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Technical New Ducato Imala M/Home instrument cluster illumination
- Thread starter gullrock
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Technical New Ducato Imala M/Home instrument cluster illumination
The promised fix sounds interesting, however after all the categorical denials from Fiat that there is absolutely nothing wrong and no one else has a problem and it is perfectly good, I remain skeptical!!
Fiat even wrote to me and told me my main agent said it was fine, and that was after the agent had fully agreed with me that it was a design fault to my face.
We shall see.
Fiat even wrote to me and told me my main agent said it was fine, and that was after the agent had fully agreed with me that it was a design fault to my face.
We shall see.
Minx
New member
I get MMM magazine early as I'm a subscriber and am hoping that when the February issue comes out, probably end of the year, it will enlighten me (sorry for the pun) as to what they are doing to improve the situation.
Its only since MMM got involved that Fiat have 'had' to sit up and take note, us mere 'plebs' didn't stand a chance on our own.
Its only since MMM got involved that Fiat have 'had' to sit up and take note, us mere 'plebs' didn't stand a chance on our own.
Hi,
I too took delivery of a new Imala 720 a couple of months ago and have the same problem that the speedo (especially the top half - 30-60 mph) is very hard to see in dull conditions. I see that there have been a number of complaints and a magazine article that claims that a Fiat solution exists. However, neither my motorhome dealer or main Fiat dealers are aware and do not seem very interested in providing a solution. Has anyone had any recent success with Fiat or their dealerships please?
I too took delivery of a new Imala 720 a couple of months ago and have the same problem that the speedo (especially the top half - 30-60 mph) is very hard to see in dull conditions. I see that there have been a number of complaints and a magazine article that claims that a Fiat solution exists. However, neither my motorhome dealer or main Fiat dealers are aware and do not seem very interested in providing a solution. Has anyone had any recent success with Fiat or their dealerships please?
Well a lot has happened-
As far as I am concerned I phoned the Fiat Camper Team on 0080034281111 and lodged my complaint (for the 2nd Time) have been given a case number and told that a modification is due about the end of March this year and that they will be in touch.
We shall see if "always on dash lights" work if that is their intention, IT SHOULD BE BETTER, BUT IN THE MEANTIME I AM NOT GOING TO DISCONNECT MY LED LIGHT THAT ILLUMINATES THE SPEEDO (Oh thee of little faith)!
This is a copy of an article in another forum which goes some way to explaining it all -
"Modifying the instrument lighting so that it is permanently illuminated (with the vehicle’s ignition on) is not a ‘recall' as such.
As I understand it (from reading the MMM article) the exercise is going to be dealt with by Fiat in a similar way to how the X250 ‘juddering’ issue was handled, where free modifications were made available only to those vehicle owners who considered that modifications were necessary and demanded that work be carried out.
The MMM article quotes Fiat as saying “Recent feedback we have received, from a small number of motorhome customers, pertains to the instruments of the new Fiat Ducato, which is currently not backlit in normal daytime driving conditions...” and goes on to say “...We will make contact with the customers whao have contacted us to arrange to have this upgrade implemented...”
So, if you’ve already moaned to Fiat about your X290 Ducato-based motorhome’s instrument visibility, Fiat should be getting in touch with you (maybe!). But if you haven’t moaned about this and want the modification made, you’ll need to get in touch with Fiat by phone or via the website. And if (like me) you don’t want the modification made, you don’t need to do anything and Fiat apparently won’t be ‘cold calling’ to encourage you to have the ‘upgrade’ implemented.
From earlier comments it would seem that the main complaint about the instruments of X250-based motorhomes relates to difficulty reading the kmh scale on RHD vehicles with a dual-scale speedometer, but I don’t envisage permanently backlighting that type of speedometer helping much with reading kmh in daylight.
I can’t see permanently backlighting X290 instruments being a panacea for ‘daylight visibility’ either (and definitely not when it comes to kmh readability for dual-scale speedometers) but it might help and predictable that this is the approach Fiat would favour.
The unpalatable fact is that the X250’s instrument display was poor ergonomically and the X290’s display is worse, and - although backlighting may help readability in dull daytime conditions - it won’t address those displays' basic design flaws. "
As far as I am concerned I phoned the Fiat Camper Team on 0080034281111 and lodged my complaint (for the 2nd Time) have been given a case number and told that a modification is due about the end of March this year and that they will be in touch.
We shall see if "always on dash lights" work if that is their intention, IT SHOULD BE BETTER, BUT IN THE MEANTIME I AM NOT GOING TO DISCONNECT MY LED LIGHT THAT ILLUMINATES THE SPEEDO (Oh thee of little faith)!
This is a copy of an article in another forum which goes some way to explaining it all -
"Modifying the instrument lighting so that it is permanently illuminated (with the vehicle’s ignition on) is not a ‘recall' as such.
As I understand it (from reading the MMM article) the exercise is going to be dealt with by Fiat in a similar way to how the X250 ‘juddering’ issue was handled, where free modifications were made available only to those vehicle owners who considered that modifications were necessary and demanded that work be carried out.
The MMM article quotes Fiat as saying “Recent feedback we have received, from a small number of motorhome customers, pertains to the instruments of the new Fiat Ducato, which is currently not backlit in normal daytime driving conditions...” and goes on to say “...We will make contact with the customers whao have contacted us to arrange to have this upgrade implemented...”
