General My wife's new 500 issues, looking for advice

[marccon]

Please find below an email I have sent to the dealer we bought the car from


"Friday 7th March

We purchased the above vehicle from you on Friday 7th March. It had just had its 18,000 service.
Monday 10th March
On Monday 10th March the car had an irregular idle, had no power. The instrument cluster had a flashing engine management light, general warning light and a dim steering wheel light. On stopping and restarting cleared the power issue and the flashing engine management light, however the general warning light stayed illuminated as did a dim steering wheel warning light. I called the dealer, firstly speaking to the salesman who sold the car then he transferred me to the service desk. The service department requested that I bring the car in to the dealership, however I requested that I take the car to an dealer closer to where I live. I called your Rutherglen branch and agreed to bring the car in on Tuesday morning first thing.

Tuesday 11th March

On Tuesday morning 11th March at your Rutherglen branch after a diagnostic check the car identified the following errors:
UniAir actuator stuck P1061;

Plus associated cylinder misfires due to the actuator issue

Instrument cluster fault, requiring a new cluster.
Your Falkirk branch requested that the car be transferred to Falkirk to allow them to start work on the car to get the job completed quickly. I agreed to this hoping for a speedy repair, however it did mean that I had not only taken time off my work but I was now stranded will no means of transport to get to my work. I had to call a colleague who thankfully was able to come and pick me up and take me home at the end of the day. The Rutherglen branch did not have any courtesy cars available but assured me that the Falkirk branch would arrange.
My wife called your branch in Falkirk later in the afternoon of 11th for an update on the work to be told that the car had not yet been picked up and that the branch could not understand why the Rutherglen branch had not carried out the work, plus that the correct oil had been used on the car. I was a bit perplexed by this comment as it appeared that either the Rutherglen branch or the Falkirk branch had an issue on the oil type used on the car. Does this mean that if the wrong oil has been used it had caused this actuator to fail and if so what other damage could it have caused which may not appear for months (when the cars out of warranty). Plus he did not know anything about a courtesy car.
During the call my wife stated that she was surprised that the car being only two years old, with only 18,000 miles covered and just after a service that these apparently major issues were not found. I appreciate this could be totally coincidental but as you can appreciate very unsettling handing over £8000 three day earlier for a car that these faults appear three day later. She also stated that was happy and excited when she picked up the car but now four days later she was unhappy and worried. In the conversation she said that all she wanted was the car to be reliable and safe for her and our two daughters one of which will be using the car to learn to drive. She as indicated during the call that we will get by without a courtesy car and hoped the car will be completely repaired to a safe reliable standard before the weekend."

Any advice greatly appreciated

Mark

 

[jrkitching]

Any advice greatly appreciated

Just reject the car and buy something else. It was delivered to you with a major fault which rendered it undriveable and the fault was present at the time of original sale.

You do not need to go into any more detail than this.

 

[PsFiat]

Do used cars in the UK come with a standard, legally binding 3 month warranty? In Australia, all dealer purchased used cars must have this minimum warranty- if that's the case you'd be covered ...

 

[ahmett]

When I bought my used car from a car trader I remember having a 6 month warranty if I remember correctly.

 

[marccon]

Update: dealer has drained the engine of oil, as a precaution, and replaced with new oil carried out a software upgrade and is saying that he doesn't think it requires the uniair replaced. but will try cold start tomorrow and check on computer for fault codes. Instrument cluster is ordered but Fiat not able to give delivery date

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

What Engine has it got

 

[zanes]

What's a Uniair actuator?

 

[marccon]

what engine has it got

0.9

 

[frupi]

I'm interested, the 18k service the car has just had, was that the first and only service so far in the two years since new? I fully realise that one does not necessarily have to have the car serviced in the first two years, I just think that is bad practise, but I'm considered a dinosaur by some when it comes to servicing on new cars preferring a annual service irrespective of the manufacturer extended service intervals.

Also, I too find it strange about the comment regarding the oil. Is there something underlying here about what oil was put in I wonder......

If I were you, I'd be taking jrkitching's advice and rejecting the car and asking for my money back. Did you pay at least £100 by credit card? Something I always do when buying a new car, gives you extended rights under the Consumer Credit Act.

 

[Mercky]

If it was me I'd look for my money back and walk away. Then go and buy a similar car for the same money that doesent have any issues. If you accept it now you may be stuck with it and it might just be a lemon that will break your heart.

 

[marccon]

If it was me I'd look for my money back and walk away. Then go and buy a similar car for the same money that doesent have any issues. If you accept it now you may be stuck with it and it might just be a lemon that will break your heart.

Yep I agree but unfortunately easier said than done, when you wife and daughters have fallen in love with it. Update is that after trying a cold start on Thursday it need a new UniAir unit. Arrived Friday for them to find it was damaged. So another unit ordered, should arrive early next week. That have been told that we will be looking for the day warranty to be extended to give us pease of mind. Anyway I'll wait and see what next week brings.

 

[306maxi]

Walk away and buy another one, there are plenty of 500's out there that aren't going to cause the trouble this one has

 

[44sunsets]

but I'm considered a dinosaur by some when it comes to servicing on new cars preferring a annual service irrespective of the manufacturer extended service intervals.

