UFI said:

I don't think there's anything wrong. It could be as simple as your seatbelt not being fastened or a door adjar, or you've been stationary for more than three minutes etc etc. A near stall can also bring it up.

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As I said in an earlier post, start and stop is switched off in our car using the button on the centre console and it stays switched off. The message is now just telling me that I couldn't switch it on even if I wanted to!

TrevC said:

Ronmanager, I will be very interested in the outcome of your problem, as will all TA owners. Coincidentally, at the weekend my wife was driving our TA 85 and, after some reversing the "Stop/Start unavailable" message came up (normal) and also the yellow warning triangle and engine outline warning lights. The car still drove normally. The handbook states the engine outline means injection system fault, but the car can still be driven. I drove it around the block a couple of times, drove perfectly but the warnings stayed on.
The next day, warnings were still on so I disconnected the battery for about an hour, reconnected it and all has been well for the last 100 miles. I'm hoping it was an electronic glitch that had to be cleared from the error log, but time will tell.

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I will write what they say on here but disconnecting the battery is not an option for me. This either works properly or they can have the car back. Engine warning lights coming on for not real problems is not acceptable under any circumstances - certainly not on a brand new car.

ronmanager said:

certainly not on a brand new car.

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More so, its a mass produced product, so its inevitable that the odd one might have a glitch that needs fixing - by its very nature this is in part what a warranty is for.

What matters is how they go about resolving the issue. Seeing as the car hasn't been seen by them yet at least give them half a chance.

ronmanager said:

........... and that the car is only a month old should mean that my battery is fine ............

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Not necessarily.

It seems that some cars are built and sit around for months and the battery dies. They charge it up obviously when the car is being sent out to the dealers, but because the battery had been left alone for ages, the S/S side of things can be rubbish.

I haven't a clue how or why these S/S batteries are so problematical, but if you neglect them, you've had it.

Good luck,
Mick

Ron, I totally agree with you, especially as your car is not running properly. My situation is different - the car is 5 years old, was running fine, so I tried the "reset". In your position I'd be back to the dealer too.

I have a faulty uniair module apparently causing misfires and the car 'can't be driven!' Anyway they have ordered a new one which won't be in until Tuesday. I hope that fixes it but my cynical side has nagging doubts.


Until then I have coaxed a 500L out of them but I had to insist on a courtesy car - they weren't going to offer one.

That's pretty shoddy with a non-drivable car. When my TA was a year old I was told it needed a new turbo as part of a service campaign - replacement of a potentially faulty item. The dealer gave me a courtesy car without me asking, which is how it should be.
Anyway, sounds a reasonable explanation of your problem, hopefully that will be the end of it.

TrevC said:

That's pretty shoddy with a non-drivable car. When my TA was a year old I was told it needed a new turbo as part of a service campaign - replacement of a potentially faulty item. The dealer gave me a courtesy car without me asking, which is how it should be.

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Yes I thought so. They said they didn't have any courtesy cars available and I said we needed one as our Volvo is also going in for repairs on Monday. They called back and are giving us a Sales one so hopefully new (like ours is!)

TrevC said:

That's pretty shoddy with a non-drivable car. When my TA was a year old I was told it needed a new turbo as part of a service campaign - replacement of a potentially faulty item. The dealer gave me a courtesy car without me asking, which is how it should be.
Anyway, sounds a reasonable explanation of your problem, hopefully that will be the end of it.

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Difference is yours would have been booked in in advance, and so a car would have been reserved. If the fault has just occurred like it sounds like Ron's has, then they won't always just have a 'spare' courtesy car floating about.

Most Easterly Pandas said:

Difference is yours would have been booked in in advance, and so a car would have been reserved. If the fault has just occurred like it sounds like Ron's has, then they won't always just have a 'spare' courtesy car floating about.

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Well I booked it in on Tuesday for today which was the earliest they could do. They asked then and I said I'd only need a courtesy car if it was going to take longer than a day. Then today they said nothing having just told me it was going to take until Tuesday so I asked.

Fair point, MEP. Ron, let us know the outcome, hope it"s all good and you can start enjoying your car.

They stitched me up this morning and gave me a 2015 Punto 1.2 Pop and not the 500L. Probably the worst most gutless tinny car I've driven in 10 years. I will be making a complaint once I have my car back. I expect them to make good when the car they sold me is faulty. Instead I've had the inconvenience of going down there twice already and then been fobbed off with a crappy bottom of the range replacement that I had to push for.


They love an 'after visit survey' down at Ancaster and they are going to get one.


Roll on Tuesday.

In this case the engine fault is switching off s/s so it's a symptom and not the cause.

