Hello, i seem to be having an electrical fault with my car. My mechanic has been today and checked all the fuses, replaced an earth cable, hes ran diagnostics on the car and its showing no faults. The car is turning over but not starting. My mechanic suggested an auto electrician to power up the ECU so the car can start and backtrack to find the problem from there.
It wouldn't start this morning after a shift at work and the AA had to tow it home, the AA mechanic also had no clue what the problem was.
Obviously I can't fix something if I don't know what is wrong.
Any help or anyone had a similar problem? 2 mechanics have no clue what is wrong and I'm feeling a bit lost and upset.
Kind regards and thank you in advance.

I'm guessing this is a 1.2 petrol. Please correct this if wrong.

Sorry your car has let you down. Also sorry the 'mechanics' you've encountered have also let you down. You need one with more than one brain cell, and them connected. "Power up the ECU to start the car" is nonsense.

However, showing no faults can be a clue.
When electronic sensors and actuators give incorrect signals that are either out of normal range, or incompatible with others, the ECU can store fault codes. Some, if failing to give any signal when expected, will also create a code.
However, there is one, the crankshaft sensor, that if failed, will give no code, and the car will not start. This is because the ECU ignores the fact that you're energising the starter and relies on the crank sensor to tell it the engine is turning. No signal, and it just refuses to fire the fuel injectors or the ignition. These have been known to fail, are not expensive, and are easy to fit.
Fiat specific diagnostic software (MultiECUscan [MES]) can show if this is giving a signal during cranking. There could be a forum member near you with this, if we knew where you were, but currently we're not allowed to come and help. A Fiat dealer is expensive, and getting there difficult, but there could be a Fiat specialist nearby who could help.

I'm assuming the engine is cranking over, but just not firing.
Other issues could relate to the immobiliser chip in the key, if the key has been dropped, the fuel cutoff can trip out, stopping fuel supply.

A bit more info please.
When you turn the key, do all the dash lights come on as they should?
Is there a little key symbol showing?
When you trun the key to start, does the engine turn?
Does the clock reset to zero?

Has the fuel cutoff (under passenger seat) been kicked or triggered? It's just a push button.
Only reason I suggest looking here; my daughter's Panda broke down a couple of years ago. RAC attended but couldn't get it started so towed it 12 miles home. On arrival, RAC chap had a sudden brainwave and checked cutoff.

Apparently a code shows on the dsahboard (no idea what) but nobody had noticed it :bang:

Hope yours is as simple as that!

need somewhere to start

what engine is it post back

when you unlock the door does the display come on

with the radio and fans off switch the ignition on but don't turn it over. Is the a faint hum from the rear seats

write down which warning lights come on and post back

has the car been playing up recently ?

MsHopey said:

Hello, i seem to be having an electrical fault with my car. My mechanic has been today and checked all the fuses, replaced an earth cable, hes ran diagnostics on the car and its showing no faults. The car is turning over but not starting.
Any help or anyone had a similar problem? 2 mechanics have no clue what is wrong and I'm feeling a bit lost and upset.
Kind regards and thank you in advance.

Click to expand...

Hi

Sorry to hear you are having problems.. but with a little more info we can try and help

Had the 500 long?
In regular use.. ?lots of cars have sat for a while recently


Any work done recently?

The basics about the mileage lighting up as the door is opened..

And a 10 second humm from the back of the car are quick and easy tests

Tell us more

Charlie

Second what koalar said, turn radio and fans off, turn the key to the run position and there should be a faint hum or whirring from under the rear seats, if there isn't, your fuel pump could be kaput, which sound like it could be the issue if it's just stopped working but turns over. Go through all the things an engine needs to run, compression, air, fuel, spark and timing.

If you've got a 1.1 I've seen a lot of people saying that the ECU connector can become slightly unplugged, so make sure that's in properly.

I now realise its a panda..

Not a bad thing.. they tend to be the most reliable of the FIAT offerings since 2003

If everything else has been tested and found ok, the only things left are the ECU connector and crank position sensor. I assume the cam belt has been checked.

