Jump starting issues with SRS ECU - 2013 FIAT Ducato 3.0L

[tarw24]

Hi All
Just joined this forum and rejoined the Motorhome fraternity after more than 20 years caravanning. However I have a problem which I have researched to the nth degree here and on other web forums. I have also contacted FIAT dealerships and my suppling dealer.
The issue partly being I was unable to visit the motorhome in storage for a few months over the winter period following an injury / operation and when I did the battery was flat and it needed to be jump started. This I did with a power pack following best practise (and FIAT Manual recommendations) connecting the the provided positive terminal under the bonnet and a suitable earth. The vehicle started quite easily with the booster and we allowed it to charge some from the alternator having removed the booster. Unfortunately I was unable to take the motorhome from storage so had to leave it in the storage.
I should say at this point the starter battery was brand new when I purchased the motorhome last July 2020.
After a couple more weeks I felt okay to fetch the motorhome from storage back tour house. Again the battery was flat and it needed a booster jump start. Again the vehicle started fairly easily and we disconnected the booster all set and we were ready to go. However there was bleeping from the dashboard and the airbag light would not go out!!! To cut a long story short I followed advices on here and removed the said unit and off it went to "CrashData" (great team) who were unable to fix as it was beyond repair. A new one was despatched and duly fitted. All good now. As an aside I was quoted approx £600 from a local dealer and was informed the warranty did not cover this type of incident. It took me 10 minutes and cost £350 ish.
Since then the motorhome has been at our home address hooked up to the mains and I have installed a battery optimiser / maintainer to look after the starter battery. We would much prefer the motorhome to be in the storage centre but cannot afford another incident.

Now here are the questions :-
1 - How do I stop this happening again if I need to jump start the motorhome? Expensive if the battery goes flat and this seems to be a regular issue motorhomes suffer with.
2 - Is there a real-life solution to flat starter batteries on motorhomes which have been left for several weeks without hook up and or starting? There again is a lot of sometimes confusing and conflicting advice on here. Please don't say disconnect the battery as this is not a satisfactory solution - no alarm = no insurance!

FYI I have a solar panel managed by a Sargent control unit etc... I also have an alarm / immobiliser fitted which I am told only draws a nominal current when armed.

Any help would be appreciated to try and solve this potential recurring issue or have I just been unlucky this time?

 

[jezport]

Jezport did the dealer offer you this or did you have to contact Fiat yourself? My Fiat dealer is doing this but charging £400

I phoned the fiat international freephone number that came with the van.

 

[Diabalo]

Hi All
Just joined this forum and rejoined the Motorhome fraternity after more than 20 years caravanning. However I have a problem which I have researched to the nth degree here and on other web forums. I have also contacted FIAT dealerships and my suppling dealer.
The issue partly being I was unable to visit the motorhome in storage for a few months over the winter period following an injury / operation and when I did the battery was flat and it needed to be jump started. This I did with a power pack following best practise (and FIAT Manual recommendations) connecting the the provided positive terminal under the bonnet and a suitable earth. The vehicle started quite easily with the booster and we allowed it to charge some from the alternator having removed the booster. Unfortunately I was unable to take the motorhome from storage so had to leave it in the storage.
I should say at this point the starter battery was brand new when I purchased the motorhome last July 2020.
After a couple more weeks I felt okay to fetch the motorhome from storage back tour house. Again the battery was flat and it needed a booster jump start. Again the vehicle started fairly easily and we disconnected the booster all set and we were ready to go. However there was bleeping from the dashboard and the airbag light would not go out!!! To cut a long story short I followed advices on here and removed the said unit and off it went to "CrashData" (great team) who were unable to fix as it was beyond repair. A new one was despatched and duly fitted. All good now. As an aside I was quoted approx £600 from a local dealer and was informed the warranty did not cover this type of incident. It took me 10 minutes and cost £350 ish.
Since then the motorhome has been at our home address hooked up to the mains and I have installed a battery optimiser / maintainer to look after the starter battery. We would much prefer the motorhome to be in the storage centre but cannot afford another incident.

Now here are the questions :-
1 - How do I stop this happening again if I need to jump start the motorhome? Expensive if the battery goes flat and this seems to be a regular issue motorhomes suffer with.
2 - Is there a real-life solution to flat starter batteries on motorhomes which have been left for several weeks without hook up and or starting? There again is a lot of sometimes confusing and conflicting advice on here. Please don't say disconnect the battery as this is not a satisfactory solution - no alarm = no insurance!

FYI I have a solar panel managed by a Sargent control unit etc... I also have an alarm / immobiliser fitted which I am told only draws a nominal current when armed.

Any help would be appreciated to try and solve this potential recurring issue or have I just been unlucky this time?

I have a 2013 Auto-trial Mohawk with a EC500 PSU, with this PSU it has so called smart charging that can be set to charge the Hab and Cab batteries, I have found that this does not work as it should in winter months leaving the Cab battery low. What I do now is shut down the EC500 PSU which saves the 0.2A parasitic drain the unit uses, it then directs all the available solar to the Hab batteries. I have fitted a Vanbitz battery mastery between the Hab battery and Cab battery to keep that topped up and it works a lot better now. This is for the EC500 I know other Sargent units work differently.

The problem with the ECUs seems to be when batteries are low and getting an over voltage spike when the engine starts. After having the same problem as you I make sure the cab battery has good voltage before I start the engine also someone mentioned on here is to make sure you don't put the key in and just start the engine, it's best practice to put turn the key on and wait for the dash lights to sort them selves out.

 

[PG’s trips]

brand new van ...disgraceful fiat are putting these out like this. hopefully the ECU supplier has changed and you will be ok. Crashdata couldn't fix mine either but still charge £30 to tell you that. Wonder how many they really can fix given the problem is so widespread? They told be they fix 7 out of ten.