Well, it's happened...

My wife was in the Stilo today and stopped at the school.

She went to restart the car and nothing, it's completely and entirely dead, no lights on the dash, no central locking, no nothing.

So, Fiat Breakdown are calling out to have a look at which point they will probably scratch their heads say they don't know what's wrong and take it to the dealer. Raging isn't the word.

It's for sale when it's fixed.

sounds like either the battery is flat or there is a loose connect/bolt loose on the battery ternimal box thing on top of the battery. Sound nearly exactly the same as what happened to me!

I drove quite a distance and then when i wanted to come back, same symptons.. rang the aa he came out, tighten the bolt up and bobs your uncle everything worked fine! - NB: fiat had it a few days before for a service

I hope you're right. It was serviced before I picked it up, so it's a possibility. Having read my first post again I may have over reacted a bit.

If it started fine and ran ok on the way to school but now has no electrics at all then it's probably something simple

As 1.8 says - more than likely battery terminals or a main connector

If the garage mechanic didn't tighten up the battery connections I'd be after some serious compensation. Maybe the mechanic has to cut your lawn for a month- with scissors- now there's a thought

Have faith Steve, I was tampering yesterday and my car was totally dead too. Then remembered I only finger tightened the HT leads. Locked it down and everything fine.

Panic over, and it was something very simple buy bloody annoying. The wrong battery was fitted to the car. It had a 45 amp battery and should have a 62 amp. The battery was sliding around and a connector came loose as a result. So my wife is mobile again and I have it booked in at the dealers tomorrow and will have carefully chosen words with them.

So that would explain the resetting electrics a few weeks back as well then.

Sadly though I'm still terrified of the car and still expecting it to break. I just can't settle with it...

Steve said:

Panic over, and it was something very simple buy bloody annoying. The wrong battery was fitted to the car. It had a 45 amp battery and should have a 62 amp. The battery was sliding around and a connector came loose as a result. So my wife is mobile again and I have it booked in at the dealers tomorrow and will have carefully chosen words with them.

So that would explain the resetting electrics a few weeks back as well then.

Sadly though I'm still terrified of the car and still expecting it to break. I just can't settle with it...

Click to expand...

There you go see huffing and puffing and getting all up tight and you were going to sell it :nono: you will get these glitches from time to time but this [the wrong battery is disgusting ]so sort them Steve you have my full authority

Don't worry Phil, they'll be getting a full blown highly animated speech!

glad to hear you got it sorted m8

Althought swift words is approriate i fink wiv the garage :devil:

Steve said:

Don't worry Phil, they'll be getting a full blown highly animated speech!

Click to expand...

Well when you give it to them will you smuggle in a tape recorder and a camcorder in a breifcase so that we can have a running commentary

Thanks to the guys that diagnosed this so quickly as well by the way!

I'll let you know how I get on with the garage. At the very least I want a brand new battery fitted and an apology.

Steve said:

So that would explain the resetting electrics a few weeks back as well then.

Click to expand...

https://www.fiatforum.com/members-motors/59920-my-new-stilo-multiwagon-2.html

So you never did check the battery rating like i said

Well bugger me, how did I miss that!? You were spot on.

Steve said:

Well bugger me

Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer but I need to turn you down i'm afraid

One golden rule...stilo=correct battery,get that right & your laughing.

If the battery became disconnected whilst it was being driven, ie car electrics being powered by alternator only, then can this do any damage? As everyone knows not to disconnect the battery when the engine is running.

I would be expecting who ever 'serviced' the car to be doing a full electronic diagnostic to ensure absolutely no damage has been done, inc alternator. that's if they disconnected the battery when they did the 'service' and then didn't reconnect it properly, which seems likely. I would be way unhappy about this, read the hand book on disconnecting battery when engine running......

No need to disconnect battery doing any mileage of service,my money is on the salesman that did it

So you guys reckon that this may have caused other problems? The car is running fine tonight and I'll be driving it until I get a new battery fitted.