HOW TO CHOOSE
Since Albea has not been produced since 2012, you will have to choose exclusively in the secondary market. I prepared thoroughly for the purchase, reviewed many options, at least ten pieces. I noticed that many cars, even relatively fresh ones, have stained interiors. Upholstery, as a rule, easily soiled, poor quality. But this is not the main drawback, especially since it is partially eliminated with the help of covers. Many cars with conders have bypass rollers. As I understand it, this is a weak point in Albea. Not critical, of course, but I really didn’t want to bother with the replacement. At one time I had a similar problem on Peugeot 206. So I ended up taking without air conditioning. It also came out cheaper. In summer it is a little stressful, of course, but I can stand the heat well, I am thermophilic.
Otherwise, I did not find any special flaws in the cars, which in itself pleased me. In the end, I dug myself a copy of 2011 with a mileage of only 36,000 in very good condition. For a year and a half, I dashed off almost 17 thousand more and (Pah-pah!) The machine asked for little during this time.
INTERIOR AND COMFORT
The exterior of the car, I think, it makes no sense to describe. Anyone who has ever seen on the street knows what Albea looks like.
So I'll go straight to the insides.
In general, comfort is not quite the word that should be applied to Albey. Salon, although its size suits me quite well, many may find it cramped. The doors are thin, almost like on our basins like VAZ 21-15, which I also had to ride ... The pockets in the doors are very small, narrow and incapable. A folded umbrella hardly fits into such a pocket and ... and nothing more. In such cases, I often recall with sadness my old Renault Symbol, where the pockets in the doors were like drawers in a closet, even special departments for one and a half liter bottles were provided. And it would seem that a budget foreign car of the same class ...
Interior trim is also very simple. Everywhere fabric. Even the doors are lined with fabric on the inside. Not leatherette, not plastic, but a thin cloth! I have never seen such machines. I already spoke about the soiled interior. With regard to seats, this issue is solved with the help of covers, but with regard to doors, it is not solved. This, of course, is a minus. Not the biggest, but a minus.
Of the pleasant moments, I can note the three-level brightness of the interior lighting and a very comfortable soft gearbox. I move the pen with one little finger, like a toy.
The trunk for a car of this class is large, roomy. In my opinion, this is a plus and a very significant one.
The stove fires properly. But I noticed a shortcoming. It's only really warm when you direct the airflow towards you. If up or mixed positions, then noticeably colder. And if you point it at your feet, then in winter you will generally freeze. Here on Peugeot 206 I liked the stove better. No matter where you go, it's still warm.
All electrical is working properly. Even in severe frosts, it did not fail. Very smart heated rear window. I was surprised that for some reason there are fog lights in my configuration, despite the fact that there are no fog lights, from which there would be much more benefit. Irrational. But what is, is.
In general, for an unpretentious owner, this car has everything you need. But don't expect anything special inside. Of the advantages, I can also note the body with galvanization. It probably matters to some.
If you have a car without an air conditioner, then the compartment under the hood on the left looks like something was not reported there. Don't be scared. Just such a device. In other configurations, this empty space is occupied by air conditioning, a belt and rollers.
The hood opens in a very peculiar way. It’s not enough, as usual, to pull the lever from the passenger compartment, so you also need to find and pull such a thing under the hood. It bothered me at first, but I quickly got used to it.
The doors are locked by pushing the handles inwards. Not very comfortable. I like the classic locks on top. However, at a speed of 20 km per hour, the doors are automatically locked, so I almost never use these locks.
Obviously, the first Fiat is depicted on native rugs ...
The gas tank hatch opens with a button from the passenger compartment, which is very convenient.
Native caps are screwed together with the wheels. So you won't get lost along the way!
DRIVING PERFORMANCE
The quieter you go, the further you'll get. I said from the very beginning that it was a donkey. Arranging races on Albea is just stupid. For its characteristics, the car accelerates normally. If we compare from what I had in the same class, then it is definitely slower than Renault Symbol, but faster than Peugeot 206. On the track, even some basins overtake. But on the other hand, the Albeyka holds the road well, does not wag, you feel confident. And most importantly, you know what is reliable.
CONSUMPTION
I'm quite satisfied. With a 1.4-liter engine in the city in the summer, my real consumption turned out to be from 5 to 6 liters per 100 km. Economical. Now in the November off-season, taking into account traffic jams and warm-ups, the consumption is about 7 liters. Last winter it reached 9. But again, I will make a reservation, I have a very economical driving style. I switch ideally, wherever possible, I go to neutral. Kettles, or vice versa, fans can burn one and a half times more fuel. The owner is a gentleman, as they say.
