1999 Fiat Seicento Citymatic from UK and Ireland - Comments

Hi.

I brought a Fiat citymatic a month ago, I've had a couple of occasions where the gears wouldn't engage after starting up the car, This soon righten-ed it self after a few minutes driving the car. Last week while we were away on holiday in Holland the problem seems to occur every day, 1st and reverse gears being the most to engage. I got the battery tested this morning which was showing a reading of 12.8 volts. Any help where to go from here? please email me at royilee1969@msn.com.

Thank you.

Hi.

More of the same!

I bought a citymatic for my wife who loved the car, less than one thousand miles in and we cannot select any gears. Because there were no documents when I bought the car I contacted my local dealer who sent me a print out of the vehicle history.

The actuator was replaced at 12174 miles then again at 13080.

I again contacted my dealer who admitted there was a problem. I phoned fiat customer services who were polite, but said there was nothing they could do due to the age of the car. The cars should be converted to manuals at fiat's expense

would be grateful for any help or advice. Email allencraig.wanadoo.co.uk@fsmail.net.

My Citymatic has been out of action because I can't select any gear, for two months now. During this time I have sent many e-mails, letters & phonecalls to Fiat UK customer services and they still refuse to help. As a last-ditch attempt to get a satisfactory response from them, I have contacted the BBC's Watchdog TV programme. Can I suggest that everyone else with the Seicento Citymatic Gear Actuator problem does the same? I will certainly never buy another Fiat of any description ever again! Sue. sueb4@tiscali.co.uk.

Yes, another unhappy Fiat Seicento Citymatic user. I'm italian and in the same situation of you all. Fiat refuse to assist me, this is the third time and the most expensive (950€). The only offered solution is to transform the car to a manual gearshift, they will partecipate to 50% of the cost.

To all you Citymatic sufferers - DO NOT GIVE UP. Contact Fiat UK HQ at Slough and also Trading Standards at Slough who have a person solely dedicated to Fiat! I and other users have got our cars converted free of charge by absolute persistent and YOU CAN TOO. Also contact BBC Watchdog who must have a massive file by now. Since conversion last year to manual apart from a minor clutch adjustment when it had bedded in my car has been fine. This time of the year these automatic cars are at their worse so keep on and on and also enlist your local dealers help - give them the website address to look at - that also got me swift results after two years of trying.

Jill Bayliss jill.bayliss@taw.org.uk.

Here here to Jills comments, we got our Citymatics converted by fiat and you can too! Keep on at fiat to get it sorted and they will. Like Jill said the Citymatics are terrible at this time of year, when its cold. Me and Jill no doubt don't miss those dreaded beeps! Get it sorted, any probs email me or Jill. adamoakes@btopenworld.com.

Hi. I am another citymatic victim. My car has decided not to start at all. I have no idea what's wrong with it which worries me. It just makes a clicking sound and the alarm comes on. Any suggestions as to what might be wrong? I haven't driven the car for about 2 weeks and I've never had a problem where the engine wouldn't start at all.

I have had actuator problems in the past, the most recent being a few months ago. Luckily it was under guarantee because it had been replaced the year before. Understandably I am keen to get my car converted to manual. If anyone can help please email me.

Rebecca Mackie

alan_smith_is_lush@hotmail.com.

My citymatic actuator went after 5 weeks ownership! but Fiat won't replace with manual gearbox as they say I bought it as a secondhand vehicle and so its out of warranty. I am utterly disgusted. The dealer who sold me it said it was a private sale by his daughter so I have no redress there. Does anyone know where I can get a secondhand part or even anyone who will remove and refit the part or replace with a manual gearbox. katicheeky@aol.com.

Hi, 8 months ago I bought a used fiat citymatic, (model 1999),and I thought I found the best car I could, without being informed by anyone. I paid 4000 euro and now I desparate want to know how can I fix this t h I n g. 10 minutes every day to warm it, 1st and reverse gears are doing bad sounds. the central officies (mechanics) here in greece told me, that they can fix it,(NEED 1000 EURO ) but the problem is very possible to remain. the acs warming light and the beeping noise is something I cannot fix.

Many thanks eleni.

Hi

Just to let you know I had the same problem and had the whole thing converted to manual. I found a very reasonable company in South Wales who charged me £450 and haven't had any trouble since. This is the best thing I could have done - no more danger on the roads.

A very happy Seicento owner

Amanda.

I was very interested in Amanda's comment. Is it possible to know which company in South Wales did the conversion to manual? My daughter recently bought a Citymatic at auction and is already experiencing trouble with the actuator. We are going to contact Fiat UK, but would like to know who converted Amanda's car in case we have to go along the same route. It would give us peace of mind to know that my daughter is no longer driving this dangerous vehicle.

Janet.

Having received instructions from David London (see comment 16 on this site, dated the 5th March 2004), my daughters Seicento Citymatic has now been converted to a manual. If anyone else wants this done, the private mechanic that we used is Vince Cambridge in Bristol. His number is 0117 9324129.

Janet.

Hi I bought a v reg citymatic in january this year had it two weeks and it kept conking out everytime I went two change gear, most of the time at junctions and roundabouts, got it towed to the garage. The garage said that it was the clutch, they replaced it at a cost of £300. We then got it back and it did the same. The garage came and got it the same day and said he did not know what was wrong with it.

He took it to Fiat and they said it was the actuator and it would cost me another £750 for it. I don't have that kind of money to pay for it, I bought it for £900, £300 to the garage to try and fix it, and now another £750, that's more than the cars worth.

If there is anyone out there that knows of anyone that could help, I live in North Shields, Tyne & Wear, could they please PLEASE contact me at www.6diane.dickinson65@blueyonder.co.uk

helllllllllllllllp

diane.

Have a look at ebay number 4622843977 and it might not be the answer to your problems, but it will hopefully make your the repair a bit cheaper.

Glad I can help.

Please can you ask Amanda to email the address of the garage

which done the conversion or can you forward it please

steven_payne@btinternet.com.