Fiat punto check engine light?

[Joepun1994]

Hi all, can someone help me with my fiat punto 05 1.2 8v
Almost everyday I turn the car on I get a shaky start and judders until I press the accelerator to 4000rpm or above it will go!
This also happens at traffic lights where the car will suddenly start to almost but not stall itself and check engine light comes on!
The car runs fine after you push the accelerator a little but shakes loads and sounds like a tractor until done so! Any help greatly appreciated!

[Joepun1994]

Recently had service and has done 41k

[TheRealFingers99]

Code read. The engine light (I'm guessing the orange one of an engine?) comes on to indicate that a sensor has failed or picked up an out of limits reading. The car is OBD2 compliant, so any fool with a code reader can snag the code (and many do).

[ColuGav]

Does the check "check engine light" come on at start up?

If not, that'll be your problem.

[Easternlight]

Joepun1994 said:

Recently had service and has done 41k

How recent? If the problem started immediately after take it back.
If not get a cheap obd scanner off the bay.

[littleredrooster]

TheRealFingers99 said:

Code read. The engine light (I'm guessing the orange one of an engine?) comes on to indicate that a sensor has failed or picked up an out of limits reading. The car is OBD2 compliant, so any fool with a code reader can snag the code (and many do).

^ ^ This. Read code, fix whatever it says is wrong with it. Easy really.

(Coil pack is my guess)

[Mr2Mike]

Joepun1994 said:

Hi all, can someone help me with my fiat punto 05 1.2 8v
Almost everyday I turn the car on I get a shaky start and judders until I press the accelerator to 4000rpm or above it will go!
This also happens at traffic lights where the car will suddenly start to almost but not stall itself and check engine light comes on!
The car runs fine after you push the accelerator a little but shakes loads and sounds like a tractor until done so! Any help greatly appreciated!

Does it use any coolant?

[Mr SFJ]

When I had this happen on a 58 Grande Punto T-Jet it turned out to be knackered plugs, and it was also shot ignition coils. It may have been serviced, but were the spark plugs changed?

Plug it into a Diagnostic machine, and see what the error code says, if it says misfire, new plugs and swap the coils from another cylinder onto the misfiring one, then test. If fails again but says different cylinder, replace the IC's

ETA: to make sense.

[Swanny87]

What state is the throttle body in? Whip the airbox off and get some throttle body cleaner and and old toothbrush and get stuck in. On most of the threads on the fiatforum related to this the solution is to clean the throttle body. If it's not that then coilpack or plugs.

Edit: Don't be alarmed about replacing the coilpack as you can get one off ebay for £40 at the most. To take the airbox (the black box on top of the engine) off there are two hexagonal bolts on the right and left. Once these are unscrewed pull the airbox intake hose/tube out of its rubber bracket (sits above the drivers side wheel arch). Then pull the whole airbox firmly up to pop it out of its back mounting and you will see the throttle intake (top right next to the two ECU plugs). There are countless guides on youtube on how to clean throttle bodies. When you put the airbox back make sure the breather hose and vacuum hose are reattached.

If you want a visual guide to take the airbox off take a look at this:

http://www.fiatforum.com/grande-punto-guides/26226...

Edited by Swanny87 on Tuesday 22 July 11:56

Edited by Swanny87 on Tuesday 22 July 11:59

[Cento186]

Sounds like the head gasket may be on the way out, does it use oil or coolant?

These Fiats are really rather simple, the easiest way, as mentioned above, get a code reader off eBay and see what it says.

[Swanny87]

In regards to code readers, this is what you want:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WiFi-ELM327-OBD2-OBDII-C...

I use the dash command app on my iPhone. The torque app for android is supposed to be good as well. Got my read last week and it's pretty cool the amount of data you can get from it. My life is now complete due to the fact I know the airflow rate when driving about...

Edit: although the thing has power when the ignition is off you cant connect through the app until the ignition is switched on. I got a bit confused with that when I got mine. Oh and to access the OBD port you need pull out the plastic trim underneath the dashboard settings panel (where your right knee will be). With the drivers door open, put your hand in the hole and there should be hole in the top of the hole . Get a firm grip and give it a good pull and it will come out. The ODB port will be sitting right there, then just take the plastic cover off it and plug in the reader.

Edited by Swanny87 on Tuesday 22 July 12:13

Edited by Swanny87 on Tuesday 22 July 12:18

[Swanny87]

I think I may have mad a massive schoolboy error here. Have you got a grande punto? I saw 05 and assumed you did and then just realised they didn't change model until 55 plates at the earliest.

If it isn't then ignore pretty much all I have said.

(Still, buy the reader as it will work with any car with an OBDII port and the process of cleaning the throttle body is the same.)

Edited by Swanny87 on Tuesday 22 July 13:15