Technical Key Fob Boot Release Problem

[bluejohn125]

Well my Mum's newish 1.2 sport has started doing EXACTLY the same thing, so I will have to have a look at the switch (she said may take it to the dealer, but it's probably out of warrranty though...).

Useful thread, hope to have some positives to report soon...

 

[Super Uwe]

Well my Mum's newish 1.2 sport has started doing EXACTLY the same thing, so I will have to have a look at the switch (she said may take it to the dealer, but it's probably out of warrranty though...).

Useful thread, hope to have some positives to report soon...

Yeah, hopefully you will have some luck with it either way.

A few people in the Panda 2012 section have had theirs replaced under warranty; apparently there is a newly designed part which should resolve the issue of grime collecting in between the button switch. Not sure if the same applies with the 500 or if they just replace the switch like for like?

But the good thing is that it is a relatively simple one to sort out if it is not covered by the warranty...assuming it is actually down to mud and sludge!

 

[crispy990]

Hi All.

My wife has a Fiat 500 and she has come to me with a little issue. Since I don't use the Fiat 500 as my daily drive, I am not familiar with the car's workings. Therefore I thought I would share this issue with you and perhaps one of you could perhaps help solve our dilemma.

Issue: (Key Fob and Boot Release)

As you are all aware, the Fiat 500 comes with a Remote Key Fob with three buttons.

1. Unlock
2. Lock
3. Boot Release Only

My wife has said that the Unlock button (1) would normally unlock all the doors and the boot. However now when she presses the Unlock button it just opens the doors and leaves the boot closed. The only way to open the boot now is to press button (3) for the Boot Release.

From past experience this is how I believe these types of keys generally worked. Button 1 unlocks all doors inc. boot. Button 2 locks all doors inc. boot. Button 3 releases the boot but leaves the car doors locked and then as you finish in the boot and close it, the boot will relock.

So if any of you nice folk could please confirm if the boot should release when you unlock the car with button 1. That would be great. If it is supposed to open then how do I go about fixing it. Where do I start to look?

Thanks.

I have a 60 plate Fiat 500 that has the same problem. For 2 years the top button unlocked doors and boot then it stopped unlocking the boot. It was fixed under warranty and worked fine for another 18 months or so then stopped unlocking the boot. My dealer initially said it was the handle again and would cost me £200+ to replace but when I reminded them that this had been replaced 2 years ago they then decided that it is the wiring loom which will apparently cost me £500 and no guarantee that it wont fail again in another 2 years time. I spoke to Fiat who are offering to contribute towards the replacement of the loom and they are asking me to pay £150 but I am concerned that this may not be the real issue and wonder if anyone has any suggestions for a non technical old lady?

 

[PsFiat]

Button 1, the general unlock button opens doors and rear hatch .
The boot only button opens the rear hatch, doors stay closed.

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

I have a 60 plate Fiat 500 that has the same problem. For 2 years the top button unlocked doors and boot then it stopped unlocking the boot. It was fixed under warranty and worked fine for another 18 months or so then stopped unlocking the boot. My dealer initially said it was the handle again and would cost me £200+ to replace but when I reminded them that this had been replaced 2 years ago they then decided that it is the wiring loom which will apparently cost me £500 and no guarantee that it wont fail again in another 2 years time. I spoke to Fiat who are offering to contribute towards the replacement of the loom and they are asking me to pay £150 but I am concerned that this may not be the real issue and wonder if anyone has any suggestions for a non technical old lady?

[FONT=&quot]Dealers are prone to seize on the fact that you may be a non-technical, mature lady to try to palm you off with whatever explanation may be most convenient or profitable to them. They already sound like they’re guessing – have they found damaged or broken wires, and have they shown these to you?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]When the top button stopped unlocking the boot the first time, were you still able to open the boot with the bottom button? Can you open the boot with the bottom button now?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]If ‘yes’, and the problem was fixed by the dealer replacing the handle the first time it was probably the switch in the handle that failed, these appear to be a notorious weakness in the Fiat and just because it was fixed once there’s no reason think the replacement cannot also have failed – mine failed in a car that was only eight months old.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The boot is not ‘locked’ in the conventional sense, rather it is deprived of power when the doors are locked and simply can’t be opened by pushing the release in the handle. The fob boot button tells the system to bypass the switch and operate the solenoid that releases the boot latch.[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]The solenoid is an electro-mechanical device that physically pulls the mechanical boot release lever in exactly the same way as the little lever down beside the seat of many other cars operates the boot lid or the petrol flap.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Another possibility is that the wiring, especially that running through the rubber conduit from body to boot-lid has indeed been fractured through frequent opening of the boot. This too is a common fault discussed here. In this case I’d expect a dealer to replace that section of the loom but many people have repaired it themselves. A visit to an independent auto-electrician might save you some money. [/FONT]

