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Technical Car stalled and now will not start

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Technical Car stalled and now will not start

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sams500

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Car started fine and I was just exiting a roundabout and it stalled. Tried starting it but no joy. All the lights lit up, could not see the wood from the trees. Thankfully no one hit me and I managed to push the car out the way.

Tried starting it but it cranked a few times and then the battery died. Battery will need to be charged but I am sure that doesn’t explain it cuttingnout.

I did a search and the only thing maybe the ground wire. I am not sure it’s in my skill list! Would anyone know what I could try and could they recommend a decent garage or preferably a mobile mechanic for NW London, near Uxbridge

Thanks
 
I'm hoping by now the car is recovered somewhere safe.

Need a few more details.
Engine?
How/why did it stall? Were you a bit clumsy with the clutch, miss a gear/wrong gear, or something else. Were you changing gear? Did you hit a pothole?
How many miles?

This could be mechanical, fuel or ignition.
Mechanical: Cambelt broken? Get the covers off and see, or try to turn it by hand and see if you can see the camwheel rotating. Would expect engine management light on with warning of mistimed cam.
Fuel: There's a fuel cutout, in case of a collision. These can occasionally pop over hefty bumps, but we'd expect a warning light to say so.
Can you hear the pump in the tank run when you turn the key to ignition?
Ignition: Failed coils (doubtful, as unlikely for both to fail at once), or failed crank sensor. If you picked up a twig, plastic bag, or other debris in the crank pulley it can damage the sensor. These also fail occasionally.

If it cranks ok, main earth cable unlikely, but worth checking.
 
Thanks I had the cam belt etc all changed last year.

It stalled as I was putting on the power exiting a roundabout and just died. No potholes or bumps hit.

Lucky I managed to push it up the hill with the help of a very nice man!

Went back this morning and the fuel cut-off script is showing on the dash. I turned the key a couple of times and can hear a clicking sound assuming that the solenoid is ok.

I am charging the battery- it’s a couple of years old. The earthing straps I can see all look clean and tight so I don’t think it’s an earthing issue. Mileage is something like 15k, but the car is about 7 years old.

Thinking back it also cut off a few days ago, but then started and was fine for the rest of the evening, so I thought nothing of it.

Both times I was coming off the clutch and putting the power on. I am not why depressing the clutch would impact it.

In terms of the battery shall I just stick to the standard 40mah? My car is a non s/s so don’t need the bigger one.

Also whether relevant or not, quite often the red light for the steering comes on but the steering is fine.

Thanks for any help.
 
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Regardless of how new the cambelt is, it may have broken or skipped. So don't discount it.

Fuel cut-off script suggests the cut off switch has activated. Check the handbook and find it, see if it needs resetting. It shouldn't be that sensitive, but if you are harsh releasing the clutch you might be triggering it.

Steering light and few attempts to start before flat suggests battery is dying. When offered a new one, check the manufacturing date, on it somewhere, only accept one less than 3 months old. If they've been on the shelf longer than that, they'll have a short life.
 
PB, I am going to struggle with checking the cambely as taking covers on and off is a bit too much for me.

I will try the battery first. Is it worth me charging the old one?

Also, is there a pdf download of the manual as I can’t find mine.
 
Hi I think it will be the battery which as a cell or two going down, so I think new battery will solve problem. These days the electrics on cars require the exact amount of voltage and current, or all kinds of faults are caused.

Ade:wave:
 
I am going to buy the Varta tomorrow. The only one is on an optimate but it’s been on for about 10 hours and is not even weak. Hopefully you are all correct and all I have to do is change the battery and do the fuel cut-off bit.

I am surprised it worked on Tuesday and then just did a start and collapsed!
 
IMG_2753.JPGthis is how to reset the fuel cut off.
 
sams500 said:
Just so I am not being thick , MAR/ON is the first click of the ignition?
Click to expand...

Not thick at all, unless you speak Italian. MAR is when all the lights on the dash light up, but before you activate the starter.

MAR is Italian for Run, so is normal position of switch when driving. Once you've been around Fiats for a while, you'll just call it MAR like the rest of us.

For workshop manual, here's a download. https://www.fiatforum.com/downloads.php?do=download&downloadid=446

You need to download all parts, then you need a rar program (Google Winrar) to create a CD image from them, then write to CD and run it from there. A long time since I did one, the instructions are on the forum somewhere.
Install Winrar, and follow its instructions to create a CD image, point it at file 1 and let it go from there. I'm sure it just works.

Alternatively, or additionally, a Haynes is very useful, at times easier to read. Even if you'll never take the car to bits yourself, a Haynes helps you understand what needs to be, or is being done. Haynes book 5558 does 500 and Panda. Comes in a lovely blue colour, very nice on bookshelf or coffee table. (Sorry, rambling now)
 
If there are multiple battery options (e.g. the diesel or the S/S models might have batteries which are the same physical size but have a bigger electrical capacity) then I'd get the one with the biggest capacity that will fit.

Even if your car only has minimal electrical needs (no S/S and no diesel engine to crank over) a higher capacity battery will have an easier time of it and last longer... as well as having more amps in the meantime and taking longer to go flat, should you need it.

Hopefully your car is cutting out because the battery is failing and nothing else. The mileage suggests it was idle for long periods, which does tend to discharge the battery/reduce battery life. A new battery would sort it.


Ralf S.
 
update - oddly the battery charger said 'good' on the battery so I wanted to get the car home, so fitted it.


It did start but the fuel cut off procedure was a bit strange as my indicators blinked and never stayed on, when doing the right, left, right, left procedure.


I had to do it about 5 times but thankfully I managed to drive it home and put it on the drive.


I think the battery is gone, so will get a new one and hopefully that will be the end of it!


Thank you all very much for all your help, I am very grateful.
 
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