We brought our 1.6 Dynamic about a year ago, 2002 plate, one previous owner.
Three months after warranty expires, first day of new job, coming back from Cambridge to Colchester, engine misfires. RAC man turns up, plugs in laptop, "it's your injector, can't tow you as the bodywork scrapes, have to call a tow truck to take your car to Bishops Stortford overnight (I was near Stansted) and then back to Fiat in Colchester in the morning."
Dealer plugs car in, says "It's the ECU, not the injector. You need a new one."
I say "Great, when can you get one".
-"Erm, we don't hold them in stock locally, we need to order one in."
"ok, that shouldn't take long?"
-"Erm, we don't hold them in stock here, we'll have to order one, - from Italy." (How stupid of me for thinking I'd purchased a Fiat, not a freaking Pagani Zonda.)
" So can I have a courtesty car whilst I wait?"
-"Sorry, they are all booked, but we can get you one for next week."
Well they ordered the first engine ECU from Fiat in Italy and then promptly "lost it" in transit. I then had to wait for a new one to arrive. Bearing in mind I could not get a direct train from Colchester to Cambridge, you could see the problems this caused me.
Now aside from this problem in the last nine months,
1. It has been in once to have the passenger airbag sensor replaced and a further five times to have the passenger airbag sensor checked, because of the dreaded red airbag warning and "beep beep".
2. It has needed a new radiator.
3. It has had the front pads and discs replaced.
4. It has had the rear pads and discs replaced.
5. It drinks oil like a fish drinks water. For some reason, going round roundabouts makes this problem worse, then I get a new "beep beep" with "engine oil low."
Today - Engine starts misfiring again and the dreaded yellow engine light has come on. It's going back in to Fiat in Colchester tonight. I'm hoping it's nothing more than the ECU, as the replacement one is luckily still under warranty.
I'm now starting to look at leasing a car rather than keep going through this every few months.
I've now paid out half the value of the car in keeping it on the road.
Sorry to say Fiat, never going to get another.
Three months after warranty expires, first day of new job, coming back from Cambridge to Colchester, engine misfires. RAC man turns up, plugs in laptop, "it's your injector, can't tow you as the bodywork scrapes, have to call a tow truck to take your car to Bishops Stortford overnight (I was near Stansted) and then back to Fiat in Colchester in the morning."
Dealer plugs car in, says "It's the ECU, not the injector. You need a new one."
I say "Great, when can you get one".
-"Erm, we don't hold them in stock locally, we need to order one in."
"ok, that shouldn't take long?"
-"Erm, we don't hold them in stock here, we'll have to order one, - from Italy." (How stupid of me for thinking I'd purchased a Fiat, not a freaking Pagani Zonda.)
" So can I have a courtesty car whilst I wait?"
-"Sorry, they are all booked, but we can get you one for next week."
Well they ordered the first engine ECU from Fiat in Italy and then promptly "lost it" in transit. I then had to wait for a new one to arrive. Bearing in mind I could not get a direct train from Colchester to Cambridge, you could see the problems this caused me.
Now aside from this problem in the last nine months,
1. It has been in once to have the passenger airbag sensor replaced and a further five times to have the passenger airbag sensor checked, because of the dreaded red airbag warning and "beep beep".
2. It has needed a new radiator.
3. It has had the front pads and discs replaced.
4. It has had the rear pads and discs replaced.
5. It drinks oil like a fish drinks water. For some reason, going round roundabouts makes this problem worse, then I get a new "beep beep" with "engine oil low."
Today - Engine starts misfiring again and the dreaded yellow engine light has come on. It's going back in to Fiat in Colchester tonight. I'm hoping it's nothing more than the ECU, as the replacement one is luckily still under warranty.
I'm now starting to look at leasing a car rather than keep going through this every few months.
I've now paid out half the value of the car in keeping it on the road.
Sorry to say Fiat, never going to get another.
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