Hi guys

I had to take my car in last month as the rear wipe keeps coming on when you start the engine. Westover Fiat did a temporary fix but have now come back and said it will cost £717.82 including VAT to order and fit a new "body loom" and it's not covered under warranty.

Nearly in tears here - I don't have £717 to waste on a rear wiper fix and why isn't it covered under warranty? it's only 2.5 years old! I thought we had 3 years warranty, apparently not.

Any advice from anyone on how to progress this? Fiat CS? Or just do what my husband says and pull the fuse out? If I don't get this body loom replaced is it dangerous?

I'm stuck with this car for the next 6 years - now want to sell it

Thanks

Heidi

you need an independant italian specialist with the equipment skills and patience to diagnose this small electrical fault

it is probably something as simple as a poor connection or earth fault

the term 'body loom failure' is a scary way of saying 'wiring fault' and Italian cars are known for their wiring faults

Hi Heidi

Sounds like BS to me! Ask the dealer whats wrong with the loom, has it been damaged or has it suffered an electrical short causing it to fail?

If it's damage then a reputable auto electrirician should be able to trace and repair the fault for a lot less. I had a 'lighting control module' go on my wifes Volvo out of warranty, dealer quoted £350.00 plus - a local auto electrical specialist did it for £50 all in.

If the loom has suffered a failure I'd be looking to the dealer / Fiat CS to rectify the problem under warranty?

Good luck!

RobW said:

you need an independant italian specialist with the equipment skills and patience to diagnose this small electrical fault

it is probably something as simple as a poor connection or earth fault

the term 'body loom failure' is a scary way of saying 'wiring fault' and Italian cars are known for their wiring faults

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:yeahthat:

Or a decent autosparky.

Heidi said:

Hi guys

I had to take my car in last month as the rear wipe keeps coming on when you start the engine. Westover Fiat did a temporary fix but have now come back and said it will cost £717.82 including VAT to order and fit a new "body loom" and it's not covered under warranty.

Nearly in tears here - I don't have £717 to waste on a rear wiper fix and why isn't it covered under warranty? it's only 2.5 years old! I thought we had 3 years warranty, apparently not.

Any advice from anyone on how to progress this? Fiat CS? Or just do what my husband says and pull the fuse out? If I don't get this body loom replaced is it dangerous?

I'm stuck with this car for the next 6 years - now want to sell it

Thanks

Heidi

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I'd pull the fuse and trade in the car for a new one. It will consume you and you might end up with more problems after it's done.

multispoke said:

I'd pull the fuse and trade in the car for a new one. It will consume you and you might end up with more problems after it's done.

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Thats likely to cost a lot more than £700!

Ok just rang them back:

errors stored on computer
wiring damaged where boot and body join
temporary repair done
body loom needs replacing


what should I do? Phone Fiat CS then? thanks guys (really upset here)

multispoke said:

I'd pull the fuse and trade in the car for a new one. It will consume you and you might end up with more problems after it's done.

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I can't trade it in - don't have another c£6,000 for a new car

Heidi said:

Ok just rang them back:

errors stored on computer
wiring damaged where boot and body join
temporary repair done
body loom needs replacing


what should I do? Phone Fiat CS then? thanks guys (really upset here)

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Ask them what has caused the damage to the loom, surely it must be routed inside tha car and should be protected?

OK am about to phone Fiat CS and tell them that it must be a weak point on the wiring and I can hardly be held responsible......

Heidi said:

I can't trade it in - don't have another c£6,000 for a new car

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Hi Heidi. Realise that money is hard to come by and to trade up will cost a lot. I had a problem with a Ford many moons ago and it was in relation to rust (on the inside) of the roof from an opening sunroof. It was within the guarantee period. To cut a long story short it consumed me with a solicitor been engaged and the roof eventually got replaced (2 years mind you). The car whistled after 60mph which was not the reason I bought an RS for. Where I hear of warranty claims and in particular wiring problems on a Fiat I run a mile ! Once bitten twice shy.
I wish you the very best with the claim - it probably is worth pursuing.

Heidi said:

OK am about to phone Fiat CS and tell them that it must be a weak point on the wiring and I can hardly be held responsible......

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Is it the flexible link between the tailgate and the body? if so that should be protected? It sounds like a design / manufacturing defect unless the tailgate has been removed for any reason?

heidi my advice find a decent independant in your area (i am sure people can point you in the right direction) or try another dealer

OK I've got a case number. Waiting for someone senior to call me back.

