Lancia Ypsilon
Fiat/GM co-developed 1.3 MultiJet with timing chain and common rail injection. Documented over 300,000 km in many vehicles, but sensitive to missed maintenance. Timing chain wear from around 150,000 km is the most common costly repair.
Nippy MultiJet
66 kW and decent torque — best compromise in the Ypsilon 843, smooth and economical.
Engine Weaknesses 3
The timing chain stretches from around 120,000–150,000 km. A failed example at 154,000 km caused valve damage, two bent rocker arms and glow plug damage. Total cost was 1,200 €.
Symptoms: Metallic rattling from the engine bay on cold start, getting louder. If the chain snaps, immediate engine shutdown with no restart.
The common rail high-pressure pump and injectors of the 1.3 MultiJet are sensitive to poor fuel quality and long service intervals. A pressure drop in the rail first shows up on cold start.
Symptoms: Difficult cold start, smoke after starting, power loss, rough running especially under load.
Glow plugs on the 1.3 MultiJet age relatively quickly, especially with frequent short-trip use. Faulty glow plugs cause laborious cold starts and increased particulate emissions until operating temperature is reached.
Symptoms: Difficult or repeated cold start attempts, brief white smoke on start-up, glow plug warning light on.
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.
