Will H Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I rarely need to read any dials. I drive according to the traffic the roads and the conditions. I also go by engine sounds and air movement. I might need to read a speed before setting the cruise control and that's about all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Will H So how would you set your cruise control if you were unable to read the dashboard display? That’s what’s been complained about with the current Boxer/Ducato/Relay X290 dashboard - that when a driver wants information from the instrument-panel it’s not possible to obtain it because the display is so poor (and it’s not just the speedometer that’s difficult to read). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviddwight Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Great for those who have X290 models what about the rest of us with X250 models. The phrase tough s--t comes to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleddytanhouse Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I am pleased that Fiat have finally accepted that they have a problem.Last July, my local Fiat Professional dealer had to fit a new instrument cluster to my 2015 Autotrail Tracker rb. At my request, they asked Fiat if it could add back lighting to the cluster. Fiat apparently said that they were unaware of any issues and that there was no possibility of adding back lighting. I do hope that they now fully understand that they have to deal with this issue properly. I am disappointed that we as owners have to now contact Fiat, rather than Fiat contacting us, as they have done with other recall issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Modifying the instrument lighting so that it is permanently illuminated (with the vehicle’s ignition on) is not a ‘recall' as such. As I understand it (from reading the MMM article) the exercise is going to be dealt with by Fiat in a similar way to how the X250 ‘juddering’ issue was handled, where free modifications were made available only to those vehicle owners who considered that modifications were necessary and demanded that work be carried out. The MMM article quotes Fiat as saying “Recent feedback we have received, from a small number of motorhome customers, pertains to the instruments of the new Fiat Ducato, which is currently not backlit in normal daytime driving conditions...” and goes on to say “...We will make contact with the customers whao have contacted us to arrange to have this upgrade implemented...” So, if you’ve already moaned to Fiat about your X290 Ducato-based motorhome’s instrument visibility, Fiat should be getting in touch with you (maybe!). But if you haven’t moaned about this and want the modification made, you’ll need to get in touch with Fiat by phone or via the website. And if (like me) you don’t want the modification made, you don’t need to do anything and Fiat apparently won’t be ‘cold calling’ to encourage you to have the ‘upgrade’ implemented. From earlier comments it would seem that the main complaint about the instruments of X250-based motorhomes relates to difficulty reading the kmh scale on RHD vehicles with a dual-scale speedometer, but I don’t envisage permanently backlighting that type of speedometer helping much with reading kmh in daylight. I can’t see permanently backlighting X290 instruments being a panacea for ‘daylight visibility’ either (and definitely not when it comes to kmh readability for dual-scale speedometers) but it might help and predictable that this is the approach Fiat would favour. The unpalatable fact is that the X250’s instrument display was poor ergonomically and the X290’s display is worse, and - although backlighting may help readability in dull daytime conditions - it won’t address those displays' basic design flaws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviddwight Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Brian. I read with interest your comments on the back lighting of the instrument displays, the X250 does have the problem of being able to read the instruments in daylight its not only the kph its the speedo and rev counter more so the speedo. I have contacted Fiat, just waiting!! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviddwight Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Brian. I read with interest your comments on the back lighting of the instrument displays, the X250 does have the problem of being able to read the instruments in daylight its not only the kph its the speedo and rev counter more so the speedo. I have contacted Fiat, just waiting!! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 (Brian???) On the MHFacts forum there’s a longish discussion about this issue beginning in June 2015: http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/149-fiat-ducato/145746-instrument-cowl-2015-ducto-too-dim.html The photos may be of interest, and it’s perhaps worth noting the comment that (as I said earlier about my own 2015 X290-based left-hand-drive Rapido motorhome) the speedometer of LHD X290s is easier to read in daylight than that of RHD equivalents. (Speedometer readability in daylight is still pretty crappy on LHD X290s - just less crappy than the RHD versions!) X250-related comments in the MHFacts thread generally centre on an inability to read the speedometer’s kmh scale, rather than not being able to read the speedometer at all. I think X250 instruments are not much cop regarding daytime readability, but across the 2006-2014 period that X250s were manufactured there doesn’t appear to have been the vehement instrument-related criticism from owners of X250-based motorhomes that commenced soon after the X290 was introduced. On that basis, unless a large number of X250 owners now harass Fiat about instrument readability, it seems unlikely that Fiat will extend the free X290 modification to the earlier model. (Worth a try though...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Not found any problems reading my X250 's speedo, but the reports of the X290 are worrying considering that over 90% of Motorhomes and PVC 's are based on it. At least they seem to have finally listened to the complaints of their customers.But only the one 's that shout the loudest as with the juddering gearboxes on the X250 's. They really don't deserve to be so successful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will H Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 FIAT are successful because they churn out their items in quantity regardless. AND NEVER forget who is behind them pushing !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleddytanhouse Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I called to see my local Fiat Professional garage today. They had fitted my new instrument cluster in July and asked Fiat if it could have permanent illumination at that time. As stated in my earlier post, Fiat said that this was not possible. I spoke to Fiat today, to check that they had noted my request and they had no record. However, I now have a reference number for the work to be done, but from what was said it will be April at the earliest. I would suggest that even if you have previously complained to Fiat, you contact them again to register for the work to be done. From what I could gather form the lady at Fiat, all her calls today were as a result of the MMM report. Well done MMM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Will H - 2016-01-05 4:45 PM I rarely need to read any dials. I drive according to the traffic the roads and the conditions. I also go by engine sounds and air movement. I might need to read a speed before setting the cruise control and that's about all. May I wish you the best of luck with speed limits. Sounds like you may need it. When entering say a 30 zone after leaving a higher speed one its all to to find you are traveling faster than it feels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 My last two cars a Toyota and a Honda have superb back light displays that are brighter in daylight conditions and actually dim to avoid dazzle when the headlights are turned on at night. There is simply no excuse for Fait getting it so wrong and even worse not seeming to realise they have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Colin Leake - 2016-01-08 7:24 PM There is simply no excuse for Fait getting it so wrong and even worse not seeming to realise they have! This is also true for Peugeot and Citroen versions; it's not just FIAT, it is a Sevel / X250 / X290 feature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Will H - 2016-01-05 4:45 PM I rarely need to read any dials. I drive according to the traffic the roads and the conditions. I also go by engine sounds and air movement. I might need to read a speed before setting the cruise control and that's about all. Then, it's only a matter of time before you get done for speeding, sometimes limits are in places where you least expect them, and the reasons for them are not immediately apparent. Suggest you need a HUD for your motorhome or a good Co- pilot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 As impressive looking as some may be, I can't help but think that "modern" dashboards that light up like Christmas trees as soon as the ignition is turned, will in part contribute to the number drivers you see driving around with no lights on in murky or twilight conditions... (... with the dash' "a blaze", some seem hard pushed to tell if their vehicle lights are on :-S ) "..remind me again..which one's the speedo?...." http://360vr.com/2011/06/22-discovery-flight-deck-opf_6236/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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