Comfortmatic failure in Spain

[Madventurer]

This is a 2017 Carthago E-line, 30 000 miles. Regularly serviced by camper UK, the last one in October 2024. This was nearly £1000, as they also did the air bag ecu that failed on last years trip. I mentioned the clutch fluid change and was told " we don't recomend it " leave well alone until you have a problem. How can they say this when Fiat recomend this every two years ?
I had to be recovered to the nearest fiat dealership in Spain. A month in hotels while they carried out the repair.
20 hrs Labour charge is this correct ? and a total bill of €3786. I had vans all my working life and find Fiat to be expensive to service and unreliable.
I

 

[Antique]

Yep
They told me the same .
I'm booked in with Adam's Morey again in 3 months time.

All the best

 

[WESTY66]

Told me the same, went down to Adam’s Morey a month later and had it done there. Now on 54,300mls transmission all good so far

I think you have got away lighter than most who have had a failure

 

[Lenny HB]

Price sounds about right if the replaced clutch, slave cylinder & dual mass flywheel.

 

[Just smiffy]

What cc and horse power is the unit…?

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[dunnah01]

There's nothing about a Comfortmatic failure in the repair. It's the clutch CSC that looks to have been the problem so may be worth changing the thread title to avoid unnecessary alarm.

 

[Oscar]

Bill for mine at Adams Morey after breakdown in France in October 2023 was £5000

Plus the £4000 it cost me to get it repatriated from France to AM at Portsmouth

 

[Al n Val]

I think i’d have to mention this to Camper UK if you haven’t already and see what they say

 

[EuroTrotters]

This is a 2017 Carthago E-line, 30 000 miles. Regularly serviced by camper UK, the last one in October 2024. This was nearly £1000, as they also did the air bag ecu that failed on last years trip. I mentioned the clutch fluid change and was told " we don't recomend it " leave well alone until you have a problem. How can they say this when Fiat recomend this every two years ?
I had to be recovered to the nearest fiat dealership in Spain. A month in hotels while they carried out the repair.
20 hrs Labour charge is this correct ? and a total bill of €3786. I had vans all my working life and find Fiat to be expensive to service and unreliable.
I



View attachment 1014579

Fiats are No more expensive then running a Mercedes Sprinter. Especially an older one with SprintShift Gearbox

 

[Mr B]

Ours is booked in at Adams Morey for the fluid and clutch reset for later in June.

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[Madventurer]

I will contact Camper UK, when I get back to UK. I pay them for servicing to avoid breakdowns. Does a clutch normally only last 30 000 miles ?
I would assume, that if they have replaced the clutch. They would have replaced clutch fluid and re calibrated. Part list they used attached.
Thanks all.

 

[Bessy765]

We have ours done every two years by AM. The fiat manual for ours (2019) says check every two change every four. Given the history of the comformatic we elected to have ours done every two years. At the first two year service at our local Fiat dealer when I went to collect it I was informed as it had only done 4,000 miles it wasn’t worth servicing it. When Iinsisted on them doing it again when collecting I asked how was the comformatic fluid I just got a blank look. So AM from now on. I would be asking some serious questions about the quality of service you received from Camper UK as servicing is supposed to minimise problems not add to them.

 

[Madventurer]

I have had the, gear not available message a few times. Cleared by turning ignition off for a few minutes. This was the Comfortmatic - gearbox failure (red) message. It's a 2.3 180 multijet.

 

[MichaelT]

We have ours done every two years by AM. The fiat manual for ours (2019) says check every two change every four. Given the history of the comformatic we elected to have ours done every two years. At the first two year service at our local Fiat dealer when I went to collect it I was informed as it had only done 4,000 miles it wasn’t worth servicing it. When Iinsisted on them doing it again when collecting I asked how was the comformatic fluid I just got a blank look. So AM from now on. I would be asking some serious questions about the quality of service you received from Camper UK as servicing is supposed to minimise problems not add to them.

But we had ours 5 years , 35k miles with no issues but it was used. AM have created a money spinner IMHO ,so long as you use the van regularly no problem, park it up and never use it or only fir summer holidays then that's when I think you may get issues. A lot on here say the chap at AM is a motorhome owner so knows but he only gets 4 weeks holiday so his sits around not being used so needs more servicing than one being used regularly.

 

[Madventurer]

The stressful thing also is security. At home I have drive way locking post and security cameras. The motorhome sat in a Spanish back street for over 3 weeks waiting for repair. All our holiday equipment including 2 x £3000 e- bikes left in the motorhome. While we had to find a hotel.

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[Madventurer]

We were away four months last winter plus festivals and race meetings during the summer. So it's nothing to do with not being used.

