Fiat's New Automatic (9 speed with Torque Converter) (1 Viewer)

[Clarks5]

Yes the ZF was the game changer for my own purchase. If Fiat had stayed with the ‘comfortmatic’ it was going to be the Sprinter model for me despite slightly smaller.

Thanks for all the contributions here, your views and info are really appreciated.

 

[Steve-N]

Well, had a test drive. The salesman gave a good demo and explained it well. I've also watched a good training video.

Quite honestly I liked what I have seen, and I'm looking forward to it.

I would advise taking out extended warranty, 'if' you are 7nlucky enough to have issues, the hydraulic actuator is the best part of £4k (plus labour) to replace

 

[royandsharont]

Just discovered my son’s rather fancy BMW, more of a track car than a road car I feel, has the ZF 8 speed box and he says it is really good. Excellent and very fast change, especially in sport mode. I’m looking forward to getting my first auto in our yet to arrive Ducato

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

 

[Steve-N]

My own car, a Merc E class estate has a 9 sp ZF triptronic box, it is nothing short of superb

 

[Guigsy]

Just discovered my son’s rather fancy BMW, more of a track car than a road car I feel, has the ZF 8 speed box and he says it is really good. Excellent and very fast change, especially in sport mode. I’m looking forward to getting my first auto in our yet to arrive Ducato

The ZF 8HP is a fantastic full planetary torque convertor gearbox that's been used in tons of performance cars over the past decade. Right up to ripping V12s, it can cope with a lot of torque. The first revisions were very good and they've got better with time. It's designed for longitudinal engine layouts, so generally big bonnet German cars with rear (or 4) wheel drive.

The ZF 9HP is quite a different product. It's got a planetary gearset, but with some normal gearing on the end with robotised dog clutches to save space. It's designed to be compact to fit in a transverse engine layout. It originally had a lumpy start in a few Jeep and Land Rovers with slow clunky shifting and some failures. But apparently it was all software and it has got better. It's not for sportscars, but it does a very good job in the Ducato.

 

[Guigsy]

Good article on the 9HP... The 2014 implementation wasn't as good as what we've been seeing in the Ducato.

ZF's 9-Speed 9HP Transmission Puts Dog Clutches On The Leash

In a week we will post our first full review of the all-new and all-controversial 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The new Jeep isn’t just raising eyebrows for the love-it or hate-it styling. Or the resurrection of the Cherokee badge. Or the constant delays in production. Or the transverse mounted engine. Or...

www.thetruthaboutcars.com

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

 

[Al n Val]

My own experience is based on the last 3 years of having a motorhome, it’s been our first, a 5000kg tag axel 2300cc with Comformatic gearbox, we’ve done 18000 trouble free miles and although a bit quirky it’s also great.

I’d not have this motorhome if I had to have a manual, simple as that.

However there’s a brand new 5000kg tag axel coming with the new ZF box and I can’t wait to drive it, the missus’s last 2 BMW’s have the 8 speed ZF and it’s superb, so things being equal this will be also.

Al

 

[AlanF1]

Now that Fiat do a proper autobox with a torque converter, rather than the Comfortmatic robotised box, I wondered what experience members may have of the new box as I'm very tempted to buy anew MH with it.
Your experience please.

We have the autobox mated to the 2.3 140 engine on our Burstner - superb gearbox in my humble opinion - makes for a very relaxing drive.

 

[Rodneyplonker]

Same as above.... seamless changes up and down. I thought the 140hp would be a bit sluggish with the auto but, no problem. Well impressed.

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

 

[danielf]

I have got a van conversion 140 with the 9speed automatic.

Brilliant so far , and very relaxing to drive. Better changes most of the time than my (elderly now) BMW.

Performance and economy is getting better now mine has nearly 4,000 miles on it ,!but there is one roundabout near me that seems to catch it out. Where it is tight so slow ,then opens up and is quick but uphill and it always changes up then realises and I get a moment of not much happening

But going up levelling ramps is so much easier …

Daniel

 

[Steve-N]

These gearboxes are 'world class' engineering.
ZF (properly called ZF Friedrichshafen) was originally known for making the drive systems for the Zeppelin airships and has a long history.

