Hi, this may take a while, but I'll keep it as short as possible. I have an 04 plate Punto Dynamic. It started with the fan only working on number 4. Then noticed I was using a lot of petrol. Then started juddering while I was driving, engine hot or cold (as if I was in wrong gear). This all happened over a period of 4 months. Now, there's a smell of petrol in car, constantly cuts out while I'm queued in traffic, rev counter goes up and down while I'm in traffic before cutting out. Starts straight away after cutting out. Took it to garage, they checked all sorts, diagnostic machine etc, "bits and bobs"!, sensors, but they couldn't find out what's wrong. I don't want to get rid of car, but has it come to that time of the great scrapyard in the sky. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Gemma.

Heater fan working only on 4 means the Heater resistor pack needs replacing, common fault from what i see on these threads. Juddering while driving and smell of petrol indicate something not running right in the engine department most likely caused by the electrical system, could be dodgy ECU although if garage has checked for error codes and can't find out whats wrong then that would suggest ecu is working.
Sounds like the Engine is running in default mode (Basically get you home mode)
Could be dodgy earth connection, where the black lead goes from the battery to the engine it also connects to the bodyshell and it is prone to corroding there, also earth in rear light clusters corrodes and causes issues with instrument panel. Get those connections cleaned so you have good earthing, Fiats are notorious for electrical issues due to bad earth

Hi,thankyou for replying, I thought all along that it was an electrical fault but the garage said it could be my head gasket.I will get electrics checked out as they didn't seem to bother with them just checked the engine over.

Reblegemc said:

Hi,thankyou for replying, I thought all along that it was an electrical fault but the garage said it could be my head gasket.I will get electrics checked out as they didn't seem to bother with them just checked the engine over.

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Could even be Head Gasket, that would be an easy thing for the Garage to check tho as all they would need to do to find out is do a Compression test, If HG has gone then 1 or 2 cylinders would have less compression. They wouldn't find out using Electric Diagnosis equipment, and any competent mechanic would know how to check compression to see if HG is OK, that Test has been around basically as long as cars have existed (Way before any electronics)
Reason I thought Electrics, is the smell of Petrol you mentioned, ECU controls the fuel input however in the default Limp home mode the car will eat petrol as isn't really controlling the fuel Input correctly and you are getting a default rich mixture

Rough running can be caused by all sorts of issues....
A basic code read and basic diagnostics to give a clue whats going on......

Resistor pack and connector failure is common on them as they are getting older

Where abouts are you - as a member maybe able to give you a code read with MES

Ziggy