Hi People,

We have a dash pod issue. Lights on the dashboard come on and are dimmed out, last time it was the air bag light, so a MOT failure.

We're had this problem since we bought the vehicle and the dealers have changed our dash pod several times. Originally we were told it was a battery issue, so we paid to have that replaced. However now we've been told its an inherent issue with some of these dash pods.

Vehicle is a late 2012 Ducato

I'd really appreciate some advice on this, as Fiat has been less than helpful and we're now out of warranty (by a couple of weeks) and guess what the pod has gone again!!

We wanted to get an extended warranty but apparently Fiat don't have such a thing.

This is usually an issue with the instument cluster and replacing it works for some but problem returns for others. I am not suprised Fiat don't want to extend the warranty, it would cost them a fortune. They seem unhelpful with with our problems and just want to sell expensive repairs that fail the fix the initial problem.

I think they want to delay any cost until after your warranty finishes then its your problem.


Mike

taffybloke said:

This is usually an issue with the instument cluster and replacing it works for some but problem returns for others. I am not suprised Fiat don't want to extend the warranty, it would cost them a fortune. They seem unhelpful with with our problems and just want to sell expensive repairs that fail the fix the initial problem.

I think they want to delay any cost until after your warranty finishes then its your problem.


Mike

Click to expand...

Thanks Mike, that is exactly what they have done, fobbed us off basically (even giving us money towards an extended warranty that doesn't exist!!!)

What Fiat are saying is that they have had very few of these issues (or certainly no one has complained - which I find hard to believe) especially since whilst our van was in for this repair they had one already waiting on a new pod and another came in after us with the same issue. Fiat deny there is an issue yet all the dealers I have spoken to have had vans in to replace the dash pod.

...from traffic on motorhome forums both here and in Germany, this is a very common problem, well known by Fiat.

I've just had mine replaced on an X290 at 6 months/6000 miles, and I am aware of a good few other people who have had issues.

If I were you, I would trawl the evidence on the web of this being a common issue, and persevere politely with Fiat.

(Received wisdom is that Fiat's general stance out of warranty is to offer 70% of the replacement cost as goodwill). I have seen evidence of people declining this (politely) and persevering with Fiat to the point where they received free replacement.

IMO, if you have no joy, and you bought new, then there is sufficient evidence to pursue a claim for replacement in the small claims court - Consumer Law would support this (on the evidence), though the claim would be against the dealer that sold the vehicle to you, not Fiat (since your contract of sale is with the dealer).

Thanks I will take that advice, although having the CS person tell me that I shouldn't tell her how to do her job when I politely suggested that this gets escalated, I doubt i'm going to get any where with them!

:bang:

...you might want to note the comments at the bottom of the "bad" column here.

http://vans.honestjohn.co.uk/van-reviews/fiat/ducato-2006/?section=good

It also gives a few sources for alternative repairs for those unwilling or unable to take Fiat on.

(I can assure you that I will be pursuing Fiat if my dash fails again ).