Technical Engine fault light - help :)

[Merrick]

Ok so ran into my first engine fault light today.

Car has been running fine, although for a long time now ive had a rythmic metalic knocking and squeak from something on the drivers side around the timing belt area. Once the cars been running a while the squeak stops, the knocking gets quieter. Its not high pitched like the belts loose so something else in that area.

Car had been sat for 6 hours since arriving at work.

I turned the key and as the car was just starting, the engine did cough into life for a fraction of second, the engine died, the dash board lights and display went out, nothing.

A couple of secs later the dash came back with the clock reset to 0000 and the engine light on.

I removed the key then tried to start again. the clock was still 0000. car started quickly as normal but it was coughing and really rumbling for maybe 20 secs, car was shaking. perhaps the engine management system relearning its settings and smoothing out the engine? im no mechanic so just guessing.

Almost immediately after this restart the dash flashed up Engine fault.

The cars been restarted 4, 5 times now, starts fine, no mad rumbling like the first restart, but it still brings up the engine warning.

My original rattle and squeak are still there.

The fact the clock and things reset makes me think its battery related? perhaps a fuse blew as it was starting maybe? i dont know.

Is there a way to get error codes from the car menu or just from a computer that gets plugged in?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I really need to use the car at the weekend. its booked into a fiat garage but cant be looked at until the 8th which is a long time to be without my car

Im a bit scared to keep using it in case i make whatevers gone wrong worse. I'll walk to work

Thanks

Merr

 

[Merrick]

Update, ran it for a few mins a couple of hours after it first happened. The engines running rough, like a rumble, can feel vibrations through the car, not massive but can feel them.

 

[Ffoxy]

Update, ran it for a few mins a couple of hours after it first happened. The engines running rough, like a rumble, can feel vibrations through the car, not massive but can feel them.

Not many takers...

What engine / year is the car? Do you have a Service history at all?

It last had a Service when?

So you have checked the oil level, and ensured its corect with the right spec oil?

Have you had the battery tested and checked / cleaned the battery connections & earthing points, as well as starter motor connections?

 

[12[X]]

read the codes.. a reset would happen on low battery or a short.. can't see any other reason (e.g. problem with engine ECU would not affect the radio.. nothing should.. short of a "no power" status). Find where the noise is coming from.. and report back (i.e. timing belt tensioner failing = BIG bill)

 

[Merrick]

Its a 1.6 active sport, 53 plate, 58k on the clock. When i got it it said serivce due, think the last one was 06 and it had had one each year for the pervious 3 years if i remember the documents right, i've had it 9 months. I dont have money to take it for a full serivce, which it probably needs.

I dont have any kit for reading codes, the display in the car doesnt give a fault code, just Engine Fault. Is there somewhere in the menu that i should be looking for them?

The battery has been low, needed a jump about 3 weeks ago as the cold sapped the power. Once it was charged back up its run fine.

Oil level is fine, got the right oil as well. It barely uses any really. Dont see it being oil as the engine wouldnt cut out and the dash clock etc reset over low oil.

I'll look more into the noise i have, but its a seperate issue i think to my current one, had that noise form day one prity much i think.

I'm going for a short maybe, is it worth testing the fuses, seeing if ones gone?

 

[Ffoxy]

Its a 1.6 active sport, 53 plate, 58k on the clock. When i got it it said serivce due, think the last one was 06 and it had had one each year for the pervious 3 years if i remember the documents right, i've had it 9 months. I dont have money to take it for a full serivce, which it probably needs.

