Technical My 2013 (63) 1.2L Fiat 500 Lounge Keeps Cutting Out While Driving

[Milly21]

My 2013 (63) 1.2L Fiat 500 Lounge keeps cutting out while driving. The fault codes that come up are all 4 ignition coils are circuit short to ground or open. According to my garage, these have been replaced a couple of times along with the spark plugs and leads. They have also checked over all the wires and cleaned up the connections. The ECU and dashboard were reconditioned recently. I also had a new battery fitted back in the summer. Sometimes when the engine cuts out, it immediately comes back on and I don't have to pull over at all, I can just continue driving as normal (as happened on Saturday night). Other times it cuts out, stays off and won't turn over. I'll pullover (or rather drift over) and then usually after a while I'll be able to start it. It may last a few drives after that, or it could immediately break down again. The garage said that after the ECU was refurbished and it broke down, there were no error codes showing. However, I hooked one up today and it's the same ignition coil codes. It's running now, with no warning lights and I've cleared the error codes. I don't fancy driving it around knowing it will breakdown at any second. I've attached an image of the warning lights. The messages that show are "Check engine" and "Start&Stop unavailable". The issue started in April last year, which after having the ignition coils, etc, changed, it lasted until December (not including when the battery went as that was 11 years old, so it was expected). I know it sat for a couple of years before I purchased it, which certainly doesn't help The garage is close to giving up but I really don't want to. They're running out of ideas and any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Derbyfella]

Not going to be much help here - but if the ignition coils keep failing that would suggest the issue isnt there.
Just trying to clarify what im reading above...when the garage say they have replaced the ignition coils is that because they think they are faulty or because they are trying to treat symptoms? (part bingo).
Could you add the pic

lastly what did you use to check error codes?

 

[Milly21]

Not going to be much help here - but if the ignition coils keep failing that would suggest the issue isnt there.
Just trying to clarify what im reading above...when the garage say they have replaced the ignition coils is that because they think they are faulty or because they are trying to treat symptoms? (part bingo).
Could you add the pic

lastly what did you use to check error codes?

I think they’re just replacing them to treat symptoms. When they realised the ignition coils themselves were fine, they moved on to the wiring and the ECU. Warning lights picture now attached I’ve also attached the fault code reader I used below: https://www.argos.co.uk/product/6876166?clickSR=slp:term:car diagnostic tool:6:78:1

 

[ZaphodB]

Engine earth strap ?

The fault codes that come up are all 4 ignition coils are circuit short to ground or open.

That's one extreme to the other , literally !

I'd be tempted to check conditon of engine harness (and any connectors) all over, and that engine earth strap on a 12 yo car isn't gonna look pretty.

 

[Ralf S.]

Zaphod got it, I think. Replace the earth strap (the twisted wires inside a black plastic sheath.. runs to the gearbox).

The rest is just probably symptoms of the earth circuit going AWOL at random, and the car/ECU is just giving you its best guess what went wrong.


Ralf S.