I've always noticed that it feels a little rough at idle like every 4 seconds there will be a sudden vibration from the engine. I thought nothing of it, the other day a warning light came on.
I put some oil in it yesterday and after about 15 minute started to make sure I hadn't over filled it (e.g to check for smoke) but I noticed the back box was very loud. I saw another Panda identical to mine and it was completly silent.
I think there is a problem where the mid box joins the back box and is letting a small amount of gases escape. This might be why the idle is slightly rough.
The warning light had a key symbol on it and is a quirk apparantly but other people have got it checked out and its turned out to be a dudd coil but my engine works perfectly - no signs of miss firing.
Either way I shall be booking the car in to get checked out. I will drive it round the block for about half an hour first just to make sure its not just the cold start, but either way its making a loud blowing noise.
I've noticed in my mates Panda I can't hear the engine at tick over but then I am always in the back of that, my engine is clearly audible.
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One of the joys of a new car, Rattle. It's under warranty, and inconvenience aside, not your problem. Book it in, and let them take care of it :-)
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Yep just a bit of a hassle as the dealer is 8 miles away cross city and my dads away all week so I will have no access to a car. Hopefully with something simple like this though it should be a while I wait sort of thing.
I am away tomorrow too as I am going with my dad to Scunthorpe to visit my 90 year old grandpa but coming back on the train so I can test drive it after that. The problem is my dads not coming back till Friday so it means no access to a car.
I just really hope they do sort it out under warranty and they don't start saying exhausts are excluded etc.
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>> I just really hope they do sort it out under warranty and they don't start saying exhausts are excluded etc
Not after 20 weeks and 1,000 miles they won't.
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they might do
i wont warrant exhausts tyres or clutches as these can all be damaged by customer input
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With respect I think there is a lot more consumer rights involved in a brand new £6500 car than a £500 Corsa. I've even made an effort that if I did use it for a short journey I would make sure the engine was fully upto temp before leaving it to ensure there was no water from condensation from the exhaust.
The exhaust looks brand new still too.
I don't think it needs any replacement parts other than perhaps a rubber sealent gasket.
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unfortunately these things are indeed consumable and depending on the reason for failure whether on a new car or a £500 banger will not be fixed free gratis if customer has caused the problem
soz like
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But I cannot possibly see how I could cause a rubber seal to fail other than poor fitting in the first place? I will take a photo underneath tomorrow as it might just reveal the problem.
I actually asked the dealer at the time about howe they warrant clutches at say 2000 miles and they said in almost all circumstances the clutch would be replaced under warranty. In fact on the Panda forum people are always getting the clutch bits replaced. I think the only part not under warranty is the plate due to wear but plates have been replaced under FIAT warranty if that wear was caused by other issues e.g not the driver.
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exhausts only have rubber bits for the hangy bits
clutches the main part is the clutchy bit
:-)
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Even if you did do all short journeys an exhaust wouldn't fail in 1000 miles. Have you whacked it on a speed hump?
Most likely to be bad fitting I would have thought. I'd kick up a merry stink if a 1000 mile old car couldn't have that repaired/replaced under warranty.
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>The warning light had a key symbol on it..
Ahh. Probably the flux capacitor.
>so I will have no access to a car.
Didn't you ask for a courtesy car?
Kevin...
Last edited by: Kevin on Sun 3 Oct 10 at 23:08
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I'm hopeless with rail planners but is it really cheaper to buy two train tickets than to put fuel in for a journey to Scunthorpe?
I'm looking at £27.80 off peak return * 2 = £55.60. Alternatively Manchester to Scunthorpe is showing as 82.5 miles = 165 miles return. Journeys show as just over 1hr 40m by train or car.
You car does, what, better than 40mpg? Let's say 40, so that's 4 gallons or just over 18 litres. Sorry I buy diesel once in a while, so assume petrol is 116.9 / litre, that's £21. All very approx of course and I assume no parking charges at the far end. But that takes you door to door in warm, dry luxury compared to walking / bus / tram / taxi cost and time to Piccadilly and the same at the other end. And waiting around for aforesaid to turn up.
The incidental costs, tyre wear, servicing etc are negligible to nil given the extremely low mileage you're doing. The extra miles won't incur an earlier service. Your tyres are going to crack and turn brittle before they wear out. Why not use the thing, enjoy it and get some value out of it?
John
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>> Yep just a bit of a hassle as the dealer is 8 miles away cross
>> city and my dads away all week so I will have no access to a
>> car. Hopefully with something simple like this though it should be a while I wait
>> sort of thing.
>>
Two words to that:
'Courtesy' and 'car'. Insist on one. I never take my car to a garage that won't provide one. Like you say, it's just too much hassle.
