Joined the Comfortmatic failure club

[TheLifeofBrian]

A while ago I read a huge German forum post on the Comfortmatic system. It discussed a great many aspects of the system and potential problems. The thougt of putting in neutral at lights etc was discussed and said to be a good thing and would probably extend the life of the hydraulics. However. Someone used Mes to read the clutch position when in neutral or in a gear. The difference wasn't significant and the pressure in the system wasn't reduced. In other words there was no benefit to putting in neutral...

Yes that was the thread I was referring to.....

 

[dunnah01]

Di

I can certainly vouce for that, I had a 2019 Fiat with the 6 sp 'comfort-matic' and it failed at 10,800 mls, luckily for me, Fiat upheld my claim for a complete new gearbox and robotic actuator, but I then sold the van on, and ordered the same e van, but with the 9 sp 'proper' auto, and yes . . . It is a dream to drive, and with the newer 2.2 ltr engine easily returns 40+ mpg when motorway cruising.

For once, we'll done Fiat for finally realising the comfort-magic was a disaster !!!

Did they ever say whether it was the gearbox or the Comfortmatic that had the issues?

 

[Nick wright]

Our 3.0l Comfortmatic went berserk at about 25k, worked around it by a combination of restarting, resetting parameters with MES and using manual mode for about 20 more limp modes for the next 5k. Finally refused everything in southern Spain at around 30k. Luckily I limped to a motorwaty aire so could try all sort in MES. Managed to get 1st gear but wouldn't go into 2nd no matter what I did until I did the arnagedon ''clutch self-calibratuon enable' routine and voila, all gears and no limp modes or messages. I've done about 12k since then and no problems whatsoever. I've go the confidence back and no longer worry about the dreaded 'gear unavailable' message.

Help please how do I do a clutch self calibration routine. Regards nick

 

[dunnah01]

Help please how do I do a clutch self calibration routine. Regards nick

You need a copy of Multiecuscan and the OBD leads to connect to a laptop or Bluetooth dongle that covers your year of Ducato. Once connected to the gearbox ECU it's one of the options. Early models needed to drive about 300m but later models it's a static calibration

 

[Nick wright]

You need a copy of Multiecuscan and the OBD leads to connect to a laptop or Bluetooth dongle that covers your year of Ducato. Once connected to the gearbox ECU it's one of the options. Early models needed to drive about 300m but later models it's a static calibration

Shit I was hoping it be more simple than that. Regards nick

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

 

[dunnah01]

Shit I was hoping it be more simple than that. Regards nick

Like all modern cars, usually very quick and simple if you have the diagnostics but impossible of you don't

 

[gus-lopez]

why people are still buying vans with this auto init is beyond me ..

You could say the same about vehicles equpped with dpf, adblue, cats ,etc. The amount who are ,& have paid, huge amounts of money week after week to main dealers without the fault being corrected is mind boggling when you seem them on the O¡Reilly's dpf cleaning channel.Most of them are not fit for purpose & /or have built in mileage redundancy which should never be allowed .

 

[Just smiffy]

Help please how do I do a clutch self calibration routine. Regards nick

You could always have a jolly to Portsmouth and visit Adam’s Morey and have it done with the oil change for £150…

 

[Deafender]

We wanted an auto when we bought first time around, and ours was sold to us as such… we were blissfully unaware of some people’s Comfortmatic issues then, having never even heard of it before - and with a dealer warranty anyway, were not over-concerned once we found out about technical maladies with these things.

We found that on the open road, the Comfortmatic makes for a particularly nice cruise for us, but needs constant overriding on roundabouts and bends where you have to brake or slow down considerably to enter… very noticeable for us as we are based around Milton Keynes - somehow it always dropped the gear too early and caused high revving of the engine and engine braking which had to be overridden.

Ours hadn’t failed before that we know of, the MH was 2019 and at 18,500 miles when we purchased it in July last year.

In between Xmas and New Year we went down to Devon and, due to a local road closure, found ourselves diverted across the hills on a road with a few steep uphill and downhill hairpin bends, and again constantly overriding the Comfortmatic gear changes which again had the engine constantly revving very hard. It felt like harder work than driving a manual gearbox MH would have been…

It made that part of the trip a very unpleasant drive. Then, a few miles further on we came across a hunt, so we pulled in to have a cuppa and get some air watching the hunt - opened the door and wow, smell of burning clutch…

The smell soon dissipated and once the hunt was out of sight we finished up, this time Mrs D went in the cockpit and - by now knowing the reputation these things have, fired the MH up with expectation of Comfortmatic trouble… and it was working fine. Nevertheless after that experience we took it back to the dealer, who pronounced it to be in perfect order, not even needing any adjustment, which I had thought might be the case to reduce that early downshifting…

For us, that whole anticipation of trouble and driving experience is in itself a failure of this gear system. Last weekend we took the MH to the dealer for some completely unrelated warranty work, and on the way - across Milton Keynes and it’s numerous roundabouts - it was driving like a manual again, except with a manual I wouldn’t have had to constantly override the gears to stop the annoying revving and engine braking - and no Stirling Moss style driving either…

When we got there and waiting for our MH to be turned around in the workshop, we spoke to another couple who were looking at buying a used MH with Comfortmatic and asked what we thought… moral dilemma… my advice based on my personal experience had to be don’t… spend the extra on a full Auto.

