Technical Electrical issues

[Lisa Taylor]

Hi There
I hope I am in the right section! My Fiat 500 is from 2013 and drove like a dream until two months ago when the warning lights on the dash came up, check engine and start/stop unavailable. Its been into 2 garages and had a service and then its been over in a diagnostic garage 3 times to find the fault - when I get it back it drives ok for a few days and then the other day the electrics tripped again and it lost power and went into limp mode. I managed to get it home ( all lights on and when I stopped the fan had kicked in ) and it went back in the garage. They then replaced the brake pedal switch ?? But could not clear the lights……its now been handed back to me and all the lights are back on. I am in Kent - does anyone know of someone my way who could help or do I take it to Canterbury to Fiat and take the hit? Ive read on here that maybe it could be the battery? Or coil pack ?? I am at a loss of what to do - thanks Lisa

 

[John202020]

Welcome, it's not a quick fix, first two common items that create all sorts of issues, rear hatch wiring(the wires that go to the tailgate short out) and engine earth strap corrodes .
Any members near to use multi scan?
You need to find out what fault codes are present before going forward but you also need to check the two items above as they are very common at your cars age

 

[Lisa Taylor]

Welcome, it's not a quick fix, first two common items that create all sorts of issues, rear hatch wiring(the wires that go to the tailgate short out) and engine earth strap corrodes .
Any members near to use multi scan?
You need to find out what fault codes are present before going forward but you also need to check the two items above as they are very common at your cars age

Hey thanks for that - no idea what multi scan is I’m afraid so I could not tell you. Engine earth strap - is that the cam belt or something different ? I had that replaced last year ( if it is ) but it could be re hatch wiring …….its been to about 4 garages now and I am thinking Fiat is the only option ? I know the fault codes - I drove it yesterday for 40 miles and it was fine, although the fan was on all the time ? But who knows, I am a bit exasperated if I am honest !

Thanks Lisa

 

[Baglady1990]

Hey thanks for that - no idea what multi scan is I’m afraid so I could not tell you. Engine earth strap - is that the cam belt or something different ? I had that replaced last year ( if it is ) but it could be re hatch wiring …….its been to about 4 garages now and I am thinking Fiat is the only option ? I know the fault codes - I drove it yesterday for 40 miles and it was fine, although the fan was on all the time ? But who knows, I am a bit exasperated if I am honest !

Thanks Lisa

@typcastboy is Kent also I believe Lisa hang on for a reply from him…. He’s a 500 wiz kid and runs multiecuscan like most of us.

The engine earth strap is down below the battery tray and goes from the body of the car to the gearbox… when the original fails & it does it can cause issues
As can the tailgate wiring … most of us have had to replace them
As for your cam belt….. do you know if the garage you chose did a phonic wheel re learn after completing the belt? Maybe you don’t know most ppl wouldn’t …. But if that wasn’t done you can get check engine light & start stop unavailable… just a thought!

 

[Lisa Taylor]

@typcastboy is Kent also I believe Lisa hang on for a reply from him…. He’s a 500 wiz kid and runs multiecuscan like most of us.

The engine earth strap is down below the battery tray and goes from the body of the car to the gearbox… when the original fails & it does it can cause issues
As can the tailgate wiring … most of us have had to replace them
As for your cam belt….. do you know if the garage you chose did a phonic wheel re learn after completing the belt? Maybe you don’t know most ppl wouldn’t …. But if that wasn’t done you can get check engine light & start stop unavailable… just a thought!

Oh no it goes on and on ……..I doubt very much they did the follow through ( tiny local garage ) re cam belt so that now also adds to the mix. I will wait to hear and see if @typecastboy comes back ( especially if he is Kent ) and then I think it will have to go to Fiat as the list becomes ever more complicated on what needs doing - I honestly feel so out of my comfort zone, I have no choice really. All this is great stuff though and at least I might know what to mention to them when I call.

Thank you so much !!

 

[typecastboy]

Oh no it goes on and on ……..I doubt very much they did the follow through ( tiny local garage ) re cam belt so that now also adds to the mix. I will wait to hear and see if @typecastboy comes back ( especially if he is Kent ) and then I think it will have to go to Fiat as the list becomes ever more complicated on what needs doing - I honestly feel so out of my comfort zone, I have no choice really. All this is great stuff though and at least I might know what to mention to them when I call.

Thank you so much !!

Hi Lisa, never fear, Typeastboy is here I'm in Orpington, 10 minutes from junction 4 of the M25. it sounds like originally they may have just cleaered the codes and hoped for the best. Sounds like an intermittent fault. Could be lots of things but you've ruled out one of them which is the brake light switch. As @Baglady1990 says it could be battery/earth strap/airbag ECU etc etc. Is your mileage flashing? If you want to bring it to me I can run the diagnostics on it and see if we can figure out what's going on.

