The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
I think the quality has a lot to do with the price as they guarantee it and to underwrite anything Fiat blame on their parts. Its quite pricy I agree.
General My new (to me) TA 4x4...
- Thread starter lunchbeers
- Start date
Currently reading:
General My new (to me) TA 4x4...
I think the quality has a lot to do with the price as they guarantee it and to underwrite anything Fiat blame on their parts. Its quite pricy I agree.
OP
OP
lunchbeers
Established member
The modification/personalisation continues, I've since fitted the sill covers, and today fitted the boot sill protector, which came via eBay for the princely sum of £12.99, delivered - a far cry from the £60-70 others are asking.
Overall, I've been pretty lucky with original accessories, I paid £20 for a NOS set of 4x4 mats, £12 for the shorter aerial, £31 for the bootliner and £40 for the sill covers.
The sunglasses holder is fitted, albeit in place of the passenger's grab handle for now (I'm missing the bits under the headlining on the driver's side), I'll order those bits tomorrow.
That's it for personalisation for now, next step stereo, then I'll have a look at the cruise control!
Overall, I've been pretty lucky with original accessories, I paid £20 for a NOS set of 4x4 mats, £12 for the shorter aerial, £31 for the bootliner and £40 for the sill covers.
The sunglasses holder is fitted, albeit in place of the passenger's grab handle for now (I'm missing the bits under the headlining on the driver's side), I'll order those bits tomorrow.
That's it for personalisation for now, next step stereo, then I'll have a look at the cruise control!
Last edited:
OP
OP
lunchbeers
Established member
So.... 2 disappointing things to report upon....
Firstly, Easter Sunday when arriving home and reversing into my parking spot, I hear the dreaded groan from the rear brakes, and again on Monday when I dropped my dad up the tyre shop, and when returning home.
It seems that this is generally when it's had a short trip as doesn't do it after my commute.
I've seen the fix for this, but am not confident that A) Fiat will acknowledge the repair, and B) That they will pay for this on a 7 year old car. I've also seen the parts available for little money, but all seem to state from 2016 on - Does this fix apply to earlier 4x4s?
Secondly, I left the house this morning, eager to put my heated windscreen and seats to the test, seats were fine, but imagine my dismay at a 6-inch wide strip of still-solid frost smack in the middle of the driver's side - so it seems I have an issue - The screen is nice and clear with no chips or cracks - so I guess the issue lies elsewhere - I've also seen where the connections live - what are the odds this can be repaired?
Firstly, Easter Sunday when arriving home and reversing into my parking spot, I hear the dreaded groan from the rear brakes, and again on Monday when I dropped my dad up the tyre shop, and when returning home.
It seems that this is generally when it's had a short trip as doesn't do it after my commute.
I've seen the fix for this, but am not confident that A) Fiat will acknowledge the repair, and B) That they will pay for this on a 7 year old car. I've also seen the parts available for little money, but all seem to state from 2016 on - Does this fix apply to earlier 4x4s?
Secondly, I left the house this morning, eager to put my heated windscreen and seats to the test, seats were fine, but imagine my dismay at a 6-inch wide strip of still-solid frost smack in the middle of the driver's side - so it seems I have an issue - The screen is nice and clear with no chips or cracks - so I guess the issue lies elsewhere - I've also seen where the connections live - what are the odds this can be repaired?
More the likely new windscreen is needed to fix that as it will be the wires in the glass that have failed not something you can fix
OP
OP
lunchbeers
Established member
I suspected that might have been the case, I'll do some investigation anyway, can't hurt to check the connections at the base of the screen.
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2020
- Messages
- 423
- Points
- 209
There’s a long discussion of the heated windscreen issue in another thread. The TLDR is that you need to live with it or replace the whole screen.
The long debate was here - and got into a 'heated debate' about hot water! The gist is that the option is to replace the whole screen, and mine was done under warranty https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-iii/484260-my-heated-screen-damaged-faulty-2.html?p=4573154
The damage is caused I suspect by pressure washing the vents beneath the screen, where the wires run to the glass. they are quite unsupported and if belted with a jet wash, get a very sudden flexing which will lead to the ultra fine wires inside the 'foil connector' bending too much. Sometime I plan to put a cable tie on the passenger side wire to stop that flexing.
