- Engine / equipment
- FIRE 1.1, 1.2 and 1.4 petrol, 8 and 16 valves (Panda, Punto, 500, Doblò, Idea, Linea, Lancia Ypsilon and Musa)
- Period mentioned
- 2000–2020
- Symptoms
- Coolant loss, white smoke or mayonnaise-like oil (head gasket); misfires and, if the ECU is damaged, the car will not start or cuts out.
- Possible cause described
- A very robust engine with three weak points: the head gasket, which fails mostly between 80,000 and 150,000 km if the cooling system is neglected; the timing belt, whose failure bends valves on the 1.1, all 16-valve engines and the 1.2 with VVT; and the ignition coils, which as they degrade can damage the ECU.
- Check for the garage
- Check the coolant level and oil filler cap, check when the belt was last changed (also by age) and test the coils before they fail.
- Cost cited in the source
- Ignition coil: €40–60; head gasket and belt: depends on the garageA rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.
Mileage cited in the database: 80,000–150,000 km. This is not a maintenance interval and does not predict a failure.