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[Mr Gav]

I decided to tackle the knackered resistor on SWMBO`s Fiat Panda on Sunday, got the part last week and after a look through the Haynes book of lies I think it shouldn`t be too bad a job, just a bit fiddly.

The part in question is located above the drivers footwell above the pedal assembly near the bulkhead 

" Undo the bottom of the steering column and lift out of the way, reach up behind the facia, unclip the wiring plug, unscrew the retaining screw and remove the resistor. Refitting is the reverse of removal"

Sounds easy enough, right? 

Here`s the picture in the manual



After two and a half hours of  laying on my back across the sill with my head under the clutch pedal trying to reach up towards what seems like the windscreen wipers, swearing and generally abusing Italians I gave up.

Here`s the reality



I think Haynes may have forgotten something........like the f*@cking wiring loom wedging the plug in and it`s nigh on impossible to move out of the way, not to mention the fact that I can barely get my hands on the plug to remove it anyway 

How the hell can you build a car with something designed to be moved  and then wedge the bleedin thing in?

They`re best off sticking to pizza`s that`s all I can say 

[anV6]

You know how you always hear Italian cars have a lot of character and there are no two alike etc, etc, etc? This is just made up to cover up their low quality control. 

Yes, no two alike because they can't stick to the fraking plan. 

But I still love them, as long as I'm not the one who needs to work on them. 

[STEMO]

I was gonna say it's not just the Italians. I watched a YouTube vid last night, and to get the sump pan off a corsa 1.3 diesel, you have to remove crossmembers, engine mounts, all fickin sorts.

Then I remembered, it's a fiat engine. 

[Mr Gav]

You know how you always hear Italian cars have a lot of character and there are no two alike etc, etc, etc? This is just made up to cover up their low quality control. 

Yes, no two alike because they can't stick to the fraking plan. 

But I still love them, as long as I'm not the one who needs to work on them.

You can`t love a Panda though 

I was gonna say it's not just the Italians. I watched a YouTube vid last night, and to get the sump pan off a corsa 1.3 diesel, you have to remove crossmembers, engine mounts, all fickin sorts.

Then I remembered, it's a fiat engine. 

That doesn`t surprise me, I couldn`t even tighten the oil filter with my hands cos there isn`t enough room 

[Varche]

Is that the part that suddenly fails and leaves you with very heavy steering.?

My brother swore a lo about it on his daughters car!

[Mr Gav]

Is that the part that suddenly fails and leaves you with very heavy steering.?

My brother swore a lo about it on his daughters car!

No, this is just the blower motor resistor.

They do have electric power steering which will probably be expensive if it does do wrong, looks like the motor is just below the ignition barrel.

It also has the infamous flashing eml at around 80mph and according to the software I have is a misfire, and is still there after changing the plugs and leads and coils, doesn`t feel like it has got a misfire and reading the Fiat forums it seems that even Fiat dealers can`t cure this on some cars although they drive fine.

Why o why did she choose a bloody Fiat 

[Andy B]

....
Why o why did she choose a bloody Fiat 

I've thought that a couple of time when I've done the clutch cable on my daughter's Siecento. £12 cable, about a foot long & a tw4t to fit because when Fiat converted a LHD cat to a RHD car they left the original mechanicals & added even more so that you can control them from the other side of the car. If it was still a LHD car, it would take 10 mins to fit

[Doctor Gollum]

Reminds me of the Mk5/6/7 Escort... RHD cars had everything apart from the steering column and pedals mounted infront of the passenger...

[2boxerdogs]

Had to sort the screen washers out on the wife's Panda a few days ago , very unusual construction never seen anything quite like it talk about feeble , but she loves it.

[Nick W]

Reminds me of the Mk5/6/7 Escort... RHD cars had everything apart from the steering column and pedals mounted infront of the passenger...

True, but they're not as flaky as a Fiat. Once you've fixed the fusebox.

[Doctor Gollum]

Fuse box in Mums '92 1.8 16v estate was eventually renewed under warranty... however, she never could get them to admit that the plugwells shouldn't be full of water... which actually made it undriveable at times

Wasn't a bad car all told, but it failed to live up to the expectation set by the car it replaced... an '86 Fiesta 1.1. Which considering that both were bought new, says alot...

[aaronjb]

Which considering that both were bought new, says alot...

That the halcyon days of British manufacturing might not actually have been all that?

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Which considering that both were bought new, says alot...

That the halcyon days of British manufacturing might not actually have been all that?

Accessibility........British car manufacturers of old understood what this means. This was good because old British cars were perhaps not overly reliable.

Easy fix when they do decide to play up though.

[anV6]

You know how you always hear Italian cars have a lot of character and there are no two alike etc, etc, etc? This is just made up to cover up their low quality control. 

Yes, no two alike because they can't stick to the fraking plan. 

But I still love them, as long as I'm not the one who needs to work on them.

You can`t love a Panda though 

Are they really that bad? Never drove one. But the Fiat 500 is a pretty fun little car, specially the sporty ones.

[Mr Gav]

You know how you always hear Italian cars have a lot of character and there are no two alike etc, etc, etc? This is just made up to cover up their low quality control. 

Yes, no two alike because they can't stick to the fraking plan. 

But I still love them, as long as I'm not the one who needs to work on them.

You can`t love a Panda though 

Are they really that bad? Never drove one. But the Fiat 500 is a pretty fun little car, specially the sporty ones.

Not great, bouncy suspension and crap steering feel and gut less engine 

Your life isn`t any worse off for not driving one