General Things that go bump at the back

[madrat]

My wifes 500 has had an annoying bump/knock from the rear nearside for a while now and today I finally got round to having a look.

The bump stop had completely fallen off and was rattling around inside the spring. I had to cut it in half and jack up the car to get it out.

Anyone else had this?

Where can I get a new one from?

I tell you what this car has had so many things go wrong with it I am put off ever having another Fiat And this is from a life long Fiat fan.

 

[306maxi]

has happened on some Panda's. Fiat dealer is the place to go.

 

[JTD_Liam]

I tell you what this car has had so many things go wrong with it I am put off ever having another Fiat And this is from a life long Fiat fan.

What else has gone wrong with it?

Suspension is definately Fiat's weak spot. With the exception of a crank sensor on the Stilo & an aircon pipe on the Mk2 Punto, all my repair bills other than routine servicing (brakes, cambelt etc) have been suspension related - Rear Radius Arms on the Mk1 Punto, Front Springs, Front Suspension Arms, Top Strut Mount & Top Strut Mount Bearing on the Stilo. Given i spent alot of time on the motorway rather than slamming the car over speed bumps, it's not very encouraging, especially as their newer designs (Panda, 500 & Grande Punto) seem just as susceptible to early wear of suspension parts.

Fiat are on Watchdog next week regarding power steering, so maybe that'll shake them up abit. I do love Fiats but they do need a kick up the arse once in a while.

 

[306maxi]

What else has gone wrong with it?

Suspension is definately Fiat's weak spot. With the exception of a crank sensor on the Stilo & an aircon pipe on the Mk2 Punto, all my repair bills other than routine servicing (brakes, cambelt etc) have been suspension related - Rear Radius Arms on the Mk1 Punto, Front Springs, Front Suspension Arms, Top Strut Mount & Top Strut Mount Bearing on the Stilo. Given i spent alot of time on the motorway rather than slamming the car over speed bumps, it's not very encouraging, especially as their newer designs (Panda, 500 & Grande Punto) seem just as susceptible to early wear of suspension parts.

Fiat are on Watchdog next week regarding power steering, so maybe that'll shake them up abit. I do love Fiats but they do need a kick up the arse once in a while.

Well aftermarket parts aren't too expensive thankfully

 

[madrat]

power stering failure
hill holder constat fault
boot lock jamed
boot lock wiring shorted out
clutch pedel snaped
washers packed up
handbrake cable brackets snapped
door handle snapped
oil change warning fault
nuberplate light wiring failed
eats sidelight bulbs
stearing lock stopped working

All in the first 3 years

 

[frupi]

My wifes 500 has had an annoying bump/knock from the rear nearside for a while now and today I finally got round to having a look.

The bump stop had completely fallen off and was rattling around inside the spring. I had to cut it in half and jack up the car to get it out.

Anyone else had this?

Where can I get a new one from?

I tell you what this car has had so many things go wrong with it I am put off ever having another Fiat And this is from a life long Fiat fan.

Try this
http://fiat-500.sgpetch.co.uk/pages/parts/detail/category=chassis/engine=41/part=5190

 

[madrat]

thanks

 

[loveshandbags]

Bump stops missing or ineffective IIRC is not a MOT failure but sadly it is on the NCT here.

Your shocks might need replacing and with a more high quality (stiffer) shock it would address the 'under damped' nature of the 500.

A short bump stop like the one off the Fiat Coupe could be fitted to give you more suspension travel so that it is not bottoming out as much and should improve handling.:idea:

 

[306maxi]

Bump stops missing or ineffective IIRC is not a MOT failure but sadly it is on the NCT here.

Your shocks might need replacing and with a more high quality (stiffer) shock it would address the 'under damped' nature of the 500.

A short bump stop like the one off the Fiat Coupe could be fitted to give you more suspension travel so that it is not bottoming out as much and should improve handling.:idea:

Suspension travel is a big problem with the 500. Went for a spirited drive over the moors after work yesterday to work off a shedload of steam and the back end was constantly bottoming out. Front end only bottomed out a couple of times.

When I get out of warranty and the suspension needs doing I'm going to be shortening the bumpstops at the back.

 

[madrat]

The bump stops must be that long for a reason. My wife's is the Lounge and has 16" wheels so perhaps its to stop the wheels snagging in the arches or something like that.

 

[306maxi]

The bump stops must be that long for a reason. My wife's is the Lounge and has 16" wheels so perhaps its to stop the wheels snagging in the arches or something like that.

The bumpstops are that long because Fiat have no idea how to design suspension. Rim size has nothing to do with it, it's the size of the tyre that goes around the wheel which would mean that the tyre would hit an inner arch.

 

[madrat]

That's true.

