6th Aug 2011, 13:52
I have the 1.2 Stilo, 2002 year. These are the worst year for the Stilo; they fixed a lot of the problems found on these earliest models, best to go for 05 - 08 years. My Stilo has the airbag warning on, but on eBay you can get a device for 50 quid to cancel out this warning, which is worth the money. That's the only electrical problems I've encountered with mine so far.
Other fixes I've undertaken are new wiper motors/ washer jet motor and 4 new tires, but that was only because the previous owner had 4 different makes on the car! I also replaced the clutch last week, but that was due to my stupidity of shifting down to first at 40mph without my clutch pedal right down, and snapped a few teeth :/
I have the 3 door, which looks stunning and very sporty, which young drivers would love. The 3 door also has the reputation for living up to it's sporty looks with a very solid and agile ride!
The Stilo is a good car; it was after all Fiat's answer to the VW Golf, and they got pretty close in the end! So just avoid the earliest (02 - 04) versions, otherwise you are asking for big garage bills unfortunately.
22nd Oct 2011, 11:34
I recently purchased a 03 1.6 Stilo Station Wagon, as I had one similar to it for two years previous, and found it to be a good car, and it served my needs. However, this car worries me, as it has already cut out twice as I was driving, and the following appeared on the dash. ASR failure, loose connection, stop engine. When I restarted the car, it drove away with no problem. I had it checked by a mechanic, and he found no problem.
Now on a regular basis, as the mornings are getting colder, the car cuts out first thing in the morning, and the following appears on the dash. High coolant, stop engine, even though I am starting up the car for the first time. Once I take out the key and restart the engine, it is fine.
At this stage, and having read all of the above reviews, I believe that it is a computer problem, and not specific engine faults. Can I take this is a standard problem with this type of car, and I don't have need to worry? I do like the car otherwise. I welcome all comments please. Tom.
3rd Jan 2012, 13:13
You need to clean the sensor under your seats. If not, you might need to buy a new sensor, which you can find on eBay.
10th Apr 2012, 10:43
OMG, my Fiat Stilo 1.6 is a joke. Had nothing but trouble with its engine. It has a fault after about ten minutes of driving. Just had a new coil fitted, and it worked fine for about two days, then started juddering again, and now it's started to cut out on me. I need an idea what's wrong with it? My mechanic said it could be an injector problem. Any ideas? Help...
30th Jul 2012, 04:47
Well, my grandparents have a 53 plate Fiat Stilo Active, and the only time they have had the airbag problem, is when some idiot unplugged the airbag cable in the seat.
They keep getting the engine light on the dash, but a mechanic has had a look, and it is faulty wiring and/or sensor, but it will cost a lot to replace, so they have left it. That's the only problems they have had with theirs :D.
7th Feb 2011, 11:44
My fiat Stilo also has the problem with the airbag warning noise and the engine fault. The engine fault could be due to the electrics as that is what I have been told mine is, but my car also judders.
I love the car and it's a practical one for me and my family, but I am thinking of getting rid as there is always something wrong.