Comfortmatic Gearbox/ Clutch Failure (1 Viewer)

[rrusty]

2010 Fiat 3L tag 5500kg ( 4500kg on the day approx) done 44000 miles.

Started to make a whining noise like the fan belt was slipping, no noise if I kept it at 40mph in fourth but if I tried it in fifth the noise resumed. As I was only 25 miles from home on a Sunday I chanced it, well 7 miles from home I had to slow down and that was it, deselected the gears and would not go into 1st or 2nd.

Phoned safeguard and they arranged a flatbed in 2 hours.

Just heard it is the clutch that broke into several peices and 3 experienced techs have said that they are confident that there is no gearbox damage but they could send it away to be tested (£250 - £300 approx) but I declined and took there advise that it was ok.

So that are sourcing the parts and take it from there.

 

[Bart]

Fingers crossed the Gearbox is all ok , i'm sure it is though as 3 experienced techs are confident that it is ok.

 

[KUSKUS]

Think you did very well to get 44000 miles on a comfortmatic clutch.
Be interesting to know if there is any high mileage Fiats with comfortmatics owned by funsters on original clutches ?

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[TheBig1]

i had the clutch disintegrate on a previous van. according to the specialist garage, a very common failure. and expensive too with 12 hours labour even on a coach built. expect more on an a class working through the letterbox engine access

 

[rrusty]

They had coach built in 3 weeks ago with the same thing and they said it is a common fault.

 

[rrusty]

I only ever drove it in manual setting and put in neutral at every stop longer than 10 secs or so, used the load assist when exiting my slightly up hill drive.

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[tonyidle]

I can't think of any reason to suspect gearbox damage. Any robotic manual box has a conventional clutch. The temptation is to treat it like a torque converter auto which will give the clutch a hard time - think creeping in traffic. Our Smart has that type of transmission and I'm constantly trying to rest it in traffic queues - as you would in a manual.

 

[Techno]

Think you did very well to get 44000 miles on a comfortmatic clutch.
Be interesting to know if there is any high mileage Fiats with comfortmatics owned by funsters on original clutches ?

Mine is on 52k and going well. Over 4 ton

 

[Cavs]

Mine is booked in with CamperUK for a new LUK clutch on Tuesday. The van is also at 5,000 kg, uprated 2 years ago to 5,500 kg; it's done 40,000 miles. The clutch has been misbehaving for a while, sometimes slipping when accelerating from the cruise in a high gear, sometimes behaving perfectly for weeks on end including driving over the Massif Central in France. However, it's now started slipping more and more frequently, so I've bitten the bullet to replace it.

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[GWAYGWAY]

Those little gnomes sitting under the bonnet would really worry me, You do not actually KNOW what they are up to or maybe even getting ready to pop their clogs, those controllers are a mix of electronics and hydraulics all waiting to go wrong.

 

[138go]

Those little gnomes sitting under the bonnet would really worry me, You do not actually KNOW what they are up to or maybe even getting ready to pop their clogs, those controllers are a mix of electronics and hydraulics all waiting to go wrong.

Why would anyone want a manual box when you can get a nice little box that does it all for you .. Unless of course you ENJOY changing gear

 

[Lenny HB]

On our second van with a Comformatic love them. Two things that can cause clutch problems is trying to hold it stationary on hills in traffic using the throttle like you would in a conventional auto & reversing too slow and also you should never reverse onto ramps. With the 3Lt easier to damage the clutch due to the high levels of torque available.

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[SpeedyDux]

I wish Fiat Europe would let us have the option to choose the US version (badged as a Dodge). Instead of the optional diesel engine with Comfortmatic, the standard version has a 280 hp 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine with the Chrysler 62 TE conventional autobox.

A petrol Ducato would breeze into Low Emission Zones and the Autobox should be smoother and does away with the clutch/DMF problems.

OK, economy would suffer and CO2 emissions are probably enormous, but what the hell, you only live once.

 

[frogijock]

Why would anyone want a manual box when you can get a nice little box that does it all for you .. Unless of course you ENJOY changing gear

I would rather manually change gear knowing that I will get more than 44000 miles out of the clutch than go for the lazy option and then have to fork out several 100's of £s replacing it, plus my left leg and are get some exercise