Technical Coolant tank empty...AGAIN

[Papa P]

This will be the 3rd time in a year now that I have had to take the car in to have the turbo coolant hoses replaced.

Just been out in the car for its first real run since I came back from a month in Canada, however it had been used in that time by my mum who I had insured on it. When I got back to the house, I was allowing the engine to cool down when the most god awful noise appeared. So I popped the hood and low and behold the pipes have been leaking all over the engine bay again!! :bang:

So where do I stand...as this is obviously a problem with the pipes or the turbo. Either way I am now concerned that the turbo has been over heating every time it does this...and as such wont last as long as it should.

Not a very happy bunny this sunny sunday afternoon

 

[Ffoxy]

This will be the 3rd time in a year now that I have had to take the car in to have the turbo coolant hoses replaced.

Just been out in the car for its first real run since I came back from a month in Canada, however it had been used in that time by my mum who I had insured on it. When I got back to the house, I was allowing the engine to cool down when the most god awful noise appeared. So I popped the hood and low and behold the pipes have been leaking all over the engine bay again!! :bang:

So where do I stand...as this is obviously a problem with the pipes or the turbo. Either way I am now concerned that the turbo has been over heating every time it does this...and as such wont last as long as it should.

Not a very happy bunny this sunny sunday afternoon

Thats a weird one, has your dealer checked to see if the cooling system is over pressurising? Do they split or blow off the joints?

 

[Papa P]

I would have thought they would have but I'll make sure they do this time!

They dont appear to be blowing off, so either they are splitting somewhere or the connections to the turbo arent correct. The hoses are definitley still connected to the turbo, but you can see the lovely pink stains all over the engine bay beneath the turbo!

I shall be having some kind words with the Service Manager when I take it in. And I shall not be paying the £19 for a courtesy car again!

 

[Big Black Stilo]

thats not a courtesy car, thats a hire car

 

[Papa P]

Sadly, thats what Uncle Arnold charges for the insurance on their courtesy cars!

 

[T14086]

I would have thought they would have but I'll make sure they do this time!

They dont appear to be blowing off, so either they are splitting somewhere or the connections to the turbo arent correct. The hoses are definitley still connected to the turbo, but you can see the lovely pink stains all over the engine bay beneath the turbo!

I shall be having some kind words with the Service Manager when I take it in. And I shall not be paying the £19 for a courtesy car again!

Its £11.50

Forget service manager speak to DET

Pink stains is coolant not turbo, DET will be aware of modification(s) for this.

 

[Papa P]

yeah I know pink stains is coolant, and its the coolant hoses going into the turbo which are obviously defective and leaking since I am on my third set of hoses...and probably about to go onto my 4th!

What is DET?

 

[T14086]

dealer expert tech

 

[Papa P]

Aha!

I'll have a word with him as well then! Obviously something somewhere isnt right with the connection of the hoses to the turbo on my car!

 

[T14086]

Aha!

I'll have a word with him as well then! Obviously something somewhere isnt right with the connection of the hoses to the turbo on my car!

 

[Papa P]

Turns out it was the Water Pump leaking this time!

So thats the water pump replaced, and I expressed my concerns about the turbo and the head gasket to the DET, but he said that no overheating errors had appeared and although the coolant tank was empty on Sunday it would still have had about 3 1/2 litres of coolant in it.

But I told him i will be writing to Fiat and the branch anyway to express my concerns about damage that may have been caused to the HG or Turbo in the long run.

It was all done nicely though, he was the one person at the garage that agreed I had a problem with my gearbox last year!

 

[Papa P]

Guess whats wrong with my Bravo......



...again!

Got it booked in for Monday! Beginning to think I bought a Lemon!

Does anyone think it would be worth contacting Fiat Customer Care before it goes in to make them aware of the problem of leaking coolant the car has had since I got it new?

 

[get]

Guess whats wrong with my Bravo......



...again!

Got it booked in for Monday! Beginning to think I bought a Lemon!

Does anyone think it would be worth contacting Fiat Customer Care before it goes in to make them aware of the problem of leaking coolant the car has had since I got it new?

Be more aggressive

 

[NoRC]

I just posted a similar problem, should have checked more into the site... mines going to Fiat tomorrow as im outta coolant and there is a big ol puddle on my garage floor.

 

[jonnyk]

Just picked up this thread. My (or more correctly, the wife's) Bravo has developed a coolant leak. I'm told it is the water pump. Is this a common issue or am I just one of the unlucky few?

BTW with regard to courtesy car insurance, my policy automatically covers a courtesy car up to 1700cc for 7 days. It might be worth checking with your insurer before you go paying out for cover.

 

[850kd]

Papa... What model do you have. Im looking to buy a Bravo very soon and have almost decided on the 1.4 bogstandard, but Im being showered with offers of tubo 120s and 150s which I dont think I need and your story is making me very wary.

 

[Hellcat]

As long as you know the 1.4 standard is really at the very base of the power you'd want in a car the size/weight of Bravo, and you're happy with that then I'd say go for it.

 

[T14086]

Papa... What model do you have. Im looking to buy a Bravo very soon and have almost decided on the 1.4 bogstandard, but Im being showered with offers of tubo 120s and 150s which I dont think I need and your story is making me very wary.

Papa was unlucky to experience just about all the coolant faults. The recall covers all the pipe fittings plus he had the water pump leak. From memory he also had smal split in return pipe to header tank afterwards which was a one off.

Where is Papa anyway, not been online for awhile


Get the 1.4 turbo, personally I find the standard 1.4 underpowered & i'm certainly no speed freak. The 1.4 turbo really is a different car.

 

[JD535]

Just to add to the above - I've had a coolant leak which has (hopefully) been fixed today whilst my car was being serviced.

They pressure tested the cooling system and found that the leak was at the point where one of the hoses connects to the radiator. Apparently it hadn't been fitted properly, so it was refitted with new clips and pressure tested again with no leakage. It might therefore be an easy fix.

Also, I was given a 1.4 Grande Punto as a courtesy car. I'm not sure if that's the same engine that is fitted to the base model Bravo, but it felt underpowered. My car felt really quick after the Punto - it is a surprising difference.

I would definitely recommend that you try the turbo before making a decision, especially as they're so close on price.

 

[850kd]

I appreciate the replies you guys. We have two stilos at present . The 1.2 is underpowered but the 1.4 feels much better (obviously). Thats why I thought the 1.4 would be ok. (Ive had to get used to lower performance cars since my old Cromas 2.0ie, and Alfa155/2.0 but the economy of the later cars coupled with old age (mine) make them bearable)!