Where do I start. Bought a 2007 Grande Punto Dynamic at first it was a bit tatty but hey I payed £1000 for it so what do I expect (it was hard to find one for this price where I live). First of all I didn't test drive the car, purely for the fact I only just passed my test (Been called a good and fluent driver and I like to think that myself) and I didn't want to embarrass myself and/or damage the car.

I done a MOT history check and "Oil leak" was on last MOT I asked about it and he said its been fixed and you can tell because there is no oil anywhere and it had been parked for some time (I also had engine running for ~20 mins also and still no leak so I thought ok it must have been). The rear doors (5 door) do not open nor do the windows wind down. And the handbreak is almost non existent.

THEN on the way home my brother was driving and he said whoa the cars pulling to the left, upon further inspection the steering was heavy to the right but super light to the left, turns out its the electric power steering. Fair enough my own fault didnt test drive the car and again I paid £1000.

So I took it to the garage who ive known for a number of years (so much so he gives me free stuff like oil, sparkplugs, bulbs, free car checks etc..) then he gave me the bad news about all the stuff hes found.

He said the oil sump has massive corrosion and a good stone could put a hole in it, the car has an oil leak, the clutch is on its very last legs & will need replacing very soon, and I also mention the car is really hard to put into gear I have to bottom out the clutch completely and yank the gear and he said that could be the gearbox because its a very common "fault" on these cars. And he advised me the car is unsafe to drive due to the steering. Also the n/s ball joint (i think it was balljoint) was corroded.

Here's where i'm losing sleep over:

I cannot afford to get the car fixed (it adds up to a costly sum and he advised I could save a few hundred by doing some stuff myself).

Nobody would want to buy this car because anyone would notice the steering, clutch and general condition of the car. Even if I was to sell this car I am using a black box insurance company which is still expensive per month and they would charge £150 for change of vehicle and most likely my premium would go up (they didnt say that im just assuming) and if my insurance goes up any more it would be un affordable.

Whats really annoyed me more is the fact this trader said the car was perfect and needed nothing. I did phone him about a refund or repairs paid he said if you brought the car back when you found out the car was pulling I would have, even if you brought it back a week later but the fact I've left it almost a month hes not refunding me.

Sorry for the wall of text this turned into a bit of a rant.
Any advise whatso every would be really appreciated.

List of things so far:
Rear doors don't open and windows dont wind down,
Clutch needs replacing,
Possible gearbox replacement,
Sump corroded,
Oil leak,
Car badly pulling to the left,
Almost no power steering to the right,
handbreak works but its at the very end of its travel.

EDIT: I've done a little research about my clutch peddle biting point being really low to the floor, its coming up that it could be the slave cylinder. Which kinda makes more sense because the clutch isnt slipping and I guess it feels quite strong and "grippy". Bit more info, the peddle seems to have a big deadzone until it gets pretty close to bottoming out, ive driven another petrol (not for long) and it felt like there was some resistant from the very top, like I said I didnt drive it long so im unsure on how a clutch should feel. There is resistance but its like you can feel when the peddle is actually moving the clutch

I'm not hot on the laws involving second hand car sales but I'd do some research there and see where you stand.

If not, and you're keeping the car, how handy are you with a spanner?

Ok if the gearbox is bad then that's costly but sort the clutch issue and change the gearbox oil first and reassess the box. Does it whine at all?

The steering is probably the torque sensor, lots of threads on here and not difficult or expensive.

The rest are common grande punto/2nd hand car issues and not too pricey.

The window and door issues is again common so do a search and there will be fixes for those on here.

Sump isn't a big job and find out exactly where the oil leak is and do that at the same time. Then fresh oil and filters and you'll have a fixed, freshly serviced car.

Expensive lesson learned i hope.

Sump, cheap to buy from parts supplier.

Gears, possibly selector cables. Common issue.

Doors, no idea!

Windows, corroded/broken winder mechanism.

Oil leak probably from corroded sump. Mine had same issue.

Sounds like the trader you purchased car from is a knob.

Jacob said:

I'm not hot on the laws involving second hand car sales but I'd do some research there and see where you stand.

If not, and you're keeping the car, how handy are you with a spanner?

