[nkg77]

Originally Posted by Bhargava_sr

My Punto has done just 500 kms and from past 100 kms I feel the car has lost the Torque. It was really behaving good when it was delivered.

Engine is struggling to pull the car in the lower gears. I feel turbo is not opening properly even after 2k RPM. We have to push the car very hard.

Also there is a squeezing belt noise which increases when accelerated and decreases when de-accelerated.

I visited the Tata SC in hosur and the Technical manager had no clue and he asked to take the car to Prerana Motors in Bangalore to inspect the car using 'EXAMINER'.

I am really worried since its a new car, I might visit Prerana this Thursday.

Fiat Gurus - Is there any thing we can inspect / fix before I go to Prerana.

Ask the SA to check the tubes to the turbo, I suspect a leak somewhere.

[Bhargava_sr]

Originally Posted by nkg77

Ask the SA to check the tubes to the turbo, I suspect a leak somewhere.

May be your correct, because I can also hear some kind of air leakage noise.

[aqualeo2040]

Good news! Finally!

I had reported 2 issues:
1. There were lots of vibrations from 80kmph.
2. I could hear a whistling sound which varied in intensity with the engine revs. Sounded just like the turbo whine (and sounded sweet too). Was not sure if my turbo had got some issues.

Thankfully both the issues are resolved now.

1. Since my front right OEM alloy broke on my trip to Chikmaglur, I had replaced the entire set with 98pcd alloys from EVO.
Seems we need to put a hub ring as the aftermarket stuff dont fit flush. This is generally taken care of by the guide nuts in the OEM rims. Got those rings in from A1 Tires (Jayanagar). Ilyas was really helpful. Got my callipers painted as well (sportly red it is). Now my ride is as smooth as ever.

2. Booked an appt for Prerana on tuesday.
Surendra said that this is because of the amplifier . It was a bit difficult for me to digest the fact that my Focals were producing sound emulating a turbo whine. C'mon, its a Punto and not a Tesla!
Well, we took the car to the workshop, turned the HU off and the whine was still there.
Then Surendra disconnected the amp from the battery and lo, the sound was gone! The engine revved as sweetly as ever without any whining sound! We also connected the OBD scanner and no errors came up!
So, my Auditor sub is smart enough to provide some addictive turbo whines as a accoustic pleasure for a fast drive .

With some fun boxes around the corner which Santa has dropped in UK with my friend, I am soo loving it!

[milestogo]

There were lots of vibrations from 80kmph

Hi - i have the same issue on my 1.3 mjd. Have run 35k kms on oem tires. Could you tell me what you did to resolve? Was it wheel balancing or something else that resolved?

[gp_fanatico]

Originally Posted by milestogo

Hi - i have the same issue on my 1.3 mjd. Have run 35k kms on oem tires. Could you tell me what you did to resolve? Was it wheel balancing or something else that resolved?

Yes, Wheel balancing should resolve the issue.

Are you running on Goodyear GT3s? If yes, in-case Balancing does not work, then you can ask the technician to check uniformity of the Tyre surface. Also, a wheel rotation is advisable.

[DeepChat]

I am facing a similar pick-up/turbo issue with my Punto. It is 2 yrs old, and recently finished my 3rd free service. Its run about 28K kms.

While driving, the pick-up just dies sometimes. The RPM takes forever to move from 1K to 2K and the turbo doesn't kick in even at 2K. If I switch off the AC, the throttle response is a little better, but no where near normal.

The kicker is that if I switch off the car and re-start, the problem goes away (reminds me of Windows OS ). The throttle response is normal. This pick-up problem cant be predicted, and happens right out of the blue. But everyday, I face this issue atleast 2-3 times during my daily commute of 30 kms.

The first time I faced this a few months back, I went to FASS and they cleaned the EGR module. I then took the car on a long drive from Bangalore to Hyderabad and back. This pick-up issue re-surfaced. I then continued driving it for another 300 kms (within the city) to try and detect a pattern. But no luck. So I gave the car back to the FASS. Over the last 2 days, they have checked the filters and cleaned the EGR hose. But when they took it for a long-ish test drive of 15 kms, they again noticed the issue. So now they are checking the intercooler and the turbo for leakage.

