Comfortmatic died Help! (1 Viewer)

[EuroTrotters]

sad.y, another victim.

 

[Lenny HB]

It’s a pain, and when you start up again you get the warning to either push the brake down or put it in neutral to start it… I do have a habit of leaving it in neutral…

Later ones automatically select neutral when you start the engine.

 

[MichaelT]

Later ones automatically select neutral when you start the engine.

both the ones we've had do that then you select auto or reverse to move off.

 

[Lenny HB]

This is really interesting, we didn't get a handbook containing information for the automatic, and can't find that information in the online manual, anyone got the page number Minxy anyone.

Here is the handbook.

 

[Lenny HB]

both the ones we've had do that then you select auto or reverse to move off.

My 2014 didn't but 2017 does.

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[scotzsue]

Interesting ours is 2014

 

[IRHP]

This is really interesting, we didn't get a handbook containing information for the automatic, and can't find that information in the online manual, anyone got the page number Minxy anyone.

I had a seperate supplement about the Comfortmatic

 

[scotzsue]

We didn't get anything other than the Laika manual, others were to be sent on to us, but then the virus arrived. Previous owner said they had left all paperwork in a blue bag in the garage, we had seen it when we viewed, but it had 'been mislaid' along with the silver screens they had left.
we had a Fiat book at home as we got 2 with one of our vans, same model other than being an automatic. We both have auto cars, need to check the downloaded handbook for mine, John has everything for his.

 

[MichaelT]

My 2014 didn't but 2017 does.

Ours were/are 2016 and 2019

 

[Gringo2]

Hi All, latest update.
Vehicle recovered to Fiat Dealer in Luxembourg. All OBD checks done with the pressure sphere on the Transmission Control Unit is showing 75 bar when should read 45 Bar. This lead to a question about the state of the Oil in the TCU. This was changed before my trip last July and it turns out that the servicing dealer used Dot 4 instead of the recommended Oil. Think this might be an issue !!!!
So Fiat dealer says TCU needs to be replaced as the seals will have been destroyed by the DOT4.
Cost of new unit €4000 plus and no longer available so special order.
My decision not being done in Lux and MH will be repatriated to UK under recovery insurance.
Just arrived back home after hiring a van in Lux to bring my Motorcycle and Hydra Trail Easylift trailer home with most of our stuff.
Got to return the Van to Lux on Friday.
Will be having an interesting meeting with the MD of the Servicing dealer tomorrow!!!

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[CazPaul]

Good grief so possibly a mistake caused this then, what gets me is the complicated nature of this system but most of all the price to replace some of the parts, it’s bloody ridiculous.

 

[dunnah01]

Hi All, latest update.
Vehicle recovered to Fiat Dealer in Luxembourg. All OBD checks done with the pressure sphere on the Transmission Control Unit is showing 75 bar when should read 45 Bar. This lead to a question about the state of the Oil in the TCU. This was changed before my trip last July and it turns out that the servicing dealer used Dot 4 instead of the recommended Oil. Think this might be an issue !!!!
So Fiat dealer says TCU needs to be replaced as the seals will have been destroyed by the DOT4.
Cost of new unit €4000 plus and no longer available so special order.
My decision not being done in Lux and MH will be repatriated to UK under recovery insurance.
Just arrived back home after hiring a van in Lux to bring my Motorcycle and Hydra Trail Easylift trailer home with most of our stuff.
Got to return the Van to Lux on Friday.
Will be having an interesting meeting with the MD of the Servicing dealer tomorrow!!!

Beeping professional garages - Amazing it got as far as it did using DOT4 rather than ATF. Your garage will deny using the DOT 4 and just say it was contaminated by the clutch fluid so tough

 

[Gringo2]

Good grief so possibly a mistake caused this then, what gets me is the complicated nature of this system but most of all the price to replace some of the parts, it’s bloody ridiculous.

