General New Panda problems?

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General New Panda problems?

Joined
Dec 23, 2008
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Location
Surrey
Just been rung by Fiancee - her new Panda 1.2 Dynamic Eco (month old) has been making funny noises this morning, been very smelly and clouds of smoke were coming out of the exhaust. She rang when she got home and when she restarted it all seemed fine - oil and water levels OK. Maybe a funny 5 minutes for the engine management system - I can't believe the 3 mile trips do it any favours. Will take it for a run tomorrow and see how it is.
 
Where does she park it ? in the street where my sister lives some kids think it's a great idea to poke stuff up the exhaust pipe & watch the smoke come out
 
I'd be very surprised if it was anything like that. Have checked she didn't fill it up with diesel - a no as hasn't been filled for a fortnight. She did say it was making funny gurgling noises when she parked it - and the bonnet felt hot - but then it is a sunny day. When I was on the phone and she turned engine off she said the engine was still running but that was the cooling fan. Also something about clouds of steam. Diagnosis is very difficult over the phone.
I'll check for coolant and oil leaks tomorrow. My Citroen also sometimes has funny five minutes when it will sound like a bag of nails, like a computer - restart and it all works perfectly.
 
despite what she said the water levels weren't OK - cause of problems was a broken clip on the radiator hose, hose had come off the radiator and cooling system had emptied. AA replaced hose with a proper jubilee clip and filled up with water. Seems to be no pressure build up in cooling system but it will be off to the dealer for refill of cooling system with anti-freeeze, check of the other clips and whatever else they can do to check for damage. All sounds fine and runs OK but she must have driven it for a few miles with only the water in the block so fingers crossed there's no long term damage. Not more than a month old and 600 miles and already an AA call out and warranty work and all because of the cheap clips (used by most manufacturers) on cooling systems.
 
picture of the fallen off hose guess it must have just blown off.
 

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Sorry to hear of your trouble with your new car but I am pleased that you have had the foresight to take a photo of the broken clip. I hope you have kept it as further evidence. This is obviously a case were you should be covered by your warranty as the cause is a manufacturing defect, either a faulty hose clip or it has been fitted too tightly. Good luck with your dealer.
 
well Wilsons of Epsom replaced the anti freeze so the coolant looks nicely red again instead of a light shade of pink. All seems well, the lady of the car did complain it kept on stalling after it had been to the garage but it's fine for me though I do feel it doesn't have quite the same pull it did at higher speeds, but probably my imagination, it still sounds very sweet so it seems a lack of coolant doesn't really bother these engines overmuch.
Saw another yellow one this afternoon - we smiled and waved at each other - how embarrassing - haven't done any of that since I owned an Austin Healey Sprite over 30 years ago.
 
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