check out the new remote control Jockey Wheel SmartBar Topargee products Enginesaver Low Water Alarms
Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Click here for the Grey Nomads website -> The Grey Nomads Forum -> Techies' Corner -> Comformatic woes. Fiat Ducato 3ltr
Post Info TOPIC: Comformatic woes. Fiat Ducato 3ltr
BrianF


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 35
Date:
Comformatic woes. Fiat Ducato 3ltr
Permalink  

Well my Grey Nomad career has got off to a real bum start. I am booked on the Spirit of Tasmania on Sunday morning and was just getting my new Sunliner Vue fuelled up and the Transmission Warning Light came on and I couldn't select above 3rd gear. This then became 2nd gear and then I couldn't select a gear at all. Eventually I couldn't even start the motor as the display was complaining that it couldn't see the brake pedal depressed.

Eventually I located in the additional gearbox supplement in the owners manual that I could force the engine to override if I held the brake pedal down and the ignition in the "crank" position for 7 seconds then the engine would start but still the transmission warning light is on and the gearbox won't behave.

I think this override process puts the vehicle into limp mode  and it won't come out of limp mode until it is reset (is that correct anyone??)

So I have had this van for just 4 weeks - just a tad miffed...



__________________
Tony Bev


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 5388
Date:
Permalink  

Hello BrianF

Hopefully someone with that model Fiat Ducato 3 ltr, may quickly come along, and let you know what they do to overcome this problem

My model vehicle (Fiat Ducato, 2.8 ltr), is a much older model, and also a straight manual gearbox
So I can not help, sorry

I hope that you get it sorted quickly
I would be ringing the manufacture of the vehicle, first thing in the morning, for a few tips




-- Edited by Tony Bev on Thursday 13th of April 2017 11:53:24 PM

__________________

Tony

It cost nothing to be polite
mezza56


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 480
Date:
Permalink  

Coupla things you cud try 

With a Comfortmatic van, look up the Comfortmatic section/supplement in their owners manual and study the gearbox reset procedure set out there.

Just to let you know that Fiat think they have resolved the problem with my gearbox warning light and message. They sent the 'top technician' to spend a day working on it. Would you believe, he decided that the problem was due to the wrong battery being fitted? It should be 110AH for the 3-litre engine and I have the 100AH fitted! Replacement battery now installed and, so far, all is well.
By the way, I looked through the Comfortmatic supplement to my handbook but couldn't find any reference to the 'reset procedure' you mentioned. Is it short enough for you to send me via this forum?



__________________
dragonfly1


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 244
Date:
Permalink  

The only thing I can tell you to try is to disconnect one battery terminal for a couple of minutes as this will reset the computer 

the battery is under the left side floor mat just undo the cover

Dragonfly1



__________________
C Geyer
BrianF


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 35
Date:
Permalink  

Thank You. The nice NRMA man told me that the battery was inaccessible without taking the wheel off and inner mudguard but thanks to you Mr Dragonfly1 I now know where the battery is located!! What a mammoth size it is too...

However before I go wielding another spanner to take off the lead, in your experience/knowledge do I run any risk of resetting/fouling other systems if I do this... I guess at the end of the day I have nothing really to lose but I will wait and see if there is any reply to this part of my query

__________________
BrianF


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 35
Date:
Permalink  

Ah well. I have done the big battery reset but to no avail....

Thanks for trying though folks

__________________
Mike Harding


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 4706
Date:
Permalink  

mezza56 wrote:
Just to let you know that Fiat think they have resolved the problem with my gearbox warning light and message. They sent the 'top technician' to spend a day working on it. Would you believe, he decided that the problem was due to the wrong battery being fitted? It should be 110AH for the 3-litre engine and I have the 100AH fitted! Replacement battery now installed and, so far, all is well.

Unless there is something very special and, indeed, unique about the batteries Fiat fit to these vehicles then I have major doubts that the difference between a 100Ah and a 110Ah battery would cause electronics issues.

 



__________________

 

"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"

Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
Mike Harding


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 4706
Date:
Permalink  

OP: I would be taking a close look at the connectors feeding the engine management computer.

Disconnect the battery and then remove and reseat as many connectors feeding the EMU as you can find.

 



__________________

 

"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"

Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
jules47


The Happy Helper

Status: Offline
Posts: 12023
Date:
Permalink  

Ring Fiat Assist - they will get someone to you pretty promptly - depending where you are I would think. Used them only once, but good service then.



__________________

jules
"Love is good for the human being!!"
(Ben, aged 10)
mezza56


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 480
Date:
Permalink  

Mike

I don't pretend to know what the problem is and your guessing as much as anyone , what I posted was from another forum where someone had the exact same issues with the exact same vehicle . They had fiat check it out and that's what they recommended and it fixed his problem . Are you a Fiat technician ?



__________________
Mike Harding


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 4706
Date:
Permalink  

>your guessing as much as anyone

Of course I'm guessing - I haven't examined your vehicle - but it is
a guess based upon decent knowledge.

