Hi guys as you will know i have had afew problems with this car and i am now wondering what your opinion will be, below is the list of problems to date i mentioned since getting the car:

problems:
wiper shudder
washer jet keeps working way loose
microphone replaced already as faulty
usb port playing up, no media when stick in
trouble starting, shuddering at idle
clunking near n/s front wheel
vibration from n/s under bonnet and when changing gear at low speed
mileage flashes
wipers replaced, no resolution
left heated mirror replaced

I took my 500 to Corts in Bury a week last wednesday for them to have it a couple of days. At this point i wish to add how good this dealer is, i bought it from Warrington but didnt find the aftercare good so took it to Bury and they seem well clued up and actually go out of their way to assist, basically its not just about a sale to them. The issue i have is with this particular car, i like my 500 just not its problems.

I took it for a couple of days for them to work on the knocking in passenger wheel areas, washer jet broken and the starting problem and shudder during idle.

Whilst i was on site after a drive with a tech guy we found the air outlet pipe in the engine compartment had no screws fixing it to the front of the car near the bonnet latch, we both felt this wouldnt create such a knocking noise from the wheel area as the tech guy had reproduced it on the drive. Which is good because it never usually happens when you need it too.

Anyway its 9 days now they have had my car and they gave me a courtesy car which is good, but when i called yesterday for an update, they said they my need it a few more day as theyre waiting on parts, of course i asked which parts, and for which problem. They told me it was for the starting and idle shudder, and they had replicated the fault on cold starts etc. Again good they had confirmed something is wrong.

Bad news, well i feel that its bad news my 500 requires a new ECU, the car rejected their multiple tries of adding updated software and fiat uk technical dept have told them to fit a new ecu.

I am not really happy with this, pls dont get me wrong its good they will fit new parts but a car which is brand new and 2500 miles only requires this ecu, the main computer. I had a bad experience several years back where i car required a new ecu and replaced it and still had no end of problems with it being changed with poor reliability and crossing every part of my body hoping it would start.

I have had extensive talks on the phone with Fiat UK regarding the faults prior to it going in this time, i had spoken with a manager there and i am wondering your opinions now on asking them to considering a exchange of this 500, i feel that all this work on abrand new car really isnt to be expected or acceptable.

i am also very concerned of the possible problems down the line with having this changed.

many thanks

Sounds unlucky, but I guess theywill want the chance to sort it before talking about an exchange....

You never know, it could all work fine....

modern cars have many ecus, scatterred around the vehicle

its called a CAN bus system and is distributed control
so there is no 'main ecu' like the old days

the engine management ecu is dedicated to just that, and there is no issue changing it any more than changing a road wheel

You won't get anywhere attempting to have the car replaced at this stage.
The new dealer is making their first attempt are fixing this issue. It may be this will be the fix needed and the car is perfect afterwards.
Give it a chance and see.

Beast is right, youve had the car too long and put up with the issues for a while too, you wont get a replacement. Give the dealer a chance, Im sure itll be sorted in time.
I know its frustrating, and youre right to feel let down etc etc but anything is fixable in the right hands, sounds like Bury are on the case to me as well

Hi there, i had put a post onabout my car and its problems to date and now the fact that it requires a new ecu.

Problems to date:
Juddering wipers-replaced
jet washer broken-replaced
Blue&me mic broken-replaced
Blue&me usb port problem-living with it
Faultyheated mirror-replaced
shudder whilst idling-ongoing
Problem Starting keeps turning over and car eventually starts-ongoing
Clunking noise in passenger footwell-ongoing
Right turn squeel on wheel-ongoing
vibration in dash-ongoing
flashing mileage-ongoing

my car went in two weeks ago for a few days and they kept saying they were working on it, and i must say its not the dealers fault and they have really really gone out of their way to assist. they gave me a car to used and liased with fiat uk all the way through. they called me last week to say they had fixed the washers, think the banging was a airfilter pipe not screwed to the body it was missing its screw and banging on the body. vibration in dash was a loose aircon pipe. They had told me last week they had needed to order parts and that it require a new ecu computer which controls the engine management to sort the starting problem, so i left them to it. Yesterday i was called from Fiat UK saying my car was ready and the dealer followed their call saying the same.

When i got there today to collect my 500 the dealer were really good again and went through everything but asked if i could wait 15 mins before i take it as fiat uk had sent one of their top tech guys from slough to inspect my car and another with similar starting problem. of course i agreed, i was there when they started the car many times and it sounded no different for having a newe ecu fitted and being worked on for two weeks, it was still struggling. i wait for them to discuss and then they said we dont want you to take it. they said they would call me later, but they havent as yet. i did mention to him that i think with all the problems i have had, the fact the car has been in the dealer for works several times, and now its gonna be 3 weeks this time and the fact the car has had a new ecu and still having problems, i expressed i feel fiat uk should now swap the car as this is beyond a joke for a new vehicle. my friends and family are all saying get rid of it as its a problem car.

what does anyone think, as i have given plenty of time now and dont get me wrong i know that the bury dealer have really really tried but this particular car seems to be a friday afternoon job which no one seems to be able to resolve. :bang:

Problems to date:

Blue&me usb port problem-living with it (WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? NON MP3 FILES CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS/FLASHING MILEAGE)
shudder whilst idling-ongoing (NEED TO SEE/FEEL THIS)
Problem Starting keeps turning over and car eventually starts-ongoing (S/W UPDATE)
Clunking noise in passenger footwell-ongoing (BRAKE LINKAGE?)
Right turn squeel on wheel-ongoing (BACKPLATE?)
vibration in dash-ongoing (CLUSTER SURROUND?)
flashing mileage-ongoing (CONNECTED TO BLUE & ME PROBLEM)

Thats what i'll be starting with (never overlook the obvious & start at beginning) kep us updated

sorry bout caps lock

If it was me personally, I would have lost faith by now and looking to get rid pronto.
3 weeks (a block of time as opposed to several visits) is a lot of time for the dealer to fix the issues and it appears to me whatever the cause of the issues are, they are not easily resolved otherwise it would have been done by now.

I know alot of people may disagree, but this is just my opinion on it and it would be the same regardless of car or make.