Technical Servicing interval confusion on '62 plate

[Leeds Lass]

Hello everyone,

I’m hoping you can shed some light on the servicing schedule for my 500, I think I’ve messed things up and I’m a bit out of sync with the schedule :bang:


Background info:

Sept 2012 - car purchased (brand new 62 plate)

Sept 2013 - 1st low mileage service carried out (car had done 3,000 miles approx.)


Sept 2014 - 2nd service due??? (current mileage = 7,500 miles)


I was under the impression that servicing was essential at least every 12 months, hence me arranging for the 1st service. It’s now been brought to my attention that servicing may only be required at every 18,000 miles or 24 months, whichever occurs first, meaning I should have waited until this year for the 1st service. Is this right? If so, can I just get an engine oil and filter change this year and arrange for a second service in September 2015? Or should I arrange for another low mileage service this month to get me back on track with the Fiat schedule and then have another service in 24 months time?


Thanks!

 

[zanes]

If you're planning on keeping the car longer term (ie. not chopping it in after the warranty expires) I would definitely advise a service every 12 months (or, at an absolute minimum, oil and filter and a good looking over).

Especially on your low mileage (lots of short trips?) usage, which may well be specified in the manual as needing more frequent servicing.

 

[varesecrazy]

Hello everyone,

I’m hoping you can shed some light on the servicing schedule for my 500, I think I’ve messed things up and I’m a bit out of sync with the schedule :bang:


Background info:

Sept 2012 - car purchased (brand new 62 plate)

Sept 2013 - 1st low mileage service carried out (car had done 3,000 miles approx.)


Sept 2014 - 2nd service due??? (current mileage = 7,500 miles)


I was under the impression that servicing was essential at least every 12 months, hence me arranging for the 1st service. It’s now been brought to my attention that servicing may only be required at every 18,000 miles or 24 months, whichever occurs first, meaning I should have waited until this year for the 1st service. Is this right? If so, can I just get an engine oil and filter change this year and arrange for a second service in September 2015? Or should I arrange for another low mileage service this month to get me back on track with the Fiat schedule and then have another service in 24 months time?


Thanks!

hi,
the engine type, AND cc will have a bearing on the intervals ( + costs),


you've now reached the 24 months point ( irrespective of mileage)


so it will need a FULL service to change fluids ( 2 year service life) as well as oil + filter,


shop around for this you will see quite a range of prices ; -)




Charlie - Oxford

 

[wellfan]

You were correct to have it serviced as you are a low mileage. Handbook states an annual service is required if you do less than 6,000 miles per annum. We did about 8,000 so waited until 24 months when car had done about 16,000 miles.
Edit. I do not have the service book to hand as I am presently sunning myself in Spain, but I am sure it is 6K.

 

[Leeds Lass]

Thanks everyone.

It's a Colour Therapy 1.2 petrol engine with 69bhp.

Lots of short trips, yes. I plan on holding on to the car for a good few years. I'll book it in for a full service then.

Really appreciate your help

 

[Super Uwe]

Hi Leeds Lass,

You aren't the first person to get confused by the schedule, so don't worry! From my experience, some dealers don't actually understand it either. In fact, I'm not sure anyone really gets it 100%...

The general gist of the schedule for the 1.2 500 (which you will find in your service book) is that most items need doing every 18k or two years, which ever comes first.

You were quite right to get the oil/oil filter done in the first year as your car was below the 6,000 mile mark (as wellfan says) and it does say so in the service manual.

Anyway, for a 1.2 500 with 7,500 miles on the clock coming up for two years old (irrespective of mileage/previous service history), I believe you will need the following doing now:

- oil
- oil filter
- pollen filter
- spark plugs
- brake fluid

You may as well get the air filter done too; from memory I think the service manual is a bit vague about it, but it seems stupid to do the other two and not bother with the air filter.

Also - brake fluid is time-based and Fiat recommend it is changed every two years. A useful link is here (ignore the interval details, I can only assume the PDF is quite old, but the basic info is the same).

http://www.fiat.co.uk/uk/publishingimages/owner-tools/maintenance/brakefluid.pdf

All the best!

