Ducato Battery Showing 0V on Control Panel

[Nigelord]

After disconnecting the starter battery on my Ducato MH to try and clear a 'Check Engine' warning (which didn't work!), I re-connected it to find the starter battery icon (B1) on the control panel flashing and the voltage readout showing 0V. Anybody know why this would happen - and what to do about it?

 

The battery hasn't been discharged and is starting the engine as it should - though I have noticed some of the warning lights on the dash panel continuing to illuminate for a few seconds after the ignition has been turned off. Are the two things likely to be related? Any help would be gratefully received...

[Derek Uzzell]

I’ve looked through your earlier postings and it seems that your “Ducato MH” is a (LHD?) McLouis (model unspecified) that you self-imported to the UK in 2015.

 

I’m unfamiliar with McLouis motorhomes, but the company’s advertising mentions a “Touch screen control board” controlling the electrical system and the attached photo shows the control-panel that (I THINK) your motorhome will have.

 

This panel is described on this French website

 

https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.fourgon-passion.com/t1161-help-code-erreur-e1-sur-centrale-de-commandes-f-v-2014&prev=search

 

The “B1” battery is mentioned. and the panel is (apparently) made by Nordelecttronica - which would make some sense for a McLouis motorhome.

 

A ‘fix’ suggested on the French website is to detach the control panel from its housing, disconnect the power-supply/data cable from the panel’s rear, wait at least 10 seconds and then reconnect the cable. (Photos on the website’s posting of Mon 17 Feb 2014 - 11:46). This type of approach is commonly advised to ‘reboot’ a control panel that’s producing odd readouts and would be worth trying in your case.

 

Regarding the warning lights on the dash panel continuing to illuminate for a few seconds after the ignition has been turned off, this sounds like the dreaded instrument-cluster problem that has afflicted so many Boxer/Ducato X290 models. It has been mentioned several times on this forum (example here)

 

http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Autotrail-Apache700-Dim-Warning-Light-Problem/45806/

 

and, if you demonstrate the fault to a Fiat Professional agent, they should be prepared to replace the complete instrument-cluster free of charge, which should cure the problem.

 

A word of warning... Assuming that your motorhome is LHD and its original km/h-only speedometer scale has been modified (which it should have been to comply with UK-registration regulations) with an overlay that provides a dual mph and km/h scale, if Fiat provides a replacement instrument-cluster this may well have a km/h-only speedometer scale. If that happens (it did in my case) your present dual-scale speedometer overlay will need to be transferred to the replacement cluster to maintain UK legality.

 

Anticipating that Fiat might quibble over my LHD Rapido’s cluster having been ‘modified’ to install the dual-scale speedometer overlay, I put the original km/h speedometer scale back on before the instrument-cluster was swapped and then replaced the new cluster’s km/h scale with the dual-scale overlay afterwards. Removing/replacing the instrument-cluster is pretty straightforward, as is fitting a speedometer overlay

 

http://www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk/media/wysiwyg/instructions/Fiat/C120_C124_Etc_Fiat_Ducato.pdf

 

but it would be sensible to discuss this from the onset with the Fiat Professional agent.

[Nigelord]

Thanks so much for the reply, Derek, and the investigative work!

 

You're correct in every regard - the MH is a LHD McLouis and the control panel is made by Nordelectronica. Following the instructions on the French website did 'reboot' the panel - and for about 30 seconds, all appeared to be well. But then, the panel emitted several bleeps and the flashing B1 icon re-appeared along with the 0V reading.

 

This suggests to me that the control panel is showing the information it is receiving from the Ducato's electronics and that this will need to be looked at before it can be properly re-set. Whether this is related to the dim lights on the dash panel, I'm not sure. But it looks like I'm going to have to get this fixed before going any further.

 

I'm currently staying in the MH in Moreton-in-Marsh in the Cotswolds - anyone know a dealer in the area that can deal with Ducato electrics?

 

 

[Tracker]

You could ask Nick Whale Motorhomes. They used to have a mobile man in a van that could fix most things or if not know where to get them fixed? They are a few miles north of Evesham at WR118SN and are on 01386 870852.

 

https://www.nickwhalemotorhomes.co.uk/

 

Evesham Motor Services are a good local garage that might be able to help, although I doubt it, but again they might know someone who can. In Evesham 01386 443505, WR11 1XJ

 

http://www.eveshammotorservices.co.uk/

[Derek Uzzell]

Nigel

 

Imperial Commercials at Gloucester

 

http://www.imperialcommercials.co.uk/locations/12-DAF-Imperial-Commercials-Gloucester

 

is a Fiat Professional agent and will be familiar with Ducato electrics. They are definitely familiar with the Ducato X290 dim lights on the instrument-cluster fault and replaced my Ducato’s cluster when the problem showed up.

 

According to Paul (their service manager for Fiat vehicles) much of their work nowadays relates to motorhomes, but you should not anticipate them having experience of Nordelecttronica systems and, in any case, I’m less than convinced it’s your Ducato’s electronics that are screwing up your control-panel readouts.

 

As you rightly say, it would make best sense to get the instrument-cluster fault attended to first to see if that had any positive effect on the control-panel. To do this the Fiat Professional agent will need to see your motorhome, confirm that the instrument-cluster is faulty, order a replacement cluster and then install it. This process will take a few days, so you might be better to involve a Fiat agent close to your home-address. If you also wanted the software ‘fix’ to have the instrument illuminating whenever the ignition is on, I think you might need to contact Fiat Camper who would then authorise a Fiat agent to install the software revision.

 

If you want to consult a motorhome dealership, Cotswold Motorhomes are near Gloucester

 

http://www.cotswoldmotorcaravans.co.uk/

 

and Marquis are at Tewkesbury

 

https://www.marquisleisure.co.uk/locations/gloucestershire

 

There’s also North Cotswold Motorhome Services at Mickleton

 

http://www.northcotsmotorhomeservices.com/

 

Not sure which (if any) UK dealerships are agents for McLouis, but you should know that.

 

Allan (of A and N Caravan Services)

 

http://www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk/nordelettronica.php

 

has Nordelecttronica expertise and regularly participates on this forum, so he may be able to comment on the control-panel issue.

 

[Nigelord]

Once again, Derek, I am in your debt (as, I suspect, are many others on this forum).

 

Though we're actually living in the MH in Cotswolds - this is only till the legal eagles justify their six-figure salaries and let us move into the house we're buying in the area. So all the dealers you've listed would be fairly close. That said, the chap in Gloucester sounds like the best bet in terms of knowing about the problem. So I'll definitely start by giving him a call.

 

Given that the MH is a European import, I'm not quite sure what the warranty situation will be with Fiat. It's actually two years' old this month. Is it likely that the replacement of the instrument cluster would still be covered?

[Derek Uzzell]

Nigelord - 2017-08-26 12:02 PM

 

...Given that the MH is a European import, I'm not quite sure what the warranty situation will be with Fiat. It's actually two years' old this month. Is it likely that the replacement of the instrument cluster would still be covered?

 

The Fiat warranty is pan-European, should start on the date the motorhome was UK registered and the start-date should be recorded in your vehicle's Fiat warranty-related documentation. I think Fiat may deal with this fault free of charge even if an X290 Ducati is outside the 2-year warranty period, but I suggest you do not test this!

 

Have a word with Imperial Commercials Gloucester on Tuesday.