Malfunctions shown on the fiat albea display. "Check-Engine" on Fiat: engine problems? Coolant level drop in expansion tank

Hello!!! During the operation of the car, problems arose, namely, 3 studs on the exhaust manifold, I drove into a car service, where I was told that I needed to remove the cylinder head to replace the studs and what spare parts I needed to buy. I bought the spare parts and handed them over to the service employees (the transfer acceptance certificate was not drawn up), the employees accepted the spare parts without warning me about the possible poor quality of these parts (the spare parts were non-original). A week later, all the repair work was done, an order was drawn up with the work performed and a cash receipt, the spare parts I bought were not mentioned in the order. I took the car, paid in full for the work done, drove about 1000 km in 4 days, I found traces of oil in the engine cooling system, immediately called the car service and explained the essence of the malfunction, the service employees told me to deliver the car to them to find out the causes of the malfunction. The service employees re-removed the cylinder head and established themselves that the non-original gasket was to blame, they said that they needed to buy original spare parts, namely the cylinder head gasket and cylinder head bolts, and that I would again have to pay for the removal and installation of the cylinder head and, accordingly, spare parts at my own expense. I asked them to draw up an inspection report. vehicle on their letterhead, the act was drawn up, it states that the service employees found malfunctions, and the reason is the poor-quality cylinder head gasket, installed according to such and such an order (I have it on hand), the signatures of the commission members (service employees) are affixed to the act and car service stamp. That is, the car service itself conducted an examination, so to speak, and found that the cause of the malfunction was a poor-quality cylinder head gasket, which they installed according to such and such an order, but nowhere in any documents is it mentioned that I bought the gasket and handed it over to them. In general, I bought the original gasket again myself, handed it over to the service with the preparation of a transfer acceptance certificate, which indicates that the Customer transferred the cylinder head gasket to the Contractor (car service) to eliminate the malfunction in the course of work performed on such and such an order, the service master signed this act and delivered seal. The car service bought the cylinder head bolts himself. Now the car has been in the service queue for repairs for 10 days, and the service has everything necessary for repair, they say that while they were waiting for a gasket from me, they accepted a lot of cars for repairs. Now I don’t dare to file a claim for poor-quality work, because I’m afraid that the service won’t do anything bad to the car. I called auto experts about an independent examination. they say that the examination is impossible, since the cylinder head has already been removed. But the car service again removed the cylinder head without my consent and execution of the work order. I independently made a claim to the car service so that they would eliminate the faults free of charge, after which they generally refused to finish the car. They offer to reimburse me for the cost of removing and installing the cylinder head (excluding spare parts, materials, moral damage) and make me a car on my own. But I'm afraid to give the car to another service, because after the work carried out, other malfunctions, and more significant ones, could appear. I have a question for you, what to do in such a situation? I don’t really want to sue, because I’m afraid that the court will not be on my side, and I will lose a lot of time.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Since Albea has not been produced since 2012, you will have to choose exclusively for secondary market. I prepared thoroughly for the purchase, reviewed many options, at least ten pieces. I noticed that many cars, even relatively fresh ones, have stained interiors. Upholstery, as a rule, easily soiled, poor quality. But it's not the best main disadvantage, especially since it is partially eliminated with the help of covers. Many cars with conders have bypass rollers. As I understand it, this is a weak point in Albea. Not critical, of course, but I really didn’t want to bother with the replacement. At one time I had a similar problem on Peugeot 206. So I ended up taking without air conditioning. It also came out cheaper. In summer it is a little stressful, of course, but I can stand the heat well, I am thermophilic.

Otherwise, I did not find any special flaws in the cars, which in itself pleased me. In the end, I dug myself a copy of 2011 with a mileage of only 36 thousand in a very good condition. For a year and a half, I dashed off almost 17 thousand more and (Pah-pah!) The machine asked for little during this time.

INTERIOR AND COMFORT

The exterior of the car, I think, it makes no sense to describe. Anyone who has ever seen on the street knows what Albea looks like.

