I was wondering just how many little gripes people have with their coops. Everyone knows about the exhaust manifold or the indicator stalks, but what are the lesser known problems people have found?

For me, the size of the driver's sun visor isnt an issue. The problem is with the whacking great whole that surrounds the clip. Every morning for a couple of months either end of the year, i have to drive to work with the sun at that annoying height which requires the use of the sun visor.

But the sun blinds me anyway because it gets through the clip hole right into my eyes.

Is it just me who finds this?

Anyone else?

Wow - how long do you have?

Headlights which make geriatric glow-worms look dazzling
Dash buttons that push through the dash
central locking that needs you to hold the sender against the glass
rain water that pours into the car if you have the window open
£20 coolant hose that often costs a couple of grand for an engine rebuild
Brembo calipers that need the pads to be filed down to fit them in (or just use a hammer if your name is sumplug)


I'm sure I'll think of some more....

i know what you mean, but this just sounds perfectly normal

Rear grab handle that rub and sqweak of the driver headrest.

Rubber gear lever collar on 20vt that gets chewed away far two easily.

Gunky center console which scratches like he'll
noisy brembos

no cup holders,not 300bhp as standard

Not sure if it's really a design flaw or just poor seals but frozen doors, locks,fuel cap, boot, bonnet in winter/doors not closing once you're in the car, having to drive with one hand gripping the door handle so it doesnt swing open!!

For me the most anoying thing is the water that collects in the wing mirrors just after you have washed the car

i find the rain water bloody annoying when you go to have a fag, go round a corner and get soaked...

i also find one thing that really grinds my gears...

this one is brilliant!

when your driving with a red LE and a vinci LE and the red LE takes the WRONG turning off the round about...

these LE drivers... LOL

Or the spiders webs?

Radio reception

Fiat dealers. Come on, admit, other than ordering a spare part, does anyone use them?

I think you will find its because the italian in the Sprinty has no concept of considerate driving when someone is trying to FOLLOW him to a destination. Aparantly its acceptable to BLAST off so the poor guy in the Speed Red has no idea where he is and by rule of thumb follows a police car thinking its likeley to end up in Sprintys direction.... at some point

I do have a few gripes with mine. Need to think them through first.

- Water collects in the rear light cups
- The fuel cap lacquer peel is an obvious one
- The severe lack of space in the engine bay? I can't think of that many cars what have got a big engine wedged into a small space.
- Stupid oil filter location

A split folding rear seat and only a ski hatch through the metal, very useful...

- Holes in the rear quarters for the Pinin badges (that also let water in and hence the car to rust from the inside out)

dude you got lost twice on TWO different round abouts!!

This thread will run and run...

My favourites so far are the ski hatch and rubbing grab handle.

To add a new one, I love that fact that unless you have a late version with the extra carpet trimmings then all of the gubbins behind the centre console hang out into the footwell for all to see, both sides...

MA VA!

Thought that might just have been me, when you need to get to work, you need to get to work...

And is it just mine, but what about the seat belts, in cold weather mine locks at a certain length if I pull it out too quickly, meaning I can't put it on until the entire interior of the car has reached a good temperature and the inertia jobby lets the belt go again.

White dials that cannot be read in anything other than daylight or pitch black. The "auto" setting on the a/c just blasts me with air whatever the setting. Swan neck hindges in the boot - a few times I've packed it and then can't shut it... still love the car though!!

The slight 'click' you feel when rapidly shifting from 3 to 4. At least plusses have this. And 6speed 147's.

Oh and the fact there are slots at the rear of the interior vents in the dash to fit lights in. Only there are no lights.

When you unlock the boot with the key, you have you remember to turn the key back anti-clockwise until it stops, otherwise the boot won't shut.

The rubber strips inside the front door window channels come loose and slip down, meaning a lot of road-noise until you pill them back up and glue them in place.

Weak bonnet release cables which snap, meaning you end up breaking the grill to get the bonnet open to fit a replacement.

A rubbish rear washer jet.

Apart from the last one, i think you have a few problems with your coop there mate

Cant say i've had any of those issues with either of the coops i've had.

"When you unlock the boot with the key, you have you remember to turn the key back anti-clockwise until it stops, otherwise the boot won't shut."

Didn't know this, thought mine was somehow malfunctioning (and wouldn't shut), quality thread this.

No footwell lights
(or is that just mine?)

It should spring back anti clockwise AFAIK. every coop i've had has done.

Yeah it should, I keep meaning to write a how-to on fixing it, often it's just a gunged mechanism.

