Yesterday a very odd thing happened with my Fiat Punto 1.2 (2001)... really hoping for some advice and thoughts as unsure if anything I did may have contributed :-/
So, she's called 'Constance'...mainly because she's either constantly running around only at 50kmh or on local ish journeys...mostly 40 kilometers or far less as her main use is to go to the shops here in rural Portugal in the next village. For this reason the last two weeks I've had the 'city' mode on. No real issues only air filter changed recently and fuel pump. Roll it forward. Yesterday decided to take her on a good run...a couple of days break about a 2 hour run away...prior to leaving I had cleaned the car inside...found a loose fuse in glovebox compartment...(didn't seem to be fitted to anything/doing anything?)....topped up the oil and radiator fluid ...premixed just add it... and checked tyre pressure. Thought to mention all of this just in case!
Was approx 80k into the journey...all well but car seemed a bit sluggish going up hills as though it was losing some power. Pulled over in services. Had coffee. Started again...less than 5km later the car speedometer started to fail...went to zero didn't register...pulled over...switched off engine....started it again...speedometer worked. Continued but 1km later same again. Called breakdown...who checked oil/water etc all fine..advised to continue and see what happens. (it's Portugal lol).
2km later.....speedometer stopped altogether...warning light came on (engine warning light) and temperature guage started to rise.....had previously noticed it was barely off the minimum on guage and was a hot day??.......
My only thought was about 20km into journey on the motorway I ran over a smallish rock in the road....heard a hell of a clunk...but everything seemed well.....wondering if this may have damaged a sensor, or if the fuse I found in glovebox may have been something needed ;-/...or having taken it off 'city' mode may have impacted....
The car is in the garage now....but I'm wondering if any of the above 'happenings' may be relevant to her issues.....quite fond of the old girl...despite her being a 'constant' pain lol! Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated.....apart from the taxi driver taking me home comments of 'buy a Mercedes'....lol!
Just to add....I'm not a speed freak, drive her with care and consideration given her geriatric status (and mine).....and the fastest she's gone in recent years was on the back of the breakdown truck home...that guy pulled 120 km per hr plus...
Thanks All
So, she's called 'Constance'...mainly because she's either constantly running around only at 50kmh or on local ish journeys...mostly 40 kilometers or far less as her main use is to go to the shops here in rural Portugal in the next village. For this reason the last two weeks I've had the 'city' mode on. No real issues only air filter changed recently and fuel pump. Roll it forward. Yesterday decided to take her on a good run...a couple of days break about a 2 hour run away...prior to leaving I had cleaned the car inside...found a loose fuse in glovebox compartment...(didn't seem to be fitted to anything/doing anything?)....topped up the oil and radiator fluid ...premixed just add it... and checked tyre pressure. Thought to mention all of this just in case!
Was approx 80k into the journey...all well but car seemed a bit sluggish going up hills as though it was losing some power. Pulled over in services. Had coffee. Started again...less than 5km later the car speedometer started to fail...went to zero didn't register...pulled over...switched off engine....started it again...speedometer worked. Continued but 1km later same again. Called breakdown...who checked oil/water etc all fine..advised to continue and see what happens. (it's Portugal lol).
2km later.....speedometer stopped altogether...warning light came on (engine warning light) and temperature guage started to rise.....had previously noticed it was barely off the minimum on guage and was a hot day??.......
My only thought was about 20km into journey on the motorway I ran over a smallish rock in the road....heard a hell of a clunk...but everything seemed well.....wondering if this may have damaged a sensor, or if the fuse I found in glovebox may have been something needed ;-/...or having taken it off 'city' mode may have impacted....
The car is in the garage now....but I'm wondering if any of the above 'happenings' may be relevant to her issues.....quite fond of the old girl...despite her being a 'constant' pain lol! Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated.....apart from the taxi driver taking me home comments of 'buy a Mercedes'....lol!
Just to add....I'm not a speed freak, drive her with care and consideration given her geriatric status (and mine).....and the fastest she's gone in recent years was on the back of the breakdown truck home...that guy pulled 120 km per hr plus...
Thanks All