First run out and disaster! (1 Viewer)

May 28, 2021
105
220
Essex
Funster No
81,560
MH
Autosleeper
We bought out first motorhome on 4th July. I was very excited, drove it home and straight to the storage compound. Started planning our holidays but first needed to get a gas system fitted and a reversing camera as neither of us are used to driving without a rear view. We finally found someone in Worthing who could fit us in 26th July.
Decided to take her out for a little run today. She started fine but after about 6/7 miles the Check engine warning light came up in yellow, and the van lost all power. We had to 'limp home' to the storage compound. I phoned the dealers we bought her from and they said if we could get her there they'd look at it, but it is 80miles away. They said turn off engine, lock up and leave for 10 mins, then try to restart. Didn't make a difference. We have a warranty, insurance type, so they said take it to dealer near us and then claim. I think as it is first time out dealer should be responsible for picking it up and repairing it, but my husband now has no confidence in the dealer so would rather someone else repair it.
Van is autosleeper Broadway on Peugeot base( Ford engine) 2012. Has done 16000 miles and was serviced at dealer before we bought it. Any advice welcome, please.
 
Mar 30, 2019
2,762
5,130
Cardiff, UK
Funster No
59,476
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2016
It's horrible when things go wrong with a new vehicle 🥺. I might be inclined to get a friendly local garage or mobile guy to come to the van with a plug in device to analyse the fault, then go from there. You could always bill it to the dealer.
 
Sep 29, 2019
2,999
6,924
Funster No
64,846
MH
Hymer Exsis
Exp
20 years
It’s the dealers problem, the insurance warranty company may well even refuse to pay as clearly less than a month since purchase, it shouldn’t have an issue.

If it helps, mine was a simple temperature sensor, £130 later from Fiat just for the part and a 10 minute fitting job. What I am saying is don’t despair, they are often simple repairs and it should provide years of happy memories.

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PP Bear

LIFE MEMBER
Apr 5, 2013
7,735
28,138
Kent, UK
Funster No
25,395
MH
Auto Trail Dakota SE
Exp
2012
Do you have breakdown cover?

Bit naughty but go somewhere and call them out. If it’s a recovery job, then back to the dealer to sort.

If they fix it then happy days. If not, then they can tell you the fault before recovery.
 

TheBig1

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 27, 2011
17,509
42,755
Dorset
Funster No
19,048
MH
A class
Exp
many many years! since I was a kid
I would recommend taking it to a peugeot commercial garage and ensure it has had the ECU updated per the recall on that engine. They will be the best first point of call and the insurance based warranty should cover the cost. Remember that most dealers are not garages and just farm out service and warranty work anyway. Lancing commercials is likely your nearest suitable garage
 

suavecarve

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 18, 2009
7,446
38,668
Surrey/Hants
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8,035
MH
Rollerteam 685
Exp
July 09
I cant remember what the issue was with our van, but we limped in then I went on to You tube and turned the key pressed the brake and did a 360 or whatever it was they recommended and hey ho it fixed itself out of limp mode.

I tell that as a story, not advice.

Whatever it was it was unbelievably minor and i now have one of those machines that tells me what it is if something were to go wrong and I can reset.

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Oct 10, 2018
1,958
1,098
Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex
Funster No
56,646
MH
PVC
Exp
Since 2005
I think Carolina is Essex based and was going to Worthing on the 26 th July for extras to be fitted, I would insist the dealer that sold me the van sorted out getting it fixed regardless of the insurance based warranty. Could recovery take it to Worthing (If the garage there will except it for extra repair work) and then bill the dealer. ?
 
Dec 24, 2014
9,033
46,423
Hurstpierpoint. Mid Sussex.
Funster No
34,553
MH
Compass Navigator
Exp
Ever since lighting was by Calor gas.
Rotten luck.
You probably realise it but you don't need a m/h dealer just a Peugeot/Ford garage near you who can diagnose and fix the fault.
Yes, the dealer 'should' deal with it but if the warranty insurer is happy for you to take it elsewhere that's what I'd do. They may come out and fix it for you to save driving to them. Depending upon the expertise/facilities of the original dealer he may just take it to another garage to be fixed anyway.
Besides, I assume you'll need a local garage for servicing etc. so it'll give you a contact and you will be able to assess their competence/service (at the insurer's cost) for the future.
 
Last edited:

phillipsheila

Free Member
Jun 23, 2020
1,356
3,340
Swansea, Wales, UK
Funster No
72,143
MH
autotrail 660se
Exp
since 2000. 18 motorhomes and counting
I cant remember what the issue was with our van, but we limped in then I went on to You tube and turned the key pressed the brake and did a 360 or whatever it was they recommended and hey ho it fixed itself out of limp mode.

I tell that as a story, not advice.

Whatever it was it was unbelievably minor and i now have one of those machines that tells me what it is if something were to go wrong and I can reset.
I did the same on our camper and it worked for me also.

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Apr 19, 2019
2,273
4,765
Funster No
60,021
MH
Carado T339
Exp
5 years
There was me thinking this was a cricket post :LOL:

Hope it all goes ok. Sure it will be nothing major
 
Aug 2, 2017
710
671
South Kent Coast.
Funster No
49,791
MH
C Class
Exp
Since 2004
It’s known as Sod’s Law. You get things like this happen when taking ownership of a new or second hand motorhome and once sorted you can normally get back to enjoying your new life on 4 or 6 wheels. Hope you get it sorted quickly so can enjoy the rest of the summer.

