Fiat Comfort Matic Specialist wanted

[Monty don]

As my post says Im looking for a Comfortmatic gearbox specialist that deals with these issues all day everyday

Prepaid to travel for the right guy although Im based Milton Keynes

Must be an independent that knows his stuff

Not interested in Fiat Professional set up

Who do you know that's good

Cheers
GB

 

[Wanderlust]

Not sure there is only one garage in the uk that is competent to work on comfortmatic gearboxes, most local authorities and quite a few recovery fleets use them.Gateshead and Newcastle Council have quite a few. These days local authorities don't always have in house servicing anymore. I know at least 1 independant garage in Gateshead that understands comfortmatics, have all the software and will happily do clutch relearn (so long as it is a genuine iveco clutch), fluids etc.

 

[aria]

AM Phillips in Dundee did the service on mine a couple of weeks back - all fluids & touch point.

 

[Bevlar]

So where do all the NHS ambulance trusts go for their maintenance?

I had full circle at Barnham (Norfolk / Suffolk boarder) fit a EP Hydraulic level system who were excellent. I recently spoke to them about the Fiat comfotmatic and whether they could do the fluid changes. They said they could as they have all the fiat software to undertake the work even though they vary rarely get asked to do it.
They undertake the local NHS Ambulance service and repair work and work on motorhomes. I'm thinking of getting them to do the comfortmatic fluid work done next spring as they are only an hour away rather than the 6hr plus round trip to AM at Portsmouth. Has anyone else used full circle for comfotmatic fluid changes.
Two other local Fiat professionals said if it isn't broken don't fix it when I mentioned Comfotmatic fluid changes ??

 

[UptheGas]

All this is far too technical for me . It drives ok until it doesn’t , at that point I get it fixed . No problems so far

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[DP+JAY]

They wont be comformatic though. Probably only the MH market for them

There are & many are maintained by Walton Summit Trucks near Preston.
DP

 

[Mike Rivers]

I haven’t got a comformatic but if I had and ran into problems I would a) consult the forums and b) speak to potential repairers by phone. At the end of the day surely you want to know that the service centre you take it to WILL fix the problem. The overriding question surely is not “Are they independent?” but “Who is best qualified to do the job?”. Without bias and reading the thread here I would consider Lenny’s recommendation. It’s a concrete recommendation based on his and other people’s experience. If you’re still of the mindset of “kids with computers” then maybe a comformatic was a poor choice in hindsight given this was a predictable scenario.

 

[gwyntaxi]

Not sure there is such a thing as an independent Comfortmatic specialist but it would be interesting to hear if there are some. Having found a Fiat Professional that does understand Comfortmatics I will stick with Adams Morey, Portsmouth.

I have read good reports about Adams Morey, my mate swears by them.

 

[corconx]

You only hear about the ones with problems people don't say anything when they are working. We have had two over the last 9 years no problems.

We had two for five/six years each. No problems at all and would have another if we ever did

carol

 

[WESTY66]

Ok ok, 48k on mine now without a fluid change or a spanner near it, I am going to surrender and book it in for a fluid change, check up and kiss point recalibration with AM next month before the winter lay up, BUT if it naffs up after that I’ll be coming round with the collection hat

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[jimdob]

I can sympathise with those fearing that problems with the Comfortmatic means they will be ripped off by any garage who employs the apparent modern technique of "lets try changing this" to fix problems. Unfortunately these days, many "mechanics" are in fact merely fitters reliant on their diagnostics software, and don't have the ability to understand and actually look at components to understand if it has failed. There are how ever plenty of good ones out there, the challenge is to find them.

When my Comfortmatic failed earlier this year, I was in a whole world of pain. Indeed there were many doom sayers who suggested I would be in the boat above of parts unnecessarily changed at apparent random.

I'm happy I was pointed in the direction of Adams Morey, Portsmouth. They were busy so it was a fortnight before they could start looking at it properly. It took another 10 days or so to get fixed as they did go through an apparent thorough process of initial diagnostics, opening up, checking parts and fitting replacements. I particularly noted that the parts they checked and replaced differed from the initial diagnostic expectations and even from what they found when they first opened it up, as the estimates changed through the process. No changing of stuff in hope, and very much changing only that which was needed. Yes it was expensive, as the clutch operating seals had failed along with the clutch plate (but not the flywheel), and some of the Fiat parts are extortionate cost, along with main dealer labour charges (albeit Simon Potter was able to lose a bit of that).