From the previous posts, it looks like they are on the logical track. But I suspect that this is more of an electronic problem (ECU/sensors/etc). Else why would a re-start solve the problem temporarily?

If the experts have some inputs and can help, that would be great. The car is becoming pretty unreliable, and I am seriously considering replacing it (in case FASS is unable to solve this).

[lifeinpune]

I am also having similar issue with my Punto 1.3 MJD 2010. It has done 102,000 kms. The clutch was replaced at 79,000 KMs and the Timing Kit was replaced at 94,000 KMs. I am not exactly sure whether it was after the clutch replacement or the timing kit replacement, but the pickup has gone down noticeably. This is especially true at 2nd and 3rd gears. i notice that there is a noticeable lag in these gear shifts before the car picks up speed. I also noticed that this problem becomes more pronounced with additional load ( co-passenger or rear seat passengers ) and some duration of city driving. I can clearly feel the loss in pick up on inclines in the 2nd and 3rd gears. As the RPM hits 2K mark, the engine keeps growling but the car does not lunge forward like it used to earlier. Believe me during the first 60,000 kms, the Punto would pull vigorously even on inclines. On flat roads, it would lunge forward if you step on the gas. But not anymore. I recently did a Bangalore-Pune run. Once in the 5th gear, I could go as high as 160 KMPH. Although the progress is slower compared to earlier.

1. Could it be the Turbo or any of the turbo hoses being loose ?
2. Or is it some looseness in the clutch assembly ?

I am not very hopeful of the FIAT technicians being able to help me. They don't even realize the problem, so I am not sure how they are going to diagnose. I would really appreciate some advice from the experienced folks here.

The frustrating part is that I have not been able to explain this to the FIAT service center guys. They say that the car is fine. But I have been driving it for 5 years every day in all sorts of driving condition and I can clearly see that it has lost punch.

[GrammarNazi]

Originally Posted by lifeinpune

I am also having similar issue with my Punto 1.3 MJD 2010. It has done 102,000 kms. The clutch was replaced at 79,000 KMs and the Timing Kit was replaced at 94,000 KMs. I am not exactly sure whether it was after the clutch replacement or the timing kit replacement, but the pickup has gone down noticeably. This is especially true at 2nd and 3rd gears. i notice that there is a noticeable lag in these gear shifts before the car picks up speed. I also noticed that this problem becomes more pronounced with additional load ( co-passenger or rear seat passengers ) and some duration of city driving. I can clearly feel the loss in pick up on inclines in the 2nd and 3rd gears. As the RPM hits 2K mark, the engine keeps growling but the car does not lunge forward like it used to earlier. Believe me during the first 60,000 kms...

1. Could it be the Turbo or any of the turbo hoses being loose ?
2. Or is it some looseness in the clutch assembly ?

I am not very hopeful of the FIAT technicians being able to help me. They don't even realize the problem, so I am not sure how they are going to diagnose.

...They say that the car is fine. But I have been driving it for 5 years every day in all sorts of driving condition and I can clearly see that it has lost punch.

Facing a similar issue with my 2009 MJD, its done 74000kms.

Upto 68000km there was no such issue, the car would surge ahead brilliantly in 3rd gear after crossing 2000RPM.

Checked the Turbo-hose for leaks, EGR, even changed oil (& filter) ahead of schedule, accelerated to 4000RPM 3-4times as suggested by a friend. The ASC says the turbo is fine, and there are no error codes coming up either.

But that *kick* has just gone.

All I know is, this started after I once jumped a near invisible-hump on the road at ~40kmph, after that the car just hasn't been the same.

F.A.S.S. is just acting clueless about it - they don't seem to care unless it involves something where they'll make money in Labour costs.

I'm searching for solutions too, please do update here if you find anything.

