General Why won't my punto start?

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General Why won't my punto start?

scotslass64

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Mar 5, 2009
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I have the most frustrating problem with my car which over the past four weeks has got steadily worse despite four trips to the local garage! Problem is that it just won't start, turns over no problem at all but won't fire and then suddenly anything up to 1/2 an hour later it will! He put in a new crankshaft (I'm sure that's what he said but people have said no way), a new sensor and coils. Every time I pick it up from the garage "fixed" it starts first time (yesterday pm) then last night when I go to leave work, nothing for the first two turns and then starts, at the gym same thing, at Asda same thing but this morning.. spent five minutes before I had to leave to walk to work. Lunchtime I tried for a couple of minutes and it wouldn't fire then at 1.50 I decided to try again (muttering to myself that I was wasting my time) and it started first go!!!! Of course when I switched it off again it wouldn't start. Veeeeeeeeeery frustrating. It's booked to go on the diagnostic at my local Fiat dealer on Tuesday but I just wondered if anyone has any ideas?
 
this could be the battery as my punto would sometimes crank but not start or it wouldnt start untill ya tried a couple of times but my key code light kept flashing then i went out 1day and it wouldnt start atall i even tried jumping it and wouldnt even crank but everything else worked lights ect even the ignition came on. so first thought was that it wasnt the battery but went and got a new 1 anyway cheapest idea first lol and it sorted it starts every time x and it was the battery all along x
 
Thank you for your reply. The first thing the garage did was change the battery which worked for about 2 weeks. Oh well, it's booked in to the local Fiat dealer for a diagnostic Tuesday so fingers crossed. I haven't driven it since last Wednesday because although I can usually get it started once a day (not today so far) I wouldn't be at all confident that it would start again when I wanted to come home! I'm getting stressed out enough at having to get it started tomorrow night to drop off at the garage!!!!!
 
Did they change your alternator if not give that a go its got a good chance of bein that myn had the same problem and it was that not giving the battery enough carge!!
 
Thank you for your reply. The first thing the garage did was change the battery which worked for about 2 weeks. Oh well, it's booked in to the local Fiat dealer for a diagnostic Tuesday so fingers crossed. I haven't driven it since last Wednesday because although I can usually get it started once a day (not today so far) I wouldn't be at all confident that it would start again when I wanted to come home! I'm getting stressed out enough at having to get it started tomorrow night to drop off at the garage!!!!!

Ignition Switch ?
 
You say they changed the battery and it worked for 2 weeks?
You havent got an aftermarket stereo fitted by any chance?
If you have it could still be a battery problem as aftermarket stereos will drain the battery down if they arent wired into the cig lighter, or faceplate not removed.
No switched live on puntos.
Prob not, but just something worth checking!
 
I had a similar sort of problem, would leave car for a week and wouldn't start, then it turned into every couple of days then went down to every time when left for a couple of hours it would struggle. I got battery test and was fine so i changed the starter motor and now it starts perfectly every time and can leave it for ages now and will start.
 
You say they changed the battery and it worked for 2 weeks?
You havent got an aftermarket stereo fitted by any chance?
If you have it could still be a battery problem as aftermarket stereos will drain the battery down if they arent wired into the cig lighter, or faceplate not removed.
No switched live on puntos.
Prob not, but just something worth checking!

I do and that did cause problems when I first got it before I realised however now I never ever have the stereo on, in fact it's not even inserted.

Update today: completely dead - awaiting AA who I am hoping will take me to the Fiat garage (not the nearest but hey I can beg!) for it's diagnostic tomorrow.
 
Thanks everyone, it seems it could be many things so good that's it going to be hooked up to the diagnostic machine tomorrow. My local mechanic is as frustrated as me that he can't find the fault. I'll let you know what they say tomorrow.
 
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