Help, fright with Ducato comformatic after longish drive....

[Grimsbygranny]

2014 Ducato with comformatic gearbox.
Just driven back from Ashbourne on the motorways with no problems, then at the end of the slip road (as I accelerated away to go round the roundabout) as the comformatic was trying to go up the gears, the rev counter went mad and the engine roared it eventually settled down but happened each time I slowed or accelerated, and I was terrified!!! Got home eventually but the nearest Fiat garage can't even look at it until July 25th, so thought I would ask you clever people for yr input as to what I should do.....
Does euro 5 ducato comformatic go into limp mode?
Is it safe to drive?

 

[Phill D]

If in limp mode the engine revs will be limited to around 1700rpm so the rev counter goi g mad does not sound right.

If it is revving high but not getting through to the gearbox or wheels then more likely the clutch is slipping.

 

[Grimsbygranny]

Yes, that sounds like what might be happening, ie clutch slipping. It also ' clunks' when changing down and revs when changing up, does both things in manual mode, too. It certainly sounds and feels quite ' poorly' so might have to stay on the drive for now...

 

[Lenny HB]

Sounds like the clutch to me as well, if it behaves when it's cold and gets worse when hot a good sign it's the clutch.

 

[gus-lopez]

Isn't there such a thing as an ecu clutch"relearn"? When it hoes out of adjustment?

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[Landy Andy]

Sounds like a clutch problem as it is a poor excuse of an automatic not a proper one. I’d take out for a drive and see how it behaves. You may just find it had all got too hot

 

[Grimsbygranny]

Can I ask if there is a solution to 'it getting too hot' as it behaved as normal on Monday on the way to the garage . Do I need to stop every few miles? Add some coolant somewhere? Something else?
TIA
Chris

 

[Lenny HB]

If it is the clutch if it starts slipping a little bit it will quickly get very hot, then slip a lot more.
If it is the clutch only cure is a new clutch.

 

[PDrill]

Maybe you should use the manual mode and rather low gears / high revs if you need to drive it, that should prevent the clutch from slipping if that's the case here. And be easy on the throttle specially right after changing to higher gear.

 

[donkey]

My Smart car had a similar arrangement and quite often when it was changing down, at roundabouts for instance, and I then hit the accelerator, it would get confused, resulting in a lurch or two. I got to know when and drove accordingly.

Geoff

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[M1EWK]

Had a similar problem a while back. There is a separate hydraulic fluid reservoir that is used by the comfortmatic system. This is not the same as the clutch master cylinder and uses a different type of fluid. Ours developed a leak and resulted in very notchy gear changes and often changing down twice causing high revs. Topping the fluid up immediately resolved the problem but I had to get it done at a fiat dealer as it is a special fluid. If it is this then the cause of the leak will need finding.

 

[Wildbill]

Had a similar problem a while back. There is a separate hydraulic fluid reservoir that is used by the comfortmatic system. This is not the same as the clutch master cylinder and uses a different type of fluid. Ours developed a leak and resulted in very notchy gear changes and often changing down twice causing high revs. Topping the fluid up immediately resolved the problem but I had to get it done at a fiat dealer as it is a special fluid. If it is this then the cause of the leak will need finding.

transmision fluid i was going to mention that but you beet me to it i had a simler problem with a truck i had it was the trque convertor.
bill

 

[CWH]

Another potential reason for the semi-limp, slippy gears feeling, is the computer managing the Comfortmatic robotised gearbox going into "blue screen of non-co-operation mode". When this happens, the usual 'switch it off, remove the key, wait a while, switch it back on' routine can allow the computer to re-set itself. This may be what's happened with yours Chris, as you say it's recovered from its little hissy fit. If it ever happens again, 5 or 10 minutes at the side of the road should be long enough for a re--set.

 

[joe and sue]

Another potential reason for the semi-limp, slippy gears feeling, is the computer managing the gearbox going into "blue screen of non-co-operation mode". When this happens, the usual 'switch it off, remove the key, wait a while, switch it back on' routine can allow the computer to re-set itself. This may be what's happened with yours Chris, as you say it's recovered from its little hissy fit. If it ever happens again, 5 or 10 minutes at the side of the road should be long enough for a re--set.

Did not know that Comfortmatic gearboxes were made by Microsoft !!

 

[CWH]

Did not know that Comfortmatic gearboxes were made by Microsoft !!

"Other computer manufacturers are available"

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[Mr Trekker]

Mine sometimes does drops a few gears a revs hard when dropping out of cruise control, normally sorts itself out after a few seconds.

 

[Grimsbygranny]

Thanks everyone, its in one of the local trusted garages ATM, and they rang today to say it need a new clutch.
I will pop in tomorrow and show them your responses, so thanks for them all, and something might be useful, or that they have't thought of.....

 

[Grimsbygranny]

If it is the clutch if it starts slipping a little bit it will quickly get very hot, then slip a lot more.
If it is the clutch only cure is a new clutch.

Thanks, Lenny, that's what the garage thinks...

 

[IRHP]

transmision fluid i was going to mention that but you beet me to it i had a simler problem with a truck i had it was the trque convertor.
bill

Comfortmatic has no torque converter.

 

[Tony50]

Can I ask if there is a solution to 'it getting too hot' as it behaved as normal on Monday on the way to the garage . Do I need to stop every few miles? Add some coolant somewhere? Something else?
TIA
Chris

I would have thought if the clutch is slipping you would have a horrible smell as when it slips it gets really hot

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