Fiat broken down after 200 miles (brand new)- ? coolant issue, any experience (1 Viewer)

[maz]

Can't help thinking about this, if it's got no oil , why didn't the oil light come on, if there's no sign of an oil leak , where's it gone

I've been puzzling over that too. As soon as I start the van, the display shows the oil level by a series of graded steps. No idea how accurate it is, but surely it would throw some kind of wobbler if the oil level was zero? :Confused:

I thought I had the van from hell but hey, what do I know? This sounds bizarre. Hope Fiat can come up with a clear explanation - and a new engine too by the sound of it!

My troublesome beastie has mostly been afflicted on the hab side. On the Fiat side, I had a minor coolant loss which turned out to be a leaking radiator hose - easily changed under warranty. Then about 10 days ago I put it in to Fiat for a short service, the idea being to pick up anything a month before the warranty runs out. Glad I did as the mechanic found a very slight oil leak, possibly coming from the cam cover. Today it went in for the repair under warranty, only for it to turn out to be leaking from the head gasket instead of the cam cover. Now it has to go back in for the gasket to be replaced - an engine out job!

 

[easygirl]

When the mechanic said no oil, what he probably meant was none showing on the dipstick, there will still be a few pints in to keep the pressure up even when below the dipstick.
The engine management light did, come on telling them to stop the van, so that part of it worked.
I agre with you about the engine being kaputt, i really feel for them, must be very upsetting, we pick a new van up in 2 weeks, and ill be checking all the levels now

 

[easygirl]

I would keep a note that the rac man said it had no oil in and then drove it onto a transporter.he should never have started the engine if he knew it had no oil in it

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[Sidney]

Perhaps it had plenty of oil but the dipstick was too short?

I'd say judging by your recount of all the issues and it's easy loading onto the recovery truck it'll be rectified quickly and back with you in a day or two:thumb:

Hope I'm not wrong

 

[bobandjanie]

Hi, we had a new Smart car, just about made it home it had 31 miles on the clock, engine got red hot flowers they gave us died.
Phoned them, the first person said phone the AA Err don't think so, come and get this heap of **** of our drive.
A recovery truck arrived with another car for us to use, they finally sorted it and said ready for collection, we decided as it had got so hot, and they would not fit a new engine if we had further problems we rejected it.
They were great, and even said although they thought it would be OK, but they did not blame us,so they had a second hand car with 31 miles on the clock. oh:
They got us another one, same colour had another hand over more flowers and a great little car for the time we had it.

I would reject it because it has not got of to a good start, and you might regret it in the future if you don't. Bob.

 

[dave newell]

Might I make another suggestion here? Keep your theories to yourselves until there is some definitive evidence shown that there was no oil in it or coolant! No oil.......engine will last about three to five minutes, not 200 miles! It would have siezed as solid as 20 year old concrete! No coolant, it would have overheated long before 200 miles, probbly less than 2 miles in fact! Once upon a time when I was a young apprentice I forgot to put the oil in a brand new replacement gearbox, on roadtest it managed 1.4 miles! Modern engine builiding is a lot better than when god was a lad and I served my time but they still won't run for long without lubrication, simple fact!

The RAC man must have been on loan from the muppet show if he checked the oil, found none on the dipstick but still started the engine to drive onto the transporter, they ALL have winches to load totally dead/broken/bent vehicles.

You can lie all you want to the workshop about how it all happened but the evidence will be there in the motor when its stripped, all the lies (restrained truth telling if it makes you feel better) will do is add confusion.

If a warning light saying STOP comes on then you STOP! BEFORE you move off again you need to find out why the warning came on, this will probably involve opening the bonnet and checking oil and coolant levels. Rocket science??? REALLY??????

D.

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[jhorsf]

I do not understand the oil level being low as you would know this from first turn of the ignition key as the level is straight in front of you on the instrument cluster.
I would contact Fiat customer services and let them ask the questions for you as to what is happening, make sure you get it reported to them and a case number

 

[Phill D]

[HI]I do not understand the oil level being low as you would know this from first turn of the ignition key as the level is straight in front of you on the instrument cluster.[/HI]
I would contact Fiat customer services and let them ask the questions for you as to what is happening, make sure you get it reported to them and a case number

i must be blind as i have not seen this! oh: what year is your FIAT

 

[jhorsf]

2009 I do not know if all x250 have this feature ?
page 20 in my handbook tells you about it

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[maz]

2009 I do not know if all x250 have this feature ?
page 20 in my handbook tells you about it

And mine's a 2010 (masquerading as a 2012) and has the oil level display referred to.

 

[Techno]

mine too as a row of black dots

 

[dave newell]

Even my ancient 200,000 mile 2005 Ducato has oil level displayed on the dash at startup, although I generally regard it as a liar and prefer to check it myself weekly with the dipstick.

D.

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[Landy lover]

when ever I have collected a new vehicle I usually would check the fluid level as a normal thing I have never her of this sort of thing happening
before I get in a vehicle I always do a walk round light steering tyre oil water normal thing to do or am I just being ott
bill

Might I make another suggestion here? Keep your theories to yourselves until there is some definitive evidence shown that there was no oil in it or coolant! No oil.......engine will last about three to five minutes, not 200 miles! It would have siezed as solid as 20 year old concrete! No coolant, it would have overheated long before 200 miles, probbly less than 2 miles in fact! Once upon a time when I was a young apprentice I forgot to put the oil in a brand new replacement gearbox, on roadtest it managed 1.4 miles! Modern engine builiding is a lot better than when god was a lad and I served my time but they still won't run for long without lubrication, simple fact!

The RAC man must have been on loan from the muppet show if he checked the oil, found none on the dipstick but still started the engine to drive onto the transporter, they ALL have winches to load totally dead/broken/bent vehicles.

