[kitkatherine]

So this weekend while driving between Harrisburg, PA and Cincinnati, OH, when my car was at about 3,500 and driving down the Penna Turnpike, the awesome "generic warning light" came on. Being in the middle of nowhere with snow, mountains, and absolutely no exits for miles, I stopped at the nearest service stop and called my husband. When I turned my car back on, it wanted me to change the oil.

Got it into the dealership before I left on Monday (then at 4,155 miles) and they had to do two system updates to the computer and did end up changing the oil (I did check it, by the way, and it was about half full - nothing to really change it for, but I'm not complaining.) They said they tightened some bolt or the other, but it wasn't on the sheet they gave me so I honestly just have no clue.

Anyhow, now my car is making this terrible high pitched noise that seems to be coming from vibrations behind the dashboard or something. I can't figure out what it is for the life of me. Anyone have something similar and know what it might be? I still have a headache from hearing it for 8 hours straight.

There is a new Fiat "boutique" in my town now so I don't have to worry about driving 2+ hours to get to a dealership anymore. Also means I'll probably start seeing more than just my car in town too.

 

[kitkatherine]

Ahahaha. It's probably my snow tires. Ugh. I hate you, snow tires. We aren't friends.

Never mind. I'm going to try and go visit the boutique that has been open a week and annoy them already!

 

[Mr. Pickles]

Was it half full or halfway on the dipstick?

 

[andyandrews]

Was it half full or halfway on the dipstick?

Or was it half empty?

 

[smark]

Record the noise. Have know idea!

 

[JsnVR6Corrado]

I would say she meant half a quart low since the hatch area on a dipstick generally stands for a quart of oil. A half full oil pan will probably not even register on the dipstick.

 

[Kapium]

I had the same general warning light come on around 3600 miles and it annoyed me as well, the manual basically says that it could be for a lot of bad things, but doesn't mention a simple oil change as one of them. I bought this car for fun and carefree driving, so I genuinely don't care if it explodes so I ignored it for a couple days until I could conveniently take it in. The following morning when I started the car it told me that it just needed an oil change on the dash. It only seems to tell you these things in the mirning, or after it's been off a while. I was a bit irritated since it shouldn't need oil changes at 3500 miles, but no big deal.

As far as the high-pitched noise goes, if it's your tires it will change at speed and with different types of pavement and wet/dry roads. I already had my heater fan replaced for a high-pitched noise. It would flutter at about 12kHz. It drove me crazy and was about 75dB but the mechanics couldn't hear it do to the frequency. I showed them the flutter on a waterfall spectrogram on my iPhone and they agreed to fix it. It's easy to tell if it's the fan, set the controls to manual and pick either vent or floor for the air direction. Then slow the fan speed down and the squeal will turn to a flutter, getting a more noticeable warble as the bearing speed slows. The noise will stop when the fan is stopped. Only some of the population can hear these frequencies and the mechanics almost never can since they work in noisy shops that has blown out their high-frequency response, so of anyone has this problem be prepared to bring proof, hence the iPhone mentioned earlier. If its the fan it will actually be louder outside the car, while idling above the center of the hood/windshield.

 

[Tweak]

Oil at about 3500 doesn't seem so bad, today mine popped up telling me to change oil at 3,72x so not a huge difference. Called to setup appt and as is typical with my crappy dealer they said someone would call me right back to schedule an appt, well that was a bit over 12 hours ago and I haven't heard a word. I hope I can deal with my local Dodge dealer or another FIAT dealer (if we have any others, only one when I bought it).

 

[Kapium]

I believe the manual says 8k for oil + filter, which isn't far at all for proper synthetic and a cartridge. The dealers seem to be having trouble with this though since they are clinging to the old American 3k thing. If my AMG only needed oil and filter evey 10k plus on 0w30 with over 400hp, there's no way this thing needs oil at 3.5. If Fiat wants to pay for it I guess I don't care, but it's still an inconvenience to bring it in. So far my dealer has been decent. They may have put 5w20 in on the first change, so I called FiatUSA to verify the weight and they took it back in to change it again for me along with a bad cabin fan.

 

[Tweak]

Inconvenience indeed, I like many here don't live very close to the dealer and they can't even be bothered to call me back like they said they will as usual, not one single thing about my dealer has been positive, not as bad as some but NOTHING good at all in my dealings. I'd love to do 8K or close even but mine popping at around 3700 isn't close to 8K, guess it deals with my driving style...oh well,it is what it is.

