Technical Punto randomly cuts out

[jammajunkies]

Hello all, ok I have a really strange issue with my daughters punto grande 1.2 2007.

You can be driving down the road and all of a sudden the engine light will come on, the temperature guauge will go into the red and the light will come on that is just to the right of the H, the speedo goes to zero and the engine cuts out for a split second.

Now if you do nothing it will obviously start again like you are bumping it as you are still moving, it's just like you have turned the key on the ignition if that make sense.

If you are idling and it happens, the same thing happens to the gauges again and it cuts out, turn the key straight away and it starts no problem.

Now I have done a scan on this with a snap-on diag tester and it finds no fault codes at all, running the car and having this scanner connected and it happens it still does not throw up any codes.

Down to the Fiat garage I go and they do the diag test and there answer was, we have no codes present so we advise trying a replacement ECU at a cost of £680 to see if this fixes it, no guarantees, I declined of course and am no further forward, any help on this would be a massive help. :worship:

 

[Ziggy122]

Hello all, ok I have a really strange issue with my daughters punto grande 1.2 2007.

You can be driving down the road and all of a sudden the engine light will come on, the temperature guauge will go into the red and the light will come on that is just to the right of the H, the speedo goes to zero and the engine cuts out for a split second.

Now if you do nothing it will obviously start again like you are bumping it as you are still moving, it's just like you have turned the key on the ignition if that make sense.

If you are idling and it happens, the same thing happens to the gauges again and it cuts out, turn the key straight away and it starts no problem.

Now I have done a scan on this with a snap-on diag tester and it finds no fault codes at all, running the car and having this scanner connected and it happens it still does not throw up any codes.

Down to the Fiat garage I go and they do the diag test and there answer was, we have no codes present so we advise trying a replacement ECU at a cost of £680 to see if this fixes it, no guarantees, I declined of course and am no further forward, any help on this would be a massive help. :worship:

Any chance of a code read?

 

[flisko]

hello there old buddy

ofcourse they always recommend the most expensive replacement

try typing randomly cuts out to search or click link below, someone had same problem as you for sure

https://www.fiatforum.com/search.php?searchid=8186858

 

[Ziggy122]

Been a 2007 - Grande, its in the wrong section as well

I've reported - so hopefully the mods will move it for you

But stalling and suddenly overheating is a weird electrical fault....

Ziggy

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I would suspect from your description it's a power supply fault, not battery but engine ECU power, hence no faults being recorded because as far as the Ecu is concerned it's just been turned off.

I'd start looking at the earths and ecu supplies under the bonnet

 

[bittered]

Experiencing the exact same issue. Did you manage to figure it out?

 

[Bernievarian]

Honestly I don't think You'd ever receive any reply from 2012 and 2015 posts ...

Andy was giving the correct direction (IMO): check for ECU power supply AND grounding, also time to check the main grounding from battery to chassis to gearbox. And don't trust a visual inspection only: it needs to be checked the right way !!

Normaly, the battery ground clamp has spare bolts on it: you can use it to connect an heavy gage wire and connect the other side to a good chassis ground, i.e. where there are already grounds connected, like for the front lights. Once connected, see if the problem is gone... Be aware though this is a TEMPORARY setup only for troubleshooting purpose !!!

BRs, Bernie

If someone here helped You fix -or better, understand- your issue, hit the thanks icon @ bottom right corner, it's free and makes us feel helpy ;-)

 

[varesecrazy]

Experiencing the exact same issue. Did you manage to figure it out?

What car / variant is it?

 

[bittered]

What car / variant is it?

2007 Punto Grande 1.4.

 

[bittered]

Honestly I don't think You'd ever receive any reply from 2012 and 2015 posts ...

Andy was giving the correct direction (IMO): check for ECU power supply AND grounding, also time to check the main grounding from battery to chassis to gearbox. And don't trust a visual inspection only: it needs to be checked the right way !!

Normaly, the battery ground clamp has spare bolts on it: you can use it to connect an heavy gage wire and connect the other side to a good chassis ground, i.e. where there are already grounds connected, like for the front lights. Once connected, see if the problem is gone... Be aware though this is a TEMPORARY setup only for troubleshooting purpose !!!

BRs, Bernie

If someone here helped You fix -or better, understand- your issue, hit the thanks icon @ bottom right corner, it's free and makes us feel helpy ;-)

Thanks for this Bernievarian. Are there any guides on checking the ECU power supply? I'm a complete noob here.

 

[varesecrazy]

Experiencing the exact same issue. Did you manage to figure it out?

Tell us more..

Owned it long.. any weird issues around the car?

 

[Jay123]

I'm having the same fault,
2007 grande punto had it 2 years,
Engine runs supper sweet and starts first time
Just recently (2weeks) I went over a tall yellow bump and the car just cut out dead, wouldn't let me restart, had to drop it back and then it kicked up,
Since then every time I drive the car it will just cut out
•lights stay on
•engine temp need to high(red light)
•sometimes yellow engine light
•steering dual drive fault comes on sometimes
^(took fuse out and now it's gone and works)
•steering goes very light (no steering)
Turn it off and restart - car runs smoothly like nothing happen

Took it to the garage
They said could be spark plugs as they are 2 years old and high smell of fuel for how small the engine is but it doesn't Miss fire when running and is very smooth running?

Different garage
Could be the electric steering colum as common fault with fiat 07 cars

Another garage
No fault codes at all

Still cuts out anyone got any ideas?

