Joined the Comfortmatic failure club

Kannon Fodda said:
So I now have a working scan thingy thanks to Gendan Automotive. Multiecuscan is throwing out the attached error:
View attachment 747153
Basically, something is broke :(
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Out of interest, as you own the relevant software, Have you recalibrated the clutch?
According to that post on the Fiat forum, it’s a thrust bearing sensor. Following with interest.
 
Nope haven't tried that recalibration thing. The software says gearbox temp needed to be over 20 deg, but was only 9 deg.

But I'm now quite wary of making anything worse when I don't understand what I am doing and realistically don't know if it is safe, or not to run that command, or others. If there are bits broken mechanically then I'll be increasing damage. If electronics calibrate incorrectly, could those then damage the mechanics? It must be remembered that this has all started a week or so having been towed off a muddy pitch, and then also after the can had been driven in short hops on and off ramps. This could easily have put unexpected forces into the gearbox / clutch, which would correlate to the broken thingys in the links above.

I'll have perhaps one chance to start it and get it to go into gear to get it to Adams Morey. If I can't drive it I'm going to have a really expensive challenge of some form of recovery transport. I'm at the point of accepting fate, and cost and having booked in with people who I believe should be trusted, must await what they come up with, otherwise I'm chasing in ever increasing circles and expense on parts and stuff.

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Kannon Fodda said:
Nope haven't tried that recalibration thing. The software says gearbox temp needed to be over 20 deg, but was only 9 deg.

But I'm now quite wary of making anything worse when I don't understand what I am doing and realistically don't know if it is safe, or not to run that command, or others. If there are bits broken mechanically then I'll be increasing damage. If electronics calibrate incorrectly, could those then damage the mechanics? It must be remembered that this has all started a week or so having been towed off a muddy pitch, and then also after the can had been driven in short hops on and off ramps. This could easily have put unexpected forces into the gearbox / clutch, which would correlate to the broken thingys in the links above.

I'll have perhaps one chance to start it and get it to go into gear to get it to Adams Morey. If I can't drive it I'm going to have a really expensive challenge of some form of recovery transport. I'm at the point of accepting fate, and cost and having booked in with people who I believe should be trusted, must await what they come up with, otherwise I'm chasing in ever increasing circles and expense on parts and stuff.
Click to expand...
I don’t believe you have anything broken.
Recalibration can’t & wouldn’t do any damage.

However, given your circumstances and your worries on making things worse, I think you’re right on letting Adam’s Morey investigate for you.
Please keep us updated. 🤞🤞
 
Jackd said:
Out of interest, as you own the relevant software, Have you recalibrated the clutch?
According to that post on the Fiat forum, it’s a thrust bearing sensor. Following with interest.
Click to expand...
Its not a bad suggestion, but how ridulous that you have to tell your gearbox that it has a clutch etc to try and coax it into a gear, and seemingly comfortmatic drivers are going to be happy with any gear as long as the effing things starts moving again:unsure:, I say again - left foot on clutch move stick to select the gear you actually want ‐ KISS.
 
Silver-Fox said:
They haven’t been without their issues either.
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True but like the Golf the gear change is smooth, fast and very comfotable weather toodling or going for it.
 
Kannon Fodda said:
Nope haven't tried that recalibration thing. The software says gearbox temp needed to be over 20 deg, but was only 9 deg.

But I'm now quite wary of making anything worse when I don't understand what I am doing and realistically don't know if it is safe, or not to run that command, or others. If there are bits broken mechanically then I'll be increasing damage. If electronics calibrate incorrectly, could those then damage the mechanics? It must be remembered that this has all started a week or so having been towed off a muddy pitch, and then also after the can had been driven in short hops on and off ramps. This could easily have put unexpected forces into the gearbox / clutch, which would correlate to the broken thingys in the links above.

I'll have perhaps one chance to start it and get it to go into gear to get it to Adams Morey. If I can't drive it I'm going to have a really expensive challenge of some form of recovery transport. I'm at the point of accepting fate, and cost and having booked in with people who I believe should be trusted, must await what they come up with, otherwise I'm chasing in ever increasing circles and expense on parts and stuff.
Click to expand...
It’s horrible you’re going through all this, but thanks to you, this thread and the handbook Jim posted (in another thread I think), this is a really valuable resource. My hubby imagines all workshops to be equal and doesn’t look at any forums, but this one again proves the value of a great band of users. Thank you MHF and Kannon Fodda. Let’s hope for good news in your next.
 
