Hello, just joined the page as I'm in desperate need of advice. I'm a student who's got a 2008 fiat 500 sport, currently got the car up at uni with me. I took the car yesterday to garage as it was making a strange noise whenever I started it up for first time (I assumed fan belt was on its way out) however they told me it was starter motor. Had that replaces picked it up and drove off fine. Went back to it in uni car park 5 hrs later and it wouldnt start. Not even ticking over. Have had it taken back to garage, they say they have put two new starter motors in and neither is working. They're at a loss and so am i, I really needed the car fixed by tomorrow afternoon so that I can go home they're next option is to get a specific fiat branded one to put in but they don't know when they'll get that by. Has anyone got any other ideas of what I could suggest to them? Just feeling a bit lost and unknowledgeable due to not having my parents around to help out.

Hello & welcome! Your in the right place someone will be along shortly with some advise!
Don’t despair... your in the right place!

Hi.

Where abouts in the UK?

It sounds as if the starter wasnt the issue..

So.. how long have you had it..

No previous problems?

Charlie

When you tried to start it..
All the dash lights come on ok?

Did the keycode light go off ok

Did you hear the fuel pump whirring..under the back seat

Charlie

Hi Charlie,
Only brought the car in August and so this is the first issue I've had with it. I'm based in Lincoln at the minute. When they first said starter to me I was unconvinced as after googling signs of a starter failing I didn't pick up on any that I had experienced. I struggled to start it once at night after it had been frosty and the car hadn't been driven for a while. (It only gets used to go food shopping as being a uni student I don't need it much).
Ignition lights come on it just doesn't start up. there was a small clicking when we tried the first few times to start it after that there was nothing. When I went back to it this morning and tried it was just silent. Also not sure what you mean by keycode light sorry and can't say that I noticed the fuel pump whirring however I was in abit of panic as it was late at night and I was on my own.

Have you got some "jump" leads?
Clip the black one on the battery NEGATIVE, the other end on the left engine mount. Try starting.
Has your car ever had the engine earth strap replaced? A common failure that's only £5 to fix and will stop the car starting if failed.
Also how old is the battery?(So you may not know as it's newish to you) New one is £55 delivered

Hi John, sadly my car is now stuck in the garage so unable to try anything, I'm going to suggest looking into the battery tomorrow morning when I ring them. Also only had the car since August so not sure however when looking through the old receipts and things for work it had done before I owned it I didn't see anything about the battery.

If your earth strap is failed typically the lights will come on the dash but the car will not crank, the lights may go out at the same time.
If your battery has failed typically the lights will come on but as you turn the key to start the lights will go out and you may get clicking from inside the car and under the bonnet the Speedo needle may also waver but not turn over, you may also get warnings on the dash about abs or power steering.

dont pay them to keep guessing and changing parts, get it out of there into a good independent garage. as on your local facebook selling page for recommendations. a pattern part will be as good as one from fiat

Chelsealauren said:

Hi John, sadly my car is now stuck in the garage so I'm basically having to play by their rules, I'm going to suggest looking into the battery tomorrow morning when I ring them. Also only had the car since August so not sure however when looking through the old receipts and things for work it had done before I owned it I didn't see anything about the battery. Might have to suggest a new battery to the garage however I have the feeling they're reluctant to try new stuff as they are the ones paying for it since when I first dropped the car off it was starting perfectly fine other than a screeching noise.

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Ask them to check the earth strap under the battery tray, saying that they "can" look ok but are in fact failed, typically they only last 6 or 7 years.
Don't be afraid to ask us for any help and use any advice to help your dealings with them in order that you don't get the wool pulled over you?

Thanks so much! I'm gunna pass this onto the garage tomorrow morning, just don't want them to think that I'm telling them how to do their job as obviously I have no idea.