And we’ve just done the same. We ended up leaving the MH there at the Dealership under a part-ex… We were in fairness seriously considering investing heavily in ours anyway, to overcome issues for ourselves personally… raising/fixing the bed for more stowage underneath, adding air suspension, full Lithium upgrade, bigger wheels, replacing the fridge and so on- but that whole Comfortmatic experience and anticipation of trouble would still be there after all that expense - so we’ve bitten the bullet and traded ours in after all… we’ve gone full Auto in a different used MH, though still for a Ducato PVC…

 

[MichaelT]

We wanted an auto when we bought first time around, and ours was sold to us as such… we were blissfully unaware of some people’s Comfortmatic issues then, having never even heard of it before - and with a dealer warranty anyway, were not over-concerned once we found out about technical maladies with these things.

We found that on the open road, the Comfortmatic makes for a particularly nice cruise for us, but needs constant overriding on roundabouts and bends where you have to brake or slow down considerably to enter… very noticeable for us as we are based around Milton Keynes - somehow it always dropped the gear too early and caused high revving of the engine and engine braking which had to be overridden.

Ours hadn’t failed before that we know of, the MH was 2019 and at 18,500 miles when we purchased it in July last year.

In between Xmas and New Year we went down to Devon and, due to a local road closure, found ourselves diverted across the hills on a road with a few steep uphill and downhill hairpin bends, and again constantly overriding the Comfortmatic gear changes which again had the engine constantly revving very hard. It felt like harder work than driving a manual gearbox MH would have been…

It made that part of the trip a very unpleasant drive. Then, a few miles further on we came across a hunt, so we pulled in to have a cuppa and get some air watching the hunt - opened the door and wow, smell of burning clutch…

The smell soon dissipated and once the hunt was out of sight we finished up, this time Mrs D went in the cockpit and - by now knowing the reputation these things have, fired the MH up with expectation of Comfortmatic trouble… and it was working fine. Nevertheless after that experience we took it back to the dealer, who pronounced it to be in perfect order, not even needing any adjustment, which I had thought might be the case to reduce that early downshifting…

For us, that whole anticipation of trouble and driving experience is in itself a failure of this gear system. Last weekend we took the MH to the dealer for some completely unrelated warranty work, and on the way - across Milton Keynes and it’s numerous roundabouts - it was driving like a manual again, except with a manual I wouldn’t have had to constantly override the gears to stop the annoying revving and engine braking - and no Stirling Moss style driving either…

When we got there and waiting for our MH to be turned around in the workshop, we spoke to another couple who were looking at buying a used MH with Comfortmatic and asked what we thought… moral dilemma… my advice based on my personal experience had to be don’t… spend the extra on a full Auto.

And we’ve just done the same. We ended up leaving the MH there at the Dealership under a part-ex… We were in fairness seriously considering investing heavily in ours anyway, to overcome issues for ourselves personally… raising/fixing the bed for more stowage underneath, adding air suspension, full Lithium upgrade, bigger wheels, replacing the fridge and so on- but that whole Comfortmatic experience and anticipation of trouble would still be there after all that expense - so we’ve bitten the bullet and traded ours in after all… we’ve gone full Auto in a different used MH, though still for a Ducato PVC…

On the 2 we owned I never had to use manual or override it, just let it do what it needed.

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

 

[Minxy]

On the 2 we owned I never had to use manual or override it, just let it do what it needed.

Same here, we've never had to resort to manual ever, something definitely wrong with the MH.

 

[Pausim]

We wanted an auto when we bought first time around, and ours was sold to us as such… we were blissfully unaware of some people’s Comfortmatic issues then, having never even heard of it before - and with a dealer warranty anyway, were not over-concerned once we found out about technical maladies with these things.

We found that on the open road, the Comfortmatic makes for a particularly nice cruise for us, but needs constant overriding on roundabouts and bends where you have to brake or slow down considerably to enter… very noticeable for us as we are based around Milton Keynes - somehow it always dropped the gear too early and caused high revving of the engine and engine braking which had to be overridden.

Ours hadn’t failed before that we know of, the MH was 2019 and at 18,500 miles when we purchased it in July last year.

In between Xmas and New Year we went down to Devon and, due to a local road closure, found ourselves diverted across the hills on a road with a few steep uphill and downhill hairpin bends, and again constantly overriding the Comfortmatic gear changes which again had the engine constantly revving very hard. It felt like harder work than driving a manual gearbox MH would have been…

It made that part of the trip a very unpleasant drive. Then, a few miles further on we came across a hunt, so we pulled in to have a cuppa and get some air watching the hunt - opened the door and wow, smell of burning clutch…

The smell soon dissipated and once the hunt was out of sight we finished up, this time Mrs D went in the cockpit and - by now knowing the reputation these things have, fired the MH up with expectation of Comfortmatic trouble… and it was working fine. Nevertheless after that experience we took it back to the dealer, who pronounced it to be in perfect order, not even needing any adjustment, which I had thought might be the case to reduce that early downshifting…

For us, that whole anticipation of trouble and driving experience is in itself a failure of this gear system. Last weekend we took the MH to the dealer for some completely unrelated warranty work, and on the way - across Milton Keynes and it’s numerous roundabouts - it was driving like a manual again, except with a manual I wouldn’t have had to constantly override the gears to stop the annoying revving and engine braking - and no Stirling Moss style driving either…

When we got there and waiting for our MH to be turned around in the workshop, we spoke to another couple who were looking at buying a used MH with Comfortmatic and asked what we thought… moral dilemma… my advice based on my personal experience had to be don’t… spend the extra on a full Auto.

