Having a problem with the Croma. Under acceleration the car shakes noticably. At certain sppeds there is also a vibration but it becomes extremely obvious when you put your foot down. I have had it in the dealers yeaterday and they have checked for any ecu problems and played around with the ECU. But it's still happening.

Any suggestions?

Make sure its had the ECU software update (swirl actuator)

The garage did the ecu update on it but it hasn't made a difference. Is there any history of suspension or bearing problems which may cause it or could the wheel tracking/balancing cause it? I'm not an expert as you can probably tell!! It seems odd that it at some speeds it is more noticable than at others, and it is bad under heavy acceleration.

There is a recall on rear tyre wear checks...Alan i'm not exactly sure if your describing a mechanical vibration/fault or a engine running fault...can you elaborate abit.

It's hard to tell whether it's from the engine or elsewhere. It just seems to get worse when i put my foot down, which led me to thinking that it was to do with the engine. The car has always had a slight vibration when driving it. Recently it has much worse. I even had to stop on the way back from London to check if there was anything wrong with the tyres, as it turned from a vibration to more of a shaking or thumping effect. I have noticed a metallic rubbing sound which seems to be coming from the n/s rear. This noise was more noticible before i changed the tyres, but is still there now. Is there any way i could check for this rear problem before i put it back into the dealers?

OK...theres a recall for 'shudder' (not same as swirl chamber update.

I would also get wheel geometry set...dealer to do this as there is a particular way to do this.

Check for outstanding campaigns in particular 5138...dealer can check this for you.

Let us know how you get on?

Hi there

At easter coming home our Croma 150 developed a steady vibration as we were going down the M4 loaded down with the family holiday kit. Not so much under acceleration just at a constant speed down the moterway. However,changing the rear tyres seemed to solve this as these were at the end of their life (at just over 15000 miles, which doesn't seem great)- it was only after this we found out about the tyre wear recall.

We haven't experienced this effect again, even when similarly laden down in France last month. However, the instrument cluster did fail on the penultultimate day- error messages in any language but English for any and all possible problems, no speedometer, then no rev counter. This continued once we got home after it initially being diagnosed as just a lose connector and we've just had a new instrument cluster fitted which has solved this problem.

Thankfully our local dealer Motor Services of Chepstow has been great about sorting this out with Fiat and they've only dealt with one other Croma!

We've had quite a few little problems with the Croma (any one else's front seat belt buckle plastics cracking up?), but we do like it and it was great on holiday (and we weren't alone- there were Dutch and French ones on the same campsite!).

Thanks. Have got the Croma booked in on Monday. Are there many recalls on the croma at the moment?

Alan C said:

Thanks. Have got the Croma booked in on Monday. Are there many recalls on the croma at the moment?

Click to expand...

about 8 or 9 from memory but most were done before car was put on road & not all apply to any one version/factory/build date etc. Dont be put off by this amount as most are silly thing like putting grease on fuel filler cap!

Let us know how you get on

Hi all.
should the dealer have notified me of the rear tracking issue. I got through 2 sets!! of rear tyres in the first 18K miles (15months), decided to get the rear tracking checked and it was way out. It was realigned at a local tyre dealers, fitted with a 3rd pair 13K miles ago, less noise, more mpg and better handling. I shall be contacting FIAT for compo if the fault was known and and not notified.

watto said:

Hi all.
should the dealer have notified me of the rear tracking issue. I got through 2 sets!! of rear tyres in the first 18K miles (15months), decided to get the rear tracking checked and it was way out. It was realigned at a local tyre dealers, fitted with a 3rd pair 13K miles ago, less noise, more mpg and better handling. I shall be contacting FIAT for compo if the fault was known and and not notified.

Click to expand...

what rear track issue?

Heard from the dealers today. They say they think it is a rear bearing problem and are going to replace these. Fingers crossed i might get the car back this week. Getting fed up of the grande punto courtesy car!! :bang:

Alan C said:

Getting fed up of the grande punto courtesy car!! :bang:

Click to expand...

What don't you like about the GP?

luvduvs said:

What don't you like about the GP?

Click to expand...

croma is a far superior car.

It's just too small. Wife + 2 kids to transport around. No toys on this one and it doesn't want to go fast!!

Latest news - Rear bearings changed and still not fixed. Apparently there is play in one of the driveshafts so they are trying that next. Unfortunately the part is on 'backorder' so they can't tell me when it's arriving. Looks like i'll have to put up with the courtesy car for a few more weeks.

Three weeks later - problem sorted. Apparently there was play in one of the driveshafts. A new one solved it. However driving away from the garage the check brake pads warning came on. Went back so they could check it only to be told it would cost me £150 for a new set of front pads.

I think i'm jinxed!! :bang:

I would query £150 for a set of Pads.

Had mine a couple of months now.
I like the car after my Previous,
Stillo MW 1.9.jtd with all the toys.
Had problems with it but enjoyed it all the same.
Would have had another if they had made an Automatic.

Incredibly good fuel consumption on it.

The Croma however is shall we say quite a bit down which I would expect
being an Auto but not as good as some other makes of the same engine rating and auto.

I miss the old car, but needed an Automatic.

Sig.was my old car

I too now have this shudder. It seems to happen at about, 2000 rpm or 40 - 50 mph. Initially I thought the front whels were out of balance, but this is incorrect.

My mechanic has looked at this and the shudder comes up the steering wheel. He has since put the car on jacks and checked underneath. There is some play. Yes the rear wheels have had there recall 13 months ago and the tyres where changed 9000 miles ago, and still look like new. I notice on this post that the rear bearings could cause this. Any replies would be much appreciated, as the Croma is now off the road till it is sorted.

Croma is now out of warranty, hence over 60,000 miles.

Well I would query this big time. To change a drive shaft you have to remove the dics, thus the brakes before releasing the drive shaft hub nuts. So why was the excessive pad wear not noticed and reported at that time? Fiat would have in effect paid the labour cost of changing pads during the driveshaft change. You would have only had to pay the parts cost of the pads. No you have to pay both.

IMHO *rap!

Go back and start asking questions.

Nick /////