The Albea gas meter is not very convenient in that it does not show the number of liters spent per 100 km, but the number of kilometers that you drive per liter. That is, the higher the number, the more economical the ride. As much as possible, the device can show 50 - and this means that your consumption at the moment is 2 liters per 100 km. Not very convenient to recalculate, but I adapted.
BUILD QUALITY AND POSSIBLE TROUBLES
Although this is a Fiat, it is felt that our "craftsmen" still collected it. Fortunately, it is felt only in small things. Having driven Albea for a year and a half, I can say that the engine of the car is just excellent, the hodovka is generally normal. It is unlikely that this machine will give you some serious trouble. But there are little things that can spoil the mood. Here are some of the ones I encountered.
doors. Doors on Albea are just some kind of hemorrhoids. Basically, all the minor troubles were associated with them.
- Case one. It started with the fact that after rolling the first autumn, I began to notice that something was flopping in my back seat all the time, as if I threw a bottle of water there. At first I couldn't figure out what was going on. Then I guessed that the sound comes from the back doors. Shake them back and forth. So it is - inside the water! How did she get there? The rains were good, of course. But where did the water seep through? Searched, searched, and found it. The rubber bands on the windows were of poor quality. There are tiny holes in the corner, and on both rear doors. Through these holes, water gradually leaked during the rains. I sealed the holes with sealant. It won't pour anymore. And how to pour out the water that has already been collected? At first I went, not knowing what to do. So he splashed water from behind. I'm very tired of it. I was already thinking about drilling holes in the doors somewhere from below, so that it was imperceptible. I began to inspect the doors and accidentally found special factory kingstones below, closed with rubber valves. Well, as if specifically for this occasion provided! Through these kingstones, I poured five liters of water from each door. Hasn't been picked up since then.
- Second case. In the first winter, during the first frosts, on one “happy” morning, all four doors froze. None could be opened. I had to pour boiling water. After that, I properly missed all the joints, but still a couple of times it happened that they froze, though not all at once and I could get into the car.
- Case three. Having rolled for about a year, I noticed that the front passenger door began to fit loosely. The lock slams shut, but with some strange sound, and the door, when viewed from the side, seems to be skewed. At first I thought the hinges had sagged. Well, I think I'll have to go to the service, go broke. Then he carefully examined everything again and found that the bracket on the rack, for which the door lock clings, had loosened. The issue was resolved in half a minute with an asterisk screwdriver. And a miracle! The door was in place.
- Case four. At about the same time, one of the rear doors creaked with a loose bracket. The issue was resolved with the help of a Vedash.
- Case five. It happened very recently. And it is connected not so much with the door itself, but with the handle on it. If you open the driver's door, then the handle on it itself does not return to its original position, it stays up and up. Looks like a spring has broken. As a result, in order to slam the door, you first have to lower the handle, and then slam it. Here's what I'm thinking about doing. Again, it seems to be a trifle, but again annoying. Winter is on the way. I don't want to pay money for something like this. Most likely, I will drive like this until spring, and then in warm weather I will disassemble the handle myself and fix it.
- Case six. This time there are no doors. The trouble turned out to be connected with the very gearbox that I like so much. It happened in March. I left the house one morning, warming up the machine beforehand … I stick the first one … nevermind! What the hell?! I start to poke the handle back and forth. None of the transmissions are engaged. The handle moves in only one position - horizontal. I spent about twenty minutes, cursed and went to work by bus. This was the only case when I decided that the machine failed. The most interesting thing is that the car was actually fine, and if I knew what the problem was, I would have solved it in three seconds. But I didn't know that at the time. In the evening, when I returned from work, I fiddled for another two hours, hoping that the box would work. Nothing happened. I realized that the case is rubbish, it seems that something serious has broken. This incident happened on Friday. And the next day I asked my brother to tow me to the service. So we hooked up the cable and drove off. Let's go, let's go, and it's not far from the service ... But I don't want to fork out for a new box! So I tried for the thousandth time to stick some kind of speed, although I knew that it was useless. And here is a miracle! Happened! The box is perfect as before. Well, I immediately signal to my brother to slow down. So we didn't get to the service. What happened? Don't know. We then decided that something was frozen inside. The weather was such that it would either melt or freeze. And as the car drove a little in tow, everything fell apart and it became all right again.
- Case seven. A few days later, in one wonderful morning, the same rubbish with a box was repeated. I, already taught by bitter experience, grunted, got out of the car, put pressure on the back with my heroic shoulder and rolled it forward from half a meter. That was enough. The box is working again.