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OP
OP
C
May 28, 2021
105
220
Essex
Funster No
81,560
MH
Autosleeper
Thanks for all the advice.
Hope we can get it sorted quickly so we can get it to Worthing to get gas fitted, or it'll be a while until we can get another appointment. Husband is looking on you tube for limp mode but solutions are beyond his expertise. ( which is zero! 😎😁) Will ring a recommended commercial repairer tomorrow, for diagnosis. Hope we can get it there or they can come out to van at storage. We are having a cool drink now, calm us down and cool us down too.
 
Jul 26, 2019
361
3,687
Fife, UK
Funster No
62,712
MH
McLoius Fusion
Exp
Since 2019
Was it just serviced before you got the van? My son’ car was serviced recently and though he had used it a couple times on short journeys to work without issue, he then went to drive up north and was about 50 miles into his journey when he got the engine warning light, loss of some power etc. He was close to where we were staying so swung by so that we could have a look. Turns out the new air filter hadn’t been fitted in properly. Luckily, he was able to get the cover off so that he could lift the filter out and put it back in properly. Similar had happened to us following getting a 2 year old car which had been just been serviced. A bracket holding a rubber hose hadn’t been put back in place. This caused loss of power and engine lights etc coming on. Might be worth having a look or getting someone who knows something about engines having a look.
 
Aug 2, 2017
710
671
South Kent Coast.
Funster No
49,791
MH
C Class
Exp
Since 2004
If it helps - a very large number of times that cars and motorhomes go into limp mode is due to software problems and not engine problems. My new Vauxhall company car shortly before I retired was constantly going into limp mode and I had to wait weeks for Vauxhall's to write new engine software to address the problem. Like a home computer just turning the car off rebooted the software and back to normal sometimes but not every time. Maybe a visit to a Fiat Professional Garage and getting them to reinstall the engine software with any updates may overcome the problem.

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Last edited:

Realist

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 4, 2018
1,746
2,660
Wales last time I checked.
Funster No
57,061
MH
Caravan: Buccaneer
Exp
Caravan before 2000 / Motorhome From 2018 to 22 / Now Caravan again.
Have you disconnected the battery for a few minutes to reset the fault.
 
Sep 10, 2013
1,186
18,688
Chelmsford Essex
Funster No
28,027
MH
C Class
Exp
Getting better
You just need someone to plug a code reader into the opd port It’s odds on to be an issue with emissions control equipment as with that very low mileage in the past nearly ten years the emissions stuff can and does get gummed up.

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Realist

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 4, 2018
1,746
2,660
Wales last time I checked.
Funster No
57,061
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Caravan: Buccaneer
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Caravan before 2000 / Motorhome From 2018 to 22 / Now Caravan again.
Just disconnect the battery and reset it and take it back to your dealer to fix.
 

Jamesh

Free Member
Jun 28, 2020
2,200
3,839
Funster No
72,388
MH
Van conversion
Exp
Caravaning since 2010
If you reset the battery will you not wipe the codes making it harder to get a diagnosis??

Just a thought.

Cheers James
 
OP
OP
C
May 28, 2021
105
220
Essex
Funster No
81,560
MH
Autosleeper
It was serviced in September I think, have papers., but it hadn't done many miles since then. I was so excited planning and arranging trips for after gas is fitted. I have signed up for rally on here.
Now I've lost my enthusiasm and really disappointed with the van. I'll be ringing garage tomorrow so hopefully I'll be feeling better about it then:unsure:

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phillipsheila

Free Member
Jun 23, 2020
1,356
3,340
Swansea, Wales, UK
Funster No
72,143
MH
autotrail 660se
Exp
since 2000. 18 motorhomes and counting
Try not to panic . I am sure things are going to be ok . I do totally understand your worries and fears but I have a feeling this will be an easy fix 👍🏻
Please don’t loose enthusiasm ❤️
Quite alot of us have had problems please dont get disheartened as Swifter said. There are many friends on here.
 

Caggsie1

Free Member
Sep 2, 2013
967
4,538
North Wales
Funster No
27,897
MH
Hobby
Exp
Since 2008
We’ve been plagued with problems with ours recently, it really makes you lose confidence. This was so bad I was ready to throw in the towel. Shoddy workmanship meant van was back and to to the repairers, then on returning from Cornwall in May van went into limp mode, luckily we’d just got off the m5 at our interim overnighter when van went into limp mode. Hubby was low loaded home, it was the alternator. All got sorted, next journey van went into limp mode again back to garage they couldn’t find anything wrong with it advised Italian service but also to use some diesel supplement like redex. We’ve used it and things seem to be ok, fingers crossed. All other jobs in the end had been done to Our satisfaction. We’re now in Dorset and the van internal bits and engine have work faultlessly. Confidence resumed. Defo, if not already got it, get breakdown cover, our van is now 8 years old, had since new and we’ve had to use the service at least 5 times, only once for a serious issue. Other times we hadn’t got out of the storage compound. My point, albeit longwinded, stick with it, it will come right in the end and confidence will be restored.

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Dec 2, 2010
1,059
2,318
Hollywood, Birmingham.
Funster No
14,595
MH
A Class Laika
Exp
Since 2011
I cant remember what the issue was with our van, but we limped in then I went on to You tube and turned the key pressed the brake and did a 360 or whatever it was they recommended and hey ho it fixed itself out of limp mode.

I tell that as a story, not advice.

Whatever it was it was unbelievably minor and i now have one of those machines that tells me what it is if something were to go wrong and I can reset.
 
Jul 6, 2009
1,747
2,094
Funster No
7,383
SometImes but not always a random fault will send the van into limp mode, but if the fault does not repeat itself after 6 restarts the eml will extinguis. Even if you disconnect the battery the ecu will remember the fault and a diagnostic reader will see it. We had an intermittent problem for a long time that could not be found. But after a few restarts the light would go off and there was no fault code stored. Turned out to be very slight corrosion on the plug that goes into the fuel rail.

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