I personally think the rear washer jet is fantastic, you can position it to squirt tailgating audi drivers as they 'undertake' or pass you

When checking your water temp while driving,and nearly crashing as it takes so long to get the reflection out of the way.

And on a related note, the fact that the different gauges all use different badly labled scales that are virtually impossible to decipher without a protractor

great thread guys

the blower on mine turns itself on randomly, regardless of temperature, and especially if going over a speed-bump

for days the indicators self cancel, then for a few days they dont. repeat ad infinitum

sometimes the remote locks the doors and they unlock themselves instantly. wait 2 mins, try again and all is well

damn i'm missing my car

The standard rear tail pipe, held on with two puny spot welds that eventually give way as the pipe rots below them. resulting in the trim being blown down the road and the remaining exhaust melting the bumper.

The Pininfarina badges on the rear quarters. Why use bagdes that require holes when self adhesive would A) be simpler and b) wouldn't let water leak into the car.

They used self adhesive on the rear fiat badge though.

No turning circle.

But as Confucius says, ''Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.''

The rear arch liners trap dirt against the metal and it rubs the paint and you get rust.
The blessed holes in the sides.
The route the washer hose goes through for the rear wiper so it rubs a hole in its self under you back seat.
Crude rear suspension.
Too much weight in front of the front wheels.
The location of oil filter.

inferior bonnet struts

The bootlid that is designed to dump snow inside the car when you open it.

Under bonnet Sponge water traps
Seat belts that won't retract

when previous owners remove the undertray, so the inner plastic wings constanly pop out

Rear view mirrors that are little use other than to home petrol head spiders!

Stupidly small glovebox!

The interior pull handle for the doors, it's too far forward, weaklings struggle to pull the doors shut on a nose down slope!

Totally, totally useless sunvisors!

Otherwise, not a lot wrong with them, I miss mine.

Ahhhh! So thats why they never sat right! Bit late finding out now though!

Push them "in" towards the window and they self-drain...or drill a hole in the bottom of the casing

would like to get the how do on this. If anyone knows how to get the little metal slit cover to reclose on the boot key area that would be great, mine is always open and letting durt in :-( have WD40'd it to death and no luck.

Can i mention dipstick readings for fun..... i cant see why they didnt fit the electronic dipsticks used in the Lancia Prisma, was class in it day!

Great thread and I agree with most of comments, whilst sitting here smiling and nodding at the comments

Still wouldn't be without mine though

Not personal annoyances of mine, but probably are for other people and dont think they've been mentioned yet:

Wiper arms rubbing through the top edge of the bonnet.

Rocker cover which easily cracks at the top right corner.

Melting rear bumpers from exhaust.

Reflectors dropping out of rear bumpers.

Disintegrating number plate lights.

Washers often failing due to the non retun valve or pump problems.

Bonnet catch often breaking.


Can't think of any others at the moment

Aux belt slippage straight into cambelt.

CHOD.

(learning quick)

Mine was open for a long time and when it rained or I washed the car water used to pour in to the boot! You'll find it's dirt which has clogged it up, preventing the little flap from fully closing. Get a pin in there and scrape all around where the flap closes, then hoover out the crap. The ideal solution is to replace the whole mechanism.

Im not drilling them
However i will give the other idea ago

Just buy a small mop for the spider.

The handbrake. Rubbish when it works and embarrasing when it doesn't. (Mine currently doesn't; cables are stretched and ive not got round to fitting new ones)


The fuel gauge - a quarter full, go round a corner - light comes on. Go round another corner, light goes off. Go down a hill; light comes on, go up a hill light goes off etc...

It's enough to panic a new owner into thinking youre almost out of fuel when you though you had enough to get you home...

Again - Ski hatch. If you're going to fit split rear seats, why not make the hole a bit bigger..?

The rubberised dash on the 20V - probably looked great when it came out of the factory, but after a few years of use; looks a bit ropey. Much like the idea behind the DeLorean bodywork. Great idea in principle, rubbish in practice...

Just buy a small mop for the spider.

Hilarious,love it

The route the washer hose goes through for the rear wiper so it rubs a hole in its self under you back seat.

Haha, i always wondered why there was a random patch of water under my rear footmat when cleaning my coupe, anyone else had this?!

Map reading light on the wrong side for those who drive on the proper side of the road.

I came up with a 'clever' way to reverse the interior light fitting - but now I have to move the mirror to get to the switches!

Opening the bonnet in winter, and tearing the sponge off it's fixings where it has frozen to the inside of the bonnet.

There is a tiny spring which should close the lid on the barrel
which may have become dislodged. Take out lock, carefully prise off chrome disc, re-site spring. When reassembling put the key through the disc first then into the barrel and ease disc back into place with spring and lid held in position. Have meant to do a howto for ages.

