Ducato - Dashboard Lights Staying On And High Revs (1 Viewer)

[HKF]

Hi everyone

Our MH is on a 2011 Fiat Ducato. We had a problem a little while back where, after we started the engine, the revs would increase and then the battery light came on in red. We took it to the dealers and they diagnosed knackered hab batteries and a faulty alternator. As a solution, they suggested an upgrade to Lithium and a new alternator. We had both done. Picked it up a few days later, drove home and everything was fine. We haven't been out in it since.

Today, after deciding to go away for a few days, we started the engine to check everything still works as it should. The engine fired up straight away, ticked over for a minute or so, then the revs went up to about 1,200, battery light came on and engine symbol came on. Switched off and on again. revs sat at around 800 but the dash is lit up like a Christmas tree, including the bit that shows the mileage. If we rev the engine very slightly, all the lights go out apart from two that remain on but dimmed. Let go on the revs and all the lights are back on!!

We put the cab battery on charge and it went up to 13.8v but the control panel inside shows less than 50% (I know these are never precise but it's never shown that low before).

We're going to go back to the dealer tomorrow but just wondered if anyone has a clue what's going on, please.

Looks like we won't be going away......again!!

 

[pappajohn]

Electronic dash fault.
It wouldn't rev to 12,000 or 8000.
Probably peaks around 6500 and off the scale at 8000

 

[Lenny HB]

Think you have your revs at those speeds your engine would have disintegrated.

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[HKF]

Sorry both. I wrote the figures hubby gave me, without thinking!! Should have been 1,200 and 800.

Edited now to show correct figures. Thanks, guys

 

[Sue and Rick]

It sounds like they should have changed the cab not hab battery.
I would hope they have fitted a new drive belt for the new alternator. It may be slipping or broken or still the old one.
I think the revs increase when battery voltage is low to try and boost the battery power.( seems logical with smart alternator)

Poor voltages tend to make electronics go haywire so may be why you have a christmas tree dash.

 

[dunnah01]

It sounds like they should have changed the cab not hab battery.
I would hope they have fitted a new drive belt for the new alternator. It may be slipping or broken or still the old one.
I think the revs increase when battery voltage is low to try and boost the battery power.( seems logical with smart alternator)

Poor voltages tend to make electronics go haywire so may be why you have a christmas tree dash.

The hab batteries, if seriously depleted, could put a huge drain on the cab battery when the ignition is turned on. Most battery separators only have diode protection to the circuit activated when on 240v hook up but allow high amp flow either way when on alternator.

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[GeoffnDee]

Have a look at www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk they have an article (earth strap problems) about the effects of a poor engine earth connections on Fiat Ducato vans and the possible symptoms which may be similar in some ways to yours. A bad earth somewhere could be the cause of the dash display problems.

 

[oldiesontour]

The increase in tick over is due to low SB or not charging...it's not because of a smart anator.Why they thought changing lb would help beats me.
I was in Spain with a ferry home booked for the next day,late evening checking van over started ..fast tic over and red light.
I had a little Chinese 2stroke generator with 12v 8amp output, put it in back of vanran a wire out passenger window under bonnet to battery drove 350 miles to port with windows open not using lights heating etc, last 20ish miles warning lights came on 1at a time,
made it to port early left Genny running till loaded,back in UK stopped In a layby waiting for daylight Genny still running eventually made it home.Fitted a new control pack to alternator(brushes worn out) about £20
had van 2yrs after this no other problems
(Disclaimer.. DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME or anywhere else)

 

[HKF]

Today our cab battery is completely flat. We took it to the dealer and they tested it and declared it dead. So we bought another battery. Brought it home, put it on the MH, started the engine and the dash ligghts up like a Christmas tree again.

We also looked at the receipt for when we had the upgrade to Lithium and a new alternator fitted. There's no mention of an new drive belt for the alternator.

Is it possible it's to do with the belt or could there be something else going on, please?

Thank you for any help

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[oldiesontour]

All that can be said is it's almost certainly not charging,could be belt, alternator,wiring,
Possibly but not 100% something to do with fitting of new alternator (loose connection,lose bolt, faulty alternator,)failed tensioner bearing , should be easy to diagnose for a half decent mechanic

 

[HKF]

All that can be said is it's almost certainly not charging,could be belt, alternator,wiring,
Possibly but not 100% something to do with fitting of new alternator (loose connection,lose bolt, faulty alternator,)failed tensioner bearing , should be easy to diagnose for a half decent mechanic

Thank you so much. I'm just getting totally fed up with the whole thing now.

 

[pappajohn]

Sorry both. I wrote the figures hubby gave me, without thinking!! Should have been 1,200 and 800.

Edited now to show correct figures. Thanks, guys

That's ok. A workmate insisted his Peugeot (small car type) van revved to 50,000rpm because the clock showed 50......x100

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[sfrain145]

Hi everyone

Our MH is on a 2011 Fiat Ducato. We had a problem a little while back where, after we started the engine, the revs would increase and then the battery light came on in red. We took it to the dealers and they diagnosed knackered hab batteries and a faulty alternator. As a solution, they suggested an upgrade to Lithium and a new alternator. We had both done. Picked it up a few days later, drove home and everything was fine. We haven't been out in it since.

Today, after deciding to go away for a few days, we started the engine to check everything still works as it should. The engine fired up straight away, ticked over for a minute or so, then the revs went up to about 1,200, battery light came on and engine symbol came on. Switched off and on again. revs sat at around 800 but the dash is lit up like a Christmas tree, including the bit that shows the mileage. If we rev the engine very slightly, all the lights go out apart from two that remain on but dimmed. Let go on the revs and all the lights are back on!!

