Seeking Advice on 2010 Fiat Idea's Exhaust, Power, and Fuel Economy Issues

Hey! I feel you, something quite similar happened with my 2007 Fiat Punto (yeah, still sticking to the classics). Started off with decreased power, stalls, and a ton of black smoke. Turned out, it was a problematic injector, pretty much as you suspected might be your case. When I took it to the garage, the buddy there ran several tests - checking fuel pressure, inspecting for any external fuel leaks, and finally, a good ol' compression test. They're pretty thorough, so they made certain it was a faulty injector before diving in to replace it. The replacement itself wasn't some sort of doomsday thing, but wasn't quite a cakewalk either. They had to remove the fuel rail, so definitely not a roadside DIY project or something. Anyway, here's the silver lining - Post-repair, it was like I got my old Punto back! More pep in its step, better fuel economy, and no more black exhaust clouds. So while it might seem like a serious issue now, it's totally solvable. Hang in there and let the experts do their magic. Best of luck with it!

Hey there! Thanks for sharing your experience, sounds like pretty much what I'm facing with my Idea. It's such a relief to know it can be fixed - was starting to lose hope. Do you recall what it cost you to get the injector problem sorted? Also, has your Punto been behaving since then, or were there other issues that cropped up? Just trying to prepare myself for what's coming. Cheers!

Hey! I'm glad to hear my experience helped put your mind at ease. Talking about the expenses, the bill came to something around €515 - that's to sort out the faulty injector. I cringed a bit when I first saw it, I won't lie, but it wasn’t too bad considering the whole fiasco and its resolution. After the mechanic worked his magic, I swear it was like my Punto was in its prime again. No more of those jerky accelerations, unusual shutdowns or black smoke situations, not even once. And man, the boost in fuel economy was a massive relief! So to answer your question, the problem with the injector was completely fixed, hasn't been a bother since. Just hang in there and let the mechanics handle it. It's a bit of a hit on the wallet, but totally pays off in the end. All the best with it!

Well, that sounds pretty encouraging! I mean, a €515 hit isn't my idea of a fun day, but if it gets my trusty old Fiat purring like a kitten again, it'd be worth it. Your reassurance has been much needed. I'd been facing lots of sleepless nights wondering about this problem. But anytime your vehicle starts to act up, it's good to know what you're in for, right? And it's reassuring to hear that the injector issue hasn't come back to haunt you. Hope my experience is just as positive! Thanks for all your advice, I'm off to the garage now. Wish me luck. Cheers!