Fiat Ducato Automatic Box
Discussion
I haver never liked the auto-box in my Ducato/Kon-Tiki and last week my fears were proven.
This is a two year old motorhome owned by me from new with 6,000 miles on the clock. I was towing a trailer and got to a steep hill, a car coming the other way caused me to lose momentum, the auto box clicked from 3rd to 2nd to 1st and I then ground to a stop. I switched off, started again, engaged first but all I got was a strong smell of clutch whilst I rolled backwards, no forward traction at all. I tried again with same outcome. Traffic chaos ensued. Having been towed to the top of the hill by a very large tractor that just happened to be passing (or would have passed had I not been blocking the road) I let things cool down and it then drove normally.
I really don't understand this box, as against being the type of traditional format of park/drive this seems to be some sort of hybrid box operating like a manual without a clutch pedal. It has no "park" function, if I park on a slope I need to use every click on the handbrake.
I would be interested to hear views on this Fiat auto-box and also any advice as to if I should disregard the consequences of this failure or if I should get it booked in to get it's clutch replaced.
This is a two year old motorhome owned by me from new with 6,000 miles on the clock. I was towing a trailer and got to a steep hill, a car coming the other way caused me to lose momentum, the auto box clicked from 3rd to 2nd to 1st and I then ground to a stop. I switched off, started again, engaged first but all I got was a strong smell of clutch whilst I rolled backwards, no forward traction at all. I tried again with same outcome. Traffic chaos ensued. Having been towed to the top of the hill by a very large tractor that just happened to be passing (or would have passed had I not been blocking the road) I let things cool down and it then drove normally.
I really don't understand this box, as against being the type of traditional format of park/drive this seems to be some sort of hybrid box operating like a manual without a clutch pedal. It has no "park" function, if I park on a slope I need to use every click on the handbrake.
I would be interested to hear views on this Fiat auto-box and also any advice as to if I should disregard the consequences of this failure or if I should get it booked in to get it's clutch replaced.
I run a motorhome dealership I've sold Fiat "clunkomatic" since it came out in 08.
It's a simple single clutch semi auto and rarely causes me as a dealer big issues , I always say its better than a manual if you want an auto but not as good as a proper auto.
It soldiered on too long, we were screaming out for the zf that at long last arrived in 2020.
It's basically a manual box without clutch control so yeah towing and quick changes it doesn't like and it will need a new clutch periodically but tbh it rarely gets me actual issues and is what it is, maybe for towing a manual would be best but bar that its OK.
It's a simple single clutch semi auto and rarely causes me as a dealer big issues , I always say its better than a manual if you want an auto but not as good as a proper auto.
It soldiered on too long, we were screaming out for the zf that at long last arrived in 2020.
It's basically a manual box without clutch control so yeah towing and quick changes it doesn't like and it will need a new clutch periodically but tbh it rarely gets me actual issues and is what it is, maybe for towing a manual would be best but bar that its OK.
Sorry to hear this OP, my friend with a three year old Sunlight motorhome with modest mileage on the same chassis with the same auto-box just gave up on him in a very similar way, albeit just after getting it levelled on blocks on a gently sloping pitch.
I think you will need to be sitting down when your dealer quotes you the price of the new clutch. My buddy needed new clutch, flywheel and various other parts, which took ages to arrive, so his MoHo was off the road for a month in the middle of summer. That in itself was hugely frustrating for him.
Final bill was close to £3600. He was utterly gobsmacked when they quoted him that when it was diagnosed, so went to Fiat UK, who agreed to chip in £1200 as 'goodwill', but he still had to find £2400 to get it back on the road. For a clutch, mental!
I think you will need to be sitting down when your dealer quotes you the price of the new clutch. My buddy needed new clutch, flywheel and various other parts, which took ages to arrive, so his MoHo was off the road for a month in the middle of summer. That in itself was hugely frustrating for him.
Final bill was close to £3600. He was utterly gobsmacked when they quoted him that when it was diagnosed, so went to Fiat UK, who agreed to chip in £1200 as 'goodwill', but he still had to find £2400 to get it back on the road. For a clutch, mental!
