Any Mechanics on here can explain what’s happening.

[Chris Laing]

So I’ll try to explain this as best as possible. Second time abroad driving our new 22 plate fiat Ducato on the French till roads but same problem.
We drive up from bavaria into France and up the A4 then A26. It’s very windy and a strong headwind. Each time I try to overtake a lorry I get along side and can feel the pull from the lorry. Once I get ahead the front right break locks up and slow us down with the lorry right alongside. It’s bloody unnerving but only happens when we overtake a lorry. Open road with no overtaking it’s fine. Also we travelled on way down through begium and then German autobahn with no issue only on French toll roads while overtaking. I can’t work out what’s going on but on 3 occasions it’s left me very close to a lorry unable to get past.
Can any mechanic work out what’s happening?

 

[PeterCarole29]

Sounds like wind drag .

 

[chaser]

The lorry is breaking the wind when you are behind but when you are alongside it's pushing the wind at you.

 

[enark]

Does it have any sort of BLIS safety features?

 

[PeterCarole29]

Have you ever noticed how close a lorry gets up to another one before pulling out to overtake

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[chaser]

Have you ever noticed how close a lorry gets up to another one before pulling out to overtake

Pretty the same as motor racing.

 

[PeterCarole29]

Does it have any sort of BLIS safety features?

It sound like your on the right track

 

[Chris Laing]

Does it have any sort of BLIS safety features?

I don’t know. I drove down from Edinburgh to Dover and no problem. It’s always heading north on French toll roads. Today on 3 occasions the breaking was so much the Lorry I had overtaken then was side by side

 

[Chris Laing]

Does it have any sort of BLIS safety features?

What is BLIS safety feature?

 

[Ingwe]

We’ve certainly noticed the effect of being passed by trucks at speed on the motorway. As they get close, the “bow wave” of air pressure acts on the van and then as the truck pulls alongside, the van gets pushed sideways until the truck completes the pass. It can be a bit unnerving but I realise it’s not the same thing as the poster’s question. I’d also like to know what the BLIS safety feature is.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Chris Laing]

Okay so I can see that BLIS is Blind spot safety.
So I’m now thinking that when I’m driving towards a lorry and see it moving to the right when another vehicle is overtaking it’s trying to avoid this feature slowing them down. Most of the lorries I passed safely today moved over to right when I was passing to give us space it was the ones who didn’t that I had problems. The crosswinds didn’t help because I was holding onto the van with grim death at times heading north. So maybe I do have Bliss and quite possibly most of the lorries I pass have it as well?

 

[Silver-Fox]

Once I get ahead the front right break locks up

Locks up and you get smoke from the tyre?

 

[gus-lopez]

What is BLIS safety feature?

Blind spot info system

 

[ChrisL]

Depending on which direction the prevaling wind is coming from it may just be that you are protected from the side wind whilst alongside the truck and then have to deal with the bow wave and the side wind at the same time? I would just travel behind the truck in that circumstance.

 

[Riverbankannie]

It could be AEBC - well I had to look it up . If the system detects the lorry too close as it didn’t move over ?

Advanced safety systems for full driving control.

Driving comfort, excellent visibility, suitable engines, advanced safety systems. Ducato Camper offers the best technology for optimal control.

www.fiatcamper.com

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pappajohn]

You would know if a wheel locked.
The van would slew towards the locked wheel and you would have to fight the steering wheel in the opposite direction.

 

[Tea Bag]

Pretty the same as motor racing.

Hi chaser.
IT IS THE SAME ,,,,,Silly you..!! ( Or was..) Factor in. 1. Job and knock 2. Wages,a percentage of lorry earnings. and last but not least . 3..... and a home cooked........... Tea..
Tea Bag

 

[dna]

Do the 2022 ducatos have stability control fitted? If yes then maybe Stability control activating as you go through the bow wave from the lorry plus the side wind?

 

[enark]

I don’t know. I drove down from Edinburgh to Dover and no problem. It’s always heading north on French toll roads. Today on 3 occasions the breaking was so much the Lorry I had overtaken then was side by side

Blind Spot detectors, I only asked as my car feels like it’s been pushed back if you try to change lanes without indicating….

I guess as it only happens to you in France it’s probably not a safety device?

 

[Orion]

BLIS - part of the Fiat Safety Pack?

Does the OP know if it was specified or supplied or not?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Grey Fox]

Could it be :

CROSS WIND ASSIST​

Through the use of brakes, intervenes to help stabilise the vehicle through strong crosswinds, helping to keep the vehicle from drifting out of its lane.

 

[Chris Laing]

Will be leaving saint Omer shortly for ferry and it’s hammering it down at moment then long journey up to Edinburgh.
I really don’t know what it is but it’s some safety device on break system that slows me down when overtaking lorries. I think a call to fiat once I get back will help.

 

[poppycamper]

Indeed a strange one.... and if it is indeed a cross wind/head wind or any other safety gizmo then thank feck I don't have it...
One front brake coming on when alongside a 44ton truck IMO is outright dangerous and an accident just waiting to happen

 

[funflair]

IVECO removed cross wind assist from their driver safety pack on motorhomes obviously there were problems with it but I don't know specifics.

 

[funflair]

Blind Spot detectors, I only asked as my car feels like it’s been pushed back if you try to change lanes without indicating….

I guess as it only happens to you in France it’s probably not a safety device?

I would have thought that was "Lane departure Warning" or "Active lane Keepr" or any other name for the same thing.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Easy fix but expensive, fit air suspension you don't get at all then.

 

[Littlewheels]

I would have thought that was "Lane departure Warning" or "Active lane Keeper" or any other name for the same thing.

Works brilliantly on my Mercedes based MH,with regards to the brake assist feature I have to make the manoeuvre early so the system doesn’t think l am running into the vehicle l am overtaking.
You have to adjust your style of driving to get the best out of these safety features but l like them.
They can of course be switched off.

 

[chaser]

Don't know about all these fancy things but I do know we had an 07 elddis and it was virtually the same as you describe and that was nothing to do with anything on it, but this old ambulance we have now has rear air suspension and it's as solid as a rock overtaking lorry's.

 

[chaser]

I can't for the life of me see how something that puts your brakes on, never mind just one, when trying to overtake a lorry can be described as a safety feature, sounds very dangerous to me.

 

[Dorwyn]

My 2020 Pugeot has something called lane assist or something. If you look at the interior rear mirror from the outside, in the black out area top middle, there's a small round spot where there is a camera lens. Owing to my personal circumstances I have not driven the van much at all, but just the other day I went out in it, it was a real handful in the wind. I'll have to look it up on the manual. I never read manuals coz it's usually in techno speak. I no speaky techno.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}