I dont have any kit for reading codes, the display in the car doesnt give a fault code, just Engine Fault. Is there somewhere in the menu that i should be looking for them? No you need to hook it up at a Fiat dealer or buy an EOBD2 code reader.
The battery has been low, needed a jump about 3 weeks ago as the cold sapped the power. Once it was charged back up its run fine. That needs proving, take nothing for granted or you will get confused & cause those helping to chase their tails...
Oil level is fine, got the right oil as well. It barely uses any really. Dont see it being oil as the engine wouldnt cut out and the dash clock etc reset over low oil. No the battery could re-set the clock etc.... the noise you have sounded like oil starvation to me... so what oil is in it if it is the correct oil...?
I'll look more into the noise i have, but its a seperate issue i think to my current one, had that noise form day one prity much i think. Need to do that IMO... sooner rather than later... could be a result of crap servicing... sorry to hassle but really...
I'm going for a short maybe, is it worth testing the fuses, seeing if ones gone?A short remains a short... when a fuse has gone it's gone, it doent have an intermittent effect.

You need to take a wider view, you may have more than 1 problem if servicing hasnt been done since 2006? Or do I read that wrong? See above in blue font to help clarify my thoughts. Get the battery tested properly, see about servicing pronto, check connections, fuses & earth points...

 

[Merrick]

Its booked into fiat on feb 8th, soonest i can get it in.

The car was running fine, it got very cold, covered in snow, would barely turn over the next day, gave it a jump start, run fine since, started fine since. battery has been tested properly and its low, "could do with being replaced but life in it yet" is what i was told. Thats the most proof i can give you

Cant remember what kind of oil it is exactly, i got it from halfords, chose it from the cards that list make/model and engine size and which oil to chose. Ive only had to put in a litre or so since i got the car, i check the level every couple of weeks and it uses hardly any at all.

If i had the money i would have had it serviced and had the noise looked at, believe me. I dont though, so i pay the morgage instead.

Serviceing, as far as i know, has not been done since 06.
Servicing is all very well with money in your pocket... I dont have a spare £250+ which is what the last service cost according to the docs.

I'll check the fuses etc. Im just getting fed up of this motor. Had loads of probs to start with, had a quiet few weeks then tracking went. fed up tbh

because its not running right, im going to miss out on overtime this weekend which would have paid for all these things.....

 

[Argonought]

I'll check the fuses etc. Im just getting fed up of this motor. Had loads of probs to start with, had a quiet few weeks then tracking went. fed up tbh

Unfortunately, you'll likely get a whole load more problem once the car starts to be neglected.

For instance, you should ALWAYS fit a top grade battery to a Stilo once the original fails. Due to the extensive electronic systems within a Stilo it's important to avoid jump or bump starting as much as possible as well as fast charging the battery in situ.

In your case, I suspect you also have a potentially serious mechanical problem so I'd recommend a visit to a competent Fiat garage.

 

[Ffoxy]

Cheers Argo, I didnt want to seem as though I was being harsh, but owning & running a car has harsh realities... regardless of make. 4 years is a long time for poor or no servicing...

 

[Merrick]

Saying you should always do this, and always do that is all very well for folks in the know about these things allready, ive only been driving 16 months. learning the hard way here. This is onyl my second car and the first was a 1993 corsa....! big differance.

I wasnt neglecting it, theres a differance between not caring and not being able to do anything.

It gets washed, polished, cleaned inside and out as often as possible, i check the lights, the ruber seals round the doors get checked for niks, i check the body work for rust, oil, water. I listen to the engine to make sure its running smooth. I had the tracking sorted the day after it started playing up, ive had the exhaust checked for a rattle, the brakes checked for a really annoying squeaking that wont go away (just got told non-fiat made break do that but i dont buy that BS)

its not like its been sat rusting outside the front door and i cant be bothered.

The fiat garage is 12 miles away, how the &*&! am i going to get the car from home to there if im in danger of doing even more damage to it by driving it?

Would the AA come and take a look even if its technicaly not broken down as such? im a member.

Apologies if im coming accross ungratefull here for the advice given, im just desperate to get this fixed. Having gone 26 years unable to drive, going just a week without the thing now is gona kill me.

 

[Ffoxy]

Not having a dig Merrick, we all started driving at some point, on a shoestring.