 

[Two of usI]

I have had the, gear not available message a few times. Cleared by turning ignition off for a few minutes. This was the Comfortmatic - gearbox failure (red) message. It's a 2.3 180 multijet.

I had exactly the same...... then, two trips to AM in Southampton...... cost a packet, then after more issues took to AM Portsmouth, saw Simon, cost me £4000 but, 2yr guarantee not a problem since, but, more importantly I feel confident after dealing with Simon.

 

[Oscar]

But we had ours 5 years , 35k miles with no issues but it was used. AM have created a money spinner IMHO ,so long as you use the van regularly no problem, park it up and never use it or only fir summer holidays then that's when I think you may get issues. A lot on here say the chap at AM is a motorhome owner so knows but he only gets 4 weeks holiday so his sits around not being used so needs more servicing than one being used regularly.

In our case, our failure occurred at approx 73000 miles with an average of 10000 per year in our ownership being used 12 months of the year (bearing in mind COVID occurred during that period) so basically doesn't really stand around for very long - just to give a different perspective...... so maybe the oil change is not a bad insurance policy - you pay your money & you make your choice.....
We were happy with the service provided with Simon at Adams Morey Portsmouth & at £147 for the oil change we dont feel it is worth the risk. It's a fair way for us to travel to Portsmouth from north Lincolnshire

 

[Just smiffy]

What cc and horse power is the unit…?

I have had the, gear not available message a few times. Cleared by turning ignition off for a few minutes. This was the Comfortmatic - gearbox failure (red) message. It's a 2.3 180 multijet.

The reason I asked is my theory that it happens less with the 3ltr….

One of the reasons I deliberately went for the 3.0ltr

 

[Oscar]

Mine is the 3 litre Garry

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[Just smiffy]

Mine is the 3 litre Garry

Hmmm…. Mines done over 135k now so here’s hoping…

 

[Lenny HB]

A lot on here say the chap at AM is a motorhome owner so knows but he only gets 4 weeks holiday so his sits around not being used so

I think it's a van with a Comformatic that Simon runs he changes his clutch fluid annually.

 

[BaileySteve]

If you are going to take this up with Camper UK it’s essential you have either the removed parts or photos at the very least so you have some proof. An better explanation on the invoice would help, or some form of written explanation of the 3C’s which should be standard for all repair work, and is a requirement for most automotive manufacturers carrying out warranty work.

Complaint
Cause
Correction

I think you will struggle to get them to accept any liability due the age and mileage, unless you can prove the failure is down to something not done during the service. Without any evidence it will be a straight no.

 

[CAB96]

But we had ours 5 years , 35k miles with no issues but it was used. AM have created a money spinner IMHO ,so long as you use the van regularly no problem, park it up and never use it or only fir summer holidays then that's when I think you may get issues. A lot on here say the chap at AM is a motorhome owner so knows but he only gets 4 weeks holiday so his sits around not being used so needs more servicing than one being used regularly.

A moneyspinner? At £147 a time?

Why do we hear about all these garages saying don't bother then, if it's that profitable? I reckon the administrative and logistical hassle of these short jobs is worth a lot more than that to most places.

 

[Bessy765]

This system relies on a small piece of rubber in a fluid and some will degrade and some won’t so it would seem it’s a matter of luck as opposed to science we are at 30,000 miles (2019 Burstner) had fluid changed at four years and will have it done Sept 25 (6 years)

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[Mr B]

I think £147 for 1hr labour, a teaspoon full of fresh oil, and a plug into some software magic sounds a bargain to me..
Ours is 3litre/180 bhp having covered 28000 miles. It’s been fine over the 6 years we’ve had it, regular oil and filter changes, it’s just having a hissy fit with the electrics at the moment, through having a flat cab battery and fitting a new one

 

[Bessy765]

Yes there seems to be a link between low starter battery voltage and the air bag fault. We’ve just had AM fit a new ecu and a new battery

 

[Minxy]

In our case, our failure occurred at approx 73000 miles with an average of 10000 per year in our ownership being used 12 months of the year (bearing in mind COVID occurred during that period) so basically doesn't really stand around for very long - just to give a different perspective...... so maybe the oil change is not a bad insurance policy - you pay your money & you make your choice.....
We were happy with the service provided with Simon at Adams Morey Portsmouth & at £147 for the oil change we dont feel it is worth the risk. It's a fair way for us to travel to Portsmouth from north Lincolnshire

We used one in Hull for our cambelt change and will use them again for all future work and servicing, they are ex-Fiat and contrary to most Fiat garage staff know their way round comfortmatics.