2006 Fiat Ducato 2.8TD Inertia Fuel Switch - could apply to other MH as well:
Yesterday I was attempting to get into Barn Hill Station Stay, 140km south of Broome. The last 9km is on corrugated, but I didn't think too rough a road.
On this dirt stretch my engine cut out after about 3km and would not restart. I left for 3 or 4 mins, and it then restarted first turn. Drove on about another km and it cut out again. Restarted after a few minutes and I turn tail and exited back to the highway. In a total of about 5km the engine cut out 6 times. Once back on the highway and on the 140km back into Broome I had absolutely no issues at all - the engine couldn't have been smoother!
Went to a service centre (not a Fiat dealer) as soon as I was back and there was an older chap behind the counter who'd seen it all. After I described the above he said there is an Inertia Fuel Switch on all such vehicles, designed to cut off fuel in an accident. He said the particular height and frequency of the corrugations must have been enough to activate the switch, thus instant cut off of fuel.
I think the Inertia Switch is a simple metal ball and cup with spring to hold together. That being so then I guess I could have a faulty switch, or simple old age has weakened the spring. They are cheap to purchase on eBay, but unsure if they are exactly the same given the age (2006) of my unit.
Has anyone else had or heard of this issue?
-- Edited by jrk36 on Saturday 22nd of August 2020 11:56:15 AM
Someone just wrote this on Facebook Fiat Motorhome page:
had a problem with my 2006 Fiat. hit a large pot hole and engine cut out. the switch is designed to cut the fuel supply in an accident. mine is located on the fire wall near the battery. you just push it down to reset it. have you done that? can stop engines if you go on very bumpy corrugated roads. it is in the manual. read it to locate yours as every model it is located in a different place. have heard in some models it is behind the glove box inside. i read about mine years ago and told my brother who stopped to fix a vehicle in the same situation, had him going in a few minutes. it pays to read your manual as you cannot always get info when you are broken down without phone or internet.
I have not had that problem, but I do keep away from corrugation roads, as the inside of the motorhome shakes too much for me
The problem may not be the Inertia Fuel Switch, as it is supposed to stay off, when it switches itself off, it is also supposed to wait, until you press the plunger, to reset it
If you can let us all know, if you did buy a spare Inertia Fuel Switch, and a link to the one you got, that would be good for future reference
Yes, we did have that problem with the fuel cut off switch on a Landrover Discovery series 2 TD5. It was a regular pain in the butt.
I worked it out, I had added a second battery and had moved this small thing that I did not know what it was and repositioned it at a ever so small angle which it did not like, took me a while to work out.
If you can let us all know, if you did buy a spare Inertia Fuel Switch, and a link to the one you got, that would be good for future reference
Hi there,
there are heaps of them available on eBay for around $25 including postage - they appear to be a generic item used by many manufacturers.
On The Fiat Motorhome Facebook page where I also posted this query there have been about 8 responses from people who've had the engine cut out simply when hitting a pot hole! Given that could leave you with no power brakes or power steering in a tricky highway situation I'm dubious of its value. Given it is just a "switch" I wonder about putting a manual override switch in paralell with the Inertia Switch for use on dirt roads. NB: I do avoid dirt, but not always possible in The Kimberley - I've recently been to three caravan parks here that had dirt access roads to them ranging from 1.5km to 6km in length - this was the first time my MH had actually stopped. Barn Hill access road where engine stopped is 9km long.
-- Edited by jrk36 on Sunday 23rd of August 2020 08:52:31 AM
-- Edited by jrk36 on Sunday 23rd of August 2020 12:34:48 PM
If it was mine and had that trouble I would wire a normal switch across in parallel to the inertia switch and bypass it by turning the switch to on when on rough roads. Then switch it off for normal driving so the safety cutout will work OK in an accident. My
If it was mine and had that trouble I would wire a normal switch across in parallel to the inertia switch and bypass it by turning the switch to on when on rough roads. Then switch it off for normal driving so the safety cutout will work OK in an accident. My
Can someone tell me where it is (passenger side so the manual says) and a picture?
They seem to have altered the location of this switch on a very regular basis. My 2006 has it in the engine bay on the bulkhead in front of the driver.