In general, I described cases when the car gave me minor troubles. They did not cost me a penny of money, but they slightly frayed my nerves. However, theoretically, if you yourself don’t figure out what’s what in time, each of these cases could serve as a reason for contacting the service, where they wouldn’t miss the opportunity to divorce me ... So keep in mind if you are thinking of buying such a car. Sometimes you have to turn on your brains and hands. Rarely and on trifles, but it is necessary.
COSTS AND DAMAGE
Now that the machine asked for a year and a half of operation.
Total for a year and a half invested in the car 10 780 rubles. I don't count oil and filter changes every six months. It goes without saying. Judge for yourself whether it's a lot or a little. In any case, nothing else broke, and I really hope that nothing will break for a long time (Pah-pah!).
On the whole, I really like my donkey, and I plan to ride it for quite a long time, especially since I have invested in a hodovka. Yes, the machine is small. Yes, not for Schumachers. Yes, not for those who love comfort. Yes, minor flaws are possible, and I honestly talked about them. But all this I consider uncritical. In general, the car is reliable, it is felt that it is durable. And this is the main point. Definitely recommend for people who are not picky.
Home Electronics repair Automotive
Features of the electrical equipment and engine management system of the Fiat Albea car (Additional)
The electrical equipment of the Fiat Albea car is made according to a single-wire circuit, the function of the second wire is performed by the car body.
The rated voltage of the on-board network is 12.6 V; fuses are used to protect electrical circuits.
The electrical equipment includes a battery (battery), a generator, a starter, engine control systems, lighting and light signaling, as well as instrumentation and additional electrical equipment. Let's consider some of the listed systems (nodes) in more detail. On fig. 1 shows a fragment of a car electrical circuit with generator, starter and ignition switch assemblies.
Rice. Fig. 1. Fragment of a car electrical circuit with generator, starter and ignition switch assemblies
In table. 1 shows the color marking of the mounting wires of the electrical equipment of the Fiat Albea car.
Table 1. Color marking of mounting wires of electrical equipment of a Fiat Albea car
Generator The car has a three-phase alternator with a built-in silicon diode rectifier and an integrated voltage regulator. It is designed to supply car consumers with direct electric current and charge the battery.
Structurally, the generator consists of a stator and a rotor. The stator is made in the form of a ring of separate tightly pressed steel plates. On the inside of the structure there is a stator winding consisting of three coils located at an angle of 120° with respect to each other. The coils of this winding are divided into three groups, in each group they are connected to each other in series, and the groups are interconnected by a “star” (some conclusions of the three groups are interconnected, while others are connected to the rectifier input).
The output voltage of the generator depends on the speed of the rotor, the magnetic flux generated by the excitation winding, as well as on the strength of the excitation current. The integrated voltage regulator ensures the stabilization of the output voltage when the rotor speed and load change. Voltage stabilization occurs due to a change in the current in the excitation winding by switching the power supply circuit of the excitation winding with a voltage regulator. In table. 2 shows examples of the most likely generator failures and their causes.
Table 2. Generator malfunctions and their causes
Starter
The starter is a DC electric motor with an electromagnetic traction relay and an overrunning clutch. The starter is powered in the engine start mode directly from the battery. When voltage is applied from the contact group of the ignition switch to contact “50” of the starter traction relay, it moves the overrunning clutch along the starter axis by means of a lever with a fork and, thereby, mechanically connects the gear on the starter shaft with the flywheel ring gear. At the same time, the contacts of the traction relay are closed, while voltage is applied to the winding of the armature and the starter stator. In table. 3 shows typical malfunctions of the above nodes and their causes.
Table 3. Typical malfunctions of the engine start system and their causes
Fuse blocks The fuses are located in the relay and fuse boxes located in the engine compartment and the car interior (Fig. 2, 3).
Rice. 2. Location of the fuse box in the engine compartment
Rice. 3. The location of the fuse box in the car
The fuse cases are marked with the rated current. When replacing a fuse with another fuse, use a fuse of the same rating. On the inside of the covers of the fuse boxes, graphic symbols of the fuse belonging to a particular circuit are applied. Circuits protected by fuses and their nominal values are given in Table. 4. Connecting various vehicle electrical systems, such as lighting, ignition, light signaling, instrumentation, etc. carried out by means of wire harnesses with connectors. Lighting The vehicle lighting system includes the following elements: — headlights, marker lights with direction indicators, headlight adjustment assembly (these elements are structurally combined into front headlights); — Front fog lights; - rear block headlights, which include fog lights, brake lights and reversing lights, direction indicator lights; — interior lighting. Lighting systems are controlled by multifunction switches located on the steering column. Possible malfunctions of the lighting system are often associated with the failure of lamps and fuses. When replacing defective lamps, it is necessary to install lamps of the same power (indicated in the vehicle manual). In the event of malfunctions related to vehicle lighting, a warning lamp lights up in the instrument cluster. In modern modifications of the car, simultaneously with the control lamp, a message appears on the multifunction display informing about the malfunction of one of the lighting devices. The combination of instruments and control lamps also includes a multifunctional display that displays the following information: — a message about the upcoming maintenance (TO) of the car (the rest of the mileage until the next MOT, the calculated day and month by turning on the control lamp); — trip computer information (total mileage, average speed, gasoline consumption, etc.);
— setup menu; — error message; - date, current time, outside temperature, mileage (total, daily); - information during diagnostics. Fault messages displayed on the multifunction display are accompanied by a soundtrack and the inclusion of a warning lamp in the instrument cluster. Multiport fuel injection system Consider the device, principle of operation and diagnostics of the multiport fuel injection system in Fiat Albea cars. These vehicles use a distributed injection system for Euro-3 toxicity standards.
