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Technical Front wheel grinding

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Technical Front wheel grinding

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Douglas

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Nov 26, 2004
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Hi,.

I've got a 51 plate 1.6 Dynamic. Recently had 4 new tyres fitted (you should have seen the inner wear on the fronts, but don't get me started on that).

In the last couple of days, I've noticed a grinding noise from the nearside front wheel, particularly when turning right and on straights below 30-40 mph. When the brakes are applied, the noise stops completely. Release the brake pedal, and the grinding starts again.

Any ideas what it might be?

My 3rd year dealer warranty is next to useless, and expires in a few weeks anyway, and I'm not overly keen to take it back to Arnold Clark anyway, so if it's something a non-dealer (i.e. not Arnold Clark) can fix, so much the better.

Thanks in advance.

Douglas.
 
Last edited:
To me it sounds as if the break calipers are catching on something it could be the break disk, whats the milage on the car (roughly) have you had the break pads/disks checked recently?
 
Around 29,000 miles on the clock. Brake pads were replaced at the 24k service in March 2004.
 
I don't know why your third year warranty is usless. I have had no end of repairs done under the the third year warranty, rear axle changed, climate control, windscreen wipers, an engine sensor and now the front shocks are on order to be replaced under the warranty. Most repairs are under warranty I know trim is not, but if a component fails when it should not, I understand it is covered by the warranty.

Perhaps you should look at another dealer.


Chris
 
Which uncle arnolds is this at?
Been to the kirkcaldy one here and they have replaced or repaired anything thats needed done under the third year warrenty.
That includes the lovely tracking problem, two new tyres, that black plastic board thing next to the windscreen wipers, some suspension clips, the Air con pipe replaced and regassed.
 
The local dealer is Arnold Clark Fiat in Aberdeen.

I've not had too many reasons to go to them, but the recent issues with them have been:

--
Air con not working:

Arnold Clark: "Not covered by 3rd year warranty" - £100 to test.

I haven't bothered taking it back to be fixed, as they reckon it'll be £300-ish, and they *insist* it's not covered by the 3rd year warranty.

--
Tyres wearing on inside edge:

Arnold Clark: "Fix carried out at last service (in March 2004). If tyres still wearing on inside edge, the alignment must have been knocked out whilst driving".

I don't drive like a demon. I don't go rallying in the Stilo, and the roads around here are ok.

The tyres were Vredestein, fitted in Dec 2003, replaced in October 2004 after roughly 10,000 miles - they were both down to the cord on the inside, and clearly illegal.

Arnold Clark: "Vredestein are not what we would fit to a Stilo".....as if that caused the problem?

Arnold Clark: "The problem has been fixed. Any additional work to investigate this is *not* covered by the 3rd year warranty. We can give you a free wheel alignment".

Local garage: "Wheel alignment won't cure the problem".

I'm not a car expert. What I know of the tyre-wear problem is what I've read on this forum, and it seems that wheel alignment is not a solution.

--
End-result: I won't be buying another Fiat, at least not from Arnold Clark in Aberdeen. My first car was an Uno, and it was fine. Last car was a Mazda 323, and I'd happily have it back. My girlfriend has a Toyota Corolla, and it's been problem-free since she got it - her dealer is Arnold Clark Toyota....I hope they're better than their Fiat cousins. I'll probably sell the Stilo next year, and may well get a Celica, but let's not start a debate about all that.

If anybody knows of a decent Fiat dealer around the Aberdeen area, please let me know.

--
Were the wheel nuts with the new wheels? I don't know. Could that have something to do with the grinding noise. The local garage (which has a good reputation, but is sadly not a Fiat dealer) checked the wheel itself, and could find nothing wrong.

On the way home last night, I switched the radio off, and left the window down to check when the noise occurred. It's definitely only the nearside front, and definitely worst when turning sharp right. Turning left to any degree is silent. Applying the brakes silences the noise immediately.

Thanks for your help - it's much appreciated.

Douglas.
 
Were the wheel nuts with the new wheels? I don't know. Could that have something to do with the grinding noise. The local garage (which has a good reputation, but is sadly not a Fiat dealer) checked the wheel itself, and could find nothing wrong.

