Hi All, I have a Fiat Punto MK2 2002 reg, recently I have noticed that the car, when driving makes a grinding noise, this happens when in gear and moving, if I take the car out of gear whilst moving, the grinding goes away - this would suggest to me that it is related to the hear box!!!!!!! Worst when in first!!

Can any one suggest what this might be and how to fix it?

I am not very good with cars so Idiots guide would be superb!! The ore dumbed down the better!!

Thanks in advance
:slayer:

Might be the wheel bearings? I have the same problem, and gets worse when you turn round a corner. Is that the same with you?

doesn't get any worse around corners, just in general!! seems to be pretty consistant throughout the gears, with first being slightly worse!!

where does it sound like the noise is coming from?

Pretty much from where the gears are - kinds centre console area, it's definately not to one side or the other, and definately from of car not back!! Bit vague I know, I'm no car expert though, but at a guess I would say Gear box area!!!

Urgently check the gearbox oil level & top up if required. It might also be the differential but check the gearbox oil level first.

You need to get under the car and locate the filler hole, ususally the oil level, when the car is level, should be up to the filler hole (stick you little finger in to check) but not when the oil may be hot!

OK thanks for your help on this - should the oil level stay pretty constant or is it something that would need topping up every now and then?

paulbeynon said:

OK thanks for your help on this - should the oil level stay pretty constant or is it something that would need topping up every now and then?

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It stays constant unless there is a leak somewhere, check for that when you are underneath. Gearbox oil doesnt get burned off like engine oil does, gearbox oil is thicker so can cling and spread about, if the car has an undertray check on that, or look at the ground where the car is regularly parked.

Thanks so much for the advice, I will try and get under the damn thing tomorrow!! Once again thanks

paulbeynon said:

Thanks so much for the advice, I will try and get under the damn thing tomorrow!! Once again thanks

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Getting under it & keeping it level is a challenge at home on the driveway...

To be honest if the oil has leaked away enough for the cluster to become noisy there may be hardly any in there. Make sure you get the right oil too, that will be in the Handbook. Hope it fixes it for you... diff trouble is worse... had exactly the symptoms you describe on a Saxo Furio... luckily that was under Warranty.

I'm trying to find out if ours is under warranty at the moment - it should be just - bought it in December with a 3 month warranty so fingers crossed - called garage they said "we'll call back" hmmm not convinced!! As for the manual, I'm sure it would be, unfortunately the car didn't have one - think we must have picked the dodgyist garage around!! Woohoo

I may just book it in for service and check at a local garage, find out if there is anything seriously wrong then go back to the garage and get it fixed under warranty!!

Thanks again

paulbeynon said:

I'm trying to find out if ours is under warranty at the moment - it should be just - bought it in December with a 3 month warranty so fingers crossed - called garage they said "we'll call back" hmmm not convinced!! As for the manual, I'm sure it would be, unfortunately the car didn't have one - think we must have picked the dodgyist garage around!! Woohoo

I may just book it in for service and check at a local garage, find out if there is anything seriously wrong then go back to the garage and get it fixed under warranty!!

Thanks again

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Does it have a service history with it? Odd that the Handbook has gone, some dodgy garages "lose" stuff like the Handbook & Service History to conceal the previous owners neglect on a part-ex they took in just to move it on. Sounds like you have a plan though... Good Luck!

No service history, no nothing - only the one key, the garage failed to do the reg doc so we've had to do that - all in all a bad buy - but hey it was cheap!!! now we know why!!!!!!!! Still phoned a local garage, they are happy to rant it around the block tomorrow lunch and see what they reckon - jobs a goodun.:shrug:

If the noise changes when you top up the gearoil then you have it - gearbox.

If not, it might be brake discs with a deep groove worn by the pads. If the noise is worse when the car has been standing for a few days I'd suggest you get the discs looked at.

Wheel bearing(s) is/are another possibility. They often don't get louder on road bends but sometimes they do. They can be deceptive & might need an expert to locate the bearing that's going home.

I'm convinced its not brakes, because if I take the car out of gear whilst moving the noise goes - put it back in gear - its back again - to me it would suggest gears are at fault, but then I am no expert so I could just be asuming, and we all know what asumption is!!

Thanks for all your help - I'll see what the garage says tomorrow and let you know!!

Sounds Like Input Shaft Bearing To Me Likes,Just Watch When You Oil Your Box That It Does`nt Come Pi--ing Out The Bottom Like Mines lol

Have a similar noise...... a friend who ahs worked on many Puntos said it is probably a problem with the diff berings starting to go out.......
He suggested sourcing a used box to get rid of noise problem and looming falure of the existing box

I had the differential planet gears pin come out of the diff on an MG Metro. That's the pin which sits at right angles to the main output shafts and carries the two little idler gears. I was driving along and noticed a smell of gearbox oil. Stooped but could see lo leak.

Later going into a left-hand side turning the pin came out with a bang like a gun going off. The revs shot up but car stopped leaving a trail of oil. People came out of their houses wondering what had made the noise.

The diff housing on a Fiat box is easy to get at. You might be able to replace the bearings before too much damage is done.