Rice. Fig. 4. Simplified electrical diagram of the multiport fuel injection system of the Fiat Albea car under the Euro-3 toxicity standards of the 2008 model range
On fig. 4 shows a simplified electrical diagram of the multiport fuel injection system of a Fiat Albea car under the Euro-3 emission standards of the 2008 model range, with electronic throttle control. The multiport injection system is controlled by an electronic control unit (ECU). It controls fuel supply, ignition timing, idle speed, engine cooling system, air conditioning compressor clutch and generates the necessary signals for the trip computer. In addition, the ECU provides the necessary ratio of air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of the engine. Also, the ECU exchanges information with the standard alarm (immobilizer) to prohibit unauthorized starting of the engine. In the system of distributed fuel injection of a car, sensors are used that register the general characteristics of a particular node, with further signaling to the computer. Various types of sensors are used: potentiometric (resistive), electromagnetic, piezoelectric and others. To reduce the toxicity of exhaust gases in the engine management system on a car, a catalytic converter (catalyst) is installed in the exhaust pipe, it is designed to reduce the content of harmful chemicals in exhaust gases: carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides.
Rice. 5. Catalyst device and sensor installation locations
On fig. 5 shows the device of the catalyst and the location of the sensors. Structurally, it consists of a thin metal case, usually stainless steel, and a porous ceramic grid (honeycomb), the walls of which are coated with platinum group metals (platinum, palladium, rhodium).
An oxygen sensor (lambda probe) is installed directly in the exhaust pipe in front of the catalytic converter, and a diagnostic sensor is installed after the converter. Using these sensors, the ECU monitors the efficiency of the converter and regulates the parameters of the air-fuel mixture. The operation of the distributed fuel injection system of the Fiat Albia car is in many ways similar to the operation of the distributed fuel injection system of cars, the VAZ-11183 Lada Kalina and VAZ-2170 Lada Priora families. The on-board diagnostic system during engine operation constantly monitors the condition and operation of the catalytic converter; in the event of malfunctions or malfunctions, the ECU turns on the malfunction indicator lamp located on the instrument panel. Malfunctions of the catalytic converter can be caused by several reasons: - Misfire in one or more cylinders due to the fault of the mechanical part of the engine, malfunction of the injectors, ignition system; - use of low-quality fuel. During normal operation of the entire engine management system, the catalyst has a resource of about 100,000 km.
Port injection system diagnostics, troubleshooting Diagnostics of the distributed fuel injection system of Fiat Albea cars is performed in the following sequence: - error codes are read from the computer memory; - erase error codes from the memory of the computer; - check the operation of the engine; - Troubleshoot. For diagnostics, you can use a specialized diagnostic portable tester or a personal computer equipped with specialized software. The tester or computer is connected to the diagnostic connector located in the relay and fuse box in the passenger compartment. On fig. 6 shows a general view of a diagnostic tool based on a laptop.
Rice. 6. Laptop diagnostic tool
Checking the components of the port injection system Checking and troubleshooting the components of the distributed injection system begin with monitoring the voltage at the battery terminals with the engine running, it should be in the range of 13.8 ... 14.2 V. During the check and troubleshooting, turn off all additional equipment (lighting, radiator fan the cooling system must not work, when the car is equipped with air conditioning, it must also be turned off, car built-in musical equipment, etc. must be turned off). After that, the fault codes are read, searched and eliminated. Below are examples of failures and error codes of some components of the vehicle's multipoint injection system.