ZF which is actually Zahnradfabrik translates to 'Cog Wheel Factory'

The ZF group manufacture drive systems for cars, truck, buses, heavy construction, aviation and military sectors worldwide.

It is currently fitted by Honda (CRV), JLR RR Evouqe & Discovery Sport, also Jeep Nissan.
The box now used by Fiat is the 9HP which was first developed in conjunction with Land rover for its 4x4 drive train, the 9HP is the next generation of the 8HP (2007) and is considered to be very advanced and durable and rated at 480Nm !!

As long as Fiat don't dumb down or mess with the electronic ecu's it will be nothing less than superb and very reliable.

To sum up no one needs to have any reservations whatsoever about this gearbox

 

[Old Gibber]

I've had torque converter autos in cars nowfor quite a few years now and invariably found them great, even when towing caravans. My last motorhome was a Ford, and the auto box on that was first class. My new Ducato has the 9 speed auto and is very much on a par with any other auto I've driven. Plus the 160bhp engine in a PVC and it makes for a really good drive.

From experience though it takes quite some time for the engine and also the auto box to run in fully and get the real benefit of both. 6-8,000 miles seems to be the time taken. I was quite surprised about the auto box needing time to free off when my car dealer told me about it, but it does make sense.

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

 

[Al n Val]

I collect my 9sp ZF and 180bhp on 5th January and can’t wait tbh

It’s going straight to SAP Doncaster for everything fitting that I thinks needed, EV levellers, EB front legs, 450 watt Victron solar with 100-30 Smart controller, Victron 12/12/30 B2B, 2kw inverter and change over relay for 240v sockets and away we go hopefully for another 10 years

Al

 

[Lenny HB]

From experience though it takes quite some time for the engine and also the auto box to run in fully and get the real benefit of both. 6-8,000 miles seems to be the time taken

Fiat reckon on 15000 miles for the engine to be run in, that's why the Comformatic were a bit iffy when new as the box softwear was setup for a fully run in engine.

 

[Jamesh]

Interestingly the latest crafter has an auto box and not the dsg.

Perhaps because it's rwd?

I do like he dsg perhaps not quite as smooth as a true auto but perhaps it needs a oil change though.

Cheers James

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

 

[Old Gibber]

Fiat reckon on 15000 miles for the engine to be run in, that's why the Comformatic were a bit iffy when new as the box softwear was setup for a fully run in engine.

Thanks for that ray of sunshine. Never mind, something to look forward to in a couple of years.

 

[Guigsy]

the 9HP is the next generation of the 8HP (2007) and is considered to be very advanced and durable and rated at 480Nm !!

The 9HP is a good gearbox and it is newer design. But the 8HP is designed to sit behind a longitudinal engine where it has to squeeze into a drive train tunnel, so it has a compact diameter, it's mostly for rear wheel drives. The 9HP is designed to sit on the side of transverse engines, predominantly for front wheel drive where you've only got the width of the engine bay so it needs to be short. 8HP and 9HP are for different applications. 9HP won't replace the 8HP.

 

[SpeedyDux]

Good article on the 9HP... The 2014 implementation wasn't as good as what we've been seeing in the Ducato.

ZF's 9-Speed 9HP Transmission Puts Dog Clutches On The Leash

In a week we will post our first full review of the all-new and all-controversial 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The new Jeep isn’t just raising eyebrows for the love-it or hate-it styling. Or the resurrection of the Cherokee badge. Or the constant delays in production. Or the transverse mounted engine. Or...

www.thetruthaboutcars.com

A useful explanation. It appears that 5th gear is direct drive 1:1 and 6th through to 9th gear are all overdrive ratios.

With the ComfortMatic, is 6th direct drive?

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

 

[Lenny HB]

With the ComfortMatic, is 6th direct drive?

It's an overdrive the Comformatic is the manual gearbox with electrical & hydraulic operation.

 

[Orion]

Very useful information posted on here.

We have an Adria Compact with the 160 engine and the 9 speed auto on order for 2022 delivery and I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel. Had a VW Amarok permanent 4x4 with the 8 speed ZF auto for the past 11 years and found that a superb box - difficult to even detect changes without looking at the tacho. Wondering if the 9HP has the same selectable ‘Special’ mode that modifies the change profile to hold each gear for longer?