Usually my uncle or the garage in my home town does the work on my cars but I'm up at uni with it at the minute and Its now pretty much stranded in the garage now as I can't start it to be able to drive it 2hrs home

Chelsealauren said:

Thanks so much! I'm gunna pass this onto the garage tomorrow morning, just don't want them to think that I'm telling them how to do their job as obviously I have no idea.

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Very true but unless they know the eart strap is a common fault it's a hidden part unless specifically looked at. It may not be this but it could be.

What is the screeching noise you mentioned?

John202020 said:

Very true but unless they know the eart strap is a common fault it's a hidden part unless specifically looked at. It may not be this but it could be.

What is the screeching noise you mentioned?

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For a couple of weeks every time I started it (usually in the cold at night) there was be a screeching sound for couple of seconds and then it stopped. This is why I believed it was the fan belt going and wanted to get it fixed before having to drive home this weekend as didn’t want to risk it snapping on way home. Also just been thinking that I did struggle to start it once after I’d left it for a while a week or so back. I know that frost will kill a battery quicker than anything and so this could have also contributed?

I take it it’s not a diesel? What you describe is a classic sign of a Dual mass flywheel failure. The grinding sound is the teeth destroying the teeth on the starter. New starter it would work for a while until it destroyed that too.

I’m not actually sure whether 500 diesels have dual mass flywheels but the symptoms you describe sounds like it.

If it’s petrol then I agree it’s either the battery or the Earth strap.

I wouldn’t trust halfords to put air in my tyres.

typecastboy said:

I take it it’s not a diesel? What you describe is a classic sign of a Dual mass flywheel failure. The grinding sound is the teeth destroying the teeth on the starter. New starter it would work for a while until it destroyed that too.

I’m not actually sure whether 500 diesels have dual mass flywheels but the symptoms you describe sounds like it.

If it’s petrol then I agree it’s either the battery or the Earth strap.

I wouldn’t trust halfords to put air in my tyres.

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Hi, yeah it’s petrol. Thank you definitely going to mention the battery and earth strap tomorrow morning as that seems to be what everyone is suggesting. I know like i said it’s usually my uncle that does my car for me but as I originally thought the sound was the fan belt going I thought I would be okay to get that changed up at uni before I have to do a long drive home tomorrow.

A screech immediately after releasing the key right at starting point is often either, the starter(Not a failure but a lack of lubrication on the starter shaft/pawl) or a slipping belt that drives the alternator(electrical generator) it slips for a second or two then "catches up" indicating it needs replacing soon a cheap part, you don't have Air con do you?

John202020 said:

A screech immediately after releasing the key right at starting point is often either, the starter(Not a failure but a lack of lubrication on the starter shaft/pawl) or a slipping belt that drives the alternator(electrical generator) it slips for a second or two then "catches up" indicating it needs replacing soon a cheap part, you don't have Air con do you?

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Cambelt is next on the list to do however hoping it will last till first week of March when I have a week off uni and so I can take the car home to have done as I was quoted nearly £400 to have it done up here. It was last done in 2015 so it is due a new one but my parents told me to wait as I can get it fixed a lot cheaper at home. The car does have air con yes. Also could the starter have just been relubricated then instead of replacing the entire part or is that not possible?

Chelsealauren said:

Cambelt is next on the list to do however hoping it will last till first week of March when I have a week off uni and so I can take the car home to have done as I was quoted nearly £400 to have it done up here. It was last done in 2015 so it is due a new one but my parents told me to wait as I can get it fixed a lot cheaper at home. The car does have air con yes. Also could the starter have just been relubricated then instead of replacing the entire part or is that not possible?

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Also should mention that when I first picked the car up it was starting up and it no longer made the screeching sound however not sure whether it was just because the car was still warm as it had only been making it when it was started up for first time in a while

Don't confuse the cam belt and alternator belt they're two different things, but at 5 years old yes better to replace it(cam belt), try asking Fiat for a price up here in the north east they came out cheapest as they said "it's a fixed price service item" if it's the alternator belt it should last some time before total failure, I take it, it still makes the noise even after new starters?