Hi All -

I found this forum tonight in desperation. I'm hoping someone can give me some advice on my Fiat Idea which is a duologic (semi-auto) and of the Eleganza variety.

Before I start I just want to say that I know NOTHING about cars. I bought the car in 2007 with 9000 on the clock. It was approved used Fiat. First thing that happened was when I picked it up. I got half way home and the temperature guage went to maximum and the warning message came up "Engine failure Switch off engine". We ended up (me and my then 2 year old daughter) being towed hoe and the car went back to the dealership for 3 weeks. I got it back only to find there was NO oil or Collant in it. Great service.

Anyway, it has never started well. On a cold morning it would take ages, particularly if I haven't used it in afew days. The other thing that happens is that one lightbulb always blows. As soon as I replace it (say, th tail light) another will blow (say the headlamp). THe cigarette lighter/socket has never worked.

Flash forward two years and I have notched it up to 41000 miles, regularly serviced at the dealership. Around October last year I noticed that any time I stopped at lights or in traffic the fan came on and the temp guage went up and up. As soon as I moved off again it went back to normal.

Eventually I was i a traffic jam and it just went up and up until it initialised the same warning message I had on the first day. I pulled over, waited ten minutes and tried to start it again, but it would not start and all the dials/clocks etc reset to zero. I had the breakdown out (I was 8 months pregnant at the time) and they towed it to a garage. It was in for a week and they (very honestly - the are not a Fiat dealer!) told me there was nothing they could find wrong with it except that changing the oil had solved the problem.

In October I gave birth to a child with disabilities. He has breathing issues and I regularly have to get him to hospital quickly.

In February an error message an warning light came up saying "Airbag FAilure". At first it was intermittant but eventually it came up permanently and was followed by "Switch off Engine". At the same time as that came up, it also said "Gearbox Failure".

I took it back to the dealership. I was told I needed a new gearbox actuator and it was dangerous to drive. It also needed rewiring as a "fuse had blown". SO I take out a loan and pay the £1200 bill. I need my car.

Picked it up, got half way home and yes, you guessed it, the same error message "Airbag FAilure, Switch off engine" came up.

Well flash forward another three months and it had been in and out of the dealership 5 times. Every time they claimed it was fixed and every time after about 50 miles the message came back. In addition it started being even more temperamental about starting and the power steering seems really "hard"/resistant - like I have to work very hard to steer.

II have had an ongoing complaint running with Fiat UK as at first th dealership refused to review their work or do anything more. Eventually at the start of June they took it in for 16 days and gave me a courtesy car (thanks to Fiat UK). After that, they claimed the wiring was at fault and they had "stripped back and replaced it all".

I got home with no warning message and thought my troubles were over. I went away for two weeks and when I returned I sadly lost twin who were ectopic. I needed major surgery and have not been able to drive for the past two weeks. Consequently in the 2 months since I've had it back I've done about 100 miles.

Today I get in it to go to my post-surgery check up and it was slow to start. I get to the docs, have the check and lo and behold the car wouldn't start at all. My dad came and jumpstarted it to get me and my son home.

I then try to start it again and it does so, but comes up with the airbag failure, gearbox failure, steering failure and engine failure messages i quick succession. It also tells me a brake light has blown (I only replaced this last month).

Initially it was trying to "turn over". But all the dials/clocks reset to zero again. Now it doesn't even try - nothin happens when I turn the key past the MAR, only the warning messages!!

I have called Fiat UK again because when I called the dealership they were very rude (again) and say that as I have had thecar back for two months it is not their job to sort it out again. Fiat UK have said it will take 3 working days to get back to me.

So again, for the 6th time in my son's life I am carless again. My boyfriend can't drive and so now I have to ask my parents for help again.

I am at my wit's end with this. I am 100% convinced there is no actual airbag or gearbox failure as the car drives fine once it starts (apart from the heavy steering which only started after the dealership "fixed" it).

I am desperate for a reliable car. I love the size/shap/position/equipment of the Idea, but need a car that works and a company that will sort out issues when they arise. I am sure that a car should not have these troubles at 40000 miles and I think it is computer or electrics to blame. But I am at a loss as I know so little about mechanics and the people at the fiat dealership clearly can't solve this either.

If anyone can help me, eother in suggesting what could be wrong or in the short term how I can get the car at least started (my plan would then be to get it to the dealership and sit in with my crying baby until they do something) I would be so grateful. I've been in tears about this all day :-(

Thanks,
Beth

Hi, welcome to the Forum.

Sorry to hear about the problems you've had.

It sounds to me like you have a dodgy battery, as these are all common symtoms of a failing batter, and warnings tend to be very voltage sensitive and dependant on battery condition.

I'd install a new high capacity battery.

Jon.

gonna make a cuppa to drink before I read all this!

welcome by the way

first impression is battery/voltage related.

Poor battery can produce no end of errors (was your gearbox really faulty?) and is the first thing that should be checked along with the vehicle earths.

