Technical 500X 1.4 multiair 140

[macmac]

Car is displaying drive mode unavailable warning light on dash. Mega poor fuel economy so goes back to garage to get sorted on non dealer warranty. They replaced the battery and cleared the fault codes. All is well for 8 weeks, same warning displayed so back to garage for further investigation. Garage say faults listed are a Turbo intake pipe loose and a coil pack needing replaced, all covered under the warranty. They advised that it would be best policy to change spark plugs at the same time as the coil pack. I declined as fitting spark plugs is a possible job for me as I am time served mechanic (back in the day). All faults cleared meantime and car all picked up by Mrs today. On way home fault comes back on and has reduction in power too. We contacted the garage to be told that the drive mode warning has came back on due to non fitment of new spark plugs. (Sounds fishy to me, but hey ho).
Anyone able to shed any knowledge on the actual fault? Are the garage just replacing parts willy nilly? Should I try to get them to take car back as not fit for purpose? Really annoyed with it TBH. Help

 

[s130]

Tricky. If you have the warranty, the garage have the relevant warranty claim process then I think you have to bite the bullet and do what they suggest re plugs.

Plug issues can be tricky to diagnose. Our 130TC failed to start shortly after being transported when we moved home. I could monitor the pulse being delivered to all 4 plugs but would still not start. So I just put 4 new plugs in. Fine. Later the car ran rough continually missing on one cylinder. But which plug???? Put 4 more new ones in and all is fine. Now I have a work bench with 4 effectively new plugs of which one is internally duff under HV and pressure.

Modern car ECU etc. will pick up on misfires and other suspect stuff long before older cars.

 

[macmac]

Tricky. If you have the warranty, the garage have the relevant warranty claim process then I think you have to bite the bullet and do what they suggest re plugs.

Plug issues can be tricky to diagnose. Our 130TC failed to start shortly after being transported when we moved home. I could monitor the pulse being delivered to all 4 plugs but would still not start. So I just put 4 new plugs in. Fine. Later the car ran rough continually missing on one cylinder. But which plug???? Put 4 more new ones in and all is fine. Now I have a work bench with 4 effectively new plugs of which one is internally duff under HV and pressure.

Modern car ECU etc. will pick up on misfires and other suspect stuff long before older cars.

I think i will get some plugs sorted out cheers

 

[s130]

Would add that without an actual fault code reading(s) it is difficult to comment further.

I would also add that fault codes can lead garages on a goose hunt, replace this / that / etc. because they believe what the computer says is fact without considering other possible causes. e.g. port voltage, bad earths local to ECU etc. etc.

 

[macmac]

So, I changed Spark Plugs this morning and reset the warning light by disconnecting the battery for 10 mins. Took a wee test drive and Italian tuneup lol.
Car seems to be pulling a lot better, pickup to boost a lot earlier and boosting stronger than ever before. I hope tge warning light stays off .
The garage that I bought it from in February 23 can't confirm wether correct Fiat spec 0w30 fully synthetic oil was used, so a wee Oil, Oil filter and Multiair filter I will be replacing shortly. I hope the warning lights stay away because when it runs properly it is a great motor. Thanks for all help from everyone. Lunga vita alla fiat

 

[Ralf S.]

Spark plugs are a bit random... my Honda lawnmower used to keep cutting out after 5 minutes of running, which was a complete PITA to isolate, since it didn't have an OBD port...

After stripping the carburettor and fuel system to clean the b'Jesus out of it, without any joy, someone suggested changing the spark plug, since "that fixes 90% of lawnmower probems..." so I did... and that solved the problem.

The old plug had a hairline crack in the porcelain insulation which was practically invisible. It was presumably short-circuiting when the plug core got hot and expanded... I dunno. I now have a selection of spare plugs for the beast and usually fit a new one every year, whether I think it needs one or not..


Ralf S.