Technical Fiat 500x complete electrical failure

[trebby11]

Bought a 2016 Fiat 500X 27,000 miles two weeks ago it has started completely shutting down all the electrics just switch off when driving, turn it off and back on it starts and runs again as if nothing has happened for a few days.
Took it into Fiat main dealer where I bought it, they can find nothing wrong.
Any ideas?
Regards, Barry.

 

[Ralf S.]

It's losing electrical power so my money is on a poor connection or just loose battery clamp, or the main earth strap is loose/dirty/corroded at the other end.

Earth straps can also deteriorate internally. They're just wound wire cables, protected by a plastic sheath. While you're down there, take yours off the car (just each end to disconnect) and then twist it a bit to see if you can hear signs that it's "crispy", or bits of wire fall out of it. They're about a tenner on eBay and "universal" (get the right length) so no need to hunt for a Fiat part,


Ralf S.

 

[trebby11]

It's losing electrical power so my money is on a poor connection or just loose battery clamp, or the main earth strap is loose/dirty/corroded at the other end.

Earth straps can also deteriorate internally. They're just wound wire cables, protected by a plastic sheath. While you're down there, take yours off the car (just each end to disconnect) and then twist it a bit to see if you can hear signs that it's "crispy", or bits of wire fall out of it. They're about a tenner on eBay and "universal" (get the right length) so no need to hunt for a Fiat part,


Ralf S.

Hi, Ralf,
The dealer has checked all that, it just shuts down when driving, switch off and back on starts right away.
What I forgot to mention, when it shuts down there is a loud clunk somewhere around the top of the steering column.
Would it not show as a fault when plugged into the computer?

 

[Ralf S.]

Hmm... I would have the steering wheel shroud off and trace the wiring from the ignition key then. There should be a connector plug where it connects to the car's wiring harness... and that could be loose (i.e. the car acts as though you're turning the ignition off). Not sure why it always starts again immediately, though...

Your car doesn't have keyless doodah does it? I think that only works out whether or not to let you start the car when you press the button, so just needs the key nearby at that moment, rather than during the entire journey but it may be more tricksy than that.

The clunk could be something in the instruments closing down.. there are various electronics behind the clocks .. so I don't know whether it's significant. The car won't have codes if it thinks the ignition is being turned off, or the electrical power fails for another reason.. the codes only pop up if a sensor has given it an unusual reading.

500X doesn't suffer from the 500's chafed hatch wiring does it..? That causes all sort of random-ness...


Ralf S.

 

[trebby11]

This is no key less ignition, you would think a main fiat dealership would have a knowledge data base on the car.

 

[s130]

This is no key less ignition, you would think a main fiat dealership would have a knowledge data base on the car.

I think some dealers do not even know how to lift a 500X on a two post lift. They try to connect with the small areas where the car's emergency jack go marked with the little triangle on the sills. THIS IS NOT WHERE YOU LIFT THE CAR. The Fiat workshop manual dictates completely different lift points!!!!!! So I don't think they think I tell them to avoid all doubt!

 

[trebby11]

I think some dealers do not even know how to lift a 500X on a two post lift. They try to connect with the small areas where the car's emergency jack go marked with the little triangle on the sills. THIS IS NOT WHERE YOU LIFT THE CAR. The Fiat workshop manual dictates completely different lift points!!!!!! So I don't think they think I tell them to avoid all doubt!

View attachment 407236

Hi, Sorry this is an electrical problem nothing to do with lifting the car.

 

[s130]

Hi, Sorry this is an electrical problem nothing to do with lifting the car.

I think you missed the point.

Your assumption is that dealers are familiar with the finer details of electrics etc on the 500X. Sadly for many you are mistaken. The point I was trying to make is that the simple "lift the car" (far more less technically involved) is beyond some dealer's knowledge and fundamental understanding of the 500X.

 

[Ralf S.]

I think you missed the point.

Your assumption is that dealers are familiar with the finer details of electrics etc on the 500X. Sadly for many you are mistaken. The point I was trying to make is that the simple "lift the car" (far more less technically involved) is beyond some dealer's knowledge and fundamental understanding of the 500X.

It was useful to me.. I had only found the front lifting points on my new beast..


Ralf S.

 

[s130]

After a very bad experience with our "B" where the dealer technician assumed it was a Punto floor/sill setup, kicked the two poster arms in and lifted the. Sad part is the each of the four pads bridge the user jack sill cutouts and bent all 8 sill flange corners under. Didn't even have the courtesy to tell the service manger he *ucked up leaving me to discover and fume after the event.

Now all my cars have the garage / MOT lift points painted in high vis yellow paint. Should not have to do this but sadly it is necessary.

I once watched a mobile tyre fitting company fit tyres on a neighbour's car. In went the trolley jack. Big white metal lift cup straight under the sill flange, *ank away with no regard as to how they treated the car. Sadly most Joe public trust and never ever look under the car to see what metalwork damage, punctured underseal, etc. has taken place.

We won't even start on bodged/skipped service stuff.

 

[Ralf S.]

Good idea to paint the jacking points...

When I was a lad, I saw one geezer had put little "Jack ^" stickers on his Alfa's sills once. I thought he was just being a bit "Top Gun" but seems like bad jacking has probably been going on for years...


Ralf S.

 

[s130]

Good idea to paint the jacking points...

When I was a lad, I saw one geezer had put little "Jack ^" stickers on his Alfa's sills once. I thought he was just being a bit "Top Gun" but seems like bad jacking has probably been going on for years...


Ralf S.

Well I think Fiat, along with possibly others, have been a little careless/lack of attention to jacking points. On all earlier Fiats basically it was the sill folded flange that was a "target point". I don't recall, other than the User jack, and specific instructions and/or clear jacking points. On the likes of the 127, Uno, Strada, Regata there were what I would call the factory body shell "carry/transport points" but some of these were not necessarily strong enough to take the full weight of a finished car as a single jack point.

On my Croma 2005 (GM Vectra floor plan) they had plastic lift points that would take and locate the user jack and also take garage lift pads without having to have contact with metalwork. I seem to recall that some BMWs have similar "obvious" and fully functional lift points. No doubt other makes have similar and others NOT!

You would NEVER EVER get away with similar stuff in the airline/aircraft industry. Just put the jack anywhere you like and *ank it up! I see no reason why a motor vehicle should be any different.

 

[chris3234]

I think cars should be made to have a large accessible jacking point in each corner with a flat area to take a troll jack or lift



Not like they are not burried deep under the car at an awkward angle