My fault was with the clutch and, if I have to, I will replace it as often as I need to at my own expense.I have a Fiat Ducato based motorhome, bought new September 2009, with 3lt engine and Comfortmatic gearbox.
My problem started in January 2011 when taking the vehicle for its monthly off-season run. When I started the engine I got a warning bleep, a message stating Check Transmission and the gearbox warning light was illuminated. I switched off and checked the fluid levels and an signs of leakage, etc. When there was nothing obviously amiss, a re-started the engine to find that all warnings had disappeared. I just assumed that the fluid had taken a while to get around the gearbox due to very cold weather at that time and the (relatively) long period of inactivity. This time I took it the 2 miles to my local Fiat Service Garage, noting that the message cleared after about 14 mile. They plugged it in, noted the message recorded on the system, checked the gearbox functions and declared all was well. They suggested that it was a blip in the system or maybe the delayed lubrication theory Id thought when it first did this. The warning came on a few more times, something like 3 or 4 times per 10 engine starts, but always disappeared during the first mile. It only appeared when starting up, never while the engine had been running with no message on start up. Things changed towards the end of March 2011 when the warning didnt disappear after the first mile. It was still on after 5 miles when I got a further warning telling me to reduce gear changes followed by the computer system taking over and refusing to change gear. It stayed in 3rd gear and my attempt to change gear manually was greeted with more warning bleeps and a message stating that this operation was not allowed. After stopping and trying (unsuccessfully) to use Camper Assist (not a good idea on a mobile) and the emergency roadside phones (out of order - ever get the feeling its not your day) I decided to limp on to find a phone box. To cut the story short, Fiat have now spent the past 14 months trying to sort this out. Fiat Comfortmatic Plus A VarietyI have had a number of replacement parts fitted - 4 relays, 3 pumps (a 4th on order as we speak), an accumulator, an unknown part (arrived from Fiat out of the blue) and a new ECU, plus a variety of new downloadsupgrades to the computer system from Fiat. I have had a Fiat technician sent to spend a day with the vehicle and couldnt resole the problem (he was the one wo ordered the unknown part and replacement ECU). Nothing has changed and the warning still appears, now 4 or 5 times per 10 engine starts. I now have great concerns about travelling any long distances in case I cant get home (total mileage to date 2,800 miles) and, of course, the vehicle has no value as I couldnt possibly sell it or trade it in with these warnings coming up. Has anyone experience anything similar, preferably now resolved If not, any advice on taking legal action would be much appreciated. I had problems with my 3 litre from new but we bought it to travel Europe. I didnt reject it in the end because experiences related to me by others led me to believe it would have delayed our plans for many months.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |