Joined the Comfortmatic failure club

[WESTY66]

So latest update is that the clutch and cylinder have failed, but flywheel is OK.

That the cylinder is a problem will relate to the Comfortmatic hydraulic fluids for the robotisation. Shows how vital it is to get these Comfortmatic fluids checked / changed, which is buried in the Fiat manual's service notes, but I can find no reference that it was included in the 3 year annual service plan provided by my motorhome dealer from new.

Maybe we need a list of competent people/garages to do the fluid check/change

 

[Mixyblob]

So latest update is that the clutch and cylinder have failed, but flywheel is OK.

That the cylinder is a problem will relate to the Comfortmatic hydraulic fluids for the robotisation. Shows how vital it is to get these Comfortmatic fluids checked / changed, which is buried in the Fiat manual's service notes, but I can find no reference that it was included in the 3 year annual service plan provided by my motorhome dealer from new.

My sisters comformatic has had a similar problem while touring in France.
The eventual diagnosis was the hydraulic clutch release system had gone faulty, requiring a new/repaired clutch costing €3150 all in.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

If I had a Comformatic, I would be worried, very worried

Seems an horrendous cost to put right and with it happening on newish vans also it not good

 

[CazPaul]

If I had a Comformatic, I would be worried, very worried

Seems an horrendous cost to put right and with it happening on newish vans also it not good

I agree and how do you know if buying a 1 year, 2 year, 3 year old van etc that the maintenance has been carried out, I wonder how much of it is documented in the paperwork.
In fact should you have a gearbox design where if maintenance is not carried out regularly and so soon after purchase, the system can be knackered?
Or is that nothing to do with it and it’s how it’s driven or simply pure pot luck?

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

I agree and how do you know if buying a 1 year, 2 year, 3 yea old van etc that the maintenance has been carried out, I wonder how much of it is documented in the paperwork.
In fact should you have a gearbox design where if maintenance is not carried out regularly and so soon after purchase, the system can be knackered?
Or is that nothing to do with it and it’s how it’s driven or simply pure pot luck?

Yes scary, seems a bit of a lottery what you get, and probably vans that sit around and don’t get run regularly are more at risk?

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[WESTY66]

If I had a Comformatic, I would be worried, very worried

Seems an horrendous cost to put right and with it happening on newish vans also it not good

I’ll be setting off to France, Switzerland and back into the French alps with my comfortmatic, confident it’ll do the job

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

I’ll be setting off to France, Switzerland and back into the French alps with my comfortmatic, confident it’ll do the job

The luck of the draw by the sound of it, just have to make sure you have a good recovery policy
Although it’s probably a small amount compared to the tens of thousands sold there does seem a fair few people on here that have had trouble

 

[WESTY66]

The luck of the draw by the sound of it, just have to make sure you have a good recovery policy
Although it’s probably a small amount compared to the tens of thousands sold there does seem a fair few people on here that have had trouble

I have an egg on each pedal

 

[Ditcha]

So latest update is that the clutch and cylinder have failed, but flywheel is OK.

That the cylinder is a problem will relate to the Comfortmatic hydraulic fluids for the robotisation. Shows how vital it is to get these Comfortmatic fluids checked / changed, which is buried in the Fiat manual's service notes, but I can find no reference that it was included in the 3 year annual service plan provided by my motorhome dealer from new.

Not what you wanted to hear Rob but at least they have found something and you can have confidence in the repair

 

[Ditcha]

I’ll be setting off to France, Switzerland and back into the French alps with my comfortmatic, confident it’ll do the job

Kiss of death

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[dunnah01]

If the diagnosis by the garage is correct then it's nothing to do with the Comfortmatcic setup. The failed slave cylinder and clutch plates are the same as the manual version so just unlucky.

 

[Mixyblob]

I've been wondering if any of these problems have been caused by drivers not selecting neutral at traffic lights/junctions etc. Its, I believe, the same as constantly having the clutch pedal pressed, ie increased thrust bearing wear?

 

[Mixyblob]

If the diagnosis by the garage is correct then it's nothing to do with the Comfortmatcic setup. The failed slave cylinder and clutch plates are the same as the manual version so just unlucky.

Which post are you replying to?

 

[Littlewheels]

Or is that nothing to do with it and it’s how it’s driven

Having had a couple these so called Autos l would say this has an influence as you cannot drive it like a normal auto you have to wait for it to catch up.
Those that have driven one will know what this means.

 

[Jo662]

So latest update is that the clutch and cylinder have failed, but flywheel is OK.

