This maybe a slightly oddball question but heregoes. My 2014 Globecar has a Fiat Ducato 150bhp engine with Comfortmatic and works very well. It has been serviced each year by Fiat Professional and that is when the 'fun' starts. Fiat do all the normal servicing but when they hook up their diagnostics the engine will not 'talk' to them. They have tried all sorts of things and invariably end up with the dash showing all sorts of warning lights, which are not actually genuine. This has resulted in the van being stuck in the Fiat yard for many weeks at a time while they try to get answers, even from Fiat in Milan. The 'solution' they have found is to get what they call an Emulator tool shipped over from Italy and this evidently allows them to reset all the diagnostics. Doing this is a 4 week wait each time which is not the best, as you can imagine. The last visitation resulted in the statement that 'your vehicle is too old for our normal software'. OK 2014 is not the latest but it is not an antique and one would assume a normal 10 year lifespan for vehicles to be covered. I assume Fiat have upgraded their internal software package and older systems are not recognised anymore. This year I am tempted to try a Bosch ECU service dealership, as they do campervan servicing as well to see if they can 'talk' to my van better than Fiat Professional. I am a bit scared to try anything myself in case I cause my van to take the 'hump' and not work properly. Does anyone have any suggestions or has seen a similar problem in Fiats of this age bracket. It would be quite amusing if it were not so irritating and the annual service is a bit of a dread.
Technical My Ducato does not want to talk
- Thread starter dave225
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Technical My Ducato does not want to talk
2014 is ‘too old’?!? Try a different FP dealership/service agent, they looked at the mates 2007 2.3 and diagnosed faulty fuel sensor…product knowledge and knowing how to use an AVO meter seem to be ‘lost arts’ these days!
We take our older and other stuff to a guy that does everything from ‘airside’ vehicles to taxis and plant and have loads of diagnostic kit
We take our older and other stuff to a guy that does everything from ‘airside’ vehicles to taxis and plant and have loads of diagnostic kit
theoneandonly
Established member
in answer to your odball question i raise you a daft one. can you read anything on the obd port? is it there or has someone put a dummy in the standard position and the real port is elsewhere. Thats what ive done.
I did try a OBD meter one year and it did give codes. However these had nothing to do with the actual correct codes which were eventaully tracked by Fiat. I did think of some answers such as re loading all the software but Fiat were not keen on that idea. It does appear that there are certain hierachies with dealerships such as Fiat and the workshops are strictly controlled in what they can do. There are so called 'experts' with dealerships who have authority to overide the normal diagnostics. In my case an 'expert' from Jeep a partner dealership, was able to overcome the issues and set everything up. Unfortunately he is in such demand that it can take a long wait to get him. I also belive I cannot be the only chap with a recalcitrant campervan as there are thousands out there. As mentioned I will try a ECU service provider to see if they can resolve the issues. I just do not want them coming back to me and saying that they cannot fix the problem and to take it to Fiat. It is very irritating as when fixed the van runs like a dream. I just kinda hoped someone out there could say, Yeah, I had that problem and this is what was required.
theoneandonly
Established member
So right now it runs without problems? If so i would take it to the ecu specialist and get a copy of the current programming before anything goes t!ts up. At least talk to them to see if they understand your problem.
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Hi Dave
I presume that the dealership is connecting to the OBD port as part of a routine service merely in order to A) Check for fault codes - hopefully none, and B) Reset the service display. It seems a ridiculous situation that they are unable to do this simple procedure, or are they attempting something more advanced such as updating the engine management software version ? This would normally only be done as a recall because of a significant error in the existing software and I'm not aware of one for 2014 vehicles.
As for 2014 being "too old", I fail to understand why any of their systems are not backwards compatible or able to deal with 2014 vehicles or even 2004 for that matter. My van is 2008 and the local FP dealer had no issues programming a replacement ECU in 2021.
If an OBD code reader is able to give sensible readings it suggests that at least the OBD port is connected and functioning.
Take comfort that your 2014 vehicle is Euro 5b and doesn't have the later Euro 6 twin EGR setup (2015 to 2019) that has given some people a lot of grief !
I presume that the dealership is connecting to the OBD port as part of a routine service merely in order to A) Check for fault codes - hopefully none, and B) Reset the service display. It seems a ridiculous situation that they are unable to do this simple procedure, or are they attempting something more advanced such as updating the engine management software version ? This would normally only be done as a recall because of a significant error in the existing software and I'm not aware of one for 2014 vehicles.
As for 2014 being "too old", I fail to understand why any of their systems are not backwards compatible or able to deal with 2014 vehicles or even 2004 for that matter. My van is 2008 and the local FP dealer had no issues programming a replacement ECU in 2021.
If an OBD code reader is able to give sensible readings it suggests that at least the OBD port is connected and functioning.
Take comfort that your 2014 vehicle is Euro 5b and doesn't have the later Euro 6 twin EGR setup (2015 to 2019) that has given some people a lot of grief !
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Sounds like you should post your (approximate) location and see if there's anyone local who could run Multiecuscan for you.
Patently, there might be some risk if the system is truly borked, but MES should cope easily with diagnostics on a 2014 vehicle. TBF, so should FP native diagnostics, and something smells fishy here.
Quite easy to run in read-only mode as long as it manages to communicate.
Patently, there might be some risk if the system is truly borked, but MES should cope easily with diagnostics on a 2014 vehicle. TBF, so should FP native diagnostics, and something smells fishy here.
Quite easy to run in read-only mode as long as it manages to communicate.
theoneandonly
Established member
Two favorites for non working OBD ports are
1: blown fuse (not applicable in your case)
2: poor connectivity with pins on the connector This video may be helpful or not
1: blown fuse (not applicable in your case)
2: poor connectivity with pins on the connector This video may be helpful or not
Just to give an update on this issue. There may be an issue with Fiat in house diagnostics as Fiat are sending new software to my Fiat Professional dealer. I am wondering if they updated all their normal software in the past and it no longer recognises any vehicles older than about 5 years. My dealership now states they are seeing similar problems on other Ducato vans and are pushing hard to get the new software. Fiat Italy of course are still having a long lunch hour and are driving my dealer nuts with trying to get what they need. I also had a chat with the local Bosch service dealer as they supply the ECU and they were very wary about trying their diagnostic tools as they tell me that Fiat have protocols that they cannot access and were scared they would frankly immobilise the vehicle. You may be able to access the basics but not the whole shebang. So, if the new software is finally installed then my problems may disappear. It has been very annoyng but I am now beginning to understand that the problem is not my van but Fiat getting ahead of themselves.