# Gearbox gone 3lt auto fiat



## clipper

The gearbox has gone on my new motorhome 1892 miles anyone else had any trouble with the Fiat 3lt automatic had to leave the Motorhome in Grenoble
Clipper


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## Perseus

Sorry for you, Sad. How old is the van?


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## bognormike

gone? what happened?


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## Jezport

I read a thread last week, Sonesta and another member have also had issues.


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## clipper

The van I got November first big trip for skiing coming back down the mountain loss of power then a smell of burning clutch then a grinding and loud noise. The Fiat dealer says its the Gerabox we will wait and see.check out "clipperden" on youtube breakdown how to get a big motorhome on little truck
Clipper


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## CatherineandSteve

clipper said:


> The van I got November first big trip for skiing coming back down the mountain loss of power then a smell of burning clutch then a grinding and loud noise. The Fiat dealer says its the Gerabox we will wait and see.check out "clipperden" on youtube breakdown how to get a big motorhome on little truck
> Clipper


Hi Clipper,

Just had a look at your video sorry sight  that was a tight fit.
Hope you get a quick resolution to the van.

Cheers C&S


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## trevd01

We had a clutch disintegrate last year 

All fixed quickly 

Story here:

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-90563-.html


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## gaspode

We worry about overloading?

Did you see the state of the rear axle on that breakdown truck when he got the 'van on the back?     

I bet he wiped half the tread off his rear tyres in the first couple of miles. :roll:


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## clipper

Hi gaspode
He re pressured the air suspenstion so that cleared the body but note the tyre it had very little air in it I will be passing the video on to insurance breakdown company the truck was not big enough and to think he wanted to take us up Alpe d Heuz so we got him to turn around and leave us in the car park at the bottom.This is where he picked us up as per Video and of to Grenoble !*?**!
Clipper


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## teemyob

*thread*



Jezport said:


> I read a thread last week, Sonesta and another member have also had issues.


Where can I find this thread - re Sonesta and gearbox?


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## teemyob

*problem*

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-1014974.html


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## Sonesta

*Re: thread*



teemyob said:


> Jezport said:
> 
> 
> 
> I read a thread last week, Sonesta and another member have also had issues.
> 
> 
> 
> Where can I find this thread - re Sonesta and gearbox?
Click to expand...

Hi, here is a link to the thread http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-102455-.html

Sue


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## erneboy

It's not really possible to make general comparisons between Fiat and other manufacturers. Simply because there are such vast numbers of Fiat based MHs we can expect to see more problems with them.

However there are not so many 3 litre Fiats and so I think valid comparisons may be made between those and other marques.

We don't very often read these stories aboud Ford, Merc. or Renault based vans. 

For me it is becoming increasingly clear that the 3 litre Fiat is not a good base vehicle. So far we are seeing what happens with low mileage examples and those which are only a few years old. 

Having had a clutch failure in mine at just 18,00 miles I can't help wondering what the future will bring.

What bothers me most about this is that Fiat seem unwilling to take any decisive action to make these faults good and we are pretty powerless to force them to act. Their attitude is deny responsibility if possible and if not patch it up till the warranty runs out, Alan.


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## Jezport

IIRC the comfortmatic is a robotised manual box. If I am correct this means that if clutches are failing in these boxes as well as the manual version then Fiat cannot blame driver error, i.e. slipping the clutch.

It looks like 2 out of the 3 failures on the forum currently are not clutch failures but 1 maybe, so it is worth watching what happens if you have a 3.0ltr.