So I'll go straight to the insides.

In general, comfort is not quite the word that should be applied to Albey. Salon, although its size suits me quite well, many may find it cramped. The doors are thin, almost like on our basins like VAZ 21-15, which I also had to ride ... The pockets in the doors are very small, narrow and incapable. A folded umbrella hardly fits into such a pocket and ... and nothing more. In such cases, I often recall with sadness my old Renault Symbol, where the pockets in the doors were like drawers in a closet, even special departments for one and a half liter bottles were provided. And it would seem that a budget foreign car of the same class ...

Interior trim is also very simple. Everywhere fabric. Even the doors are lined with fabric on the inside. Not leatherette, not plastic, but a thin cloth! I have never seen such machines. I already spoke about the soiled interior. With regard to seats, this issue is solved with the help of covers, but with regard to doors, it is not solved. This, of course, is a minus. Not the biggest, but a minus.

Of the pleasant moments, I can note the three-level brightness of the interior lighting and a very comfortable soft gearbox. I move the pen with one little finger, like a toy.

The trunk for a car of this class is large, roomy. In my opinion, this is a plus and a very significant one.

The stove fires properly. But I noticed a shortcoming. It's only really warm when you direct the airflow towards you. If up or mixed positions, then noticeably colder. And if you point it at your feet, then in winter you will generally freeze. Here on Peugeot 206 I liked the stove better. No matter where you go, it's still warm.

All electrical is working properly. Even in very coldy did not fail. Very fast heating rear window. I was surprised that for some reason there are fog lights in my configuration, despite the fact that fog lights, from which there would be much more benefit, no. Irrational. But what is, is.

In general, for an unpretentious owner, this car has everything you need. But don't expect anything special inside. Of the advantages, I can also note the body with galvanization. It probably matters to some.

If you have a car without an air conditioner, then the compartment under the hood on the left looks like something was not reported there. Don't be scared. Just such a device. In other configurations, this empty space is occupied by air conditioning, a belt and rollers.

The hood opens in a very peculiar way. It’s not enough, as usual, to pull the lever from the passenger compartment, so you also need to find and pull such a thing under the hood. It bothered me at first, but I quickly got used to it.

The doors are locked by pushing the handles inwards. Not very comfortable. I like the classic locks on top. However, at a speed of 20 km per hour, the doors are automatically locked, so I almost never use these locks.

Obviously, the first Fiat is depicted on native rugs ...

The gas tank hatch opens with a button from the passenger compartment, which is very convenient.

Native caps are screwed together with the wheels. So you won't get lost along the way!

DRIVING PERFORMANCE

The quieter you go, the further you'll get. I said from the very beginning that it was a donkey. Arranging races on Albea is just stupid. For its characteristics, the car accelerates normally. If we compare from what I had in the same class, then it is definitely slower than Renault Symbol, but faster than Peugeot 206. On the track, even some basins overtake. But on the other hand, the Albeyka holds the road well, does not wag, you feel confident. And most importantly, you know what is reliable.

CONSUMPTION

I'm quite satisfied. With a 1.4 liter engine in the city in the summer, I have real consumption it turned out from 5 to 6 liters per 100 km. Economical. Now in the November off-season, taking into account traffic jams and warm-ups, the consumption is about 7 liters. Last winter it reached 9. But again, I will make a reservation, I have a very economical driving style. I switch ideally, wherever possible, I go to neutral. Kettles, or vice versa, fans can burn one and a half times more fuel. The owner is a gentleman, as they say.

The Albea gas meter is not very convenient in that it does not show the number of liters spent per 100 km, but the number of kilometers that you drive per liter. That is, the higher the number, the more economical the ride. As much as possible, the device can show 50 - and this means that your consumption at the moment is 2 liters per 100 km. Not very convenient to recalculate, but I adapted.

