Sounds like a cooling fan problem to me, since the temp rose when idling and dropped once you got some speed again. Maybe the fan or it's contacts are broken, hardly the fan controls - but you never know with fiats.

Thermostat is a another possibility, or low coolant level.

Be sure to check the coolant level every time you go for a ride a watch that temp like a hawk before you find the problem.

O heck! An X of mine was an IT project manager at EDS. He ended up off work with stress! It's not a job I'd want to do. You get to take the blame for everyone elses mistakes from what I've seen...

Umm think I will check the levels before I go home just to be on the safe side...

Shelxs said:

O heck! An X of mine was an IT project manager at EDS. He ended up off work with stress! It's not a job I'd want to do. You get to take the blame for everyone elses mistakes from what I've seen...

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Too right, I moved into PM-ing as I wanted the experience (4 years ago) - it is a stressful job - when things are going wrong they are my fault and when they are going 'right' nobody actually gives me credit for doing a good job!!

I am about to kick off a job search - to be honest I would not mind re-training into a trade such as carpentry or setting up for myself (but not sure what!). I am thinking about making a short term career of contracting but given the current/anticipated financial climate I am not sure now is the right time.............

Sounds familiar LRB. At the moment I work in web on a funded project and we have to reapply for the money every year to keep ourselves in jobs. Mind u any of us who worked in Web/IT in the 90's is no stranger to being made redundant I'm sure!
xS

Yikes! Just been and checked and there is NO water in it! Someone who knows a bit more about cars than me is coming out with me in a bit to check and see if we can tell where it is coming out. I can see another trip back to the garage looming!
xS

Shelxs said:

Yikes! Just been and checked and there is NO water in it! Someone who knows a bit more about cars than me is coming out with me in a bit to check and see if we can tell where it is coming out. I can see another trip back to the garage looming!
xS

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no water!!

Might not be terrible news if it something like a small split in a hose - are you still covered by warranty?

Yes covered till end of Feb. I've just been in touch with them and they've told me to monitor it and tell them how much it's using. I'm starting to wonder if all the water in the car was rain! Will check before I leave for home, take a bottle of water with me and then check again in the morning.
xS

Shelxs said:

Yes covered till end of Feb. I've just been in touch with them and they've told me to monitor it and tell them how much it's using. I'm starting to wonder if all the water in the car was rain! Will check before I leave for home, take a bottle of water with me and then check again in the morning.
xS

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Forget the 'monitor how much' it should not be using any - nada - zero - not a spoonful!!! Trust me, get it sorted before the warranty runs out cos if it does turn out to be a radiator, head gasket or heater matrix you don't wanna be paying cash for it!!

Check under the dash at the centre console of the car, if there are water marks then it is most likely to be your heater matrix which is a sod of a job!

Also, you don't want the matrix to rupture while you are driving and spray your feet with hot water and fill the cabin with steam!!!!

Thanks LRB.
I've just sent the garage the results of my 'monitoring'.
I topped it up to max, got home ok, let it cool down and then checked the level. It had dropped by about 3cm in a 17 mile trip. Also dropped another 1cm over night while stationary. It's going to be awkward getting it into the garage now I'm back at work but I've suggested I take it over one evening and leave them the keys then collect at the weekend.

It's funny, if this was any other car and I'd had these problems within the first couple of months I'd be thinking I'd made a big mistake, but I still love my b! They really have got something.

xS

You have not made a mistake, when I bought my Jeep I had a water pump fail, a wheel bearing crack up, a gearbox seal fail all within the first 2 months but still loved the car.

We bought a Picasso last year, the clutch and 3rd gear syncro failed within the first 3 weeks but was covered by a warranty - the external air pump and ERG valve have failed now, now warranty and cost of about £300 looming. I am afraid that when you buy a second hand car you always take a chance..........can happen with any make and any model!!

Booked in for next Wednesday for them to look at the cooling system and the leak.
xS

It's true what LRB says (well perhaps not always, but in this case ).

I bought a reliable Nissan in the mid 90s.

It broke down 30 minutes after leaving the garage, water in the electrics after a steam clean.

Then the carb went, well the bi-metalic strip on the auto choke to be exact. Took them three months to get one from Japan and then they fitted it wrongly, blamed the carb, adjusted parts which were sealed and basically ruined another carb.

Then they serviced it and sent us out with almost zero brake pads.

Then it blew it's head gasket.

Then the bolts that hold the rocker in place just came out.

The gearbox started to play up (it was an auto).

I'd tried three different Nissan garages but after the head gasket I did the work myself. Which was fine until the jack went through the bottom of the car! Everything looked fine from the outside but it had rusted inside and landed on my hand.

Got it welded and gave it away after that. Of course it worked for another two years without trouble after that.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention it needed a new wheel bearing in the middle of all that too!

I bought brand new Fiat Ducato back on an M plate and before I got it off the dealers forecourt it blew a power steering pipe off. This was a portent for things to come including a seriously knocking engine at 36 miles old, a new engine a 800 miles and it went on and on and on, the end result being: I owned it for 36 months and out of that it was off the road for 6 months and when you are self-employed you just cannot afford that sort of reliability. Bloody Fiats