General It wont start!

[Alfie38]

After a couple of months of pleasurable ownership I jumped in the 500 (59 reg 1.2 sport) this morning and it wont start It turns over fine and has plenty of fuel but just isn't firing. It's in daily use and did 70 or 80 miles yesterday with no indication of a problem. When I'm turning it over the stereo comes on and displays the message "can check". Is this a clue to whats wrong or just a 500 quirk? I fear I may need to make the Dealer call Your experiences will be greatfully recieved.

 

[KaZetec]

Sounds like an electrical fault. Possibly the immobiliser.

 

[RUI]

Try starting it with your spare key.

 

[V8burble]

As said, it does sound like an immob fault. I presume the remote central locking worked fine so battery in remote ok

 

[Alfie38]

Thanks for the responses. I've been and tried the spare key but no joy. The remote central locking works fine as well. I've called the dealer who said "if you bring it in we will look at it under warranty." A bitter sweet moment indeed The immobiliser suggestion makes a lot of sense now. I appreciate your help.

 

[frupi]

It'll probably be sorted with a diagnostic reset.

 

[snes]

I'm trying to follow dealer logic. "My car wont start" "OK, bring it in and we'll look at it."
Have I missed something obvious here?

 

[V8burble]

I'm trying to follow dealer logic. "My car wont start" "OK, bring it in and we'll look at it."
Have I missed something obvious here?

LOL, it wasn't just me that thought that then

 

[jrkitching]

I'm trying to follow dealer logic. "My car wont start" "OK, bring it in and we'll look at it."
Have I missed something obvious here?

Just like my favourite computer error message:

"Keyboard not detected - press <F1> to run the setup utility"

 

[frupi]

There's always the option of not doing anything with it and just having a useless piece of scrap sat outside your house because it doesn't work anymore.

Sorry, just thought the last couple of posts were a little cynical.

If you can't get the car to start, how you going to get it to the dealer? Do you have breakdown at home cover? Or are you having it towed to whichever garage takes your fancy. I'm working on the assumption here that the vehicle is still a non starter and you are not qualified to get it going yourself. Clearly, not doing anything at all, I suspect, is not an option.

 

[Alfie38]

Looks like I'll have to tow it there with our other car. Couldn't help but chuckle at their response though!

 

[frupi]

I'm just thinking. Did you buy your car brand new? If so, you will have AA cover for the first year? Not sure, but if Fiat's AA cover is like my Cadillac AA cover, you can call them out to your home address, AA will have a look at it and try to fix it, if they can't they will take it to a garage of your choice.

 

[jrkitching]

Looks like I'll have to tow it there with our other car. Couldn't help but chuckle at their response though!

When you take it in, leave both keys with the dealer - if the immobiliser needs reprogramming or replacement, they will need to be inserted in turn as part of the process.

Hope you get it sorted without too much extra hassle.

 

[cainy1989]

if the key code light is on constant on the dash try removing the battery for 30 mins and try again, I've had the same fault with my bravo and it cleared that, its either going to be a fault with the ignition antenna, poor earth or a fault with the immobiliser unit itself

 

[loveshandbags]

if the key code light is on constant on the dash try removing the battery for 30 mins and try again, I've had the same fault with my bravo and it cleared that, its either going to be a fault with the ignition antenna, poor earth or a fault with the immobiliser unit itself

:yeahthat:
I normally remove the negative terminal - the one on the right as you look at the battery. You can always try leaving it disconnected overnight which is 'normally' not advised.
Here on '09 cars onwards our warranty is 3 years along with 3 years full AA cover. So I can't see any reason why a call cannot be made to them - it could avoid a tow charge if it was something 'simple'.

 

[frupi]

I realise this is an utterly boring attitude to take, but as the car is under warranty, why not just play it absolutely safe? Touch nothing. You've tried your spare key, there obviously appears to be a problem. If if isn't going to cost you anything calling out the AA because it's included in your first year, then I'd personally do that. If you disconnect the battery, unintentionally mess something up, short something out or whatever, you will be the one to suffer. Any warranty claim will get ditched like a sack of you know what. As always, any decision you make, is entirely off your own back.

 

[loveshandbags]

I realise this is an utterly boring attitude to take, but as the car is under warranty, why not just play it absolutely safe? Touch nothing. You've tried your spare key, there obviously appears to be a problem. If if isn't going to cost you anything calling out the AA because it's included in your first year, then I'd personally do that. If you disconnect the battery, unintentionally mess something up, short something out or whatever, you will be the one to suffer. Any warranty claim will get ditched like a sack of you know what. As always, any decision you make, is entirely off your own back.

I'm sorry frupi - I wouldn't agree with this. Removing a connection on the battery isn't going to 'mess things up'. A problem that can arise from leaving the battery disconnected too long is the 'flashing mileage problem' which involves a 're-alignment' by the dealer - essentially a 5 min job. Batteries go dead so the car should be able to 'cope' with a dis-connection. A lot of problems have been solved on the FF with a temporary dis-connection e.g. dualogic gearbox automated 'changes'. IMHO it is worth a try.

 

[rossco1978]

disconnecting the battery or trying the spare keys will not work. The immobiliser get its information from the can network. If the can network is faulty it will not start. There is no back up for the immobiliser circuit unlike the earlier fiats which have a k-line as a back up. If you have a multimeter i could give you the voltages and pin numbers to check the can network at the diagnostic plug which is at the lower right hand side of the steering wheel behind the cover but it will be under warranty so you would be as well to get it up lifted

 

[Super Uwe]

Hi Alfie38,

Sorry to hear of your troubles with your car, not a nice feeling.

I would be inclined to agree with the previous posts on here re it being an electrical/immobiliser fault.

However - with it being a 1.2 engine and the problem occurring on a November morning, some 500's do need a bit extra turning over as they are not keen on the cold weather! This is a problem (or quirk!) which randomly manifests itself on some 500's like ours.

How long were you cranking the engine for? The only reason I ask is that if your 500 has got this strange quirk and it wasn't cranked for long enough the first time, it then becomes more difficult to start for each attempt thereafter.

Appreciate this may not be of much use anyway, but you might find a longish crank does the trick this time around. If not, well you can click the dislike button, haha!

 

[frupi]

Hi Alfie38,

How long were you cranking the engine for? The only reason I ask is that if your 500 has got this strange quirk and it wasn't cranked for long enough the first time, it then becomes more difficult to start for each attempt thereafter.

Actually, I think the symptom you describe above is attributable to more marques of vehicle than we realise. I know for a fact on several vehicles I have owned, and our Mazda used to be like this and indeed my Chrysler also, if you turn the key and you don't crank it for long enough and then try and start it again, sometimes it just wont 'ave it! Must be something to to with signals sent to the EMCU or something, because from experience, trying again 5 or 10 minutes later, the car invariably would start. Clearly, I am not intimating that Alfie's motor is suffering from the same sort of issue, it probably is an immobiliser problem and I would therefore still call out the AA, let them look at it and if necessary, get them to recover it to the dealer and have it fixed under warranty.