Trying to find where the engine coolant temperature sensor is on my Fiat Punto

[redbull9]

Fiat
Punto
1242cc
2006
79000 miles

Been struggling starting my car for a while, especially when its cold. I would turn the ignition key a few times and then usually by the 5th turn of the ignition key, the engine stays running, but sometimes the engine won't stay running until the 8th or 9th turn, if the temperature is below freezing. An RAC mechanic came to take a look at my car and said that the engine coolant temperature sensor needed replacing. I took my car to a garage and they replaced the sensor, and that solved that problem for a day. The following day my car went back to the way it was... I think the engine coolant temperature sensor wasn't fitted very well? I just want to locate it so I can try see if that is the case. Could anyone send a photo or try explain where I need to look to find it.

Thank you

 

[carmanmemoranda]

Fiat
Punto
1242cc
2006
79000 miles

Been struggling starting my car for a while, especially when its cold. I would turn the ignition key a few times and then usually by the 5th turn of the ignition key, the engine stays running, but sometimes the engine won't stay running until the 8th or 9th turn, if the temperature is below freezing. An RAC mechanic came to take a look at my car and said that the engine coolant temperature sensor needed replacing. I took my car to a garage and they replaced the sensor, and that solved that problem for a day. The following day my car went back to the way it was... I think the engine coolant temperature sensor wasn't fitted very well? I just want to locate it so I can try see if that is the case. Could anyone send a photo or try explain where I need to look to find it.

Thank you

Take it back if its not been fitted right, but I doubt that is the issue.

 

[johnny2007]

How did you manage to clock 79000 miles in a Fiat???
Did you add an extra zero by mistake?

 

[Burnerman]

It’s impossible to fit a coolant sensor incorrectly......however there mustn’t be any air in the system for the thing to work correctly.
Often there are bleed valves in the heater hoses, check them to let any air escape.
John

 

[ReganAndCarter]

How did you manage to clock 79000 miles in a Fiat???
Did you add an extra zero by mistake?

My 2004 Scudo has done 108000 miles and never failed an MOT. But I suppose the Fiat badge (still working) is the only Italian thing on it. It's a Peugeot Citroen design.

 

[redbull9]

Take it back if its not been fitted right, but I doubt that is the issue.

I did ring the garage a week after, I should've rang sooner, but it meant my car having to be kept overnight and me missing potentially a few days of work and possibly getting charged again, I did state to the receptionist of the garage I took my car to, that if the sensor wasn't fitted properly, can I have this done free of charge, but the person I was speaking to over the phone was saying I might have to pay for the repair again frustratingly.

 

[redbull9]

It’s impossible to fit a coolant sensor incorrectly......however there mustn’t be any air in the system for the thing to work correctly.
Often there are bleed valves in the heater hoses, check them to let any air escape.
John

Okay, I'll take a look at that, thanks

 

[redbull9]

How did you manage to clock 79000 miles in a Fiat???
Did you add an extra zero by mistake?

haha nope, I just surpassed 80000 miles today

 

[carmanmemoranda]

I did ring the garage a week after, I should've rang sooner, but it meant my car having to be kept overnight and me missing potentially a few days of work and possibly getting charged again, I did state to the receptionist of the garage I took my car to, that if the sensor wasn't fitted properly, can I have this done free of charge, but the person I was speaking to over the phone was saying I might have to pay for the repair again frustratingly.

Why not just ask them to diagnose the problem?

 

[thomp1983]

The issue is going to be what work the garage was asked to do, if you just asked them to replace the sensor, they have but it's quite possible there is another issue which they should rightly be paid to diagnose now.

If you asked them to diagnose the issue and they've failed to fix it then no I wouldn't be happy paying more labour to get to the root cause.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

The issue is going to be what work the garage was asked to do, if you just asked them to replace the sensor, they have but it's quite possible there is another issue which they should rightly be paid to diagnose now.

If you asked them to diagnose the issue and they've failed to fix it then no I wouldn't be happy paying more labour to get to the root cause.

Which is why I said, ask them to diagnose, and then decide what to do, and who to do it

 

[redbull9]

The issue is going to be what work the garage was asked to do, if you just asked them to replace the sensor, they have but it's quite possible there is another issue which they should rightly be paid to diagnose now.

If you asked them to diagnose the issue and they've failed to fix it then no I wouldn't be happy paying more labour to get to the root cause

Why not just ask them to diagnose the problem?

Yeah you two could be right, I never even considered if it might be something other than the sensor causing this issue. The RAC mechanic just seemed adamant that the only problem causing my car to struggle to start was the sensor.

I'm gonna do what Burnerman said, and if that fails, I'm going to take my car to a garage that is open on Saturdays.