>Are you a Fiat technician ?

No, I charge a lot more than they do.

However I do have 40+ years knowledge and experience of many things
electrical including automotive electronic design for a couple of
major vehicle manufacturers and lead acid battery analysis for a
large Australian scientific organisation.

I offer my opinion on this forum for free - I am not troubled if you
don't like it :)

MH



__________________

 

"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"

Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
Aus-Kiwi


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 7642
Date:
Permalink  

Engine to chassis earths all good .

__________________
Whats out there
landy


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1353
Date:
Permalink  

I knew a mechanic that spent months trying to fix a rough gear change on a magna auto to no avail. One day the owner brought the car in with a failed battery, so he fitted a new battery and was surprised to find it also fixed the gearbox problem.
Landy.

__________________
In life it is important to know when to stop arguing with people and simply let them be wrong.
macka17


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 3066
Date:
Permalink  

I'm Surprised nobody has mentioned fitting a "Scanguage".

It's the first thing you fit to an electronic and\or Automatic veh.

Reads everything the Computer sends out.
Temp's everything. Fuel consumption. everything basically.

Including fault codes. and has a prog in there to override whatever code.
so you can get veh rolling again.
As long as you confident it won't do any damage.

There is a free prog on Net. Torque, and Torque Pro.
not as complete but do the job.
Just need a sender and Your Phone or Tablet.




__________________
BrianF


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 35
Date:
Permalink  

Thanks Macka17, I connected one yesterday but it didn't find a code. I spoke to a friend in Tasmania who knows about these things who told me that, just as with everything, not all scan code readers are created equal and some will only find basic codes and not clear them anyway. It takes an advanced tool to determine manufacturer specific codes as well as performing a deep scan to pick out the non-basic codes. I have researched and know which scanner I want but of course Easter weekend, any stockists of such devices are closed until Tuesday...

I changed my sailing on Spirit of Tasmania until Wednesday night sailing but I am getting rather nervous



__________________
macka17


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 3066
Date:
Permalink  

What scanner is it then. For future usage. pleeeeeez


__________________
BrianF


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 35
Date:
Permalink  

Its a Carsoft i950. Don't know how good it is until mine is delivered and I do hope to be running before then so will have it for the future...

Will let the forum know how it appears to function once I get it and can have a play...



__________________
macka17


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 3066
Date:
Permalink  

Thank's Bri,
Have a good one,

and I hope it fixes it for you.

__________________
vanman


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 161
Date:
Permalink  

Mabe register here and I'm sure you will find an answer from someone.

http://www.fiatforum.com/ducato/

Regards Chris



-- Edited by vanman on Tuesday 18th of April 2017 06:44:31 PM

__________________

Every one dies but not everyone lives!!!
dragonfly1


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 244
Date:
Permalink  

Brian 

How did you get on with the transmission problem did they fix it for you

Dragonfly1



__________________
C Geyer
macka17


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 3066
Date:
Permalink  

No Dragon.

He's still pushing it around.
Can't you hear him grunting from there??? Chuckle.

He's ok till he sees a hill.



Wellllllllll????????

Hope it turns\ed out good.

__________________
BrianF


Veteran Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 35
Date:
Permalink  

Greetings Again Everyone. Well I am happy to advise that the problem with my vehicle has been resolved. The brake light switch was broken and if you looked at the back of the van, the brake lights were always on. The engineer told me that this fault causes the gearbox into Neutral and although it would let me override by going into limp mode it should be run at a minimum.

I had it towed to the workshop and had it back within 4 hours - $155 for the new switch and all good. I then drove from Sydney to Port Melbourne and the van is now South of Hobart - whilst I concentrate on winning Targa Tasmania!!!

Thanks for your comments everyone

__________________
Tony Bev


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 5388
Date:
Permalink  

Thanks for the feedback, BrianF
It may help someone in the future

It may be a common fault for that vehicle, hopefully it will not happen again

Did the Engineer mention any work-a-round, such as disconnecting a wire from the faulty brake light switch
In case this fault appears, while someone is on the Nullarbor

__________________

Tony

It cost nothing to be polite
dragonfly1


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 244
Date:
Permalink  

Glad it was something simple but it can cause a lot of inconvience and heart acke thanks for letting us know the outcome

Dragonfly1



__________________
C Geyer
jules47


The Happy Helper

Status: Offline
Posts: 12023
Date:
Permalink  

We had a non working globe in the tail light of our motorhome - the computer told us to stop immediately and get the problem fixed!

__________________

jules
"Love is good for the human being!!"
(Ben, aged 10)
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Click here for the Grey Nomads website -> The Grey Nomads Forum -> Techies' Corner -> Comformatic woes. Fiat Ducato 3ltr
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us
Purchase Grey Nomad bumper stickers Read our daily column, the Nomad News The Grey Nomad's Guidebook