Ok if the gearbox is bad then that's costly but sort the clutch issue and change the gearbox oil first and reassess the box. Does it whine at all?

The steering is probably the torque sensor, lots of threads on here and not difficult or expensive.

The rest are common grande punto/2nd hand car issues and not too pricey.

The window and door issues is again common so do a search and there will be fixes for those on here.

Sump isn't a big job and find out exactly where the oil leak is and do that at the same time. Then fresh oil and filters and you'll have a fixed, freshly serviced car.

Click to expand...

I could probably fix the steering if I had the correct part, but anything mechanical like gearbox, clutch even oil sump Im just not confident enough.

As for the gearbox when you're still its easy/normal to put in and out of gears. But when on the move I have to bottom out the clutch and really push it in.
Im hoping the oil leak is from the sump so I can fix 2 problems in 1

Sounds more like a clutch issue than the box. Or as above maybe cables.

Any noises from the box while driving? Any movement in the gearstick when coming on and off the accelerator?

Jacob said:

Sounds more like a clutch issue than the box. Or as above maybe cables.

Any noises from the box while driving? Any movement in the gearstick when coming on and off the accelerator?

Click to expand...

The gear stick has a little bit of movement nothing majorly noticeable though. Im thinking before replacing the clutch (if I can afford it) to get the clutch slave cylinder bled and adjusted first?

Describe the gearstick movement for me?

Does the gearstick rock backwards and forwards when you take your foot on and off the accelerator without you touching the gear stick?

Or is it just floppy when waggling it around with your hand?

Yeah always try the simplest and cheapest first.

Jacob said:

Describe the gearstick movement for me?

Does the gearstick rock backwards and forwards when you take your foot on and off the accelerator without you touching the gear stick?

Or is it just floppy when waggling it around with your hand?

Yeah always try the simplest and cheapest first.

Click to expand...

Well the stick feels firm in and out of gear, but yeah when I take my foot off the peddle it rocks a little bit, I wouldnt say its anywhere near as bad as jumping out of gear. But there is a little bit of a rock back

Does it do it just the once then not again or does it do it repeatedly?

This suggests bearings are failing on the box. Any whining?

Jacob said:

Does it do it just the once then not again or does it do it repeatedly?

This suggests bearings are failing on the box. Any whining?

Click to expand...

To be honest im unsure because its really really minor and I dont even notice it. I do remember once when I tried to put the car in 3rd gear and it wouldnt go in (no grinding or crunchy noise) then i really bottomed out the clutch then it went in somewhat smooth and because of that im kinda leaning towards it being the clutch. But the gearbox doesn't wine or anything the only time ive heard it make any noise was from when I put it in reverse and it wasnt in gear properly (ithink)

Ok, get the clutch sorted and reassess the box. Hard to judge if the clutch is also an issue.

Try pumping the clutch pedal in and out rapidly 2 or 3 times and THEN putting it into gear. If this improves things, it might simply need bleeding. My daughter's 1.2 is similar but not as bad as you describe. You have to push the clutch a long way down to engage the gears smoothly. I gather it's not an uncommon problem on these cars. There are other threads on here about it. I doubt it will be the gearbox. My money would be on clutch slave cylinder.

Handbrake is probably the automatic adjusters that have seized. A cheap fix but a bit off work.

Steering is the hardest to sort from that list, I think. Wil lthe rear doors not open from the outside OR the inside? Try holding both the inside and the outside handles in the open position and hitting the door panel near the back edge of the door where the carch is, as hard and as fast as you dare. It might just be that the latches have seized through not being used. IF that works, make sure you squirt them liberally with some penetrqting oil before trying to close the doors again!

Avocet said:

Try pumping the clutch pedal in and out rapidly 2 or 3 times and THEN putting it into gear. If this improves things, it might simply need bleeding. My daughter's 1.2 is similar but not as bad as you describe. You have to push the clutch a long way down to engage the gears smoothly. I gather it's not an uncommon problem on these cars. There are other threads on here about it. I doubt it will be the gearbox. My money would be on clutch slave cylinder.

Handbrake is probably the automatic adjusters that have seized. A cheap fix but a bit off work.

