Technical Squealing when coasting - regen hybrid issue?

[vaughan33]

Hello!
I have a 2021 panda cross hybrid. !6k miles done so far. It is awesome for the most part although I wish it had a little more grunt uphills!
Recently it has started squealing like crazy when I am coasting in gear - the way that the hybrids charge their batteries. I have been looking for not found any other descriptions of this fault. No recalls or anything.
I'm assuming that there is a belt or a pulley issue. The fault comes and goes - I took it to my local garage this morning and naturally it wasn't making the noise at all.
It tends to happen on a longer run, once the engine has warmed up a bit.
Has anyone else come across this problem? Any clues?

 

[The Panda Nut]

Im not familiar with thr hybrid system but understand it is a belt driven system. I would ask your dealer to check it and retension the belt. You dont want the expense of a belt change. This ought to be a warranty job.

 

[vaughan33]

Im not familiar with thr hybrid system but understand it is a belt driven system. I would ask your dealer to check it and retension the belt. You dont want the expense of a belt change. This ought to be a warranty job.

Yes, thats what I'm thinking. Spoke to the dealer it came from the other day - they hadn't heard of any others. Funnily enough it seems to have stopped making the noise now - sods law - the minute I start doing something about it, it stops!

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Basically when coasting the alternator is being used to generate power but not like an alternator, shunts are used to force it to generate a much higher amount of power than an alternator would. So it puts a lot of pressure on the belt. When moving off the motor/generator works in reverse adding some power to the engine taking some of the load off but again that power is put through what we'd normally call the fan belt, serpentine belt or just auxiliary drive belt. I am sure on a mild hybrid the belt is beefed up a bit, but It may just be with cold weather and some moister getting in, it had allowed it to slip as it would be under a lot more tension than a normal belt.

Maybe still push the issue with Fiat as its under warranty. They may put a new belt on and check the tension which will probably resolve any future problems. The other thing is if in a year or so's time the generator/motor fails you may be able to argue an out of warranty claim that the signs where there, and them inspecting the car was proof of a pre-existing problem.

Nice looking car btw.

 

[timmycm850]

Yep. Keep it going back to the dealer and get it under warranty. Keep records for future cover too.
Tim

 

[varesecrazy]

@vaughan33 got any updates?

 

[vaughan33]

@vaughan33 got any updates?

Sorry yes. I went to the nearest main dealer and they agreed it was a warranty issue with a bearing in the pulley which engages the regen belt. All better now.

 

[Panda IIs]

Sorry yes. I went to the nearest main dealer and they agreed it was a warranty issue with a bearing in the pulley which engages the regen belt. All better now.

Thanks; always helpful to get updates.