Seeking Advice on 2004 Fiat Ulysee Exhaust and Engine Issues

Hey there! Well, it so happens I had a very similar issue with my 2006 Fiat Doblo model a while back. I’d label myself having some car experience, but nothing a mechanic would lose sleep over. Anyway, on to the experience. Black smoke, check engine light, and that nasty exhaust smell were my everyday dread. I initially tried to investigate it myself, but the lack of power and the smell finally got me to a workshop. Turns out one of the lambda sensors was defective. The overall workshop experience was fairly smooth - they were professional and quite responsive. Ended up paying about 375€ in total. The issue was fixed and that was a closure for my worry. Regardless, comparing my issue with yours, I'd need a bit more info on your Ulysee - like its mileage, any recent maintenance, etc. This would assist me in giving detailed advice. Kind Regards!

Hey! Appreciate your quick response and sharing your experience. It's interesting to know your Doblo had a similar issue; mine's a bit of an old girl, sitting at 110289 km currently. I tried doing a full service at a local garage about a few weeks back, hoping it may shake off the issues - obviously, it didn't work. But hearing you out, I think I'll bite the bullet and take it to a professional as well, that lambda sensor thingy seems like a good place to start investigating. Thanks again! Cheers.

Hey, no worries! I'm happy to help out. Woah! A good 110k km, your machine's clocked some serious miles! It's pretty normal to expect wear and tear at this point and as you pointed out, our machines do share similar symptoms. Given that your Ulysee has had a recent service (I'm presuming oil change, filters, and the likes), it may be safe to say that common service-part issues might not be the culprit here. The lambda sensor is a realistic possibility, primarily regulating the amount of unburned oxygen in the exhaust as ideal or lean for combustion - which could be supporting that black smoke issue you're having. Keep your expectations realistic. You might also have to look into other components like fuel injectors, EGR valve, or even MAF sensor. Get the professionals to run an ECU scan, it usually does a pretty good job pinpointing where the problem is rooted. It's probably not going to be as cheap as we'd like it to be, but hey, if it gets us back on the road without a worry, it's worth it, isn't it? I hope your visit to the workshop goes smoothly. Do update me on what they find, will ya? Cheers!

Amazing remarkable insight into the finer nuances of these issues - I feel a tad smarter already! An ECU scan sounds like a promising start considering it can help identify the potential problem areas. On that note, I'll definitely keep in mind the other components like fuel injectors, EGR valve, and the MAF sensor. You're absolutely right, it's all about getting back on the road with peace of mind, no matter the cost. Gonna book an appointment with the workshop in a day or two. I'll make sure to hit you up with an update once the problem's identified and hopefully, fixed. Thanks again for all the tips and advice. Really appreciate your time. Cheers!