OP
OP
lunchbeers
Established member
Thought as much, it's the first one I've had so can live without it, have read the other threads and seems some people's replacements have already starting acting up!
I'll have a look under there anyway as it's just one section that doesn't work, could be something obvious, but not the end of the world. It can always wait until the screen needs replacing.
I'll have a look under there anyway as it's just one section that doesn't work, could be something obvious, but not the end of the world. It can always wait until the screen needs replacing.
I had the Conrad Anderson Cruise kit fitted to my car probably 6 or so years ago and it has been outstanding. You can't mess with 'cheap' CC kits as far as I am concerned, as they have to be reliable. Mine has been 100%, came with a control stalk with 2 pre-programmable, user set-able speeds so extremely easy to use and I have done just that pretty much every time I drive on a dual carriageway or motorway. It is simply superb and worth every penny of the £350-400 they cost. Highly recommended if you want a proper CC install.
BTW, my car is also Tuscany Green, TA, Winter Pack, Auto Climate, City Braked, Tow-Bar'd, 5-seated, winter tyre'd, roof-bar'd and remains the best card I own
OP
OP
lunchbeers
Established member
I've still got my old Alfa until Friday, and last week it took a trip to a specialist about an hour away to have its DPF mapped back in and its remap reverted to stock.
Cruise control got well used at a steady 70, and I wondered how the trip would have been in the Panda, looks like I'll end up getting it eventually, but not many big mway trips on the cards for a bit!
Really warmed to the Panda the last couple of weeks, engine is a lot more responsive and starting to get the hang of it a bit more.
Even started using ECO mode too!
Cruise control got well used at a steady 70, and I wondered how the trip would have been in the Panda, looks like I'll end up getting it eventually, but not many big mway trips on the cards for a bit!
Really warmed to the Panda the last couple of weeks, engine is a lot more responsive and starting to get the hang of it a bit more.
Even started using ECO mode too!
Easy now....
- Joined
- May 10, 2010
- Messages
- 2,669
- Points
- 797
The rear disc brakes are notorious for howling and groaning.
There is a damper kit that replaces one of the mounting frames bolts, but I wouldn't bother.
The brakes were built almost totally dry, there's hardly any brake grease on the sliding pins that the calipers float on.
My old 4x4 started doing in within a month or two of buying it new, I just removed the calipers and cleaned and coated the sliding pins with ceramic brake grease.
Then cleaned off the frames where the pads touched them and applied a very thin smear of the same ceramic grease to those spots.
Never had the problem again and I kept it four more years.
OP
OP
lunchbeers
Established member
Excellent, thanks, having read up on a few instances I'd heard about the dry assembly.
Might be a job for the weekend, weather permitting as it's getting quite loud!
Might be a job for the weekend, weather permitting as it's getting quite loud!
- Joined
- May 10, 2010
- Messages
- 2,669
- Points
- 797
Be thankful it doesn't need new rear discs, your whole week will disappear.
You can't get to one of the caliper carrier frame bolts without stripping everthing down, it's trapped!
https://www.fiatforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=166503&d=1459960404
There's so more info on the brake dampers here
https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-iii/430011-4x4-squealing-rear-brakes-5.html
Last edited:
OP
OP
lunchbeers
Established member
Jeez, that looks fun! Can't get a spanner on it and slacken it, then use it as a pivot (assuming other one is accessible)?
Thanks, thought I'd read most of the threads, I'm certainly not paying a couple of hundred to buy the parts on the aftermarket.
First thing is the dismantling, cleaning and reassembly with Ceratec or similar.
Here's hoping I don't need rear disks any time soon
- Joined
- May 10, 2010
- Messages
- 2,669
- Points
- 797
I think you have to remove the hub assembly as one, then tackle the trapped bolt with it off the car.
Sounds like it's a bit of a faff. but it's only really one big nut.
Sounds like it's a bit of a faff. but it's only really one big nut.
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2017
- Messages
- 700
- Points
- 232
There's way too much "bad" information on the 4x4 rear disc replacement on here! :bang:
Have a look here https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-iii/437398-4x4-rear-brake-discs-4.html
With some well fitting tools a trolly jack (and axle stands) its a mornings work!
Do not get sucked into hub removal etc... which is fast becoming an Urban Myth!
OP
OP
lunchbeers
Established member
Sounds simple, but won't know until I look at it, think the disks are in reasonable shape for now!
