Fiat Punto
Small FIRE naturally aspirated petrol engine from the second Punto generation with hydraulic tappets and belt drive. Head gasket and timing belt are known weak points; the engine can reach high mileages with good maintenance.
Sprightly in the Lightweight
In the lightweight Punto 188 even the small 1.2 is fun — revs willingly to 6,500 rpm. City fun at the smallest scale thanks to the light body.
Engine Weaknesses 5
Cylinder head gasket is a known weak point on the Fiat Punto 188 1.2. Failure typically occurs between 87,000 and 156,000 km on irregularly maintained vehicles; white exhaust smoke and coolant loss are typical symptoms.
Symptoms: White, sweet-smelling steam from exhaust, falling coolant level without external leak, overheat warning, oily film in coolant expansion tank
On the 188A5 the timing belt also drives the water pump; the water pump simultaneously acts as a tensioner. If the belt snaps, valves hit pistons. The 5-year or 120,000 km maintenance interval is often ignored by used car buyers.
Symptoms: Engine won't start after belt failure, rattling from cam cover area just before failure, power loss from worn tensioner
The hydraulic tappets of the 188A5 are sensitive to oil level and oil quality. At low oil level or with long oil change intervals, the valve train rattles, especially on cold start. Often self-resolving by checking the oil level immediately.
Symptoms: Clattering or ticking noise after cold start, subsides after a few minutes; if persistent, check oil level
Fiat Punto 188 suffers from corroded ground points and brittle cable connectors on older examples. Typical failures affect window regulators, alternator, fuel pump and starter; poor ground connections are usually the cause.
Symptoms: Sporadic failures of electrical components, starting problems despite good battery, alternator fault, window regulator stops
On vehicles with over 120,000 km and long service life, the shaft seals on the crankshaft and camshaft harden. Slight oil misting on the engine is typical for the series; the seals should always be replaced during the timing belt service.
Symptoms: Oil misting below the cam cover, oil smell in engine bay, oil spots under vehicle after prolonged standing
Vehicle Weaknesses 14
The electric power steering of the Punto 188 fails frequently, initially intermittently. The cause is usually defective relays on the control board of the servo motor.
Strut mounts (spring strut bearings) on the Punto 188 are a documented weak point. Water ingress into the ball bearings accelerates wear. Noises from around 30,000 km; revised Fiat parts resolve the problem permanently.
The automatic brake adjuster of the rear drum brake jams or fails, causing uneven braking and MOT defects. Frozen brake cable in winter makes the problem worse.
The second gear synchro ring wears prematurely. Typical symptom is stiff or crunching engagement of second gear. Clutches also have a short service life, often under 80,000 km.
The exhaust system rusts heavily on older examples, particularly at connecting flanges and the rear silencer. On the underbody, rust shows up mainly on engine mounts, sills and brake lines.
On the Punto 188, water enters preferentially below the windscreen and at the rear roof joint at the transition to the C-pillar. The passenger footwell is most frequently affected.
Corroded or broken ground cables cause a wide range of electrical malfunctions. Alternator, starter, fuel pump and speedo reading are all affected.
On older Punto 188s, valve cover gasket, sump and driveshaft gaiters frequently leak. The gearbox also tends to oil loss.
The wiper linkage of the Punto 188 jams or blocks — in several cases the wiper motor was replaced multiple times within the warranty period.
The clutch on the Punto 188 is considered short-lived — defects on clutch master cylinder, slave cylinder and clutch friction plate are common. Change intervals under 80,000 km are not unusual.
The blower motor resistor burns out. The blower then only works on the highest speed or fails completely. Cause: overheating resistor due to the blower motor bearings dragging.
The AC compressor of the Punto 188 loses refrigerant through leaking hoses and connections with increasing age. Early compressor failures through dry running documented from around 40,000 km.
Before the facelift (up to around 2003), the headlights of the Punto 188 tend to collect moisture. The housing seals age and allow water to penetrate.
The dashboard of the Punto 188 creaks over bumps. Seats with loose backrest catch and creaking door trim are typical signs of ageing from around 80,000 km.