Problem...
Hello to all from Greece. I own a grande punto 1.4 16V. After some problems with a dead VARTA battery, I purchased an new but cheaper one (i know, i know but... no money, no honey). Everything was working fine untill a week ago. Many times when I switch on the engine I get the ESP/ASR/Hill Holder fault. I have to turn the engine off and on many times untill I get no fault. Apart from that 2 times this week I lost all the power steering (and the fault for this came on). I had to turn the engine off and then on and everything was fine.

What I checked...
I checked the battery with a multimeter and it looks fine. When the engine is off it reads 12.9V and when working it reads constantly 14+ V. So the battery and the alternator is ok. BUT! I saw a major corrosion at the base of the battery and I am totally sure it's from the new battery, not the old one.

Any help...
Do you think the battery is defective? OK obviously its devective cause of the leak and needs to be replaced. But can it cause problems at the electronics so that the faults come up? And if not... what do I have to look? I checked the fuse box next to the battery and looks totally dry and with no humidity.

Sorry for my english

Your English is probably better than mine (and i live in England and we just get very lazy)



Anyhow low voltage at start up caused by a weak, under powered, or failing battery can cause the problems you have described..

The cars computers use the voltage returned from a sensor to work out what is or isn't happening and if it doesn't see a signal it expects it fails to safe..

If the battery is indeed leaking acid get it removed (wear rubber/plastic gloves) and clean the area with a lot of water and ideally a solution of Sodium Bicarbonate ((otherwise called Bicarbonate of soda used in baking and cooking and for the relief of acid stomach indigestion )) this will help to neutralise the acid...


if the battery is not leaking get a mechanic to do a "load test" on the battery to test its capacity

Thanks for the answer. I will definatelly go and have my battery replaced tomorrow. I guess without further cost (It's only a month I have it). Is there a possibility that the store will tell me that my alternator produces more voltage so the battery cant cope with it and starts leaking so they refuse to replace the battery? The alternator produces around 14.5V-14.7V.

normally over charging will not lead to a cracking case the excess gasses would vent off...

Your alternator sounds like its pushing the correct voltage out to me


since you have a multimeter also check the reisistance of the negative (earth/ ground) cable between the battery clamp and the chassis/ engine mounting these on occasion have broken internally giving high resistance (just worth checking whilst your there)

OK I will do it today. I guess I dont have to disconnect the battery right? What is the value of the resistance I normally expect to see?
And one more thing... My airbox broke from its base (probably cause of heat) some time ago and fallen on the engine (where the spark plugs are) and melted a bit. I fixed it the way I could (not permanently of course) and was looking for a new one. Fiat asks for 180euro for a new one and I cant find nowhere in Athens a second hand one. I was thinking something like that K&N 57i Kit as a cheaper solution. Is it the proper one for my Grande 1.4 16V petrol? Or do u know any store that has used ones and can deliver in Athens?
Thanks in advance

I called the store where I bought the battery and they told me that its a thing about overflow... its usual and it will stop... Is it logical?

SubSon1C said:

OK I will do it today. I guess I dont have to disconnect the battery right? What is the value of the resistance I normally expect to see?
And one more thing... My airbox broke from its base (probably cause of heat) some time ago and fallen on the engine (where the spark plugs are) and melted a bit. I fixed it the way I could (not permanently of course) and was looking for a new one. Fiat asks for 180euro for a new one and I cant find nowhere in Athens a second hand one. I was thinking something like that K&N 57i Kit as a cheaper solution. Is it the proper one for my Grande 1.4 16V petrol? Or do u know any store that has used ones and can deliver in Athens?
Thanks in advance

Click to expand...

The K&N 57i is the one i have on my car its a 1.4 16v sporting petrol,, and its a good air filter easy to set up makes your car sound nice think my car is the same car as yours if you get the airfilter i found this websight for you http://www.knfilters.com/search/dealersearch.aspx thre is a dealer in Athens
Name Address Contact Info.

KOUTSORRIZOS S.A. 25 TERPANDROU STREET, PERISTERI, ATHENS 12131 Greece Tel+302105752891
Fax +302105763777 0 / 0

If you install it in the engine if you look to the front of the engine there is the fan and to the left of it there is a plastic cover you pull this out its only plastic so wont break anything then the intake pipe can fit there and you get better intake to the air filter,, i also have the same hill holder problem but it also happens sometimes when i drive i have the bigger battery size from the 1.6 GP but it goes off after a while so still not sure about that sorry.

Hey Pedro. Thanks. I found the dealer u say and I just wait to get paid to go and replace it unless I finally find a used one in Athens much cheaper... Next thing I am about to check, is the cables to see if anything is loose and triggers the ESP issue. The last four days I had no problem at all... mayber a coincidense? Who knows... after all its Fiat. The cars we love to hate

SubSon1C said:

Hey Pedro. Thanks. I found the dealer u say and I just wait to get paid to go and replace it unless I finally find a used one in Athens much cheaper... Next thing I am about to check, is the cables to see if anything is loose and triggers the ESP issue. The last four days I had no problem at all... mayber a coincidense? Who knows... after all its Fiat. The cars we love to hate

Click to expand...

Typical fiat's hayy and yeh if you find anything let me know as it happen randomly to me seems to be fine then every now and again it will come off and then a phew mins laiter it turns off ,,

HELLO! i had exactly the same messages come up on my GP, along with alot of warning lights. we thought we had it solved a wire had shorted out and blown a YAW sensor.. £600 later i get it back 'fixed' .. today is the 9th day of having it back, it wont start and now the immobiliser light too! also when i dap the throttle pedal all the gauges rise .. electrical faults.. arrrgh! lol