If i get nowhere I'm going to get my friendly Ford garage to whip the fuse out or disconnect the motor for me (they wont charge me, are friends) just hope I don't lose the rear demister as a result.

I can't get a new car - waiting to see if son gets into the school we want and won't know til 2017! This car was meant to last until then. I have a ticking fan and a dodgy wiper - not happy.

oh well, ho hum, things could be worse .... always look on the bright side and all that. (this is why I always get a new car after two years - wish husband would listen to me!)

stu0710 said:

Is it the flexible link between the tailgate and the body? if so that should be protected? It sounds like a design / manufacturing defect unless the tailgate has been removed for any reason?

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Nope, tailgate never been removed at all. I shall wait for Fiat CS to call me with baited breath!

Thing is, they advertise "3 year warranty" but it's not - that is also a gripe, mis-selling, which I have also mentioned to Fiat CS.....

stu0710 said:

Is it the flexible link between the tailgate and the body? if so that should be protected? It sounds like a design / manufacturing defect unless the tailgate has been removed for any reason?

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they said "flexi rubber where boot joins body"....

Think of the positives.
You car still drives.
Removing the fuse should stop the annoying wiper problem.
It will get fixed.
The advice of getting an independent to look at it first sounds like good advice to me before a claim is put in.

Heidi said:

... as the rear wipe keeps coming on when you start the engine.

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Commiserations on this piece of bad luck - I can imagine how gutted you must be feeling, and how disappointed you are that it hasn't just been fixed straight away under warranty.

Keep looking on the bright side - it's fixable, and FIAT CS may yet do the decent thing & come back to you and agree a warranty repair. And if they don't, a decent auto electrician should be able to repair it permanently for a fraction of the cost of replacing the loom.

I'd go the autoelectrician route rather than taking it to an independent garage, as they'll have far more experience of patching damaged looms.

Best wishes for a speedy resolution - I'll keep my fingers crossed for you with FIAT CS.

This, and similar incidents, expose the real weakness in FIAT's decision to factor out warranty claims to an independent insurer; it places a key part of the customer services experience in the hands of a third party whose prime motivation is maximising profit. IMO this is a short term view as those who suffer as a result of this policy may well vote with their feet and choose not to buy another FIAT next time.

so thay have effected a 'temporary repair' to the wiring where it goes through the bulkhead

good

is the wiper now working?

jrkitching said:

Commiserations on this piece of bad luck - I can imagine how gutted you must be feeling, and how disappointed you are that it hasn't just been fixed straight away under warranty.

Keep looking on the bright side - it's fixable, and FIAT CS may yet do the decent thing & come back to you and agree a warranty repair. And if they don't, a decent auto electrician should be able to repair it permanently for a fraction of the cost of replacing the loom.

I'd go the autoelectrician route rather than taking it to an independent garage, as they'll have far more experience of patching damaged looms.

Best wishes for a speedy resolution - I'll keep my fingers crossed for you with FIAT CS.

This, and similar incidents, expose the real weakness in FIAT's decision to factor out warranty claims to an independent insurer; it places a key part of the customer services experience in the hands of a third party whose prime motivation is maximising profit. IMO this is a short term view as those who suffer as a result of this policy may well vote with their feet and choose not to buy another FIAT next time.

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Very true, but remember Heidi that neither Fiat nor the outsourced insurance provider is the final arbiter of whether or not the fault is covered by the warranty. A bloke wearing a wig and silk stockings is. (And I'm not talking Maxi.)

So if Fiat CS let you down, do this.

Read the warranty wording carefully, and get the garage to write down precisely what the fault is. If you go the independent route for the fix, make sure the person who fixes it for you does the same.

If the fauly is in fact within the scope of the warranty (with any ambiguity resolved in your favour) then if you go to the County Court you can and will get all your money back.

In my experience (I am a litigation solicitor with close on 20 years experience) judges in the county court will bend over backwards to help you out and find in your favour in this sort of situation. (Especially as his fiat probably broke down in 1974 and he has never forgotten it.)

You don't need a lawyer to do it if you can write as clearly as your postings in this thread show that you can.

And revenge is, as they say, a dish best served cold.

Oh, if you go this route, make sure you paper everything (email is fine) to tell the garage and Fiat that this is what you will do if they do not cover the cost.

Finally, only go this route if you have to. Be nice to Fiat and make them like and pity you. Cry if need be. But if all else fails, fight back.