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Fiat x290 radio 20min cut off update


bikey

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Hi all, since my last post on this subject, I spoke to fiat at the NEC and discussed the cut off with their rep on the stand, he said they were aware of the problem and we're trying to resolve the issue, he said that fiat would be in touch with me Asap.

I received a phone call from fiat in Milan yesterday to say sorry nothing we can do, thats how we install the radio and will not change just for the motorhome industry.

So there we have Fiats take on the problem, just have to live wire it myself from the leisure battery.

 

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Perhaps they have too big a share of the market, and need a kick where it hurts,in their sales figures.

Think that Ford or Renault should have a far bigger share than they do. Complacency comes before a fall ?

I agree, re-wire direct from the leisure battery, I thought all converters did that now anyway ? Suprised that they don't. Ray

 

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bikey - 2015-03-18 7:50 PM

 

Hi all, since my last post on this subject, I spoke to fiat at the NEC and discussed the cut off with their rep on the stand, he said they were aware of the problem and we're trying to resolve the issue, he said that fiat would be in touch with me Asap.

I received a phone call from fiat in Milan yesterday to say sorry nothing we can do, thats how we install the radio and will not change just for the motorhome industry.

So there we have Fiats take on the problem, just have to live wire it myself from the leisure battery.

 

I also had this on my 2014 X250 Peugeot Auto Sleeper here is part of a thread of Auto Sleeper forum and it works on the X250 might work on your X290. it replaces the 20 mins with 180 mins of playing time.

 

John.

 

Re: Radio 20mins switch off and "THAT" switch

Post by batch on Sat Mar 23, 2013 4:41 pm

 

.

 

 

 

This could possibly be of interest ...........................

 

 

 

 

I don't beleeeeve it.......

batch on Sun Mar 10, 2013 6:41 pm

 

mccormw wrote:

Haaaaa, look what I found then

 

Unlike previous seasons, this radio links to the CANBUS system and is supplied with a timer to automatically shutdown to conserve battery power. The radio has two modes, one for when the vehicle is used as commercial vehicle (NORMAL) and one for use as a Motorhome (CAMPER).

If a customer wishes to change the amount of time the radio will stay on, please follow the instructions below:

* Turn radio on using central power button

* Within 15 seconds, simultaneously press FM AS and preset button 2. Each time this pair of buttons are pressed, the display will alternate between

NORMAL POWER MODE and CAMPER POWER MODE

* Ensure that CAMPER POWER MODE is displayed, then press MENU

* Using the UP and DOWN button now changes the display to show various adjustable items. Cycle through the options until RADIO OFF and a number of minutes is shown on the display. This will take approx. two presses of the UP button or seven presses of the DOWN button.

 

 

* With RADIO OFF shown on the display press the LEFT or RIGHT button. Each press of either button will alternate the number of minutes shown between 180 and 0

* With 180 showing on the display the setting is complete and three hours of radio operation should be possible. Press the POWER button to exit the menu and return the display to its usual view.

 

Please note that in NORMAL POWER MODE the same subsequent steps detailed above can be followed, to choose between 20 mins and 0 mins of radio operation.

 

 

 

 

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Bikey’s original inquiry is here

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Fiat-X290-radio-cut-off/37147/

 

As was pointed out then, there is a downloadable manual for the “Uconnect 3” radio unit used in the latest Ducato X290 and that bikey’s vehicle has.

 

Page 20 of the manual includes the following section

 

"SETTINGS

 

Press the MENU button on the front panel to display the "Settings" menu.

 

NOTE The menu items displayed vary according to the versions.

 

The menu comprises the following options:

 

System Settings

Audio Settings

Radio Settings

Radio Off Delay

Phone"

 

The "Radio Off Delay” option is described on Page 22 of the manual as follows:

 

""Radio off delay": permits the system to be kept on for a preset time after the ignition key is turned to STOP."

 

This is the only advice provided - there is nothing about how long or short the duration of the “preset time” can be, nor that the default cut-off duration is 20 minutes.

