500X Insufficient Engine Oil Pressure

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500X Insufficient Engine Oil Pressure

smartin1974

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Oct 21, 2017
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FIAT 500X


Hi new here and looking for some help.


About a month ago I checked my oil to find it was very low, so I topped this up - stupidly I lost the cap in the process.


Drove for a couple of days until the warning came on. Stopped as soon as I could, checked the oil and again it was very low - topped up once more, but warning light didn't go off.


Contacted the dealership who advised me to stuff a rag in the oil filler and drive home (was less than 5 miles away). Took over a week to get the replacement cap from the dealership, in the meantime my car stayed in my driveway.


Took the car out to the local shop and on the way home the warning came back on - contacted the dealership right away and my car went in four days later, was advised by them to drive to their garage (about 3 miles away) - did not drive my car again until that time.


They had the car for over a week - they stripped the engine, found that the oil was contaminated by a plastic bag and had blocked the sump - they checked the end bearings, replaced the oil filter/oil and flushed the engine. Cost me less than a grand. They said they did a test drive the previous day and that morning and all was fine - however I was to keep an "ear" out for the engine. They couldn't guarantee that they had found the problem/fixed it.


I've now had the car back for just over a week and today the insufficient engine oil pressure came on with the low oil pressure light on too - luckily was 2 mins from home. I let the car cool down and checked the oil again and it was between the min and max.


My car is a 66 plate which I only got last December from new (pre-registered) - it has only done 3,600 miles.


I can't afford another grand - is this something that the Fiat dealer should have made sure was fixed properly or am I going to be stung again???


Really appreciate all the help you guys can give me.


thanks
S
 
Last edited:
I am puzzled. I know you shouldn't have lost the filler cap, but were they suggesting you stuffed a plastic bag in the engine? If not, it must have been in there when you bought it and the repair should have been covered by the warranty. You certainly shouldn't have to pay a second time, and I would query the first bill.
 
I'm no engineer but how on earth would a plastic bag make it from the filler to the sump? Where is the oil going? Does the exhaust smoke? If not surely there must be a leak somewhere, but I'm bamboozled by the plastic bag, was there any Italian writing on it? Try asking your dealer how on earth it got there if not at the point of build.
 
FIAT 500X
Contacted the dealership who advised me to stuff a rag in the oil filler and drive home (was less than 5 miles away). S

Well that is very poor even dangerous advice. Like an ENT surgeon will tell you the only thing you should put in your ear is your elbow.

What sort of plastic sheet/bag? If it was a branded bag (eg Tescos) then someone else other that the factory is responsible. It could be that the sumps in the manufacturing plant arrive with a protective plastic film that was not fully removed during production. In this case then Fiat is responsible.
 
Sorry was it you who 'bunged' the filler with a rag or a plastic bag?
I was told to put a rag in the filler in order to.give the engine some pressure so I could drive home....no idea where the plastic bag came from
 
I would never plug the filler hole with a rag!..That is asking for trouble. Secondly I would want to see the type of bag that came out of the sump. The bag must have been in the sump from new......
 
Hi,
I agree with the others. Rag was bad advice and plastic bag / sheet could not get into sump from oil filler (unless it was chopped into bits by the valve gear). Seems like a warranty issue and you should not have to pay the first charge based on presence of plastic in sump. Was oil being thrown or blown out of oil filler hole? this could account for loss of oil. I think you need to A/ find out exctly what was in the sump, was it a sheet or small particles? Ideally the garage kept it or showed it to you. B/ contact Fiat customer service.
May be your word that you did not put a plastic bag in the filler to seal it and caused the problem, but we will see. A possibility is the the low oil level allowed the plasitiv in the sump to move from somewhere benign to the oil pick up.

Robert G8RPI.
 
Silly question time...when you last checked the oil, did you screw the cap on until it clicked ? ( just one click ) I didnt last week and the insufficient oil pressure warning casme up. I tightened the cap and pressure was restored.
 
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