I've had my Sporting (53 reg Mk2.5/3) about a fortnight now and I'm already building up a list of things to take it back to Fiat and moan about...

1. The car makes a loud whining noise in reverse.

2. No matter now much effort I put into filling it up with fuel(!), the petrol gauge never goes up past 3/4 full, even when the petrol is brimming out of the tank.

3. Unnerving knocking noises from somewhere at the front. Suspension mounts or something similar I guess.

4. Knocking at the back - Loose exhaust mounts?

5. The car pulls to left, yet the tracking is perfectly straight.

6. The clutch is very "on/off". There's no real play in it, it's just either up or down and judders slightly in reverse and first.

What's going to happen next I wonder?!! Thing is, the cars drives really well (apart from the pulling to the left thing!) and if I turn the stereo up I can't hear the knocking. The other things are just annoyances.

Doing my head in. Has anyone else had any of the things I've mentioned?

Alex.

ugh, i hate list jobs [V]

uno 1.0ie RAAAWW!

You obviously havent moved the seat back or forwards while the engine is running yet or else you'd have to put the 'Airbag Light Always On' on the list too!

Originally posted by kebab
ugh, i hate list jobs [V]

uno 1.0ie RAAAWW!

Click to expand...

Lucky you don't work at Thames Fiat in Slough then! Ha ha!

i had knocking from frontthat was steering column needed replacing over 500 quid job at fiat.

as for the reverse thing i have never had a car that dint whine in reverse especially if you went quick.

2001 Punto sporting in sprint blue with matching Mr Bump air freshner all together now mmmmmmm

If you dig deep enough, you'll find your answers in this forum. However, by the time you've diagnosed your problems, you'll probably have no hair left!

Owning an Italian car = owning annoying unexplicable problems. Some of yours sound dangerous though.

Get it overwith and take it to Fiat.

If you do go back to to Fiat, please post back to the forum, 'cos you can be sure that somebody will have one of the problems you're experiencing. Not to mention that you'll be appreciated.

Good luck!

ok, quick diagnostics report
1. reverse is a straight cut gear and will whine a bit at speed?
2. suspect bent sender float, further diagnostics required.
3. unable too diagnose without testing.
4. loose spare wheel? crap in boot well? rear seat catches? exhaust heat sheild bent?
5. wide tyres + road camber = slight pull too left?
6. dodgey clutch? replace?

-=[uno 1.0ie RAAAWW!]=-
-=[trained fiat tech for what it's worth.]=-

1. This whine isn't the usual "in reverse" sound! It's a mechanical type noise, not a gear box noise.

2. Grr, into Fiat!

3. Grr, into Fiat!

4. Spare wheel secure, nothing in wheel well, big bloody sub sitting on top of it all holding it down!

5. Standard 15" alloys with 185/55/15s on them. It pulls harder than just a bit. Into Fiat!

6. Grr, into Fiat!

Cheers Kebab!

Filling up problem - same problem on my mk2 sporting -

Don't ram the nozzle all the way in - I have now found that putting it 1/4 of the way in does the job. Experiment! Similar problems on my old mk1 85 so its possibly another fiat thing.

cheers

Well I've just booked the car into Thames Fiat in Slough for this Thursday so we'll see what they come up with!

The knocking sound is getting worse each day!! [!]

hi
the noise coming from the rear end will be the hand brake cable, iv had the same problem, its a common problem with the new shape punto.
iv had lots of problems with my 53 reg punto has well the list just goes on, suprised you came belt hasnt gone yet mine went within a month.
are you getting any compo out of them, so far i have managed to get a free one year service and a fulltank of fuel

c sherriff

I haven't got any reason for compo yet!

Right, just come back from dropping the car off having spoken to a relatively unhelpful service bloke.

Apparently, there's a known fault with some fly wheel thing on the gear box/clutch that needs replacing. Apparently they'll phone me to book the car back in when they've got the parts...Umm, I don't think so!
I'm not leaving there when I pick the car up later until they've sorted me out a date for it to go back in. How difficult can it be to get parts?

He said that the knocking might be something to do with the off side front suspension arm. Something to do with it disjointing from another part of the suspension.

The pulling to the left thing I made the point that it'd been tracked but was spot on so I'm ready for fighting later when they tell me there's nothing wrong with it! I bet they don't even drive it! I'll take one of the technicians out on a test drive and prove it.

@punto girl - Your cam belt snapped in one month of it being new? Did you not demand a new car? Surely that buggered half of the engine when it snapped?

FIGHTING EYES ARE IN! [}][}]

how long can it take to get parts? Welcome to owning a Fiat!

I waited 6 weeks for 1 part a few years ago...and that was a relatively short time!

Disclaimer: Any incorrect lexicography or grammar is entirely the fault of your eyes​

All these stories I'm hearing, I'm begining to wish I'd kept my Pug.

Hopefully they'll sort everything no problems. [V]

I have NEVER waited more than 2 weeks for parts, all the way from italy.

I just realise how really lucky I am with my Wreg Puntomk2 1.2 8v . Not one problem except my backbox falling off £60 for a new one:I. Guess its cause the previous owner got all the problems sorted . Anyway good look with your dealer hope there more competent than alot of fiat dealers .

This'll make you laugh.

Just called the garage and ask them to replace a bit of interior trim under the passenger side of the dash board.

I broke the clips when I was taking it off to run the cables for my sub and amp.

Anyway, the girl I spoke to (who's fit incidentally!) said "I'll let the technician know, and if we've got the 'special' clips in stock I'll get the trim put back for you".

In stock? You're a f*cking main dealer (and a big one at that!) and you haven't got two simple black plastic clips in stock? Give me a break! [:0]

Someone's lining themselves up for a bruising...B)[}]B)[}]

hi
alexb
lookely it didnt do anything to the engine the cam belt as been replced for the second time as it was making a whistling noise.
the car is just about sorted now. touch wood nothing else will go wrong.
i waited 3 months for a part to replce the ventilation unit due to the ordering the wrong part twice.

c sherriff

Originally posted by punto girl
lookely it didnt do anything to the engine the cam belt as been replced for the second time as it was making a whistling noise.

Click to expand...

You were well lucky in that case!

A mate of mine had the cam belt on her 306 GTi-6 snap at 120mph on the motorway. Totally shagged the engine and had to get a new one on insurance!!

Originally posted by alexb



Anyway, the girl I spoke to (who's fit incidentally!) said "I'll let the technician know, and if we've got the 'special' clips in stock I'll get the trim put back for you".

In stock? You're a f*cking main dealer (and a big one at that!) and you haven't got two simple black plastic clips in stock? Give me a break! [:0]




Someone's lining themselves up for a bruising...B)[}]B)[}]

Click to expand...

Lol, well your not the only person to have problems witha main dealer getting parts for you and I'm sure you won't be the last.

I took my Punto in to a main Fiat dealer in Nottingham on Monday to have 2 parts replaced. The car was booked in 2 weeks in advance so they had all that time to get the parts in, but up on collecting the car I was told that they didn't have one of the parts yet they ordered. My car was also supposed to have a new cambelt put on and when I asked if this had been done they simple replied "was it. It's not on the job list". and then my reply, it bloody well should be, this is the 2nd time you've forgoten to replace my cambelt when I've bought it in!!! Not happy because now my cars got to go in again next Friday for the cambelt and other part, but since getting my car back from the garage, it drive a hell of a lot worse and also now has an electircal fault!!

GRRR angry phone call tomorrow I think!!

Punto 55 SX all in black... That's my bitch!