The Ducato is a bit of an odd beast being in the Fiat Professional range. Fiat Professional is an uncomfortable no mans land, too big for the car dealerships, yet most of the (limited number) Fiat Professional garages are part of the DAF truck dealerships and thus too small for those truckers (who probably also don't want to deal with private individuals rather than fleet business owners). Adams Morey are one of the very few truck setups who have specific van and motorhome workshop setups (at some, but not all) of their garages. That makes a difference. I also know that they have the direct support of Fiat themselves, which with systems like Comfortmatic can assist in their getting to the root of weirder issues, rather than being reliant on word of mouth internet diagnostics that the independent and less scrupulous may need to rely on.

There must be specialist, independent, gearbox / clutch centres who would also deal with the Comfortmatic. But a key issue is they will have to rely on third party software that mimics some of the Fiat diagnostics and workshop routines needed to repair and calibrate the systems.

We had the exact same things changed on our gearbox. 2:5 years old less than 20,000 nothing but continous problems since new. Sold it very disappointing.

 

[Nick wright]

As my post says Im looking for a Comfortmatic gearbox specialist that deals with these issues all day everyday

Prepaid to travel for the right guy although Im based Milton Keynes

Must be an independent that knows his stuff

Not interested in Fiat Professional set up

Who do you know that's good

Cheers
GB

Think the man you’re looking for is planet gears in Peterborough I haven’t used him but was recommended by another company. Regards nick

 

[RobbyMClark]

I'm keeping my fingers that South Liverpool Commercial (who are Fiat Professional, run Iveco repairs for vans and lorries, service/repaors all makes of commercial vehicles, and service/repairs motorhomes) know what they are doing. They put in a new sender to fix my air bag problem 8 months ago and it still works! They have sorted my second gear manual/Comformatic problem a couple of months ago and that still works. They also do MOTs and give the Fiat warranty for repairs.

Chris Hughs is the General Manager. Good guy.

Im sure I had notification off them that they where no longer part of fiat professional.
Used a garage over in prenton for the last service - Dursley's

 

[Tony50]

I’ve often thought of this and whether anyone has had it done by a competent person/firm and has had good results, if someone could do it for say £3k surely it would be a viable alternative to getting the comfortmatic fixed only to maybe go again a few years later!
As an aside and maybe dunnah01 can answer this, now my truck is now over 47k with no issues, and I’d like it to do the same again with no issues, what could I possibly do to do this?
Change clutch?
Change/inspect flywheel?
Replace seals?
Replace fluid?

Anything else? And then in theory I should be good to go again?

In a nutshell I’m a big believer of preventative measures to get me there and back including taking any major spares that will keep me moving, if only to the nearest competent garage, and at some point I’d like to do turkey and Morocco (yes it’s probably at least 3 years away) but I don’t want the fiasco that has just happened in another thread, I’d if I can prevent happening, I will.

I don't know about the Fiat but I converted a 7.5 Ton Iveco panel van ,similar to Comfortmatic, when I looked under dash the clutch pedal shaft was there, fitted pedal,clutch cable, hardest part was fitting a clutch release bearing fork without taking gearbox out, then I put a notice in vehicle saying this is now a manual gearbox , cheap as chips on that vehicle, I suggest you do your homework and find out definitely if it can be done.I was told once that Camper UK , Lincoln were good on Comfortmatic.

 

[DerryW]

I had full circle at Barnham (Norfolk / Suffolk boarder) fit a EP Hydraulic level system who were excellent. I recently spoke to them about the Fiat comfotmatic and whether they could do the fluid changes. They said they could as they have all the fiat software to undertake the work even though they vary rarely get asked to do it.
They undertake the local NHS Ambulance service and repair work and work on motorhomes. I'm thinking of getting them to do the comfortmatic fluid work done next spring as they are only an hour away rather than the 6hr plus round trip to AM at Portsmouth. Has anyone else used full circle for comfotmatic fluid changes.
Two other local Fiat professionals said if it isn't broken don't fix it when I mentioned Comfotmatic fluid changes ??Bevlar. If you do decide to let full circle to do the oil change, would you be so kind as to let us know how you get on, please. I used full circle to fit VB rear air assist on my previous MH a couple of years back and was impressed with their service. Not cheap but then, hopefully you get what you pay for.

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[WESTY66]

I don't know about the Fiat but I converted a 7.5 Ton Iveco panel van ,similar to Comfortmatic, when I looked under dash the clutch pedal shaft was there, fitted pedal,clutch cable, hardest part was fitting a clutch release bearing fork without taking gearbox out, then I put a notice in vehicle saying this is now a manual gearbox , cheap as chips on that vehicle, I suggest you do your homework and find out definitely if it can be done.I was told once that Camper UK , Lincoln were good on Comfortmatic.

