Technical Problem Punto

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Technical Problem Punto

ChrisB

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Feb 22, 2006
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Hi,

I have a 2003 1.2 Punto Active. Since buying it, I have had to replace the front tyres twice due to excessive wear on the inside edge of both front tyres (despite having the tracking adjusted after the first set were replaced-currently 10,000 miles per set of front tyres), am having to have the clutch replaced a second time due to excessive juddering when setting off and have suffered intermittent electrical problems which has at times left me without power steering (twice whilst driving over the higher Lake District passes).

There are other problems that Fiat refuse to accept under warranty but my main concern is that these are recurring problems and Fiat are already questioning whether they will foot the bill for this replacement clutch, having refused, point blank, to accept responsibility for the wandering tracking.

The car has covered 25,000 miles since new (all in my care), and has never been driven hard or carelessly. Is it possible that the car has an inherent problem that no amount of repairs will resolve and if so, what can I do about it?

Cheers

Chris
 
10K from front tyres isn't too bad,abit more would be nice of course.

Clutch is a known problem.

Power steering could need the VSS wiring modification(if P0500 codes logged)or coulmn(if 'torque sensors) codes logged)get dealer to put on examiner.
 
My 53 reg Sporting still has 5 mm tread on front tyres at 17,000 miles. 6 mm on rear tyres
 
Thats good,I did say it wasn't 'too' bad,have seen worse though but it seems as if there is obviously a problem if wear is only on inner edges,standard wheels/lowered etc?.Dont know from chrisB post if Fiat are refusing to act on the tyre problem or something else,no doubt he'll post soon & let us know.
I'm a tight git when it comes to tyres,rotate often to get every mm out of them,even been known to get out the car & lift the back end around to save tyre wear on bends;)
 
i had 4 clutches in mine juddering was only solved when a new clutch and flywheel were put in at same time. i ended up paying as my car was 2001 so no warranty.

tyres i have inner edge ware on mine but just had tracking done at rallyrace center. tyres have 10k on have anotehr year of life left as inner edge ware is only slight
 
Hi,

Thanks for the replies; the wear on the front tyres is confined to a 1" band running around the inside edge of each front tyre. The rest of the tyre is virtually untouched and would easily have covered another 10,000 miles, if not more (back tyres are 25,000 miles old and still going strong and I'm too old and the car too slow to be ripping the front tyres up ;-)). Fiat have refused point blank to accept that there may be an endemic problem causing this, despite have the tracking checked and reset at each new set of tyres (i.e., the second set of tyres suffered exactly the same problem to the letter).

It's interesting to hear that the clutch is a known problem; I was told that there had been a batch of clutches that had been mis-engineered, causing the said problem, however as that clutch has been replaced and the problem has reappeared in under 12 months...took the car in today and am waiting to see what happens...how have other people found Fiat when it comes to getting warranty work done, for example, paintwork problems?

Cheers

Chris
 
ChrisB said:
Hi,I'm too old and the car too slow to be ripping the front tyres up ;-)).

They all say that;)

Phone Fiat & ask for the area manager (warranty) to arrange a time to inspect the car for paintwork problems,while he's there ask him to look at the tyres (as Fishdude said new flywheel helps when doing clutch again mention this to the guy) you'll find these guys are understanding & can authorise any work required,good luck(y)
 
actually paintwork was one of the few things they done ok. it took a lil persistence on my part about three reminderes lol but they done the work in end fine.

yeah apparantly my flywheel was badly marked and scored witch was part of the problem.

as for my tyres never had my tracking done at fiat i tend to use one place that i know do a good job.caled sca race rally center near were i live.
 
I've not had any tyre or clutch problems (touch wood) but mine has only covered 3.5k miles. As for warrenty work, when mine went in for its first service I pointed out some bits that needed replacing and a week later they fitted a new front passenger seatbelt (due to it missing the stud) and a new drivers side weather strip (due to the old one being misaligned and door ripping into it).

No problem whatsoever, even got them to pay for half the service which considering I brought the car as a used car wasnt too bad going, I tried to get them to pay the lot but they were having none of it lol.

Good luck with the car dude, hope they open their wallets and sort you out (y)

:cool:
 
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