Fiat customer service is legendarily bad so not offering a loan car seems pretty standard especially as mentioned if not booked in advance, you'll usually get the sales mans run around while the some sales man will be walking home.

VW are similar but if they have a problem they have a rental car company on speed dial. They gave me a petrol fiesta at there body shop which given mine is a 2.0tdi and a fancy car, the loan car got driven round the block and given back, when they were told to sort it. 10 minutes later the rental car co brought me a diesel octavia, (this was the main dealers body shop while having some little marks fixed)

Mean while my experience of fiat dealers is to argue to the bitter end then argue some more, if you are having problems get fiat uk involved and it's amazing how quickly the service improves.

However in this case you seem to be getting the standard service from fiat which is 'just enough'

Handed the Punto back on Saturday - we'd rather walk than drive that dangerous heap of junk. You only had to rest a feather on the brake pedal and it was like you'd stamped on it.


Our car is still not repaired. Shame on you Ancaster Fiat.

Update/timeline:


9th April - picked up the car
9th May - misfire at 3000 revs and engine light on
10th May - light off briefly but came back on after 2 mins driving - still misfiring - booked in to Ancaster - no longer driving it
13th - 21st May - left at Ancaster Bromley - various messages and parts ordered - uni air module etc. Then had oil leak of some sort when they rebuilt it so delayed further.
21st May - picked up car - (not washed like it should have been - the receptionist pointed this out and apologised.) Been OK since - about 100 miles probably less.
1st June - serious engine failure this morning. Feels like engine running on one cylinder - engine light flashing. Crawled back at 5 miles an hour.


So the cycle begins again. Have to get Fiat free AA service to recover the car to take it down there (I will ask the AA to honk the horn and make sure everyone in the showroom sees this brand new car being towed back in.) More time wasted.


I have spoken to Fiat customer relations at the advice of Ancaster because I want a new car. (I will never trust this car to drive anywhere without potentially breaking down and leaving us stranded.) They have referred me to the finance company but started a case number etc.


What a bloody joke. They give you this oh so well rehearsed sales speech about all the warranties and free roadside recovery (ring this number first if you have an accident etc) and how wonderfully covered it all is but the reality is different. They won't recover the car (I'm two miles from the dealer) but I have to arrange the AA to get it and take it to them. They will try to fix it again while I am without a car. They can't sanction a new engine or a replacement car - that has to be arranged with Fiat - Not according to Fiat - it has to be arranged with the finance company!


All the while my car is depreciating in value at it's fastest rate while I don't even get to drive it! I would have expected the dealer to be falling over themselves with embarrassment at such a catastrophic failure but instead they are deflecting and fobbing me off at every turn.


You live and learn.

Oh dear, that's not what you want at all is it.

I see from your earlier posts that you have a TA 105. Not uncommon on here for a coil pack to fail which would result in the very lumpy running/limp mode (mind you that is just a guess as to what it might be based on what you said). But it sounds like a separate issue which as you say is not going to help you feel any better about the car.

I am not sure if ab4444 still visits this forum or not, but her story can be found (in great depth!) on the Euro 6 1.2 forum. She had a massive fight with her dealer/Fiat in order to get a replacement car; you may be able to exchange some hints and tips on how to proceed. I think whatever happens it could well be a long road...

Think you need to get some legal advice, check your insurance to see if it provides help in this case, may not though.

ronmanager said:

All the while my car is depreciating in value at it's fastest rate while I don't even get to drive it! I would have expected the dealer to be falling over themselves with embarrassment at such a catastrophic failure but instead they are deflecting and fobbing me off at every turn.


You live and learn.

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Ronmanager, heartfelt condolences.

IMO this now deserves a separate thread as it's gone way beyond being a S/S issue.

I'll pull out the relevant posts and do the necessary.

Edit: Done. Please continue this discussion here.

Ronmanager, if you'd like a different title for this thread, just let me know and I'll change it.

jrkitching said:

Ronmanager, heartfelt condolences.

IMO this now deserves a separate thread as it's gone way beyond being a S/S issue.

I'll pull out the relevant posts and do the necessary.

Edit: Done. Please continue this discussion here.

Ronmanager, if you'd like a different title for this thread, just let me know and I'll change it.

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Thanks, the title is fine.

Hi all,

New to the forum. My girlfriend recently purchased a 2010 500 with start stop. We're having the same problem outlined in this forum. In our case it happens on the motorway; start stop Amber light and general caution Amber light pops up simultaneously. Had there been any solution to this problem? Does it affect the car apart from this. I was considering just deactivating the start stop... apart from this problem we are loving the car but bringing it in and out off a garage will quickly tarnish the enjoyment!