BUILD QUALITY AND POSSIBLE TROUBLES

Although this is a Fiat, it is felt that our "craftsmen" still collected it. Fortunately, it is felt only in small things. Having driven Albea for a year and a half, I can say that the engine of the car is just excellent, the hodovka is generally normal. It is unlikely that this machine will give you some serious trouble. But there are little things that can spoil the mood. Here are some of the ones I encountered.

doors. Doors on Albea are just some kind of hemorrhoids. Basically, all the minor troubles were associated with them.

1. Case one. It began with the fact that having rolled the first autumn, I began to notice that I had back seat something plops all the time, like throwing a balloon of water into it. At first I couldn't figure out what was going on. Then I guessed that the sound comes from rear doors. Shake them back and forth. So it is - inside the water! How did she get there? The rains were good, of course. But where did the water seep through? Searched, searched, and found it. The rubber bands on the windows were of poor quality. There are tiny holes in the corner, and on both rear doors. Through these holes, water gradually leaked during the rains. I sealed the holes with sealant. It won't pour anymore. And how to pour out the water that has already been collected? At first I went, not knowing what to do. So he splashed water from behind. I'm very tired of it. I was already thinking about drilling holes in the doors somewhere from below, so that it was imperceptible. I began to inspect the doors and accidentally found special factory kingstones below, closed with rubber valves. Well, as if specifically for this occasion provided! Through these kingstones, I poured five liters of water from each door. Hasn't been picked up since then.
2. Second case. In the first winter, during the first frosts, on one “happy” morning, all four doors froze. None could be opened. I had to pour boiling water. After that, I properly missed all the joints, but still a couple of times it happened that they froze, though not all at once and I could get into the car.
3. Case three. Having rolled for about a year, I noticed that the front passenger door began to fit loosely. The lock slams shut, but with some strange sound, and the door, when viewed from the side, seems to be skewed. At first I thought the hinges had sagged. Well, I think I'll have to go to the service, go broke. Then he carefully examined everything again and found that the bracket on the rack, for which the door lock clings, had loosened. The issue was resolved in half a minute with an asterisk screwdriver. And a miracle! The door was in place.
4. Case four. At about the same time, one of the rear doors creaked with a loose bracket. The issue was resolved with the help of a Vedash.
5. Case five. It happened very recently. And it is connected not so much with the door itself, but with the handle on it. If you open the driver's door, then the handle on it itself does not return to its original position, it stays up and up. Looks like a spring has broken. As a result, in order to slam the door, you first have to lower the handle, and then slam it. Here's what I'm thinking about doing. Again, it seems to be a trifle, but again annoying. Winter is on the way. I don't want to pay money for something like this. Most likely, I will drive like this until spring, and then in warm weather I will disassemble the handle myself and fix it.
6. Case six. This time there are no doors. The trouble turned out to be connected with the very gearbox that I like so much. It happened in March. I left the house one morning, warming up the machine beforehand … I stick the first one … nevermind! What the hell?! I start to poke the handle back and forth. None of the transmissions are engaged. The handle moves in only one position - horizontal. I spent about twenty minutes, cursed and went to work by bus. This was the only case when I decided that the machine failed. The most interesting thing is that the car was actually fine, and if I knew what the problem was, I would have solved it in three seconds. But I didn't know that at the time. In the evening, when I returned from work, I fiddled for another two hours, hoping that the box would work. Nothing happened. I realized that the case is rubbish, it seems that something serious has broken. This incident happened on Friday. And the next day I asked my brother to tow me to the service. So we hooked up the cable and drove off. Let's go, let's go, and it's not far from the service ... But I don't want to fork out for a new box! So I tried for the thousandth time to stick some kind of speed, although I knew that it was useless. And here is a miracle! Happened! The box is perfect as before. Well, I immediately signal to my brother to slow down. So we didn't get to the service. What happened? Don't know. We then decided that something was frozen inside. The weather was such that it would either melt or freeze. And as the car drove a little in tow, everything fell apart and it became all right again.
7. Case seven. A few days later, in one wonderful morning, the same rubbish with a box was repeated. I, already taught by bitter experience, grunted, got out of the car, put pressure on the back with my heroic shoulder and rolled it forward from half a meter. That was enough. The box is working again.