On the way home last night, I switched the radio off, and left the window down to check when the noise occurred. It's definitely only the nearside front, and definitely worst when turning sharp right. Turning left to any degree is silent. Applying the brakes silences the noise immediately.
Click to expand...
I asked about the wheels nuts because iv'e just had my alloys replaced, i started the car up and had a grinding noise as i pulled away..which after a few minutes went away but came back when i went around corners... turns out the new locking nuts i had were about 1/2mm longer than they should have been..quikfit were too crap to pick this up and i took my car to mike stokes motorsports and they immediately said the wheel nuts can cause this... I put in my old normal wheel nuts and the problem went away..so they are now in the procces of cutting down my lockers.
I know it seams like an unlikely thing but its true.. wierd one eh.
 
Last edited:
Douglas said:
The local dealer is Arnold Clark Fiat in Aberdeen.

I've not had too many reasons to go to them, but the recent issues with them have been:

--
Air con not working:

Arnold Clark: "Not covered by 3rd year warranty" - £100 to test.

I haven't bothered taking it back to be fixed, as they reckon it'll be £300-ish, and they *insist* it's not covered by the 3rd year warranty.

--
Tyres wearing on inside edge:

Arnold Clark: "Fix carried out at last service (in March 2004). If tyres still wearing on inside edge, the alignment must have been knocked out whilst driving".

I don't drive like a demon. I don't go rallying in the Stilo, and the roads around here are ok.

The tyres were Vredestein, fitted in Dec 2003, replaced in October 2004 after roughly 10,000 miles - they were both down to the cord on the inside, and clearly illegal.

Arnold Clark: "Vredestein are not what we would fit to a Stilo".....as if that caused the problem?

Arnold Clark: "The problem has been fixed. Any additional work to investigate this is *not* covered by the 3rd year warranty. We can give you a free wheel alignment".

Local garage: "Wheel alignment won't cure the problem".

I'm not a car expert. What I know of the tyre-wear problem is what I've read on this forum, and it seems that wheel alignment is not a solution.

--
End-result: I won't be buying another Fiat, at least not from Arnold Clark in Aberdeen. My first car was an Uno, and it was fine. Last car was a Mazda 323, and I'd happily have it back. My girlfriend has a Toyota Corolla, and it's been problem-free since she got it - her dealer is Arnold Clark Toyota....I hope they're better than their Fiat cousins. I'll probably sell the Stilo next year, and may well get a Celica, but let's not start a debate about all that.

If anybody knows of a decent Fiat dealer around the Aberdeen area, please let me know.

--
Were the wheel nuts with the new wheels? I don't know. Could that have something to do with the grinding noise. The local garage (which has a good reputation, but is sadly not a Fiat dealer) checked the wheel itself, and could find nothing wrong.

On the way home last night, I switched the radio off, and left the window down to check when the noise occurred. It's definitely only the nearside front, and definitely worst when turning sharp right. Turning left to any degree is silent. Applying the brakes silences the noise immediately.

Thanks for your help - it's much appreciated.

Douglas.
Click to expand...

That aberdeen uncle arnold are talking pee wash.
Considering those things have been done under third year warrenty at the kirkcaldy branch without issue here.

anyone got a copy of the third year warrenty whats covered and whats not?
 
When my Stilo was in for repair I was given a Stilo loan car and that had a grinding noise coming from the front at times, mostly when turning. The problem was the plastic shielding under the car had been damaged, I would presume by someone going over a kerb or something. It was probably not serious but certainly made a racket

Chris
 
See here for 3rd year warranty exclusions

http://fiat.co.uk/services/3_year_dealer_warranty.asp

as for your noise it sounds to me like a break problem especially as it disappears when you hit the breaks. I had a squeal coming from my nearside rear at low speeds and this disappeared when I hot the breaks. I took it into kwik-fit yesterday to let my mate have a look at it. He could tell right away by just spinning the wheel by hand on the ramp. He stripped the breaks down and found them binding on slightly due to them being caked with break dust. He took them apart and cleaned them up and this cured it. I would pursue this line first.

As for the now infamous uneven tyre wear problem. I eventually complained to Fiat directly and got the area rep involved and got a new rear axle fitted (and a contribution towards tyres at 22k miles) under the 3rd year warranty. If you've got the time and the determination you will get somewhere.

Good luck and I hope this helps

cmc

cmc
 
cmk12342000 said:
When my Stilo was in for repair I was given a Stilo loan car and that had a grinding noise coming from the front at times, mostly when turning. The problem was the plastic shielding under the car had been damaged, I would presume by someone going over a kerb or something. It was probably not serious but certainly made a racket

Chris
Click to expand...


There is a clip missing from my metal plate underneath the engine and that causes some wierd noises from the front.

Nothing a nut and bolt and a couple of washers wont sort out.
 
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