FIAT 5TH GEAR

[Guest russell williams]

h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

[Guest Jules]

I really look forward to Clives post. Whatever we buy it will not be a Fiat. This is very low mileage to encounter problems, if it were a car I would deliver it back through the showroom window. Jules

[Guest Bill]

Several people have pointed out, in similar threads, that Ducatos account for about 85% of the motorhome population "so they can't be all that bad". But has anybody noticed how small there penetration is in the commercial van market? Maybe the commercial operators know something we don't?

[Guest Docted]

At less than 14K miles at 4 years old this sounds more like "motorhome under use" where the van breaks down because it is not used often enough. The 5th gear in this generation of Ducato is offset from the rest of the gears which can result in lack of lubrication if it is not used very often. Russell in the circumstances try Fiat for a goodwill contribution if you have got a full Fiat service history on the van; you may be fortunate. Bill your commrnt re lack of penetration in the commercial market may be true where you live but definitely not where I live where local authorities seem to have Ducatos coming out of their other ends.This is echoed in regular motroway journeys where there are always many to be seen. Docted

[Guest RUSSELL WILLIAMS]

hi thanks for the replies.docted first of all I made a mistake on the age of my van its 3 years old, as for the milege.its used at least 4 times a week as its my only mode of trasport. I live in a village its 4 miles to the nearest dual carageway, the only time i ever get to use 5 th gear.I am aware of the 5th gear being out side the main box.my van is never put into 5th gear for at least this time, even when we go of on or trips,i always stick to the info given in the mmm some time ago.I hope to get a file on how many other people its hapend to.its time fiat come clean on this problem. regards russell.

[Guest Dave]

Not penetrated the commercial market. As in ambulances perhaps ??

[Guest russell williams]

hi can see its a waste of time asking for help on this forum. I am not concerned about ambulances. All I was hoping to gather some more cases to put to fiat.thanks for the other e mails.I now have found a forum that other motorcaravans can talk to each other this is very bad news will we ever stand together, and sort out problems with or motorhomes/motorcaeavans.

[Guest RayJ]

Russel, Just because most converters use Fiat underpinnings doesn't necessarily make them 'Alright'. They are cheap certainly,say compared to a Mercedes chassis cab.And with all the Posts that appear on this and other M/H forums about the dubious quality of Fiat Gearboxes I think that Fiat deserve a good 'Kick up the xxxx'. at least until they admit the problem, put out a 'Free Recall & Repair' which because M/H's do less mileage than the average 'White Van Man' is Extended to at Least 3 Years after first Registration(in this Country)No matter which Country the original chassis cab was Supplied to.Until all this happens,I wouldn't touch a Sevel produced vehicle with a 'ten foot bargepole'(and by the way I own a Talbot !!)RayJ

[Guest Bill]

Dave In my part of the world (NW Surrey) the ambulances are mostly Sprinters and American Fords, with just a few Renaults. Russell I'm sure you'd like ammunition to bash Fiat with, and there's plenty around - though from what I hear Fiat are just not interested. And I would dispute that the experiences of non-MH users of these chassis are irrelevant. While I fully realise that Fiat are about £2K cheaper than Merc, I am amazed that people spending £60K+ on a MH should quibble about £2K to get a decent base. Talk about spoiling the ship for a hap'orth of tar!

[Guest Andy]

Fiat fifth gear failures crop up regularly in MMM Interchange sections beginning on pages given: Dec 02 p163/Jun 03 p191/Dec 03 p185/Jun 04 P231/Aug 04 p227

[Guest RUSSELL WILLIAMS]

hi thanks andy thats what I was looking for I have so many mags of MMM it would take me weeks to find thanks if any one is or has problems with 5th gear.I had some good info on www.motorhomefacts.com.I have no wish to have a slaging match with some of the reply's I have had but I will note there names and wait untill it hapens to them. thanks again russell.

[Guest Clive]

Have a look at below from another forum. 95% of dammage of the broken 5th gearwheles are coming from mh... as a statistic made from FIAT. Cause is most overloading vehicle. In Germany we have mh. with 8,10m lenght, double rear axle and 5t. weight... The 3,85t Q18 chassis have in the past the " short " 5th. gear. The new Power 146 HP engine has now a demultiplication between the short and long gearwheels. On my old ccar an EURA 2,5TD I choice after gear box problems near Lyon 5 years ago, a gearbox with the short 5th gearwheel because my cc. ist most overload with a 125cc. scooter behind. It was better driving, but more noise too... http://forum.campingcar-infos.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=265 http://www.motorhomefacts.com/postt861.html http://www.motorhomefacts.com/posts861-15.html

[Guest RUSSELL WILLIAMS]

hi thanks for the info clive regards russell.

[Guest russell williams]

hi to Clive thanks once again for your info from past MMM.interchange.The one from mike at the gearbox centre northampton june 2004 page 234 has to be the best just look at his repair average to fiat ducato style gearboxes. best regards russell.

[Guest russell williams]

Hi sorry it was andy that give me the info cheers andy I can now take all my info to my fiat dealer thats when they can find the time.

[Guest les]

hi I had 5th gear failure in june of last year. it happened in France,and i had it repaired there,at a cost of 600 euros.I believe it was much cheaper than having it done in the uk. I brought the parts back with me and took them to a local Fiat dealer for inspection they accepted them but i dought if the matter went any further. ALL the teeth on the gears had sheared of.My van was a 2.8ltr 1999 model 29000mls.There must be something wrong somewhere.Les.

[Guest RUSSELL WILLIAMS]

Hi Les I have had a gearbox specialist near me, look at mine all the teeth had sheared of mine.He put it down to lack of oil.he said he could do the job blind'fold thats how many he has done, its going to cost me £260.Come on MMM its time to support your readers lets get it sorted.I now? I will sell my m/h as I cant trust it, just to think I drove down to spain last year thank god it didnt go on that trip.russell.(DONT LET IT HAPEN TO YOU DONT BUY A FIAT BASE...)