 

[frupi]

Anyway, for a 1.2 500 with 7,500 miles on the clock coming up for two years old (irrespective of mileage/previous service history), I believe you will need the following doing now:

- oil
- oil filter
- pollen filter
- spark plugs
- brake fluid

Which is exactly the service that was carried out on our previous 1.2 POP, but at 11,300 miles. I changed the air filter, pollen filter and spark plugs and the independent Fiat specialist I used changed the oil and filter. He also changed the brake fluid to keep in tow with the warranty. The first service was a low mileage oil and filter only at a franchised dealer at just over 4k.

Concerning the plugs, you could leave them 'til 12k, but to be honest, the state ours were in at that mileage, they were just about crocked, so 7.5k won't harm changing them now. Just be careful about how much you pay for plugs though, genuine ones shouldn't cost any more than this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-F...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f2a602757

Fitting takes about 30 minutes (with coffee), so don't be had over on price.

As far as our TA goes, well, it has just had its first low mileage service including the ahh, 'health check' and next July, it will have another low mileage service with the inclusion of the brake fluid change and I will change the air and pollen filters. The plugs can wait 'til 18k, assuming we keep the car for 3 years.

 

[Leeds Lass]

Cheers all, you really are very helpful.

I've booked in for a full 2nd year/18,000 miles manufacturer specific service with an independent garage.

For info, the price quoted is £155 inc VAT which I don't think is too bad...

 

[MN500]

It’s now been brought to my attention that servicing may only be required at every 18,000 miles or 24 months, whichever occurs first

you've now reached the 24 months point ( irrespective of mileage)
so it will need a FULL service

The general gist of the schedule for the 1.2 500 (which you will find in your service book) is that most items need doing every 18k or two years, which ever comes first.

Could somebody please quote me the page/paragraph/line from the owner manual where it states "or every two years whichever comes first"?

I cannot find it in mine which has a print number 603.95.038 - 11/2010 1st edition - from the inside rear cover. Mine only states 30000km as first full service, nothing about 2yrs. Except oil and oil filter less than 10000km per annum or city driving and brake fluid every two years.

My understanding being a 2yr old 7500 miles car would only need oil and oil filter plus brake fluid as a minimum, not air filter, spark plugs nor pollen filter. Please note I state minimum as per Fiat's schedule to my understanding, not what I would recommend be done to keep a car 'healthy'.

 

[frupi]

MN500, I'm sorry, I can't provide you with the info you require, but all I can say is that at two years even at the lowly mileage of 7,500 miles, I would personally as well as the engine oil and filter, change the pollen filter as a matter of course. As for the air filter, on our old POP, after two years at 11,300 miles, the air filter was filthy and in need of changing. I changed the plugs because they were in a poor state and I certainly wouldn't have let them go 'til 18k.

To be honest, a full service inclusive of all of those items, oil and oil filter and brake fluid, should be achieveable at an independent garage for between £150-£180 and at a franchise dealer, well, £200-£250 is probably a good guestimate.

You could though, if the car was out of warranty, easily do that service yourself for less than £75 buying all of the service items yourself and I would now be servicing our old POP myself if we'd have kept it.

 

[MN500]

Concerning the plugs...Just be careful about how much you pay for plugs though, genuine ones shouldn't cost any more than this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-F...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f2a602757

Does anybody know if these are equivalent of NGK DCPR7E-N-10 or ZKR7A-10 please?

 

[frupi]

Does anybody know if these are equivalent of NGK DCPR7E-N-10 or ZKR7A-10 please?

If we're talking about a 1.2, then yes, I believe those genuine Fiat boxed plugs are the ZKR7A-10 equivalent plugs. I bought genuine Fiat boxed plugs, a set of four for £13 delivered from another seller. Those ones in the link are from a SG Petch, a Fiat dealer:

http://www.sgpetch.co.uk/darlington

 

[MN500]

MN500, I'm sorry, I can't provide you with the info you require, but all I can say is that at two years even at the lowly mileage of 7,500 miles, I would personally as well as the engine oil and filter, change the pollen filter as a matter of course. As for the air filter, on our old POP, after two years at 11,300 miles, the air filter was filthy and in need of changing. I changed the plugs because they were in a poor state and I certainly wouldn't have let them go 'til 18k.

To be honest, a full service inclusive of all of those items, oil and oil filter and brake fluid, should be achieveable at an independent garage for between £150-£180 and at a franchise dealer, well, £200-£250 is probably a good guestimate.

