Hello everyone, I have a Fiat Uno 1100 Mia apparently 2000 model (It's my first car). I have very little knowledge about cars but here's my problem.

When my choke is off and I put the car on (not the engine) 2 lights go on looks like a battery light and an oil light and my electronics doesn't work can't see how much petrol I have, air-con, lights etc. doesn't work. When I turn the key further to put the car on nothing happens but when I put the indicator on and try again it starts.. weird.


When the choke is on (pulled out) everything is normal and it starts (3 lights go on Battery, Oil and this ! exclamation mark light is on and my air-con works etc.) but when I drive and push it back in the car almost back fires and my heat meter goes insane it like goes back and forth and my car starts slowing down.


My car has been flooded (wasn't use to cars with chokes) and driven in rainy weather and on wet roads. (this weird stuff started happening when my father had to use my car for a month)


He said he sent it to a mechanic because one day my car didn't want to start and he had to get people to push him to get the car started. The mechanic fiddle with my wires under the bonet and it worked again but not like it use to. So my guess is my electronics are messed up maybe 2 wires touching each other? or wires got wet or something I'm not sure because I don't know about cars.


Please help me I don't have money to send it to a mechanic at the moment and thank you in advance.


(By the way I can make a short video of my problem if you'd like?)

Hi,
Sounds like a bad earth (ground, chassis) connection. When you pull the Choke knob the cable is making a ground (Haven't driven a UK car with a manual choke for years). There should be a heavy cable or strap between tthe engine block and chassis. There is also one between the battery neagative and chassis. Check these are A. there , B. not broken or worn, C. No corrosion, D. Bolts are tight. Fit/repalce/clean/tighten as required.
As a quick fix, attach a heavy cable between the battery negative terminal clamp and the engine block.

Funny, everytime I go to West Africa (Ghana) I seem to do lots of car repairs!

Robert G8RPI.

LeRoss said:

(By the way I can make a short video of my problem if you'd like?)

Click to expand...

Please do. It is sometimes helpful to see the problem.

Ok, I made a video and I haven't fixed the ground connections yet (still waiting for my fried to help) I also noticed that big fan doesn't work. By the way I spent like 30 minutes writing subtitles that didn't save in the video so please excuse the bad sound quality and my accent.


Just type in Schalk Rossouw in YouTube and you should see Fiat Forum Uno as a title. or type this in at the end of YouTube /watch?v=E21dBWcBuMI

Thank you for the support.

Schalk, thanks for the video. Definitely a strange issue.

First off, the large fan...It won't turn until the engine has reached a temperature of roughly 90degrees (The temp needle will be on the halfway mark). This is normal.

Take the air box off and follow the choke cable (marked 'C' in red) through the engine bay into the car and under the dashboard. See if it is interacting somehow with any of the electric cables under the dash. My guess is when you push the choke back in, the cable or the choke handle is pushing against / touching a wire creating a short. Start with area directly behind the choke under the dash.


There is 1 nut, 2 clips, 1 pipe and one last clip (marked by the blue 'x') to remove.



Or like g8rpi said, it might be the grounding that requires attention. If you're able, take a quick trip to an auto electrician. I doubt it'll be a large or expensive job.

Keep us updated on how you get on