General city button

[ironmanalishi]

hi - can anyone advise whether you can keep this function switched on all of the time....or is it designed for occasional use only?

Are there any recommendations in respect to time limits, distance driven etc?

Does this have any affect on tyre wear?

The cars handbook is quite vague about it!

Thanks

 

[KozmoNaut]

You can have it switched on all the time if you want to, it has no effect above 35-40kph or so anyway.

It literally only boosts the power steering at low speeds, nothing else. Any additional tyre wear would be from you "dry steering" when stationary or nearly stationary more than usual, and you probably won't change your habits much in that regard.

From what I've seen, most people either don't dry steer at all or they do it constantly regardless of how boosted the power steering is in their car.

I mostly use it for tricky tight parking spots where I need to turn the steering wheel from lock to lock quickly. It's way too light for normal driving for me, but for tight maneuvers, one hand on the wheel and one on the stick lets you exploit how small the Panda in certain situations, which can be nice for tight inner-city driving and parking garages. There's nothing stopping you from using it all the time if you like it.

 

[JD82]

Ideally don't use it at all. I use it only if I am doing a tight reverse round the corner. If you use it all the time you will not only use more fuel but you will just burn the power steering motor out = expensive.

 

[cainy1989]

I have always been under the impression that it switched itself off over a certain speed, could be wrong there though

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Ideally don't use it at all. I use it only if I am doing a tight reverse round the corner. If you use it all the time you will not only use more fuel but you will just burn the power steering motor out = expensive.

Regarding ps motor burning out, it's not something that's been proven! Op I leave mine on 24/7 for weeks at a time with no adverse affects. If you want to leave it on then feel free to.

 

[D4nny8oy]

The "city mode causes PAS failures" idea is a myth. It has no effect on the lifespan of the column.

 

[KozmoNaut]

Well, if it's really hot out and you sit for half an hour or more going from lock to lock as fast as you can without actually driving anywhere, you might be able to trigger the thermal cutout. But that should switch off again as soon as it's cooled off a bit

 

[LeanMeanRacing]

Well, if it's really hot out and you sit for half an hour or more going from lock to lock as fast as you can without actually driving anywhere, you might be able to trigger the thermal cutout. But that should switch off again as soon as it's cooled off a bit

That's what I have to do for large parts of my working life!

 

[Wee Smurf]

I don't like the girlie button. The steering is light enough already without making it even lighter...

 

[Nathan126]

Had my Panda in a dealership today to have it's service light switched off and i got it back with the 'girly' button turned on, the guy drove it around the building.. in and out and back to where i had parked and that's a dealer leaving it on.. the guy didn't have to do any tight manouvres!

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Had my Panda in a dealership today to have it's service light switched off and i got it back with the 'girly' button turned on, the guy drove it around the building.. in and out and back to where i had parked and that's a dealer leaving it on.. the guy didn't have to do any tight manouvres!

What you saying? I drive automatics when ever I can, why change gear when you don't have to? Just like why have heavier steering when you don't need to. Lol.

 

[sludgeguts]

I told my OH to leave hers on all the time.
The bit about it not doing anything at speed might or might not be true - you don't really have to do much in the way of lock to lock steering at speed so who knows?
As to the power steering unit, is it really a leccy motor?
OH just got rid of a meriva & they were reknown for the leccy motor to fail resulting in heavy steering.

 

[JD82]

It is an electric motor and it is probably the biggest problem with Pandas. That said many of them have done 100k and had any issues with the power steering. A driver instructor on here has done about 80k and has no issues as far as I know.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

It is an electric motor and it is probably the biggest problem with Pandas. That said many of them have done 100k and had any issues with the power steering. A driver instructor on here has done about 80k and has no issues as far as I know.

Same can be said for corsa's etc. Tbh the number that go vs the number of cars sold is a very low percentage.

 

[Nathan126]

What you saying? I drive automatics when ever I can, why change gear when you don't have to? Just like why have heavier steering when you don't need to. Lol.

