Punto dodgy dash board indicators/lights

eoinf

Hi

please excuse my obvious lack of knowledge of all things car related.

Anyway just inherited a 00 Punto . Reckon im gonna drive it into the ground it already has 100k on it and is a bit rough around the gills.

Anway for the next 6 months or so its mine and ive noticed something starnge happening. The dash keeps lighting up with random warning lights at the strangest of times. The (!) handbrake light seems to come on when i change from 3rd to forth or when i stop in 3rd-5th and no the handbrake isnt on . Some of the other dash board warning lights like the "city" light and another light of a steering wheel seem to light up at random times.

Could this just be dodgy electrics or is it something more sinister.

Ive no manual for the car so anyone know what these warning lights are?

again appologies if my description if its a bit crappy.

cheers

Eoin

Mr.Diagnostic

There is no easy answer to this one.
The "city" and "steering wheel" symbol are to do with the electric power steering. When these come on does the steering get heavy? If not then it is likely an electronic problem rather than a steering fault. What I mean is the warning should not come on. The fact that a few other lights play up too also points to this.
On that model Punto the fault can be a number of things. Instrument cluster, electronic fuse box, steering control unit or even the Radio.
You need to get it plugged in to diagnose.

eoinf

Cheers for the swift response .

ive read else where that the city and stearing wheel lights are common faults on puntos. steering gets a bit stiff but tought that was just normal for a small car of that age and mileage.

its more the handbrake light that is worrying me cause it seems to be happening when im accelerating.

anyone recmmend a good fiat garage on northside of dublin or anywhere in round city centre.

dont really want to spend much money on this i want to replace it before the end of year.

cheers

eoin

colm_mcm

the brake fluid may be low, causing the handbrake light to come on when the car's angle changes. e.g. when changing gear

zilog_jones

Yeah, the handbrake light can be used to indicate low brake fluid levels too. So manybe it's not all that random.