Well it's now fubar :cry:

I went to try and get it down to Adams Morey for Monday, but whatever I try I now get "gears unavailable". I've tried the battery disconnect trick a number of times, reconnecting with the stick in various positions. If I don't start the engine I get satisfying clunks as the stick moves from neutral to 1st suggesting that at least part of the servo systems are active. I've tried without the engine turning over clearing the error code in the Multiecuscan software which says successful, but immediately reappears if the engine is turned over. Oh and I have replaced the starter battery with something a tad bigger just incase the previously noted voltage issues had anything to do with it as I suspected the original one may not have been holding a full charge. Of course as the error relates that the control unit cannot be found there is no way to run any of the other Multiecuescan routines to check or reset calibrations.

Recovery transportation (flat bed truck) now arranged for unfathomably early on Monday AM. My wallet is not going to like me :worried:

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Breakdown cover would only take to a local garage, certainly not somewhere in a different county. Might be different perhaps if you were away from home, and needed "relay" to finish a trip or return home, but relay type services aren't for taking you from home to a somewhere over 50 miles away.
 
Is there insurance you can take out to cover the cost of repairs?
 
How old is the van and what's the mileage, it could be well worth contacting Fiat as the problems with Comfortmatic gearboxes is a well known issue, if it is fairly low mileage try the "unfit for the purpose it is intended" path (it worked for me and Fiat accepted the cost of the repair)
 
AlunandFelicie said:
Is there insurance you can take out to cover the cost of repairs?
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You can't insure an event that has happened.

Even if it had yet to occur im not sure where you would look for such cover. Even second hand vehicle dealer warranties have loads of exclusions and get outs that make them useless.
Steve-N said:
How old is the van and what's the mileage, it could be well worth contacting Fiat as the problems with Comfortmatic gearboxes is a well known issue, if it is fairly low mileage try the "unfit for the purpose it is intended" path (it worked for me and Fiat accepted the cost of the repair)
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2019, 17,000 miles. Depending on what Adams Morey find I'll be contacting Fiat but won't hold my breath.

Unfortunately although I took out a service plan with hab checks (first van bought new I had no idea) called "silver" with the mh dealer which covered last three years, and they were supposedly recognised by Fiat, I now find no record that it will have included even the basic required 2 year fluid check on the Comfortmatic. Hard lesson learnt that these service plans that say major minor aren't always adequate and are a licence to the supplier to do what they want rather than what you need.
 
Hope you get it sorted for a reasonable price.

Manuals aren’t immune either, Lucy’s car just had to have a new clutch, £1000. 😢
 
So there I was sitting a queue to get into 3 counties showground yesterday in my Car ( unavailable as a manual) ticking over for well over half an hour, and I realised that last time I was in a long downhill queue I was in the Mh (manual) and I turned the engine off and coasted. Off course the modern answer to this is stop start and every time we moved I could hear the starter motor of the golf behind me and wondered how many times that would happen before it became a problem?

Kannon Fodda I hope you get your problem sorted out without too much more pain, but can't help but wonder if we re bringing some of this stuff on ourselves by keeping on buying this stuff.

Incidentally, when I ask my garage bloke, he says the best cars were in the 90's, they'd sorted out the fuelling issues and stopped them rusting and fewer electronics.
 
Kannon Fodda said:
You can't insure an event that has happened.

Even if it had yet to occur im not sure where you would look for such cover. Even second hand vehicle dealer warranties have loads of exclusions and get outs that make them useless.

2019, 17,000 miles. Depending on what Adams Morey find I'll be contacting Fiat but won't hold my breath.

Unfortunately although I took out a service plan with hab checks (first van bought new I had no idea) called "silver" with the mh dealer which covered last three years, and they were supposedly recognised by Fiat, I now find no record that it will have included even the basic required 2 year fluid check on the Comfortmatic. Hard lesson learnt that these service plans that say major minor aren't always adequate and are a licence to the supplier to do what they want rather than what you need.
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Don't give up hope, mine was also 2019 at 10,800 miles when it failed, it was pretty much the same symptoms as you described.
It was also just over 4 months out of the rather short 24 month warranty.
The selling dealer wasnt interested daying the base vehicle wasnt their problem !! but with my local Fiat dealers (Motus) help I made contact with Fiat customer service (camper division, based in Milan) and although initially they were a bit non committal, after waiting 3 months for parts (due to covid aledgedly) thankfully they covered all the costs of a new clutch, actuator, software and all the labour which came to a whopping £4,200 !! (almost £3k for the labour, and 3 months storage)
It was absolutely fine once back on the road, and covered another 4k miles until we sold it, why, well I had lost all confidence in its reliability.