Air pressure / temperature sensor (error codes P0105-P0108, P0110-P0113) This combined unit consists of a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor. It is installed directly in the air stream in front of the throttle pipe. The pressure sensor is a barometric type, it measures the difference between the atmospheric pressure and the pressure in the inlet pipe. The sensor has a linear characteristic of the dependence of the output voltage (0.4 ... .4.5 V) on the measured pressure (0.025 ... .0.100 MPa). The ECU, based on the readings of the sensor, evaluates the load on the engine and corrects the ignition timing. The air temperature in the intake manifold is recorded by a temperature sensor. This sensor is of a resistive type, its resistance changes depending on the air temperature - at low temperatures, the sensor has a high resistance. The air temperature sensor readings are used by the ECU to set the ignition timing. Structurally, the temperature sensor is built into the pressure sensor housing. In the event of a malfunction of the barometric part of the sensor, the ECU sets the standard pressure value.
Coolant temperature sensor (error codes P0115-P0118) This sensor is installed in the cooling system pipe, the sensor housing is located directly in the engine coolant flow. The sensor is a thermistor. The ECU calculates the temperature from the voltage drop across the sensor, a high voltage level corresponds to a cold engine, and a low voltage level to a warm one. The sensor is checked with an ohmmeter, while the connector from the sensor is disconnected. The resistance of the sensor should be within 0.5 ... 1.5 kOhm. Throttle position sensor (error codes P0120-P0123) This sensor is of the potentiometric type, it is mounted on the body of the throttle body and mechanically connected to the axis of the throttle body of the pipe. The resistance of the sensor changes depending on the throttle opening angle. The manifestation of a sensor malfunction can be different: unstable engine idling, no increase in engine speed when the accelerator pedal is pressed, etc. If the throttle position sensor fails, the ECU registers an error code and automatically sets the nominal engine speed in order to to ensure the movement of the car to the nearest service station. Oxygen sensor (error codes P0130-P0135) and diagnostic oxygen sensor (error codes P0136-P0141) The oxygen sensor incorporates a sensitive element capable of generating voltage in the range of 55 ... 980 mV, depending on the oxygen content in the exhaust gases and the temperature of the sensitive element. To quickly warm up the sensitive element of the sensor after starting the engine and reaching the set temperature, the sensor includes a heating element controlled by the ECU. The nominal operating temperature of the oxygen sensor is ZOSGS. The catalyst body is closed with a protective screen made of aluminum alloys; this design solution was adopted to retain heat transfer and fire safety. During operation of the oxygen sensor, its output voltage changes from low (85...250 mV) to high (680...950 mV). A low voltage level corresponds to a lean mixture (the presence of oxygen in the exhaust gases), and a high level corresponds to a rich mixture (low oxygen content). The output voltage of the diagnostic oxygen sensor on a serviceable converter must be in the range of 600 ... 800 mV. The first signs of a malfunction of the oxygen sensor may be an increase in fuel consumption and a deterioration in the dynamics of the car, unstable idling of the engine is possible. Crankshaft position sensor (error codes P0335 - P0344) The crankshaft position sensor is electromagnetic type, it is installed on the camshaft drive cover at a distance of 1 ± 0.5 mm from the top of the teeth of the crankshaft pulley.
The crankshaft pulley has 58 teeth arranged in a circle. When the crankshaft rotates, the teeth of the disk change the magnetic field of the sensor, creating pulses that are not fed to the computer. Sensor failures are often associated with an increase in the gap between the sensor and the tops of the pulley teeth or with the failure of the sensor itself. Fuel system malfunctions The fuel supply system includes an electric fuel pump, a fuel rail assembly with four injectors, a fuel pressure regulator, and a fuel filter. The operation of the electric fuel pump and injectors is controlled by the ECU. Turbine-type electric fuel pump, it contains a fuel level sensor. Error code for the fuel supply system P0185-P0193. The injector rail is a hollow bar with injectors and a pressure regulator mounted on it. The nozzles are installed on one side in the ramp, and on the other side in the intake pipe holes, the tightness of the connections is ensured by sealing rings. The design of the injector is a solenoid valve controlled by a signal from the ECU. Through this valve, fuel is injected under pressure into the intake pipe. Error code for the operation of the injectors P0200-P0214.
When diagnosing the fuel supply system, it is imperative to check the integrity of fuses No. 4 and 6 located in the relay and fuse block of the engine compartment.
Literature 1. A. Tyunin. "Diagnostics of electronic control systems of the engine of passenger cars", "SOLON-PRESS", 2007. 2. N. Pchelintsev. "The operation of the electronic module of the throttle pipe for the engine management systems "Euro-3" and "Euro-4", "Repair and Service", 2009, No. 8, p. 46-49. 3. N. Pchelintsev. "Diagnostics of the engine control system of cars VAZ-11183 "Lada Kalina" and VAZ-2170 "Lada Priora"". "Repair and Service", 2008, No. 2, p. 43-48.