And we’ve just done the same. We ended up leaving the MH there at the Dealership under a part-ex… We were in fairness seriously considering investing heavily in ours anyway, to overcome issues for ourselves personally… raising/fixing the bed for more stowage underneath, adding air suspension, full Lithium upgrade, bigger wheels, replacing the fridge and so on- but that whole Comfortmatic experience and anticipation of trouble would still be there after all that expense - so we’ve bitten the bullet and traded ours in after all… we’ve gone full Auto in a different used MH, though still for a Ducato PVC…

Rather surprised by your comments concerning Comfortmatic gear changes. Changing down automatically to employ engine braking is what an automatic is supposed to do. I never found the need to override it by using manual. I now have a 9 speed automatic and again it changes down to employ engine braking, usually triggered by a touch on the brakes. The 9 speed is a nicer gearbox but they are both full automatics, they just do it in different ways.

Your new automatic will probably have a smart alternator. The engine braking is when it charges the battery and recovers the energy that would otherwise be lost to brake heat and wear, so I suggest you let the auto do what it has been set up to do and just ease up a bit on the brake pressure.

 

[dunnah01]

And here - gearing and change points seems about right although I sometimes use the UP button when it gets a bit hilly.

 

[SVMC15]

I have a manual and I change down a gear, or two for sharp bends and steep hills.

 

[ChrisL]

I've never had the "pleasure?" Of driving with a comformatic gearbox, but I did drive a 7.5 tonne ISUZU truck with a robotic gearbox for several years, it never broke down but it was a horrible driving experience, especially at roundabouts, where as you pulled onto the roundabout it would contemplate the nature of the universe for a while before changing gear, you had to put it into manual at every roundabout or junction pulling into traffic otherwise you stood a very good chance of being T boned. I wouldn't consider a robotic gearbox on any vehicle I owned, be it comformatic, sprintshift or other.

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

 

[Neilh]

We had a 2.3 180hp comformatic, our experience was that it was fine on flat ground, even slightly hilly, but as soon as the terrain got steeper it was an absolute dog!
If left in auto it wouldn’t change down early enough, it would change up a gear at the bottom, just before you needed a low gear to climb, it would then take ages to change down, such that the revs dropped. On two occasions it stalled.
The only way to drive on hills was in manual.

Laika Ecovip was a good van, spoilt by an awful gearbox, it’s gone thank goodness.

Neil

 

[MichaelT]

We had a 2.3 180hp comformatic, our experience was that it was fine on flat ground, even slightly hilly, but as soon as the terrain got steeper it was an absolute dog!
If left in auto it wouldn’t change down early enough, it would change up a gear at the bottom, just before you needed a low gear to climb, it would then take ages to change down, such that the revs dropped. On two occasions it stalled.
The only way to drive on hills was in manual.

Laika Ecovip was a good van, spoilt by an awful gearbox, it’s gone thank goodness.

Neil

That's what the UP button is for,, went all over alps and pyrenees in ours with no problem using said button.

 

[rb62]

Just for a change from the doom and gloom about Comfortmatic gearboxes I can only say that having driven 30,000 miles in the last three years in our 3.0 ltr 5.5t Carthago with a Comfortmatic gearbox that it was a pleasure to drive and we never had a single problem,fluid changed and recalibration at Adams Morey.

 

[Lenny HB]

Our previous two vans were Comformatics, did over 75,000 miles in them without any problems. Last one was 150hp 4.5t done loads of mountains never a problem, just remember to use the up button in hilly areas. Always drove it in auto mode, never needed manual.

 

[lorger]

On the 2 we owned I never had to use manual or override it, just let it do what it needed.

Same here, we've never had to resort to manual ever, something definitely wrong with the MH.

Same here, never touch it apart from putting in neutral and back into gear and alls fine so far.

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

 

[Just smiffy]

Two comfortmatics in 9years, 2.2 aclass and 3lt pvc only ever had to go into to manual on tight uphill bends in the mountains…

I have to say the 3ltr is a dream to drive and much better then the 2.2, it’s just so much more sure of itself and I think better mated to the comfortmatic, 138 thousand miles now and still drives like new…

 

[Neilh]

Two comfortmatics in 9years, 2.2 aclass and 3lt pvc only ever had to go into to manual on tight uphill bends in the mountains…

I have to say the 3ltr is a dream to drive and much better then the 2.2, it’s just so much more sure of itself and I think better mated to the comfortmatic, 138 thousand miles now and still drives like new…

Long may that continue.