1999 Fiat Seicento Citymatic from UK and Ireland - Comments

RE FIAT CITY MATIC PROBLEMS (a cure)

When I experienced the usual actuator problem on my car I carried out a manual conversion with ease the car has now been working absolutely perfect and full details can be obtained by emailing me at david.london@emas.nhs.uk.

We've had a '98 citymatic that has had its electronic clutch replaced 4 times now. After the second time, we realized that if the system got even damp, it immediately burnt out. The Fiat dealer wrapped it in plastic and silicone. Even so, even if it's totally dry, it goes every 8000 miles, at best. We have to park it when it rains. Fiat never answered our complaints or inquiries. Is now in shop, being converted to a manual clutch, thank God.

Our seicento has got the same problem after 18.000 km.

My Daughter has had her Seicento for about a year now it's a V reg 1999 with 22000 miles, the Clutch Actuator failed, stopped car, went to shop, got back in and nothing, Fiat charged £37 for a diagnostic test, £457 for the part, £126 for labour all plus VAT best part of £730, so we go to pick it up and was told that the clutch now needs replacing, another £310, if anyone can help with advice on how to take this further please please email me at alanandsued@yahoo.co.uk

Thank you.

Fiat Seicento - ACTUATOR!!!

I would appreciate anyone who is still having problems with their ACTUATOR to contact me at:

abonadies@candi.ac.uk or abonadies@blueyonder.co.uk.

I am aware that Fiat has bought back some of these cars. I have contacted Fiat and faxed over your comments, but still they will not acknowledge there is a problem. I need a group of us to fight this together.

Have owned fiat city-matic for 1.5 years

replaced actuator in that time every thing fine for a while new problem now selecting reverse gear.

My grandpa bought his Seicento Citymatic four years ago. After 15000 miles his gearbox quit working. 11000 miles later the problem showed up again. This time, he decided to replace the half-automatic gearbox for a manual, because of the high costs and the possibility that the problem will show up again. It's a step backwards for him, because his left foot is disabled and so driving a car with a manual gearbox is painful, especially in traffic-jams. He tried to figure out if there's anything like Car Survey in The Netherlands, and he needs facts, names and addresses to prove that his problem with the gearbox is not a single one. So if you have a similair problem, please send an e-mail to aemerik@wanadoo.nl.

Kind regards.

Daniel van Duijvenvoorde.

I'd like to add my name to the list of "affected".In my case that electronic clutch has been changed for 4 times now I'm still waiting for the 5th. What can I say?, near two months trying to get a solution, but Fiat does not want to hear.There is a problem and we all know.If anyone wants to take legal action feel free to contact me and I'll sent you all the documentation to support it. My contact mail evalverde71@yahoo.es.

I am the grandfather of Daniel and very happy with such a 14 years old carefully grandson. I contacted the Fiat main-dealer of the Netherlands and the spoke woman told me kindly that I am probably the only one in the world with gearbox problems. So you can understand how thankful I am for this website and just as my grandson wrote before, I need facts, names, home and e-mail addresses to try, in one or other way, to get some compensation for our gearbox actuator problems. Till now there are 8 email addresses known from the site so there are still 15 unknown. I hope they will contact me and already my thanks.

aemerik@wanadoo.nl

Aemerik@wanadoo.nl.

My gearbox actuator was replaced about a year ago and I just had a very similar fault.

When the engine was running I was unable to engage any gears. There were no warning lights on the dashboard or warning beeps.

I switched the engine off and was able to move the stick into all the gear positions, but obviously, you have to be in neutral to start the engine, so I was stuck.

Turns out it wasn't the gearbox actuator this time. The gearbox mounting bracket had broken. £40 for parts, £70 for fitting (all plus VAT), total about £130.

So make sure it is the gearbox actuator that has failed before you pay the £700 bill!

Billy.

Fiat Seincento citymatic clutch failure.

My daughter's car is in the garage for a clutch diagnosis for the second time in 18 months - presumably the actuator again. It doesn't seem to like the cold and damp. any details of how to convert it to manual clutch would be gratefully received.

Aygee999@hotmail.com.

My t reg seicento broke down today on a very busy dangerous road, I experienced exactly the same problems as everyone else - could not engage gear. I await a phone call from the fiat dealer to tell me of the problem and how much it will be, I will update you all - if anyone has any progress with fiat accepting there is a design fault please let me know. Thanks, Catherine.

E-mail: misscawright@yahoo.co.uk.

Hi it's me again, it was the gear actuator and gear arm it is costing me £678, which I have to pay as I need my car, but next weekend I shall be trying to sell it and finding one that is reliable.

Catherine.

I have citymatic t reg which judders when first started once it has got running it is fine until the next day. has any one else had this problem or does anyone know the cause.

Hi - it's me again!!! just got my citymatic back from the fiat dealership in heswall wirral after having a new automator and arm fitted, the mechanic told me the part comes with a years warranty so I could go back in 11 months time and he would replace it for free as part of the warranty even if it hasn't gone. So if I do decide to keep this car I will be able to have a new automator fitted every 11 months free or before if it breaks before 12 months. Thought you'd all like to know ad check if your dealership will offer the same deal - worth checking?!!!

Catherine.