We now have a new series 8 Ducato with the new 9sp auto which is in a different league to the comfort-matic (also its a ZF box which have a very good track record)
Like you a bitter lesson also learnt, so I have taken out the Fiat extended warranty this time.

Fingers crossed for you that Fiat will also help you, just be firm and insistent and remind them how many have failed so they are 'unfit for the purpose they were intended'

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Dutch 68 said:
A FH 750 with I shift would do nicely 😇😎
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Like our one?
IMG_0339.jpeg
 
Kannon Fodda said:
You can't insure an event that has happened.

Even if it had yet to occur im not sure where you would look for such cover. Even second hand vehicle dealer warranties have loads of exclusions and get outs that make them useless.

2019, 17,000 miles. Depending on what Adams Morey find I'll be contacting Fiat but won't hold my breath.

Unfortunately although I took out a service plan with hab checks (first van bought new I had no idea) called "silver" with the mh dealer which covered last three years, and they were supposedly recognised by Fiat, I now find no record that it will have included even the basic required 2 year fluid check on the Comfortmatic. Hard lesson learnt that these service plans that say major minor aren't always adequate and are a licence to the supplier to do what they want rather than what you need.
Click to expand...
Don't give up hope, mine was also 2019 at 10,800 miles when it failed, it was pretty much the same symptoms as you described.
It was also just over 4 months out of the rather short 24 month warranty.
The selling dealer wasnt interested daying the base vehicle wasnt their problem !! but with my local Fiat dealers (Motus) help I made contact with Fiat customer service (camper division, based in Milan) and although initially they were a bit non committal, after waiting 3 months for parts (due to covid aledgedly) thankfully they covered all the costs of a new clutch, actuator, software and all the labour which came to a whopping £4,200 !! (almost £3k for the labour, and 3 months storage)
It was absolutely fine once back on the road, and covered another 4k miles until we sold it, why, well I had lost all confidence in its reliability.

We now have a new series 8 Ducato with the new 9sp auto which is in a different league to the comfort-matic (also its a ZF box which have a very good track record)
Like you a bitter lesson also learnt, so I have taken out the Fiat extended warranty this time.

Fingers crossed for you that Fiat will also help you, just be firm and insistent and remind them how many have failed so they are 'unfit for the purpose
jongood said:
So there I was sitting a queue to get into 3 counties showground yesterday in my Car ( unavailable as a manual) ticking over for well over half an hour, and I realised that last time I was in a long downhill queue I was in the Mh (manual) and I turned the engine off and coasted. Off course the modern answer to this is stop start and every time we moved I could hear the starter motor of the golf behind me and wondered how many times that would happen before it
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First thing I do when starting the engine is turn the stop/start function OFF, it's a pain in the butt.
It's one of those annoying things manufacturers think we want, like seat belt bing/bong, door open, and all the other stuff that is aimed at drivers without a brain !!

The guy next door to me has just got a new Tesla model Y, and the autonomous electronic so called driver aids is frightening, the car is very much in control of everything 😳
 
This is my membership badge
The beginning of a long line of frustration anxiety and expense, when comfortmatic konks out early on a sunday morning 🧟‍♂️

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I took out the extended 5 year warranty and the dealers 3 year service plan. The dealer, Chelston Motorhomes, is also a Fiat Professional so their service plan does work with the extended warranty. When my Comfortmatic went wrong in the extended period it was sorted quickly by Adams Morey, Portsmouth. Unfortunately the fault turned out to be a conversion fault caused by Carthago but Adams Morey provided pictures and supporting evidence. Carthago/Chelston refunded the costs very promptly. Whether the problems would have been sorted so easily without the extended warranty is uncertain.

Yes Carthagos do occasionally go wrong but the manufacturer/dealer know how to look after their customer.
 
Mine was four years old at the time, dealers didnt know what to do with it, it was a very anxious time, with hindsight id have taken it to a fiat commercial garage in doncaster and given the dealership at newark a miss
 
That hindsights a wonderfull thing lol
I really loved the van too
 
Ditcha said:
Did you know the 180 2.3 engine is quite different from the others that's why you pay a premium 😉
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Whats different? My Fiat dealer said they are all the same just software difference to give higher output.
 
MichaelT said:
Whats different? My Fiat dealer said they are all the same just software difference to give higher output.
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Crankshaft, pistons, turbo its quite a different motor hence the cost difference.

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