 

[JTD_Liam]

Well aftermarket parts aren't too expensive thankfully

True, the parts are pretty reasonable. It's just when you're non-too-handy in the car DIY area & have to pay the ever-increasing labour rates for things like Front Suspension Arms to be fitted, you kinda curse whoever designed Fiats suspension systems!

power stering failure
hill holder constat fault
boot lock jamed
boot lock wiring shorted out
clutch pedel snaped
washers packed up
handbrake cable brackets snapped
door handle snapped
oil change warning fault
nuberplate light wiring failed
eats sidelight bulbs
stearing lock stopped working

All in the first 3 years

That's pretty impressive, or not as the case may be. The power steering issue is what's on Watchdog next week, though the trailer they showed featured a Grande Punto so i dunno if it's about other models or just the GP. The boot lock & rear electrics seems an increasingly common one too, and it seems you're far from alone with the washers aswell. Hopefully the Parents 12 plate 500 will have one or two of those areas already sorted. I won't bank on it

The bumpstops are that long because Fiat have no idea how to design suspension. Rim size has nothing to do with it, it's the size of the tyre that goes around the wheel which would mean that the tyre would hit an inner arch.

Took the Parents 500 out last night & thought what a shame it is that it just won't settle down on an even slightly bumpy road. It just jiggles & jumps about all the time, which gets abit tiresome when it's otherwise very comfy & refined for its size. As ours is the one with the revised rear-suspension set up i'd imagine i'd loathe the earlier ones - it's certainly miles away from our previous Mk2 Laguna that was like driving round in your sitting room it was so smooth.

 

[jrkitching]

...all in the first 3 years

When choosing a new car awhile ago, I did the usual trawl through the motoring journals of the time & remember reading:

"Most modern cars you can buy today will get through their first MOT without needing anything more than servicing & the replacement of rapid wear items like tyres & front pads if driven normally at a typical 12,000 annual mileage"

Now that was written back in 1989 !

At the time, I bought a basic R5 & that sailed through 3yrs later at just under 40k on its original pads & tyres.

The Ka which replaced it in 2002 had done about 28k, needed a new front wishbone, and the front rubber just about scraped through without getting an advisory.

My 500 & Panda - let's wait & see .

Over the past 20something years since this was written, cars have got a little cheaper in real terms, and certainly have far more features, but at the price of durability.

Your list is a shocking but realistic indictment of FIAT component quality & whilst this might be acceptable on a £7k Panda, someone who's paid twice that sum for a well-specced 500 would be justified in feeling ripped off at having to fix this list of faults before getting the car's first ticket.

I struggle to get my head round the money some folks seem willing to pay for a 3yr old 500 that's likely to cost thousands in maintenance before its 6th birthday.

(note to LH for the abbreviations list: ticket = MOT certificate )

 

[306maxi]

Took the Parents 500 out last night & thought what a shame it is that it just won't settle down on an even slightly bumpy road. It just jiggles & jumps about all the time, which gets abit tiresome when it's otherwise very comfy & refined for its size. As ours is the one with the revised rear-suspension set up i'd imagine i'd loathe the earlier ones - it's certainly miles away from our previous Mk2 Laguna that was like driving round in your sitting room it was so smooth.

Definitely. I went for a drive on Friday on roads I knew well in my 406 and it was all over the place. The 500 is quicker because it's lighter, has the same width tyres and has a better power to weight ratio, but the handling is just terrible. There's one point where you're pretty much flat out in 4th and there's a bump in the road before a left hander, if you brake over that bump the car just completely freaks out and tries to swap ends.

 

[ahmett]

Definitely. I went for a drive on Friday on roads I knew well in my 406 and it was all over the place. The 500 is quicker because it's lighter, has the same width tyres and has a better power to weight ratio, but the handling is just terrible. There's one point where you're pretty much flat out in 4th and there's a bump in the road before a left hander, if you brake over that bump the car just completely freaks out and tries to swap ends.

Yes on bumpy roads it is really well bumpy haha! The only thing that saves it is the lightness and wide tires meaning you do not understeer off and die very easily. But i have to admit over the bumps it is very comortable.
With my audi a2 over the same bumps (ok they were 16 inch rims but still) my passengers were really complaining!

 

[grimwau]

The bump stop had completely fallen off and was rattling around inside the spring. I had to cut it in half and jack up the car to get it out.

If you jack under the lower spring mounting and undo the lower shock absorber bolt you can then lower the jack and remove the spring and bump stop. (car needs to be on stands.)

 

[madrat]

Thanks, but it was a couldn't be arsed moment

Will be doing that when I fit the new one.

 

[madrat]

Since removing the N/S rear bump stop the wife says the 500 rides much better, can anyone suggest shorter bump stops that will fit.

 

[grimwau]

Since removing the N/S rear bump stop the wife says the 500 rides much better, can anyone suggest shorter bump stops that will fit.

A lot of Abarth 500 owners fit the ones from a Fiat Coupe, cost is around £50 for a pair if I recall correctly. I'll try and find a link to the correct items for you when I get off work.


Found them on ebay (see below).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REAR-BUMP-STOP-FIAT-COUPE-16V-20V-TURBO-93-01-7782710-/140623847913?_trksid=p4340.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DDLSL%252BSIC.NPJS%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BUA%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D140546830657%252B140546830657%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D8136627827607403859

Note: cost is per item and you need two.