Joined the Comfortmatic failure club

[jongood]

509 posts on comfortmatic sort of tells its own story IMHO.

Has anyone counted the positive ones............

 

[Howard B]

509 posts on comfortmatic sort of tells its own story IMHO.

Has anyone counted the positive ones............

Probably needs a new thread starting for those happy owners without an issue.
OOPs just noticed there is one.

 

[Lenny HB]

509 posts on comfortmatic sort of tells its own story IMHO.

Has anyone counted the positive ones............

They may not be the best but anything is better than a manual.

 

[dunnah01]

Knowing a couple of friends who have both had work done at Adams Morey recently although their labour rates are frightening if they don't fix they don't appear to charge. A different approach to most garages.

I'd be disappointed if changing most of the system didn't fix the problem but it's a very expensive way to crack the nut

 

[Lenny HB]

I'd be disappointed if changing most of the system didn't fix the problem but it's a very expensive way to crack the nut

But it's what most garages do.

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[dunnah01]

509 posts on comfortmatic sort of tells its own story IMHO.

Has anyone counted the positive ones............

508 of which are poor garages not poor Comfortmatics

 

[dunnah01]

But it's what most garages do.

Frustrating isn't it.

 

[Larrynwin]

Mine is doing just fine at 7 years and a measly 12 k miles.
No doubt a great deal of fear over very few problems and a lack of dealers able to diagnose comfortmatic problems.

 

[Lenny HB]

Mine is doing just fine at 7 years and a measly 12 k miles.
No doubt a great deal of fear over very few problems and a lack of dealers able to diagnose comfortmatic problems.

Thats the main problem and not getting the clutch fluid changed regularly, most dealers don't do it on a service.

 

[Silver-Fox]

Mine has done 41k still working fine.

That’s the kiss of death if ever I’ve heard it

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[WESTY66]

Mine has done 41k still working fine.

Mine has 43k and still going like a good un

 

[Kannon Fodda]

I must admit that this whole episode has a whiff of Adams Morey changing things until they've replace everything anyway and then justifying it with some fairly weak reasons, but at least you have a working system again and you can be confident for another 15-20k until the degradation index needs to be reset again.

I can only bow to your superior knowledge as to how to "fix" the Comfortmatic by simple recalibration.

I can only reiterate that having pulled my system apart broken parts were found. Thrust bearings to the clutch itself, failed seals on the clutch cylinders (evidenced by the contaminated grey coloured DOT4 fluids in the reservoir. They didn't replace parts just because they could, evidenced that the dual mass flywheel once seen was not changed yet they were initially suspicious that could be part of the problem.

I can't say what failed first and then damaged other stuff. But beyond simple recalibration and a change of fluid. But if fluid was changed at recommended intervals, which no doubt then also involves the recalibration to complete the fluid change process, perhaps I wouldn't have had the mechanical failure.

I have no idea if the way we drive our vehicles is a problem. Most of my 17000 miles was motorway in 3.5 years. But some of that is the stop start of M25. No idea overall hours since that got reset, but it seemed high compared to mileage. Final straw may have been stuck in mud at Peterborough followed by on off ramps whilst LPG system was looked at.

 

[Trev45]

As the owner of a 2017 IH 600RD with a Comfort-Matic gearbox I have used Fiat Professional Garages for both services to date .Out of interest as a result of this thread I checked back to see precisely what had been checked / changed in respect of the Comfort-Matic gearbox and hydraulic fluid during these services.

The first service at 5460 miles on 17/9/19 was carried out at Rockingham Cars , Corby. The brake fluid was changed as Fiat state brake fluid should be changed every 24 months ,what wasn't ticked off by the technician on the operations sheet despite it being listed as one of the checks to be made was ' Check COMFORT -MATIC transmission hydraulic system level ' and ' Check oil for hydraulic clutch activation system [ for versions with COMFORT-MATIC transmissions] . The Operations check sheet indicated that at 60,000 miles or 4 years the oil in the hydraulic clutch activation system should be changed for versions with COMFORT - MATIC transmission.

