Technical Driveshaft? Locked Brakes? Gear Box?

[uglybug]

Hi There, hoping someone can point me in the right direction with what seems like a major problem.

Wife was driving the 2001 Multipla JTD today and an almost grinding noise started coming from the driver side front wheel area, also a lot of smoke from the underside of the car, as she was only 1/4 mile from home she limped back.

I have tried to move the car since and the noise from the front is quite painful, engine runs fine, gears can be selected fine. When i try to move the car, with the engine and handbrake off, it goes nowhere. If I try and drive the car it has some resistance then reluctantly gets going, I haven’t dared to go at any speed or any distance more then a few yards though for fear of increased damage.

Does anyone have any idea what could be the problem?

Thanks in advance, any help would be most appreciated.

 

[dwbr22387]

hi does the steering 'pull'that way? could be a bad breakcaliper
have you had the car on jacks yet? check that the caliper is releasing----slip a piece of paper under the pad and check the break operation, can you turn the wheel 'atall' by hand?
regards
don

 

[Peat]

Hi does the steering 'pull' that way? could be a bad brake caliper
Have you had the car on jacks yet? Check that the caliper is releasing----slip a piece of paper under the pad and check the brake operation, can you turn the wheel 'at all' by hand?

Have you tried to turn a wheel by hand? It could be any of the above, a collapsed wheel bearing or CV joint!

Peat

 

[auto_blanco]

If one of the front wheels is much dirtier than the other it could be a stuck caliper or something else brake related. It could also be a shagged diff too if the front end feels 'locked up' but the gears still engage normally, but I dont think you would get black smoke from it.

 

[uglybug]

Right then, after getting a better look this evening it looks as though the front spring has broken on the drivers side, catching on the tyre causing the strange noises and also, I assume, the smoke when trying to move.

Thats my weekend planned then, thanks for the replies.

 

[auto_blanco]

I forgot about the broken spring thing lol, that could have been really nasty if it had broken at speed!

 

[BikeDoc]

Is the recall still 'in force' for the springs, I mean, will FIAT still cover the work?
If so, will they also cover any damage resulting from the breakage?

Good luck with it UB.