 

[crispy990]

[FONT=&quot]Dealers are prone to seize on the fact that you may be a non-technical, mature lady to try to palm you off with whatever explanation may be most convenient or profitable to them. They already sound like they’re guessing – have they found damaged or broken wires, and have they shown these to you?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]When the top button stopped unlocking the boot the first time, were you still able to open the boot with the bottom button? Can you open the boot with the bottom button now?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]If ‘yes’, and the problem was fixed by the dealer replacing the handle the first time it was probably the switch in the handle that failed, these appear to be a notorious weakness in the Fiat and just because it was fixed once there’s no reason think the replacement cannot also have failed – mine failed in a car that was only eight months old.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The boot is not ‘locked’ in the conventional sense, rather it is deprived of power when the doors are locked and simply can’t be opened by pushing the release in the handle. The fob boot button tells the system to bypass the switch and operate the solenoid that releases the boot latch.[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]The solenoid is an electro-mechanical device that physically pulls the mechanical boot release lever in exactly the same way as the little lever down beside the seat of many other cars operates the boot lid or the petrol flap.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Another possibility is that the wiring, especially that running through the rubber conduit from body to boot-lid has indeed been fractured through frequent opening of the boot. This too is a common fault discussed here. In this case I’d expect a dealer to replace that section of the loom but many people have repaired it themselves. A visit to an independent auto-electrician might save you some money. [/FONT]

Thank you for your brilliant and helpful reply.
The bottom button does release the boot which is either locked or open.

I have since had an Auto electrician look at the boot issue and I was there when he exposed the wiring loom and there were a couple of wires frayed and one broken. He offered to repair it for £30
I spoke to my dealer this morning and the final cost for them to replace the loom is £476 - Fiat are contributing and the bill to me would be £120
The dealer says the proper repair would be to replace the loom but did accept that it could be repaired.
I have asked if there has been a modification to the loom to prevent this same issue re-occurring in another 2 years and am awaiting their response.

So my dilemma now is do I spend £30 now with potentially the same if and when the wire goes again or when another wire goes or £120 with same potential for the wires to fray or break?

 

[Sweetsixteen]

So my dilemma now is do I spend £30 now with potentially the same if and when the wire goes again or when another wire goes or £120 with same potential for the wires to fray or break?

That's probably a question only you can answer, because you alone know your own circumstances, but - one pertinent factor must revolve on how long you intend keeping the car. If only for a year or so, then maybe the £30 fix is the way to go.

 

[306maxi]

30 quid is the way to go.

 

[zanes]

The loom replacement is only viable if the loom has been modified. I can't remember if failures were happening due to the wiring being too short or the "wrong" type of wire.

Speaking as someone who would find the sort of soldering needed trivial to do, £30 seems a very fair price if small extension lengths of wire are being spliced in and heatshrunk properly.

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

Thank you for your brilliant and helpful reply.
The bottom button does release the boot which is either locked or open.

I have since had an Auto electrician look at the boot issue and I was there when he exposed the wiring loom and there were a couple of wires frayed and one broken. He offered to repair it for £30
I spoke to my dealer this morning and the final cost for them to replace the loom is £476 - Fiat are contributing and the bill to me would be £120
The dealer says the proper repair would be to replace the loom but did accept that it could be repaired.
I have asked if there has been a modification to the loom to prevent this same issue re-occurring in another 2 years and am awaiting their response.

So my dilemma now is do I spend £30 now with potentially the same if and when the wire goes again or when another wire goes or £120 with same potential for the wires to fray or break?

Good to hear you're getting it sorted! As sweetsixteen implies it's your car and, more importantly, your budget, but if it were my choice I would definitely leave it to the independent auto-sparks with the rider that I would ask him if he could replace that section with more flexible cables and add a bit of slack. This would obviously cost more but should last longer. I wonder if Fiat would come to the party and contribute if the new loom failed in its course? Personally I'd back the work of a good auto-sparks against a Fiat dealer's any day.

As to modifications; we have two 500C's, one built 09/12 and the other 07/13 and the boot wiring between body and boot-lid has indeed been extended in the latter - it'a almost twice as long and was originally fitted with a plastic clip (now missing!) holding it to the boot support arm. Whether the hatch has been similarly modified I cannot say.