It cant be done on the cheap though, well at least it cant without problems. I learned what I know by doing stuff myself but cars were MUCH simpler back then. By the way, a dealer IS an expensive option... I found my garage here :-

www.goodgargescheme.com

Delamere Motors in Telford, they have been brilliant & really helped me keep car costs down... I have 4 to look after at home... Not all mine... wifes & 2 daughters.

Sometimes a hard decision needs to be made, should someone have a car if they cant maintain it? Safety issues really in mind here.

As I say, not having a go... we've mostly all been where you are, maybe a Car Maintainance course would be a good start and a set of tools? Thats the best option at the moment, and of course all the help this Forum will offer!

 

[Merrick]

Yeah i know, frustration coming through, apologies.

ive got loads of tools boots full of them, even a mulit meter, but apart from the odd bit of body work or the really obvious stuff ive done little with cars before. changing the timing belt on my corsa with my dad is about as big a job as ive done, took the breaks off and cleaned them as well, corsa was great, liked working on that my self. new cars though, scare me lol

Yeah, going to have to bite the bullet, get it fully serviced and keep it up, cant afford a new car so may as well keep this one running.

8ths a long long time away....

 

[Ffoxy]

Yeah i know, frustration coming through, apologies.

ive got loads of tools boots full of them, even a mulit meter, but apart from the odd bit of body work or the really obvious stuff ive done little with cars before. changing the timing belt on my corsa with my dad is about as big a job as ive done, took the breaks off and cleaned them as well, corsa was great, liked working on that my self. new cars though, scare me lol

Yeah, going to have to bite the bullet, get it fully serviced and keep it up, cant afford a new car so may as well keep this one running.

8ths a long long time away....

Did you take a look on here www.goodgargescheme.com for a garage near you with a good reputation? It will pay to build a relationship with a good place, I'm even discussing Trade rates with my garage for our "fleet"!

 

[Davren]

Would the AA come and take a look even if its technicaly not broken down as such? im a member.

If the car is still at your work or if you've managed to get it home and you have HomeStart membership, then the AA will come to it. The car is unsafe or unreliable to drive.

They also carry diagnostic equipment so will be able to read any stored fault codes the car has.

Dave.

 

[Merrick]

Cheers Davren, just the info i was after. Thanks

EDIT: Awwww )($"($)&$ dont have home start! grrrr might drive it up to work, or even down the hill.

 

[Davren]

dont have home start! grrrr might drive it up to work, or even down the hill.

You need to be more than ¼ mile from your home address.

Dave.

 

[Merrick]

Update, went home and started it up for a bit.

I normally idles very low, 850ish, markedly below 1000 anyway. Its now idling well above 1000, around 1200 or more.

the rumble/shake on start last for about a minute then it softens, if i give is some revs it runs smoother for a time. there's a fast taping sound on top of the normal noise the engine makes, not a brutal loud sound, but its there.

i also checked the docs and its not had a service since...... 04, its first 12k one, nothing since... so it will be in desperate need of a lot of things i bet kind of embarrassing.

Ive been putting 10/40 oil in.

 

[Ffoxy]

Probably gummed up or blocked hydraulic valve lifters / cam followers Merrick, sometimes a flush helps with good quality fresh oil but that comes with its own risks. I thought 5w40 or 5w30 fully synthetic was the oil to use to Fiats standard. 6 years witout a service,.... that car is indeed a miracle on wheels... maybe it had servicing done before you got it but the Service book wasnt stamped

 

[Merrick]

lol yeah i hope so

this may sound a bit dum but well the more i listen to it... the more it sounds like a diesel! does anyone know what i mean by that? the harsher engine sound? thats the sound my cars making

The stats light on the battery is black, so its prity obvious the "theres life in it yet" from kwikfit was rubish.

All my connections look solid, nothing lose. Dam mulit metter is broken, works on just about every setting apart from the ohmmeter lol, turns off when i switch it to that setting.

 

[Argonought]

6 years witout a service,.... that car is indeed a miracle on wheels...

I'm trying to get my head around how anyone can live with the service due warning every time you start the car for 5 years

Mind you, I think stilo_steve managed it for 18 months or so