They haven’t got a clue?
“Can you change me the clutch fluid?” Sorry sir we don’t do that!
“Ok can you put me a new fan belt on?” Sorry sir we can’t do that!
Oh I could go on, but I won’t

 

[Tony50]

They haven’t got a clue?
“Can you change me the clutch fluid?” Sorry sir we don’t do that!
“Ok can you put me a new fan belt on?” Sorry sir we can’t do that!
Oh I could go on, but I won’t

Well that's put that place to bed

 

[Don Campbell]

I am now very confused having read all this stuff. I like my Comformatic and it's due a service according to mileage and age although it's still working well. I rang Adams Morey in Southampton to enquire about servicing it and they said they can do it, so I suspect all this talk about Adams Morey Plymouth being the only competent people in UK is a load of nonsence. Why don't we have more names of agencies who are competent to service these gearboxes before they are condemned as undesirable which they are not. However If I ever get a new van the Chrysler automatic box now fitted in the Ducato is a lot smoother and will be my first choice.

 

[Don Campbell]

Not sure there is only one garage in the uk that is competent to work on comfortmatic gearboxes, most local authorities and quite a few recovery fleets use them.Gateshead and Newcastle Council have quite a few. These days local authorities don't always have in house servicing anymore. I know at least 1 independant garage in Gateshead that understands comfortmatics, have all the software and will happily do clutch relearn (so long as it is a genuine iveco clutch), fluids etc.

Post that name please.

 

[Riverbankannie]

all this talk about Adams Morey Plymouth being the only competent people

Not the Plymouth branch but Portsmouth.
I think a lot of the positive feedback is down to the service manager there.

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[IRHP]

There's a mobile Mechanic in Central Scotland. He gets great reviews on one of the Scottish fb motorhome groups, he mentioned repairing a comfortmatic a few weeks ago at a tenth of the cost quoted by Fiat. He fitted a new actuator. https://www.clickmechanic.com/mechanics/6332/logan-vehicle-services-ltd

 

[wp1234]

I know there are lots on here who are satisfied with this gearbox but from the amount of failures why was this gearbox ever invented , why not a proper tested full auto ?

So what are the amount huge amount of failures or is this just another Daily Mail click bait story type of thing …. where are the statistics or is it just bull ….

 

[Tony50]

So what are the amount huge amount of failures or is this just another Daily Mail click bait story type of thing …. where are the statistics or is it just bull ….

Similar automated manual gearboxes in one form or another have been out from my recollection since the 1960's certainly Renault cars had them.

 

[chaser]

So what are the amount huge amount of failures or is this just another Daily Mail click bait story type of thing …. where are the statistics or is it just bull ….

How many have we had just on here this last month, 4 or five would think that's a fair few considering how many there is on here.

 

[chaser]

Similar automated manual gearboxes in one form or another have been out from my recollection since the 1960's certainly Renault cars had them.

You would have thought they would have sorted them out by now then

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[Don Campbell]

You would have thought they would have sorted them out by now then

They have, there is a Chrysler automatic box in all the new Fiats.

 

[VXman]

To operate correctly the comfortmatic ECU is "talking" to the engine, braking, axles and all sorts to understand when it might need to change up / down, hill start, and so on and will be partly controlling engine, brakes and similar (hence some referring to brake problems causing comfortmatic issues).

Whoever thought producing one of these was a good idea?

 

[Bustup15]

Not sure there is only one garage in the uk that is competent to work on comfortmatic gearboxes, most local authorities and quite a few recovery fleets use them.Gateshead and Newcastle Council have quite a few. These days local authorities don't always have in house servicing anymore. I know at least 1 independant garage in Gateshead that understands comfortmatics, have all the software and will happily do clutch relearn (so long as it is a genuine iveco clutch), fluids etc.

Who is the independent expert?

 

[Pausim]

A modern torque converter automatic, such as the one in the new Fiats, will also be controlled by computer and require the same electronic inputs.

 

[enark]

They haven’t got a clue?
“Can you change me the clutch fluid?” Sorry sir we don’t do that!
“Ok can you put me a new fan belt on?” Sorry sir we can’t do that!
Oh I could go on, but I won’t

Slightly better than the UKs biggest dealer, apparently….

can you do an MOT, sorry sir, we Don’t do that.

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[Littlewheels]

Ok ok, 48k on mine now without a fluid change or a spanner near it, I am going to surrender and book it in for a fluid change, check up and kiss point recalibration with AM next month before the winter lay up, BUT if it naffs up after that I’ll be coming round with the collection hat

Long way to go for you when you have Sherwood Truck and Van around the corner who are excellent.