gcameron123 said:

Thank you both for getting back to me, I heard the bang once which sounded like something had snapped and now it just sounds so loose when going over uneven roads or bumps. Is it still safe to drive as I have work early tomorrow and can’t get it sorted until Wednesday or if I take it to another garage tomorrow after/before work

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John202020 said:

A failed drop link can sound really bad but is a cheap fix look at this first then look at all the suspension possibly a broken spring even, but just have a good look?
That's the vertical rod in the above picture far right with the ball joints at each end, it's the joints that go not the rod itself.

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gcameron123 said:

Hi everyone, I’m new to this group however have used so many of your posts to get me through so many problems I’ve had with this car. I bought the car in July 2017 second hand and the model is a 15 plate and had 24,000 miles on the clock, since then I drive long distance often so have done 20,000 miles in it in under two years. So far I’ve had new brake discs and plates fitted 5 months into having the car, my key snapped in my ignition, start stop is always unavailable, my car engine light came on and wouldn’t properly start the car would take a few goes in turning the ignition on took that to the garage and they said it’s an fiat code that only fiat garages would be able to diagnose. However last night I was driving about 15 mph out my street and it sounded like I had drove over a big rock or something had hit the car, stopped the car got out couldn’t see anything hanging from underneath the carriage or no bumps to the car and the car was driving fine. So carried on my journey and every time I went over a slight raised part of a road/bump it sounded like trollies smashing together if this noise makes sense to anyone? I know I have a lowered suspension anyways so it does make noises when I go over bumps in the road but this one is totally new. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated and is it still safe to drive the car? It was driving fine there was no power lost or warning lights on the dash.

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MD14UCM said:

Hello, interested to hear that your 500s has lowered suspension. When I bought my 500lounge new I asked the dealer if there was any difference in suspension between the two trim types and was told “No, the differences are purely cosmetic, the running gear is identical”
I don’t doubt your knowledge of your own car, but how do you know the suspension is lowered? Was it done aftermarket?
Hope you’ve got the problem sorted btw!
BW,
J

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gcameron123 said:

Also my mum has the Fiat 500 pop star and my sister had another fiat 500 s older than my model which has not been lowered but is significantly lower than my mums car I think it’s because it’s the sports model they are genuinely lower than the pops/pop star and lounge

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500things said:

Hi all, sorry to piggyback, but the name of this thread is appropriate for my query.


At the weekend I picked up my 500 S, 17 plate with 11,000 miles on the clock. So far its been good, I prefer it to my old Twin Air as its nice and smooth (but a little less powerful that the TT it replaces). Anyway...

Last night I drove the 500 over speed bumps for the first time and noticed a bit of a clank / clunk from what I think is both the front and rear of the car. The best way to describe the sound is that its similar to the sound when you drive over a loose manhole cover.

My initial thoughts are that we have some issues with struts / mounts / shocks or some other suspension component. I have given the car a wobble when stationary, side to side, and then pushed down on the front and rear independently. I can regularly recreate some noise with these tests, and the lateral wobble creates a continued wobble (its not settling quickly). Also the noise is regularly produced during a road test involving said speed bumps.

The noise is not noticeable at much lower speeds, but at 10 mph over speed bumps, and a little quicker over shallower bumps, its audible. Handling feels fine and there isn't too much roll, but my frame of reference is the TT S line so I might just be thinking the roll on this is normal.

So the question really is, am I right in thinking that there shouldn't really be any of these noises? I know the fiat has 'character' and tends to bounce and fidget along, but I thought it would be great to get other's views from their own experience.

Any help greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

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p6baseunit said:

I have a love hate relationship to the 500 handling and suspension. Just got rid of an early 14 500s twinair and still have a late low mileage 13 500s 1.2

I can tell you that generally the 500 suspension is not quiet

Moved side to side - the car and the suspension should be rock solid, the only side ways movement you should see is on the tire walls only!

The 500s with low profiles is a rock solid ride, until the rear shocks start to wear and it becomes a pig..... drive over a sleeping policemen on a dual carriageway on a bend and the rear end will lurch out... My TwinAir had new rear shock every 18000miles, as they were knackered by this point..


Then you would get knocking front suspension which was normally caused by the drop links.... They would look and feel fine on the car at 18000miles, but would literally fall apart once removed. One replacement didn´t even last 6000miles.


At 45000miles the anti roll bar bushes were noisy.

I had the suspension rebuilt at 18000miles and 2 years - new monroe shocks, top mounts and drop links and it was lovely for 18months. At 5years old and 55000 miles it basically needed doing all again and I sold the car.

I miss the TwinAir engine... but don´t miss the hassle.

I also have a very low mileage 500C Sport, which I will run around in for a couple of years to get some use out of it... The 500C is heavier and doesn´t seem to eat the suspension in quite the same way as the hatchback

Also one last thing, you can´t compare a Fiat 500 to an Audi TT... The fiat is a great little car but it is not durable like an Audi.
To be fair though the 500S was always cheap to fix.

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