“Dear idle!
I’m thinking of buying a used car, a Fiat Grande Punto that will fit the look and size. I’ll mainly use it in the city, and the 1.2 would be fine too. I’m looking at a vintage circa 2010, and it fits the frame. What types of defects should be prepared for such a car? Is the 1.4 petrol more trouble-free?
thank you for replying!
“Laszlo”
In order to be able to provide the most accurate answer to the question, we contacted Matthias Horvath, a specialist in Italian cars Il Topolino service The specialist who told us about his experiences so far with this version of the Fiat Grande Punto.
It was initially stated that both the 1.2 and 1.4 blocks are reliable, as they are members of the FIRE engine family. The 1.2 isn’t a 65bhp power machine, but it doesn’t have any serious drawbacks either. Of course, this can also be destroyed without maintenance, for example, neglecting to change the oil can lead to coke deposits, which in turn can lead to oil consumption.
During regular maintenance, it is also useful to clean the throttle valve, because if it gets dirty, the idle speed may fluctuate. Before purchasing such pentos, it is definitely worth looking at the generator housing, as they tend to crack.
As for the 1.4, which is also the Grande Punto’s eight-valve engine, it is a slightly more powerful engine, with 75-77 hp. It does have variable valve control, which has a positive effect on emissions, but does not cause breakdowns as often. This is not a problem either, although not changing the oil at the correct intervals can cause problems here as well: the smart wheel or the solenoid valve that operates it can see damage if not taken care of.
Replacing the control module on this engine requires special tools, so repair costs may be higher. However, if he had to choose, Matthias would prefer to vote for 1.4, because it doesn’t weaken too much with air conditioning. There is not much difference in consumption, on average, you can get about 6 liters, and in the city about 7.5 liters.
On both engines you have to pay attention to the oil pan which is susceptible to corrosion, especially in the case of examples imported from Austria and northern Germany. However, replacing them is neither complicated nor particularly expensive. They don’t have a dual-mass flywheel, so replacing the clutch isn’t an expensive sum.
The shift ratio is very short, so it’s not a good idea to use it on the highway. The type fault is oil leakage in the gear selector packing ring, but in some cases the differential packing ring can also fail. In rare cases, oil vapor also appears when the transmission case is installed.
Injectors can sometimes cause problems, and the fuel pump motor may tire, which is indicated by a loud hum. In rare cases, the spark converter will also fail, but broken spark plug wires due to corrosion are a more common problem.
The 16 valve isn’t bad either
You may also want to consider the 16-valve Starjet 1.4 engine, although this is more common in the three-door versions. It’s also a reliable build, and its 95 horsepower can provide a very manly driving experience. Here too changing the oil is very important, because if this is not done, the oil drain rings may become charred and stick, which leads to higher oil consumption and, moreover, repairs are more expensive.
If the crankcase gas valve (separator) fails, this also leads to oil consumption, which is indicated by blue smoke. Failures in ignition transformers and their connectors occur more frequently with this engine. This can cause the cylinder to seize, but a equipped service center can quickly address the problem. The control change is important here again, because if the engine “stalls” and the valves bend, it also means renewing the cylinder head (for 16-valve models), and it is not installed on curly models and Punto Evo versions also due to emission standards.