You can lie all you want to the workshop about how it all happened but the evidence will be there in the motor when its stripped, all the lies (restrained truth telling if it makes you feel better) will do is add confusion.

If a warning light saying STOP comes on then you STOP! BEFORE you move off again you need to find out why the warning came on, this will probably involve opening the bonnet and checking oil and coolant levels. Rocket science??? REALLY??????

D.

Well I am a trained & ticketed mechanic of many years and one of the very first things I was taught is that anything and everything can happen overnight so the first thing to do when driving a vehicle is to lift the bonnet and check oil, water, brake fluid,windscreen wash, fan belt and a quick visual check of everything for any obvious changes ie oil leaks loose wires etc. Takes seconds and saves hours - next turn on all lights and 4 ways and walk around checking - give the tyres a kick on the way round. Once in the routine takes no more than a minute or two. When things start to go wrong they are usually progressive not catastrophic so the signs are there. I hear so many cases where 'I checked it last month and it was fine.

Thing that fascinates me though when I lift the bonnet to check most people will ask why I have the bonnet up and often say is it really that unreliable

 

[Techno]

It's a good guide though Dave, if you normally see 5 dots when parked on level ground and the dipstick says it's full then I don't check mine unless it drops to 3 dots.

 

[dave newell]

It's a good guide though Dave, if you normally see 5 dots when parked on level ground and the dipstick says it's full then I don't check mine unless it drops to 3 dots.

Yeah but yours han't made it almost half way to the moon. I believe in electronics but I believe in seeing oil on a dipstick more:thumb:

D.

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[Techno]

Yes I'm barely run in yet

 

[pappajohn]

It still sounds to me like it had no coolant at all, perhaps a factory oversight
Surely if it had leaked there would be sign of it and certainly steam from the engine bay.

nowt to do with the factory.....if lack of coolant was the cause it would fall on the chassis supplying dealer not doing a proper PDI.

 

[pappajohn]

if it had no oil at all you wouldnt have got 200 miles, believe me.....you wouldnt have got 2 miles....it would sound like a dumper truck on full throtle.

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[chaser]

Don't know where the op has got to, but as I said earlier if someone had a grudge against her( think the op is female by the name, not assuming anything though) , I know it's a long shot but if someone had dropped the oil it would explane why the engine overheated and could then have blown the water out.
As dave said we don't know till we get the full story but from what we have been told , can't see any other explanation

 

[chaser]

nowt to do with the factory.....if lack of coolant was the cause it would fall on the chassis supplying dealer not doing a proper PDI.

She said it was full of water when she got it

 

[Techno]

Don't we all have engine guards? Cannot drain the oil with them in place. Is mine posh

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[mick noe]

Don't we all have engine guards? Cannot drain the oil with them in place. Is mine posh

none on mine??

 

[chaser]

Don't we all have engine guards? Cannot drain the oil with them in place. Is mine posh

Agreed yeah, but what else can you come up with, it's getting to me, doesn't seem to be anything logical about it.:Sad:

 

[MikeD]

Yeah but yours han't made it almost half way to the moon. I believe in electronics but I believe in seeing oil on a dipstick more:thumb:

D.

Dave

You must need a new sat. nav. as the moon is only on average 235000 miles away.

If you are only half way your sat nav must keep getting you lost

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[Techno]

none on mine??

There were full sets on ebay recently under £50 non just now though

 

[Wickolad]

The thing is, with only 200 miles on the clock, the oil should be clean and can easily go unnoticed if leaking. There's no black patch on the drive just a faint mark when its soaked in. If on grass you'd never see it.
As regards the RAC guy, its quite a common term "there's no oil in it" when in fact there's an 1/8th inch on the bottom of the dipstick.

I would also like to say I actually agree with some of the posts on this subject. All the signs were there to suggest there was a problem that should have been investigated immediately.
Having reflected on all that has been said, by me too, as regards to being economical with the truth, I think it is actually all down to the individual and to be honest, I don't think I could.
I wouldn't wish to portrait myself as some holyer than thou Pratt taking the moral high ground, but its only a few days ago there were posts slating the honesty and integrity of some dealers. If we are putting ourselves in a position where we feel morally placed to do that, then maybe a honest account of the circumstances is the way forward. I know I'm not the only one that feels this way. If I'd been draft enough to continue and risk further damage, I would actually have to take that on the chin.
After all, I'm the silly sod when being given change for £10 at the shop declaring, "I only gave you £5", to then realize it was £10 when I got in the car.oh:

Moral of the story, don't post whilst on the red grape juice, believing yourself to be a rebel.

 

[dave newell]

Dave

You must need a new sat. nav. as the moon is only on average 235000 miles away.

If you are only half way your sat nav must keep getting you lost

Ah but sat nav doesn't work once you're out of the Earth's atmosphere you see, the satellites are orbiting the Earth and beaming their signals towards it not out intro spcae.

Obviously I meant to say half way to the almost moon and back
D.

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[chaser]

Well we can't add much to this thread , without more information, as someone said perhaps it wasn't actually empty of either water or oil just none in the header tank or the dipstick but still doesn't explain the over heating or shutdown or LOW fluids. Hope she doesn't leave us in limbo as happens many times on here, but if she is right , she wants to get down to the dealer quickly and see what they are doing about it not filling it up with thick oil and rad weld and sending it back

 

[maz]

We will await the report from the garage!

So what did the garage say when they took it in 2 days ago?

 

[chaser]

So what did the garage say when they took it in 2 days ago?

It happens on here a lot, we get a good thread going , lots of advice and speculation , really interesting then it all just goes dead, hope that isn't the case here.:thumb:

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