cleddytanhouse Posted April 6, 2016 Share Posted April 6, 2016 Has anyone had the "fix" done yet, allowing the speedo to be read in daytime? I received a job number some time ago and was told that the work would be done late March or early April.. I have heard nothing more from Fiat so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Allen Posted April 6, 2016 Share Posted April 6, 2016 I also have a case number and have not heard anything yet. Maybe it will coincide with next instrument panel failure so then we can have both jobs done at the same time!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted April 6, 2016 Share Posted April 6, 2016 I just reported it today, so let's see how long till they respond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeJJ Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 I received a call from Fiat Customer Services yesterday to confirm that the software modification was being made available and they would contact my local Fiat Professional garage so that they could in turn contact me to arrange a date for the software to be installed. So something is happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Salisbury Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 What year is your Fiat as I am sure that many Boxer owners would be interested, is your Fiat still under warranty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleddytanhouse Posted April 7, 2016 Author Share Posted April 7, 2016 My Fiat based MH is a 2015 reg. I see on another thread that not being able to read the speedo may be an MOT issue!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 cleddytanhouse - 2016-04-07 9:16 AM My Fiat based MH is a 2015 reg. I see on another thread that not being able to read the speedo may be an MOT issue!!!!! The relevant MOT regulations can be found in Section 6.7 of this downloadable document: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/510378/mot-inspection-manual-classes-3-4-5-7-vehicles.pdf The reasons for rejection are 1: Speedometer not fitted. 2: Speedometer incomplete, clearly inoperative or the dial glass is broken or missing. If the dial glass is cracked, it is not a reason for rejection, providing: -- there is no possibility of misreading the speedometer or --? there is no possibiy of fouling of the indicator needle or -- the cracked glass does not create a safety hazard. 3: The speedometer cannot be illuminated. It should be obvious from the above that having difficulty reading a Ducato’s speedometer in certain circumstances will NOT be a reason for MOT rejection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken the kontiki Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 Not that ours is an X2-60 but thinking of taking a punt on something like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-HUD-Head-Up-Display-Projector-OBD2-II-Speedometer-Fuel-Over-Speeding-Warning-/201457025199?hash=item2ee7c640af:g:lmwAAOSwA4dWMMbU Might be an answer to these illumination issues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 Fitting a supplementary non-GPS-based Head-Up-Display (HUD) was mentioned here: http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Reading-speedo-in-dull-conditions-/38945/ but the following link suggests that care may be needed where a recent-ish Ducato is concerned http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Head-Up-Speed-Display/38409/ It will be interesting to see what the Fiat ‘software modification’ actually involves. The existing arrangement lights up the complete dashboard when the vehicle’s headlamps are turned on (which makes sense) and one might think that twiddling the original system to do this when the vehicle’s ignition is turned on would not be too difficult. But illuminating just the instrument-cluster that contains the speedometer (assuming that’s Fiat’s plan of course) when the vehicle’s ignition is turned on (and not all the other switches that light up when the vehicle’s headlamps come on) sounds a lot trickier to achieve. It should be evident by experimenting with switching on the Ducato’s headlamps during daylight that illuminating the instrument-cluster via its back-lighting will only provide a very limited improvement regarding speedometer readability. Is that amount of improvement sufficient to warrant having Fiat implement a ’tweak’? Not for me it’s not! If I really wanted to illuminate the instrument-cluster during daylight I’d DIY ‘front light’ it. This should not be hard to do and would be much more effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 I too had a job reference number from Fiat for this problem and as I hadn't heard from them for a while, I phoned them last week. They told me that matters were in hand and that their specialist Camper department would phone me and my service agent (HTC Theale) to let us know what and when - not heard anything since. I too need a replacement instrument panel as the dreaded glimmer of warning lights are just showing and my service agent and I want to get both jobs done at the same time. Fiat are certainly dragging their heels on this one. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleddytanhouse Posted April 8, 2016 Author Share Posted April 8, 2016 I also phoned Fiat yesterday and got the same reply as Alan above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 Derek Uzzell - 2016-04-08 8:05 AM It should be evident by experimenting with switching on the Ducato’s headlamps during daylight that illuminating the instrument-cluster via its back-lighting will only provide a very limited improvement regarding speedometer readability. Is that amount of improvement sufficient to warrant having Fiat implement a ’tweak’? Not for me it’s not! My newest Suzi is designed by Fiat and has a lot of Fiat switch gear, (abet the design is 10 years old now), if they had any sense they would use a similar or better design, on mine there are two lighting levels which can be adjusted, one for when lights are off, other for when lights are on, most of the time this works well, but if I turn lights on in dull or foggy conditions the dash goes dark, if