I have a Fiat 500, 2016. My car battery died last week, after only getting a new one last April. I managed to jump my car and the check engine light showed up, which it also did last year but I searched and it said this could happen when the battery dies, but just to be sure i got it checked by a friend and it showed up “air leakage in intake manifold, signal compare failure”, after turning my car on and off it then disappeared. I then took it to the garage where they told me I wasn’t doing enough miles, which is hard to since we are limited to where we can go lol. So they charged it up and I took it home. I took it a good drive each day but about a week later when strong with engine on and hand break on, esc/hillhold/stop/start/check engine message appears and then I can only around 8 miles. So I turned my car off and on and it’s fine, but the engine light is back. This has happened before and I was told it’s because it’s stop/start battery they seem to be dodgy. But now it’s happening so often it feels like somethings up.it also isn’t letting me turn stop start on or off (I have it off) it just says unavailable.
I thought my battery was maybe faulty, but also could it be related to the air leakage? I’m not a car person so this is very confusing. If it’s to do with the air leakage would anyone be able to tell me how much this would be to fix and what does it even mean? Thanks!

I had air leakage/seepage in inlet manifold and it took me forever to figure out and replace. No idea what it would cost at a garage however that has nothing to do with your hill start etc problems. Not related at all.

Could be battery, could be earth cable but I doubt the cable as it’s not old enough really. I think you need to find someone on here that’s willing to plug your car into multiECUscan which many of us have. Otherwise diagnostics at Fiat is around £118.

Thanks for clearing that up!

This may be a red herring, but there are two warning flags in what you have already posted.

nic123 said:

I managed to jump my car

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This is the first warning flag; if you jump a S/S 500 by connecting directly across the battery terminals, you could permanently damage the car's electronics.

nic123 said:

So they charged it up

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This is the second warning flag; if you connect a battery charger directly across the battery terminals (particularly a heavy duty fast charger), you could permanently damage the car's electronics.

S/S equipped 500's have a second negative terminal near the battery which bypasses the S/S electronics, and you must connect the negative lead to either this terminal or (better), a solid earthing point on the chassis - directly connecting across the main battery terminals is not allowed. Quite possibly some non-Fiat garages may not be aware of this.

In the early days, there were so many warranty claims from owners who'd failed to follow the correct charging/jump starting procedure that some dealers made new car buyers sign a document saying they'd understood the dangers of incorrectly attaching the cables.

I've attached a copy of such a document, together with Fiat's S/S supplemental instructions.

OK, so what now? I'd double check the battery connections, particularly the main earthing cable where it meets the chassis, and I wouldn't rule out the possibility of a less than perfect battery - even new ones have been known to fail shortly after installation. After that, you need to start by reading any stored fault codes.

nic123 said:

but just to be sure i got it checked by a friend and it showed up “air leakage in intake manifold, signal compare failure”

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How exactly did they check it? Generic code readers generally aren't much help, and, worse, may lead you in a completely wrong direction.

If the simple battery connection checks don't resolve this, you need Fiat-specific diagnostics, or we're basically just guessing. If you give us an idea of your location, there may be someone here who can help.

Thanks for explaining that, I didn’t know this. He checked it by using diagnostic tool at parks garage, when he got the results he had a look to see if he could see anything but couldn’t.
I live in Ayrshire

@Pugglt Auld Jock

I know it's the opposite coast to you, but any thoughts on somewhere to take it?

If the battery has "failed" then surely it should be replaced under warranty?

jrkitching said:

@Pugglt Auld Jock

I know it's the opposite coast to you, but any thoughts on somewhere to take it?

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I'm not very good about "stuff" to do with "the west" I'm afraid. Put me west of Livingston and make me come off the M8 and I'm completely lost. Years ago I did the Motor show for the DAF garage and I've been through to the airport a couple of times but that's it. We've holidayed comprehensively up the East coast, Dornoch etc, right up to Wick/John o' Groats and in between but never ventured over to the west. One day we'll do it though but only if they invent a really really good anti Midge cream for Mrs J as she comes out in truly horrible, suppurating, wounds when bitten by "beasties"

Parks is a large family owned dealership through in the west about which I know next to nothing being as how we are over run by Arnold Clarke in the east. They had a branch over hear many years ago, not far from the DAF dealer I worked for but they did not have a good image and packed up and went back to the West. I see from their advert that they seem to be multifranchised with Fiat being listed: https://www.parks.uk.com/fiat/ so you would hope they would know what they are talking about? As you say jrk, there would seem to be the possibility that an incorrectly executed jump procedure might have taken place here in which case who knows?

By the way, anyone through here in the East that ever wanted to make contact with me I'd be happy to help if I can - no promises though. We have considerable family commitments, especially grandchildren, and I always have to work things round that.

Just came across this: https://www.approvedgarages.co.uk/mot-servicing-and-repairs/car-brands/fiat/glasgow/ I've no idea if any of them are any good but it could be a starting point if you were so inclined?

Just over a year ago I wasn’t a car person either! I didn’t have a scooby! Now I can diagnose most issues with MES the guys on here helped me on my way! I have now successfully swapped out all my suspension components and fixed many engine issues that have cropped up
Of course it was also made possible by muggins here buying a pretty car and not knowing anything!
If I’ve learned anything (and I’ve had to learn a lot) it’s that fiat 500s are not the most difficult cars to understand and as it turns out not the most difficult to repair
A Haynes online subscription YouTube & the fiat forum is all you need
And of course spending 50€ to get the registered version of multiecuscan and a pack of leads!
It’s such a helpless feeling when **** goes wrong with your car and your sat in a garage waiting room and the dreaded bill at the end! Been there but thus far not for a long long time! I even service my own car now!

That’s what I thought, but the garage blamed it on not driving much. But I’m going to go back