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## bognormike

erneboy said:


> It's not really possible to make general comparisons between Fiat and other manufacturers. Simply because there are such vast numbers of Fiat based MHs we can expect to see more problems with them.
> 
> However there are not so many 3 litre Fiats and so I think valid comparisons may be made between those and other marques.
> 
> We don't very often read these stories aboud Ford, Merc. or Renault based vans.
> 
> For me it is becoming increasingly clear that the 3 litre Fiat is not a good base vehicle. So far we are seeing what happens with low mileage examples and those which are only a few years old.
> 
> Having had a clutch failure in mine at just 18,00 miles I can't help wondering what the future will bring.
> 
> What bothers me most about this is that Fiat seem unwilling to take any decisive action to make these faults good and we are pretty powerless to force them to act. Their attitude is deny responsibility if possible and if not patch it up till the warranty runs out, Alan.


this all sounds like "juddergate" all over again?


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## teemyob

*Comfortmatic*

It is a Robotised gearbox.

I had the Old MB SprintShift and had no end of troubles with it.

I did advise someone on here to avoid the Fiat Comfortmatic for that reason and the other Fiat problems.

TM


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## Spacerunner

Good video. We know that feeling so well!

We were recovered from a breakdown with a similar truck, it had the same laxative effect!

The tail-end of our moho was only millimetres from being torn off!


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## SpeedyDux

Without wishing to sound flippant, are we seeing the beginning of FIAT's "ComfortmaticGate"?


SD


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## Sonesta

You lot are really cheering me up!  

I am trying to remain positive here but somehow I'm not succeeding! :roll: 

I need some reassurance - is there no body that can offer me any????? :? :? :? 

Sue


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## Oscarmax

July last year we were at the Trewethett Farm Caravan Club site, the couple next to us had a Autotrail 840D 3 litre Auto, they told us they had the gearboxes computer replaced twice.


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## erneboy

Mike I don't think it's like juddergate all over again. I think it's all part of the same problem. I believe the transmission of the 3 litre is too flimsy for the job, flywheel, clutch assembly and gearbox. You can take your pick as to which part might fail first.

There is little difference mechanically between the comfortmatic and the manual. I would guess that changing gear manually with careful use of the clutch and gentle application of the throttle might be less stressful on the components than using this faux automatic in the same way as you would a torque converter based fully automatic gearbox, Alan.


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## teemyob

*Reasons*



erneboy said:


> Mike I don't think it's like juddergate all over again. I think it's all part of the same problem. I believe the transmission of the 3 litre is too flimsy for the job, flywheel, clutch assembly and gearbox. You can take your pick as to which part might fail first.
> 
> There is little difference mechanically between the comfortmatic and the manual. I would guess that changing gear manually with careful use of the clutch and gentle application of the throttle might be less stressful on the components than using this faux automatic in the same way as you would a torque converter based fully automatic gearbox, Alan.


The SprintShift that Mercedes used to fit was never offered on the Larger 6 Ton Chasis. It was only produced for the 3T, 3.5T and 4.6T. After speaking with Robert of Robert Williams Trading a Merc Specialist. He and others have told me it is almost always the heavier MB Sprinter vehicles that suffered major issues.

Is it a possibility that the large Fiat 3 litre gearbox cannot cope with the weights and strains put upon it. Especially those that also Tow!?.

TM


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## erneboy

I think so Trev. My normal driving style is brisk. I don't like to hold the traffic up and the 3 litre certainly goes well enough not to cause that problem. 

Since having the new clutch fitted I drive as though the transmission is made of cheese, as I saw it described. I hope to get maybe another 20,000 or so before I need to fit new cheese, Alan.


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## Rapide561

*Breakdown*

A bit off topic, but it is certainly a good idea to take photo's and video clips when the motorhome is being recovered. I conked out last year and was recovered but as a "suspended tow" - ie front wheels of the ground, rear wheels trailing. I photo'd and vedeod the lot "just in case".

Russell


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## cabby

Well I dont know if I am pushing my luck by mentioning it, but our's is now 3 years old and 15k miles. clutch seems to be at the top of the pedal, no smells or noises.dare I ask what cost the new clutches are and can one get a larger fit on the existing flywheel, to cope with the load.

cabby


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## Spacerunner

Sonesta said:


> You lot are really cheering me up!
> 
> I am trying to remain positive here but somehow I'm not succeeding! :roll:
> 
> I need some reassurance - is there no body that can offer me any????? :? :? :?
> 
> Sue


My post might have been misleading  .