It seems that way

 

[Gringo2]

Beeping professional garages - Amazing it got as far as it did using DOT4 rather than ATF. Your garage will deny using the DOT 4 and just say it was contaminated by the clutch fluid so tough

Got the invoice with DOT4 at 2 litres. Questioned it at the time and they said DOT4 was equivalent.

 

[bubble63]

Got the invoice with DOT4 at 2 litres. Questioned it at the time and they said DOT4 was equivalent.

OMG
What a bunch of clowns
Really sorry for you

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[WESTY66]

OMG I Hope we haven’t all used the same dealer

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Whoever did it may have become confused that the complete comfortmatic system has a number of different fluids/oils
Gearbox - a transmission oil
Gearbox hydraulics - A specific fluid, probably only available through Fiat, described in some manuals as including a "Dexron ATF additive"
Clutch hydraulic system - A DOT4 type fluid.

I know that initially (a few years ago) Adams Morey Portsmouth used a generic DOT4 for the clutch system, but now will only use Fiat's specific Tutela version just in case there is something special in it's composition.

It is the clutch hydraulic fluid that needs regular change as it is that which can get contaminated by the gearbox hydraulics if the seals in the TCU start to fail and in turn that affects the slave cylinder in the clutch itself.

One must suspect "your dealer" put the DOT4 fluid into the gearbox hydraulics side, especially if the invoice says they needed 2 litres of the stuff. My manual suggests only 0.050litres is the capacity of the clutch system and some 0.7litres for the activation system.

 

[Lenny HB]

Got the invoice with DOT4 at 2 litres. Questioned it at the time and they said DOT4 was equivalent.

At least you have it in writing they put the wrong fluid in.

 

[dunnah01]

Got the invoice with DOT4 at 2 litres. Questioned it at the time and they said DOT4 was equivalent.

2 litres . Hopefully they spilled 1.9l on the workshop floor even after filling both reservoirs. Despite all the hoo hah it's a really simple job to change the fluids so not sure how garages get scared by their own shadow when asked to do it and get it so horribly wrong.

 

[Gringo2]

Whoever did it may have become confused that the complete comfortmatic system has a number of different fluids/oils
Gearbox - a transmission oil
Gearbox hydraulics - A specific fluid, probably only available through Fiat, described in some manuals as including a "Dexron ATF additive"
Clutch hydraulic system - A DOT4 type fluid.

I know that initially (a few years ago) Adams Morey Portsmouth used a generic DOT4 for the clutch system, but now will only use Fiat's specific Tutela version just in case there is something special in it's composition.

It is the clutch hydraulic fluid that needs regular change as it is that which can get contaminated by the gearbox hydraulics if the seals in the TCU start to fail and in turn that affects the slave cylinder in the clutch itself.

One must suspect "your dealer" put the DOT4 fluid into the gearbox hydraulics side, especially if the invoice says they needed 2 litres of the stuff. My manual suggests only 0.050litres is the capacity of the clutch system and some 0.7litres for the activation system.

Will keep you posted.

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[Gringo2]

2 litres . Hopefully they spilled 1.9l on the workshop floor even after filling both reservoirs. Despite all the hoo hah it's a really simple job to change the fluids so not sure how garages get scared by their own shadow when asked to do it and get it so horribly wrong.

I do hope so.
I know Fiat Dealers can get it wrong and only go for replace with new and bugger the cost.
Next step is get her home and start investigation.
Think there will be a few calls to Simon Potter at Adams Morey in due course.
Has any one had experience of replacing the seals replaced in the TCU or reconditioning the unit?

 

[dunnah01]

I do hope so.
I know Fiat Dealers can get it wrong and only go for replace with new and bugger the cost.
Next step is get her home and start investigation.
Think there will be a few calls to Simon Potter at Adams Morey in due course.
Has any one had experience of replacing the seals replaced in the TCU or reconditioning the unit?