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>>I put some oil in it yesterday and after about 15 minute started to make sure I hadn't over filled it (e.g to check for smoke)
Why?
Was it below minimum on the dipstick? Was it above maximum after?
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Unless the head gasket has gone I suppose. Could explain the wheezy sound....A new car shouldn't smoke. A simple look at the handbook tells you how much oil you need to put in. I usually put some in. Leave it 10 minutes then check the levels again then add more if it needs it.
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No signs of any HG problems, oil is perfectly clean etc no smoke from exhaust. I was just checking that as the dip stick is a little tricky to read. No signs of any water issue from the exhaust either. I know it is possible an HG to go but if it would have been there from day one. Its never even slightly over heated or anything.
I've put 250ml since I got it, its just below maximum now. That usage is fine by the handbook it says it will use a bit of oil at first.
I've never used the car for very short journeys either, a short journey usualy always takes at least half an hour.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Sun 3 Oct 10 at 23:16
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>> I've never used the car for very short journeys either, a short journey usualy always
>> takes at least half an hour.
sounds more like a long errand rather than a short journey :)
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>> I've put 250ml since I got it, its just below maximum now. That usage is
>> fine by the handbook it says it will use a bit of oil at first.
>>
If you don't start using the engine, it will always use oil.......
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It's probably a failed HG. These Pandas are notorious.
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Certainly living up to its name
Fix It Again Tony ;o)
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>> ................... to make
>> sure I hadn't over filled it (e.g to check for smoke) ..........
I check the oil with the dipstick. I wouldn't dream of looking for smoke as an indication of the oil level.
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So what's the update, R? We are all on tenterhooks...
Hope you had an enjoyable weekend anyway.
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Only using it for five miles today but tomorrow I need do at least 40 in it so I will know for sure then. It seems the problem was it was started from cold so it was reving highly (but I have no rev counter) but I listened to it again today when the temperature gauge was half way and it sounded much quieter, there is still a rumble sound from the back box but it was very faint.
I will know for certain tomorrow if it is a problem or not. I managed to have a look underneath and it looks like there is no signs of any problems with the way its been fitted but as its a short car the mid box is quiet small so the slight noise may be just due to the fact the exhaust is very short.
The only other explanation is there could be a very small gap some where but as the metal expands with the heat it closes as the engine warms up.
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Mate, these have a bit of resonance on the exhaust anyway. Especially the 100HP which appears to be deliberately engineered that way :-)
If it's running a bit lumpy then may I recommend a quick nip along the M60 in 4th gear - or the blat round via Woodhead and Holmfirth that I recommended to you about 18 months ago in another place, if you're feeling adventurous.
I have never yet encountered a FIRE engine of any size, be it 1.1, 1.2 or 1.4 (and either 8 or 16-valve variants of the latter) which didn't run better after vigorous exercise - in fact, I've never come across any sort of FIAT engine that didn't respond favourably to it.
Basically just get out there and unbung the ruddy thing. Or hire Ted or someone to assist you :-)
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I've got to Wilmslow in it tomorrow via Styal Road so that should be a good run it for it, once its up to temperature I may leave it in 3rd a bit too long too, that should get the engine running.
The warning light seems to be one of those things, a lot of Pandas have suffered from it but then its never caused any problems.
Mine isn't the 100HP, just the lowly 1.1 Active although it does gain a CD player and 12v output xompared with the earlier models.
Interestly but not quiet worthy of another thread is that ont he 30th of September FIAT stopped making the 1.1 FIRE unit. Now the most basic engine for the Panda is a 1.2 69bhp Euro 5 unit. I am not sure how much extra they will be over the £6k 1.1.
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>> Mine isn't the 100HP, just the lowly 1.1 Active
No, realise that, although yours and ours do share a colour...
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Amazing! You learn something new every day.
Today I learned that c4p.com swear filter allows Scunthorpe.
Wow.
Otherwise do as you've been advised, Rattle - give this thing a good blast accelerating from 3-6k rpm, followed by a 70mph Motorway burn in 4th for 10 miles.
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>> ...give this thing a good blast accelerating from 3-6k rpm, followed by a 70mph Motorway burn in 4th for 10 miles.>>
But do let the engine warm up first...:-)
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>> Otherwise do as you've been advised, Rattle - give this thing a good blast accelerating
>> from 3-6k rpm, followed by a 70mph Motorway burn in 4th for 10 miles.
>>
My advice ~ based on 45 years of largely trouble-free motoring ~ is to adopt the adage of "moderation in all things".
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My advice is to use things in the way in which their makers intended.
I can only imagine the life of a Fiat Panda in the hands of a young Italian is.... eventful.
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they certainly seem to get scrapes on all corners fairly quickly and dont seem overconcerned about it like us brits do
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After 5 months car needs its first dealer trip :( - DP
