General Punto Evo bcm cost

[Jbo4166]

Hi, my wife's car (2012 Punto Evo) broke down, dashboard went dark, to cut a long story short, local independent garage diagnosed body control module as the fault and said would have to be done by main dealer - any ideas on the cost? Main dealer want to run diagnostic test first ...

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi

It wont be cheap..

Might be worthwhile getting a 2nd opinion on its demise..
As the car is at the age where a few wiring failings start to creep in

What happened to alert you to the issue?

 

[Jbo4166]

Hi

It wont be cheap..

Might be worthwhile getting a 2nd opinion on its demise..
As the car is at the age where a few wiring failings start to creep in

What happened to alert you to the issue?

 

[varesecrazy]

No message..?

 

[Jbo4166]

Hi, thanks for replying the independent garage said bcm .. last week on really hot day, car started but dashboard went dark - speedometer/fuel gauge, etc, on zero, but car still worked and indicator lights worked (but no sound)... Breakdown guy came, put new fuse in, everything fine, until my wife stopped and restated car - dashboard dark again, but car still works ... Breakdown guy said bcm will cost a arm and leg, independent garage reckons around 1300 ...hoping both are wrong

 

[bugsymike]

I would try and get a accurate diagnostic code read of the faults listed then someone on this forum can probably steer you in the right direction.

 

[Jbo4166]

Thank you booked in at fiat next Wednesday for diagnostic test .. was just assuming worst case scenario and it is bcm like the independent garage said, though I would assume fiat have more precise diagnostic test ..

 

[bugsymike]

Thank you booked in at fiat next Wednesday for diagnostic test .. was just assuming worst case scenario and it is bcm like the independent garage said, though I would assume fiat have more precise diagnostic test ..

Fingers crossed, if it proves to be a BCM there are people on this site who have changed theirs and s/h ones on eBay are around £100. Mind you one bloke said it was in the glove box behind security bolts so may be a bit of a pain.
Recently I changed a passenger seat sensor and the Air Bag Module Module (£150 damaged box but genuine Fiat) I still had to have use of a good diagnostic setup to tell the cars ECU that the new parts had been fitted and to recognise/ "proxi alignment" them. Daughters car running happily since then. Fingers crossed Again.

 

[Jbo4166]

All fingers/toes crossed I know nothing about cars but independent garage said if it is bcm, they need a code from fiat and fiat won't give it, hence it has to go to fiat ...

 

[bugsymike]

All fingers/toes crossed I know nothing about cars but independent garage said if it is bcm, they need a code from fiat and fiat won't give it, hence it has to go to fiat ...

See what Fiat say, just don't give them a blank cheque .
On mine I used a friends Snap On Zeus diagnostic tool, however a lot of people on this Forum use a program called Multiscan its for Fiat and lets them do nearly everything. There may even be a member near you who can help for a drink? There is a multiscan section if you search here.

 

[Jbo4166]

Thank you

 

[varesecrazy]

If it blew a fuse.. that will be an unexpected electrical draw

Poor earth circuits are a common punto niggle with age.. but cheap and simple to rectify

Is the car a petrol manual.. ??
or something more unusual?

Give us an idea of your UK Location..

Somebody might be local to you

Charlie - near the M4

 

[Jbo4166]

It's a petrol manual 1.2, Scunthorpe getting taken to fiat next Wednesday for diagnostic test... Breakdown guy couldn't understand why engine starts, indicators work, even without sound, sometimes clock and mileage appear upon start-up, then dashboard goes dark after that ...

 

[varesecrazy]

You are a fair distance from me..
But potentially not too distant from Hull

Member @dirtboxden is on the MultiECUScan member register

I would be adding a Jumplead cable as an additional earth .. then plugging in the MES software..


It may well list things its NOT happy with..

And those error codes may well feature on here.. potentially with a resulting fix

 

[Asteris]

Body computer controls all the lights, low beam, high beam, signals, brake lights, door lock/unlock, boot lock, wipers, everything. A button/switch on the steering column controls tell the BCM what to do and the BCM gives power to the specific light/wiper etc. Do these work? If yes, it's not the BCM fault. Sounds like a defective instrument panel to me...

 

[Jbo4166]

Thanks to everyone for all the help really appreciate it yes door locks, wipers, lights all work, even indicators (just no sound with them), just speedometer/fuel gauge not working, stay on zero, dashboard dark ...

 

[Asteris]

Definitely a dashboard problem then, or something around it. BMC cannot burn a fuse, the load that the BMC serves, can.

You know what? First thing tomorrow morning, get an electrician to check the cabling on the fifth door. You probably have a broken cable that touches the car body and gives a short circuit. My previous EVO did exactly that...

 

[Jbo4166]

Thank you like I said, know nothing about cars, just going by what independent garage told us today ..

 

[Asteris]

Ok, you are blowing Fuse 11, responsible for INT supply for instrument panel, switch on brake pedal (N.O. contact), third brake light. The short circuit happens only during initial start of the car, so it's the initial sensor/brake switch/light bulbs check, that BMC runs whenever you turn on the key. So check brake pedal switch, plus short circuits at the rear third brake light (cabling of the fifth door). On my EVO was the cabling of the fifth door.

 

[Asteris]

Thank you like I said, know nothing about cars, just going by what independent garage told us today ..

It was 4 years ago that I was ready to buy a new instrument cluster for my previous EVO. My friend who is an experienced car electrician, solved the problem by phone. Grande Punto, EVO, Mito and Gulietta, are famous for the problems at the fifth door cabling. An hour later I visited him and patched the broken cable. 10 minute job.

The garage was either inexperienced, or trying to rip you off. Find a car electrician...