- Joined
- Dec 29, 2017
- Messages
- 57
- Points
- 16
Hi
I am new to the forum and way out of my depth when trying to analyse the deeper issue with my Fiat Punto Mark2 2004, which has had one previous owner and done 65000 miles. A good purchase or so I thought 8 months ago. All ownership checks were done and it was fine. One previous lady owner.
Only issue with it was on idle, at a standstill, it would keep dropping revs for a split second then pick up again, but generally the engine sounded lovely and on the motorway it would purr on 80mph. Also, a minor issue ongoing round right-hand bends, it brief knocking sound from the rear left hand side comprising 3-4 knocks would happen, it has always been like that since I got it, but I thought it was just the exhaust knocking. As it has not worsened I have ignored it - perhaps unwisely? Sometimes when I look at the car, which is in nice condition, from the rear it looks as if the left-hand side is fractionally higher than the right-hand side (not due to tyre pressure). Not sure that is relevant at all.
Anyway, my problems started with the "POWER STEERING FAILURE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT" coming on and off. Sometimes there is no sign of it for weeks, but it seems to come on when I either have other people in the car, or when I go up and down steep multi-storey ramps, as though it is linked to suspension sensors almost? The car has always handled well when this light is on or off, and when I book it in the garage they can find no fault as it typically didn't come on when it was in. It still comes on and off, 90% of the time off, but again when on multi-storey car parks or carrying luggage or people, it tends to come on. Not sure why that is? I have never felt a decline in power steering at any point I would add, even when the light is on. Sometimes it stays on for a day or two continuously, but then not again for weeks on end.
Secondly, and more seriously, I have had problems with the INJECTION SYSTEM FAULT DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT, which has come on 2-3 times now (NEVER FLASHING THOUGH).
First time I had it booked in for the garage, they diagnosed it and said it needed a new Catalytic Converter and gaskets. So they fitted that, cost me £160.
A month or two later the same warning light came on, and I paid £50 for what I think reads "1 x no.2 lamba, and cival(?) codes". (I can't read the word "cival" as its just a scribble and hence it could be any word).
But then two weeks ago, I was driving home after an 80 mile journey when suddenly a mile from home the temperature gauge all of a sudden dropped to zero and the same old "Injection System Fault Dashboard warning light" came on. The engine fan came on although it wasn't needed as I hadn't been standing still in traffic at all. I had it in the garage again, they diagnosed it and said it needed a new Coolant temperature sensor costing £80.
All was fine, but then yesterday, I was making exactly the same journey as previously, and at exactly the same point, a mile from home the same happened again, the temperature gauge suddenly dropped to zero and the fan came on, as well as the "Injection System Fault Dashboard Warning light". I have just been out to the car and the warning is still on when I put ignition on. Could it be weather related, it is still very cold outside?
I thought it was unusual for this to happen at exactly the same point in the journey, at both points about two miles after going over a sharp brow of a hill, which drops quickly. So this occurred twice. I mention this hill as again these warning lights in some way seem to be affected by going over hills/ multi-storey car parks/ extra weight in the car.
I know they are two different warning lights, but I thought it might just be relevant that both possibly seem to be caused by this. Could the whole issue be something to do with suspension, or the knocking sound? Probably not but worth highlighting my observations.
Any help with these warning lights and the causes would be greatly appreciated, I'm just out of my depth and although I trust my garage totally, inevitably they are not Fiat specialists. They can check the diagnosing engine management system I guess, how accurate is that though?
I am new to the forum and way out of my depth when trying to analyse the deeper issue with my Fiat Punto Mark2 2004, which has had one previous owner and done 65000 miles. A good purchase or so I thought 8 months ago. All ownership checks were done and it was fine. One previous lady owner.
Only issue with it was on idle, at a standstill, it would keep dropping revs for a split second then pick up again, but generally the engine sounded lovely and on the motorway it would purr on 80mph. Also, a minor issue ongoing round right-hand bends, it brief knocking sound from the rear left hand side comprising 3-4 knocks would happen, it has always been like that since I got it, but I thought it was just the exhaust knocking. As it has not worsened I have ignored it - perhaps unwisely? Sometimes when I look at the car, which is in nice condition, from the rear it looks as if the left-hand side is fractionally higher than the right-hand side (not due to tyre pressure). Not sure that is relevant at all.
Anyway, my problems started with the "POWER STEERING FAILURE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT" coming on and off. Sometimes there is no sign of it for weeks, but it seems to come on when I either have other people in the car, or when I go up and down steep multi-storey ramps, as though it is linked to suspension sensors almost? The car has always handled well when this light is on or off, and when I book it in the garage they can find no fault as it typically didn't come on when it was in. It still comes on and off, 90% of the time off, but again when on multi-storey car parks or carrying luggage or people, it tends to come on. Not sure why that is? I have never felt a decline in power steering at any point I would add, even when the light is on. Sometimes it stays on for a day or two continuously, but then not again for weeks on end.
Secondly, and more seriously, I have had problems with the INJECTION SYSTEM FAULT DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT, which has come on 2-3 times now (NEVER FLASHING THOUGH).
First time I had it booked in for the garage, they diagnosed it and said it needed a new Catalytic Converter and gaskets. So they fitted that, cost me £160.
A month or two later the same warning light came on, and I paid £50 for what I think reads "1 x no.2 lamba, and cival(?) codes". (I can't read the word "cival" as its just a scribble and hence it could be any word).
But then two weeks ago, I was driving home after an 80 mile journey when suddenly a mile from home the temperature gauge all of a sudden dropped to zero and the same old "Injection System Fault Dashboard warning light" came on. The engine fan came on although it wasn't needed as I hadn't been standing still in traffic at all. I had it in the garage again, they diagnosed it and said it needed a new Coolant temperature sensor costing £80.
All was fine, but then yesterday, I was making exactly the same journey as previously, and at exactly the same point, a mile from home the same happened again, the temperature gauge suddenly dropped to zero and the fan came on, as well as the "Injection System Fault Dashboard Warning light". I have just been out to the car and the warning is still on when I put ignition on. Could it be weather related, it is still very cold outside?
I thought it was unusual for this to happen at exactly the same point in the journey, at both points about two miles after going over a sharp brow of a hill, which drops quickly. So this occurred twice. I mention this hill as again these warning lights in some way seem to be affected by going over hills/ multi-storey car parks/ extra weight in the car.
I know they are two different warning lights, but I thought it might just be relevant that both possibly seem to be caused by this. Could the whole issue be something to do with suspension, or the knocking sound? Probably not but worth highlighting my observations.
Any help with these warning lights and the causes would be greatly appreciated, I'm just out of my depth and although I trust my garage totally, inevitably they are not Fiat specialists. They can check the diagnosing engine management system I guess, how accurate is that though?
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