I thought the 12-monthly mandated service interval is standard across the board for all 500 models, can you seriously go for 2 years without servicing the car and still retain the warranty? That's pretty insane

I would never do that to any car, not even a Corolla. And yup, no way I would touch a 2nd hand car which has not been serviced meticulously.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I thought the 12-monthly mandated service interval is standard across the board for all 500 models, can you seriously go for 2 years without servicing the car and still retain the warranty? That's pretty insane

I would never do that to any car, not even a Corolla. And yup, no way I would touch a 2nd hand car which has not been serviced meticulously.

It's part of the service Schedual. Only thing I do Inbetween is an oil change personally.

 

[UFI]

I thought the 12-monthly mandated service interval is standard across the board for all 500 models, can you seriously go for 2 years without servicing the car and still retain the warranty? That's pretty insane

Fiat want you to think the car can go two years between oil changes, but the dealer wants you to think that yearly is a requirement because it's more profit for them. I even got a call suggesting a six month 'service'.

Most cars now have bi-annual service intervals, even Porsches go 20,000 miles between oil changes.

 

[wellfan]

Looks like the OP has unfortunately fallen foul of Arnold Clark after sales service (lack of). Pile em high, sell em cheap and god help you if anything goes wrong.
We just had a lucky escape from AC. Ordered a brand new Adam for the wife, went to check it over yesterday and it looked like a herd of cattle had walked through it. Order cancelled and 100 quid deposit refunded. Looks like we will be keeping the Twinair for a wee while yet.
Anyway, OP. Good luck and hope you get it all sorted. However, if it was me I would be asking for my money back.

 

[ahmett]

Fiat want you to think the car can go two years between oil changes, but the dealer wants you to think that yearly is a requirement because it's more profit for them. I even got a call suggesting a six month 'service'.

Most cars now have bi-annual service intervals, even Porsches go 20,000 miles between oil changes.

Good point ufi. I was reading the manual of the Porsche boxster S and it basically said just make sure you check the oil is topped up everytime you fuel up the car. I think changing oil is not as important as it used to with syntetic oils, whats more important is to make sure the oil is topped up as some engines, especially sporty engines, tend to consume decent amounts of oil normally when driven hard.


When I put petrol in my car recently at the station the guy had a look at my oil and told me oh you must change your oil, it looks dark, even though I had changed the oil 6k miles previously. Its normal for oil to get darker over time, doesnt mean the oil is rubbish already! This type of blind eyed logic is too prevalent.


I basically change my oil every 9-12 months regardless of mileage.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

When I put petrol in my car recently at the station the guy had a look at my oil and told me oh you must change your oil, it looks dark, even though I had changed the oil 6k miles previously. Its normal for oil to get darker over time, doesnt mean the oil is rubbish already! This type of blind eyed logic is too prevalent.

He'd be damned using that logic when looking at the colur of oil in a diesels engine.

 

[Goudrons]

He'd be damned using that logic when looking at the colur of oil in a diesels engine.

Yeah, it goes treacle black almost the instant a diesel is started, it's the soot.

Someone tried that on me, "oh, look at that dirty oil, it needs changing immediately, engine damage, blah, blah"

I told 'em you can change it, but if it's not still golden after 5 minutes idle, I'll want my money back!
Needless to say the offer to replace it was withdrawn quite quickly.

One thing, turbo bearings do require the correct grade and spec of oil, they're like a drop of clean oil too.
The bearing isn't a roller or needle type, but a shaft/bush with seals either end and oil is pumped in the gap for the shaft to float on, other types of bearing just can't spin fast enough, the oil will also cool it.

A lot of duff turbo's are actually found to contain the wrong oil!
My local reconditioner won't do them anymore, as it's hard to prove some knob has put the wrong oil in, so he gets stung with the warranty repair.

A lot of handbooks (not sure of Fiat) state to cool off the turbo before switching off after "spirited" driving.
Just let the engine idle a few seconds before turning off.

 

[ahmett]

Yeah, it goes treacle black almost the instant a diesel is started, it's the soot.

Someone tried that on me, "oh, look at that dirty oil, it needs changing immediately, engine damage, blah, blah"

I told 'em you can change it, but if it's not still golden after 5 minutes idle, I'll want my money back!
Needless to say the offer to replace it was withdrawn quite quickly.

One thing, turbo bearings do require the correct grade and spec of oil, they're like a drop of clean oil too.
The bearing isn't a roller or needle type, but a shaft/bush with seals either end and oil is pumped in the gap for the shaft to float on, other types of bearing just can't spin fast enough, the oil will also cool it.

A lot of duff turbo's are actually found to contain the wrong oil!
My local reconditioner won't do them anymore, as it's hard to prove some knob has put the wrong oil in, so he gets stung with the warranty repair.

A lot of handbooks (not sure of Fiat) state to cool off the turbo before switching off after "spirited" driving.
Just let the engine idle a few seconds before turning off.

Fiat says it too, even for natural aspirated engines! It literally says 'let the engine catch its breath' before turning it off after 'spirited' driving.