General I asked my dealer about the HG problem on the 1.3s

[Baerius]

And he says that (specifically with mine) my car left the factory not having resolved the HG problem but that it wasn't a huge operation as he says that they do not have to remove the actual Head Gasket but rather replace an ( and I quote)

'..an outlet valve pipe no more than a couple of inches long at the back of the engine....somewhere'

and that it's

'not a serious op at all and can be done very easily in house....'

Now, is he telling the truth? Is that for real? What's an "outlet valve pipe"? Am I gonna get a phone call from my dealer's on Monday when I'm supposed to pick it up telling me, 'sorry your 500's guts are strew all over the floor while we try and replace the HG...so sorry, expect within the next couple of weeks'!!!?

 

[dave]

if the engine is one of the few thats needs a new gasket, then it needs a new gasket

 

[Gordini]

It could be plausible. The outlet would be for the water jacket - maybe too much pressure builds up because of an incorrect bore hose or valve, causing the nearest weak point - the gasket - to give way?

Otherwise, it might indeed just be the usual fobbing off. Expert opinion required!

 

[The Sultan]

It could be plausible. The outlet would be for the water jacket - maybe too much pressure builds up because of an incorrect bore hose or valve, causing the nearest weak point - the gasket - to give way?

Otherwise, it might indeed just be the usual fobbing off. Expert opinion required!

you just had one from dave

and here's another that's total rubbish

there just trying not to scare you out of buying the car knowing what's going to have been done to it before you get it

 

[Nuova500]

you have to remember that before the days of the net, you would never ever have known... try not to worry.

 

[Jake_in_notts]

and given the information I would not buy car new car with a head gasket replaced when there are car that were manufactured without this fault.
I do purchase refurbished and fault repaired products but I expect it at a discount why should a new car be any different.

 

[T14086]

but what is recall was issued a month after you brought it? At least Fiat have caught this early & carrying out the work before delivery (unlike the vauxhall versions!) also I have worked at various factories building various household items & when problems were found out they were repaired/adapted before arriving at shops so they were also technically a repaired/refurbished product,but customer never knew.

Renewing the cylinder head on a car with a mile or two on the clock doesn't contribute to future issues & its a straightfoward job to carry out,remember you still have your warranty

 

[Baerius]

I think what I'm worried about is the possibility that the work carried out will be shoddy. I'm no tech but I do know that in order to effectively replace a headgasket you have to remove the cylinder head, (which means disconnecting EVERYTHING, that leads to it) then you have to peel off the flimsy gasket, replace it with MACHINE PRECISION, with another flimsy gasket and then replace the head with the EXACT bolt weights (within a lb square inch margin of error)on each of the screws so that the pressure is equal over all the head!

Then you have to reconnect everything, hoses, wires, power management and god knows what, so that it all works.

And if the head had been replaced incorrectly then it won't show immediately....no...water will take a bit of time to get into the cylinders...so after a couple of months down the line suddenly I'm gonna get white smoke then I'll have to limp back on 1/4 to the dealers and leave it there for weeks until and go through it all again...o well....my fault for buying a diesel...am gonna check the head myself before I hand over the money on Monday...if they've been having me on they can have the deposit im outta there..warranty or not, the whole point of getting brand new is for peace of mind...yes?

 

[Baerius]

just thought...prob won't be able to check the head since its all covered in plastic, but even so if I could see it what the hell am I looking for? Bolt weights?:doh:

 

[T14086]

Mr Baerius let me put your mind at rest

Its a metal head gasket (no peeling needed & no skimming etc) new bolts/parts fitted all tightened to specified tolerances. Only the more experienced techs are carrying out this operation & fully tested afterwards

 

[Venters]

Only the more experienced techs are carrying out this operation & fully tested afterwards

Can confirm that is dealer group wide. I know the 2 guys at Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline are the most experienced in the garages.

 

[Baerius]

Thanks guys...didn't know that about metal gasket, great that sounds more logical.
O well just gotta hope for the best I guess.

 

[Omad]

Just have to agree with the other guys here, the dealer is telling you fibs!! i work at a my local fiat dealer, and am also the only tech at my dealer whos lucky enough to carry out said recall and this recall does involve a new head gasket, however out of the 10 or so that i have done already i have had none of them back with problems relating to the work ive carried out not that im trying to blow my own trumpet! But back to topic. You will love the car when you get it.... its a fantastic little machine! im looking to get one myself.

Oh and just to note you will not be able to see the headgasket! there's a few bit s in the way.

 

[dave]

one thats been took to bits an put back together by a tech will be better than the robot put together ones imo

 

[Baerius]

one thats been took to bits an put back together by a tech will be better than the robot put together ones imo

Yeah I guess if I look at it like that it could be said to have been hand made...like the rolls of old!

Glad to hear all the positive feedback from techs. Makes me feel a lot better. Now I just hope AC doesn't train all it's new tech recruits at the Edinburgh branch....

 

[DaveNC]

If you have undertaken 10 replacements in just one dealership then clearly this was a substantial problem with significant numbers getting through to customers before being spotted. Earlier announcements suggested that these were largely picked up during production and rectification made before delivery.

Two questions then.

1 Are these failures on early cars or as mine was collected just two weeks ago is it post problem or is likely to unltimately fail.

2 At what sort of mileages have these failures largely taken place - I am on 2000 miles now.

 

[Jake_in_notts]

I was also thinking the same. Alot more cars affected than was intimated at. I guess the marketeers did thier jobs well-play it down no probs all sorted a few nuts need polishing etc.

Are diesels still being delivered that need this HG replacing ? Mine was delivered to my dealer 2 weeks ago and im still waiting for a handover.

 

[PROV]

My little sisters 500 was in for the new HG about a month ago now. No probs before or since.
I did hear that so far they have had only 1 failure of a headgasket, and that was in Italy

 

[DaveNC]

Was your sisters car a recall rather than a failure then. I assume so otherwise clearly theres has been a failure in the UK as well as one in Italy.

 

[dave]

its just a small batch, easy for 10 of that small batch to all be sent out in a row to 1 dealer