Hello!!! During the operation of the car, problems arose, namely, 3 studs on the exhaust manifold broke, I drove into a car service, where they told me that I needed to remove the cylinder head to replace the studs and what spare parts to buy. I bought the spare parts and handed them over to the service employees (the transfer acceptance certificate was not drawn up), the employees accepted the spare parts without warning me about the possible poor quality of these parts (the spare parts were non-original). A week later, all the repair work was done, an order was drawn up with the work performed and a cash receipt, the parts I bought were not mentioned in the order. I took the car, paid in full for the work done, drove about 1000 km in 4 days, I found traces of oil in the engine cooling system, immediately called the car service and explained the essence of the malfunction, the service employees told me to deliver the car to them to find out the causes of the malfunction. The service employees re-removed the cylinder head and established themselves that the non-original gasket was to blame, they said that I needed to buy original spare parts, namely the cylinder head gasket and cylinder head bolts, and that I would again have to pay for the removal and installation of the cylinder head and, accordingly, spare parts at my own expense. I demanded that they draw up a vehicle inspection report on their letterhead, the report was drawn up, it states that the service employees found malfunctions, and the reason is a poor-quality cylinder head gasket, installed according to such and such an order (I have it on hand), on the act contains the signatures of the members of the commission (service employees) and the seal of the car service. That is, the car service itself conducted an examination, so to speak, and found that the cause of the malfunction was a poor-quality cylinder head gasket, which they installed according to such and such an order, but nowhere in any documents is it mentioned that I bought the gasket and handed it over to them. In general, I bought the original gasket again myself, handed it over to the service with the preparation of a transfer acceptance certificate, which indicates that the Customer transferred the cylinder head gasket to the Contractor (car service) to eliminate the malfunction in the course of work performed on such and such an order, the service master signed this act and delivered seal. The car service bought the cylinder head bolts himself. Now the car has been in the service queue for repairs for 10 days, and the service has everything necessary for repair, they say that while they were waiting for a gasket from me, they accepted a lot of cars for repairs. Now I don’t dare to file a claim for poor-quality work, because I’m afraid that the service won’t do anything bad to the car. I called auto experts about an independent examination. they say that the examination is impossible, since the cylinder head has already been removed. But the car service again removed the cylinder head without my consent and execution of the work order. I independently made a claim to the car service so that they would eliminate the faults free of charge, after which they generally refused to finish the car. They offer to reimburse me for the cost of removing and installing the cylinder head (excluding spare parts, materials, moral damage) and make me a car on my own. But I'm afraid to give the car to another service, because after the work carried out, other malfunctions, and more significant ones, could appear. I have a question for you, what to do in such a situation? I don’t really want to sue, because I’m afraid that the court will not be on my side, and I will lose a lot of time.
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Fiat Albea. Starting the engine from external current sources
If it is not possible to start the engine due to a partial or complete discharge of the battery, then you can use the battery of another car to start. To connect the "donor" battery, use special connecting cables with "crocodile" clips.
When starting the engine from an additional battery, carefully follow the sequence of work described in this subsection.
Otherwise, a fire or explosion may occur, resulting in damage to both vehicles. Therefore, when starting the engine from an external source, do not harm yourself, the car and the battery, do it as follows. If you have any doubts, it is strongly recommended that you entrust these operations to an experienced specialist or towing service. Make sure the ignition is off before connecting an external battery. Also turn off all electrical consumers (headlights, audio system, windshield wipers, etc.). When connecting and disconnecting wires, do not allow wires to touch each other, or allow wires to come into contact with fans, drive belts, or other rotating parts.
Use only 12V external power system. If you apply 24 volt power (two 12 volt batteries connected in series or a 24 volt motor generator set) to the 12 volt starter motor, ignition system, and other electrical components, irreparable damage may result.
Keep open flames or sparks away from the battery. It releases hydrogen gas that can explode in their presence.
Do not disconnect the external battery wires until the engine is running at normal idle. If you leave the audio system on while starting the engine with an auxiliary battery, it could be seriously damaged. Always turn off the audio system before starting the engine from another vehicle's battery.
1. Park the vehicle with the dead battery next to the donor vehicle within reach of the connecting cables.
Warning
Vehicles must never touch each other. Otherwise, an unwanted short to ground may occur, as a result of which you will not be able to start the car engine with a dead battery, and the electrical systems of both vehicles may be damaged.
2. Brake both vehicles with the parking brake.
3. Check the electrolyte level in the discharged battery
If the electrolyte level is too low or if the electrolyte looks frozen, do not attempt to start the engine with the auxiliary battery! In this case, an explosion of a discharged battery is possible.
