Technical Error code reader?

Currently reading:
Technical Error code reader?

Alan Pritchard

New member
Joined
Mar 10, 2008
Messages
9
Points
4
Hi All,

Let me introduce myself, I'm a new keeper of a Barchetta, owned by my wife...fortunately she prefers me driving when we're in it together!

I got it from eBay the other week, 50-odd k mileage, good condition bodywork, RED, otherwise standard but with comfort pack (great leather seats). However the airbag light is on all the time, and I expect the MOT will require that to be fixed. The car is 1996 so I think they past their 'explode by' date, which is probably the reason for the light. Has anybody replaced their own? Has anybody discovered a way toread the error lights from the On-Board Diagnostics?

Is there anything to watch for when driving these cars? There seem to be a largish number of crashed ones around given the few you see on the road! Lovely car though and great to drive.

Cheers,

Alan
 
The airbag light could be on because someone disconnected something like a seat before removing the battery. You will have to take it to Fiat to have the light turned off.

A few people have had this problem and it turns out to be the yellow plug under the seats has broken and thats whats creating the loose connection in the airbag system.

That would be my first stab in the dark.

Enjoy the site, Doc Orange Peel
 
Last edited:
:yeahthat: Or adjusting the seat with the ignition switched on...no other maker (apart from Peugeot / Citroen..and they're French anyway...) would allow a stupid stupid design flaw on their cars...Unless its a cunning wheeze to make us muppets shell out €100 each time for 2 minutes on the diagnostic computer...
 
Hello! Welcome to the forum and to b ownership (or drivership in your case).
Don't be put off, we've all had to get through a few 'teething problems'.
I think the reason that you see so many crashed ones is not that they are a problem to drive, its probably because they get written off quickly as body parts can be expensive or difficult to come by - either that or they've been driving like Robot! Once you're used to the lhd (which doesn't take long) its great fun.

Lets see some photos.

xS
 
Hi Alan and welcome to the forum and may I wish you many happy miles of motoring in your new b!!

As the guy's have said FIAT are the only place you can have the error codes read, airbag light has been attributed to a couple of issues - rather than fiddling with something that could go bang I would seek the advice of your local friendly FIAT dealer!

On the hint's and tips for a driving the car every day there are only a couple of things that they suffer from. Variators can be a weakness (you will know you have an issue if your car sounds like a tractor, has a very poor mpg and lacks oomph). Once these go they need to be replaced and someone like DTR (Barchetta specialist in Mortlake) will not give you much change from £400! Regular oil services will help elongate the life of the variator (and indeed every other part of the engine). Most of us change our oil about every 6k miles.

Other issues can be frozen handbrake and door handles, easy work-arounds for each, in very cold weather park the car in gear and don't use the handbrake and part open the door handle before leaving the car and put a matchstick crossways over the door handle cavity! A little unconventional but they work!!

Also, as much as its tempting to drop the roof on a crisp cold morning try to warm the rear window before dropping the hood, the rear window material is susceptible to cracking in cold weather so be careful!

Overall a fantastic little car that can be used daily (I do as with many others on the forum), as long as its looked after and serviced regularly it should reward you (and the missus) with many happy miles of motoring!
 
Hi All,

Thanks for the info... and advice! The car does seem to have been well looked after, it had the Variator done in 1999, and that's not currently a problem. All I have to worry about is the airbags, checking/replacing the cambelt as it was last done when the variator was changed, and sorting out the water drain from the hood storage area....probably blocked drains in the rubber seal. The hood's not perfect but will do, and the only other niggle is a squeaky rear brake pad. I can see that once all the little niggles are sorted it's fantastic to drive, really tight and responsive, and with a good turn of speed too.

I'll give DTR a ring about the airbags, they're my closest specialist.

Cheers, and judging by the speed of response this is a lively forum. I especially like seeing what other people are doing with their cars...maybe I'll get hooked on the upgrade bug!

Alan
 
Hi Alan and welcome to the Forum. My local garage told me not to bother replacing the out of date airbag as it costs quite a lot. On the other hand the light isn't on.

I reckon the others are spot on when they say it's a connection/re-set problem.

Cheers,

Matt.
 
It's a shame that Gunson's don't do a error code checker reset device as they do for Fords and VAG cars.

I'm sure they would do a roaring trade with barchetta owners!

Rich
 
its best to email and ask them a lot of these readers will read you standard obd11 codes but not dealer ones, and wont reset the airbag or service due lights on a fiat.
i got one the other day that said it do fiats it wasnt cheap £80 it said it do fiat dealer codes and airbag but it did not, had to fight for a refund :(
you can get a tool that does do the fiat airbag, but where from i do not know, but just reseting the light dont sole the problem
 
either that or they've been driving like Robot!xS

Oi! :eek:

I haven't crashed before in my 14 years on the road (16 counting my moped years) - except when a f*ckin' BMW :yuck: X3 hit my B last year - so there's nothing wrong with my driving (...at least most of the time... :eek:), thank you very much :nono:
 
Hi All,

Thanks for the info... and advice! The car does seem to have been well looked after, it had the Variator done in 1999, and that's not currently a problem. All I have to worry about is the airbags, checking/replacing the cambelt as it was last done when the variator was changed, and sorting out the water drain from the hood storage area....probably blocked drains in the rubber seal. The hood's not perfect but will do, and the only other niggle is a squeaky rear brake pad. I can see that once all the little niggles are sorted it's fantastic to drive, really tight and responsive, and with a good turn of speed too.

I'll give DTR a ring about the airbags, they're my closest specialist.

Cheers, and judging by the speed of response this is a lively forum. I especially like seeing what other people are doing with their cars...maybe I'll get hooked on the upgrade bug!

Alan

Your B has had the same cambelt since 1999 !!!! Get that changed if I was you!!! My B was made in 1999 and its had three cambelts in that time!
 
Hi Alan, a very warm welcome to the site.

Firstly as Dave points out the airbag light is not part of the MOT, people confuse it with the ABS light that is part of the MOT. Second unless you ask the previous owner when the light went on it is purely speculation what the fault could be. If he changed the seats from cloth to leather simply unplugging the seat with the battery connected would be enough to illuminate the warning light.

You have two choices first disconnect the battery for a few hours and hope it resets if not go to Fiat I was charged about £40 but will re-check the price. They can then reset the error, if it goes on again later you've blown £40 and will have to go back to find what's caused the error, if it doesn't come back on again sorted (y)

If you do any work on the Barchetta that involves the electrics disconnect the battery first.....
 
Back
Top