On 9/9/ 21 I had the 4 year service carried out at Guest Truck and Van, Peterborough mileage at this time was 10172 . What I didn't notice until today was the Operation sheet completed by the operator [ mechanic] was for the 30,00 mile 2 year service . The very first operation reads ' Change the oil for the hydraulic clutch actuation system [ versions with COMFORT-MATIC transmission and he has ticked 'OK'. Where Replace brake fluid was listed he has marked' Tested OK ' .

What I also hadn't picked up on until today is that in 2019 the Operations check sheet showed the COMFORT-MATIC hydraulic clutch activation oil needed to be changed at 4 years or 60,000 miles whereas in 2021 it was showing as change it at 30,000 miles or 2 years . Presumably this update came about due to failings linked to the lack of oil change but Fiat dealers Guest Truck and Van at Peterborough were not complying with this.

Fortunately I have had no problems with my gearbox but clearly had my gearbox failed due to the clutch activation system oil not having been changed then I would like to think that Fiat would have been sympathetic and met the cost . For that reason my next service will be carried out at a Fiat professional dealer but I will check that everything relating to the COMFORT-MATIC gearbox is meticulously adhered to and recorded .

What the above shows is that the level of service at Main dealers is no better and probably worse than a good independent garage BUT and it is a big BUT in respect of COMFORT-MATIC gearboxes they should have the equipment to carry out correct adjustments . Whether they actually carry out these adjustments is a different matter.

 

[Just smiffy]

That’s another issue isn’t it, the box maybe ticked on the service sheet but have they actually changed the fluid and done the necessary calibrations, we would only have their word for it…..

 

[L' Hobo]

For those that do not want to travel South to get their gearbox fixed, I have just read in this months MMM Tech Section, that there is a couple of dealerships in the Midlands that service, mainly Ambulances, Comfort-Matic gearboxes.
They are, Guest Trucks of Coventry and Sherwood Trucks of Mansfield. Hope this helps?

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[Silver-Fox]

I have no idea if the way we drive our vehicles is a problem. Most of my 17000 miles was motorway in 3.5 years.

I can’t see the way you drive being the issue.
Let’s face it the base is a commercial vehicle it should put up with all kinds of abuse.

Unfortunately I think a lot of manufacturers build down to a price not up to a standard these days.

 

[Lenny HB]

We missed our local D Day dance this year due to a family get together.

For VE day had to dance outside our house during Covid.



WHOOPS WRONG THREAD

 

[AlunandFelicie]

Lenny HB ‘twinkle toes’

 

[Lenny HB]

Oh dear I posted on the wrong thread.

 

[dunnah01]

Oh dear I posted on the wrong thread.

Even I can't argue that the sun is over the yard arm yet..

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[AlunandFelicie]

Oh dear I posted on the wrong thread.

Thought that might be the case (unless you’ve got a comfortmatic working your legs)

 

[Pausim]

Lenny HB has clearly changed the hydraulic fluid in his legs regularly.

 

[MisterB]

For the few quid it costs probably better done with proper Fiat diagnostics.

Which is why I said ' if they had the software '

 

[Lenny HB]

Thought that might be the case (unless you’ve got a comfortmatic working your legs)

Makes a break from talking about dodgy Comformatics so I've left it up.

 

[WESTY66]

For those that do not want to travel South to get their gearbox fixed, I have just read in this months MMM Tech Section, that there is a couple of dealerships in the Midlands that service, mainly Ambulances, Comfort-Matic gearboxes.
They are, Guest Trucks of Coventry and Sherwood Trucks of Mansfield. Hope this helps?

Good luck with sherwood trucks Mansfield!! Emailed em twice never heard back from em

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[Nanniemate]

Good luck with sherwood trucks Mansfield!! Emailed em twice never heard back from em

Probably too busy with large commercial fleets to worry about 1 off leisure vehicles.

 

[Jackd]

Good luck with sherwood trucks Mansfield!! Emailed em twice never heard back from em

They knew it was you!

 

[WESTY66]

They knew it was you!

Looks like a trip to Portsmouth next yr

 

[CJK]

Oh dear I posted on the wrong thread.

You look great!

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Looks like a trip to Portsmouth next yr

Will put a good word in for you

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