Arrived in the Algarve but now Broken Down again (1 Viewer)

[zac]

I'm not surprised, last week took my van (2017 x 290) to them for some diagnostics came the conclusion they are pretty useless.

As your van is 2017 you should be covered by Fiat Camper Assist the warranty is only 2 years but breakdown cover is 3 years (I only found out after I paid for breakdown cover). If you are not using them it may be worth a call as they would get it to a Fiat garage.

Can you get it looked by a local dealer and then transported home if they can't fix it?

I think my insurance will do this i.e take it home if not able to fix it before we go but Fiat camperassist wouldnt take my car and trailer as tried this last time. All options are on the table though as need it sorted latest thursday evening to be able to make the Sat boat from Santander.

 

[BreweryDave]

Maybe a bit daft but.....is the shifter in P?

I live not far away on a small private site at Alcantarilha, and have transport. If I can help in any way, let me know, either here or drop me a pm.

 

[Barclaybasher]

Any chance of a bump start from a tow?

Might help diagnosis.....

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[Raul]

If you attempt to start and you hear a very faint click, it means the solenoid is energising the coil. The coil mechanism with the Bendix gear needs unsticking to pop out. Sometimes a wd40, a tap can get it going.
If there is no click, could be the solenoid, that's easy to test by shorting the coil on the starter.

 

[Emmit]

Don't know the 'Front End' of your van but I have reported on here before that the transponder in your toad may be talking to the anti theft device in your Van.

Move the toad keys well away from the van and have another go.

 

[Mike800966]

In the past Have known of good assistance from the following


camperserv caminho selões, quatro estradas 100-287 loulé
algarve - portugal

tlf: +(351) 289 093 373

tlm: +(351) 916 581 141


what we do

• technical assistance
• repairs
• maintenance
• equipment & accessories
• advice
• mobile service

I am sure that they would also at least know of a storage facility for the trailer.
BTW it sounds like an immobiliser problem to me. If you put a test lamp on the starter or the solenoid when the key is operated do you see any volts?
Best wishes

Mike

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[HugoBNB]

Current Fiat dealer network for Portugal from handbook that came with our MH a few weeks ago.
Good luck, I hope that you get sorted.

 

[michndan]

Take the earth lead of from gearbox to the chassis and give it a good clean. See if that helps

 

[zac]

Maybe a bit daft but.....is the shifter in P?

I live not far away on a small private site at Alcantarilha, and have transport. If I can help in any way, let me know, either here or drop me a pm.

Yep its in P thanks anyway

Any chance of a bump start from a tow?

Might help diagnosis.....

Its an auto so dont think i can bump start it even if i could, i am currently facing a fence with no way of turning it around. Thanks though

If you attempt to start and you hear a very faint click, it means the solenoid is energising the coil. The coil mechanism with the Bendix gear needs unsticking to pop out. Sometimes a wd40, a tap can get it going.
If there is no click, could be the solenoid, that's easy to test by shorting the coil on the starter.

Cant here any clicking at all when turning it over, the started motor was only replaced in June 2019 with a Bosch one as Adams Morey said that the fiat one was rubbish.

Don't know the 'Front End' of your van but I have reported on here before that the transponder in your toad may be talking to the anti theft device in your Van.

Move the toad keys well away from the van and have another go.

tried this with no effect but will try anything

In the past Have known of good assistance from the following


camperserv caminho selões, quatro estradas 100-287 loulé
algarve - portugal

tlf: +(351) 289 093 373

tlm: +(351) 916 581 141


what we do

• technical assistance
• repairs
• maintenance
• equipment & accessories
• advice
• mobile service

I am sure that they would also at least know of a storage facility for the trailer.
BTW it sounds like an immobiliser problem to me. If you put a test lamp on the starter or the solenoid when the key is operated do you see any volts?
Best wishes

Mike

thanks for this

Current Fiat dealer network for Portugal from handbook that came with our MH a few weeks ago.
Good luck, I hope that you get sorted.View attachment 354432

And this one as i will mention this to them when they call back this morning.

tried it again last night and of course this morning and still not working, so definitely a different problem than before even though symptons are identical.

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[Allanm]

Just a thought. When they change a starter motor, they disconnect the battery, change the starter motor and reconnect the battery and it works.
They have changed the starter motor 3 times and disconnected the battery 3 times. I find it hard to believe 3 starter motors are at fault, so the only other common thing they have done is to disconnect then reconnect the battery.
Try just disconnecting the battery, leave it off for an hour or do then reconnect it.
You have nothing to lose!

 

[zac]

Just a thought. When they change a starter motor, they disconnect the battery, change the starter motor and reconnect the battery and it works.
They have changed the starter motor 3 times and disconnected the battery 3 times. I find it hard to believe 3 starter motors are at fault, so the only other common thing they have done is to disconnect then reconnect the battery.
Try just disconnecting the battery, leave it off for an hour or do then reconnect it.
You have nothing to lose!

Like you i cannot believe the starter motor is faulty again as this one is only 6 months old and it was OTT to get the last one replaced but i didnt want any issues whilst travelling so took the plunge. This thing seems to be eating them and in reality they should last at least 5 years if not a lot longer. I did look at the battery under the seat and it is a maze of wires which connector blocks ontop and loads more wires, not for me i think to do that as i am likely not to remember how they all go back in place and they are supposed to be coming this morning. Appreciate the advise though, i dont mind doing the simple things (my simple things) but i am not very good in this area at all. I couldnt even find the blinking earth point under the bonnet to try a jump start even though i dont think its needed anyway as the vehicle battery was showing 13.2v which is fully charged.

 

[Allanm]

Your starter battery is under a removable panel under the cab floor. The terminals should be easily removable without removing any separate wires.
if you don’t feel confident in doing it yourself, you could ask the mechanic this morning if they will try that first.
Anyway, good luck, hope you get it sorted.

