General Yet more problems

[pc99]

Hi

I have several current problems with my Abarth.

1. The climate control seems to be misbehaving. It seems to be getting hotter and sometimes the vents don't seem to switch properly. It's been in to the dealers for investigation several times but they've never been able to find a fault. Anyone experienced anything similar?

2. The electric blind on the skywindow is no shutting fully anymore. It closes then jumps back a full section. I think it's that the tensioning is too tight or the anti-trap mechanism is getting confused. If you tap the close button, you can get it to within a few mm of fully closed.

The trouble with this one is that the dealers don't seem to have a clue. They want my car (in exchange for a 1.2 punto) for a full week to diagnose the problem. I'm also worried that if they strip out the roof lining, there'll be all kinds of rattles ever after.

And

3. I have finally resolved my biggest bugbear, and got rid of the Connect Nav +. I replaced it with a hard drive MP3 player and a PDA based Sat. Nav. unit.
However I can no longer set the clock, as this was done using the Connect +.

I didn't think this would be a problem, but I recently had some work done where the battery was disconnected. Now the clock is not only wrong but flashing continuously which is very distracting.

Again the dealers don't no what to do.

Any light that anyone can shed will be greatly appreciated.

 

[stilojay]

Hi Graham

I had the same problem with my skyroof & posted up in ere about three days ago... just got the car back fromt he garage this morning actually. The guy said he "re-programmed the roof and greased the runners" - its working now what ever he did.

 

[dexys]

Points 1 and 2. I have them both on my Abarth. No matter how I set the A/C Auto, Full Auto or any other possible combination the blower fan sometimes throws the air out other times not even the pressure of a fart. I select the floor and/or mid height vents and it only blows from the top, also noticed that the AC screen dims and brightens when the headlights are on and sitting in traffic...no pattern to it though as I thought it maybe voltage drop when ticking over due to voltage drop off but its not consitant when the idle of the engine, think it may just be right on the limit/poor voltage supply (cheap/poor circuit design) - just cosmetic so not really bothered too much about that.

As for the skyroof blind I have the same problem, though on one occassion there was a 'crack' sound from the blind when retracting and since then when closing it hits the end point then bounces back (think there must be some kind of magnet sensor switch which lets the blind know when it hit home and this has gone walkabout and thus the blinds doesn't know where it is), if I hit the retraction switch just as it reaches the close point it stops. At some point I'll pull the interior light assembly apart and take a look about for the home switch, as looking on the Fiat parts CD the home switch/sensor lives around that area.

 

[pc99]

Hi thanks for the responses.

Stilojay. I assume it didn't take a week for the dealer to sort out then. Maybe I should consider taking it to another dealer. Which dealer did you take it to?

Dexy's. My experience is exactly the same as you. I also had that noise once when opening the blind. But it hasn't done it since.

And my climate control LCD fades too. I've also had it occasionally blow heat air out of one side and cold out of the other, when the temperature is set to Lo (on both sides).

 

[stilojay]

Graham - I gave to the dealer Tuesday AM, and it was ready for collection yesterday (Thurs) PM.. it went to Ancaster's in Bromley, as that was who knew the car & previous owner etc

Dexys - mine had that similar problem, I 'finger tapped' it past a dodgely point, then it closed, then opened back to a louve or two back again (so like you I had to tap it when it was where I wanted it closed - unsafe to close when trying to eye the road) .. but i tested it a few times on the way to work after collecting it this AM and it all seems ok. My shutter blind was also catching at two or three points on the way back too - that seems to have been fixed now, so it smoothly runs back & forth cleanly.

Jay

 

[pc99]

Just thought people might like to know.

If you have an Abarth and remove the sat. nav. There is no way for the clock to be reset. This is from my dealer (Souls in Milton Keynes) who got the information directly from Fiat Technical.

So, as the battery has been disconnected for some work to be carried out, my clock is now totally wrong and flashing continuously, requiring me to stick a bit of insulation tape on it.

I'm hoping they can at least find a way of completely disconnecting the clock as the flashing is very distracting.

Don't suppose there's anyone in MK with an Abarth willing to let me borrow their sat. nav. for a few minutes to reset the clock is there?

 

[Stu DemonD]

The removal of Sat Nav and clock issues is a well-known problem on here, BUT at least it proved FIAT UK can get something right

I am not tooo far from MK, so unless a better offer comes up, come on over! What happens in BST though?

 

[HornetUK]

PC99 Are Souls any good as they were somewhere I was thinking of using for a service. They've only just become Fiat haven't they?

 

[pc99]

Thanks for the offer Stuart DemonD. The car's going back in for more work in a fortnight.
So I'll wait until after that, just incase they disconnect the battery again, and then maybe I'll send you a PM to sort something out if that's ok.
BST isn't really an issue. I'm not too worried about the clock showing the right time. It's the flashing that's the real problem.

And HornetUK, Souls seem better than Perry's in Aylesbury and as least they're local. They have reasonably good customer service (most of the time).
They've already done several bits of work for me, and not broken anything else in the process - which is pretty good for a Fiat dealer !!!

 

[noobey]

Hi,
I'm having quite a hard time with my ConnectNav+ unit...
I've just bought a stilo MW,multijet, 2006, with a nav unit which is malfunctioning.
1.The CD got stuck...
2. The SetUp button doesn't respond...which means i can't even change the time and date:bang: and it's frustrating

Any ideas on how am I gonna solve my troubles?
Tnx

 

[Argonought]

Have you read the 'sticky' at the top?

 

[12[X]]

surely connect nav would send a can message to set the clock - this can be recorded and sent via can line using laptop with elm interface? (same goes for examiner?)

sorry if this has been suggested before (no connect nav.. so i didn’t read the sticky)