Hi,
Some of you may be partly familiar with the situation as I consulted the forum before. I've been having a starting/glow plug problem on my Grande Punto 1.3 (08 reg) for a while now. Here are stages that I passed.
1. For some time after bying I started the car without waiting for the glow plug light to go out. My mistake (no diesel experience before). Corrected my mistake after some time, no warnings developed while I was starting incorrectly.
2. After some weeks glow plug warning started flashing, no problems starting the car. Drove for 2 months with no problem.
3. Starting became more difficult with colder weather (took more time, white smoke). Garage finds code P0683 (pre-heat error) and checks the plugs. One plug is shorting internally and causing controller to overload and cut-out. When replacing the plug, one is snapped; one seized but working; two replaced for new ones.
4. Have to drive the car on 3 plugs (2 new, one old). Starts great, but warning light continues. Same code (P0683).
5. Engineer drills out the broken plug and the seized one and puts 2 new plugs. All plugs have been changed. All plugs checked for voltage and seem to be working correctly.
6. Current problem after getting the car back: car takes long time to start (sometimes takes 2 attemts); no smoke; same warning flashes (P0683). Once started, runs beautifully, no alien sound, full engine power.
Any ideas or advice?
My questions are:
1. Could this outcome be caused by some mistake in the drilling, say cylinders got affected? Or in that case symptoms would be worse (like loss of power; alien sound, engine vibration etc)? I am surprised that when I drove on three plugs between repairs it started way better than now on 4.
2. If it's not the glow plugs, what could it be? Electrical?
3. Is this something that requires urgent attention or not?
Thanks!
Some of you may be partly familiar with the situation as I consulted the forum before. I've been having a starting/glow plug problem on my Grande Punto 1.3 (08 reg) for a while now. Here are stages that I passed.
1. For some time after bying I started the car without waiting for the glow plug light to go out. My mistake (no diesel experience before). Corrected my mistake after some time, no warnings developed while I was starting incorrectly.
2. After some weeks glow plug warning started flashing, no problems starting the car. Drove for 2 months with no problem.
3. Starting became more difficult with colder weather (took more time, white smoke). Garage finds code P0683 (pre-heat error) and checks the plugs. One plug is shorting internally and causing controller to overload and cut-out. When replacing the plug, one is snapped; one seized but working; two replaced for new ones.
4. Have to drive the car on 3 plugs (2 new, one old). Starts great, but warning light continues. Same code (P0683).
5. Engineer drills out the broken plug and the seized one and puts 2 new plugs. All plugs have been changed. All plugs checked for voltage and seem to be working correctly.
6. Current problem after getting the car back: car takes long time to start (sometimes takes 2 attemts); no smoke; same warning flashes (P0683). Once started, runs beautifully, no alien sound, full engine power.
Any ideas or advice?
My questions are:
1. Could this outcome be caused by some mistake in the drilling, say cylinders got affected? Or in that case symptoms would be worse (like loss of power; alien sound, engine vibration etc)? I am surprised that when I drove on three plugs between repairs it started way better than now on 4.
2. If it's not the glow plugs, what could it be? Electrical?
3. Is this something that requires urgent attention or not?
Thanks!
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