Sorry, i'd just got back from the pub

I think, what i meant was he had no real reason to turn it on.. so maybe it's a preference in his car, so it shows people do often drive with city steering on constantly and as it being someone that works for a FIAT dealer may back up that it causes no damage.

 

[JTD_Liam]

The Corsa had the same make of motor fitted to it i believe. Therefore the Meriva could well have the same one too.

Fiat fit the troublesome motor in one form or another to Pandas, 500's, Mk2 & Mk2B Puntos, Grande Puntos and (i think) Punto Evo's.

The Stilo & Bravo have a different make of motor & (suprise suprise) failure is largely unheard of!

Fiat UK are often helpful with costs of replacing failed motors & i think one or two companies are now offering refurbishment of failed motors for a fraction of the new price, which makes sence if the car's getting on abit like some early Pandas and Mk2 Puntos.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I didn't know that the Stilo used a different make motor. Like you say, would explain why their failure is less heard of.

 

[JTD_Liam]

I'd heard something about it a while ago, but then i was having a nosey at FiatECUscan & this confirmed it:

http://www.fiatecuscan.net/SupportedVehiclesList.aspx

As you'll see, the 500, Panda & all Puntos from Mk2 onwards (including Grande & Evo) have a Delphi system, whereas the Stilo, new Bravo, Croma & Idea have a TRW system.

As the latter models don't largely seem to suffer the failures affecting some of the former ones, i guess it's the Delphi system at fault. Interestingly there are numbers in brackets after 'Delphi Electric Steering' in some cases, and i wonder whether (2) means a revised system is fitted, because it only seems to feature on more recently launched models, like the Punto Evo, Alfa MiTo and (what really gave it away to me) the 1.6 Multijet Grande Punto, which was only launched a few months before production wound down for the Evo.

All other Grande Punto variants seem to have 'Delphi Electric Steering' and 'Delphi Electric Steering (2)' listed, which suggests (if my thinking is right) that they started off with the older motors & then began fitting upgraded items. Obviously this doesn't explain why Pandas & 500s continued to have the system without a (2) fitted, but my guess might be because the failure rate is quite abit higher on Puntos, Fiat could've decided that in light of how much harder the system may need to work on the larger car, they ought to fit a motor that's upgraded over that in the 500 & Panda.

Obviously none of this is confirmed & i'm no expert, but it seems feasible to me from what little knowledge i have.

Liam

 

[D4nny8oy]

1. Just because the column is made by the same manufacturer, doesn't mean the physical motor is shared across models. Lay all the columns out side-by-side and you'll see a noticeable difference.

2. The main failure (9 times out of 10) is the torque/position sensors, not the motor.

3. I've fitted as many Stilo PAS units as I have mk2 Punto ones. Grande's have issues with torque/position sensors as much as any other column.

I'd say the 500/Panda Delphi column is one of the most reliable TBH, for failures per number of vehicles.

 

[JTD_Liam]

1. Just because the column is made by the same manufacturer, doesn't mean the physical motor is shared across models. Lay all the columns out side-by-side and you'll see a noticeable difference.

2. The main failure (9 times out of 10) is the torque/position sensors, not the motor.

3. I've fitted as many Stilo PAS units as I have mk2 Punto ones. Grande's have issues with torque/position sensors as much as any other column.

I'd say the 500/Panda Delphi column is one of the most reliable TBH, for failures per number of vehicles.

1 & 2. Whether it be the motor or the torque/position sensors, it still seems to be the cars with Delphi systems that people note as having failed, whether the system be the identical or different.

3. If you've fitted as many Stilo ones as Mk2 Punto ones then fair enough, but it's weird how you hear of so many more Mk2 Punto ones failing than Stilo ones (even accounting for the huge sales difference). I said the Grande Punto has problems with the power steering so i dunno what you were trying to get at by saying it has 'issues with torque/position sensors as much as any other column'