Technical Fiat Stilo, no power then wont start ?!

[hafs]

Ive Got a 2002 Fiat Stilo 1.8 Dynamic, 2 months old (2nd hand).

On Friday was driving about. Stopped to buy something at a shop.

Got back in the car and the engine started but it would not give me even 1000 revs, sounded like the car could not breathe. Crawled for about 20m then decided to stop and call the AA.

AA arrived (1h30mins later!) the bloke had a look/played with the spark plugs, played with his laptop and confessed he did not know what was going on and had never seen a similar fault before, He guessed it was to do with the engine management (Someone give him a cigar) and all he could do is tow me.

Got towed home, next day towed it to Fiat (3rd year warranty had 3 days to go!!). They took 4 days to try and fix it, then I arrived to pick up the car and was told they have to order a new fuel tank.

Called today and was told the fuel tank is on back order till Nov 2nd!!!! The said they will try and make a temparay repair till then. If they cant I will be having words with the manager as I doubt stiol fuel tanks are made by one old man in a cave in Italy or something.

So I still have no car and Fiat are having a laugh with this phantom fault.

Very odd all round.

 

[James Abarth]

Did Fiat say what the actual problem was with the fuel tank? Sounds very curious.

 

[activematt]

Sounds more like the problem i had when my throttle body went. Do you get any warning messages when you turn the car on?

 

[Deckchair5]

Was it fine when you drove TO the shops?
Was the engine up to temperature when you experinced the problem?
Had you just filled up with fuel?
Been getting any other weird things happening lately like poor starting, unsteady idle?
No fault codes from the AA man?
What's the logic behind the fuel tank being replaced?

 

[T14086]

First impression is throttle body as mentioned,however parts are often on back order not dealers fault.

 

[hafs]

Hi all

[Yep had 1/2 tank of fuel and car had been fine 10 mins before it broke down, had driven 30 miles that day at 70 mph....]

Got the car back on Friday (6 days later), they had to get some specialist from another fiat garage to come in and fit a new fuel pump. For some reason the guys at the fiat garage did not know how to fit it and assumed then need a new fuel tank??? (Not avail till November !!!). When the customer services guy told me I started laughing (About the delay) then he said they would get this "specailist" in.

Would have cost £140+ but I the car broke down with 4 days of the 3rd year warranty to go.!!....lucky me.

So the car is working again, but when I picked it up and drove off had that old chestnut “airbag failure” for about 5 mins which almost made me cry.

Found out it was because someone had moved the drivers seat about too far back….the logic of fiat electronics.

Very odd that the AA guy did not realise it was a fuel pump problem, he was thinking it was to do with the ignition/timing/computer.

So if every you start up and your stilo sounds like its had an ashthma attack and you have no revs your fuel pump has died...just get aa/rac to tow you home or to the nearest "decent" fiat garage.

Cheers

hafs