Comfortmatic & cold feet - solved! (1 Viewer)

[mikebeaches]

I posted some time ago that I couldn't get my feet warm in winter when driving our 2016 Fiat Ducato X290, with comfortmatic gearbox. Passenger side was fine, just the driver's side that wouldn't get warm.

Previous 2010 Ducato X250, with manual gearbox, lovely toasty warm feet, therefore assumed there was a problem with the new van.

So asked local Fiat dealer to investigate - response, "There's nothing wrong". I said there must be!

The technician said, "well there is a large plastic footrest on the Comfortmatic which may be directing the warm air away - do you want me to try removing it?"

Upshot, now have toasty feet when driving and I can stretch my left leg out 'properly' too!

So anybody with cold feet on a comfortmatic, check out the large plastic footrest, which can be removed (and replaced if necessary).

 

[Charlie Farley]

Sounds fantastic, do you have any photos or a walk through on how to remove it? I did have a brief look sometime ago when my fiat dealer explained why my feet never got warm.
I did wonder if the centre face vent pipe could be removed and placed above the pedal box.

 

[mikebeaches]

OK, here are some pics - a couple of the large plastic footrest that has the effect of deflecting the warm air up under the dash and away from the driver's feet. And the other pic is of the footwell in the cab after the plastic has been removed, which I think now looks very much like if you had a manual gearbox (but obviously the clutch pedal would be just there in the space). As I said, the garage technician actually removed the footrest, but I think it is just a couple of bolts to undo, then unclip?

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[Charlie Farley]

Thanks for the pics I'll take a closer look later. Here's hoping it's the same in an A class cab

 

[Lenny HB]

I get cold feet for a different (footrest not in the way on LHD). I find when it's cold outside and the sun streaming in the temperature sensors above the heater controls think it's hot so it turns the heat down. I have to turn the heat up to 30 deg to get my feet warm then after 10min turn it down before we roast, so much for auto systems.

 

[gerry mcg]

super... I managed to remove this from my MH last night ... I was struggling with cold feet in my new van - lets see if it improves things - it definitely looks to have cleared 3 vents in the floor... I hope warm air (rather than cold air! ) comes out of them!
Thanks!

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[mikebeaches]

super... I managed to remove this from my MH last night ... I was struggling with cold feet in my new van - lets see if it improves things - it definitely looks to have cleared 3 vents in the floor... I hope warm air (rather than cold air! ) comes out of them!
Thanks!

Ah, I rather assumed the holes in the floor might have cold air coming through them - so I've stuffed them with pieces of foam - they are covered by the carpet in any case.

The heating in the footwell, as I understand, comes from the centre of the cab below the dashboard and blows to both sides directed onto the feet. However, the comfortmatic footrest shields and impedes the flow of air, deflecting it back up under the dash on the drivers side, rather than onto the driver's feet.

Hope you get warmer feet now!

It occurs to me that the leg-rest / steering column shield is of course only fitted on right-hand-drive Fiats!

 

[Charlie Farley]

After taking the foot rest off I decided on a little mod before replacing it.
Cut a 63mm before inserting a standard vent. I then fitted the ducting adapter, once assembled I secured it with 4 small self tapers. I then cut the adapter in half to create a deflector. Good airflow across the whole food well, happy days

 

[mikebeaches]

Wow, that looks innovative, and very professional.

However, I like the extra legroom as well as the warm air, so I'll be leaving the footrest off mine for the time being.

But if your modification works for you, then it's all good.

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[Charlie Farley]

@mikebeaches, totally get the extra legroom The finish behind the foot rest on our A class is not pretty so a had to find a better solution, hope this helps other A class owners with iceberg feet

 

[Who Me]

View attachment 159983 View attachment 159984 View attachment 159985 View attachment 159986 View attachment 159987 View attachment 159988 After taking the foot rest off I decided on a little mod before replacing it.
Cut a 63mm before inserting a standard vent. I then fitted the ducting adapter, once assembled I secured it with 4 small self tapers. I then cut the adapter in half to create a deflector. Good airflow across the whole food well, happy days

 

[Who Me]

View attachment 159983 View attachment 159984 View attachment 159985 View attachment 159986 View attachment 159987 View attachment 159988 After taking the foot rest off I decided on a little mod before replacing it.
Cut a 63mm before inserting a standard vent. I then fitted the ducting adapter, once assembled I secured it with 4 small self tapers. I then cut the adapter in half to create a deflector. Good airflow across the whole food well, happy days

Hi,
First day on this site and it is already paying dividends.

I get the cold feet bit on my VW as well and soon to have a Fiat Ducato.

Where do you get the standard vent from as I like the look of your modification and would like to do something similar.

Cheers
PG

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[mikebeaches]

Hi,
First day on this site and it is already paying dividends.

