WARNING

[David Rock]

A word of warning to all the rest of the Bravo owners. On Sunday (06/02/2000) the pre-tensioner wheel on the cam belt collapsed damaging the engine. Our car is an N reg, in fact its the ex-demo car from the local FIAT garage. Please be careful, this has caused much trauma in our house!!

 

[Paul R]

Untitled

What Bravo do you have?
Paul

 

[David Rock]

Are you replying to the Warning

1.8 HLX

 

[David Rock]

Additional information

Sorry about the abrupt message Paul, I was using the works computer.

I now have the broken pretensioner in my possession, it's not a pretty sight.

There's an extremely strong spring housed behind the pretensioner wheel, the end of the spring sticks through a 'latch' on the casing, this casing appears to have fractured, the end of spring has then popped up (because it's no longer in the right place or under any tension) and jammed itself into the plastic teeth of the pretensioner wheel itself.
The plastic has shattered and the cambelt has then loosened, causing major mayhem.

So I now have an extremely broken pretensioner, a perfectly OK cambelt (no wear, 62,000 miles), a bill for £1200.00 because all 16 valves are bent, a deeply pissed off wife, who may kill.

PS You can't get major engine work done on your FIAT because it requires special tooling (for each engine) and FIAT won't lend or sell you the tool.

If everyone's engine has this same pretensioner problem then I think we should do something about it!

 

[Tom]

Any signs before the calamity?

David,

Sorry to hear about your misfortune.
I am concerned with the number of problems with the engine the Bravo seems to have - considering that engine design is what the Italians excel at.

Any problems or warning signs prior to the disaster?

Is she back on the road now?

 

[David Rock]

Thanks Tom

Unfortunately there's no warning when the pretensioner breaks. It's the same as the cambelt breaking (only you know you've got 72,000 on the belt).

No, she's not on the road yet, the valve sleeves are cracked in the head and so the bill rises!!

By the way FIAT haven't reponded to our letter yet.

 

[John Davies]

Brava with similar problem

My wife owns a Brava 1.4 SX 11996 with 27000 miles on clock. She recently suffered a major engine breakdown apparently caused by failure of the cam belt tensioner and subsequent extensive valve damage....repair bill approx. £1400. I've spoken to Fiat about this but as yet have had no reply. My garage has had one other similar occurrence. My wife isn't as upset as yours but then she doesn't have to pay the bill. Please let me know if you get any further.

 

[David Rock]

No problem

No problem John. A second far more sinister letter has just gone to FIAT, will let you know how far they jump!!

 

[Dave R]

Oh **** not again

Got the car back (eventually). This pretensioner lasted one month before breaking (7/4/2000) wrecking the valves (again) although only 4 or 5 this time (this strikes me as a bit suspicious!!). When i've got to pay it's all 16 valves + guides + maching the head, when FIAT have to pay it's only 4/5 valves.
Doesanyone want a slightly second hand Bravo?

 

[Dave R]

Oh no not again

Great news, on 7/4/2000 the pretensioner collapsed for the second time in two months, only damaging 5 valves (suspicious now that FIAT are now paying for this latest breakage).
What a piece of crap, does anyone want to buy a Bravo!!

 

[RIC]

ME TOO!!

In responce to your problems, you are not alone.
I have an R-reg fiat bravo 1.4 12v, and it is also crap. After 27,000 miles the gearbox bearing shattered causing the gearbox to expolde and fall out of the bottom of the car. This also destroyed the clutch, both driveshafts and the differential. The bill was needless to say, on the large side. I am in "wranglings" with fiat now and shall let all who are interested know how I get on. seeya soon!!

 

[John Davies]

Re. Fan Belt tensioner failure

Latest update is that Fiat have made me a goodwill payment towards the cost of repairs of £4oo (about one third of what it cost me!)
there was no written correspondance at all...the cheque just appeared in the post from the dealership.

 

[Tony Mullinger]

cambelt failure

My dad suffered cambelt failure very prematurely on his Bravo 1.4SX (less than 30000 miles).During the course of the repair it came to light Fiat had changed the design of the cambelt pretensioner between the car been built (N reg) and September 00 (do Fiat know of problems in the field?). The garage doing the repair said the tensioner had failed and collapsed on to the belt causing the failure. Incidentally the bill came to about 800 pounds, Fiats prices were as rediculous.
We would recommend any one without a new design of pretensioner to change both that and the cambelt ASAP.
Incidentally Fiat UK has just responded to a letter (sent 2 months ago) saying basically it's nothing to do with them and go away. Which is exactally what myself and my dad will do when we come to renew our respective vehicles

 

[Steen]

Mine just broke

The estimate is above £2,000 - my car is still in the shop and I'm trying to get Fiat to pay a fair share.
I'll never buy another Fiat........

Regards, Steen