Technical Radiator overheating

[cyberbabe]

Yesterday my dashboard showed the radiator light and said it was too high?
I called the breakdown service and the mechanic did a diagnostic check and said everything was ok?
But later when I went out in the car the light/sign came on again then an error message ESC? After which it said stop start hill climb? Were not available and it lost power and I had to get the car towed home
Any suggestions as to what it could be?

 

[A3jeroen]

Battery and/or earthcable 100% ok?

gr J

 

[cyberbabe]

Battery is less than a year old?

 

[A3jeroen]

And the earthcable?

gr J

 

[steveras57]

How old is the car?
After battery and earth cable the next suspect on anything pre 2020( and sometimes after!) is the hatch wiring!- pull back the rubber boot on the right hand side (hatch side rather that body side) and look for frayed or broken wires or signs of the wiring insulation dropping off?- this causes multiple problems and warning message's as it screws up the can-bus systems communication!.

 

[jrkitching]

Has the car got sufficient coolant?

 

[cyberbabe]

Thanks everyone I think I had better get a mechanic to look at it

 

[Skomervole]

If possible take it to somebody who knows Fiat 500s well (ideally an independent rather than a Fiat main dealer - due to cost) You haven't given your location but if you are within striking distance of Small Car Services nr Eastleigh in Hampshire or The Fiat Workshop in Royston, I would speak to them in the first instance (See Directory/Garages)

 

[Skomervole]

It sounds as though the problem is electrical rather than overheating - but if there is any suggestion that the car is running too hot don't drive it until the problem is resolved. Apparently overheating can wreck a small Fiat engine very quickly. It can be difficult to see the coolant level as the filler tube is semi -opaque. However if you remove the cap and shine a torch inside you will be able to see the level and the min/max marks from the outside of the filler tube (having said that I would hope that your breakdown service checked the coolant level)

 

[cyberbabe]

It sounds as though the problem is electrical rather than overheating - but if there is any suggestion that the car is running too hot don't drive it until the problem is resolved. Apparently overheating can wreck a small Fiat engine very quickly. It can be difficult to see the coolant level as the filler tube is semi -opaque. However if you remove the cap and shine a torch inside you will be able to see the level and the min/max marks from the outside of the filler tube (having said that I would hope that your breakdown service checked the coolant level)

Thank you my husband wasn’t able to see the coolant level so I will get him to do that I think it might be electrical as everything on the dashboard is lighting up I had an electrical problem before a few years ago when the boot wouldn’t open. I definitely won’t drive it the breakdown just ran a diagnostic check from inside the car and said it was all ok? So I drove a few miles then everything came on and it lost power so I had to be towed home