Terrible unusable Fiat Ducato speedo design (1 Viewer)

[ToBoldlyGo]

We're just back from our first trip to the continent, and as I left the chunnel and reached our first 50km/hr I was appalled to find the km/hr speedo marks are ... dark red on black .. have the designers not heard of accessibility?

I looked at my Honda hatchback by contrast and its dial is black on white.

I just find it unfathomable that in the 21st century a child of 8 could design better than dark red font on black background.

Ours is a euro 4 model, is the speedo better on more recent vehicles?

 

[Lenny HB]

You could replace the dial with one from they have km in white.

 

[2657]

Or just stick to 30 mph

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[Larrynwin]

Or just stick to 30 mph

In a 20 mph limit

 

[mike mcglynn]

Hi, we had the same problem and the simple fix was to write a comparison chart and stick it on the top of the dash in front of the driver

 

[Clarky]

Use a sat-nav as a speedo. Mount it on the dash, closer to the eye line, and set it to MPH or KPH.
More accurate than the built in speedo too.

Richard.

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[DiggerJon]

Use a sat-nav as a speedo. Mount it on the dash, closer to the eye line, and set it to MPH or KPH.
More accurate than the built in speedo too.

Richard.

A question of having to in my Ford Transit based MH as the instruments are totally unreadable in most conditions being buried at the bottom of a dark tunnel where my eyes cannot adjust quickly enough from bright outside to tunnel gloom - and putting the lights on doesn't help either!

 

[Lenny HB]

I put the kmh dial back in mine very easy to read kmh more difficult on mph as there ain't none.

 

[Lenny HB]

You could always fit a cheap head up display.

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[CazPaul]

You shouldn't have to do this though, messing about with alterations for something so basic that an idiot could design better.
my mistake, an idiot did design it.

 

[Waveski]

I use a free app on my iphone mounted on the dash. Gives huge clear speeds in either mph or kph. Checked against my Audi cars digital speedo and it is spot on. I use it in Uk and Europe; virtually given up with the 2017 Fiat speedo which reads about 5mph high at a true 70mph!!! But only if you can read it!! But hey it’s a van speedo....do white van drivers bother with them????

 

[Larrynwin]

Totally agree, our 2016 Fiat Hymer speedo is not readable in bright sunlight even after the fiat update.

2018, we’ve had men on the moon , self driving cars self parking cars etc etc but mighty Fiat cannot produce a readable speedometer, itll be the square wheel next

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[Larby]

Totally agree, our 2016 Fiat Hymer speedo is not readable in bright sunlight even after the fiat update.

2018, we’ve had men on the moon , self driving cars self parking cars etc etc but mighty Fiat cannot produce a readable speedometer, itll be the square wheel next

Then no need for a hand brake

 

[Larrynwin]

Then no need for a hand brake

Handbrake ???

 

[SpeedyDux]

Totally agree, our 2016 Fiat Hymer speedo is not readable in bright sunlight even after the fiat update.

2018, we’ve had men on the moon , self driving cars self parking cars etc etc but mighty Fiat cannot produce a readable speedometer, itll be the square wheel next

Last week I had a 2008 Fiat Panda loan car from the dealer. It was a quite horrible car in many ways, but the speedometer was big and very easy to read. Excellent in 2008, so why is the X290 speedometer such cr&p? What idiot signed off this bad design?

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[Larrynwin]

Last week I had a 2008 Fiat Panda loan car from the dealer. It was a quite horrible car in many ways, but the speedometer was big and very easy to read. Excellent in 2008, so why is the X290 speedometer such cr&p? What idiot signed off this bad design?

It beggars belief and makes you wonder if it is strictly legal , a speedometer must work although I’m not sure if it is in the MOT checklist , but if it must work , being readable should also be a must.

 

[tonyidle]

Given the accuracy of Fiat speedos as long as you can see the needle is in correct quadrant it'll be near enough .

 

[gerry mcg]

It beggars belief and makes you wonder if it is strictly legal , a speedometer must work although I’m not sure if it is in the MOT checklist , but if it must work , being readable should also be a must.

the OP has trouble with the speedo legibility in KPH and not in MPH - and since the MOT is a UK reg... and we use MPH, it would be an MOT pass anyway

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[Larrynwin]

the OP has trouble with the speedo legibility in KPH and not in MPH - and since the MOT is a UK reg... and we use MPH, it would be an MOT pass anyway

My point was that my fiat mph speedometer is impossible to read in bright sunlight even following the fiat modification and whether it is legal in uk to be unreadable.

 

[Simon Richardson]

Use a sat-nav as a speedo. Mount it on the dash, closer to the eye line, and set it to MPH or KPH.
More accurate than the built in speedo too.

Richard.

I do this - one reason being I can't see the bloody speedo without my readers, and I can't drive in them!

 

[Dilbert]

I do this - one reason being I can't see the bloody speedo without my readers, and I can't drive in them!

I got varifocals plain at the top and the reading bit on the bottom, caused by years of writing on tachodiscs.. Then went over to digi tacho above the windscreen and had to take the glasses off to see that. Still wear them now to see speedo etc.

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[Zains Pops]

Another vote for sat nav speedo, my Garmin gives speed limit and actual in mph or Kph if you prefer, it also makes a noise if I’m over the limit. Much better than OEM Ford system

 

[Simon Richardson]

I got varifocals plain at the top and the reading bit on the bottom, caused by years of writing on tachodiscs.. Then went over to digi tacho above the windscreen and had to take the glasses off to see that. Still wear them now to see speedo etc.

Tried that - made everything below the waist look massive.

Sadly only my knees and feet.

 

[Puddleduck]

Another vote for sat nav speedo, my Garmin gives speed limit and actual in mph or Kph if you prefer, it also makes a noise if I’m over the limit. Much better than OEM Ford system

We have an annoying voice reading out speeds and speed limits from the sat nag ......... yes, it's me if he is driving and him if I am behind the wheel.

I agree that the FIAT design is rubbish.

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[2657]

Been driving abroad for around 30 years and never felt the need for a speedo in KPH, not difficult to remember the conversions.

I've had a 250 Ducato for 3 years now and never even noticed the KPH dial, agree about the satnav for accurate speeds though.......in MPH

 

[Bailey58]

Never thought about the unreadable KPH until we got to Norway where the limits are lower and more critical. I did the maths and jotted them on a scrap of paper so when we hit a 70/60/50/40/30 kph sign my wife tells me what I should be doing. I shall come up with a better solution when we get home.

 

[macscrooge]

I’ve just tried to memorise certain speeds as the MPH equivalents. Aided by a comparison chart on the windscreen.

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[Newfie]

I got one of these shows speed in mph & kph on the windscreen. Only downside not the best in direct sun light
Amazon product ASIN B00KZPN6UQ

 

[Speve]

Get yourself one of these.

 

[Stewart J]

I own a 2017 Fiat based Hymer, speedo visibility is abysmal, built in sat nav displays speed but font is small and needs a good stare at, purchased a stand alone gps speedo not cheap but nor is a French speeding ticket.

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