Bought my Doblo from Fiat dealership as a 12 month old with 4,000 on the clock. Four years later with 61,000 under its wheels it's just failed it's MOT on the rear bi link suspension bushes both sides. Now Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep breath having to replace these is costing me £1,000 for parts alone as you cannot get the bushes from anywhere, therefore you have to replace the complete linkage. If you're looking at buying a second hand Dob and there is any suggestion of a knocking from the back, walk away. I have found no other comments relating to this on the forum, I find it difficult to believe I am the first person to come across this shocker (no pun intended).

you meen this park broke ???
repuestoscoches24.es/2262038-lesjofors

nope that's the from the old fixed axle version. Mines the independent suspension version

Chethegardener said:

Bought my Doblo from Fiat dealership as a 12 month old with 4,000 on the clock. Four years later with 61,000 under its wheels it's just failed it's MOT on the rear bi link suspension bushes both sides. Now Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep breath having to replace these is costing me £1,000 for parts alone as you cannot get the bushes from anywhere, therefore you have to replace the complete linkage. If you're looking at buying a second hand Dob and there is any suggestion of a knocking from the back, walk away. I have found no other comments relating to this on the forum, I find it difficult to believe I am the first person to come across this shocker (no pun intended).

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Hey Chethegardener,

Are you saying you noticed the knocking at the back from the very start, or did the knocking start afterwards?
Wow, £1000 to replace the complete linkage? I would have thought spare parts for bushes would be available, but I guess this is how manufacturers make their money....but still £1000 is crazy (I assume this is only for one suspension unit?).
Do you think you had a bit of bad luck, or in your opinion this is a common issue for the Fiat Doblo?
The reason I ask is because I am doing an write up on the Fiat Doblo and when I was looking for info on how the Bi-link suspension works, I found it hard to find anything. I get that it is probably a two way linkage system, but do not know if that means the suspension absorbs energy vertically and horizontally? The best information I could find was at the bottom of this page http://www.vanleasing.com/fiat-doblo-van-leasing.html but even that was not too helpful.
After you mentioned your problems, it makes me wonder if such sophisticated advancements are worth the hype (at least until they perfect existing problems such as the one you experienced).

I did a Google search for "doblo bi-link suspension images" and came up with several pictures. Not sure whether they will be of any help, and it looks as though the same design is probably used for some Dodge models, also something called a Fiat Curacao.

The suspension arrangement certainly does seem quite complex.

"...something called a Fiat Curacao."
Old age showing there, it is of course not a new Fiat model, but simply a photo posted by the Fiat agent based in Curacao.

Hey Jabe,

Thanks for this.
I have had a look at the images, but it is hard to decipher how the system actually works to put it into words... wouldn't life be great if you could just find a video explaining everything

Thank you for the efforts

Hi i just found this ive got same problem with mine did you replace everything or find spares

The suspension works quite simply. A trailing arm pivots in front of the rear wheel, the spring being just behind the rear wheel and the shock absorber is behind that at a 45 deg angle. Two arms are connected to the trailing arm one above the other and are pivoted on a central plate in the centre of the car. They are positioned so they give the car passive rear wheel steering under cornering. Its a clever but quite simple system.
Other motors with same suspension are the ram and dodge promaster city in the US (9 speed auto on them!!!!!) and the Vauxhall and Opel combo vans.
Which bushes had failed? was it one of the two bi link arms or the trailing arm front bush? Might be worth pestering a vauxhall garage for parts? The bi link arms look easy to change, the trailing arm looks like a right bitch to do!

Have a look here
https://www.fiatforum.com/doblo/441381-thinking-upgrading-advice-please.html
Another shafting price wise
Dodge site ! not quite a Doblo
http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/ram_promaster_city/

Interesting reading... My 2012 (263) Doblo has started knocking from the rear at 23k!! I have had a look underneath & as yet not pin pointed what or where the problem is, reading the above I'm now worried.
I have had a look on eBay & I have found what appears to be replacement bushes front & rear for the trailing arms, that's a bit of a comfort although replacement looks quite a job.

My last, ever, Fiat was one of these Doblos. It rattled from the rear at a year and a half old and only 33K. A rear damper was faulty. Fiat replaced it under warranty.

At just under three years Fiat contributed £100 towards the cost of replacing a grinding front strut mount. I argued with Fiat Italy to get this contribution, since the guarantee didn't cover it, and the experience left me livid.

At just over three years the clutch played up so I got rid.

So, it might, just might, be a rattling damper as this is one of the known faults.

I hope it is.

Ulpian said:

My last, ever, Fiat was one of these Doblos. It rattled from the rear at a year and a half old and only 33K. A rear damper was faulty. Fiat replaced it under warranty.

At just under three years Fiat contributed £100 towards the cost of replacing a grinding front strut mount. I argued with Fiat Italy to get this contribution, since the guarantee didn't cover it, and the experience left me livid.

At just over three years the clutch played up so I got rid.

So, it might, just might, be a rattling damper as this is one of the known faults.

I hope it is.

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I have already reversed the car back on ramps & checked all the bushes but found no real amount of movement, so I reckon you may well be onto something there? I will do the same soon & disconnect the damper on the offending side on the lower mount to check if that is where the noise is coming from.
Many thanks.

I've got an 04 jtd, it makes eee, squeak, bang, clatter from the rear but every year it passes mot with NO advisories, id actually like to get it sorted, the eee noise is so loud when loaded it can be heard on a recording. Neil.

Different suspension set ups Neil. Later models have independent Bi-Link suspension. Yours will be easier & cheaper to fix I'm sure. ?

I hope so cobby just been out onto country roads in Devon, 4x adults 1 large dog, what a racket, seems to get worse all the time, but as I said, passes mot with no advisories each year, and idea what the problem (s) could be off the top of your head?, hope you get yours sorted too. Neil

Always start with the cheap things when changing parts to find a problem. My 2011 Dobby has had loads of suspension trouble, more even than Ulpian (I have another problem coming at the moment which I will update the forum with later). My rear end rattle started with Damper bushes which only partially fixed the problem when changed. Changing the dampers completely fixed the problem altogether. After 62000 miles all of my rear bushes are in good shape as I checked them recently


Most of my suspension problems have been at the front of the car ....... :nono:

I have just replaced both rear dampers on my 263 & I'm pleased to say peace has now returned! Lol. I bought a cheap set off eBay (£55) if they outlast the originals which only managed 23k I reckon that's money well spent.

cobby58 said:

I have just replaced both rear dampers on my 263 & I'm pleased to say peace has now returned! Lol. I bought a cheap set off eBay (£55) if they outlast the originals which only managed 23k I reckon that's money well spent.

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Just a quick follow up. Still a nice quiet ride, although a bit bumpy [emoji12] The gas pressure/pretty load is a bit high in the dampers. Great for belting along the back roads at speed mind you, but bumpy on uneven mainroads. They can stay on there for the meanwhile as I have no plans to replace again yet.

at my doblos first service both rear dampers were replaced under warranty, seems very common