4. Fold away a cover from the plug "plus" of the storage battery.
5. Connect the clamp of the connecting cable with red handles to the plus terminal of the battery.
6. Connect the second cable clamp with red handles to the "plus" terminal of the "donor" battery.
7. Connect the clamp of the second cable to the “minus” terminal of the “donor” battery
8. and the second cable clamp with black handles - to the "ground" of the car with a discharged battery in a place located at the maximum possible distance from the battery.
NOTE
The requirement to connect the wire at the maximum distance from the battery is due to the possibility of sparking at the time of connection.
9. Make sure you have connected the cables in the correct sequence and that they do not come into contact with moving parts of the engine.
10. When using the battery installed on the “donor” car, start the engine of this car and let it run for several minutes at a speed of 2000 rpm
11. Start the vehicle's engine with the dead battery and let it run to a steady idle speed.
12. Disconnect the cables in the exact reverse order of their connection.
06.01.2019
Budget subcompact sedan developed by FIAT for the markets of Turkey and Eastern Europe. As usual for state employees, this model has a fairly simple design, a minimum amount of electronics, modest equipment and an acceptable price tag. Despite the low cost, the Albea never really became a people's car for several reasons. Firstly, this model is a direct competitor of one of the best-selling cars in the CIS - Renault Logan. Secondly, many of us are skeptical about Fiat cars, believing that they are unreliable and expensive to maintain. But is this really so now and let's try to figure it out using the example of Fiat Albea with mileage.
A bit of history:
The idea to create an inexpensive car for developing countries came from the management of Fiat in the mid-90s, and project No. 178 "Palio" was created to implement it. For the experiment, the Latin American market was chosen, under which a new car was created. Almost from the start of sales, the novelty became quite popular, and sales volumes exceeded all expectations, so the company began to think about starting production of this model in Eastern Europe. However, the car intended for Latin America did not meet the new market with its quality and safety level, because of this, the Italians had to start developing a new car. The work on the creation of the novelty was carried out by specialists from the Italdesign studio under the guidance of the famous designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. The choice for this specialist was by no means accidental, since Giugiaro has already managed to become famous for designing a number of budget Fiat models.
The Fiat Albea prototype was shown to the public in 2001, and already in 2002 at the auto show in Warsaw (Poland), the production version of the model debuted. This car is an analogue of the South American model Fiat Sienna with a slightly increased wheelbase. The assembly of new items was carried out at factories in Poland and Turkey. Four years later, it was decided to slightly refresh the model. During restyling, the radiator grille, optics, bumpers were changed and the quality of interior trim materials improved. In 2006, at the Sollers plant in Naberezhnye Chelny, a SKD assembly of the Fiat Albea car was launched on the basis of kits supplied from Turkey. In 2007, production was transferred to a "full cycle" with welding and body painting. The production of the model in Russia was discontinued in the fall of 2011, in Turkey the sedan stayed on the assembly line until 2012.
Weaknesses and shortcomings of Fiat Albea with mileage
The paintwork of the body is not of good quality and resistance to mechanical stress. In addition to the rapid fouling of the paintwork with chips and scratches, the body can present unpleasant surprises in the form of paint swelling. As a rule, paint swells on the roof, wheel arches and in places of chips. But the body iron here is of good quality, thanks to which the car steadfastly resists the onslaught of the red disease. One of the main troubles of Albea are doors, as many minor troubles are associated with them. Most often, Fiat Albea owners blame the door handles for sticking in the open position (does not return to its original position), which is why the door does not close. Due to the fact that the handle is sold complete with an auto lock, its replacement is expensive (100-200 USD). Often there are complaints about sagging loops. Over time, the hinges of many begin to creak. There are also complaints about the quality of the seals - they let moisture through, the joints of the rubber bands on the windows are of poor quality (there are gaps). On the electrics, one can note the short service life of high beam headlight bulbs.
Power units
Fiat Albea was equipped with three petrol power units - 1.2 l (60 and 80 hp), 1.4 l (77 hp), 1.6 (103 hp) and turbodiesel - 1.3 l (70 hp) . In the domestic market, cars are presented only with a 77 strong engine (1.4 liters). This unit is reliable, but demanding in terms of quality and service intervals. It is also worth noting the sensitivity of this engine to fuel quality. The fact is that the fuel filter is not installed on the car, because of this, the injector quickly becomes dirty. The timing drive is driven by a belt, which must be changed every 60,000 km. Since there are no hydraulic compensators in the motor, closer to 150,000 km it becomes necessary to adjust the thermal clearances of the valves. The advantages of this motor include low fuel consumption, an average of 6-7 liters per hundred kilometers traveled, and ease of maintenance.
