Fiat Punto 1.2 8v 2002 plate - Fiat Punto MIL lamp wont go out

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Sat 21 Sep 2013 15:20
Fiat Punto 1.2 8v 2002 plate - Fiat Punto MIL lamp wont go out - Tom Gutteridge

My daughter has a 1.2 8v Punto on an 02 plate. The car has 60k on the clock and in the last year has had a full major service including cam belt change at a fiat main dealer. It drives fine and appears economical on her 50 mile daily commute. For the last few months though her MIL light has been on. The code suggests a mixture problem and I thought I’d found it when I discovered that a coil pack connector wasn’t pushed fully home. When the engine is warm I can get the light to go out and stay out if I start the car without throttle. If it’s cold or you touch the accelerator starting the lamp comes on and stays on. Forums seem to suggest anything from ECU to battery, to leads and plugs, though the plugs should have been changed in the main service. Mr Clutch swapped the Coil Packs out but it made no difference so they put the originals back (and didn’t charge). I want to sell the car as my daughter has now got a Micra but obviously want to fix this first. Any thoughts?

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Sat 21 Sep 2013 15:49
Fiat Punto 1.2 8v 2002 plate - Fiat Punto MIL lamp wont go out - elekie&a/c doctor
OK then,give us a clue,what is the code?
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Sat 21 Sep 2013 19:37
Fiat Punto 1.2 8v 2002 plate - Fiat Punto MIL lamp wont go out - Tom Gutteridge

Unfortunately I can’t remember the code and I don’t have a tester (I was using a borrowed one). It indicated coil pk 2, which as it happened had a connector that wasn’t pushed right home. I’m going to have to get it read again but experience to date is that the code isn’t a huge amount of help.

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Mon 23 Sep 2013 10:12
Fiat Punto 1.2 8v 2002 plate - Fiat Punto MIL lamp wont go out - Tom Gutteridge

The code was 352 - any help anybody?

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Mon 23 Sep 2013 12:37
Fiat Punto 1.2 8v 2002 plate - Fiat Punto MIL lamp wont go out - Wackyracer

Code p0352 is for ignition coil circuit, Often with Punto's the coil goes bad and it damages the output circuit of the ECU itself. The result is that coil packs and ECU's have to be changed together to solve the problem.

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Tue 8 Oct 2013 09:38
Fiat Punto 1.2 8v 2002 plate - Fiat Punto MIL lamp wont go out - Tom Gutteridge

Thanks, I was afraid you might say that. What I dont quite understand is why I can get the lamp to go out and stay out if I restart the engine when its warmed through.

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Wed 15 Jan 2014 22:17
Fiat Punto 1.2 8v 2002 plate - Fiat Punto MIL lamp wont go out - Tom Gutteridge

Well I’ve just sent the ECU away for diagnosis and repair and the Company have called me to say, much to their surprise I would add because they too expected it to be faulty, that the ECU is testing fine both warm and cold so they are returning it as it was. In the meantime I’ve bought two new OEM coil packs and will fit them when the ECU returns. Now I’m stumped – perhaps the new coil packs will cure the problem but I’d really welcome any other ideas.

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Thu 13 Feb 2014 23:15
Fiat Punto 1.2 8v 2002 plate - Fiat Punto MIL lamp wont go out - Tom Gutteridge

Well I’ve just sent the ECU away for diagnosis and repair and the Company have called me to say, much to their surprise I would add because they too expected it to be faulty, that the ECU is testing fine both warm and cold so they are returning it as it was. In the meantime I’ve bought two new OEM coil packs and will fit them when the ECU returns. Now I’m stumped – perhaps the new coil packs will cure the problem but I’d really welcome any other ideas.

Re fitted the ECU, fitted the new coil packs - started first time - and the MIL lamp came back on!

Then I read on another forum that you should let the engine fan cut in three times to help the engine management system configure itself. I did this.

Then I realised the battery was low on charge (the car had been unused for about 3 months) so I charged it up over night.

Hey presto - No MIL light. It just doesnt come on any more.

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Fri 14 Feb 2014 12:59
Fiat Punto 1.2 8v 2002 plate - Fiat Punto MIL lamp wont go out - Chris M

Result!

And the update is much appreciated.

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