[lapis_lazuli]

Dear all,

Suddenly, since today evening, the turn indicator stalk will not auto center after actuating. If I turn right, it resets on straightening the steering. But if I turn left, and then straighten steering, I can hear a distinct click, but the stalk doesn't reset or return and left blinker continues to operate.

I spoke to the GM of an ASS: he says whole stalk change is not required these days and some child part needs to be replaced. Cost approximately INR350.

Any ideas on this? My car is 2.5 years old, and I didn't expect this to fail considering how carefully the car is maintained!

[wanderer4x4]

Originally Posted by lapis_lazuli

.......the turn indicator stalk will not auto center after actuating. If I turn right, it resets on straightening the steering. But if I turn left, and then straighten steering, I can hear a distinct click, but the stalk doesn't reset or return and left blinker continues to operate............Any ideas on this? My car is 2.5 years old, and I didn't expect this to fail considering how carefully the car is maintained!

I have this problem with my car and I think it is a common issue with the stalk. I insisted on having this resolved under warranty, but since the useless Fiat ASC did not have any parts in stock and nor were they interested in ordering the parts, they repaired the stalk with some thermocole lying around the workshop and charged me Rs 250 as labour charge.:banghead: Even after the repair it does not work flawlessly.

If you have extended warranty then demand for a replacement (though I don't know whether this is covered in EW) or else get this repaired with actual spares (and not with packing material like me).

[lapis_lazuli]

The strange part is, since today morning, it has started working again. All I did was, move the steering to the extreme left and then to the extreme right, twice. Each time, I consciously turned the stalk AFTER the steering rotation, hoping the issue would get resolved on its own !

(Normally I have to do this exercise everyday, to get out of my parking slot. Today I had to do it twice because of another car awkwardly parked.)

Since then, I have used the turn indicator at least 10 times on my way to work, and it has worked each time except once, when the left-turn steering travel itself was very small. Had it been broken, it wouldn't have worked normally ever I think. Anyway, I will wait and watch: if required I will change it!

[Speed Pujari]

Originally Posted by lapis_lazuli

The strange part is, since today morning, it has started working again. All I did was, move the steering to the extreme left and then to the extreme right, twice. Each time, I consciously turned the stalk AFTER the steering rotation, hoping the issue would get resolved on its own !

(Normally I have to do this exercise everyday, to get out of my parking slot. Today I had to do it twice because of another car awkwardly parked.)

Since then, I have used the turn indicator at least 10 times on my way to work, and it has worked each time except once, when the left-turn steering travel itself was very small. Had it been broken, it wouldn't have worked normally ever I think. Anyway, I will wait and watch: if required I will change it!

I think I am a little confused. Is it that the issue did not fix after taking the car to FASS? Or are you saying you did not go to the FASS at all?
If latter is true then I think it will take lesser time to take it to FASS rather than finding solution off the net. Please don't take me wrong, I am talking this based on my personal experience.

If posted here, we will get judgmental and our advices may start giving you sleepless nights, ultimately we may start bashing Fiat(evident in my sentence to follow) etc.

The entire stalk replacement is not as small as it may look from outside. Its a pretty big (and expensive) unit which is not available even at Multi brand, grand, Brandini Fiat Dealership at Florence, Italy.
The manager there advised me to procure one from scrap dealer

[lapis_lazuli]

Originally Posted by Speed Pujari

I think I am a little confused.

...
The manager there advised me to procure one from scrap dealer

No, don't be! It was just a hunch that I had and tried it out. I had been to FASS, at the end of day, and was advised to change a "child part" and not the whole assembly. Seemingly, 2012 onwards, the design has been changed so that whole assembly replacement is no more required. So, it is a matter of 350INR instead of a few more zeroes. I didn't have time to get it changed, but probably I will. What I did, was indeed snake oil treatment, and snake oil treatment is just that: it only sends the problem to hibernation!

[avira_tk]

I just found out that the boot struts have failed on my punto, does anyone know if it's covered under extended warranty? I know that EW covers anything that is not subject to wear and tear, but is there an alternative to FASS, like getting the palio part and fixing at a workshop.

[khoj]

I have had boot struts replaced under warranty, so that at least tells us it is not exempted as "wear & tear" part. Try it out at the A.S.C. am sure you will get replacement though they might take a day or two in getting approval from the 3rd party that provides the extended warranty coverage to Fiat vehicles.

Originally Posted by avira_tk

I just found out that the boot struts have failed on my punto, does anyone know if it's covered under extended warranty? I know that EW covers anything that is not subject to wear and tear, but is there an alternative to FASS, like getting the palio part and fixing at a workshop.

[vinodvayyat]

Originally Posted by avira_tk

I just found out that the boot struts have failed on my punto, does anyone know if it's covered under extended warranty? I know that EW covers anything that is not subject to wear and tear, but is there an alternative to FASS, like getting the palio part and fixing at a workshop.

I had got the boot struts replaced under normal warranty since it lost its action partially. I've not found boot struts mentioned in Extended Warranty coverage. But it certainly doesn't fall under category of parts that are subject to normal wear and tear.

[AbhishekE]

2 months update on my Punto 90HP:


The car's done just over 2000 kms. Its been fabulous to drive. I've strictly followed the running in guidelines and kept the right pedal in check at all times.