Regards

[humyum]

Originally Posted by lifeinpune

I am also having similar issue with my Punto 1.3 MJD 2010. It has done 102,000 kms. The clutch was replaced at 79,000 KMs and the Timing Kit was replaced at 94,000 KMs. I am not exactly sure whether it was after the clutch replacement or the timing kit replacement, but the pickup has gone down noticeably. This is especially true at 2nd and 3rd gears. i notice that there is a noticeable lag in these gear shifts before the car picks up speed. I also noticed that this problem becomes more pronounced with additional load ( co-passenger or rear seat passengers ) and some duration of city driving. I can clearly feel the loss in pick up on inclines in the 2nd and 3rd gears. As the RPM hits 2K mark, the engine keeps growling but the car does not lunge forward like it used to earlier. Believe me during the first 60,000 kms, the Punto would pull vigorously even on inclines. On flat roads, it would lunge forward if you step on the gas. But not anymore. I recently did a Bangalore-Pune run. Once in the 5th gear, I could go as high as 160 KMPH. Although the progress is slower compared to earlier.

1. Could it be the Turbo or any of the turbo hoses being loose ?
2. Or is it some looseness in the clutch assembly ?

I am not very hopeful of the FIAT technicians being able to help me. They don't even realize the problem, so I am not sure how they are going to diagnose. I would really appreciate some advice from the experienced folks here.

The frustrating part is that I have not been able to explain this to the FIAT service center guys. They say that the car is fine. But I have been driving it for 5 years every day in all sorts of driving condition and I can clearly see that it has lost punch.

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

Facing a similar issue with my 2009 MJD, its done 74000kms.

Upto 68000km there was no such issue, the car would surge ahead brilliantly in 3rd gear after crossing 2000RPM.

Checked the Turbo-hose for leaks, EGR, even changed oil (& filter) ahead of schedule, accelerated to 4000RPM 3-4times as suggested by a friend. The ASC says the turbo is fine, and there are no error codes coming up either.

But that *kick* has just gone.

All I know is, this started after I once jumped a near invisible-hump on the road at ~40kmph, after that the car just hasn't been the same.

F.A.S.S. is just acting clueless about it - they don't seem to care unless it involves something where they'll make money in Labour costs.

I'm searching for solutions too, please do update here if you find anything.

Regards

Some questions.

1) When was the airfilter cleaned/replaced?

2) Have both of you got an alignment done recently? A front end which is toed in too much ( but within specifications) will cause a similar kind of feeling as you guys are facing. I am very sensitive to all this so I feel all to the T.

3) Tyre pressures? Try increasing it a bit and check if anything changes.

4) Has the weather changed suddenly to become hot? Do u guys feel the pickup the same during cold of the night too?

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by lifeinpune

1. Could it be the Turbo or any of the turbo hoses being loose ?

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

But that *kick* has just gone.

All I know is, this started after I once jumped a near invisible-hump on the road at ~40kmph, after that the car just hasn't been the same.

Check the intercooler and get it cleaned once. Tighten the plumbing to the turbo so that there is no leakage.

Do hook the car to an OBD 2 reader for getting data and also to see if there are any error codes.

[GrammarNazi]

Originally Posted by humyum

Some questions.

1) When was the airfilter cleaned/replaced?

Air filter was changed when car was serviced at 61k, post that it was cleaned every 2-3000 kms during check-up camps. Last week they said it can be used for next 3-4k kms because it's clean.

2) Have both of you got an alignment done recently? A front end which is toed in too much ( but within specifications) will cause a similar kind of feeling as you guys are facing. I am very sensitive to all this so I feel all to the T.

My car has a slight negative camber (alignment done at 66k kms). Still, I'll visit a good alignment center once again.

3) Tyre pressures? Try increasing it a bit and check if anything changes.

32psi is what I fill when tyres are cold, else max 33psi.

4) Has the weather changed suddenly to become hot? Do u guys feel the pickup the same during cold of the night too?

Nope, checked when I did 200km of night driving. I'll try again next week.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Check the intercooler and get it cleaned once. Tighten the plumbing to the turbo so that there is no leakage.

I'll try this as I may go for the check-up camp tomorrow/day after.

Do hook the car to an OBD 2 reader for getting data and also to see if there are any error codes.

Done this, no error showed up. Will again get them to check for error codes.

Thanks guys, will update by end of this week after checking everything.