So, if you’ve already moaned to Fiat about your X290 Ducato-based motorhome’s instrument visibility, Fiat should be getting in touch with you (maybe!). But if you haven’t moaned about this and want the modification made, you’ll need to get in touch with Fiat by phone or via the website. And if (like me) you don’t want the modification made, you don’t need to do anything and Fiat apparently won’t be ‘cold calling’ to encourage you to have the ‘upgrade’ implemented.
From earlier comments it would seem that the main complaint about the instruments of X250-based motorhomes relates to difficulty reading the kmh scale on RHD vehicles with a dual-scale speedometer, but I don’t envisage permanently backlighting that type of speedometer helping much with reading kmh in daylight.
I can’t see permanently backlighting X290 instruments being a panacea for ‘daylight visibility’ either (and definitely not when it comes to kmh readability for dual-scale speedometers) but it might help and predictable that this is the approach Fiat would favour.
The unpalatable fact is that the X250’s instrument display was poor ergonomically and the X290’s display is worse, and - although backlighting may help readability in dull daytime conditions - it won’t address those displays' basic design flaws. "
Hi Gullrock,
Many thanks for this comprehensive update. I too have spoken to the Fiat phone line so I hope that they will contact me in due course. I would encourage all those with concerns about this topic to contact Fiat loudly and soon! Turning to the likely solution, I suspect that you are correct and that they will permanently turn on the backlighting. I have looked at this and it does seem to help, although the red colour is not ideal in daylight in my view. However, whilst you are quite right in that the ergonomics of the instruments are fundamentally poor, I do not see Fiat volunteering to change any of the instruments or the layout free of charge.
I guess that we will just have to wait until the solution is published. But it is very frustrating and annoying in an expensive new vehicle.
After months of denial Fiat have at last arranged for a software update to change the instrument panel illumination to always on when the ignition is on (irrespective of external lights)
Just had it done by my dealer and that is what it does, however the lighting in day light is still pretty dim and there is no facility to turn a dimmer up.
Maybe I can find replacement instrument panel LED bulbs on the web that would be brighter?
Just had it done by my dealer and that is what it does, however the lighting in day light is still pretty dim and there is no facility to turn a dimmer up.
Maybe I can find replacement instrument panel LED bulbs on the web that would be brighter?
From reading other motorhome forums I have found out there is a fix from Fiat UK. You need to contact the Fiat Camper help line (00800 3428 1111) and register to have the fix completed by a Fiat Professional dealer. From what I have read the fix is a software update that takes around a half hour to complete. The end result is that your instrument lights will be on while ever your ignition is in the on position. Hope this helps.
sharealike
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I've been experimenting with my lights on full time to see if the Fiat fix is good enough. Its better but the fundamental flaw is the chrome rims added to the later models lens over the clocks are getting in the way. Both speedometer and rev counter are now at the bottom of tunnels.
Earlier posters agree were getting less natural light in BUT the tunnels are parallel. For me and I guess many others the scales can't be seen because the rims and sides of the tunnels are directly in our line of sight. Only by having eyes the same distance apart as the middles of the speedometer and rev counter would you be able to see the complete set of scales in one glance. I'm just over 6' so have to lower my head by leaning forwards and then swing my head from side to side to see 0 to 3,000 rpm and 50 to 80+ MPH. Its no fun. Pictures attached. Hoped just losing the fake chrome rings might be enough but afraid not. The first two pictures are taken with camera on tripod to keep the eyes exactly where they are when I'm seated in the van. Third picture showing what they have decided we can have in the way for nothing other than decoration. Gives me a pain in the neck to think about it. Never mind the one I get after a few hours driving. If only they made the middles of new tunnels converge at your eyes rather being parallel and angled the whole assembly up a little.
Earlier posters agree were getting less natural light in BUT the tunnels are parallel. For me and I guess many others the scales can't be seen because the rims and sides of the tunnels are directly in our line of sight. Only by having eyes the same distance apart as the middles of the speedometer and rev counter would you be able to see the complete set of scales in one glance. I'm just over 6' so have to lower my head by leaning forwards and then swing my head from side to side to see 0 to 3,000 rpm and 50 to 80+ MPH. Its no fun. Pictures attached. Hoped just losing the fake chrome rings might be enough but afraid not. The first two pictures are taken with camera on tripod to keep the eyes exactly where they are when I'm seated in the van. Third picture showing what they have decided we can have in the way for nothing other than decoration. Gives me a pain in the neck to think about it. Never mind the one I get after a few hours driving. If only they made the middles of new tunnels converge at your eyes rather being parallel and angled the whole assembly up a little.
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camoyboy
New member
Had the mod carried out by FIAT so that the dash lights are on all the time. Even on full brightness the dials are still hard to see, except in really dull conditions.
I have a small piece of tinfoil stuck to the top of the steering column with blue tac, mounted to reflect natural light through the windscreen onto the speedo. Works a treat.
Colin
I have a small piece of tinfoil stuck to the top of the steering column with blue tac, mounted to reflect natural light through the windscreen onto the speedo. Works a treat.
Colin
Just had the MOD Done on our 2015 /2016 Ducato speedo. They have set it so the lights behind the dash are on all the while. Makes it easier to see in bad light. Only problem now is that because I have changed the Sat Nav you cannot reset the Date / Time as it's not on the MODE Button anymore.
