Power Steering Problem with my Fiat Punto
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Anyway after contacting Fiat customer services and paying out £77 for a diagnostic they have agreed to pay for the repair. My advice get the problem sorted ASAP, it's obviously a fault with the Punto.
Thanks, Tref
hope it works
so welcome any solutions I presume it was the ECU attached to the botton of the motor that you changed. Another solution offered on this site, was, a carbon deposit between the 12volt input terminals of the Motor that had caused a tracking across and volt loss that caused the Power Steering to fail. Also a local garage that has so far changed three complete racks as suggested by Fiat. Has just discovered that the last exchange rack change has not cured the problem, the car is coming in for further checks, as the diagnostic test did not show a fault. I believe there are many possible faults in the design of this Power Steering system and any slight doggy electrical connection can cause a fault as the fuse to the motor is 60 amp and when on full load it will not take much of a high resistance bad connection to cause a fault and shut down the Power Steering. Fiat are not admitting that they have a problem, many have contacted Watch Dog at the BBC, so far no response, surely the car industry must be aware of this problem, as it is now over eight years since this model was fiited with electric power steering and thousands of owners are affected and are just being ripped off when they have to pay £500 plus for a complete rack, with no guarantee that the fault will not return.
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I don't think you should scrap it just yet, we are all hoping for a solution to this problem, the car is safe to drive although heavy steering, If you read these links you will discover that there are many reasons for the problem but not a real difinitive one, the most likely is the solution from Mike RE: the motor's 12 volt input terminals, make sure the battery is ok and check the fuse seating to the power steering. The Fiat main Dealer in Slough Forman mechanic says it will eventually be the Torque sensors and they change the whole Rack at a cost of £600, I believe this is unexceptable and Fiat should own up to a badly engineered system it has been present in all MK 2 Puntos and the latest Grande Punto, a friend has had his changed under warranty, but is now worried as the car will be out of warranty soon. I have a very skilled garage who are well aware of the problem and are investigating a Punto that has had a re placement rack fitted that did not cure the problem, they are trying very hard to find a solution, so hang on for a bit. I will let you know how things turn out
Hang on for a bit, in the mean time check all things mentioned in previous
I agree with you, I have contacted Fiat by phone and e mails,and they do not think it a re-call or big problem.
many thanks,
Previous posts suggested batter/fuse/motor cable checks etc... but these checked out OK. Contacted BBA-Reman who said it is just the relatively small power steering motor and the little ecu box that cause the problem. Replacement or repair of my units, same cost, but easy to dismantle and replace - must not turn steering or key "ON", before completing replacement. On eBay found a firm, ecu-testing, who said cheaper to repair/recon my units with 3 - 5 day turn around, for £150 + £9.80 p/p all plus VAT and 2 year warranty. So, decided to do that. The electric motor was easy, only 3 bolts to undo and then unplug the two cables (plus the rest) that plug into the ecu. There ecu is something else. It is held into a cradle by one M5mm x 16mm bolt, located on the far SIDE opposite the motor - towards the rear. Easy to locate. Has a MALE Torx head & insufficient space to use a Torx tool to remove it!!!. Eventually used a 6" adjustable spanner to undo it, but this was a VERY slow operation. I then discovered the bolt was far too long - prolonging the dismantling. I then got a M5 x 16mm hex head bolt and tried it. Eventually, after checking the FIAT bolt, I realised I needed to file or grind the end of the bolt, making it cone shaped (with a flat bit on the end to slide about when locating the threaded hole on the cradle. When the parts returned fitted the motor (dead easy) then managed to located the M5 x 16mm bolt into the hole, but it was a bit awkward. Best with door open and kneeling on newspaper - one hand from the front and other from back, turning the bolt with 2nd fingers to get it located & started. Thereafter, used an 8mm open ended one end and socket other end spanner (the M5 bolt is 8mm across flats). In spite of the restricted space it's do-able but slow going, only turning a little bit at a time do to restricted space. No chance of using a normal socket ratchet spanner. No wonder FIAT direct their garages to change the whole steering column - in spite of the customer having to bear the price burden. I reckon that a 12mm long bolt would be OK and quicker to tighten, but you definately have to file or grind the end to a cone shape in order to locate it into the mating threaded hole. Then clear the thread so it starts easily. All cars have their problems but this is lack of space design problem that FIAT should have rectified as production proceeded. Same as the overheating problem caused by radiator corrosion - get the Rad flushed every year!
I read the entire 18 pages of this thread, thank you very much for all the useful suggestions. We've got a petrol Punto 1.2 16V (99 or 2000, can't remember). The usual stiff steering problem appeared in July 2008, so I took it to a technician specialising in this stuff who changed the motor, as others have done. From August 08 till about a week ago, no recurrence problem. He too recommended using the City button very sparingly, which I've done since. Also, he probably did the right thing and realigned it "on the computer", as some have suggested is essential, judging from more than a year without steering problems. Three days ago, on a long motorway straight, suddenly the steering wheel starts pulling to the left on every turn of the front wheels. Specifically, it pulls to the left then corrects itself on each turn. Naturally, this is noticeable as only a (strong) vibration at high speeds, but becomes very noticeable at 5mph: Pulls to the left then straightens out again, on every single turn of the wheels. It feels as if the wheel's revolution is blocked by something but if so, why never go right? You hold the wheel, it "goes over the blockage" and straightens itself out, only to start over. It failed three times that day. It would fail, I'd pull up, would switch engine off, then restart it, once it suddenly disappeared in mid-driving, and hasn't happened again after road assistance towed me back home. If it weren't for last year's steering motor problems, I wouldn't be asking this question here. 1) Has anyone else noticed this failure mode? It is not tracking-related, the car will drive perfectly straight. Could it be the power steering playing up again, only in a different way? Thanks in advance for any ideas.
becareful as the steering will be heavy and if it is intermitent could cause you a problem when cornering. There has not yet been a complete solution to the ongoing problem only to exchange the whole Steering rack, it could be the ECU, Motor, torque sensors or any dodgy electrical connection, Fiat should sort the problem out, but are not owning up to the faulty design
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