Technical Uno cold start problem

[cluley]

Help - my ultra unreliable 1993 Uno will not start from cold again. Had this problem before in 2010 & fixed it by replacing coolant temperature sensor. Also recently replaced head gasket, cylinder head, water pump (twice) cooling fan (motor failed), thermostat, radiator, ECU, not to mention clutch, brake pipes, exhaust, clutch cylinder plus welding underneath. Beginning to think car has a death wish. Car is now on 69,000 miles and is newest vehicle I have ever owned and least reliable. Regularly serviced, well maintained but basically a crap car that I keep driving because I like it fool that I am. What can possibly be wrong this time???

 

[nunesaf]

Hi
A car from 1993 is nearly 20 years old so one would expect some wear parts need replacing and most that you listed looks about right.
About your problem, can you check if the temperature sensor is ok? Otherwise I would check for fuel pressure and spark in the four plugs.
BTW: which engine do you have?
PS: I live in Cobham so maybe I could give you a little help?

 

[cluley]

That's handy that you live in Cobham. I was able to start the car eventually by cranking it over with my foot on the gas. It seems that the coolant temperature sensor that I replaced last year has failed again. I have sourced a replacement and will fit it tomorrow. Reliability on the Uno has been dreadful. It replaced a 41 year old Saab that I bought for a fiver and ran for 29 years as my everyday car. I sold it for £1,200 with 320,000 miles on the clock because spare parts were beginning to get hard to find. I thought with the Uno I would not have a problem with parts, but after the scrappage scheme and with their general poor reliability, Unos are now an endangered species. Also I am needing parts on a regular basis to replace those that fail. The Saab parts were pretty much bomb proof even after 40 years.

 

[a73uk]

My Fiats have been very reliable, more reliable than anything French, German or British I`ve owned (I`ve had approx 180 cars since I`ve been driving).

Like any other car, its luck of the draw to a degree, you seem to have got one that had either been neglected or just has a few difficult to trace issues, either way, you should be able to sort it with the minimum of outlays.

Good luck with it, if your struggling, put a post up & everyone will do their best to help

If its a 1993 it`ll be fuel injected, is it a FIRE engined one? (999 or 1108cc)