shoe-lace type fixing, so its a bit fiddly but easy enough. That will reveal the sensor itself.

Click to expand...

Well I have a mat (i.e. sensor) emulator, a little box, that completely bypasses the sensor in the seat (which went long ago).

So either:

• the mat emulator has stopped working
• the ECU is the problem
• there's a problem with the connection somewhere between the sensor emulator and the ECU
• there's some other problem

The diagnostic software reports no other problems with airbags, other than with the OCS.

ah sorry, totally misread the emulator part!!


so yeah, could be the emulator has gone, I suppose another option is to actually buy (or borrow!) a matching seat. Considering what I paid for a full leather set (£60) it should be possible to purchase a spare seat cheap enough though I think id actually ask the seller if you can test it first - drive to place of sale with your seat already out - bit cheeky but hey, most people are happy to help!


This is the problem with electrical diagnosis for DIYers! You have to have the parts available to swap and test, and as time goes by it gets disheartening.


is it worth finding out if there are any scrap cars near you that have passenger seats available, perhaps a friendly car dismantler will let you test it considering the seat has a sensor (the idea being that its pointless buying the seat if the sensor is faulty). Its a bit of a faff, but cheaper than a professional electrical engineer and certainly better than the alternative (giving up the car)!

60k??? is that it .. there is Plenlty of life left in her .. mine has got 209k on a 53 plate , and it was bought for a daily but shes now got my heart so ive now got two projects

the stilo is a cheep car to mentain imo ,, so id keep hold of it

If the rest of this car is nice and working fine then you would be nuts binning the car. You will pay around £700 for an 02 Stilo so the way i look at things i would have £700 for the MOT. I am yet a spend more than £250 on any cars MOT making £250 a cheap years driving.

The good news is that I will be keeping the car - a new OCS emulator solved the problem. Now there's just the headlamp to replace.

Thanks for the advice. I'm delighted not to have to replace it. With luck it will be good for another 12 years!

EvilDMP said:

The good news is that I will be keeping the car - a new OCS emulator solved the problem. Now there's just the headlamp to replace.

Thanks for the advice. I'm delighted not to have to replace it. With luck it will be good for another 12 years!

Click to expand...

excellent mate well done im chuffed you solved it!