In general, I described cases when the car gave me minor troubles. They did not cost me a penny of money, but they slightly frayed my nerves. However, theoretically, if you yourself don’t figure out what’s what in time, each of these cases could serve as a reason for contacting the service, where they would not miss the opportunity to divorce me ... So keep in mind if you are thinking of buying such a car. Sometimes you have to turn on your brains and hands. Rarely and on trifles, but it is necessary.

COSTS AND DAMAGE

Now that the machine asked for a year and a half of operation.

Total for a year and a half invested in the car 10 780 rubles. I don't count oil and filter changes every six months. It goes without saying. Judge for yourself whether it's a lot or a little. In any case, nothing else broke, and I really hope that nothing will break for a long time (Pah-pah!).

On the whole, I really like my donkey, and I plan to ride it for quite a long time, especially since I have invested in a hodovka. Yes, the machine is small. Yes, not for Schumachers. Yes, not for those who love comfort. Yes, minor flaws are possible, and I honestly talked about them. But all this I consider uncritical. In general, the car is reliable, it is felt that it is durable. And this is the main point. Definitely recommend for people who are not picky.

The “ check engine" on the dashboard Fiat car can happen when the engine "triples", interruptions in its operation, if it refuses to start. Some drivers noted that the car does not pick up speed more than 80 km / h.

Symptoms of the problem

When the “Check Engine” is on, the gas pedal on the Fiat starts to respond badly, there is increased consumption fuel. Most motorists report that the indicator lights up precisely in frosty weather, and disappears after warming up - but not for long. There are many theories in user posts on the Fiat forums as to what leads to the appearance of the ill-fated "Jackie Chan".

The note. An interesting fact is that in some cases computer diagnostics does not detect deviations in the operation of the engine. Although it is important to clarify whether it was performed in the service or in the garage by amateurs.

Why the “Check Engine” indicator is on and how to “put it out”

The reasons for the indicator to light up can be the following:

• Dirty throttle valve. The crankcase ventilation system on many Fiat models throws oil into the throttle. This is especially true when driving low revs engine.

Ways to solve the problem:

1. Oil level control (avoid overfilling);

2. Periodic "progazovka" car on the track on high speed ICE;

3. Cleaning the damper using special sprays (carbocleaners).

• Position sensor failure throttle valve. If you continue to drive with a burning error caused by this malfunction, then over time the car will stop responding to the accelerator pedal. Definitely change the sensor.

There may be other reasons for the "Check Engine" error on Fiat:

• Air filter dirty.
• Throttle drive mechanism malfunction (usually fails stepper motor dampers, the mechanism itself is repairable).
• Air leakage into the system (most often occurs through a hose vacuum booster brakes).
• Failure of one of the sensors: temperature or absolute pressure (do not change them immediately, cleaning them often helps).
• Breakage of the lambda probe.
• Failure of the ignition coil - ICE at the same time troit.

Correct the situation in a professional car service. Computer diagnostics will help to accurately identify the cause. By reading the codes and deciphering them, you can decide which way to move on.

Fault error codes and their interpretation in Russian for Fiat car Albea since 2002

Engine management system

Motronic ME ( OBD) 7.3 H4

06.01.2019

Budget subcompact sedan developed by FIAT for the markets of Turkey and Eastern Europe. As usual for budget employees, this model has a fairly simple design, a minimum amount of electronics, modest equipment and an acceptable price tag. Despite the small cost, Albea never really became people's car for several reasons. Firstly, this model is a direct competitor of one of the best-selling cars in the CIS - Renault Logan. Secondly, many of us are skeptical about Fiat cars, believing that they are unreliable and expensive to maintain. But is this really so now and let's try to figure it out using the example of Fiat Albea with mileage.

