Technical Grande Punto cutting out, ideas???

[Puzzleddad]

Thanks for viewing.

My son has a 2009 1.4 Grande Punto that has developed a couple of problems.

The first arose 4-5 months ago when on starting the car would flash up a warning that there was a problem with the power steering and the red steering wheel warning light would come on. A 25 degree turn of the steering wheel would put the light outa no the warning would go. The car then would drive fine. Thoughts?


The more serious problem is that recently a warning message came up saying sow thing like "fuel cut off", the car wouldn't then start. It went to the local garage, was plugged into their scanner, fault codes reset and serviced. This seemed to do the trick but now it's started dropping revs whilst driving, this occurs when doing a steady speed including on the motorway. It's parodic and there doesn't appear to be any set place, speed or reason for it. Thoughts?

 

[DGPunto]

The power steering is a fairly common problem, search the forum for that. It can be electrical e.g. everything from a poor battery, alternator or the main electric cables to/from the battery (the steering is electric and needs a good power supply) or it can be a component of the steering itself

Do you have any codes for the "fuel cut off" problem?

Think about investing in a copy of multiecuscan and an OBD 2 interface for that

 

[Puzzleddad]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I've read a lot of posts about the power steering but struggling to find anything the same as my lads fault.

Re the fault code, I tried peering over the technicians shoulder but only saw it was a code that started Po3 or similar, I know that's no help. Thanks again for the reply.

 

[Bernievarian]

Hi Puzzled Dad,

the powersteering draws a HUGE current from the electric circuit, as DGPunto said You need to be sure everything is ok (battery, hearthing etc.)
Strange warnings and other funny light effects (Xmas tree) are generally, but not always, signs of something going wrong with power...

BRs, Bernie

If someone here helped You fix -or better, understand- your issue, hit the thanks icon @ bottom right corner, it's free and makes us feel helpy ;-)

 

[mattyo]

I had a couple of power steering failures prior to my battery failing. New battery sorted it

 

[Puzzleddad]

Cheers fellas. Ive already replaced the battery and got a more powerful one, I'll look at the earthing situation.

Anyone else any ideas re revs dropping?

 

[DGPunto]

Cheers fellas. Ive already replaced the battery and got a more powerful one, I'll look at the earthing situation.

Anyone else any ideas re revs dropping?

That's why I was asking about MES and codes

 

[Bernievarian]

I guess it's only indicator drops, not actual droping ...

 

[Puzzleddad]

Latest updates
Thought I'd give the car a run this morning. Initially it took some effort to get it started and it stalled a couple of times as the reva dropped. After a few hundred yards it started kangarooing up the road with the revs dropping dramatically. A few hundred yards later it cut out altogether and there were warning lights all over the place, namely the engine management, the battery, power steering and the immobiliser. It wouldn't restart and a "fuel cut off" warning message came up. I left the car and the mechanic I use came and collected it later, typically it started but then kangarooed for him as well. He's not had a chance to examine it yet.

Thoughts?

ECU?

 

[glenn2602]

ECU?

Well, to be honest, it's all too easy to blame the ecu. More often than not, an ecu 'fault' comes down to bad earthing.

Kangaroo petrol can sometimes be caused by by a faulty MAP sensor. Symptoms can include kangarooing at differing speeds making the car jerky to drive; and/or the engine cutting out and then restarting immediately. Then the next day the car runs fine. Then the next day it's back to square one.

A sticking/faulty stepper motor (air idle/bypass valve) can cause running problems too.

Another possibility is a failing fuel pump - that would cause the car to cut out at times though I doubt if it would cause kangarooing.

You're in the situation that a lot of home mechanics find themselves in: the time comes when you have to replace one unit at a time in the hope of curing the fault. We all do it ..

Personally - and it's only a personal opinion - I would try changing the MAP sensor. It's a quick job and they're not expensive. Have a look on Ebay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...+map.TRS0&_nkw=fiat+punto+map+sensor&_sacat=0

 

[Bernievarian]

How about the fuel inertia switch ? Quite easy to shunt it to verify ...

BRs, Bernie

If someone here helped You fix -or better, understand- your issue, hit the thanks icon @ bottom right corner, it's free and makes us feel helpy ;-)

 

[Puzzleddad]

Latest update

Looks like the car may well be sorted........ish

Mechanic was at his wits end and suggested I get a replacement ECU, however as I was searching for one he had one last look. He discovered almost by chance a wire (red) within the wiring loom that had all but disintegrated. It was in the wires that go into the ECU and although the case of the wire was intact the wire within it was falling to pieces. Once replaced the car fired up first time and I've run it for 2 hrs today and it's been faultless.

The only outstanding issue now is the power steering red warning light and the message to have it checked. This has been an issue for months. If I put the key in, turn one click the warning light will usually come on along with the warning. If I fire up the car it will remain on until I turn the steering wheel as little as one degree and the light and warning then disappear. The steering always works and shows no sign of a fault. I've read many threads about the torque sensor but they all talk about the steering failing, my lads works perfectly.

Ideas?