 

[Baglady1990]

Oh no it goes on and on ……..I doubt very much they did the follow through ( tiny local garage ) re cam belt so that now also adds to the mix. I will wait to hear and see if @typecastboy comes back ( especially if he is Kent ) and then I think it will have to go to Fiat as the list becomes ever more complicated on what needs doing - I honestly feel so out of my comfort zone, I have no choice really. All this is great stuff though and at least I might know what to mention to them when I call.

Thank you so much !!

Be cautious with the dealer they may well flease you! If typecast boy can he will run diagnostics… the dealer will charge you possibly over £100 just to look a phonic wheel re learn takes 5 mins I dread to think what they would charge!

Wait for typecast boy …

 

[Baglady1990]

Hi Lisa, never fear, Typeastboy is here I'm in Orpington, 10 minutes from junction 4 of the M25. it sounds like originally they may have just cleaered the codes and hoped for the best. Sounds like an intermittent fault. Could be lots of things but you've ruled out one of them which is the brake light switch. As @Baglady1990 says it could be battery/earth strap/airbag ECU etc etc. Is your mileage flashing? If you want to bring it to me I can run the diagnostics on it and see if we can figure out what's going on.

Our hero

 

[Lisa Taylor]

Be cautious with the dealer they may well flease you! If typecast boy can he will run diagnostics… the dealer will charge you possibly over £100 just to look a phonic wheel re learn takes 5 mins I dread to think what they would charge!

Wait for typecast boy …

Thank you - will do

 

[Lisa Taylor]

Our hero

No flashing Milage but I’ve got a fan that’s now on all the time - are you just diagnostics or could you then fix and help with the part bit ( i only ask as the diagnostic guy here only did that and then it needed to go to a garage to try and sort out mechanical bit ? ) so my instinct is to get it to someone who can do both? I’m guessing I would have to leave it with you and then come back and get it ?
Thanks so much - L

 

[Baglady1990]

No flashing Milage but I’ve got a fan that’s now on all the time - are you just diagnostics or could you then fix and help with the part bit ( i only ask as the diagnostic guy here only did that and then it needed to go to a garage to try and sort out mechanical bit ? ) so my instinct is to get it to someone who can do both? I’m guessing I would have to leave it with you and then come back and get it ?
Thanks so much - L

I’d get the car to @typecastboy let him have a look and take it from there!
He does diagnostics.. mechanical & just about everything else… have a look on YouTube at his videos (love500) he pretty much does it all!

 

[Derbyfella]

I’d get the car to @typecastboy let him have a look and take it from there!
He does diagnostics.. mechanical & just about everything else… have a look on YouTube at his videos (love500) he pretty much does it all!

And he’s unbelievably ‘ansom’ Wears his pants outside his trousers and everything.
@typecastboy has always responded to my queries however small, so if you get in touch with him I’m sure he will help you out. I’m not very impressed with your local garage.

 

[A3jeroen]

What a compliment to be called a kid Paul
But pretty sure you can tackle this

gr J

 

[typecastboy]

Well I'm not a garage, I do this on my drive. If your fan is on thats either the coolant temperature sensor which is located in the thermostat (about £25) or the resistor in the fan which are about £16. The latter takes 5 minutes and is the most likely candidate out of the two. I can certainly run your diagnostics but you wouldn't really be able to leave the car with me as I'm on the drive of my house so not quite as easy as that. Its most likely I will be able to tell you what the problem is though. We can look at the resistor and test your battery, look at the earth strap and do diagnostics. Diagnostics should tell you if its the thermostat as that would throw up an error.

 

[Lisa Taylor]

Our hero

Hi There
I’ve got you - is there a way I can contact you to discuss more, love to give it a try if you do not mind helping? This sounds fantastic !
Lisa

 

[typecastboy]

Hi There
I’ve got you - is there a way I can contact you to discuss more, love to give it a try if you do not mind helping? This sounds fantastic !
Lisa

You can email me at [email protected]. I'm not around this weekend unfortunately.

 

[Lisa Taylor]

You can email me at [email protected]. I'm not around this weekend unfortunately.

Thank you and dont worry, I’m dropping you a line now - Lisa

 

[Lisa Taylor]

Thank you and dont worry, I’m dropping you a line now - Lisa

I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for taking ta look yesterday Paul - I now have it booked into Halfords for new builds and a battery and i will order the break pedal switch - just need to sort out why its going into limp mode now……

where is the best place to do a shout out for garages in kent that know about 500s?

 

[Derbyfella]

New builds?

 

[John202020]

New builds?

Bulbs I'd think