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Technical Power Steering Failure

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Technical Power Steering Failure

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AdynGill

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Morning everyone !! Apologies that it's yet another post for help !!

My partner has driven her 500 to work this morning. The power steering warning light come on again (which is something that happens now and then), but unfortunately today the Power Steering has failed as the steering has suddenly gone really heavy.

She's going to try and start the car later after work to come home. I suppose the first question is, will this cause any further damage driving the car home (approx 15 miles) ?

Is this a common problem ? ........ This car is becoming a little bit of a pain in the rear end if i'm honest. We've only had the car 2 months and we've spent out a few hundred pounds on repairs so far. We did get a warranty from the dealer (non Fiat), so we're hoping that this might cover the power steering if it has gone. Seriously thinking of selling the car on as it was supposed to be a practical cheap-to-run little car !!

I have called Fiat, and although fairly helpful will charge us £50.00 for the diagnostics, then wont tell us whether it's covered unless we pay the extra £30.00 to transfer the remaining Fiat Warranty .... so it's an £80.00 gamble and then we could still be told it's not covered !! (the car was registered june 2008 so not covered by the 'full' warranty).
 
AdynGill said:
Morning everyone !! Apologies that it's yet another post for help !!

My partner has driven her 500 to work this morning. The power steering warning light come on again (which is something that happens now and then), but unfortunately today the Power Steering has failed as the steering has suddenly gone really heavy.

She's going to try and start the car later after work to come home. I suppose the first question is, will this cause any further damage driving the car home (approx 15 miles) ?

Is this a common problem ? ........ This car is becoming a little bit of a pain in the rear end if i'm honest. We've only had the car 2 months and we've spent out a few hundred pounds on repairs so far. We did get a warranty from the dealer (non Fiat), so we're hoping that this might cover the power steering if it has gone. Seriously thinking of selling the car on as it was supposed to be a practical cheap-to-run little car !!

I have called Fiat, and although fairly helpful will charge us £50.00 for the diagnostics, then wont tell us whether it's covered unless we pay the extra £30.00 to transfer the remaining Fiat Warranty .... so it's an £80.00 gamble and then we could still be told it's not covered !! (the car was registered june 2008 so not covered by the 'full' warranty).
Click to expand...
The steering unit should be covered on the 3 year warranty AFAIK.

Why get rid of the car? Bits do go wrong on cars and just because one bit has gone wrong it doesn't mean that other things are going to fail.

With regards to the fault this often comes up on cold mornings when you've just started the car, usually driving down the road, turning the engine off and restarting. It could be something as silly as a battery which is on the way out and is not supplying enough juice for the system to work properly.
 
Last edited:
cheers for the reply.

Yeah i'd read up on the fault warning thing and noticed that a simple re-start usually does the trick. The steering itself has never failed up until now that's the only worrying thing.

Is it ok to re-charge the battery on Fiats ? Might be worth charging up the battery just incase it's not giving the car enough 'juice' to run everything. What ever happened to good ol' mechanics rather than running everything from the electric?? lol.

We don't really want to sell the car ...... I suppose it's just a bit dis-heartening when you've wanted a car for so long, then when you get it, it always seems like something needs sorting ...... especially when I drive an 18 1/2 year old car that starts on the button everyday and has not let me down once in over 8 years of ownership.

The car is booked in at an independent garage on Monday for a diagnostic check (assuming it doesn't start working before then) ..... then at least I suppose we know what we're looking at. Maybe I could get some word from Fiat to see if it would be covered and then get the Warranty transfered over.
 
I would call fiat Uk and speak with them, I will try n find the number , then you can verify with them, just change the warranty over, and let it be there problem, it's nonsense them asking you to pay the diagnostic fee to find the fault, I would also mention that to them at head office as I am sure it's the garage trying to earn £ of you
 
Took your advice and spoke to an incredibly helpful bloke called Glenn at Fiat UK. He's told me that the dealer is talking rubbish and that they'll cover all costs (including the diagnostic charges) if the failure is covered under warranty, which by the sounds of it it probably is ..... and they'll let me know whether it is covered first before I have to pay out for the warranty transfer.

What a damn top bloke !! .... so 'Poppy' will be going in on Tuesday to see what's going on.
 
does the light come on when starting or when driving?

car is 3rd year warranty, you need to pay transfer fee.

if the column is at fault its covered but if its wiring/connections then you pay.
 
I just got my 500 back, one of the issues was the power steering warning message that has come up a few times. They did a software update so that is now sorted - although I had to pay £45 for it! I argued that I've never had to pay for a software update before but they wouldn't budge.

I'm going to be putting another post on here very soon - regarding the service I have received at a new dealers (new for me anyway). Watch this space - it's going to be messy! :mad:
 
T14086 said:
does the light come on when starting or when driving?

car is 3rd year warranty, you need to pay transfer fee.

if the column is at fault its covered but if its wiring/connections then you pay.
Click to expand...

To the OP, listen to t :) He knows his stuff :)
 
Saz77 said:
I just got my 500 back, one of the issues was the power steering warning message that has come up a few times. They did a software update so that is now sorted

hence me asking OP if it happened at start up or while driving.

although I had to pay £45 for it!

how old is the car?

I argued that I've never had to pay for a software update before but they wouldn't budge.

if software was correct in first place it wouldn't need updating!

I'm going to be putting another post on here very soon - regarding the service I have received at a new dealers (new for me anyway). Watch this space - it's going to be messy! :mad:
Click to expand...

good...we love gossip:devil:
 
Hi everyone ..... thought i'd keep you updated on the goings-on.

The car went into the Fiat dealer today and they've confirmed that the column needs replacing. They've arranged for the remainder of the warranty to be transfered into Gill's name and get the work done ...... this is VERY good news as they reckon it'd cost £1000+ if it wasn't covered !!

So all-in-all it's worked out ok, and Fiat have been very helpful in getting it sorted. Fingers crossed we get plenty of trouble free motoring after this.

Thanks very much to everyone for your advice and input. Without these forums i'd be stuffed !! lol.
 
AdynGill said:
Hi everyone ..... thought i'd keep you updated on the goings-on.

The car went into the Fiat dealer today and they've confirmed that the column needs replacing. They've arranged for the remainder of the warranty to be transfered into Gill's name and get the work done ...... this is VERY good news as they reckon it'd cost £1000+ if it wasn't covered !!

So all-in-all it's worked out ok, and Fiat have been very helpful in getting it sorted. Fingers crossed we get plenty of trouble free motoring after this.

Thanks very much to everyone for your advice and input. Without these forums i'd be stuffed !! lol.
Click to expand...

Fiat are generally good when it comes to stuff like this :)
 
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