The breakdown was not gearbox related and the moho has a 2.3 engine.

I was more referring to the method of recovery.

HTH


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## Perseus

Hi Cabby,

A thought crossed my mind....all the people who have reported in with Comfortmatic problems have quite heavy, largish vans.

No-one with a smaller, lighter coachbuilt, such as a Swift Bolero, or even a PVC has contacted the forum.

I just wonder if weight and bulk might have something to do with it?

John


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## Mike48

bandleader said:


> Hi Cabby,
> 
> A thought crossed my mind....all the people who have reported in with Comfortmatic problems have quite heavy, largish vans.
> 
> No-one with a smaller, lighter coachbuilt, such as a Swift Bolero, or even a PVC has contacted the forum.
> 
> I just wonder if weight and bulk might have something to do with it?
> 
> John


Trevd01has a panel van conversion with a disintegrated clutch but since late 2009 new clutch plates have been used so hopefully this will not re-occur. Also I don't recall hearing about a Comfortmatic gearbox failure; the problems have been with the clutch and electronics.

We await a diagnosis on the OPs van but it sounds more like clutch than gearbox to me.


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## Sonesta

Spacerunner said:


> Sonesta said:
> 
> 
> 
> You lot are really cheering me up!
> 
> I am trying to remain positive here but somehow I'm not succeeding! :roll:
> 
> I need some reassurance - is there no body that can offer me any????? :? :? :?
> 
> Sue
> 
> 
> 
> My post might have been misleading  .
> 
> The breakdown was not gearbox related and the moho has a 2.3 engine.
> 
> I was more referring to the method of recovery.
> 
> HTH
Click to expand...

Hi Spacerunner,

No problem. 

Sue


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## cabby

well I would not like to have to push mine as it is no light weight, although it is a low profile. :lol: 7.3m long, right on the mass 3.5t.limit fully loaded.

cabby


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## 96299

erneboy said:


> .
> Since having the new clutch fitted I drive as though the transmission is made of cheese, as I saw it described. I hope to get maybe another 20,000 or so before I need to fit new cheese, Alan.


Yes indeed-it has a few holes in it thats for sure Alan. :lol:

Steve

ps Do fiat make engines for aircraft? (I shudder-get it?) at the thought. 8O


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## Jezport

Their engines seem good, its transmissions they can't do well.

The 2.5 and 2.8Id gearboxes had 5th gear failures and let water into the gearbox.
The early 2.8jtd gearboxes also chewed 5th gears.
Finally Fiat get it sorted for the final generation of the 2.8jtd gearbox, so what do they do?

They finish the now reliable model and bring out the X250 with dodgy DMF, Dodgey clutch, Dodgey gear ratios. :roll:


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## erneboy

Steve, they used to make whole aircraft: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_G.91

Sorry for the off topic, Alan.


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## bognormike

Jezport said:


> Their engines seem good, its transmissions they can't do well.
> 
> The 2.5 and 2.8Id gearboxes had 5th gear failures and let water into the gearbox.
> The early 2.8jtd gearboxes also chewed 5th gears.
> Finally Fiat get it sorted for the final generation of the 2.8jtd gearbox, so what do they do?
> 
> They finish the now reliable model and bring out the X250 with dodgy DMF, Dodgey clutch, Dodgey gear ratios. :roll:


yep, rubbish, but the converters still use them :roll:


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## 96299

erneboy said:


> Steve, they used to make whole aircraft: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_G.91
> 
> Sorry for the off topic, Alan.


 8O Now that's scary Alan. :roll:

Steve


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## clipper

Hi All great feed back from you all.
The good news is my Motorhome has been repaired I'm off to France Sunday to pick it up Monday.Will find out what caused the failure.I think it must have been the clutch that broke
Clipper


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