Until we hear back from MsHopey

We are just offering general advice

Hello, sorry, I'm new to the site, and sounding like a right novice, did not realise I'd received any responses until I got an email saying I was mentioned I a comment.
My panda is 2008, 1242cc, has a good 140,000 miles on the clock.
Since buying her in December we have replaced the clutch, gearbox, exhaust and tyres. So she has already had a pretty penny spent on her.
My mechanic did suggest a possible ECU malfunction which could be why when doing a diagnostics test nothing is coming back as an error.
I have a ECU specialist coming to look at it today.
The car went to work fine, completely normal, but then wouldn't do anything at all, no turning over, nothing when I went to leave. Had to phone the AA who had to replace a blown earth wire, once that was replaced it was cable of turning over but getting no spark at all.
The radio and heaters work now, all exactly as it should, but no spark so still not capable of really doing anything with it.

Just so we can all see her beauty ?

The 1.2 ECU is very reliable, but you never know. You can get them checked but it means sending it away and paying courier costs. ECU Testing https://www.ecutesting.com have a good reputation. But, do you know why the engine ECU been blamed?

A faulty crank position sensor will stop the engine because the ECU thinks the engine is not turning. No faults are raised.

Has the cam belt been checked? Your 2008 1.2 should be safe**. Get someone to look into the oil filler hole to see if the cam is turning.

** Others will confirm if that's correct.

Hi again

I know its a tad awkward to find your posts.. thats why I 'tagged you'

Ok

So.. how many miles (journeys) since the clutch and gearbox?

Tugged electrical connections can happen if these jobs are rushed..
The earthlead would also have been disturbed..

Its kind of telling a story

Ok.. no spark is a relative ratity..
Not too many causes

Can you take a pic of the TOP of the engine..

Around the oil filler cap ideally

Thanks.

Not sure if either of these are helpful. But this is the engine.

I'll check the Campbelt at some point when someone is here with me.
I cant start the car so can't watch look for the cambelt while also trying to start the car.

Hi thanks for pics

Ok its got aircon

And the black plug with the yellow clip by the oil cap is the Camshaft sensor wiring

At the lower end of the engine will be the Crankshaft position sensor

The cambelt links these 2 shafts.. keeping them moving in a fixed sequence

The Crank.. bottom of engine

Is turned by the starter motor ( you have control of this with the ignition key)

So far..all good : thumb:

The sensor on the cambelt end of the Crankshaft is basically a motion sensor.. which tells the ECU (engine computer) that the motor is turning..
'Please send Fuel and Sparks'

If this signal isnt received you see no sparks

Quick test.. when the ignition turns on

Listen for the whirr under back seat..

THEN turn the key more to 'Start'

Carefully watch the needle on the revcounter

It will be sat on its rest until you turn the engine over..

Does the needle move as the engine turns?

Did you hear the whirr ?

Also, the radio and power steering have been a bit temperamental, but not sure if its related.
Radio always plays but sometimes all buttons don't work, the volume which is a twist knob works, but nothing else, can't eject a CD, can't change the radio station. Nothing.
Also, the power steering has been a bit intermittent, sometimes when the car starts it doesn't work and has no power to it, but if you turn off the engine and turn it on again, the power steering is fine.
This only happens about 1 in 20 times.
The radio is worse and the buttons don't work more often than they do.
The car has only done local short drives from around a mile to a 5. And only around twice a week since the gearbox and clutch was fitted mid mid December.
It was only purchased for me to run errands really.

Trimdoner said:

Has the fuel cutoff (under passenger seat) been kicked or triggered? It's just a push button.
Only reason I suggest looking here; my daughter's Panda broke down a couple of years ago. RAC attended but couldn't get it started so towed it 12 miles home. On arrival, RAC chap had a sudden brainwave and checked cutoff.

Apparently a code shows on the dsahboard (no idea what) but nobody had noticed it :bang:

Hope yours is as simple as that!

Click to expand...

BLOOMIN' 'ECK.
It was the bloody fuel cut off, first time I've had a passenger in the car since I bought it. A friend needed a lift to work because of the snow, I can only assume they knocked the switch. I didn't think it would be so silly and such an easy fix.
But here we are the cars started and has now had a drive round the block.
I'm both glad it's not cost a lot of money, and gobsmacked that is was such a ridiculous problem.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply and help me out.
I'd have been paying people for diagnostics for months!
Over the moon ?

The steering points at a weak charge in the electrical circuit.. could all be related to you poor earth..

But lets get the engine running 1st

Well done..

Im astounded '2 mechanics' didnt suss that..

Surely there would be a dash message (and a fault code)

I didn't notice a message, but held the button down a little, tried to start it and it started first time.
It didn't start yesterday so i can't imagine it could be anything else.
Hopefully the power steering was the crappy earth wire and that was worth replacing aswell.
Cancelled with the ECU specialist as clearly that's not currently a problem.