PurpleTurtle said:
Sorry to hear this OP, my friend with a three year old Sunlight motorhome with modest mileage on the same chassis with the same auto-box just gave up on him in a very similar way, albeit just after getting it levelled on blocks on a gently sloping pitch.
I think you will need to be sitting down when your dealer quotes you the price of the new clutch. My buddy needed new clutch, flywheel and various other parts, which took ages to arrive, so his MoHo was off the road for a month in the middle of summer. That in itself was hugely frustrating for him.
Final bill was close to £3600. He was utterly gobsmacked when they quoted him that when it was diagnosed, so went to Fiat UK, who agreed to chip in £1200 as 'goodwill', but he still had to find £2400 to get it back on the road. For a clutch, mental!
Gulp as you say!I think you will need to be sitting down when your dealer quotes you the price of the new clutch. My buddy needed new clutch, flywheel and various other parts, which took ages to arrive, so his MoHo was off the road for a month in the middle of summer. That in itself was hugely frustrating for him.
Final bill was close to £3600. He was utterly gobsmacked when they quoted him that when it was diagnosed, so went to Fiat UK, who agreed to chip in £1200 as 'goodwill', but he still had to find £2400 to get it back on the road. For a clutch, mental!
I'm going to Goodwood later in the week and will see how it drives however in October we are having a week in France which is more of a worry.
PurpleTurtle said:
Hope it all works out for you.
What are these vehicles rated at for towing, incidentally?
How much additional load were you pulling uphill?
Unladen weight is 3,750, plated at 4,250 max weight of van and trailer combined 6,000. I was at about 5,250 all in. The problem was the steepness of the hill and the fact that I hit it with very little momentum.What are these vehicles rated at for towing, incidentally?
How much additional load were you pulling uphill?
Oliver Hardy said:
Curious, why did you buy it?
Does it not have a warranty?
It is a bit like buying a house, you make a list of ten "must have" features, if it scores less than five you walk away, if it scores 7 - 9 you are likely to buy because you know you will never get ten out of ten! Yes it has warranty but I can see Fiat claiming driver misuse. I did a round trip to Goodwood last week and it drove fine so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there are no lasting consequences from the breakdown.Does it not have a warranty?
Keep it stiff said:
Gulp as you say!
I'm going to Goodwood later in the week and will see how it drives however in October we are having a week in France which is more of a worry.
Just in case you don't know but the best European travel insurance is through the caravan and motorhome club. Not cheap but worth if for peice if mind, particularly for caravans but I assume similarly good for a motorhome.I'm going to Goodwood later in the week and will see how it drives however in October we are having a week in France which is more of a worry.
Keep it stiff said:
Oliver Hardy said:
Curious, why did you buy it?
Does it not have a warranty?
It is a bit like buying a house, you make a list of ten "must have" features, if it scores less than five you walk away, if it scores 7 - 9 you are likely to buy because you know you will never get ten out of ten! Yes it has warranty but I can see Fiat claiming driver misuse. I did a round trip to Goodwood last week and it drove fine so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there are no lasting consequences from the breakdown.Does it not have a warranty?
We've got the Comfortmatic transmission on our 2016 Autotrail Frontier Delaware. We've had the van for 4 years now and mileage is currently around 12,000. Weight is 3,500 unladen and rated to 4,500, 150ps and we don't tow with it.
Have driven all over the UK, France and Northern Spain and it's been faultless. I did worry that climbing some of the long and twisty hills in Spain may have given problems but it was fine. Pressed the hillclimb button that helps it hold a gear for longer and downshift quicker and it worked very well.
The only time it really shows any issues is when crawling in traffic where it may have just changed up to 2nd and I've then slowed down or braked and then accelerated again. It can get a little caught out and very occasionally hesitates as to which is the correct gear. Only happens rarely and at very low speeds, so it's not been an issue.
So far it's been a very pleasant driving experience.
We've had ours 3 years and it's been fine, we've done the Cockbridge to Tominitoul and Cairngorms lots without problem, I tend to shift manually approaching the steeper sections.
The main thing I'd criticise it for is the slow change between first and second gear when accelerating from a standstill.
The main thing I'd criticise it for is the slow change between first and second gear when accelerating from a standstill.
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