Back on topic, my fear is the knockout boot lid caught by a strong gust of wind

LOVE this thread!

They're not design flaws, they're quirks specially engineered in to give the cars character...maybe

After filling the boot full. Then realizing you can't quite get everything in and have to move it around to allow for the hoops of the boot hinge!!

Flaking lacquer on Scotts Green roofs?

A vicous rumour started by jealous sprinty owners

keep telling your self that lol

next you will be saying Proccys car made it a month with out a vist from RAC!!

Totally agree that these 'flaws' make the car more fun, characterful compared to boring german/jap cars but my oh my how that positive attitude changes come winter time, i hate my coupe in the winter, so embarassing lol

I'd list:

The useless rear view mirrors

Driving along with the window open, and then washing the screeen and getting a face full of of dirty screen water.

The full boot not closing because of the loops fouling against whatever item is in the boot

Lack of a centre armrest for lazy motorway crusing.

Water that collects in the rear light scoops when you've parked it facing downhill, you can feel the rot!

Reversing with window down because of aforementioned useless mirrors and getting soaked by roof-waterfalls

Opening the door in the rain and getting soaked by more roof-waterfalls.

# Geometry of the windscreen not too optimized for wipers.. (2dm unwiped top area).

# no replacement model from Fiat.

The full beam indication light is too bright, it ruins you night vision when you need it most.

Its unusual ability to fog the windscreens up like a sauna for fun.

i am about 6'1

do find i cant see speedo between 50 and 70 miles and hour ---steering wheel in way

also temp/fuel gauge same


martin

You do realise that the steering column can adjust for reach as well as height? Quite a lot of Coupé owners don't know this and it may solve your problem .

Baz

lol

better look for that in the morning



when i first drove it i looked for adjuster but must be out of sight

thanks


martin

It's a red handle

job sorted



martin

yeah it's a lesser known coupe design flaw

What a brilliant thread! Joys of Coupe ownership huh.

I swear when I recline my front LE seats the headrest hits the sun visor? Will check.

Water from the windscreen splashing you in the face is a nightmare.

Fuel gauge changing it's reading is a bug bear!

Boot hinges are horrendous, as is the boot area.

Oil dipstick level checking is ridiculous.

Handbrake is a joke.

Regardless of the above the cars are amazing and we love them to bits.

head room, im 6" 7 and i have to have the seat reclined a good bit feels a bit chavish but still love the car!!

height adjustable?? now you tell me

I wish they hadn't bothered with the boot keyhole.
Why bother when theres on internal release lever. I think it looks a bit naff and mines a little scratched around by previous owners.... I'd say the water entering a lowered window is the most annoying although I'll put up with it with that nicely sculptured roofline...

I was going to say the same. I have to half lie down/sit like a paraplegic just to see out the windscreen, and when I get out, the whole world is skew as my neck was bent the whole journey.

Other than that, I love my coupe.

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the car's poor turning circle. U-turns have to be 3 point turns unless the street is extra wide.

Or is that a "Well Known Coupe Design Flaw"

3? try 9

I know I thought the Alfa 156 2.4 jtd I had was bad but the coupe is worse!

It is impossible to hose the rear light cups without getting serious splashback.

My Civic Type R is by far worse!!

Are you a strange shape? An unusually long upper body? I am 6'6", dont have the seat reclined and easily have 4 or 5 inches of headroom, I find it incredible how much headroom this car has.

One of the only ones I actually agree with! Mine has 173k miles and doesnt have any of the faults mentioned that relate to wear and tear and dont seem to have experienced any of the others apart from the spider in the wing mirror, haha!

Not quite as bad as an Alfa GTA though

The 147's aren't bad, as they are a smaller car, but the 156 saloon and especially the sportwagon are a bit more awkward

Hows about the freezing hand brake cable,or maybe its just mine,a rattle down the steering colum in the chilly mornings.
This is part of coupe ownership and lets face it,if they were perfect we would all get bored
The hours spent looking for rattles is unreal lol.

Try a Reliant Scimitar GTE, makes the Coupe's turning circle seem like a London Taxi.

your all forgeting the biggest falt of all its a FIAT!!!

rubber cooling hose to the very hot turbo ....

yea think my iveco daily lwb has better turning circle

martin

Just the roof? Try roof, bonnet, c-pillar and rear light panels. And bumper?

I mentioned that one to the missus only last week and got told to stop being silly!

Stop being silly

Horn buttons.
Ideal for the polite toot, I can find them.

