Panda 2012+ Help with first diagnostic

[Adam1984]

Hello,

I have posted on other sections of this site in the bit related to my car model..

I am having several issues with my Panda Pop 1.2 Petrol (2015)

A. Small rough idle with shaking under driver seat
B. Sluggish/slow acceleration
C. Engine Fluctuations when stationary after several minutes.
D. Car once a week won't start when I turn key makes a choke/squeak noise - but works straight away afterwards.
E. Small faint ticking sound from somewhere under bonnet.
F. Brake grind noise (new pads and discs last October) but one when coming to a stop after the car has warmed up and travelled for a while.

So can anyone help me in the way of where I can test what could be wrong using MES?

 

[bugsymike]

Hello,

I have posted on other sections of this site in the bit related to my car model..

I am having several issues with my Panda Pop 1.2 Petrol (2015)

A. Small rough idle with shaking under driver seat
B. Sluggish/slow acceleration
C. Engine Fluctuations when stationary after several minutes.
D. Car once a week won't start when I turn key makes a choke/squeak noise - but works straight away afterwards.
E. Small faint ticking sound from somewhere under bonnet.
F. Brake grind noise (new pads and discs last October) but one when coming to a stop after the car has warmed up and travelled for a while.

So can anyone help me in the way of where I can test what could be wrong using MES?

None of these faults may show up on MES.
Are you losing any coolant, even a very small amount?
How recent are spark plugs, if you change them, keep them in the order they come out and check if any are a different colour to the others.
Ticking may just be the fuel injectors if a steady small tick. You can locate the source with a small length of hose to your ear and held in that area of noise to pinpoint.
Re the brake noise, I suggest when it does it have some standing near car as you come to a halt to say which side noise is coming from.
Assuming brake job was done correctly, then often a small stone or similar can make a noise if trapped behind brake disc and backing plate.

 

[Adam1984]

None of these faults may show up on MES.
Are you losing any coolant, even a very small amount?
How recent are spark plugs, if you change them, keep them in the order they come out and check if any are a different colour to the others.
Ticking may just be the fuel injectors if a steady small tick. You can locate the source with a small length of hose to your ear and held in that area of noise to pinpoint.
Re the brake noise, I suggest when it does it have some standing near car as you come to a halt to say which side noise is coming from.
Assuming brake job was done correctly, then often a small stone or similar can make a noise if trapped behind brake disc and backing plate.

I had my spark plugs replaced in April this year just after the cam belt was done. The cam belt was done at a garage where the spark plugs were done at a mobile mechanics house. Think he could have done them wrong or to the wrong torque? Best to get an actual garage to change them?

So what can I use MES for anyway. Would I be able to check anything else?

 

[bugsymike]

I had my spark plugs replaced in April this year just after the cam belt was done. The cam belt was done at a garage where the spark plugs were done at a mobile mechanics house. Think he could have done them wrong or to the wrong torque? Best to get an actual garage to change them?

So what can I use MES for anyway. Would I be able to check anything else?

Re the spark plugs, it was more if they were old and breaking down causing the misfire.
Depending on if your MES is the full version or not will say what can be tested and diagnosed.
Usually the first thing would be to make sure it recognises your exact model and then check for any error codes reported, then you can maybe run "live data" which will show different items that you select to check.
There is a MES section on Forum and they will best answer any questions better than me.

 

[Adam1984]

Re the spark plugs, it was more if they were old and breaking down causing the misfire.
Depending on if your MES is the full version or not will say what can be tested and diagnosed.
Usually the first thing would be to make sure it recognises your exact model and then check for any error codes reported, then you can maybe run "live data" which will show different items that you select to check.
There is a MES section on Forum and they will best answer any questions better than me.

Yes I have the full registered version of MES.

They were brand new NGK copper spark plugs bought from GSF car parts.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

For info: Adam has posted many times in the Fiat Panda 2012> forum with a catalogue of little questions about his car. We - the Panda team - have done what we can to offer support. We’ve also told him - several times - that MES can only read info the car’s computer generates, and that many of the things he’s asked about cannot be ‘read’ by MES.

Once again I’ll say: MES is only one tool in the toolbox and, as with all those other tools, is only as good as the knowledge, mechanical understanding and experience of the user when it comes to diagnosing faults and being able to put them right. Of course, we all have to start somewhere.., but in the case of this car it does seem that a trip to a good mechanic for a professional diagnosis would be money well spent to get to the bottom of the list of issues.

We also get just a bit more info each time: we see here the cam belt was changed - - and presume these issues have come since then? This is the one job on the post 2012 Panda that really does need a mechanic with a lot of specific Fiat experience. The Panda forum is full of tales of problems after a belt change, owing to the variable valve timing (VVT) and through not using the special Fiat locking tools. I wonder if this is where the problems lie…

 

[Adam1984]

For info: Adam has posted many times in the Fiat Panda 2012> forum with a catalogue of little questions about his car. We - the Panda team - have done what we can to offer support. We’ve also told him - several times - that MES can only read info the car’s computer generates, and that many of the things he’s asked about cannot be ‘read’ by MES.

Once again I’ll say: MES is only one tool in the toolbox and, as with all those other tools, is only as good as the knowledge, mechanical understanding and experience of the user when it comes to diagnosing faults and being able to put them right. Of course, we all have to start somewhere.., but in the case of this car it does seem that a trip to a good mechanic for a professional diagnosis would be money well spent to get to the bottom of the list of issues.

We also get just a bit more info each time: we see here the cam belt was changed - - and presume these issues have come since then? This is the one job on the post 2012 Panda that really does need a mechanic with a lot of specific Fiat experience. The Panda forum is full of tales of problems after a belt change, owing to the variable valve timing (VVT) and through not using the special Fiat locking tools. I wonder if this is where the problems lie…

Hello,

And yes I appreciate everyone's help and advice. It's just bugging me the issues that am having.

The car is going to a garage tomorrow to check the cambelt they said they have proper tools to check it as they are a fiat 500 specialist.

They will do a full over vehicle health check too. They said to check the cambelt they are only charging £56.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Hello,

And yes I appreciate everyone's help and advice. It's just bugging me the issues that am having.

The car is going to a garage tomorrow to check the cambelt they said they have proper tools to check it as they are a fiat 500 specialist.

They will do a full over vehicle health check too. They said to check the cambelt they are only charging £56.

Sounds like a good way forward.

 

[Adam1984]

Sounds like a good way forward.

I hope so.

There may be nothing wrong with it. But peace of mind hey for £56. They are also going to do a vehicle health check over for an extra £36.

My only worry I read online look for oil near cambelt could be an issue and look what I found yesterday on picture attached.

 

[Panda IIs]

I hope so.

There may be nothing wrong with it. But peace of mind hey for £56. They are also going to do a vehicle health check over for an extra £36.

My only worry I read online look for oil near cambelt could be an issue and look what I found yesterday on picture attached.

Someone messed up filling or topping up the oil. I think you should avoid the generic AI responses online as someone has observed on one of your earlier posts.