KNOWN FAULTS · Fiat

Known faults for the Fiat Punto (II).

2000–2010 · Petrol / Diesel

Sources are not verified in real time and no entry confirms that your car is affected.

3 known faults with sources

Engines: 1.2 / 1.4 (Petrol)

FIRE head gasket, belt and coilsCylinder head / timing / ignition

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.

Engines: 1.3 Multijet / 1.9 JTD (Diesel)

1.3 Multijet chain, DPF and EGRTiming / DPF / EGR

Engine / equipment: 1.3 Multijet / 1.3 JTD / 1.3 CDTI (Fiat Panda, 500, Punto, Doblò; Opel Corsa, Astra, Meriva, Combo; Lancia Ypsilon and Musa; Alfa MiTo; Peugeot Bipper and Citroën Nemo)
Period mentioned: 2003–2020
Symptoms: Chain rattle on cold starts; oil level rising and smelling of diesel; particulate filter warning; power loss from a dirty EGR or the turbo.
Possible cause described: Single-row timing chain that is very sensitive to oil quality and long intervals: it stretches and the tensioner loses pressure, with a risk of breaking. In town use the DPF cannot finish regenerating and diesel dilutes the oil, which speeds up chain and turbo wear.
Check for the garage: Listen to a cold start, check whether the oil is above maximum or smells of diesel, read the DPF status and check the oil change history.
Cost cited in the source: Chain kit: €150–300 in parts plus €600–1,200 labour; DPF cleaning: €200–400A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Mileage cited in the database: 80,000–120,000 km. This is not a maintenance interval and does not predict a failure.

Engines: 1.3 Multijet / 1.9 JTD (Diesel)

1.9/2.4 JTD intake flaps, EGR and flywheelIntake / EGR / flywheel

Engine / equipment: 1.9 JTD / Multijet (8 and 16 valves), 2.4 JTD and JTDm in Fiat, Alfa Romeo 147, 156, 159, GT and Brera, Lancia and the Opel 1.9 CDTI
Period mentioned: 1997–2012
Symptoms: Power loss, rough idle and an engine light with “swirl actuator malfunction”; soot around the intake manifold; vibration and knocks in low gears (dual-mass flywheel).
Possible cause described: On the 16-valve 1.9 and 20-valve 2.4, the intake flaps seize with EGR soot and oil, and the control rod comes off as its plastic bushes wear. The EGR fouls in town use and the dual-mass flywheel wears between 80,000 and 150,000 km. The 8-valve 1.9 has no flaps.
Check for the garage: Check the rod and flap operation on top of the manifold, read actuator codes, inspect the EGR and listen to the flywheel when starting and stopping.
Cost cited in the source: Intake manifold: €400–900 in parts; EGR cleaning: €150–250A 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.