General Milage Flashing Constantly

[Langym93]

Hi,

I’m in need if some help with my wifes Fiat 500x 65 plate. We bought it from a dealer with the milage on the dash flashing. They are being a complete nightmare, they said they have taken it to a Auto Electrician and they said they can’t fix it. So now the dealer is saying the head unit needs replacing. Has anyone else had this problem and does this sound like what is needed to fix the problem? They said the head unit must have been changed at some point and that our vehicle should have had a head unit with a CD player. This is there exact words. I’m not very clued up when it comes to electronics in cars. Everything on the car works electronically and the mileage still goes up when driving, it’s just constantly flashing.

They have had the car for over 2 weeks now and my wife is heavily pregnant and we desperately need the car soon as possible. At first we wanted to return the car for a full refund as the cars already been in once to be fixed and the problem wasn’t fixed. They refused a refund as they said they are willing to fix it but with the customer service we’ve received and there attitude when speaking to them, they just seem to just want to sell a car and forget about you and not wanting to help.

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi,

General info:

The car uses a CANBUS network..
A chain of minicomputers/devices

The flashing mileage is due to the vehicle "missing a circuit.. Like a break in the chain

In the 2 door cars it's often a failed component (Blue and Me module)

But your issue could be simply the Head Unit isn't the factory original.. And so the network doesn't "see it", thinks the network is incomplete

In the 2 door 500 the failed B+M can drain the battery quite quickly (doesn't shut down when key is out)

That Might be a concern with yours.


Supposedly the car can be plugged in to "Learn NewNetwork",
then it accepts the new Head Unit, no flashing mileage..


Is this a FIAT dealership?

 

[Langym93]

Hi,

General info:

The car uses a CANBUS network..
A chain of minicomputers/devices

The flashing mileage is due to the vehicle "missing a circuit.. Like a break in the chain

In the 2 door cars it's often a failed component (Blue and Me module)

But your issue could be simply the Head Unit isn't the factory original.. And so the network doesn't "see it", thinks the network is incomplete

In the 2 door 500 the failed B+M can drain the battery quite quickly (doesn't shut down when key is out)

That Might be a concern with yours.


Supposedly the car can be plugged in to "Learn NewNetwork",
then it accepts the new Head Unit, no flashing mileage..


Is this a FIAT dealership?

Hi,

Thanks for your response. It’s a 5 door and it isn’t. Fiat dealership just a car dealership near my address. They’ve been there a while so I thought they must be okay to buy from but stupid us we didn’t read the reviews before purchasing. Just unsure what the best approach is as we paid for 12 months warranty which covers pretty much everything within the 12 months but before we even purchased the car they said don’t worry about any problems we’l get it fixed but it’s becoming an absolute nightmare. Not sure if they are clever or just dam right clueless. Always see someone different who knows nothing about the car or the person who is meant to be dealing with us happens to never be there when we go up there to ask questions. Received no phone calls on updates of the car either. I had to go up last Friday to see what was happening, they’ve received the car back and the guy just said he doesn’t know whats happening and that he thinks the head unit possibly needs changing. So my wifes and I are just going about our lives wondering whats going on. I’ve been tempted to get the car back from them and get someone else to fix it and take the hit on the cost but I literally have no idea on where to take the car, do I take it to a Fiat Dealership?

Thanks

 

[s130]

I'm no solicitor but I believe they have to fix the problem and in a reasonable time frame or offer a full refund and the the car back.

I would not remove it from them for someone else to fix as you will have no further rights or comeback with them for this issue.

Options for you are: (I think?)

o citizen's advice
o house insurance legal help line
o car insurance / breakdown insurance legal help line
o other free legal help line
o solicitor's letter
o small claims court / mediation service (up to £10,000)

And whilst this is going on they should provide you with a free courtesy car.

 

[Langym93]

I'm no solicitor but I believe they have to fix the problem and in a reasonable time frame or offer a full refund and the the car back.

I would not remove it from them for someone else to fix as you will have no further rights or comeback with them for this issue.

Options for you are: (I think?)

o citizen's advice
o house insurance legal help line
o car insurance / breakdown insurance legal help line
o other free legal help line
o solicitor's letter
o small claims court / mediation service (up to £10,000)

And whilst this is going on they should provide you with a free courtesy car.

Okay thank you. I’ll have to look into what my options are. I’ll probably contact citizens advice again and see what they say. I’ll have to look into the rest as not sure how you go about doing that.

I thought they had to as well but they just said they haven’t got any.

 

[s130]

Well certainly read these:

https://www.theaa.com/car-buying/legal-rights

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/conten...mer-rights-act-protect-you-when-you-buy-a-car

On the second link:

If you find a defect after 30 days, but within six months, you can request a car repair or replacement. The dealer chooses which is the best and more affordable option for them, so you usually can’t ask for your preferred choice. You are entitled to this right if the fault was there at the time of delivery, unless the seller can prove it wasn’t.
Well your flashing speedo was there on delivery so they have to fix it.

I would also suggest that this has to be done in a reasonable time frame.

https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/legal/car-repairs

Repairs will be carried out with reasonable care and skill and within a reasonable time.

As well as consulting the earlier suggested advice/legal parties trawl through the links I've put here and look for others. Then list the relevant "Act" and the relevant items they are falling short on or failing to do. Put this in a "formal" complaint letter and either hand deliver it or send it by recorded/signed for post. Alternatively Email is now considered legally accepted so you can also send the same as an Email but remember to check the "read receipt"/delivery notification option in you Email program.

Please NOTE! I've only had to ever deal with a purchased used car issue (Fiat Strada 70CL) and a reluctant / poor Fiat dealer and that was years and years ago so like you I'm coming to this fresh etc.

 

[Ralf S.]

They need to get it onto a Fiat diagnostics system. That will tell them what "module" the car thinks is not aligned/integrated or is missing.

It sounds like someone/something has already told them it's the stereo head unit.. in which case they need to re-align it... but the Fiat diagnostics will tell them precisely what it is.

If it's the head unit then it could be that it isn't completely compatible and won't talk to the car's electronics.. but I don't know what the "legal" answer becomes, if that's the case.

Ralf S.

 

[s130]

They need to get it onto a Fiat diagnostics system. That will tell them what "module" the car thinks is not aligned/integrated or is missing.

It sounds like someone/something has already told them it's the stereo head unit.. in which case they need to re-align it... but the Fiat diagnostics will tell them precisely what it is.

If it's the head unit then it could be that it isn't completely compatible and won't talk to the car's electronics.. but I don't know what the "legal" answer becomes, if that's the case.

Ralf S.

I would add that many of the professional diagnostic kit is as good as, and for some things better than Fiats. e.g. Custom Proxy Data Programming.

We don't know what the OP's dealer/garage in this case are using and may not have Custom Proxy Data Programming capability. I'm led to believe that the Fiat Diagnostics and Proxy programming will only handle OE units so a non Fiat OE head unit will not be catered for by Fiat's kit.

One could expect Fiat to want to only program / support their expensive head/radio/audio units and not other makes.

 

[s130]

I've seen the "Likes" so far to my post but also want to say "who actually knows". It is a well know fact that all equipment providers be they Fiat, Mercedes or your not so humble SMART TV that they are all playing games, obfuscation, limitations, clamp downs etc.

Things are only going to get worse IMHO unless the EU, UK, US etc say enough is enough and STOP these manufacturers holding people to effectively ransom / restrictive practices.