If I want to give the horn of anger during an adrenalin rushed induced situation! I can't find them. And only hit the center of the steering wheel where my last horn ensemble was situated, memory through conditioning.

here a flaw - snapped a wheel bolt today tightening it up!!

never done that on any of my cars before!!

bloody fiats

Rear screen wiper - a more useless piece of metal I have yet to encounter. Just wipes the half of the screen that I DO NOT NEED to clear .

Brilliant car though ,

Tim42

Ok here's some new ones...

Squeaky steering casing when you are turning (warmer weather)
Hooters made from the most rust inducting metal known to man

My faves so far...

1) Hand pull squeaks on front seats
2) Lousy infra-red fob; When you want to get in the car, its -10 degrees and the locks are frozen solid and having to clean a prime section of window to within an inch of its life for it to work!
3) Sprayed with Poundland own brand paint

Fiat making the Coupe so good looking that nearly 2 decades later people are still buying and driving them.

And in the meantime discontinuing important parts.

self reclining seats, my missus is always quizzing me who ive had in the car

My Coops seats take an hour to wind all the way horizontal and two hours to wind them vertical again

I'd rather ratchety ones any day

Ahhh, reading this after not having my Coup for 18 months has just made me miss it even more.

Not sure if this one was mentioned but my drivers seat (Plus model) needed it's angle winding forward a few degrees every week. I always felt the gear stick was too far forward as well.

^^ I did, two posts up

Have we had the little patch of mist right in front of your face that takes three times as long to clear as the rest of the windscreen?

Only when your mums in the car.

LMFAO!!!! (she is hot though!)

I hope your mates have told you that

I've always thought the fact they bothered to design a folding mechanism for the wing mirrors to be a nice touch.

The fact you can't actually fold them in more than a cm due to their design or that they don't actually stick out any further than door kind of makes it a little pointless...

Magnets in the seat that make all your change fly out of your pocket and hide under the seat rail.

The entire dash of the car is made from a special plastic that nothing in the world will stick to!
So it's very difficult to stick boost gauges and the like in the car, I had to bolt mine to some trim.
Lack of cup holders.
Uber-slippy seats mean that going round corners feels dangerous as hell (got a CG-Lock to cure this, it's amazing!)

How have I missed this thread???? Its great!

Agree with almost everything so far, my one concern though.... SPIDERS!!!!

I don't think manifold issues have been mentioned yet. Squeaky Brembos, temperamental clock, a passenger side speaker that works when it pleases with no apparent loose connection... oh and a world shortage of rear ashtrays!

Still love her though!

Then theres the draught that blows through the back edge of the drivers side window, once you're going over about 50mph. Or is that just mine?

Yeah mine did that until i pulled the rubber seal back up!

If your hips are larger than 32" the LE/Plus seats can be painful after a long journey.

The cold blast of air on my Scottie comes through the inside of the door handles . No such problem with the Moon 6-speed - toasty inside when she gets warmed up

This is brilliant! I agree with all points made.. Would add the dodgy heated rear screen, frozen handbrake, on or off.. Water running off roof all over you if you open the door when it's raining, classic! None of the rubber door/boot seals actually stop water ingress... Rear brakes that don't do much, rear compensator conveniently placed so it rusts solid, blowers that unless on full blast do moving useful.. Oil consumption that should have it's own mpg gauge! A million components that are either rusted, in the process of rusting or have already fallen off! But somehow when it is running, and you put your foot down and waste some a-hole in a new so called sportscar, it all seems worthwhile! ;-)

Oh yeah, and shockingly dim headlights! Or at least lenses that restrict the light! Is there a way of improving them? They are rubbish! I have tried cleaning the outer lense but the lacquer is faded badly... Another great design.. Maybe fiat thought they'd all be wrapped around trees, or lampposts before they were unfit for the road! ;-)

Rear washer jet which (when working correctly) squirts water either over the roof or at cars in the adjacent lane.

There's a rear washer jet

Emmerson,
like you, couldn't believe how bad lights were when I drove at night in coupe

For a quick fix, Halfords are doing 2 for 1 Extreme brilliance H1 and they have made a big difference - got 4 for £40

I'll check it out this weekend ;-) thanks for the tip! ;-)

HIDs or Night Breakers will improve visibility no end (sorry about slight diversion from topic, but my Coupe glow-worms are a serious and dangerous flaw)

No, i totally agree they are REALLY Dangerous!

small. little. compact. baby. wee. modest. meagre. stunted etc etc wheels on the aaaaahh VIS

"Pardon...."

anyone mentioned winscreen wipers that lift off the windshield when you go over a certain speed yet?

Can't say I've ever had that issue... I did have my wiper arm snap in half once though