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General Shuddering / Thumping from chassis

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General Shuddering / Thumping from chassis

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[=hris

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Hi,

Last week I picked up a new GP 1.2 Dynamic 5dr. However, yesterday (with 60 miles on the clock) it started emitting a rather worrying shudderingy / thumping noise from the chassis. We stopped and had a look around the car and under the bonnet, but couldn't find anything immediately wrong with it. The noise seemed to die away for about 40 miles or so, but then came back with a vengeance just as we got home. I saw someone else was complaining about something similar on an ex-demo car a few threads down, but this car is literally brand new, and it doesn't sound like its coming from the left front wheel (as the other owner reported), but more from the chassis in general.

Does anyone know if there are known problems like this, or have experienced it themselves? We intend to take it down to the dealer on Monday to see what they say, but unfortunately the problem seems a little intermittent, so we are unsure as to whether it will occur while we are there.

Thanks :confused:

Chris
 
The only thing I can think of, I have mentioned before - Fiat build the suspension 'dry' on these cars (no lubrication) and this has caused various noises before now.

The cure is a simple grease job. Put this to Fiat if you can't find any other more obvious explanation.

It's bound to be something simple and stupid - but I can't imagine how annoying it must be on a brand new car.

Good luck
 
I had a couple of times a sound from the rear right that sounded like the central door locking but it wasn't. I still don't know what it was but I didn't hear it for over a week now.

Let us know if you know more and goodluck at the dealer.(y)
 
Alex: Thanks for the advice - I will mention it to them... Its a little strange how it is intermittent, but certaintly seems better on well surfaced roads than on duff side roads.

Diablo: Was the noise you were getting seem to come from under the chassis? A real deep down sort of noise (as opposed to rattles and bangs from the body / interior)

Apart from that, it is very nice though - certaintly much nicer to drive than our VW Golf (old style Golf, not new) :)
 
Last edited:
[=hris said:
Alex: Thanks for the advice - I will mention it to them... Its a little strange how it is intermittent, but certaintly seems better on well surfaced roads than on duff side roads.

Diablo: Was the noise you were getting seem to come from under the chassis? A real deep down sort of noise (as opposed to rattles and bangs from the body / interior)

Apart from that, it is very nice though - certaintly much nicer to drive than our VW Golf (old style Golf, not new) :)
Click to expand...

It's difficult to describe but it sounded like when you drive like 70MPH and you switch your central doorlocking on/off but now the sound came only from the rear right. Maybe I picked up a stone that came loose and hit the wheelarch? Wouldn't be strange since I already pulled a stone or three out of my tyre threads.
 
Ok - my noise sounds much more mechanical than that - it is a really deep down growly noise - you can almost feel it as opposed to hear it :confused:
 
[=hris said:
Hi,

Last week I picked up a new GP 1.2 Dynamic 5dr. However, yesterday (with 60 miles on the clock) it started emitting a rather worrying shudderingy / thumping noise from the chassis. We stopped and had a look around the car and under the bonnet, but couldn't find anything immediately wrong with it. The noise seemed to die away for about 40 miles or so, but then came back with a vengeance just as we got home. I saw someone else was complaining about something similar on an ex-demo car a few threads down, but this car is literally brand new, and it doesn't sound like its coming from the left front wheel (as the other owner reported), but more from the chassis in general.

Does anyone know if there are known problems like this, or have experienced it themselves? We intend to take it down to the dealer on Monday to see what they say, but unfortunately the problem seems a little intermittent, so we are unsure as to whether it will occur while we are there.

Thanks :confused:

Chris
Click to expand...

Sounds like you have the exact same problem as me. The sounds on mine appear to come from the n/s front wheel and can only describe it as a springy kind of noise (like the noise a spring board makes after you dive off it). It is only noticeable when going over rough surfaces though. It's been to the dealer who has sinced ordered me a new anti-roll bar and drop links. Hopefully this should cure the problem.
 
Just to be sure. It's not a sound that is intermittend when switching from 1st to 2nd gear?
 
