Fiat Grande Punto 1.4 Sporting - Regd. August 2007.
Now into 5th week in garage!
This is one of a few Grande Puntos we have. It is the only 1.4 Sporting and is my son's car.
It has had a few niggles but a main problem is that about 3,000 miles ago when it had about 20,000 miles it blew a hole in the gearbox with internal components having exploded and there was a debate about it getting a new gearbox as it has allegedly been over-revved. The gearbox was reluctantly replaced by Fiat.
Three weeks ago and just over 3,000 miles from fitting, the new gearbox did exactly the same thing and Fiat Technical digging their heels saying it has been over-revved again.
Surely this should not be happening to the Fiat gearboxes. The internal components should not be so weak or soft to allow them to break. There are several posts on forums with the same problems and appear to be mainly the 1.4 gearbox.
Interestingly I had an old style 1.2 punto 2003 and the gearbox did exactly the same by exploding and blowing hole in casing. I was main driver at that time and no way was car abused.
I would be interested in hearing others comments or experiences.
Reply I got after chasing up the Fiat garage at start of week is 'Sorry but Fiat are not prepared to authorise repair as it is not manufactures fault as engine has been over-revved'
I asked them to explain what was over-revved and were they suggesting my son was repeatedly revving the car when stopped or red-lining the car.
I was then told 'No, that's not what has been explained to me as the workshop manager. Over-revving is where the car is actually being driven say in 5th gear and then without slowing the car down it is changed to a lower gear like 4th or 3rd and the revs increase a lot but not necessarily to the red line.
Really? I reply. That's how I have taught him and it is actually called a sustained revs gear change, eg you are driving along at 50mph in 5th gear approaching a bend and know your speed is correct but decide on a lower gear of 3rd or 4th for better control, balance and stability.
So I told him i was aware of numerous problems posted online, I wanted in writing a full Fiat definition and a print out of the over-revving as well as fault diagnosis of the last gearbox as well as this one. If the report comes back as the manager has said, then I will be going for 'the vehicle gearbox is not fit for normal use'
Well after two further call to Fiat Service at the local garage the Workshop manager now chasing it up with Fiat on my behalf as they had not noticed the gear/dif rod in centre console that had burst out of gearbox even although they were told it was there. Mmm looks more like part failure now.
Last night, surprise, surprise, another of our G/Puntos (1.2 this time) towed to same garage tonight. Gearbox stuck in third, so looks like another component/linkage failure.
Interested to see response in morning as 5 weeks with first punto off the road is too long and now another one off the road!
1.4 Sporting has got approx 25,000miles and 1.2 has 32,000 miles. Too soft and not fit for purpose comes to mind.
I get word tonight and garage say Fiat ar not fixing or changing gearbox under warranty - looks like I have another fight on my hands and would like to hear ther experiences of gearbox problems and how Fiat dealt with it.
Now into 5th week in garage!
This is one of a few Grande Puntos we have. It is the only 1.4 Sporting and is my son's car.
It has had a few niggles but a main problem is that about 3,000 miles ago when it had about 20,000 miles it blew a hole in the gearbox with internal components having exploded and there was a debate about it getting a new gearbox as it has allegedly been over-revved. The gearbox was reluctantly replaced by Fiat.
Three weeks ago and just over 3,000 miles from fitting, the new gearbox did exactly the same thing and Fiat Technical digging their heels saying it has been over-revved again.
Surely this should not be happening to the Fiat gearboxes. The internal components should not be so weak or soft to allow them to break. There are several posts on forums with the same problems and appear to be mainly the 1.4 gearbox.
Interestingly I had an old style 1.2 punto 2003 and the gearbox did exactly the same by exploding and blowing hole in casing. I was main driver at that time and no way was car abused.
I would be interested in hearing others comments or experiences.
Reply I got after chasing up the Fiat garage at start of week is 'Sorry but Fiat are not prepared to authorise repair as it is not manufactures fault as engine has been over-revved'
I asked them to explain what was over-revved and were they suggesting my son was repeatedly revving the car when stopped or red-lining the car.
I was then told 'No, that's not what has been explained to me as the workshop manager. Over-revving is where the car is actually being driven say in 5th gear and then without slowing the car down it is changed to a lower gear like 4th or 3rd and the revs increase a lot but not necessarily to the red line.
Really? I reply. That's how I have taught him and it is actually called a sustained revs gear change, eg you are driving along at 50mph in 5th gear approaching a bend and know your speed is correct but decide on a lower gear of 3rd or 4th for better control, balance and stability.
So I told him i was aware of numerous problems posted online, I wanted in writing a full Fiat definition and a print out of the over-revving as well as fault diagnosis of the last gearbox as well as this one. If the report comes back as the manager has said, then I will be going for 'the vehicle gearbox is not fit for normal use'
Well after two further call to Fiat Service at the local garage the Workshop manager now chasing it up with Fiat on my behalf as they had not noticed the gear/dif rod in centre console that had burst out of gearbox even although they were told it was there. Mmm looks more like part failure now.
Last night, surprise, surprise, another of our G/Puntos (1.2 this time) towed to same garage tonight. Gearbox stuck in third, so looks like another component/linkage failure.
Interested to see response in morning as 5 weeks with first punto off the road is too long and now another one off the road!
1.4 Sporting has got approx 25,000miles and 1.2 has 32,000 miles. Too soft and not fit for purpose comes to mind.
I get word tonight and garage say Fiat ar not fixing or changing gearbox under warranty - looks like I have another fight on my hands and would like to hear ther experiences of gearbox problems and how Fiat dealt with it.