 

[Kapium]

Fiat seems sensitive to these concerns. I recommend calling them and asking them to contact the dealer on your behalf. If fiat is to succeed they will need to break the terrible service record that is the American car experience. I'm using Palmen Fiat in Kenosha and they have been good so far.

 

[SeaDawg]

I believe the manual says 8k for oil + filter, which isn't far at all for proper synthetic and a cartridge. The dealers seem to be having trouble with this though since they are clinging to the old American 3k thing. If my AMG only needed oil and filter evey 10k plus on 0w30 with over 400hp, there's no way this thing needs oil at 3.5. If Fiat wants to pay for it I guess I don't care, but it's still an inconvenience to bring it in. So far my dealer has been decent. They may have put 5w20 in on the first change, so I called FiatUSA to verify the weight and they took it back in to change it again for me along with a bad cabin fan.

Actually there is an algorithm in the onboard computer that analyzes the type of driving you do and recommends changes at either 4,000 mi (light at 3,750 approx.) or 8,000 mi depending on type of use it determines in your particular case.

Also standard oil in the 500 is NOT synthetic. Synthetic is an extra cost upgrade at change time.

 

[Tweak]

Fiat seems sensitive to these concerns. I recommend calling them and asking them to contact the dealer on your behalf. If fiat is to succeed they will need to break the terrible service record that is the American car experience. I'm using Palmen Fiat in Kenosha and they have been good so far.

I think I will contact Susan again at Fiat North America and see what she says, I feel like calling the dealer will be a waste of time even though this time it is only a single mistake, I actually called the guy via his cell and he asked my sales rep and said he would contact me on the number I just called on in a few minutes, after the other messes I just don't care to deal with them and guess I'd be best dealing with HQ, even considering not taking it to them and just forgetting the free service.

 

[kitkatherine]

Update : http://www.fiat500owners.com/forum/...on/2343-needs-new-blower-motor.html#post21149

I have awful luck.

 

[smark]

Fiat paid for my early oil change at 3,700. No big deal. It does have to do with your driving style. Glad to have a dealership 2 block away.

 

[smark]

Its under warranty, kitkatherine. Thats lucky!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kapium]

Actually there is an algorithm in the onboard computer that analyzes the type of driving you do and recommends changes at either 4,000 mi (light at 3,750 approx.) or 8,000 mi depending on type of use it determines in your particular case.

Also standard oil in the 500 is NOT synthetic. Synthetic is an extra cost upgrade at change time.

The oils I looked at meeting the MS-6395 spec were all synthetic and since the manual states the car is loaded with "high-quality energy conserving type" oil and I haven't owned a car in a decade that didn't require synthetic oil I - wrongly - assumed that it was required here as well. Upon further investigation I agree with you that it's not required. I'll have to check with my dealer and see what oil they put in. I wouldn't take non-sinthetic past about 5k given the revs this thing is always running on the expressway.

As far as the algorithm goes; I've only had cars that do this for a long time too but I never would have guessed that it's a 0/1 qualification where the car selects 1 of 2 possible intervals. That's a pretty "stupid" algorithm, but hey, I guess. I'm absolutely not questioning your statement, but do you have a source for that info about the 2 different intervals? The dealer told me that they could select the interval, but they could be thinking about generic Chrysler there.

 

[slf]

Was it half full or halfway on the dipstick?

I would say she meant half a quart low since the hatch area on a dipstick generally stands for a quart of oil. A half full oil pan will probably not even register on the dipstick.

JsnVR6Corrado is correct, she meant 1/2 way down the hatch area of the dipstick - 1/2 quart low (I actually checked it for her).

 

[SeaDawg]

As far as the algorithm goes; I've only had cars that do this for a long time too but I never would have guessed that it's a 0/1 qualification where the car selects 1 of 2 possible intervals. That's a pretty "stupid" algorithm, but hey, I guess. I'm absolutely not questioning your statement, but do you have a source for that info about the 2 different intervals? The dealer told me that they could select the interval, but they could be thinking about generic Chrysler there.

It was some Chrysler supplied info about how the oil change light works in the computers in Chrysler product vehicles. I suspect the computers in the Fiat are 'kissin' kousins' since the engine is manufactured in the Dundee engine plant in Michigan