That the cylinder is a problem will relate to the Comfortmatic hydraulic fluids for the robotisation. Shows how vital it is to get these Comfortmatic fluids checked / changed, which is buried in the Fiat manual's service notes, but I can find no reference that it was included in the 3 year annual service plan provided by my motorhome dealer from new.

is‘nt it worth changing the DMF while they are doing the clutch for what it costs?

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[dunnah01]

Which post are you replying to?

#299 with the latest jackanory from the garage

 

[Lisa]

Really sorry to read of your woes Rob and hope the bill isn’t as much as quoted.

Having the comfortmatic myself, I have just contacted Camper Uk who are supposedly Fiat Professionals and asked them what the cost would be to check/change the fluids and they said they don’t offer that service so basically, under a full service and health check they wouldn’t have looked at it either. Very worrying!

 

[Nanniemate]

So latest update is that the clutch and cylinder have failed, but flywheel is OK.

That the cylinder is a problem will relate to the Comfortmatic hydraulic fluids for the robotisation. Shows how vital it is to get these Comfortmatic fluids checked / changed, which is buried in the Fiat manual's service notes, but I can find no reference that it was included in the 3 year annual service plan provided by my motorhome dealer from new.

Sounds a little more optimistic did they say how long until you get the van back. Never know you may make Swaffham fingers crossed for you

 

[dunnah01]

Really sorry to read of your woes Rob and hope the bill isn’t as much as quoted.

Having the comfortmatic myself, I have just contacted Camper Uk who are supposedly Fiat Professionals and asked them what the cost would be to check/change the fluids and they said they don’t offer that service so basically, under a full service and health check they wouldn’t have looked at it either. Very worrying!

Fiat recognise that the clutch fluid gets a really easy life and will last 100's of thouands of miles so doesn't need changing. They should just check it every service to make sure there are no leaks.

 

[WESTY66]

Really sorry to read of your woes Rob and hope the bill isn’t as much as quoted.

Having the comfortmatic myself, I have just contacted Camper Uk who are supposedly Fiat Professionals and asked them what the cost would be to check/change the fluids and they said they don’t offer that service so basically, under a full service and health check they wouldn’t have looked at it either. Very worrying!

There’s not many moho places that will touch you unless you bought from them!!
I rung premium motorhomes (local Carthago dealer) to ask about the airbag module, and they wouldn’t give me the time of day!! So it looks like I have to buy the module and find somewhere to get it proxy aligned

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[L' Hobo]

is‘nt it worth changing the DMF while they are doing the clutch for what it costs?

That was my first thought when I read it, and I would want it returned to manual. I hate unreliability!

 

[Pausim]

I've been wondering if any of these problems have been caused by drivers not selecting neutral at traffic lights/junctions etc. Its, I believe, the same as constantly having the clutch pedal pressed, ie increased thrust bearing wear?

The Comfortmatic handbook says only
“when parked for long periods with the engine running, it is advisable to keep the gearbox in (N);”
I would avoid running the engine for long periods when parked anyway. I usually switch the engine off if there is likely to be a long wait such as at a railway level crossing. I also slip it into neutral if a quick getaway seems unlikely but the handbook says nothing about this.

Fiat recognise that the clutch fluid gets a really easy life and will last 100's of thouands of miles so doesn't need changing. They should just check it every service to make sure there are no leaks.

Fiat recognises that the Comfortmatic clutch fluid needs regular checking/changing by specifically including it in the service schedule. At the first service (2 years) it must be checked and at the second service (4 years) it must be completely changed. It may need changing earlier if the vehicle is subject to cold weather driving conditions.

 

[Lenny HB]

es scary, seems a bit of a lottery what you get, and probably vans that sit around and don’t get run regularly are more at risk?

Fairly certain that is why you see more failures with Motohomes, surprising how many people hardly use them, you wonder why they buy them.

If the diagnosis by the garage is correct then it's nothing to do with the Comfortmatcic setup. The failed slave cylinder and clutch plates are the same as the manual version so just unlucky.

Not quite as the clutch is operated by an actuator and if the clutch fluid is not changed regularly it thickens up probably due to the heat in the bell housing, then the clutch doesn't fully disengage causing damage to the clutch and DMF.

 

[dunnah01]

Fiat recognises that the Comfortmatic clutch fluid needs regular checking/changing by specifically including it in the service schedule. At the first service (2 years) it must be checked and at the second service (4 years) it must be completely changed. It may need changing earlier if the vehicle is subject to cold weather driving conditions.

Not sure that 4 years (or about 200k+ van miles) counts as regular changing tbh

 

[Lenny HB]

Fiat recognise that the clutch fluid gets a really easy life and will last 100's of thouands of miles so doesn't need changing. They should just check it every service to make sure there are no leaks.

