Doblo Help please!!!!!

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Doblo Help please!!!!!

Annie1955

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Hi everyone, this is my first post on behalf of a family member I was wondering if anyone can help us?
We have bought a fiat doblo that has been converted to a rear wheelchair access vehicle, we are having problems with the fuel gage as it tells us the tank is empty after filling up and only doing a short distance, we have spoken to a garage and they say the tank has been reduced to accommodate lowering of the floor and the gage thinks the tank is bigger than it is, the garage we spoke to thinks its now a 40 litre tank and was probably a 60 before, can anyone advise us if it can be replaced or altered in any way, as it's driving the owner mad!!!! Thanks in advance.
Annie1955
 
Hi Annie, I'm thinking there's probably a fault with the gauge or the sender unit (that's the device that sits in the tank and tells the gauge how much fuel in in there) I doubt very much that the gauge is under any impression that the tank is smaller, and even if it was it should still read something after a fill up. Can you get in touch with the last owner/garage and see if they had an issue with it?
 
Not sure on the actual capacities but reading between the lines I reckon the garage advice is correct.
Have you tried doing a search for a specialist company that do the wheelchair conversion and see what they will advise.
If you can't get a satisfactory answer and if it helps, if you post up what actual model and year your Doblo is, members on here might be able to give you an idea of what mileage you could expect from your replaced smaller tank when full. Then using the trip mileage guage you might be able to judge when you need to top the tank up again.
 
Hi everyone, this is my first post on behalf of a family member I was wondering if anyone can help us?
We have bought a fiat doblo that has been converted to a rear wheelchair access vehicle, we are having problems with the fuel gage as it tells us the tank is empty after filling up and only doing a short distance, we have spoken to a garage and they say the tank has been reduced to accommodate lowering of the floor and the gage thinks the tank is bigger than it is, the garage we spoke to thinks its now a 40 litre tank and was probably a 60 before, can anyone advise us if it can be replaced or altered in any way, as it's driving the owner mad!!!! Thanks in advance.
Annie1955

Hello , and welcome,
all sounds VERY frustrating:bang:,

I've a recollection this has been covered before on here,
I'll try and post a link..,;)
https://www.fiatforum.com/doblo/329359-doblo-cuts-out-when-tank-half-full-less.html


charlie - Oxford
 
Last edited:
This is a common problem with this type of conversion.
Lowering the floor to accommodate wheelchair access conflicts with the fuel tank size and position. The tank is reduced in size, so range is reduced. However, as sludgeguts says, full is still full and empty is still empty.

You now need to determine whether the gauge is telling the truth when it demands a fill-up. The conversion manufacturer will be able to tell you the capacity of the smaller fuel tank. When the gauge reads empty, fill it up and compare with the expected capacity. Now you know if the gauge is truthful (Which it probably is)

Most of this type of vehicle are used for local journeys, so more frequent fill-ups are less of an issue. Longer journeys can be a real pain. My sister-in-law has been running a Berlingo for over ten years with a tiny fuel tank, having to plan longer journeys to allow a refill every 150 miles. She has recently changed to a new Kangoo conversion, by a different supplier and the tank is full size.

On the up side, the wheelchair user will appreciate frequent stops on longer journeys, to relieve the discomfort from the pendulum action they suffer on all corners due to sitting higher than the rest of the occupants. Don't forget to put them back inside before driving on again.
 
Going back to a technicality on this topic, should the trip computer be reset/reprogramme to match the smaller tank.
Appreciate full is full and empty is empty so the float in the tank will reflect the fuel level to the guage but a full tank of 40 litres will have a lot less range than a full tank of 60 litres, so how would the trip computer know how to change the figures? :confused:
 
Reprogramming the trip computer is likely to be too complicated. Fiat Italy, or VDO, Valeo, etc., have written the original program, for the original tank. The conversion company will not have the contacts or funds to have it reprogrammed. You will have to use the gauge, and trust it, not the range reading on the trip. You'll get used to the speed at which the gauge falls.
 
The original tank on the Doblo is 60 litres.

How much does it take when it reads empty and you fill it up? An inaccurate gauge is potentially very dangerous, particularly on a motability vehicle. Is there no way you can contact the manufacturer (of the conversion) and ask them what they did?
 
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