Technical Faulty already?!

[patchanga]

Last week I bought a second hand 1.6 ELX from a local second hand dealer. Apart from having to pay £108 for six months' tax, I was quite happy with it - lots of space and all that.

But the engine always dipped when I started it up, sometimes stalling. I put this down to me not being used to the high clutch. Today, however, one week to the day since I took ownership, the Engine Control light has come on and won't go off.

Anyone shed any light on what I might expect to hear from the garage? The car's done 42500.

 

[Steven]

Did the place you bought it from offer any warranty with the car? If you take it to a Fiat dealer they will hook it up to a disgnostic machine and go from there. The 1.6 16v is usually a reliable engine. They do sometimes suffer from coil pack failure though, which this could well be if the idle is/was erratic.

 

[patchanga]

Yes, it's got a three month warranty. I rang the dealer today and was told, "Oh, that's just a bit of damp in the system. It's quite normal." Of course, it could well be damp: last Wednesday it tipped it down here and the water came pouring in through the sunroof controls. Probably explaining why the sunroof doesn't work!).

Two questions: the manual says that the car is safe to drive, but could result in the motor being damaged. Which is true(r)?

Do I have to go with the dealer or can I take the car to be repaired in a proper Fiat dealership and then bill the dealer?

Thanks for the help!

 

[multipete]

take it to any fiat garage and explain your problame and ask if it is covered under the warranty,if not covered take car back to garage you bought it from,let them fix it,if they cant,demand your money back and get a car with a proper warranty...................mp

 

[T14086]

Last week I bought a second hand 1.6 ELX from a local second hand dealer. Apart from having to pay £108 for six months' tax, I was quite happy with it - lots of space and all that.

All gotta pay road tax mate!

But the engine always dipped when I started it up, sometimes stalling. I put this down to me not being used to the high clutch. Today, however, one week to the day since I took ownership, the Engine Control light has come on and won't go off.

Take it back & let garage you got it from take to dealer,it has a fault! Probably airflow/egr/HT/injector related.....whatever it is,it needs sorted! Yes there is a possibility of catalyst damage.