Steering is the hardest to sort from that list, I think. Wil lthe rear doors not open from the outside OR the inside? Try holding both the inside and the outside handles in the open position and hitting the door panel near the back edge of the door where the carch is, as hard and as fast as you dare. It might just be that the latches have seized through not being used. IF that works, make sure you squirt them liberally with some penetrqting oil before trying to close the doors again!

Click to expand...

Im also putting my money on the gearbox/clutch problem being the clutch slave cylinder all the symptoms point to it but then again the car has done 94k on that clutch. The doors arnt really a problem for me Ive fixed many cars before but its always been cosmetic and the odd starter motor im clueless on diagnosing anything engine/gearbox wise. When the cars not started (or started but not moving) the gears are somewhat smooth/normal its just when im actually driving I struggle getting it into gear. Have you bled a clutch slave cylinder before? Ive done my motorbike brakes but im not sure if they differ from a car clutch

Nope, exactly the same as a bike one. (Well, I say that - I've never bled a bike one)! The slave cylinder is a cheap, nasty plastic affair. There should be a bleed nipple on it. I haven't done ours because we're still gettign gears OK- albeit having the push the clutch a long way down. Ours is original and has just passed the 100k. I think the pushrod that comes out of the clutch slave cylinder and pushes on the actuator arm for the clutch release bearing wears the piston in the cylinder and you end up with some lost motion. There's at least one person on here who has built up their pushrod to be a few mm longer in order to cure the problem. All that said, bleeding it is the easiest thing to try first. I'm a fan of "gravity" bleeding. Just make sure the reservoir is topped-up and open the bleed nipple, then let gravity push the fluid through the system for about 10 minutes or so, collecting the fluid that comes out via a bit of tube, in a jam jar.

"... the cars pulling to the left, upon further inspection the steering was heavy to the right but super light to the left, turns out its the electric power steering."

This could be EPS right assist voltage from torque sensor beeing a bit too low due to high resistance in the torque sensor connector (the one with the blue stopper in this photo.)
One of the 6 pins in this sensor connector has too much resistance.
Treat the connector with contact cleaner and/or contact cleaner/restorer, moving it back and fourth.

My thoughts on a few of your issues:
Door electrical issues are usually wiring in the concertina that holds the wires at the front of the doors.

The boot is the same, the wires run through another ribbed rubber hose at the top right of the hatch.

Agree with the above the clutch probably needs bleeding.

Handbrake will be adjusters or corroded cables about a foot from the rear wheels (just had to replace mine for that).

Sump is usually pretty easy unbolt job to replace

martinofsthus said:

"... the cars pulling to the left, upon further inspection the steering was heavy to the right but super light to the left, turns out its the electric power steering."

This could be EPS right assist voltage from torque sensor beeing a bit too low due to high resistance in the torque sensor connector (the one with the blue stopper in this photo.)
One of the 6 pins in this sensor connector has too much resistance.
Treat the connector with contact cleaner and/or contact cleaner/restorer, moving it back and fourth.

Click to expand...

I've heard it could be the torque sensor a few times, Going to give it a try today, should I disconnect the battery? And do i just unplug it out the connector block (it looks like) then just clean, plug back in, done?

I really REALLY hope it's this. Will report back later on

DGPunto said:

My thoughts on a few of your issues:
Door electrical issues are usually wiring in the concertina that holds the wires at the front of the doors.

The boot is the same, the wires run through another ribbed rubber hose at the top right of the hatch.

Agree with the above the clutch probably needs bleeding.

Handbrake will be adjusters or corroded cables about a foot from the rear wheels (just had to replace mine for that).

Sump is usually pretty easy unbolt job to replace

Click to expand...

Yeah im hoping to do the sump myself and bleed the clutch tomorrow hopefully it fixes it. As for the doors im talking about the rear doors (theres no electrics in them apart from the speaker) so its all mechanical. Will most likely be a scrapyard 5 min job

Ah sorry you did say rear doors. Do they open from inside? If so it's likely you need to swap out the external handles.

There's a guide here: https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-pu...ent-external-rear-door-handles.html?p=4119708


Do your rear doors open if they're unlocked and you pull the external handles from very close to the end where they're attached?


When open check the child locks are not set