Advise Required

[Brimal]

Need some guidance/advise on this please.

I have an Adria Coral 690SC on a 2.3Multijet 150 Fiat Ducato first registered May 2017 and done 18720 miles.

On our return journey through Germany from Poland end of last month, had trouble with the clutch pedal, going to the floor but not returning. Managed to lift the pedal with my foot and decided to try and make it home.
The problem was intermittent, but thankfully again I was able to nurse it along. Alas on exiting the A18 (E40) at the Adinkerke junction stopping at the Give Way (vehicles coming), pedal to the floor but no way was it going to return. So breakdown recovery called and we were loaded onto the vehicle and taken to a Fiat Professional garage near Ypres.

A faulty master cylinder was diagnosed which we were informed would take 5 to 6 days to arrive (it was a Thursday). So a hire car return journey home and back 12 days later to pick up the 'fixed' wagon.

Did some local mileage around the area and Calais no problems. Tunnel Thursday morning and all ok until get on the dreaded M25 towards Dartford tunnel. As i2 normal on this stretch bumper to bumper traffic and the clutch pedal goes to the floor but no return. Panic again but did managed to nurse it through the Dartford Tunnel and onwards until the queue to join the M11 when once again pedal to floor but no return. Hard shoulder job and breakdown again with eventual recovery home to my local garage.

After further inspection and tests a faulty clutch slave cylinder was diagnosed. This of course I was informed is not easy to get at as is in the gearbox which would have to be removed.

So if you still with me the question is what are the chances of getting Fiat to fix and pay for this, considering it just outside the 2 year warranty and has only done 18k miles. It's obviously a faulty part not wear and tear.
Also who do you go to on this FIat Dealership or the supplying dealers.

Any useful advise appreciated.

Brian

 

[chaser]

Are we to take it that the slave cylinder was done and it's gone again within about 100 miles, if so surely that repair is gauranteed no matter how old the vehicle.

 

[chaser]

Was the thrust bearing replaced at the same time, if not it could be that.

 

[DBK]

Need some guidance/advise on this please.

I have an Adria Coral 690SC on a 2.3Multijet 150 Fiat Ducato first registered May 2017 and done 18720 miles.

On our return journey through Germany from Poland end of last month, had trouble with the clutch pedal, going to the floor but not returning. Managed to lift the pedal with my foot and decided to try and make it home.
The problem was intermittent, but thankfully again I was able to nurse it along. Alas on exiting the A18 (E40) at the Adinkerke junction stopping at the Give Way (vehicles coming), pedal to the floor but no way was it going to return. So breakdown recovery called and we were loaded onto the vehicle and taken to a Fiat Professional garage near Ypres.

A faulty master cylinder was diagnosed which we were informed would take 5 to 6 days to arrive (it was a Thursday). So a hire car return journey home and back 12 days later to pick up the 'fixed' wagon.

Did some local mileage around the area and Calais no problems. Tunnel Thursday morning and all ok until get on the dreaded M25 towards Dartford tunnel. As i2 normal on this stretch bumper to bumper traffic and the clutch pedal goes to the floor but no return. Panic again but did managed to nurse it through the Dartford Tunnel and onwards until the queue to join the M11 when once again pedal to floor but no return. Hard shoulder job and breakdown again with eventual recovery home to my local garage.

After further inspection and tests a faulty clutch slave cylinder was diagnosed. This of course I was informed is not easy to get at as is in the gearbox which would have to be removed.

So if you still with me the question is what are the chances of getting Fiat to fix and pay for this, considering it just outside the 2 year warranty and has only done 18k miles. It's obviously a faulty part not wear and tear.
Also who do you go to on this FIat Dealership or the supplying dealers.

Any useful advise appreciated.

Brian

You can but ask. Go to a Fiat agent, not the supplying dealer. The slave cylinder is a big job sadly and any contribution will help. Where did you get it serviced as that should have been done at the two year point? That might be a good place to start, but not as a complaint because that probably won't help as the slave cylinder isn't part of the service.

 

[lunarman]

Are we to take it that the slave cylinder was done and it's gone again within about 100 miles, if so surely that repair is gauranteed no matter how old the vehicle.

I was thinking along the same lines as you. Then reread the op and saw that the original diagnosis was Master cylinder. ?

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[Brimal]

Yes the master cylinder was changed in Belgium. My garage more or less straight away suspected the slave cylinder and after checking everything out decided it must be that. 2 year service was done in May but as you say DBK not part of the service. Will get to my local Norwich Fiat on Monday but they dont deal with Mothorhomes so will probably have to be a trip to Thetford again.

 

[Jake Royd]

Does not help you much.
Exactly the same symtoms.
We have just had the same repair on our 2014 , 32000 mile Ducato.
First they replaced the Master cylinder , about £220
Then replaced the Slave cylinder , about £710 (yes £710) , 11hrs labour (but i'm not certain they needed 11hrs)

Try as I might (and I'm ex automotive design and development, so I know what I am talking about) I could not persuade them that the first diagnosis was wrong, we ended up paying the lot.

Sometimes re-bleeding it should be tried first, it shares fluid with the brake reservoir, there is no separate reservoir for the clutch.

 

[HandyAndy]

Was the thrust bearing replaced at the same time, if not it could be that.

Concentric slave IS the thrust bearing

 

[chaser]

Concentric slave IS the thrust bearing

Sorry? You have me there, separate on mine.

 

[HandyAndy]

Sorry? You have me there, separate on mine.

i think that's why a lot of garages try the master cyl change first as its a damn site easier than taking the box off to change the slave ?.
On a side not to the OP, if it fails again, check and confirm dual mass (if it has one) is intact and not flapping about like a demented penguin. (Will usually produce a deep rattle around or just above idle.) if that's failed it will cause premature failure of the concentric slave cyl. ??

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[chaser]

i think that's why a lot of garages try the master cyl change first as its a damn site easier than taking the box off to change the slave ?.
On a side not to the OP, if it fails again, check and confirm dual mass (if it has one) is intact and not flapping about like a demented penguin. (Will usually produce a deep rattle around or just above idle.) if that's failed it will cause premature failure of the concentric slave cyl. ??

Do our own so don't know what a garage has got to do with it, but I am talking about Renault so maybe different.