I get the cold feet bit on my VW as well and soon to have a Fiat Ducato.

Where do you get the standard vent from as I like the look of your modification and would like to do something similar.

Cheers
PG

I can't specifically help with your question. However, I should make it clear it was only an issue for me because we have the comfortmatic semi-automatic gearbox. I don't believe there is any problem with the standard manual gearbox model of the Ducato - certainly not on our previous one, in any case. On that one I normally had toasty warm feet when driving.

 

[Who Me]

I can't specifically help with your question. However, I should make it clear it was only an issue for me because we have the comfortmatic semi-automatic gearbox. I don't believe there is any problem with the standard manual gearbox model of the Ducato - certainly not on our previous one, in any case. On that one I normally had toasty warm feet when driving.

 

[Who Me]

Mike,
It is a comfort-matic that we are getting.

So the change would be of use.
Just hoping I can make such a tidy job of it

PG

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[Theonlysue]

@Charlie Farley it looks like the deflector pushes the air to the centre of the footwell rather than where your feet are??

 

[Charlie Farley]

@Who Me I had an old Truma vent floating around in the garage. Very easy to locate on the bay of e

 

[Charlie Farley]

@Charlie Farley it looks like the deflector pushes the air to the centre of the footwell rather than where your feet are??

@Theonlysue all I can say is hot or cold it's 100% than standard.

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[Charlie Farley]

#better

 

[DerryW]

Thanks to MikeBeaches and Charlie Farley. I've just done mine, was a relatively easy job to do. The hardest bit was pulling out the plastic pin on the floor and undoing the 1 x 6mm nut which, together with 2 self tapping torque screws at the top hold the footrest in place. Then remove 2 short self tapping torque screws just inside the small storage pocket (Mine has the gauges for the Air Assist suspension). then the large panel simply unclips and you can remove right out of the way. On refection, you don't need to remove this large panel. I did, as I was querulous to see where the air duct outlet was.

See photos below.

 

[mikebeaches]

Hi Derry - looks like an impressive job you've done there!

Hope it results in warmer feet.

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[Riverbankannie]

@mikebeaches and @Derry Wilson
Husband would like to do this mod on our 2016 Ducato with Comformatic
He is having difficulty accessing the 2 screws and the 6mm nut that hold the top of the footrest because they are behind the lower dash panel.
Any tips? Did you have to remove anything else?
Thanks in advance

 

[mikebeaches]

@mikebeaches and @Derry Wilson
Husband would like to do this mod on our 2016 Ducato with Comformatic
He is having difficulty accessing the 2 screws and the 6mm nut that hold the top of the footrest because they are behind the lower dash panel.
Any tips? Did you have to remove anything else?
Thanks in advance

Hi Annie

I don't remember anything else having to be removed, but I didn't do it - the Fiat technician took it off, while I was standing next to him outside the van. I guess he knew what he was doing, and may have undone something else to gain access, but unfortunately, I don't recall.

Hopefully one or more of the other folk on this thread who have removed the footrest themselves will come on and advise.

Ever so sorry I can't give you a more helpful answer.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Hi Annie

I don't remember anything else having to be removed, but I didn't do it - the Fiat technician took it off, while I was standing next to him outside the van. I guess he knew what he was doing, and may have undone something else to gain access, but unfortunately, I don't recall.

Hopefully one or more of the other folk on this thread who have removed the footrest themselves will come on and advise.

Ever so sorry I can't give you a more helpful answer.

Have found lots of posts where someone says “the guy did it in 3 minutes” or something like that. !
The best I’ve found so far is this YouTube video which is great except he skips over the lower dash panel removal and replacement a bit quick!

He puts it back on at 5 min 30 sec.
We like his double air vent solution though

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[DerryW]

Annie

The two 2 short (25mm) T25 self tapping screws just inside the small storage pocket. If you at a look at the photos you can see the green handled torque driver which I used, remove these. Also see other images which may help.

 

[DerryW]

Apologies for the many typos. Now corrected. see attached pdf.

 

[Riverbankannie]

@Derry Wilson Thank you so much for these photos and descriptions. What a fabulous neat looking job you’ve done.

If himself cannot do it now ........ I’ll tell him never to complain about his cold feet again, or ....... I’ll be back later to ask more questions

We are going away for a few days tomorrow and I’ve promised to drive so that he can have the warm air in the passenger side

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[Lanerboy]

I have just done this modification and going away Tuesday for 3 weeks so will see if there is any difference

Must say it was not the easiest job on an A class when your not built for small spaces

 

[DerryW]

@Lannerboy.

I sure you'll feel the benefit. massive difference.

 

[mohawkman]

My first day on your forum and already you have solved my cold feet problem on my Comfortmatic fitted Mohawk.

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