Spot the grot ‘The trim and electrics are the source of most of the problems’
…where the body can get bad
unit a makeover, resulting in a flatter torque curve along with a 109bhp peak. Even when a 2.0-litre engine superseded the 1.7-litre unit in 1992, the 480 Turbo continued with the smaller engine; a turbocharged 2.0-litre powerplant was never fitted.
The engines and gearboxes in the 480 range were shared with the 440/460, but while these four- and five-door models also came in diesel along with 1.6 and 1.8-litre petrol forms, the 480 only ever got 1.7 and 2.0-litre petrol options. The 2.0-litre engine is the 1.7 unit with a slightly bigger bore and stroke.
The 2.0-litre engine is renowned for burning oil. It shouldn’t get through gallons of the stuff, but if the sump hasn’t been topped up for a while it’s likely to be running low. If you don’t know when the cam belt was last replaced, do it as a matter of course because the tensioner bearings fail, breaking up well before the recommended 50,000-mile renewal point – and the interference engine will be wrecked if the belt lets go.
Oil leaks are also common around the cam cover and gearbox sump (the latter rots out), so check the level and make sure the transmission isn’t running low. All 480s had power steering which can leak, so check the fluid level and the rack for fluid escaping. The rest of the running gear isn’t inherently weak, so just make the usual
checks for tired suspension and brakes. Also check that the catalytic converter (if fitted) hasn’t failed – an MOT will ascertain this. As regards service items, everything is available. If the wheels are damaged you might struggle to find the right ones as various designs were fitted, but you can usually get existing rims refurbished. While 1.7-litre got 14in wheels, 2.0-litre models had 15in rims that give better handling; rolling radius is the same, so they’re interchangeable.
Trim and electrics
Some 480s got cloth trim while others got half-leather, while all special editions got full leather. It all tends to wear well, although the hide cracks eventually. For the first two years of production, a cloth trim with a red or blue pinstripe was fitted; finding replacements for this is all but impossible. The trim panels are flimsy and they’re retained by cheap clips that are now unavailable. Once the trim panels have been removed and refitted a few times they get tatty, so it’s worth checking that they haven’t been bodged to keep them in place. The loadbay cover was very basic (Celebration models got a roller cover which was available as an optional extra on all other models) but check that it’s there anyway – it usually lives in one of the storage boxes on either side of the boot. Also check that the heated seats are working – all 480s got them, apart from the entry-level S variant. The seatbelt
extender on the B-post tends to break and they’re unavailable, and without one fitted, the seatbelt soon gets uncomfortable. The window regulators contain a piece of plastic that breaks and the cables tangle themselves up. It’s not hard to fix if you’ve got a working new or used mechanism to hand; they’re not hard to track down.
The trim and electrics/electronics are the source of most of the 480’s problems, as everything was built down to a price, so you need to check absolutely everything because finding replacement parts can be fiendishly tricky. For instance, the loom passes down the nearside inner sill under the carpet, and on the production line this was drilled into so that the kick plates could be secured, damaging the wiring in the process. Another source of electrical problems is the tailgate wiring loom, which sometimes gets pinched by the tailgate, leading to an array of problems. The motors that control the pop-up headlights also fail, but they can be wound up and down manually via a knob on the end of the motor. Resistance as you turn the knob means the motor is on its way out.
Check the condition of the various plastic light lenses, as the rear light clusters go white and front ones go opaque. Some earlier front indicator lenses were orange, while later ones are white; the latter were available until recently, so you might be able to track down replacements if you’re lucky. The orange and white units are interchangeable.
The Central Electronics Module (CEM) that controls the alarm, immobiliser, lighting, indicators, trip computer and courtesy light delay is fitted underneath the dash on the nearside. The ECU that controls the fuelling and ignition is fitted on the offside dash underside. If water gets into either of these, because of blocked bulkhead drain holes, they’ll fail and the car won’t start. While new CEMS and ECUS are unavailable, used ones can be tracked down – but you can never be sure of what you’re getting until you’ve fitted it.
There are also two types of CEM which aren’t interchangeable. While the earlier variation on the theme features sharp corners, the later alternative is rounded off. One of the easiest ways of checking if the CEM is working is to switch the front wipers on and select reverse gear. If the rear wiper comes on, the CEM is probably working fine.
Early cars were fitted with extra gauges just above the heater controls, but the wiring was fitted to all 480s until the end of production. If you can find some suitable gauges you can plug them in and you’ll have a voltmeter and oil pressure gauge.