The anomalies related to an externally-supplied component of the 1.3 Multijet engine have been resolved and on Saturday production of the engines resumed in the Bielsko Biala plant in Poland.

The anomalies related to an externally-supplied component of the 1.3 Multijet engine have been resolved, Fiat announced this morning, and that on Saturday production of the engines resumed in the Bielsko Biala plant in Poland. Production of wide range of Fiat models that use this popular engine will get underway again tomorrow (Tuesday February 26).

The factory in southern Poland that builds the 1.3 Multijet engine suspended production of the powerplant that is a key unit in the Fiat Group Automobiles range, being used in an array of models including Fiat's 500, Panda, Grande Punto, Linea and Idea, and Lancia's Ypsilon and Musa, as well as in Fiat Professional's Fiorino and Doblò vans. It is also used by GM on Vauxhall/Opel models including the Agila, Corsa, Meriva, Tigra and Astra.

The suspension of production activities involved certain production lines of the Mirafiori, Melfi, Termini Imerese, Tychy and Bursa plants, where models equipped with 1.3 Multijet engines are produced. All these plants will resume normal activity by Wednesday.

"The Company made every possible effort to speed up controls and adaptations that became necessary as well as to reduce delays in delivery to customers to the minimum," said Fiat in a statement this morning. "Although Fiat is aware that this suspension of production, which has now been resolved, will have repercussions on its delivery volumes for the month of February, it nonetheless decided to adopt an uncompromising and rigorous approach so as to guarantee the highest levels of product quality to its customers. Despite the cost that these measures will have, the Group confirms its targets for 2008."