 

[jackwhoo]

I'm having the same fault,
2007 grande punto had it 2 years,
Engine runs supper sweet and starts first time
Just recently (2weeks) I went over a tall yellow bump and the car just cut out dead, wouldn't let me restart, had to drop it back and then it kicked up,
Since then every time I drive the car it will just cut out
•lights stay on
•engine temp need to high(red light)
•sometimes yellow engine light
•steering dual drive fault comes on sometimes
^(took fuse out and now it's gone and works)
•steering goes very light (no steering)
Turn it off and restart - car runs smoothly like nothing happen

Took it to the garage
They said could be spark plugs as they are 2 years old and high smell of fuel for how small the engine is but it doesn't Miss fire when running and is very smooth running?

Different garage
Could be the electric steering colum as common fault with fiat 07 cars

Another garage
No fault codes at all

Still cuts out anyone got any ideas?

The - ve lead joining the engine/gearbox and car bodywork has likely broken inside the insulation.

Fit new negative battery lead and negative lead between engine and body work.

Do it soon before it causes other problems.

 

[varesecrazy]

I'm having the same fault,
2007 grande punto had it 2 years,
Engine runs supper sweet and starts first time
Just recently (2weeks) I went over a tall yellow bump and the car just cut out dead, wouldn't let me restart, had to drop it back and then it kicked up,
Since then every time I drive the car it will just cut out
•lights stay on
•engine temp need to high(red light)
•sometimes yellow engine light
•steering dual drive fault comes on sometimes
^(took fuse out and now it's gone and works)
•steering goes very light (no steering)
Turn it off and restart - car runs smoothly like nothing happen

Took it to the garage
They said could be spark plugs as they are 2 years old and high smell of fuel for how small the engine is but it doesn't Miss fire when running and is very smooth running?

Different garage
Could be the electric steering colum as common fault with fiat 07 cars

Another garage
No fault codes at all

Still cuts out anyone got any ideas?

3 garages..and no proper diagnosis..?

How much labour did they charge for?

PAS could hint at electrical circuit.. but the PAS Should leave fault codes

In the Body computer.. not Engine

 

[Jay123]

The - ve lead joining the engine/gearbox and car bodywork has likely broken inside the insulation.

Fit new negative battery lead and negative lead between engine and body work.


Do it soon before it causes other problems.

Thanks dude I'll give it a look this weekend hopefully and I did get the first 2 garages too look at it for free (old mates) before they closed for the day, and the 3rd was (10) to run a quick diagnosis on some thing he plugged in my car he also said it could be an earthing fault,
But that I'd have to get some electrician to look at it,

So is that the earth that goes from the battery to the gear box? Or is there another?

Thanks in advance

 

[varesecrazy]

Thanks dude I'll give it a look this weekend hopefully and I did get the first 2 garages too look at it for free

So is that the earth that goes from the battery to the gear box? Or is there another?

Thanks in advance

Yes..thats the one


A length of decent gauge wire bolted on top of it (at the same points) will offer a good test repair

Just help carry the load .. starting and PAS are heavy loads

 

[Jay123]

Yes..thats the one


A length of decent gauge wire bolted on top of it (at the same points) will offer a good test repair

Just help carry the load .. starting and PAS are heavy loads

Thankyou I'll have a look see what I can do with the father in law, someone recommended changing the fuel pump relay as this can cause it to cut out? Is that sound advice or not?

 

[Jay123]

Changed the earth to no avail, also changed the relay but I did notice my pump it self is making a noise like a loud whining noise, sounds like it maybe over working , side not I have been running the car during lockdown on reserve a lot due to no money) but I put in half a tank so I'm wondering if it has picked up some crap out the bottom and is somehow blocking it sometimes when I'm driving,

Also instead of going completely dead now, sometimes the car will stutter and the high temp light will comeon for like 5 seconds and then go back to halfway and run as normal?

Might try to check the float and fuel filter,

Once the other day when it cut out it said I had no petrol even though it was half full, and it stayed like that until I topped it up again 5 minutes later,

It is struggling to start now aswell every morning like the starter is sticking but doesn't Miss fire and that shouldn't effect it when it's running,

Once it's been started and run a few times it starts no problem.

Last resort I think is the fuel pump and filter after that I'm stumped ?

(Did try putting in some red ex but hasn't done much

 

[jackwhoo]

Changed the earth to no avail, also changed the relay but I did notice my pump it self is making a noise like a loud whining noise, sounds like it maybe over working , side not I have been running the car during lockdown on reserve a lot due to no money) but I put in half a tank so I'm wondering if it has picked up some crap out the bottom and is somehow blocking it sometimes when I'm driving,

Also instead of going completely dead now, sometimes the car will stutter and the high temp light will comeon for like 5 seconds and then go back to halfway and run as normal?

Might try to check the float and fuel filter,

Once the other day when it cut out it said I had no petrol even though it was half full, and it stayed like that until I topped it up again 5 minutes later,

It is struggling to start now aswell every morning like the starter is sticking but doesn't Miss fire and that shouldn't effect it when it's running,

Once it's been started and run a few times it starts no problem.

Last resort I think is the fuel pump and filter after that I'm stumped [emoji848]

(Did try putting in some red ex but hasn't done much

Sounds like your battery is very very low on charge, charge battery asap.
This is very common due to lock down.

 

[jackwhoo]

Plus there is an earth that goes from gear box to body work or from battery to bodywork that needs changing / beefing up too