 

From the caveat "NOTE The menu items displayed vary according to the versions” it’s possible (I suppose) that the Uconnect 3” radio fitted to Ducato X290 panel-vans has a 20-minute cut-off that cannot be extended, whereas the Uconnect 3” radio fitted to X290 chassis destined to become coachbuilt motorhomes has an extendable cut-off duration.

 

 

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Morning Derek,

The instructions you have set out are indeed correct, you can toggle between 0 and20 mins only, you cannot set for longer, I have tried other methods ie x250 but this will not work with the u connect 3.

If you are looking to buy a x290 panel van conversion as I have I would suggest to check the radio has been live wired to the leisure battery as I can assure you getting up to operate the radio every 20mins wears a bit thin after a couple of days.

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artheytrate - 2015-03-18 10:31 PM

 

If a customer wishes to change the amount of time the radio will stay on, please follow the instructions below:

* Turn radio on using central power button

* Within 15 seconds, simultaneously press FM AS and preset button 2. Each time this pair of buttons are pressed, the display will alternate between

NORMAL POWER MODE and CAMPER POWER MODE

 

 

The above is correct, but needs an additional piece of information and that is that, the FM AS and Preset Button 2 have to be held down for at least 5 seconds in order to affect the change.

 

When I first tried to configure this change, I did not realise that the buttons had to be held pressed for at least 5 seconds and became somewhat perplexed when the radio did not switch.

 

My van is a 2014 year (2013 build) Peugeot X250 Auto-Sleeper Duo.

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bikey - 2015-03-19 11:56 AM

 

Morning Derek,

The instructions you have set out are indeed correct, you can toggle between 0 and20 mins only, you cannot set for longer, I have tried other methods ie x250 but this will not work with the u connect 3.

If you are looking to buy a x290 panel van conversion as I have I would suggest to check the radio has been live wired to the leisure battery as I can assure you getting up to operate the radio every 20mins wears a bit thin after a couple of days.

 

It seems that the critical words in the description

 

""Radio off delay": permits the system to be kept on for a preset time after the ignition key is turned to STOP.”

 

are “...for a PRESET time...” and that the preset times are just zero minutes or 20 minutes, with no opportunity being provided to choose any other duration.

 

As the cut-off delay of Ducato X250 radios could be extended to 180 minutes by the vehicle’s owner, there was no pressing need for motorhome converters to alter the radio’s original wiring to sidestep an overly-brief cut-off.

 

I’m guessing that not too many X290 motorhomes have the basic Uconnect 3” radio, as the tendency seems to be to provide a higher-spec Uconnect model or an alternative make (eg. for Rapido motorhomes a radio is an option and the choice is between various Pioneer units). There seems to be nothing on-line (except for your observations) about X290 Uconnect 3” radios having a 20-minute maximum cut-off delay, which suggests that this limitation is not known about (yet!!) in the motorhome community.

 

Just out of interest, what make/model of X290-based PVC do you own, please?

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It’s possible that IH Motorhomes are unaware of the Uconnect 3” radio’s cut-off delay being restricted to either zero minutes or 20 minutes as it’s not stated in the Fiat manual for the radio and I can’t find any other references to it.

 

As I suggested earlier, motorhome buyers often opt for a high-spec radio or the converter fits one as standard. So there may not be many motorcaravanners with the Uconnect 3” unit and I doubt if ‘commercial’ drivers care much about the 20-minute maximum.

 

There are persuasive reasons for motorhome converters leaving the specification of the base vehicle unchanged, as altering it could impact on the vehicle’s warranty. I don’t know from where Ray (above) has gained the impression that all converters rewire motorhome radios direct from the leisure-battery. I would have thought the opposite is true: that the majority of converters leave the radio powered from the base-vehicle's battery even when a replacement radio ‘head’ is fitted. The X290-based Rapido I have on order carries its leisure-battery in its rear garage and has most of the electrical management equipment beneath the rear bed. Although powering a dashboard radio from the leisure-battery would plainly be practicable, it would be no small task to implement the revised power-supply.

 

IHM has a reputation for fine build-quality, but that doesn’t mean the company is beyond reproach.

 

http://www.ihoc.org.uk/forum/topic/257

 

What does IHM say about this? Can they offer a solution?

 

 

 

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