There was a minor rattle coming from the back which was immediately resolved in Balaji Fiat's service center in Turbhe. The panel just below the parcel tray was a little loose. The service representative even pointed out that the gear shift was a bit rough and adjusted the settings accordingly. Full points to them.

A couple of queries:

I got the 3M anti rust treatment done a couple of days after delivery and Mumbai received its usual insanely high amount of rainfall this season. Any things I need to look at or get checked in particular?

I've been getting an approximate mileage of 13.5 kmpl with 100% AC and complete city driving. Also note that I have driven it sedately during this period. I know that this is bound to improve over time, but aren't the figures a little too low? Any things I need to look at?

[vinodvayyat]

Originally Posted by AbhishekE

I've been getting an approximate mileage of 13.5 kmpl with 100% AC and complete city driving. Also note that I have driven it sedately during this period. I know that this is bound to improve over time, but aren't the figures a little too low? Any things I need to look at?

It depends on the amount of traffic you faced. 13.5kmpl with 100%AC ON in comparatively high traffic is a good mileage - considering the fact that you would've used 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears mostly.

[suhas_raj]

Originally Posted by AbhishekE

I've been getting an approximate mileage of 13.5 kmpl with 100% AC and complete city driving. Also note that I have driven it sedately during this period. I know that this is bound to improve over time, but aren't the figures a little too low? Any things I need to look at?

Bound to improve over time ?

May be not too much, perhaps by another km or 2, that's it !!

That's what I have been getting for the last 5 years on my Punto within the city (Bangalore). Its also to do with the terrible turbo lag in crawling speeds and the fact that it does not allow upshifts due to the stop and go traffic :banghead:

Highway runs however will yield close to 20 km/l figures.

[riturajsharma19]

Guys, any DIY fix for a jammed bonnet? Perhaps the lever has gone kaput.

[GrammarNazi]

FIAT is holding a Service Camp with free check-up, so I decided to give my Linea at KHT (Bangalore).

What's the max GC with suspension upgrade ? (I've given my 70.7k kms done '09 Linea MJD in). The SA said max was 185mm.

Also, since the past ~1500 kms I've been *feeling* a slight lag in the turbo band (2000 - 3000 RPM). When reported before, they checked the turbo-hose and found NO issue. This time I insisted on a test drive, after which SA suggested cleaning the EGR valve. I've requested to blow/clean the air filter & check MAF Sensor.

Any suggestions/advice?

[GrammarNazi]

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

FIAT is holding a Service Camp with free check-up, so I decided to give my Linea at KHT (Bangalore)....

Update :
Suspension upgrade : 185mm is a blessing for Bangalore's un-scientific humps. I couldn't find any difference with the handling (even ride quality seems almost the same).

Front Left Elastic pad ('suspension mount') and some 'Wink' (Rubber pads for rear springs) and too were changed. Just last year these were changed along with alot of other stuff (& a 40k+ bill), I've driven very carefully since then, dunno how they got spoilt within just 9500kms .

A glow plug was changed. The SA also wanted me to change some front tie rods (IIRC), I refused & asked him to leave it be for time being (ironically past 2-3 times when I went to the check-up camps, they'd said all was fine - barely driven 2000kms during the past 6 months). SA also suggested some coating near the exhaust pipe, the same too was rejected.

They checked for OBD error codes & said the turbo boost is fine. I still don't feel the surge as before, but what I think doesn't matter coz I can't be bothered anymore, I've no interest in digging further, I barely use the car anyways, let it deliver low boost & low mileage, if something serious crops up I'll cross the bridge when it comes.

Anyway, regular service is due after another 5000 kms, I'll change other items that time. Apparently next service estimate is 14k (including 10k for standard service & fluid replacements and 3k to 4k for all these minor replacements).

Spent ~16.5k today (& Saved Rs.2000/- thanks to service camp discounts). Personally IMO, FIAT seriously needs to improve quality of spares (Example : My Linea's 'Elastic Pad / Suspension Mount' should've held-up better, not just 9500k kms of careful driving).

Also, maintenance & service costs really do need to be a tiny bit more rationalised, (10K estimate for standard servicing isn't really low even by industry standards).

Apart from the above, even after reminding them during all the previous visits, they've still not changed the ownership details in the FIAT DMS. Even still, SA wants me to remind him before he opens the Job Card next time because the DMS system was too slow!

*Fingers Crossed* Hoping for a decent ownership experience further on with more reasonable service costs & better maintenance with decent quality spares.

[sdp1975]

Originally Posted by riturajsharma19

Guys, any DIY fix for a jammed bonnet? Perhaps the lever has gone kaput.

I've had a jammed bonnet about 5-6 times on my Punto. Pulling the lever I could feel the tension in the cable but the bonnet didn't open.

Strangely, every time the problem used to go away by itself mysteriously after a few hours mysteriously, and once by a hard yank on the lever.

I reported the problem at the ASC and now the bonnet opens with a snapping sound that was missing earlier. I wasn't charged anything so I guess they may have made some minor fix like tightening the cable.

Bonnet not opening is a known niggle with the Punto - certainly with the earlier batches.