General My New Fiat Punto Grande Failed MOT

[rob19791]

I have had problems with my new (2006) Fiat Grande, I am not happy with the steering and Fiat are about as much help as a chocolate teapot, I took my 8 week old Fiat Punto Grande 2006 for an MOT as the dealer suggested.

IT FAILED it has been deemed un-road worthy and Dangerous and has been placed on the national computer by the MOT Station. My car had to be brought back to me on a low loader as it not road worthy.

Don’t accept a repair on your new Fiat Grande Punto if you have been told to have a new steering rack fittedI was told yesterday that the steering rack is dangerous and that it is behaving like a rack on a 4 year old car which would have done at least 48,000 miles or more. You dont have to accept a repair on a new car that has such a serious fault.

If you have a Fiat Punto Grande 2006 I really think you should have an MOT done NOW.

I have been told repeatedly that my car was NOT dangerous and that it just needed a replacement modified steering rack. I was told that it was safe to drive and I would have to wait until they got a new steering rack which could be several months due to the high demand and back log.

Trading Standards for my Area have now decided to look carefully into this matter.

 

[tom rumble]

lets see the mot certificate

 

[rob19791]

ok, hang on gona sort that for u non believers right now

 

[rob19791]

ok, hang on gona sort that for u non believers right now

Here is the PROOF!

Please take this seriously my car is not road worthy and has been placed on the national computer system and has be be returned on a low loader!!!

My car is DANGEROUS and so may yours be!!!!

 

[tom rumble]

dont look to real to me, it is just a printed form.what about the failure certificate with the details on

 

[rob19791]

that is the failure cirtificate!!!!
Its all done on computer now....and it aint fake...how can i fake that you fool
Read the top, Failure of MOT cirtificate!
Click on the images to enlarge

 

[rob19791]

dont look to real to me, it is just a printed form.what about the failure certificate with the details on

If you have a Fiat punto Grande and have steering fault get it an MOT.

As for it not being real.............Its all computerised now and that cert is all they give on a new car. Its real and anyone who has a fault like this should seek immediate MOT for there own saftey.

End of mate.

 

[Steven]

It looks real enough to me.

Tom Rumble, why are questioning him? Do you have some sort of vested interest in this? You asked for proof and there it is.

 

[rob19791]

It looks real enough to me.

Tom Rumble, why are questioning him? Do you have some sort of vested interest in this? You asked for proof and there it is.

Thank you. I would not use this but to be honest My car has been added to the national register and is NOT road Worthy. It is illegal to drive and DANGEROUS.

 

[dave]

looks real to me as well

 

[SchooweeNick]

It is genuine failure sheet..
I dont think the lead time on the new racks is as long as that now? They should order the rack on a VOR (vehicle off road) order and then request car hire.. this then should get the rack much quicker!
By my reckoning though they've failed it and given a wrong description! I drove a Grande the other night with this fault and you dont get anything through the steering wheel! I found it made a clonk but you dont get any odd steering sensation??

 

[rob19791]

maybe my ones just really bad

 

[dave]

clonks turn to bangs, bangs turn to bits falling off

 

[jug]

must say rob i doubted you in previous posts about the severity of the steering rack fault, but i accept that is a real MOT failure and it has been deemed unroadworthy by a qualified MOT testing station. well done thats excellent progress, fiat cant argue with that

from what I have gathered the fault is due to a rubber bush that is slightly too small, allowing play in the rack. 'excessive' play in the steering is an MOT failure so it must be dangerous to fail. the steering will work no matter what, but excessive play will reduce the accuracy and response of the steering which can obviously cause accidents. on a new car this is unacceptable. if it was my car and i had the MOT failure i'd ask fiat for a full refund or a great deal on another car (why not be cheeky and ask for a stilo with 30% knocked off then sell it for profit).

top marks for standing up for yourself, and getting an MOT failure was a great idea. fiat cant ignore the opinion of a qualified MOT testing station. i wish you the best of luck with this dispute. i look forward to seeing how it turns out.

 

[rob19791]

cheers Jug.
I was hoping that they would give me a 1.9 sporting for my trouble lol.
Finance company manager is going down today to try and sort it out, he doesnt know we have the mot failure cirtificate, so any resistance from fiat will be stupid.
Like you say they cant ignore it.

 

[NumanR]

Interesting that the MOT station has failed the car for the wrong fault, I am sure trading standards and VOSA will be very interested in this and the station will probably be drawn into disciplinary procedures because of it.
I have checked several racks and the noise is due to vertical movement in the rack itself (only usually a mm or two but enough to cause a noise). At this mileage its unlikely to be any more than this unless the vehicle has been driven on very rough ground to accelerate any problem.
A new rack will sort the problem. I dont think a MOT is required for all Grande owners with noises, contact your dealer and let them check it.

NumanR

 

[ChrisUK]

cheers Jug.
I was hoping that they would give me a 1.9 sporting for my trouble lol.
Finance company manager is going down today to try and sort it out, he doesnt know we have the mot failure cirtificate, so any resistance from fiat will be stupid.
Like you say they cant ignore it.

Im gonna get mine checked!. Ive got the 1.9 Sporting and when I do a full power start and go from 1st into 2nd gear it makes a clunk noise which sounds / feels like its comming from front of the car. It also does this when you pull away with the steering wheel turned.

 

[rob19791]

failed the car for the wrong fault????
Are you an MOT tester????
Can you be sure that all the faults are the same???
AA said exactly the same thing as well as the RAC can they all be wrong?
And finally have you looked at my car?

 

[Hellcat]

failed the car for the wrong fault????
Are you an MOT tester????
Can you be sure that all the faults are the same???
AA said exactly the same thing as well as the RAC can they all be wrong?
And finally have you looked at my car?

Actually he might be an MOT tester, can't remember if it was him or T18....

 

[diablo_NL]

must say rob i doubted you in previous posts about the severity of the steering rack fault, but i accept that is a real MOT failure and it has been deemed unroadworthy by a qualified MOT testing station. well done thats excellent progress, fiat cant argue with that

from what I have gathered the fault is due to a rubber bush that is slightly too small, allowing play in the rack. 'excessive' play in the steering is an MOT failure so it must be dangerous to fail. the steering will work no matter what, but excessive play will reduce the accuracy and response of the steering which can obviously cause accidents. on a new car this is unacceptable. if it was my car and i had the MOT failure i'd ask fiat for a full refund or a great deal on another car (why not be cheeky and ask for a stilo with 30% knocked off then sell it for profit).

top marks for standing up for yourself, and getting an MOT failure was a great idea. fiat cant ignore the opinion of a qualified MOT testing station. i wish you the best of luck with this dispute. i look forward to seeing how it turns out.

What I don't understand is why some cars have this problem and other cars not. I don't have any play or noise. I only had twice a very small vibration in the steering wheel when standing still at a trafficlight that was probably caused by the servo that was in the middle of two steps.

Rob good luck with the process, at least you have a strong case against them now.