Brand new Fiat 180 hp euro 6 engine completely failed after 1hour.

C

Ceetee

Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Posts
4
Likes collected
18
Location
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK
Funster No
83,356
MH
Swift Kontiki 649
Exp
Since 2016
We recently picked up our brand new Carthago Chic C-line A class motorhome from the agent, driving it for the first time my wife and I both commented how quiet the engine was and how smooth the 9 speed automatic gearchange was. After about 1 hour of driving on the M5 the engine suddenly made a fairly loud pop, clouds of steam streamed out of the back, I thought at first that I had got a puncture and it was smoke.
We then spent hours waiting for emergency assistance. The motorhome was taken back to the agent and we are told that it needs a new engine. I can't get any information from the agent as to what was the original problem, they have told me various contradictory reasons for the failure. It is now two months since I last saw my motorhome.
My concern now is, is the latest Fiat engine 180hp up to the job? or are they trying to get too much out of this engine?
My previous motorhome was a Swift Kontiki 649 which had a 3 ltr fiat engine and never had a problem with it.
I understand that the 180 hp version of this engine has a stronger steel crank shaft and beefed up pistons.
Has anyone got one of these engines in their motorhome without problems?
 
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Turbo failure, me thinks

Had an Xtrail that did similar gassed half the folks in a layby with smoke.

Seems ours was caused by over speeding as the intercooler had a leak. Took a fair amount of effort to convince the garage the oil spray inside the bonnet wasn't a leaking hose. Took plastic bottles cut and tied around the hoses which remained clear to convince that oil around the engine bay was from the intercooler.

Good Luck and timely repair.

We have a 160bhp 9 speed auto on a 4K, Kg MH. Its not a sports car so happy it goes quick enough when needed.
 
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I think that you need to go direct to fiat UK and get them on the case.
2 months for a new engine is taking the pee.
If I had paid that amount of money for a new motorhome and it Lasted less than an hour, and the dealership was not completely open about what happened and why it was taking so long I would be taking scalps.
 
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David and Sally said:
Hell. That is a serious failure. And two months to fix? That is shoddy service👎
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Many years ago, I had a VW Variant which broke a valve thus wrecking the engine, It took three days to get the car back with a brand new short motor in it. Times have changed
 
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bobnick I seem to remember had his Fiat engine fail on a brand new Bailey and returned it. Had a long wait for a replacement Motorhome.
 
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Wow, picking my new Fiat based A class up in less than 3 weeks. 160bhp in my case as the 180's were very hard to get.
2 months is a long time, you would think they would pull out all the stops.
Could you share who the agent is possibly?
 
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I'd be asking for a courtesy van of simalar spec.

If not I'd send then a legal letter saying you will hire one for any trips you want to make.

Failing that use hotels and send them the receipts sure that would concentrate the MD mind...!

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Ceetee said:
My concern now is, is the latest Fiat engine 180hp up to the job? or are they trying to get too much out of this engine?
My previous motorhome was a Swift Kontiki 649 which had a 3 ltr fiat engine and never had a problem with it.
I understand that the 180 hp version of this engine has a stronger steel crank shaft and beefed up pistons.
Has anyone got one of these engines in their motorhome without problems?
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Old fashioned thinking. 180bhp from a 2.3 engine is nothing these days. For example, Toyota have a 3 cylinder 1600 engine in production which produces 268bhp.

Years ago I took my HGV in a Bedford RL, with a 4,9 litre engine and 110bhp. Times change and engineering greatly improves.

I have a 160bhp Fiat engine in mine and never give it a second thought. Indeed a 2.3 engine is large by today's standards.

Sorry about the problem. It would seem with the scarcity of new vans these days, rejecting it would be simply cutting off your nose to spite your face. It won't take long to get a new engine and then it will be as good as new.

These things happen. Annoying but life's too short to make a big thing of it.
 
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Jenka said:
Really Bailey only do peugeot and ford !
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Ok! In which case it was a PSA or Ford major fail. The point I was making was that it was a very long wait for his replacement by Bailey.

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Coastal Cruiser. said:
Trouble is then probably a 2 year wait if they order a new van☹️☹️
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Then I'd write a letter to the dealer, copied to fiat, stating you plan to reject within 4 weeks unless

a) confirmation of repair within 4 weeks
or
b) they agree to cover the cost of rental (all costs, including your taxing and insuring etc if necessary) of a similar motorhome while you await repairs to be carried out ie a courtesy motorhome.

Thats what I would do and I would reject if it came to it as I wouldn't be happy dealing with a dealer that has no flexibility and is being elusive with me. I don't get held hostage by anyone.
 
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PaulC70 said:
Then I'd write a letter to the dealer, copied to fiat, stating you plan to reject within 4 weeks unless

a) confirmation of repair within 4 weeks
or
b) they agree to cover the cost of rental (all costs, including your taxing and insuring etc if necessary) of a similar motorhome while you await repairs to be carried out ie a courtesy motorhome.

Thats what I would do and I would reject if it came to it as I wouldn't be happy dealing with a dealer that has no flexibility and is being elusive with me. I don't get held hostage by anyone.
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It’s sad but you rejecting anything these days wouldn’t face them at all, there is just no availability, and if it becomes available then they can sell it for more….🤷🏻‍♂️
 
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If I was picking up a brand new vehicle I wouldn’t be driving it home on the motorway. Varying the speed, accelerating and decelerating is the best way to care for a new engine.
Old fashioned thinking?, maybe.
 
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Dutch 68 said:
It’s sad but you rejecting anything these days wouldn’t face them at all, there is just no availability, and if it becomes available then they can sell it for more….🤷🏻‍♂️
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might not faze them but I would make it known too that Id never deal with them again and make sure that the story was publicly shared and available at every opportunity. Sorry but there are certain companies etc I won't deal with no matter what.
 
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We have a 2018 E6 2.3 180 with comformatic just had cam belt change and service not had any problems at all Done just over 16000 miles.😊👍
 
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So sorry read bout your motorhome engine catastrophe. I feel sick in the belly for you, terrible, just terrible.

I hope it will not be much longer before you know all of your options.

Best of luck.

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If you as stated reject it, there are no other vans easily Sourced to replace it. You could try that you reject it and require the dealer to place you in the same position you were as you drove away in your new van. But I would be onto the chassis makers even though your contract is with the dealer.
 
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SeanF1 said:
I think if it was me I would be rejecting it straight away and asking for a full refund. Start again. Wouldn't want a brand new van with a replacement engine.
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Same here. For the majority of us, it's the second biggest investment that we will make.
If something so expensive fails so quickly after purchase, I'd sooner go back to the drawing board and consider something else than put up with the hassle of an uninterested dealer and a manufacturer who may not push you up the waiting list as a gesture of goodwill under the circumstances. As for price increases if the OP was to wait, the Carthago should honour the same price in my view.

I doubt that someone would accept a washing machine that had failed on it's first wash load and be content with waiting for the retailer, who's uninterested, to sort it out and then be prepared to wait an excessive period for a new one to be built, or have the motor replaced in the new washer and be content with that.
 
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The problem with deciding to reject the van is as I see it is not an easy one.
As we all know you have 2 separate warranties on your new toy.
1 with the Motorhome dealer, / convertor.
1 with the base vehicle manufacturer.
The ops problem is not with the conversion it is with the base vehicle.

That said the Motorhome dealership should be pulling out all the stops to get fiat to sort this and quickly.
 
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