(T) Euro6 1.2 Throttle Response, Hill Start Issues & Watchdog report

If possible an update reference number would be worth its weight in gold

I would be considered one of the unreasonable ones . After the particularly rude and unhelpful response from both Fiat and the dealer I threatened to park the car outside the dealership with large graphics warning potential buyers of the problems I had experienced. I also said I would hand out flyers to everyone entering the dealership and contact the press unless they found me an acceptable solution.

As it became clear there wasn't anything they could do to the car to resolve the issue it was obvious to me that they needed to either refund me the total cost or replace it for another car.

I tested another 1.2 with ESC and hill-holder but found it also struggled on a steep hill start. (which is why I am not convinced the update is going to solve the problem).

I decided to consider the diesel 1.3 instead but the dealer tried to sting me for the depreciation on the first car which was now obviously second hand. So I calmly reminded him about my initial threat to alert every other potential customer which seemed to concentrate his mind a little more.

They eventually gave me a full refund and I paid the extra for the diesel which meant it cost me about the same price as it would have done had I bought it in the first place. Although I ended up buying a car 4.000 euros more expensive than I had intended I was happy to find a way out and think that the dealership did the right thing.

We took delivery of the new car yesterday and it drives like a dream in comparison. Bags of power to spare and makes hill starts effortlessly.
I realise this wouldn't be an acceptable option for everybody but I would certainly recommend it to anyone out there suffering with a 1.2 who would be prepared to pay the difference.

I haven't tried the Twinair so can't say much about that but I definitely give the diesel the thumbs up.

It's nothing to do with esp really. There's no practical reason why the current 1.2 shouldn't be just as powerful as the previous 1.2's up a hill.

I agree. It's probably just a smoke screen from Fiat and buys them a bit more time.
It was a good PR move really as it has also got Watchdog off their backs for the time being.
Maybe Watchdog should get The Stig to try the same hill in a car with ESC. I don't think he would be impressed.

I'm in the waiting room ... excuses have started already from the service receptionist "this ECU fault only affects MY14 plate cars, Sir"
My response "My car was registered several days before MY14 was released, and you can't tell me my car isn't affected"
Car swiftly taken into the workshop.

We wait ....

Sounds like a dealer with great faith in the "fix"

Good grief...
Have you thought about your next step in readiness in case they try and tell you the worst?

A dirty protest should work.

*facepalm *

Phone call to watchdog?
I'm sure they would love to hear how they still haven't fixed the issue, and that dealers are saying it doesn't exist on 2013 registered cars.

Is it bad that my response would have been, tea 2 sugars please

** ECU UPDATE **

Took just over an hour to apply new firmware/software to the ECU - there is a new code with the new firmware/software but I wasn't allowed to take a copy of this away, although he did show me the difference in codes. Apparently the paperwork is used for their warranty records and cannot be given out.

Anyway, the results....

Hugely improved throttle response on level take-offs and city driving
Second gear seems to "pick-up" better on low revs (sub 2000)
Hill starts are *massively* improved

From the first tests it seems that this update is about 95% there. Overall I am very impressed with it.

Just to add - the service technician said the service receptionist was incorrect with her previous statement.

There you have it chaps

Excellent news, you must be so relieved.
So where is the "missing" 5%?

Down the back of the sofa?!

Sounds like a great result though. And hopefully whatever has been applied will be rolled out to all the others who have suffered.

Missing 5% is the irregularity of the "self-revving" clutch when in first gear. You have to be at a dead stop else it won't work - perfect example coming up to a junction in slow moving traffic (you're neither stationary or applying throttle to move forward).

Hope that makes sense?