Stilo Power steering failure

ato_zee RemoveThis @hotmail.com wrote:
> On 24-May-2007, Paul Everest <paul.everest RemoveThis @btinternet.com> wrote:
>
>> They want £806 for parts and labour but I have this gut
>> feeling that it could all be much simpler than this (e.g. a dodgy
>> sensor?). Does anyone have any hints and tips about Fiat electrical
>> power steering?
>
> Try
> http://www.fiatforum.com/
> a Few comments on the problem there.
> Consensus seems to be a weak battery, not
> necessarily a flat battery, or a failing alternator,
> being one possible cause. As it's intermittent
> worth checking the battery before forking out
> £806.
> Also as the forum mentions alternator, check it's
> drive belt. I've had an instance of an alternator
> belt slipping under load. No problems in
> the summer, come winter snow, headlights,
> cabin heater, rear screen heater, wipers, plus a
> few other things, made the
> headlights got dimmer and dimmer.
Hi there,
Thanks for the reply. I have been getting a message on the dash
"Alternator Fail" for a while and the wipers have been playing up in the
winter. I will take your advice and check the battery condition and
alternator belt.

Cheers

Paul
 >> Stay informed about: Stilo Power steering failure 

On 25-May-2007, Paul Everest <paul.everest.DeleteThis@btinternet.com> wrote:

> Hi there,
> Thanks for the reply. I have been getting a message on the dash
> "Alternator Fail" for a while and the wipers have been playing up in the
> winter. I will take your advice and check the battery condition and
> alternator belt.

It may be that power steering places a heavy transient load on
the supply, a proper batttery tester, one that puts a similar load on
the battery should find it.

Let us know if it a was battery/alternator problem.
 >> Stay informed about: Stilo Power steering failure 

On 26-May-2007, ato_zee.RemoveThis@hotmail.com wrote:

> wipers have been playing up in the
> > winter

PS Fiat wipers are another story, there is an
O-ring nitrile seal on the shaft, after a few years
water at 70mph get's forced past it. Iron shaft in zinc
alloy diecast tube is not a good combination,
corrosion, and it starts to seize up solid.
The black moly grease in the gearbox can cause
slip-ring problems affecting whether the wipers
run at all, even though the motor itself is fine.
It's all fixable, and I now have a repair scheme.
Problem with the moly is that the sliding contact
filters out the moly particles, it forms a pellet,
then starts to lift the rubbing contact off the track.
The wiper does a few wipes when switched on, then
stops.
 >> Stay informed about: Stilo Power steering failure 

Hello once again!
Alas, it wasn't the battery condition or the alternator (both going
strong). It was a faulty Torque Position Sensor (?) I didn't listen
that intently when everything was being tested.

The long and the short of it is that with an MoT coming up very soon,
£800 to find for the power steering repairs, high mileage, starting to
use a bit of oil and the need to have a serviceable car that I have had
to say goodbye to my Stilo and get a new car.

It's a shame really because the Stilo was incredibly comfortable and
still giving me almost 40mpg.

Cheers

Paul
ato_zee.RemoveThis@hotmail.com wrote:
> On 25-May-2007, Paul Everest <paul.everest.RemoveThis@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi there,
>> Thanks for the reply. I have been getting a message on the dash
>> "Alternator Fail" for a while and the wipers have been playing up in the
>> winter. I will take your advice and check the battery condition and
>> alternator belt.
>
> It may be that power steering places a heavy transient load on
> the supply, a proper batttery tester, one that puts a similar load on
> the battery should find it.
>
> Let us know if it a was battery/alternator problem.
 >> Stay informed about: Stilo Power steering failure