Just to be a bit of a pedant but it's the seals in the Master/Slave unit that would need to be replaced. It may cause a bit of confusion if you ask for TCU seals as this is the electronic brain and sits where the clutch pedal normally lives. The Master/Slave unit is the equivalent of the clutch master cylinder in the manual van but it sits above the gearbox next to the hydraulic reservoir for the Comfortmatic solenoids

 

[Gringo2]

Just to be a bit of a pedant but it's the seals in the Master/Slave unit that would need to be replaced. It may cause a bit of confusion if you ask for TCU seals as this is the electronic brain and sits where the clutch pedal normally lives. The Master/Slave unit is the equivalent of the clutch master cylinder in the manual van but it sits above the gearbox next to the hydraulic reservoir for the Comfortmatic solenoids

Thanks dunnah01. Do you know if the Hydraulics are sealed unit?

 

[WESTY66]

When will we find out which garage has done this Faux Pas, so we can avoid it, or double check if they’ve used the correct stuff?

 

[MichaelT]

When will we find out which garage has done this Faux Pas, so we can avoid it, or double check if they’ve used the correct stuff?

Op lives on South Coast.....

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[Tonks]

Hi All, latest update.
Vehicle recovered to Fiat Dealer in Luxembourg. All OBD checks done with the pressure sphere on the Transmission Control Unit is showing 75 bar when should read 45 Bar. This lead to a question about the state of the Oil in the TCU. This was changed before my trip last July and it turns out that the servicing dealer used Dot 4 instead of the recommended Oil. Think this might be an issue !!!!
So Fiat dealer says TCU needs to be replaced as the seals will have been destroyed by the DOT4.
Cost of new unit €4000 plus and no longer available so special order.
My decision not being done in Lux and MH will be repatriated to UK under recovery insurance.
Just arrived back home after hiring a van in Lux to bring my Motorcycle and Hydra Trail Easylift trailer home with most of our stuff.
Got to return the Van to Lux on Friday.
Will be having an interesting meeting with the MD of the Servicing dealer tomorrow!!!

OMG, I gasped out loud when I read this. What a nightmare for you. Really, the main dealer should be expected to know the correct fluids to use and surely they've not got an excuse, especially as you questioned using the DOT4 and they insisted it was the right stuff.

Good luck with your meeting, and I hope you reach a satisfactory conclusion quickly and can get back on the road.

 

[jerryz]

I dont trust Main Stealers, the best guys in any game are the experienced independents ,,, I just had to replace rear wheel bearings in my Daughters 2019 Ninja 650 always been main kawasaki Dealer fully serviced as they had tightened them up with probably a windy gun to 13ft lb when Kawasaki torque spec is 61ft lb and so the wheel bearings were crushed , this on amotrocycle is a MAJOR safety issue , I have reported them to DVLA/MOT as well as with crushed bearings it should not have been passed by them when they did the MOT ,
to add icing to the cake the 2023 oil /filter change etc was skipped as I had marked the filter and it said 2022 ... My daughter is now letting me service the bike ,,,

 

[Gringo2]

Just to be a bit of a pedant but it's the seals in the Master/Slave unit that would need to be replaced. It may cause a bit of confusion if you ask for TCU seals as this is the electronic brain and sits where the clutch pedal normally lives. The Master/Slave unit is the equivalent of the clutch master cylinder in the manual van but it sits above the gearbox next to the hydraulic reservoir for the Comfortmatic solenoids

Thanks

 

[Gringo2]

Have today met with my Independent Dealer and all went well. I brought a sample of the witches brew back from Luxembourg with me. As it had sat in the Van for 24hrs the Brake Fluid and ATF had clearly separated. The Service Manager immediately offered to pick up all repair costs and added reimbursement of any uninsured expenses. Master Tech who did the original job was totally devastated and could not apologise enough. Financially a good outcome and will sleep tonight. Won’t be naming and shaming. Thanks everyone for all your support

 

[WESTY66]

Well can you tell us who it wasn’t

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