Lancia Ypsilon
Evolution of the FIRE 8V with 16 valves and hydraulic tappets — no manual valve clearance adjustment required. Slightly more sensitive to poor oil quality than the 8V. Ignition coil and throttle body are known wear points in middle age.
Urban charmer
59 kW is sufficient for the city with light ease. The 16V unit revs willingly.
Engine Weaknesses 3
Like its 8V sibling, the 16V FIRE is prone to head gasket issues at higher mileages. Repair costs between 450 and 700 €, or cheaper with a reconditioned cylinder head sourced from Southern Europe.
Symptoms: White smoke from the exhaust, coolant loss, engine runs rough then settles, pressure in the cooling system
Ignition coil failures are a well-known issue on the 1.2 16V FIRE. Judder and misfires especially at higher mileages around 150,000–200,000 km. Replacement is cheap and can be done by a competent DIYer.
Symptoms: Engine warning light flashing, misfires in individual cylinders, judder at medium load and revs, poor starting
The throttle position sensor fouls or wears with age. Fault codes stored in the ECU. Cleaning often helps; in persistent cases the entire throttle body must be replaced (approx. 280 €).
Symptoms: Rough idle, engine warning light, poor throttle response, irregular idle speed
Vehicle Weaknesses 9
EPS control unit or electric motor faulty — steering becomes extremely heavy. Frequently from 80,000 km. Replacement of the steering module costs 600–1,200 €.
Brake lines rust preferentially at the plastic retaining clips on the underbody. On older vehicles the entire brake system including wheel cylinders must be checked for corrosion.
Door lock actuators fail individually — door can no longer be locked/unlocked by remote or interior button. Driver's door most commonly affected.
Plastic window regulator guide breaks — window drops into the door or jams. Typical Fiat/Lancia defect on the range.
The front control arm rubber bushings wear prematurely and become sloppy. Anti-roll bar bushings also tend to crack. Typical knocking when going over bumps.
Shock absorbers tend to develop leaks from around 100,000 km. Vehicles at MOT are frequently flagged for worn dampers. Aftermarket parts are available.
From around 8 years of age, the sump tends to rust through. The subframe and exhaust manifold are also corrosion-prone. Lack of cavity sealing promotes salt damage.
Blower resistor burns out — fan only runs on the highest setting or not at all. A cheap wear part, but frequently affected on this model.
The plastic headlight lenses yellow heavily due to UV exposure. This impairs light output and leads to MOT failures.