A bit of history:

idea to create inexpensive car for developing countries, the management of Fiat company arose in the mid-90s, and for its implementation project No. 178 "Palio" was created. For the experiment, the Latin American market was chosen, under which the new car. Almost from the start of sales, the novelty became quite popular, and sales volumes exceeded all expectations, so the company began to think about starting production of this model in Eastern Europe. However, the car intended for Latin America did not meet the new market with its quality and safety level, because of this, the Italians had to start developing a new car. The work on the creation of the novelty was carried out by specialists from the Italdesign studio under the guidance of the famous designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. The choice for this specialist was by no means accidental, since Giugiaro has already managed to become famous for designing a number of budget Fiat models.

The Fiat Albea prototype was shown to the public in 2001, and already in 2002 at the auto show in Warsaw (Poland), the production version of the model debuted. This car is an analogue of the South American model Fiat Sienna with a slightly increased wheelbase. The assembly of new items was carried out at factories in Poland and Turkey. Four years later, it was decided to slightly refresh the model. During restyling, the radiator grille, optics, bumpers were changed and the quality of interior trim materials improved. In 2006, at the Sollers plant in Naberezhnye Chelny, a SKD assembly of the Fiat Albea car was launched on the basis of kits supplied from Turkey. In 2007, production was transferred to a "full cycle" with welding and body painting. The production of the model in Russia was discontinued in the fall of 2011, in Turkey the sedan stayed on the assembly line until 2012.

Weaknesses and shortcomings of Fiat Albea with mileage

The paintwork of the body is not of good quality and resistance to mechanical influences. In addition to the rapid fouling of the paintwork with chips and scratches, the body can present unpleasant surprises in the form of paint swelling. As a rule, paint swells on the roof, wheel arches and in places of chips. And here body iron here good quality, thanks to which the car steadfastly resists the onslaught of the red disease. One of the main troubles of Albea are doors, as many minor troubles are associated with them. Most often, Fiat Albea owners blame the door handles for sticking in the open position (does not return to its original position), which is why the door does not close. Due to the fact that the handle is sold complete with an auto lock, its replacement is expensive (100-200 USD). Often there are complaints about sagging loops. Over time, the hinges of many begin to creak. There are also complaints about the quality of the seals - they let moisture through, the joints of the rubber bands on the windows are of poor quality (there are gaps). On the electrics, one can note the short service life of high beam headlight bulbs.

Power units

Fiat Albea was equipped with three petrol power units- 1.2 l (60 and 80 hp), 1.4 l (77 hp), 1.6 (103 hp) and turbodiesel - 1.3 l (70 hp). In the domestic market, cars are presented only with a 77 strong engine (1.4 liters). This unit is reliable, but demanding in terms of quality and service intervals. It is also worth noting the sensitivity of this engine to fuel quality. The fact is that the car is not installed fuel filter, because of this, the injector quickly becomes dirty. The timing drive is driven by a belt, which must be changed every 60,000 km. Since there are no hydraulic compensators in the motor, closer to 150,000 km it becomes necessary to adjust the thermal clearances of the valves. The advantages of this motor include low fuel consumption, an average of 6-7 liters per hundred kilometers traveled, and ease of maintenance.

Of the shortcomings, the owners of Fiat Albea most often note unstable idling in the cold season (the sensor freezes). It is also considered a weak point here rear support engine, as a rule, already by 100,000 km of run, it needs to be replaced. At the same run, there is a high probability of failure of the bendix and the starter retractor relay. The cooling system is also not famous for its reliability. Here, the expansion tank, radiator, thermostat and pump (flow) require special attention. Closer to 150,000 km for rent exhaust system- rots and burns.

After 200,000 km, an oil burner appears, which will progress with increasing mileage. Needs replacement to fix the problem valve stem seals, in some cases the problem is solved only after replacing oil scraper rings. Also, oil consumption may increase with prolonged driving for high revs. On a run of 150-200 thousand km, the generator bearing is rented out, and cracks may appear on its body. The “unreliable” nodes also include the crankcase exhaust pipeline (cases of rupture have been noted) and expensive ignition coils that can fail for no reason. The engine resource is 350-400 thousand km.

