Just judders - surprisingly though I haven't had the juddering for some time now, but will mention it next time it goes it. Does the update have a specific name (so I can refer to it)?

Cheers mate - I'll need all the luck I can get

They want me to leave the car for a day tomorrow to do a few more test...

Alright, had a moment to think about this, and no, I'm not wasting another second of my time. They can go f themselves until the cows come home.

This is going in the post as soon as I'm out of the office (edited from previous version):

***********************************************

Dear General Manager,

This is the third, and final formal complaint that I’m making about my car, a Fiat Punto 2006, registration number AZO 06B.

My car has developed a problem with its steering since late 2007. I have been to two different dealerships and neither could rectify the problem.

The problem is, when a left turn is made, the steering wheel does not return to the center position, causing the car to severely pull to the left. The same does not happen with right turns. I have demonstrated this to the technicians at both Rick Damelian and Sydney City Alfa, who has witnessed this, and acknowledges the steering is faulty.

This needs to be resolved ASAP because of three reasons:

1.It is dangerous to drive a car that doesn’t drive straight.
2.How am I going to sell my car when it obviously has a serious safety issue/fault?
3.It has caused premature wear and tear to the front tyres. The front left has only 3mm left while the front right has 5mm. I have had several wheel alignments done and tyre pressures checked and they are both perfectly fine.

Under Ateco’s instructions the steering motor has now been replaced, but this did not resolve the problem. After waiting a week for further instructions, I’ve been asked by Sydney City Alfa to leave my car for at least a day again so “tests” could be carried out.

Ateco and its dealers obviously do not know what the problem is, let alone what the solution is. I do not understand why my car should be used as a guinea pig and my time wasted in having endless “tests” carried out. I have had more than my fair share of problems with this car - check the history on my car since October 2006 for the number of times I’ve had to revisit dealers to have issues rectified, as well as my previous formal complaints.

I’ve had enough of this, and I demand that either:

• A full refund on the purchase price of the vehicle be given, or
• The entire steering system replaced.

Should I not hear from Ateco by COB Friday 29th February, 2008, I will be taking this matter straight to the ACCC and/or other relevant consumer organisations.

Regards,

Kevin (xxxx xxx xxx / xx xxxx xxxx)
***********************************************

luvduvs said:

AThey can go f themselves until the cows come home.

Click to expand...

You mean sheep

Oh & drop the regards you have to show you mean business & its non-negotiable!

Dont mean to hijack Luvduv's thread but I bought the GP based on looks. I'm just hoping it is an isolated incident as I do not have the patience in getting it fixed everytime something does not work or falls off. Mechanically I have always thought that the Euro cars do not have the reliability of a japanese car.

Luvduv, mate I hope you get all these things sorted.

Moonbutt

Well deadline's now past. Let's see, where should I start first..

http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/142
http://www.notgoodenough.com/
http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/
http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/
The solicitor, or
Turin maybe?

:chin:

forgot how old it is now Kev, would the dealer do you a deal on something else with a manual box?

Failing that I would have a word with a solicitor, sometimes a letter from them works wonders.

Regards

I've had it for 16 months now.

Its not so much about making a deal, but the fact that Fiat AU has shown that they obviously CBFed (can't be fooked) by ignoring my letter.

Yep, that's one possible option for sure.

Well they called today and reassured me they want to/will do everything they can to have this fixed. Booked it in for the week after and this time the techs from HQ (so T they do exist here ) will be there to help.

luvduvs said:

after and this time the techs from HQ (so T they do exist here ) will be there to help.

Click to expand...

takes a week to get there by boat

T14086 said:

takes a week to get there by boat

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Yeh.. by the time you get here you'll look like this:

Update:

Dropped it off this morning again, after a series of confusion - dealer told me last week the tech is overseas until Wednesday, so changed the booking then. Here's part of the phone conversation from yesterday..

Ateco: You're booked in for Monday, which is today. Can you get your car to the dealer this afternoon?
Me: No, I was told its been changed to Wednesday.
Ateco: Where do you work?
Me: Surry Hills.
Ateco: Err sir that's quite close to Zetland I believe..
Me: Yes it is, but I would have to go home and get the car. (And he expects me to just drop everything so I can suit their schedule??? :tosser
Ateco: Oh.. umm.. well you need to get your car to the dealer asap so our technician could look at it.
Me: Ok, I'll drop it off tomorrow morning. Can you confirm, your technician will be there tomorrow to do tests on my car?
Ateco: (hesitates..) Yes.

Then at the dealer's today he said the techs are down in Melbourne for the F1 grand prix (500 celebrity race) - but its finished now isn't it? And Melbourne is not overseas FFS!

I seriously doubt they can diagnose the problem, let alone find a fix for it. If that's the case I don't care what anyone says I'm going to sue the f**king pants off them - at least this time I've done everything they've asked me to do, and no I'm not taking it back for anymore tests.

I had exactly the same problem with my (now departed) Seicento (constant pulling to the left and non-centering steering).

Had the tracking adjusted more times than I can remember, eventually Fiat changed the whole steering system (rack, column, motor, bushes, everything). Fixed it for about 10 days and then it started to slowly start to creep left again. Particularly annoying as the car was out of warranty and so all this was at my expense.

Good luck getting yours sorted.

Incidently, wasn't there a recall for the steering racks on the GP?

yknivag said:

I had exactly the same problem with my (now departed) Seicento (constant pulling to the left and non-centering steering).

Had the tracking adjusted more times than I can remember, eventually Fiat changed the whole steering system (rack, column, motor, bushes, everything). Fixed it for about 10 days and then it started to slowly start to creep left again. Particularly annoying as the car was out of warranty and so all this was at my expense.

Good luck getting yours sorted.

Click to expand...

So did they pinpoint the problem at the end?

Thanks mate - I'll need much more than luck - I need a freaking miracle

yknivag said:

Incidently, wasn't there a recall for the steering racks on the GP?

Click to expand...

Oh I don't know.. its just too hard.. :doh:

yknivag said:

Incidently, wasn't there a recall for the steering racks on the GP?

Click to expand...

nope,just lower shaft on a limited number of vehicles;

https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-punto-technical/89495-recalls-known-fault-issues.html

luvduvs said:

So did they pinpoint the problem at the end?

Click to expand...

No, sadly the Seicento departed this life whilst trying to occupy the same part of the space-time continuum as a post van at 50 mph only weeks after I paid the GB£1000 repair bill.