 

[Old Gibber]

Very useful information posted on here.

We have an Adria Compact with the 160 engine and the 9 speed auto on order for 2022 delivery and I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel. Had a VW Amarok permanent 4x4 with the 8 speed ZF auto for the past 11 years and found that a superb box - difficult to even detect changes without looking at the tacho. Wondering if the 9HP has the same selectable ‘Special’ mode that modifies the change profile to hold each gear for longer?

Mine has three modes. Power, Normal and Eco (read sluggish).

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

 

[Orion]

Mine has three modes. Power, Normal and Eco (read sluggish).

Thanks for the information. Does it also have the ‘pull to the side’ Tiptronic manual functions?

 

[Old Gibber]

Thanks for the information. Does it also have the ‘pull to the side’ Tiptronic manual functions?

Yes it does, all auto gearboxes have that feature, though in reality you'll never need it. My last 3 auto cars have had paddle shifts as well, and they are a totally redundant feature, never used them even when towing. Its automatic, its always in the right gear whatever the road.

 

[Orion]

Yes it does, all auto gearboxes have that feature, though in reality you'll never need it. My last 3 auto cars have had paddle shifts as well, and they are a totally redundant feature, never used them even when towing. Its automatic, its always in the right gear whatever the road.

Thanks. It’s something I have used off-road on the Amarok - especially when towing - but as you say, pretty much redundant on-road as the ZF is such a good box.

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

 

[dash300]

Yes it does, all auto gearboxes have that feature, though in reality you'll never need it. My last 3 auto cars have had paddle shifts as well, and they are a totally redundant feature, never used them even when towing. Its automatic, its always in the right gear whatever the road.

Ditto! Had them included for free on my Volvo, thought they might be useful. The only time I used them to effect was climbing a hill in snow with wheel slip which foxed the generally excellent Aisin8 speed box which kept changing up and stalled the engine. The paddle overide kept it in the right gear. Other than that one occasion in 8 years have I only used them out of curiosity. So pretty much pointless in my neck of the woods but they do make the steering wheel look natty!

 

[Al n Val]

Paddles are only for F1 cars or should be

I’ve had 3 lots on X3, M3 and XC60 and never used them

 

[Captain Birdseye]

We have the 9 speed auto box on our 2020 Pilote G781. Our previouse Pilote G740 had the robotised box.
The new box is fantastic by comparison and delivers better fuel consumption.

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

 

[Don Campbell]

ZF on my car and Comfortmatic on my Campscout. ZF changes more quickly and smoothly but Comfortmatic is fine as long as you don't floor the throttle and expect it to perform like a sports car. The Comfortmatic sometimes changes down too quickly on hills which is slightly annoying, but basically there's nothing wrong with it.

 

[Riftzoner]

Now that Fiat do a proper autobox with a torque converter, rather than the Comfortmatic robotised box, I wondered what experience members may have of the new box as I'm very tempted to buy anew MH with it.
Your experience please.

Yep, as stated by numerous others, it’s a ZF, it’s great auto box, we have it on our 2021 Pilote P696D Evidence. Initially I wasn’t happy with it as you simply couldn’t get the vehicle to drive up the levelling blocks & then trying to reverse out of this situation, the engine would rev sounding as if it was under load but go no where (very embarrassing). I eventually figured out by using the brake & throttle together sends the auto box into a fail safe mode for approximately 20-30 Seconds. So by using the handbrake & throttle gets around this issue.
However, Revelation! Lightbulb moment call it what you will, as with many 2021 Fiat Ducato based chassis this year, many where fitted with faulty particle filters, mine included. Once the filter was replaced the vehicle has been transformed & now rises onto the levelling blocks like a dream, no need to fiddle the handbrake, no further fail safe moments, heaven! Our family car is a BMW M-Sport with a ZF auto & it’s fantastic, I anticipate much the same firm the unit fitted in th3 Motorhome

 

[ghoster]

I have a 2021 Adria with a 140 hp engine with an Automatic gearbox and think that an automatic with cruise control on French motorways is the way to travel. Just wish it was adaptive cruise control as I have on my Škoda.

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