Fiat Panda - Steering Problem :-(

Desperate+Depressed

Advice needed please........

I purchased a Fiat Panda Eleganza '05 reg end of April this year. Two weeks later it had to go back to the car sales, because the power steering locked and the "steering failed" light came on.

Long story made short......the car sales do not do repairs themselves, they send it to a garage.
The garage said I needed a new steering column and motor, and the car sales would get the parts (which would be re-condition parts)??
After 3 weeks I eventually got the car back......but wasn't given any paperwork to say that the repair had been done.

The 3 month warranty is over now.......but because it is the same "fault" (steering failed etc), then who is responsible for the cost or repair?

Is it me because it is out of warranty, or is it them because it is the same fault?

Many thanks

agrinnall

Sadly I suspect it'll have to be you. It may be down to the reconditioned parts, but unless they came with a warranty of their own that is longer than the 3 months that the car had then I don't think you'll have much chance of success getting the seller to pay for it. You can ask but don't be surprised if they refuse. It is an 8 year old car after all, and you have to expect a few problems.

scheming_gypsy

Do you know which garage they used? if you do, give them a phone call.
Just tell them that you're having a problem with your Panda, ask for the cost for both new and reconditioned. Then ask what (not if) warranty there is if you took the reconditioned option.
you can then either approach the dealer or go straight to the garage to have it done under warranty.

facade

That isn't how warranty works.

If you have a repair done under warranty, then the repair is warranted for the remainder of the warranty period.

If the fault reoccurs the day after the warranty expires, tough.

Any guarantee on a replacement part applies to the purchaser, i.e. whoever paid out under warranty, not to you, and they won't want to know.

Had this exact situation once, abs controller failed, and was replaced under warranty with a supposed new unit.
When that failed 6 months later, now outside the warranty (but with the controller only 6 months old ) it was tough luck for us, not even a contribution from the supplying dealer. (So I got it repaired)

Mankysteve

Give them a ring and explain what happened dates etc. Tell them your not pleased but don't be rude. You never know what there going to say untill you ask

Tilt

Under the SOGA, the seller must prove that a defect was not present at the point of sale if said defect occurs within 6 months of purchase. Obviously in this case, the defect was no doubt inherent thus it is the responsibility of the seller to rectify. The warranty is merely an extension of your statutory rights.

It is difficult to rectify this without using a complete new part as it has to be calibrated to the car's ECU. As far as I know, the column comes in one complete unit and is not serviceable. Fiat have had problems in the past with this on both Panda and Punto models and I believe there was a re-call in the past. You could get some info here; http://www.fiatforum.com/

It maybe the case that the car could be subject to a warranty repair from Fiat. You could contact your nearest dealer and ask them to check.

But at the end of the day, your contract is with the seller and as such you should contact them and tell them that the repair has been unsuccessful.

Desperate+Depressed

Thank you all for your replies.

I did contact the garage yesterday where I purchased the car. The chap I bought it off (and who dealt with the issue last time), has now sold his share in the Company :-(

The new chap said he would have to speak to the other owner and they would contact me today.

I was not rude in any way at all......I just simply explained what had happened in May, and that it had been repaired with re-con parts. I asked him what happens now (again, not shouting or being rude).

I have been out in the car this morning......just literally driven round the block, and the "steering failed" light is no longer on??
Should I just leave it and tell the garage that everything is ok?

Thanks

colino

Unfortunately this is a very common fault and while a good repair exists (bba reman do an exchange unit with a 2 year guarantee) it sounds like someone had a go at fixing it either switching around relays, fixing dry solder joints or just swapped it with one from a scrappy. Persist with the selling garage (you bought it from a garage not an individual?) and hope for a better repair next time.

Tilt

Hmm, sounds intermittent now. I'm assuming the steering also feels as it should?

Maybe an idea to check that the battery is fully charged and is of good condition. It has been known that lack of charge can cause problems also to the assisted steering.