Hi

Since its been cold i have been having problems starting my 1.2 sport.

a few times its taken a few turns to start and others it simply wont start.

this has only started happening in the last 2 weeks! and is rather unpredictable!

I turn the key and it sounds/feels like the engine is kicking in after the starter motor has done its business...but then after a second or so it "putts out"

I took it to the dealer (only got the car in Septermber after a 4 mnth wait!)
and they were able to find nothing wrong with it - i told them i would be back as ther clearly was a problem.

I then went to start it on New Years Day (minus 6 according to the temp) and the same issue happened - Had to call the AA who toed me to the garage and left it there until today when they were all back from holiday.

The garage were able to start the car today (as i feared) but have since been on the phone to tell me they have ordered a New (they said they would need to replace the OLD one...OLD ONE!!!) Throttle Body.

Has anyone else had this at all...need your help folks its in the Garage at the moment....I fear that they will replace this part and not find what was actually causing the non-/cold start issue.

I have read a few posts on the cold start issues but noone has really described in detail what actually happens to them...like i say my issues are

I turn the key and it sounds/feels like the engine is kicking in after the starter motor has done its business...but then after a second or so it "putts out"


HELP HELP HELP

The above sounds similar to what has been happening to my sisters 1.2 Panda the past few cold mornings.

You turn the key and hear it starting up and then you release the key it just dies.

To get round this I have discovered that if you start to rev the car up to and around 3000rpm when turning the key it eventually catches and runs fine.

thanks for the reply - I have tried giving it gas but it just doesn't do it
but you do describe the problem it sounds similar.

I would rather the car just started properly it is under 3 mnths old! and im not sure why after it started for the dealer they suggest it needs a new
throttle body - whatever that does!

My sisters Panda is just out of warrenty

Its not a problem at every start-up though, just now and again.

changed a few throttle body's on 500's

Dont know if this helps but I have a 1.4 lounge with 19700 miles on and I dont have a problem starting in -7 OTHER than when I have say washed the car and moved it a few feet on the drive and then it sounds awful and wont start for ages.

First time I had this I called the AA as I still had the 1 yr with the car and they said they had seen a lot of these with new cars when moved a few feet and the car switched off and not warmed up. He just cranked it until it started.

Since then it has happened twice more, last time was over Christmas as I had to move it to wash it (rolled it back) but then when washed I had to move it up the drive to allow my partners car on. Next time I went to start it a couple of days later, it was a real pig to start and I may phone the dealer, I wonder if there is a software update?

I know the best solution is not to move the car a small amount but sometimes it cant be helped unless you have a massive drive that it. Surely some garages must have come across this when moving cars in the lots?

why would they replace the throttle body for my issue - especially since it started for them in the garage?

i fear they will not identify whats actually wrong with it

anyone got any ideas! i really need your help...visiting the Garage tommorow again!

I don't mean to be rude but why are you second guessing the garage? Let them do their work and see if it fixes the fault. Do you honestly think that people on a forum are better equipped to fix your car than a Fiat garage with trained technicians?

papaburgundy said:

why would they replace the throttle body for my issue - especially since it started for them in the garage?

i fear they will not identify whats actually wrong with it

Click to expand...

Troubleshooting anything, cars, computers, etc is a process of elimination combined with knowledge of the item in question and it's history.

If you rocked up to the dealer and told them you had a problem and it sounded from the description that it was a problem they'd seen 3, 5 or 10 times before then that would be the first step. It'll likely fix it and if it doesn't then you move on to the next step. Give them some time and let them do their work.


That's twice I've defended a Fiat dealer now. What's the world coming to?!?!?!?!?

Might not help - but a had a similar issue with my Astra (a few years ago) - and flooring the gas whilst starting helped (was suggested by AA man)

That turned out to be a problem with one of the injectors - and was replaced under warranty. The garage for many days kept saying there was no problem - and trying to fob me off.

I left the car there and asked the garage to keep testing it every day - and on the 4th the problem occured and they instantly diagnosed it.

Sometimes a garage is a little too quick to say there is no problem with intermittant problems