Fiat say change the clutch fluid every 48,000km or 2 years.

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[Pausim]

Really sorry to read of your woes Rob and hope the bill isn’t as much as quoted.

Having the comfortmatic myself, I have just contacted Camper Uk who are supposedly Fiat Professionals and asked them what the cost would be to check/change the fluids and they said they don’t offer that service so basically, under a full service and health check they wouldn’t have looked at it either. Very worrying!

That needs challenging. The checking and changing of the clutch fluid are specifically mentioned in the regular servicing schedule. A Fiat Professional that deliberately ignores the service schedule needs to lose their F P status. Perhaps Camper Assist could advise.

 

[Pausim]

From my service schedule. 2 years and 4 years.

30K and 60K van miles not 200K

 

[dunnah01]

Fiat say change the clutch fluid every 48,000km or 2 years.

My manual says 60k but that's just nonsense for a delivery organisation so never going to happen. If it was safety critical I'd follow it but like just about every other car or van out there it will only get changed when the clutch is replaced.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

As I posted sometime ago, I've been driving these robotised manual auto gearboxes for many years, albeit in cars rather than the heavier Ducato. My first encounter was with the Selespeed fitted to an Alfa Romeo 159 back in 2000 (with comfortmatic appearing to be a derivative of Selespeed - at least according to the modules detected by the Multiecuescan software), which worked absolutely fine, virtually always used in it's auto mode rather than the flappy paddle steering wheel changes. Only problem was because I bumped the Alfa into a neighbours car when road was covered in sheet packed snow, and that literally broke the hydraulic lines . I don't thrash the motorhome (at least I don't think I do), after all motorhomes aren't those types of vehicle, unlike perhaps the courier van base. Most of my driving on this van has been motorway type, but then it has also been round the NC500, and of course there are numerous times when you are stuck in traffic crawling about. If anything it's those traffic jams that make the clutch systems work hard as you are in and out of gear so much. However much you try and go for neutral when at a standstill, frequently you just cannot with traffic, waiting to pull out of side roads, and similar when you need to be ready to go. It's the same as a manual when you'd be in gear with clutch dipped ready to pull away. But it's that type of normal driving traffic delays that must put the biggest strain on the mechanisms.

From reading various threads on Fun I suspect my overall mileage is average to slightly high, at 17,000 in 3.5 years. I know some only do a couple of thousand a year if that. But the van has at times been unused for a few months at a time, generally over winter months and during covid. Until very recently when I sold my car, it was only used for lengthier runs out to camping, so generally 100 miles or more at a time, rather than short local runs. I would be surprised if my type of use was harsh on the vehicle. Indeed greater issues would be lengthy standing on tyres, and perhaps the lack of use on things like brakes?

I'm no expert on the Comfortmatic, which is why it's had to go into the garage as the self diagnosis and limited stuff I can do at home wasn't sufficient. To my mind I accept my problems have to be part mechanical, rather than just electronic reset. Initially I could hear whirring when the door was opened as part of the hydraulics pressurised in anticipation the engine was to be started, That whirring had gone by the time the van went away. There was still a clunk with ignition on suggesting some mechanics were trying, but failing, to select / unselect gears. That suggests the controller electronics were still in place. The scanning software couldn't properly connect to change any settings as the electronic modules weren't able to fully operate their mechanics. I have to trust the garage, who after all have been selected as a result of recommendations on MHFun, to replace what is needed, but if it is OK not to replace, hence the clutch and cylinder renewal without flywheel replacement makes sense. I also expect that the recommended garage, being familiar with the foibles of the Comfortmatic will know and understand what calibration resets are needed on the electronics once the replaced mechanics are in position.

Where I have gone awry is reliance on having taken out a service plan (thinking I was doing the right thing to make my life easier), with the original motorhome dealer, that now appears to have been grossly insufficient and little more than an annual engine oil change, and superficial check for signs of wear on the brakes and tyres. Indeed I see my receipts show the same "silver" service carried out each year, yet the Fiat handbook implies a more major service would be needed every 2nd year with the oil replacement type work needed only annually on the more lower mileage vehicle (typical of the motorhome rather than commercial user). Clearly the Comfortmatic requires it's own additional specialist checks and changes on the fluids and oils, which is buried in the details of the Fiat handbook, but yet the service plan ignored that. As now shown by others, it appears the motorhome dealers don't know how essential these Comfortmatic checks are.

 

[WESTY66]

From my service schedule. 2 years and 4 years.
View attachment 754021
30K and 60K van miles not 200K

Mine says CHECK fluid every 48,000km

That’s in the comfortmatic supplement!!

Confused?? You bet

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