Does the garage have a dealer expert technician (DET) if not try another dealership as its his (her) job to assist you in this matter until you are satisfied and can call on FIat back up if required which in this case certainly seems so.

Sadly posts like yours just destroys all my confidence in garages and dealerships (I know they are not all like this) and the motor trade in general.

Thank you both for your replies.

T14086 - I've always thought the work on the gearbox was uneccessary - due to a horrific pregnancy and then being in hospital with my son until Chistmas I'd barely driven the car since it had been thoroughlly checked by the honest garage I always use (they never charge unless it's 100% necessary and I trust the, 100%). I know they would have spotted a gearbox issue.

The thing is I have "written off"the money I spent on that work and would be happy to payback the loan each month if I had a car that worked!!!

My dad has always thought it was a battery issue because he can usually jump start it, but not this time.

Would I have to go to the dealership to get a new battery and how much would that cost?

The dealership are very rude and there have been so many cusomer service issues with them (at one point they left me totally stranded in the middle of nowhere with my son).

Has anyone actually got anywher with FiatUK? I just get passed from one customer service person to another and they all seem powerless to do anything - they just "escalate" my case to head office who never get back to me. NOrmally I can get the dealership to at least look at it by driving the car back there once it has jump started, but this time I can't get it going and can't afford to have it towed.

desperatefiatideaowner said:

Would I have to go to the dealership to get a new battery and how much would that cost?

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There, are several places you can go such as dealer, kwick fit, Halfords etc.

I'd recomend finding a local reputable garage though that isn't link to a retail chain to get one

Jon.

desperatefiatideaowner said:

Thank you both for your replies.

T14086 - I've always thought the work on the gearbox was uneccessary - due to a horrific pregnancy and then being in hospital with my son until Chistmas I'd barely driven the car since it had been thoroughlly checked by the honest garage I always use (they never charge unless it's 100% necessary and I trust the, 100%). I know they would have spotted a gearbox issue.

The thing is I have "written off"the money I spent on that work and would be happy to payback the loan each month if I had a car that worked!!!

My dad has always thought it was a battery issue because he can usually jump start it, but not this time.

Would I have to go to the dealership to get a new battery and how much would that cost?

The dealership are very rude and there have been so many cusomer service issues with them (at one point they left me totally stranded in the middle of nowhere with my son).

Has anyone actually got anywher with FiatUK? I just get passed from one customer service person to another and they all seem powerless to do anything - they just "escalate" my case to head office who never get back to me. NOrmally I can get the dealership to at least look at it by driving the car back there once it has jump started, but this time I can't get it going and can't afford to have it towed.

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The gearbox is actually very reliable, most units that are fitted are done sop due to poor/incorrect diagnosis...i'm not saying this happened to you but some people have a fear of these systems when they are infact quite simple.

Get a decent battery, dont go for cheap rubbish but get a genuine, varta, bosch etc...will cost you £10-20 more but you'll regret it if you didn't.

Sorry to hear of your bad experiences with the dealerships, as I mentioned always ask to speak to the DET but dealerships are now wise to this and simply say he is on test drive or off today etc,,,a sad state of affairs.

Obviously we have only heard your side of the story (please dont take offence over this) but you must keep on a fiat, point them here if you must because if no one stands up to complain nothing will get done.

Let us know how you get on

THank you for your responses about the Battery. I had a very rude phonecall again from the dealership yesterday and that was the final straw!! My dad fitted me a new battery and we got the car started and took it straight to Kia who part ex-d it in for a second hand c'eed which still has warranty left!

So after three years of crap service I am leaving Fiat never to return!!!

Thank you again

This is exactly why Fiat will never be one of the big players, the dealerships are ruling the roost.

Typical response from a poorly treated customer something I see everyday. Even my optimistic faith in Fiat is at rock bottom... I dont even drink out of my Fiat mug anymore and if you knew me that is just unbelievable!

A sad story all round. I feel sorry for the op's situation, anger at Fiat for ignoring an 'old out of production' car and a sense of fear for the next person to buy it.

My prized Fiat shirt is still in the dirty washing......can stay there!

Just came across this thread as a result of my partner buying an Idea, doesn't exactly inspire me with confidence .
I feel very sorry for this lady and the way she was treated, but by running classic Pandas myself I never have to go to a Dealership. Good job by the sound of it, I just hope our Idea is reliable.
Were the problems this lady suffered typical of Ideas, or did she just have a rogue one?

Plenty of people over here are happy with them, on of our service managers has a multijet with duologic as his personal car. He has had it 5 years and would buy another.

I think its a typical Italian thing, if it goes together and works well it is great. If there is a problem you have no chance of getting it sorted.

VmanC said:

Just came across this thread as a result of my partner buying an Idea, doesn't exactly inspire me with confidence .

Were the problems this lady suffered typical of Ideas, or did she just have a rogue one?

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Sounds like more the garages mistakes than the car.