Technical Mutlipla won't start ABS and EBD fault

[Jack9012]

I swear this car should have come with complimentary supplies of valium for the many times it stresses me out.

My Multipla (2001 1.6 ELX) has packed up (again). Having driven me to my destination I left it overnight only to get in the next day for it not to start. Now strangely, whenever I am at this particular place the car always give a false message of "Brake Fluid Low - Stop Engine Contact Garage" when I first start up but goes off after 500 yards - the brake fluid is full; nowhere else do I get this message. So after the expected "Brake Fluid Low" message the car sounded healthy enough, trying to turn over but didn't.... and then the horrible Fiat warning beep came on and on each attempt at starting the "EBD-SYS FAULTY" warning alternated with "ABS-SYS FAULTY" warning message. I tried switching it off and then back on and then eventually tried disconnecting the negative from the battery before trying again, all to no avail.

So I was suddenly thankful that I had joined the AA (something else that should come as standard with the Mutlipla). On his arrival the nice AA man tried the car, looked under the bonnet and then done a diagnostic test. Strangely his computer found no reported faults on the car at all, despite the car's dash still reporting the "EBD" and "ABS" faults. So now my Multipla has slid another notch down in my affections and sits on my drive following AA recovery. It won't start at all and gives the same faults. Does anyone have a clue what I should do next?

Bearing in mind I have spent a small fortune on my Multi in the past when it lied and said I had a faulty injector - I got it replaced only to discover six months later the same thing happened again..... I drove on three cyclinders for about seven days and as if by magic, the car rectified itself and drove fine again with no fault reporting from the dash. Is there a reason why there should be seemingly random error messages from time to time? What can I do if there are no faults recorded when put on a diagnostic test? Apart from disconnecting the battery overnight, is there another way of completely resetting the whole ecu? And last question..... does anyone want to buy a Multipla??? 2001 1.6 ELX had a new clutch, new wishbone bush, new wheel bearings, new fuel injector, etc, etc.

 

[Jack9012]

I have searched via Google and found other posts on these forums that mention similar problems, ie. "EBD-SYS FAULTY" messages and not starting and it turns out that a lot of people are suggesting that if your battery is low the ecu can throw up allsorts of fault reports on the dash and have problems starting........ does that sound like what I've described? I don't want to go spending £60-80 on a battery if it isn't that. Also I can't check the voltage of the battery when its running to check if it is 13.7v as it won't start - what voltage should be reading from the battery while trying to start the car or is there something else I could try?

 

[demag]

What is the voltage while the car is just standing with nothing switched on?

 

[Jack9012]

Its 12 volts while standing, dropping to 6v whilst trying to start the car.

 

[JTDman]

My mates one was throwing all sorts of codes out when he replaced his battery with one that was too small, he was selling it so didnt care but had to replace it and all was well.

 

[SPONGEBOBMAIDENPANTS]

I used the pump which you plug into the car yesterday.The car was not running but when I did start it every warning on the dash comes up.It just goes to show if the battery is not as good as it should be it does cause the faults to display.Mine has been showing a few lately.Mostly when starting after sitting overnight.It seems to be o.k again once the car has had a run and got some charge in the battery.My battery is the same battery the car came with from new but I would have thought it should last longer than three years

 

[Jack9012]

I am going to try an overnight charge on the battery tonight and if that doesn't work, try a new battery and if that doesn't work I have no idea. I have gone through all the fuses, relays, wiring connections and can't find anything there. I will post the result of the charge and/or the battery.

Incidentaly, the car is eight years old and still has the original battery is that good going or way past its life span?

 

[Ffoxy]

I am going to try an overnight charge on the battery tonight and if that doesn't work, try a new battery and if that doesn't work I have no idea. I have gone through all the fuses, relays, wiring connections and can't find anything there. I will post the result of the charge and/or the battery.

Incidentaly, the car is eight years old and still has the original battery is that good going or way past its life span?

I guess if it hadnt already cost you shedloads, the cost of a new battery is low compared to dealer / garage investigations which seem to have been pretty crap really. Its worth a try, Mrs Ffoxy's Stilo is 6 years old now on the original battery, but I feel on borrowed time. You could get your current o) battery tested for a dodgy cell, but that adds cost. Go for the new (quality) battery of the right spec and see I say. I must admit I have seen plenty Posts in this Forum where random incorrect alarms were caused by a duff battery.

 

[SPONGEBOBMAIDENPANTS]

I am going to try an overnight charge on the battery tonight and if that doesn't work, try a new battery and if that doesn't work I have no idea. I have gone through all the fuses, relays, wiring connections and can't find anything there. I will post the result of the charge and/or the battery.

Incidentaly, the car is eight years old and still has the original battery is that good going or way past its life span?

Eight years:slayer:I would let your battery retireIt owes you nothing and I would think after that long it can't be anywhere near the level of a new batteryI was thinking mine was iffy at three years but now I am thinking it has five years left in it

 

[Jack9012]

Well, tried the new battery after giving the old battery a charge and the only thing that has changed is that there are no faults reporting on the computer when I try and start the car...... except after I've tried quite a few times. So it seems that when a bit of charge is lost out of the battery, faults are thrown. Because the car sounds so healthy when trying to start it up, I am wondering whether the immobiliser has kicked in and needs resetting??? I mean is that something that happens even? I know I may be clutching at straws but I am willing to consider anything before ringing the local auto electrician in.... especially when AA's diagnostic showed no recorded faults.

 

[Ffoxy]

Well, tried the new battery after giving the old battery a charge and the only thing that has changed is that there are no faults reporting on the computer when I try and start the car...... except after I've tried quite a few times. So it seems that when a bit of charge is lost out of the battery, faults are thrown. Because the car sounds so healthy when trying to start it up, I am wondering whether the immobiliser has kicked in and needs resetting??? I mean is that something that happens even? I know I may be clutching at straws but I am willing to consider anything before ringing the local auto electrician in.... especially when AA's diagnostic showed no recorded faults.

Worth finding out if the Multi has the same "antenna" for the imobiliser that has been known to fail on Stilo and Punto...?

 

[Jack9012]

I think it does Ffoxy, the one that goes around the ignition barrel you mean?

 

[Ffoxy]

I think it does Ffoxy, the one that goes around the ignition barrel you mean?

Thats the one... I thought it threw up a code though... I may be wrong. Just struck me as odd it happens to you all the time when parked up in a certain place, maybe there is a conflicting high level of RF interference there which makes it show up?

"Loose wire..." or the like... help FF'ers... Then there is the "clock spring" in the same place - ish which may or may not be involved.

Need to eliminate those before looking at general failure to start.

May be worth getting a Mod to change your Thread title to attract someone on here with experience of this?

 

[Jack9012]

Yeah you're right, maybe something a bit more techy might be useful.
Well I have checked the antenna for the key and it works for definite, taken away from the ignition barrel the car reports a code fault, put the antenna back in place and the fault disappears.

I am left thinking that maybe the immobiliser is stopping the car working or if there is a fuel shut off button then that may have strangely activated, otherwise I am left with a Multi that sounds okay but won't start for love nor money.

 

[Jack9012]

Well I thought I would post just to report what the problem turned out to be. Having paid an auto electrician to come and look at my Multipla, it turned out to be the fuel inertia cutoff switch faulty and once remedied, the car started no problem. Thanks to all for your suggestions and help.