We put the cab battery on charge and it went up to 13.8v but the control panel inside shows less than 50% (I know these are never precise but it's never shown that low before).

We're going to go back to the dealer tomorrow but just wondered if anyone has a clue what's going on, please.

Looks like we won't be going away......again!!

Morning where are you located, if you are too far away we could possibly do a video call to run through what's going on

 

[Spriddler]

Morning where are you located, if you are too far away we could possibly do a video call to run through what's going on

Your avatar doesn't indicate where you are. If they are at home their avatar says they are in France.

 

[HKF]

Your avatar doesn't indicate where you are. If they are at home their avatar says they are in France.

View attachment 877578

We are in France, where we live, but we use a VPN that shows us as being in the UK.

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[Spriddler]

We are in France, where we live, but we use a VPN that shows us as being in the UK.

I know. It wasn't me who was asking. I was replying to and quoting post #13 by sfrain145 who was asking where you are located.

 

[sfrain145]

if he needs help somehow let me know and if we can do a what app call or similar we will

 

[HKF]

I know. It wasn't me who was asking. I was replying to and quoting post #13 by sfrain145 who was asking where you are located.

That's ok, I knew that I hit Reply without thinking x

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[HKF]

So, we called into the dealer today and showed them video of what's happening on the dash. They fitted us in tomorrow to have a look at it and try to fix it. More money But at least we might be on the road and ready to go away for a few days!!!! Fingers crossed

 

[HKF]

Got ready to takke this damned thing back to the dealer this morning and the brand new cab battery is dead as a dodo, so had to jump it. Revs at 0 when driving. Get to the dealers and they say we must have left the lights on all night. We live in the countryside. It's pitch black all night. The MH is parked in our front yard and we let our dog out at midnight for a wee. i think we would have seent the lights on!!!! And that wouldn't put the revs at 0 when driving. They say there must be another fault now. Yeah, one we didn't have before they did the alternator!!! Left it with them. I NEVER want to go anywhere again in that thing. All the people that have said, just go away, you can't keep breaking down, you'll be fine. Really?? So why does it keep happening again and again? I'm so tired of it.

 

[Spriddler]

Gracious me, you've had more than your fair share of issues/incompetent mechanics.

Revs at 0 when driving. ........i think we would have seent the lights on!!!! And that wouldn't put the revs at 0 when driving.

What do you mean by 'revs at 0 when driving'

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[oldiesontour]

Sounds like.
1.a parasitic drain
2.a parasitic (and or incompetent) dealer.
Anyone with a reasonable and basic understanding of vehicles electrics should have correctly diagnosed the fault with the most basic test equipment ,now looks like alternator may not have been faulty and certainly leisure batteries weren't cab battery looks to have been very unlikely
The almost certainty is someone's incompetence has created a very large invoice and a lot of frustration

 

[oldiesontour]

Gracious me, you've had more than your fair share of issues.



What do you mean by 'revs at 0 when driving'

Rev counter reading zero at a guess

 

[Spriddler]

Rev counter reading zero at a guess

I was wondering more if it meant limp mode..............i.e. won't rev sufficiently when driving.

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[GeoffnDee]

As the secondary and main power supplys for the dash fuse control and relay are two of the large midi fuses at the starter battery positive terminal plate it could be worth checking there for poor connections . I would also replace the engine to body earth cable as it can be faulty even when looking ok .

 

[oldiesontour]

As the secondary and main power supplys for the dash fuse control and relay are two of the large midi fuses at the starter battery positive terminal plate it could be worth checking there for poor connections . I would also replace the engine to body earth cable as it can be faulty even when looking ok .

All the above is possible but would not explain why it starts with a jump or with a new battery or why a new battery becomes flat over a day or two of being parked .Before changing anything determine is it charging,is there a parasitic drain ,take a few minutes

 

[GeoffnDee]

It would start with a jump start if the problem is between the battery and its positive or negative terminals that the jump leads are used on , It could be that the battery is not flat but a poor connection at either terminal makes it seem to be. (depending if the garage did check the actual battery and not just at its battery terminals)

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[oldiesontour]

It would start with a jump start if the problem is between the battery and its positive or negative terminals that the jump leads are used on , It could be that the battery is not flat but a poor connection at either terminal makes it seem to be. (depending if the garage did check the actual battery and not just at its battery terminals)

Possibly but unlikely as it's had a new battery fitted,terminals have been moved around and it started when only new battery (no jump) was attached several times.

 

[HKF]

Gracious me, you've had more than your fair share of issues/incompetent mechanics.



What do you mean by 'revs at 0 when driving'

I'm so sorry, I meant the speedo is at 0. So, if we're driving along, we have no idea what speed we're doing. However, when we depress the clutch to change gear, the speedo shoots up to the speed we're at. Then as soon as the clutch is released, it's back to 0.

I'm sorry I got confused. I'd just got back from the dealers and was in floods of tears and just needed to bang something out to someone.

 

[HKF]

The dealer rung us today. Despite suggesting that we'd left the lights on all night (!), it turns out that the new alternator they put on for us is faulty!!! I don't know whether to laugh or cry. The good news is that it's being changed and done under warranty. The bad news is all the stress and disappointment it's caused in the meantime. And thank god we didn't go away because we'd have had to get it repaired somewhere else and paid for the pleasure!! I've no idea when we'll get it back. Obvioulsy we now have the weekend and the dealer is closed on Mondays

So, we can't now hope to go away in the MH until at least 4th May.

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