You could though, if the car was out of warranty, easily do that service yourself for less than £75 buying all of the service items yourself and I would now be servicing our old POP myself if we'd have kept it.

Totally agree, the parts are cheap enough to follow a more thorough schedule.

But I question what is the minimum required for those who want to follow the Fiat schedule? Where is this 2yr and you NEED to have new spark plugs, air and pollen filter?

 

[frupi]

I'm sorry, I can't see what you're driving at exactly? Are you more concerned about the requirements for maintaining the Fiat warranty at the two year point, or is it purely an issue of whether one needs to bother actually changing the plugs or pollen/air filters?

At the end of the day, if the car is doing low miles per annum, i.e. less than 5 or 6k, it essentially falls into the bracket of a 'low mileage' service, i.e. oil and filter change and every two years, a brake fluid change. Ok, I've already personally given my thoughts on a brake fluid change every two years, pretty pointless in my opinion to be honest, but Fiat state 2 years when under warranty, so people like me will get that particular job done and thereafter, it will be four years for me or sooner if my brake fluid tester indicates it needs changing.

Bearing in mind though, that if a Fiat dealer services the car, they go through the whole vehicle 'health check' thing, hook it up to diagnostics, check for safety and recall stuff etc which plenty of home mechanics don't do and some independents may not always necessarily do during a warranty period, especially diagnostics because they may not necessarily subscribe to Fiat's technical bulletins and diagnostic software. Anyone these days can own a hand held code reader and clear certain codes, doesn't necessarily mean they can carry out proxy alignments etc.

 

[MN500]

If we're talking about a 1.2, then yes, I believe those genuine Fiat boxed plugs are the ZKR7A-10 equivalent plugs. I bought genuine Fiat boxed plugs, a set of four for £13 delivered from another seller. Those ones in the link are from a SG Petch, a Fiat dealer:

http://www.sgpetch.co.uk/darlington

Sorry about the really poor photo, but you ought to be able to make out that my manual states a 1.2 requires NGK DCPR7E-N-10. Confused.

 

[frupi]

Sorry about the really poor photo, but you ought to be able to make out that my manual states a 1.2 requires NGK DCPR7E-N-10. Confused.

I believe those plugs are for the 1.4 16v. The 1.4 8v engine uses, according to the link I posted earlier, the same plugs as for the 1.2 8v.

The ones in the link I provided are the same ones as I put in our old POP.

If it makes you feel any easier, please see the link from S4P, same plugs as the ones from the earlier link:

http://shop4parts.co.uk/?name=store&op=Details&ProdID=2362&sku=40396

 

[MN500]

I'm sorry, I can't see what you're driving at exactly? Are you more concerned about the requirements for maintaining the Fiat warranty at the two year point

Exactly that, what is the minimum to maintain the Fiat warranty on the OP's car? The advice tended to suggest that the car NEEDED a full service with plugs and filters as it was 2yrs old. But where is this information in the manual?

There will be some who buy a car with the intention of doing the bare minimum servicing required. Those who buy on PCP finance agreements who swap every 3yrs for example.

 

[sg1066]

:bang:

My 2010 1.2 POP has been serviced yearly at dealer doing 11000 miles a year.

Mostly motorway cruising, after a year the oil level has start to drop & engine sounds a little rough.

Dealer has noted next service is due in 1 years (same as they noted last year)

Plan was to keep for at least 10 years or until my wee 500 looses its appeal (still makes me smile so no plans to change yet).

Not sure if I would be happy waiting 'til 18k or 2 years as @ 11k it does feel like a service is required.

 

[Super Uwe]

Cheers all, you really are very helpful.

I've booked in for a full 2nd year/18,000 miles manufacturer specific service with an independent garage.

For info, the price quoted is £155 inc VAT which I don't think is too bad...

Sorry for the delay replying, have been away for the past week on hols!

Sounds like a good deal though.
MN500 - I saw your post further down about what exactly the manual says. Sadly I no longer have the one from our Panda (which was dated Dec 2010), but I am pretty sure it made the comment about it being 18k/2 years or whichever comes first.

I would say contact Fiat CS to confirm, but I have just got off the phone to them about a third year warranty transfer query and they didn't even recognise the dealer I bought the car from (which is complete balls by the way!). Quality integrated service from Fiat as usual...