Of the shortcomings, the owners of Fiat Albea most often note unstable idling in the cold season (the sensor freezes). Also, the rear engine mount is considered a weak point here, as a rule, by 100,000 km it needs to be replaced. At the same run, there is a high probability of failure of the bendix and the starter retractor relay. The cooling system is also not famous for its reliability. Here, the expansion tank, radiator, thermostat and pump (flow) require special attention. Closer to 150,000 km, the exhaust system is rented out - it rots and burns out.
After 200,000 km, an oil burner appears, which will progress with increasing mileage. To eliminate the disease, it is necessary to replace the valve stem seals, in some cases the problem is solved only after replacing the oil scraper rings. Also, oil consumption may increase with prolonged movement at high speeds. On a run of 150-200 thousand km, the generator bearing is rented out, and cracks may appear on its body. The “unreliable” nodes also include the crankcase exhaust pipeline (cases of rupture have been noted) and expensive ignition coils that can fail for no reason. The engine resource is 350-400 thousand km.
Transmission
Fiat Albea was completed only with a five-speed manual transmission. This unit is considered quite reliable, although it is not without weaknesses. One of these is the release bearing, the service life of which in rare cases exceeds 70,000 km. When replacing the bearing, it is recommended to change the clutch kit as well. Clutch resource 100-150 thousand km. Also, the third gear synchronizer may require attention quite early. Closer to 250,000 km, the outer CV joint and the gear selection mechanism need to be replaced. The anthers of the drives can also be attributed to the problem - they do not tolerate severe cold and are picky about tightening the clamps. Some owners of cars of the first years of production were faced with rapid wear of differential bearings (a hum appears). Operational disadvantages include the noise of the gearbox and insufficiently clear gear shifting.
Reliability of suspension, steering and brakes Fiat Albea
Despite the fact that the car uses a semi-independent suspension (front - MacPherson strut, rear - torsion beam), the chassis has an acceptable level of comfort and handling for this class of car. As for the reliability of the suspension elements of the Fiat Albea, then, in general, it can be called hardy, with the exception of a few elements. In addition to the stabilizer struts, which are not reliable even in more expensive cars, silent blocks of levers, ball bearings and wheel bearings are quickly surrendered (on a run of 50-80 thousand km). The front shock absorbers are not famous for their reliability either - for many they do not withstand even 100,000 km. The remaining parts, with careful operation, serve an average of 120-150 thousand km. With regular loads on the rear axle, by 200,000 km you will have to change the springs of the rear shock absorbers - they sag, break. The most reliable are the silent blocks of the beam, as a rule, their resource exceeds 250,000 km.
The steering system uses a rack and pinion mechanism with power steering. As a rule, problems with this node begin closer than 150,000 km (plastic bushings break, flows). Closer to 200,000 km, power steering (GUR) requires attention - the oil seal is leaking. As for the reliability of consumables, it is worth noting a small resource of steering rods (60-80 thousand km go). Symptoms - a large free play of the steering wheel, the presence of extraneous sounds (knocking) when the steering wheel is rotated to the sides. The braking system is reliable.
Salon
Like most budget cars, the Fiat Albea interior is made of cheap materials and lacks any frills in design. The main problem here is excessive noise. In addition to plastic trim elements, extraneous sounds can be emitted over time by the front seats, the trunk shelf. Poor sound insulation aggravates the situation with acoustic comfort. Over time, the pipes of the stove radiator begin to flow at the junctions. By 100,000 km, the ignition lock starts to stick - the mechanism wears out. On the same run, there is a high probability of failure of the thermal fuse of the stove fan resistor. By 150,000 km, the fan motor may need to be replaced, for the replacement of which you will have to pay a tidy sum (for replacement, you need to disassemble the front panel). There are also complaints about the reliability of the steering column switches (windshield wipers and washer, dipped / main beam turn on incorrectly). Also, the lack of Russian language in the on-board computer menu can be attributed to the disadvantages.
Outcome:
Fiat Albea is a fairly reliable car that, with proper maintenance, will not bother with breakdowns for a long time. Of course, this model is not perfect and certain troubles happen over time, but, in fairness, it should be said that their elimination does not require significant costs. Another plus of this model is that these cars, unlike the same or, were very rarely taken for service in corporate fleets and taxis, which means it will be much easier to find a live copy. The best option for purchasing Fiat Albea in the secondary market are copies of the last years of production (2010-2012).
Advantages:
- Great ground clearance
- economy
- Spacious interior and large trunk
Flaws:
- High cost of original parts
- Weak sound insulation
- Steering wheel vibration
If you are the owner of this car model, please describe the problems that you had to face during the operation of the car. Perhaps it is your review that will help readers of our site when choosing a car.
Sincerely, editorial Autoavenue
