Recently the check glow plug error flashes on my dashboard when I start the car. This flashes for about 30seconds and then goes out. I’ve been to 2 garages who can’t diagnose the fault , with the latter garage advising me to go back to Fiat . I’ve called Fiat and they are charging extortionate rates just for diagnostics. Anyone else had this glow plug issue? Mines a Fiat 500x 65 plate.
Technical Glow plug warning
- Thread starter Tonilou12
- Start date
Currently reading:
Technical Glow plug warning
I presume you/garage tested the resistance of the glow plugs to check whether they actually work?
Wire up a multi-meter from the battery negative (black lead on the meter) to the top of the glow plug (red lead) and measure the Ohms.
Any value between 0.1 and 6 is in the ball-park... anything bigger (too much resistance) is a knackered glow plug.
To remove a suspect plug you need a special "glow plug" tool the right size. They look something like a spark plug spanner with a universal joint in it, and a slinky body...
Carefully remove the glow plug... it looks pretty much like a spark plug.
With asbestos gloves on, connect it up to the spare 12v battery that everyone has in their garage
.. The +tive lead should connect to the top tip of the plug, and the -tive lead to the hex part. Try not to short yourself and use the biggest wires you can (they'll flow a lot of juice).
Don't connect anything to the lower tip that looks rough and "heat treated" like a kettle element or electrical cooker ring.
If you've done it right, the lower tip of the glow plug will glow orangey-red hot. If it doesn't glow then it's definitely dead.
If one glow plug is knacked then the others are probably not far behing it so for the money (£25 cheapo - £50 Bosch) I would just change the whole set, since the faffing about is a bigger PITA than the cost of the plugs.
You'll probably find a couple dead. The engine will still start with one or even two duff plugs but if we get a cold winter, the beast will struggle.
Ralf S.
Wire up a multi-meter from the battery negative (black lead on the meter) to the top of the glow plug (red lead) and measure the Ohms.
Any value between 0.1 and 6 is in the ball-park... anything bigger (too much resistance) is a knackered glow plug.
To remove a suspect plug you need a special "glow plug" tool the right size. They look something like a spark plug spanner with a universal joint in it, and a slinky body...
Carefully remove the glow plug... it looks pretty much like a spark plug.
With asbestos gloves on, connect it up to the spare 12v battery that everyone has in their garage
.. The +tive lead should connect to the top tip of the plug, and the -tive lead to the hex part. Try not to short yourself and use the biggest wires you can (they'll flow a lot of juice).Don't connect anything to the lower tip that looks rough and "heat treated" like a kettle element or electrical cooker ring.
If you've done it right, the lower tip of the glow plug will glow orangey-red hot. If it doesn't glow then it's definitely dead.
If one glow plug is knacked then the others are probably not far behing it so for the money (£25 cheapo - £50 Bosch) I would just change the whole set, since the faffing about is a bigger PITA than the cost of the plugs.
You'll probably find a couple dead. The engine will still start with one or even two duff plugs but if we get a cold winter, the beast will struggle.
Ralf S.
Worth getting the actual fault codes read too 
MultiECUScan software should do a great job
Where are you based ?
Charlie - near the M4
MultiECUScan software should do a great job
Where are you based ?
Charlie - near the M4
