Hello,

The car is Punto Mk2b 1.2 8v manual.

About 3 years ago i had a problem of a squealing/whining noise when engine is cold.
This is the old post with a youtube video of the sound:
https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-ii/341441-noise-like-belt-slipping.html

Turned out it really was the clutch release bearing, and a year after i made
the post here, it was completly destroyed, and i had to tow the car to the garage, and they installed a new clutch set.

Now about 2 years later and a little less than 20k KM (12k Miles),
yesterday when i started the car in the morning and it was a little
cold outside, i heard a very light low squealing/whining noise which
dissapear very quickly after i drove maybe 30 seconds.
The noise is very low, and you need to open the window, and
mute the radio to hear it.
Today it was the same.
Engine has to be completely cold (a few hours, or after night), to hear this noise.

I remember this is how it started about 3 years ago, and very quickly ( a few months), the noise became louder and louder.

What are the chances it's the clutch release bearing again?
And if it is, how can it be after only 20k KM (12k Miles) and about 2 years?
What is going on here?

I'll appreciate any help or advice.
Thank you.

Depending on your driving style... a city car will destroy a clutch much quicker vs a motorway car....

This car is used mostly in the city (maybe 90%),
and i don't drive it aggressively, just normal driving.

Still, 20k KM (12k miles), seems very low figure for a clutch release bearing
to start making noise, even if driving mostly inside the city.

Also, the clutch is not slipping or something so i guess the clutch plates are ok.
It's only the clutch release bearing that wear prematurely.

I'm not even sure that the noise that i heard is the clutch release bearing again,
but it's not looking good.

reading your heading my diagnosis was release bearing
ive read your post and would say quite likely again
the punto bearing is made of cheese like the plastic inners on the plates
keep monitoring and dont rest your foot on the pedal

How much time do you think i have before it will get worse?
another year ?

After i replaced the clutch about 2 years ago,
i did stop with the habit of resting the foot on the clutch pedal,
or keeping the clutch pedal pressed when in red traffic light.
It didn't seems to help the clutch release bearing to not wear out prematurely.

so manual punto's are not made for the city?

I put a clutch in at 42k. We are at 130k now.
The first timing belt I put in I had a squeal only when cold. I reset the belt tension and the noise went away.

Brendan W said:

I put a clutch in at 42k. We are at 130k now.
The first timing belt I put in I had a squeal only when cold. I reset the belt tension and the noise went away.

Click to expand...

Do you use the car mostly on highways, or in the city?

Ziggy122 said:

Depending on your driving style... a city car will destroy a clutch much quicker vs a motorway car....

Click to expand...

I used to have to use my car for work, lots and lots of Stop & Start during the course of the day, You are quite right about changing gears a lot destroying the clutch, i got through 3 in 18 months, also ended up killing the gearbox bearings and replacing the Gearbox.

gingel said:

Hello,

The car is Punto Mk2b 1.2 8v manual.

Now about 2 years later and a little less than 20k KM (12k Miles),
yesterday when i started the car in the morning and it was a little
cold outside, i heard a very light low squealing/whining noise which
dissapear very quickly after i drove maybe 30 seconds.

What are the chances it's the clutch release bearing again?
And if it is, how can it be after only 20k KM (12k Miles) and about 2 years?
What is going on here?

I'll appreciate any help or advice.
Thank you.

Click to expand...

Yes it's possible for the release bearing to start failing again after only that many miles, IF you are driving in town and using the clutch a lot.
I completely wore out 1 Clutch in approx 20,000 miles to the point where it started slipping. That was with Normal driving and purely down to a hell of a lot of stopping and starting (probably a great deal more than most people would encounter in a day)

gingel said:

Do you use the car mostly on highways, or in the city?

Click to expand...

Mixed about 50:50.

Ok, so strangley this very low noise disappeared.
It did this noise for only 2 days.
no matter if i turn the engine on in the morning when it's colder outside,
or afternoon when it's hotter, can't hear it now.

But now i have a new problem.
Strange "grrrrrr" noise from the steering wheel electric motor.
I opened a new thread about it.