My problems started in Oporto, Portugal, on 29 May 2008, when my car, a fifteen month old Fiat Croma, with 6,000 miles on the clockt failed to start in the underground car park of my hotel. It was taken by tow truck to a nearby Fiat dealer who said that the original battery had failed and would have to be replaced. They ordered a battery, which was fitted that afternoon. For whatever reason they refused to supply the battery under warranty, although I had all the relevant paperwork to hand, and I had to pay €300 for the battery, fitting, and diagnostics. The next day I drove the car to the Algarve.
On 3 June, between Seville and Malaga the EOBD warning light came on for 200 miles, and continued to go on and off up until last week when a new Lambda sensor was fitted.
On 9 June I took the car to my nearest Fiat Service Department, Fines Movil in Benidorm, some 20 miles away from my apartment, and asked them to investigate the cause of the warning light. They put the car on a diagnostic machine but could find nothing wrong with it. The head of the workshop, Julio Bautista, said that it was probably a faulty sensor.
On the morning of 18 June the car failed to start. I contacted Fiat Customer Service and in the next several days had many telephone conversations with Fiat in Madrid, Milan, and Chris Butcher in Alan Gibson in Basingstoke, from whom I had purchased the car.
Finally, on 24 June, I had a local Nissan dealer start the car and again drove it to Fines Movil. They kept the car for three days but could find nothing wrong. Julio mentioned a possible fault with the ignition/locking key, but said that nothing was showing on the diagnostics, and that it appeared to have cured itself.
On 2 July the car failed to start for a third time, in the underground car park of my apartment and, on the advice of Mr. Bautista, the next day I had it taken by breakdown truck to Fines Movil. They were convinced that the fault lie in the new battery which I had purchased six weeks previously and replaced it with what appeared to be a used non Fiat battery. I asked if I could have the Portuguese battery back but they said that they had to keep it. The car was returned to me 2 hours later.
The car again failed to start a week later on 9 July. I contacted Milan and Slough again and on 11 July took the car to Fines Movil . They kept the car for four days and then asked me to collect the car. They told me that they had definitely found the fault, which was a malfunction of the central locking system and that they had reprogrammed the car’s computer. They also told me that they had replaced the battery again. This battery appeared not to be new and not a genuine Fiat replacement.
Everything went well until 6 August when the EOBD warning light came on for 200 miles north of Pau in France. I have since taken the car to Alan Gibson in Basingstoke who diagnosed a faulty Lambda sensor, which has now been replaced. They also examined the battery which Fines Movil had substituted for the Portuguese Magneti and have said that it may or may not be new, its state of health is just over 50%, but that it is definitely not a genuine Fiat part. The after sales manager of Alan Gibson took this up with Fiat who declined to comment on any possible fraud in Spain or Portugal to him.
The failure of Fiat main dealers in Spain and Portugal to find the problem caused me much inconvenience stress, and expense, and had a detrimental affect on the enjoyment of my family holiday.
Apart from the cost of the battery, there was the cost of traveling and from Benidorm on three occasions; the cost of the tow on 2 July, (my insurance did not cover this), and the cost of mobile telephone calls to and from Slough, and Basingstoke. One call alone, on 19 June to Fiat's “free” international help line cost £13.99, and there were several other calls from both my mobile and land line.
I wrote to Emma Tomms in Fiat Customer Services on 28 August 2008 claiming £481 for warranty items and out of pocket exepnses but to date have received no explanation or recompense.
Enough is enough! I have today written to Ms Tomms threatening court action if Fiat fails to meet its contracual obligations. I hold also sold the Croma and, despite owning five Fiats and two Alfas in the past, shall never buy another Fiat product again. I now dirve a Mazda 6, but would by far have preferred to be driving a Bravo.
On 3 June, between Seville and Malaga the EOBD warning light came on for 200 miles, and continued to go on and off up until last week when a new Lambda sensor was fitted.
On 9 June I took the car to my nearest Fiat Service Department, Fines Movil in Benidorm, some 20 miles away from my apartment, and asked them to investigate the cause of the warning light. They put the car on a diagnostic machine but could find nothing wrong with it. The head of the workshop, Julio Bautista, said that it was probably a faulty sensor.
On the morning of 18 June the car failed to start. I contacted Fiat Customer Service and in the next several days had many telephone conversations with Fiat in Madrid, Milan, and Chris Butcher in Alan Gibson in Basingstoke, from whom I had purchased the car.
Finally, on 24 June, I had a local Nissan dealer start the car and again drove it to Fines Movil. They kept the car for three days but could find nothing wrong. Julio mentioned a possible fault with the ignition/locking key, but said that nothing was showing on the diagnostics, and that it appeared to have cured itself.
On 2 July the car failed to start for a third time, in the underground car park of my apartment and, on the advice of Mr. Bautista, the next day I had it taken by breakdown truck to Fines Movil. They were convinced that the fault lie in the new battery which I had purchased six weeks previously and replaced it with what appeared to be a used non Fiat battery. I asked if I could have the Portuguese battery back but they said that they had to keep it. The car was returned to me 2 hours later.
The car again failed to start a week later on 9 July. I contacted Milan and Slough again and on 11 July took the car to Fines Movil . They kept the car for four days and then asked me to collect the car. They told me that they had definitely found the fault, which was a malfunction of the central locking system and that they had reprogrammed the car’s computer. They also told me that they had replaced the battery again. This battery appeared not to be new and not a genuine Fiat replacement.
Everything went well until 6 August when the EOBD warning light came on for 200 miles north of Pau in France. I have since taken the car to Alan Gibson in Basingstoke who diagnosed a faulty Lambda sensor, which has now been replaced. They also examined the battery which Fines Movil had substituted for the Portuguese Magneti and have said that it may or may not be new, its state of health is just over 50%, but that it is definitely not a genuine Fiat part. The after sales manager of Alan Gibson took this up with Fiat who declined to comment on any possible fraud in Spain or Portugal to him.
The failure of Fiat main dealers in Spain and Portugal to find the problem caused me much inconvenience stress, and expense, and had a detrimental affect on the enjoyment of my family holiday.
Apart from the cost of the battery, there was the cost of traveling and from Benidorm on three occasions; the cost of the tow on 2 July, (my insurance did not cover this), and the cost of mobile telephone calls to and from Slough, and Basingstoke. One call alone, on 19 June to Fiat's “free” international help line cost £13.99, and there were several other calls from both my mobile and land line.
I wrote to Emma Tomms in Fiat Customer Services on 28 August 2008 claiming £481 for warranty items and out of pocket exepnses but to date have received no explanation or recompense.
Enough is enough! I have today written to Ms Tomms threatening court action if Fiat fails to meet its contracual obligations. I hold also sold the Croma and, despite owning five Fiats and two Alfas in the past, shall never buy another Fiat product again. I now dirve a Mazda 6, but would by far have preferred to be driving a Bravo.
