Fiat Tipo Radiator: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

On the Tipo, a cracking plastic thermostat housing spigot is genuinely the single most common cause of coolant leaks.

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Fiat Tipo Radiator: OEM Part Number

Manual gearbox, all engines	Standard radiator with no transmission cooling circuit
Dualogic (automated manual, where fitted)	Genuinely a robotised manual gearbox with an automated clutch rather than a true torque-converter automatic — it does not require the same dedicated transmission fluid cooling circuit as a genuine automatic, since mechanically it remains a manual gearbox underneath
6-speed automatic (Aisin, where fitted)	A genuine torque-converter automatic that does need dedicated transmission fluid cooling, provided via the coolant circuit — confirmed as a completely different transmission from Dualogic, not just a different name for the same hardware

Accuracy note: genuinely worth knowing: Fiat sometimes fits a heavier-duty radiator as standard on Tipo trims with towing packs or higher-accessory-load options — worth confirming your exact spec rather than assuming the base-model rating applies.

Confirmed: The Single Most Common Cause of Coolant Leaks Worth Knowing — Fiat Tipo Radiator

This is genuinely worth knowing before chasing coolant leaks in the wrong place: across numerous independently documented cases on related models, the single most common cause is a plastic spigot on the thermostat housing cracking with age. A pink or white crusty residue building up around the housing is the first visible warning sign, appearing well before an active drip.

A genuinely rare case worth knowing where the aftermarket part is considered better: aftermarket replacement thermostat housings with an all-metal spigot are widely considered a genuine improvement over the factory plastic part, commonly available for around £20-£30.

It's also genuinely worth knowing a serious safety warning: this engine family is very prone to head gasket failure if run with low coolant, and this can happen before the overheat warning light illuminates. A bubbling sound heard from inside the car, particularly around the glovebox, has been reported as an early sign of a leaking thermostat housing.

Fiat Tipo Radiator: The Part That Keeps Everything Else From Cooking

There's nothing exciting about this component, yet on the Fiat Tipo, most catastrophic engine failures that aren't simply down to wear trace back to a cooling problem someone ignored too long. Catching it early is cheap; catching it late usually isn't.

Before you buy: radiator size and design vary significantly by engine size, transmission type, and whether your car has air conditioning. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

Fiat Tipo Radiator: What It Does

The Fiat Tipo radiator's core job is moving heat out of the engine coolant and into the passing air, holding engine temperature within safe limits. Automatic versions frequently add a second internal circuit for transmission fluid cooling, which is exactly why the correct part number carries extra weight on this component.

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Fiat Tipo Radiator: Faults, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Radiator Guide for the three common failure modes, confirming fitment against your VIN, and OEM vs aftermarket guidance.

More Fiat Radiator

The same part, covered across other Fiat models.