only it had a light sensitive diode it would be 100% good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebishbus Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 I solved the problem myself, by fixing a short strip of 12 volt LED's on a backing, and angling them to shine on the instrument cluster. I wired them to come on with the ignition, through a variable resister, so that I could alter their brightness . Brian B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 9, 2016 Share Posted April 9, 2016 If a vehicle manufacturer packs an amusingly optimistic-range chronometric speedometer, a similar design rev-counter, a mass of warning icons and a large information screen into a relatively small area and then covers this with a deep cowl (photo attached) it’s hardly surprising that reading the white-on-black markings of the instruments (particularly a UK-norm dual-scale speedometer) in poor daylight conditions will be difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeJJ Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Just had the modification completed. A software change which took about 30mins to complete. The dashboard now has a soft orange glow making the crucial 40-50-60 range on the speedo visible during daylight. I don't think it is adjustable - but will explore sometime. Am now happy with outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ris Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 My vehicle is a 2014 Auto trail Savannah, advice please do you report this fault to the dealer or direct to Fiat if so can you supply the phone number please. Thanks Ris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleddytanhouse Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 You phone Fiat on 00800 3428 1111. They should give you a case number and then in due course contact you to arrange to get the work done at your local Fiat Professional agent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 I had a phone call from Fiat this morning requesting me to contact my service agent as they have notified them of the software update for the problem. Spoke to my agent (HTC Reading) who confirmed that my replacement instrument cluster and the software can be done next week while I wait, so now booked in. As an answer to Ris in a previous comment - does your 2014 Savannah have the X290 cab or not as it doesn't affect the X250 cab ? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleddytanhouse Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 I phoned Fiat again today for an update. They phoned me back to tell me that my job reference number had expired and gave me a new number. So, if you received a job ref number a couple of months ago, you need to contact Fiat again as yours may also have expired. I will try my local Fiat dealer tomorrow to see if they can do the work if I give them my new job ref number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJP Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Ris - 2016-04-13 2:59 PM My vehicle is a 2014 Auto trail Savannah, advice please do you report this fault to the dealer or direct to Fiat if so can you supply the phone number please. Thanks Ris Sorry your vehicle is not eligible. It is 2015 models only Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 As AlanS said earlier, only X290 models are eligible for the instrument-lighting software modification. Boxer/Relay/Ducato X290 models were first marketed in mid-2014 and (at least on non-A-class motorhomes) it should not be hard to discriminate between an X290 and its X250 predecessors by the changes in frontal design. (See attached photo). There are also subtle differences in the instrument-cluster itself, but the revised headlamps, bonnet and bumper are the obvious visual give-aways. MikeJJ - 2016-04-13 12:09 PM ...The dashboard now has a soft orange glow making the crucial 40-50-60 range on the speedo visible during daylight... Does the software modification cause just the instrument-cluster to light up when the motorhome’s ignition is switched on, or does it cause other things in the cab to illuminate? When an X290 vehicle is being driven with its lights on (ignoring the DRLs) the instrument-cluster and other in-cab controls illuminate. Does the software change merely cause that to happen continuously except the external lights (headlamps, etc.) do not come on, or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeJJ Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 Derek in answer to your question the only difference I can see is the dials being constantly illuminated in the instrument cluster; everything else remains the same as before. It is quite a soft orange glow but does keep the 40-50-60 mph range visible; eg when passing through dark areas eg momentarily under a bridge etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ris Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 Thanks to all who responded to my question, from the pictures posted mine is definitely an X 250 model, . Ris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Salisbury Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 My MH is a Peugeot Boxer 59 plate and the Dash dials are grey in colour and I find it difficult to see the speedo needle. My Peugeot car 1.4 206 Estate SW has a white dial and I do not have the problem.Are FIAT/Peugeot aware of this problem and if so what can be done. Can the dial colours be changed from Grey to White? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 Len Salisbury - 2016-04-18 11:21 PM My MH is a Peugeot Boxer 59 plate and the Dash dials are grey in colour and I find it difficult to see the speedo needle. My Peugeot car 1.4 206 Estate SW has a white dial and I do not have the problem.Are FIAT/Peugeot aware of this problem and if so what can be done. Can the dial colours be changed from Grey to White? You could always ask Lockwood International if they will make you a new one to your colours. http://www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk/dials/mph.html Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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