Transmission

Fiat Albea was equipped with only a five-speed mechanical box gears. This unit is considered quite reliable, although not without weaknesses. One of these is release bearing, whose service life in rare cases exceeds 70,000 km. When replacing the bearing, it is recommended to change the clutch kit as well. Clutch resource 100-150 thousand km. Also, the third gear synchronizer may require attention quite early. Closer to 250,000 km, the outer CV joint and the gear selection mechanism need to be replaced. The anthers of the drives can also be attributed to the problem - they do not tolerate severe cold and are picky about tightening the clamps. Some owners of cars of the first years of production were faced with rapid wear of differential bearings (a hum appears). Operational disadvantages include the noise of the gearbox and insufficiently clear gear shifting.

Reliability of suspension, steering and brakes Fiat Albea

Despite the fact that the car uses a semi-independent suspension (front - MacPherson strut, rear - torsion beam), the chassis has an acceptable level of comfort and handling for this class of car. As for the reliability of the suspension elements of the Fiat Albea, then, in general, it can be called hardy, with the exception of a few elements. In addition to the stabilizer struts, which are not reliable even in more expensive cars, silent blocks of levers, ball bearings and wheel bearings are quickly surrendered (on a run of 50-80 thousand km). The front shock absorbers are not famous for their reliability either - for many they do not withstand even 100,000 km. The remaining parts, with careful operation, serve an average of 120-150 thousand km. With regular loads rear axle, by 200,000 km you will have to change the springs rear shock absorbers- sag, break. The most reliable are the silent blocks of the beam, as a rule, their resource exceeds 250,000 km.

The steering system uses a rack and pinion mechanism with power steering. As a rule, problems with this node begin closer than 150,000 km (plastic bushings break, flows). Closer to 200,000 km, power steering (GUR) requires attention - the oil seal is leaking. As for the reliability of consumables, it is worth noting a small resource of steering rods (60-80 thousand km go). Symptoms - a large free play of the steering wheel, the presence of extraneous sounds (knocking) when the steering wheel is rotated to the sides. Brake system reliable.

Salon

Like most budget cars, Salon Fiat Albea is made of cheap materials and is devoid of any frills in design. The main problem here is excessive noise. In addition to plastic trim elements extraneous sounds over time, the front seats, the trunk shelf can emit. Poor sound insulation aggravates the situation with acoustic comfort. Over time, the pipes of the stove radiator begin to flow at the junctions. By 100,000 km, the ignition lock starts to stick - the mechanism wears out. On the same run, there is a high probability of failure of the thermal fuse of the stove fan resistor. By 150,000 km, the fan motor may need to be replaced, for the replacement of which you will have to pay a tidy sum (for replacement, you need to disassemble the front panel). There are also complaints about the reliability of the steering column switches (windshield wipers and washer, dipped / main beam turn on incorrectly). Also, the lack of Russian language in the on-board computer menu can be attributed to the disadvantages.

Outcome:

Fiat Albea is a fairly reliable car that, with proper maintenance, will not bother with breakdowns for a long time. Of course, this model is not perfect and certain troubles happen over time, but, in fairness, it should be said that their elimination does not require significant costs. Another plus of this model is that these cars, unlike the same or, were very rarely taken for service in corporate fleets and taxis, which means it will be much easier to find a live copy. The best option for the acquisition of Fiat Albea in the secondary market, copies of the last years of production (2010-2012) are considered.

Advantages:

• Great ground clearance
• economy
• Spacious interior and large trunk

Disadvantages:

• High cost of original parts
• Weak sound insulation
• Steering wheel vibration

If you are the owner of this car model, please describe the problems that you had to face during the operation of the car. Perhaps it is your review that will help readers of our site when choosing a car.

Sincerely, editorial Autoavenue