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[zac]

Your starter battery is under a removable panel under the cab floor. The terminals should be easily removable without removing and separate wires.
if you don’t feel confident in doing it yourself, you could ask the mechanic this morning if they will try that first.
Anyway, good luck, hope you get it sorted.

Hi
i did take up the panel and this is where there were a ton of wires and connector blocks, i will ask them to check that though when they get here, if they get here that is as i would of expected them by now given what he told me on the phone yesterday. Always the way and the number he gave to call back was a French number but will probably just call the same number i called yesterday in the UK then they can transfer me.

The previous issue was as i mentioned very similar but with one massive difference, by now it would of just started to work as when left for a period of time (no idea how long) it would then just start to work. this happened the first time it went wrong and by the time the recovery arrived it then started to work. So this is very similar but of course this one it is not working no matter how long i wait.

 

[ramsthom]

Reference this may help. Jump start earthing point on a Fiat x290.

 

[Robert Clark]

Do you have an imobilser or non starter fitted?

Might be worth bypassing it if you can

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[zac]

Do you have an imobilser or non starter fitted?

Might be worth bypassing it if you can

I have the factory immobiliser and i do have the non starter as well. The app says it’s green and enabled. Don’t know how to by pass the factory one or the non starter

 

[Silver-Fox]

Long shot here.

As suggested disconnect battery or pull the main fuse out if you can find it.

I had a Vivaro van that played up and the above reset the ecu

Or even if you are in park is it showing on the dash as so.

The Merc Sprintshift will reset to neutral if you put the gear lever into neutral, ignition on and open the passenger door.

 

[jumartoo]

Terry242 does this sound familiar?

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[Robert Clark]

I have the factory immobiliser and i do have the non starter as well. The app says it’s green and enabled. Don’t know how to by pass the factory one or the non starter

I wound try enabling the non starter

Then lock the van to enable the immobiliser - give it a few minutes then disarm them both

My suspicion is that one of them is causing the issue

 

[Steve and Denise]

A simple lead touched on the solenoid will tell you if the starter is at fault,

 

[Silver-Fox]

I wound try enabling the non starter

Then lock the van to enable the immobiliser - give it a few minutes then disarm them both

My suspicion is that one of them is causing the issue

Agreed.
I’m no auto electrician but don’t you normally get dash lights but non start when immobiliser is active.

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[Sprocket779]

We had similar issue with non starter just before Xmas, stopped on motorway in hold up switched off but unable to restart. Non starter app showed green, eventually suspected non starter & reset it with remote ID tag..... started!!

 

[LesW]

Arrived in the algarve last night, moved site today to one in Figueira and stopped the Motorhome and now it won’t start. It has the same symptoms as before when i posted ages ago about nothing on the ignition. The ignition turns and all lights up but no sounds from the starter motor or anything. Just the spring in the barrel returning key to normal position.
called breakdown but they didn’t sound as though they would be fixing it. They are now coming tomorrow morning with a tow truck i think to take to garage.now the trouble is that they are saying i have 3 options.
rent a car
Stay in hotel and have it fixed in Portugal
Or have it returned to the uk

They are also saying that it is between 3k-5k Max to get it back to the uk which i was unaware of and i am then assuming the rest is extra.
How will we get back anyone know it done this before?
Motorhome is a 2017 x290 180bhp comformatic. Rapido 10000DFH. I also have a small car trailer with a smart on so going to be a pretty big truck i would think.

the problem is i need to be back in the uk by the 6 jan for work. The boat is in the 4 jan from santander but that is looking unlikely now. If no work i would just day w fix it but being self employed i will lose a lot of money missing work.
Still at least we had arrived at the site and not on some dodgy motorway somewhere so at least somewhere to stay tonight. Just no idea what will happen tomorrow

I had exactly the same problem earlier this year, called out breakdown twice, tried all the various alarm settings even changed the starter battery.

Turned out to be a bad engine to chassis earth connection, fixed it myself (in France) had no issues since then.

 

[The Dotties]

Have you got the vanbitz Non starter?
Do you have the override code ( on a plastic tag) and how to instructions?
pound to a pinch of s**t that’s where the fault is.

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[Top Hat]

I agree sounds like the immobiliser, had the same problem on a land rover freelander, called breakdown they checked battery etc etc all OK, because it was Friday at home I decided to leave it to Monday before having it recovered, tried one or two things over the week end but no luck, on the Monday before ringing the breakdown again tried it again it started first time.
The above is not much help other keep trying to start it.

 

[Captain Lloyd]

August I traded in my 2016 Rapido 9094df auto in I had the same problem it intermittently would not start, turn the key and nothing it started just before I was due to return from Spain.
Although the fault was never diagnosed it was definitely something to do with the auto gearbox.
I told Highbridge about the problem but they weren’t really interested as it was starting ok when I traded it in.
Sorry I can’t be anymore help.

 

[Campervan_man]

Comfortmatic ?
Sounds like an automatic gearbox issue to Me.
Make sure the gearbox is in position N, press the brake pedal and it may start.
It could be a safety switch issue on the brake pedal.

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[Puddleduck]

I can't help at all but hope you get if fixed.

Could you fly home for work leaving your wife on site or in an hotel then fly back asap when it's fixed?

 

[Oldbob]

Beat the van with a stick, it won't help the problem, but it will probably make you feel better for a while !

 

[zac]

So first mechanic now left, he bypassed something on the ignition and directly connected to starter motor and with the ignition he then i think wired direct to the battery and it started. So now there is an electrician here checking some things out but to me it looks like this is still some how related to the starter motor. Something about a magnet on the starter motor As well.
All double Dutch to me

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