Technical Fiat 500 suspension problems?

[clarissa]

Well my 500 is back at the dealer today:

To have to knocking looked at again
Have a new fan heater replaced, new front washer jets,back washer jet and a creaking steering wheel.

Despite this i still love my 500 and can't wait to have it back, the only issues I'm concerned about is the knocking from the back and the creaking steering wheel.

 

[DohBall]

Hi - I understand that the chassis is Panda but the track is wider and, to the eye, ground clearance is lower. This may explain the altered geometry

 

[Mark Elvin]

The only thing holding me back from fitting a 30mm lowerd set of Apex springs is the worry about what Fiat will say IF I get any knocking on my suspension.

 

[initialg]

back it goes again the nocking has returned just one week after its fourth visit back to the persistant problem............ nocking has come back again begining to wish we'd bought the honda jazz now

 

[Mark Elvin]

back it goes again the nocking has returned just one week after its fourth visit back to the persistant problem............ nocking has come back again begining to wish we'd bought the honda jazz now

We have a new model Honda Jazz.

Whilst it is without doubt of a better built car, it doesn't make me smile when I drive it. As a tool, something to get you from A to B it's outstanding, but given the choice, if both sets of keys are there on the side, 90% of the time the 500 comes out of the garage.

 

[Suasexed]

The only thing holding me back from fitting a 30mm lowerd set of Apex springs is the worry about what Fiat will say IF I get any knocking on my suspension.

Change them back - they'll never know. You're fitting the springs yourself arn't you? So you'll have the equipment to change them back if you ever need to

 

[Mark Elvin]

Change them back - they'll never know. You're fitting the springs yourself arn't you? So you'll have the equipment to change them back if you ever need to

Same conclusion I came to, hence why the springs will bo on next weekend.

 

[Suasexed]

Same conclusion I came to, hence why the springs will bo on next weekend.

Nice one! Have you gone for the Apex strings from the Gloucester place near me and Simon?

 

[Mark Elvin]

Nice one! Have you gone for the Apex strings from the Gloucester place near me and Simon?

Yes I have, should be with me this week.

Going to have a weekend playing with cars next weekend, fitting the springs & polishing my sisters boyfriends 450vhp Pulsar prior to a trip to the Ring.

 

[Alfatwo]

Has anyone had any rear damper problems? my 500 just coming up to 10k
the nearside rear of the car jumps about badly on undulating or bad road surfaces.

 

[staffordmike]

Look at this:-
http://www.fccuk.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1167190
My 500 has a knocking from the rear, at first I thought it was the spare wheel, but having taken everything out of the boot the noise is still there. I suspect it may be the shock bushes. Has anyone located replacement bushes from Superflex or the like?
Also, in my scouring of the net, I note that an independent firm is starting to supply pattern drop-links for the 500, does that tell you anything?
http://www.fiatparts4u.co.uk/index.php?product_id=2177259&option=Prod_detail

 

[306maxi]

Look at this:-
http://www.fccuk.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1167190
My 500 has a knocking from the rear, at first I thought it was the spare wheel, but having taken everything out of the boot the noise is still there. I suspect it may be the shock bushes. Has anyone located replacement bushes from Superflex or the like?
Also, in my scouring of the net, I note that an independent firm is starting to supply pattern drop-links for the 500, does that tell you anything?
http://www.fiatparts4u.co.uk/index.php?product_id=2177259&option=Prod_detail

You can put generic polybushes in the shocks. But then you'll probably replace the dampers not too soon after as they'll probably start leaking.

Lots of new cars have pattern parts available for a lot of things, it doesn't necessarily indicate that there are issues with particular parts. That said the droplinks do seem to be a bit of an issue.

 

[walriley]

Has anyone had any rear damper problems? my 500 just coming up to 10k
the nearside rear of the car jumps about badly on undulating or bad road surfaces.

I know this question was posted a while back, but i recently lost control of my 500 going round a bend in the wet. The back end slipped out and i couldn't get it back as, when i tried to correct it, it drifted the other way instead. I ended up hitting a central reservation kerbside nearly square on at roughly 25mph, taking the front alloys, tyres and part of the sill out. Luckily, it was early morning, no-one was hurt and no other vehicles involved.
The reason i mention this is that for a few weeks previous to the accident I thought i could detect a skittishness about the car when it went over bumps where previously, it had been rock solid and was perfectly happy to take corners at speeds i would not have tried in our Grand Scenic. Around the same time, the car tyres would grind when reversing with full lock on the steering wheel. The car has also been making the knocking noise over speed bumps referred to previously in this thread. The car is still at the repair centre as we speak, but i was horrified at how helpless i was to regain control of the vehicle which is an 08 plate, 75 Multijet Sport with around 35k on the clock.
Did you get the car sorted? if so, what was the problem?

 

[Dean500]

Hi have a 2011 500c lounge, which should have the upgraded suspension but I have noticed recently that when going around a bend and a slight bump in the road and the rear of the car sort of twitches or jumps into the bend on the rear. Also I have noticed the last few weeks going over bumps or speed humps as the front wheels come back down onto the road there is a metal sounding knock from the suspension at the front just wondering what it can be, I have noticed its not as bad when I have a passenger as though the weight stops the noise a little, also when cold the engine sounds like the fan belt is slipping and making a funny noise but as the car warms up or if weather is around 10c degrees it stops or doesn't do it.