Vinyl: After reading your post, it doest sound somewhat similar. The only thing I would say is that it doesnt really sound like its coming from one of the wheels, although I have to admit, its hard to tell. I will mention it to them when I go in.

Diablo: Definitely not a gear clunk - it happens in any gear at any time!

Thanks guys!
 
I agree. AT first I though it was the wheel but now am almost certain it's coming from the suspension
 
Ah right - it would appear we do have the same problem then! I shall wait to see what the dealer says!
 
I had a shuddering/rattling/clonking (hard to describe) noise come from the front of the car not so long ago. Noticed it after coming off the motorway as I drove round a friend's estate, which has poorly surfaced roads. I was very worried. Took it out on better surfaced roads and it still did it although not so much.

I left the car for a few hours. Came back and the noise was gone. It's never come back. I guess this was just the car complaining about the really awful roads in West London.

It was pretty loud and as was said above, one of those noises you can feel.
 
Hmmm, thats interesting - this noise went away when going down motorways, and then came back on less well surfaced (but by no means badly surfaced) roads for me as well. It really doesnt sound very healthy, but at least I am not the only one with it!
 
Well, we took it to the dealership (Thames Fiat Slough) yesterday and they were very good about it (certainly better than our VW dealer!). They seemed pretty concerned and got it straight up onto their service ramps and a few mechanics had a good old poke around, but after a while they decided they couldnt find anything wrong with it, but said if it happens again bring it straight back and they would go out in it to see what was happening and have a further poke around under the chassis.

So, I will see what happens!
 
[=hris said:
Well, we took it to the dealership (Thames Fiat Slough) yesterday and they were very good about it (certainly better than our VW dealer!). They seemed pretty concerned and got it straight up onto their service ramps and a few mechanics had a good old poke around, but after a while they decided they couldnt find anything wrong with it, but said if it happens again bring it straight back and they would go out in it to see what was happening and have a further poke around under the chassis.

So, I will see what happens!
Click to expand...

Couldn't they take it for a spin right away?
 
We took them out, but unfortuantely the probelm didn't occur - typical! So next time I think they meant leave it with them to drive around for a bit
 
Hate it when that happens! I hate the way they do that and look at you as if your a complete numb nuts. Why the **** would you bother going to the hassle of booking it in, bringing it back if there was nothing wrong with it? I am totally 100% convinced that mine is not right at all. I mean this noise has bells hanging off it and I can even feel it hitting on the outside of the passenger footwell. No matter how loud I turn the stereo up I can still hear it. Tell them you're not an idiot and there is DEFINATELY something wrong with the car. Tell them to give you a courtesy car while they sort this out or you will go down there and start windmilling.
 
I think that the problem will be shock absorbers, similar problems has new Honda Civic, but at the rear, but the sound is similar and they found problems with Sachs shock absorbers.....
 
Same problem here - from front nearside wheel - when going over less than perfect road surfaces. Offside front and both rears are fine - quite a reassuring dull dampened thud - but the nearside front is a distinct clatter/hard jitter - like the difference between a bicycle with pneumatic tyres compared to a solid wheel trike :) My guess is a faulty shock too. It's in with the dealer on Thurs for the 600- 900 mile oil change and I have asked them to look at this clatter noise too. I jsut hope they pick a nice bumpy road to test it :bang:
 
VinylHogger said:
Hate it when that happens! I hate the way they do that and look at you as if your a complete numb nuts. Why the **** would you bother going to the hassle of booking it in, bringing it back if there was nothing wrong with it?
Click to expand...

Hang on thats not what we think (thats what you think we think) dealers are more than happy to test drive with the customer on repeated occasions if the need requires it to be done.
Its a new model & dealers/fiat are listening very carefully to any complaints not laughing behind your back.
A new (great & effective) way of showing dealers intermittent faults is by camera phone or recordings of the noise using phone...obviously if you have one.

VinylHogger said:
Tell them to give you a courtesy car while they sort this out or you will go down there and start windmilling.
Click to expand...

ASK them if a courtesy car is available,its much more polite,assuming of course a courtesy car is available as they are often booked out weeks in advance.

Let us know of any findings with these noises:)
 
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