Fiat 500 issues

[Speed 3]

A year ago I swapped a TT for a Tuscan and an Aygo. The Aygo gets me to the station 3 miles away and is easy to park on the side streets with small spaces. We surprised ourselves how often we used the Aygo over the Touareg for urban runs (kids comfortable in the back, enough shopping space). After having battles with useless Toyota delears on a problematic gearbox they wouldn't fix under warranty, I decided to cut my losses and get something else similar. I settled on a Fiat 500 as it was similar dimensions, better interior and a sweet gearbox. On the test drive (4 year old 1.25 Sport) nothing seemed amiss other than a non-functioning bluetooth. In between repetitive visits to the local Fiat dealer to try to fix the bluetooth problem (finally diagnosed at the 3rd) I started to notice an odd back end step-out on uneven surfaces (manhole covers, potholes). It cornered fine but in a straight line it was starting to bug me. I was aware when I selected the 500 that it wasn't renowned for great handling and the similar Ka had some Ford revisions but I thought it would be fine for what we needed, I get the thrills in the TVR. My wife started commenting on it too, without any prompting from me. I did a bit of forum research and know the car as a 2010 should have slightly revised suspension but the 500 is pretty sensitive to tyre pressures. I progressivley dropped them by 3psi increments down to 25 but still couldn't solve the issue. Tyres are decent tread (never had Falkens but they're not the worst per reviews). Wheelarch gaps all look normal. Symptons similar to bump steer but can't believe that's the issue with no load in the car and standard springs/dampers. Whilst the car was in on the 3rd visit for the bluetooth I got them to test drive it and have a look. I got no calls from the service adviser even though they had it for 3 days. Went to pick it up this morning as agreed for the bluetooth work and was astonished to see the following on the invoice:

"Carried out road test to customer complaint back of vehicle stepping out over potholes. Confirmed customer complaint, vehicle seems to drift off course. Carried out inspection to suspension, wheels and tyres - all seems OK"

Even the service adviser on duty (not the one I've been dealing with) couldn't explain how a road behaviour fault was confirmed but technician reported "all OK"

Is it just me or is this completely unacceptable for a main stealer ?

Options now -

1. Persevere with the muppets who don't seem to know what they're doing at the best part of £100/hr
2. Put it into my TVR specialist who know a thing or two about suspension set up
3. Change tyres
4. Cut my losses and chop the car again (yet to sell the Aygo)

Any ideas / recommendations ?

[trickywoo]

Sounds like a case of "they all do that sir".

Are you used to small cars?

It's obviously concerning you but in my experience small cars don't feel great over sunken metal covers.

Maybe try a bag of cement in the boot.

[Speed 3]

It's been a while since i've had something quite so small, but that said, the Aygo doesn't do anything like it. If it is related to suspension travel / bump steer not sure putting more weight in will help.

[daydotz]

Ingnore although I did find a thread with the same issue on a mito

Edited by daydotz on Saturday 3rd January 13:48

[ChemicalChaos]

Cant say our 500 seems to do that, and it's also a 2010.
I wonder if one of the suspension components might be from a batch of slightly off-true ones. Have you checked the bushes?

[davebem]

We have a 1 year old 1.2 500 that always feels very well planted and handles well (shame they then had to ruin the steering feel with the horrible electric steering rack). Does the rear suspension knock or clunk at all? Have you had a look yourself for play in bushes, shocks leaking etc?

[Speed 3]

No knocking, grinding or clunking. I don't have a trolley jack or ramp - long past the days of being more economical to get under cars myself, only minor tinkering on the non-oily stuff. I'm presuming the Fiat inspection looked for leaks, cracks and misalignments (big assumption probably). Interesting to hear others don't do it so its not a fundamental characteristic (didn't think it could be).

Edited by Speed 3 on Saturday 3rd January 14:14

[StescoG66]

If my Alfa is anyting to go by, a good 4 wheel alignment will help I am sure. My car was transformed after that

[anonymous-user]

Speed 3 said:

Any ideas / recommendations ?

Yeah, get rid of the fag chariot and stop buying silly little cars

[nottyash]

lord trumpton said:

Yeah, get rid of the fag chariot and stop buying silly little cars

Yes, this.

[DanielJames]

My Integra Type R does this too. Can be scary at speed! I blame the tyres, but going to get a geo done on it to see if that solves it.

[Speed 3]

lord trumpton said:

Speed 3 said:

Any ideas / recommendations ?

Yeah, get rid of the fag chariot and stop buying silly little cars

Surprised it took so long ! When you have 2 other decent cars on the drive it only leaves a certain sized gap plus the street I park on for the station is a classic outer London with converted front gardens, hence plenty of "two-thirds" size gaps, very few Golf-sized.

In mitigation it is metallic black with black interior and decent alloys, no pastel shades for me

[jagracer]

If it's not a broken spring it's probably a rear shock absorber that's knackered, you probably wont be able to confirm it without taking it off and checking it. I doubt you'd pick it up from a bounce test which is why it was dropped from the MOT test.

[r11co]

jagracer said:

If it's not a broken spring it's probably a rear shock absorber that's knackered, you probably wont be able to confirm it without taking it off and checking it.

Or get someone to drive behind you while observing the damping or lack thereof. Watching a car with a knackered rear shock absorber trundle along with a rear wheel flapping up and down is an amusingly alarming experience.

[Speed 3]

jagracer said:

If it's not a broken spring it's probably a rear shock absorber that's knackered, you probably wont be able to confirm it without taking it off and checking it. I doubt you'd pick it up from a bounce test which is why it was dropped from the MOT test.

Yup, was suspecting this may be a cause and looking at how ridiculously cheap they are it wouldn't surprise me that Fiat have specced the poverty ones from new.

[mike306]

I'd agree that it's most likely the rear shockers. The top bushes are bad for wearing also. But I have had this problem in a few cars in the past and it's being the shockers.

[steveo3002]

rear shcoks and a good alignment on a hunter machine somewhere where they care what theyre doing

[davamer23]

Granted this is of no help but Wouldn't it have been cheaper to get another gearbox for the aygo, breakers everywhere are surely chopping up yoof owned, low mileage but stuffed in a hedge near you Aygos'

[Speed 3]

Already bought the 500 and the Aygo is drive able, just irregular baulking into reverse which probably won't be detected by a buyer but is aright pain for me doing tight parallel parking.

[anonymous-user]

Speed 3 said:

lord trumpton said:

Speed 3 said:

Any ideas / recommendations ?

Yeah, get rid of the fag chariot and stop buying silly little cars

Surprised it took so long ! When you have 2 other decent cars on the drive it only leaves a certain sized gap plus the street I park on for the station is a classic outer London with converted front gardens, hence plenty of "two-thirds" size gaps, very few Golf-sized.

In mitigation it is metallic black with black interior and decent alloys, no pastel shades for me

The Fiat 500 shares the same rear suspension setup at the Fiat Panda. What you will likely find is that the rubber bush inside the locating banjo/hole at the top of the shocker is worn and gone oval. Just change the dampers.

Easy DIY job - if you have a TVR I assume you will be pretty handy with the spanners