Fiat Ducato X290 Recall

Just found this on VOSA. Recall issued by FIAT 30/11/17. VIN 02A59559 to 02F21177. Build date 17/02/16 to 14/09/17.
"The EGR pipe could fracture due to a potential non-conformity, the fractured pipe may damage the alternator resulting in a loss of battery voltage and potentially a loss of engine power".

we had a couple of vans recalled, but out of the dozen we bought this year only 2 recalled. We got notified by Fiat.

Must be bad if Fiat are doing a recall because the word problem doesn't translate into Italian or fiatese often

Received this today:
FCA
FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES
VEHICLE SAFETY RECALL NOTIFICATION
FIAT DUCATO 2.3 E6
NON-CONFORMING EGR (EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION) PIPE
7 December 2017
Dear Customer,
On a number, of Fiat Ducato vehicles the EGR pipe could fracture, due to a potential non-conformity. There is a possibility the fractured pipe may damage the alternator resulting in a loss of battery voltage and potentially a loss of engine power. The pipe must be checked and if non-conforming replaced with a conforming part. Fiat ref: 6152.
As this defect could affect vehicle safety, you are requested to make the earliest possible appointment with a Fiat Professional Dealer to check your vehicle and carry out any necessary rectification. This work will be carried out without charge and take up to 1 hour to check and if required replace the pipe, in addition to mandatory workshop procedures.
To assist you in locating your most convenient Fiat Professional Dealer we enclose a copy of the Fiat Professional Dealer network listing. Alternatively go to 'www.fiatprofessional.co.uk' or telephone the Fiat Customer Service Centre on 00800 3428 0000, 09.00 to 18.00 Monday — Friday, 08.00 to 17.00 Saturday.
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the Code of Practice for Safety Defects, as agreed between the Department of Transport and the representative Trade Associations and in compliance with the U.K General Product Safety Regulations 2005.
Thank you in advance for your assistance and we apologise for any inconvenience caused by this issue.
Yours faithfully,

I AM IRISH!
And believe me, its worse over here

Just out of interest, can you contact people affected by this recall in relation to motorhomes based on VIN numbers?

I went on Thursday to my local Fiat Professional, a van and truck specialist I met a chap who introduced himself as the service manager.
I told him I would be requiring the work carried out in the new year and just wanted to know how long it would take as my letter states one hour.
He said that it would take one hour or thereabouts to look at it but if it needed the work doing it would mean me leaving the van overnight as it would take seven or eight hours, he also wanted to book it in there and then.

The garage who would carry out this work would eventually be my service garage. So I needed to feel comfortable with them.

I phoned Fiat customer service, the number was on my letter, and he said it was a new one on him and suggested I try another garage.

I contacted a much smaller Fiat car dealership about thirty miles away and he seemed to know exactly what he was talking about.
He said Fiat allow them .40 of an hour to inspect and just under four hours to put right in the most difficult of circumstances.
It appears it is a different fix depending on your gearbox.
He also told me that he does a lot of work for his Motorhome customers, so my van will be in his garage in the new year.
I have known of this garage for a very long time.
Floorman

Norman here is a bit of advice re Donnellys, take pictures of your MH before it goes in and give it a full body inspection when you go to take it back, your van being the length it is will be tight to get from the workshop round the back. I was there in May by chance when a friend collected his (7m) and heard a bang as it came round the front, the guy driving it didn’t allow for the tail swing and hit the back end off two cars. Plenty of apologies and they paid for the repairs, but did try to argue it wasn’t them which was hard when there was a witness from a customer who buys around 20 vans a year off them!

Dont get me wrong, they are reputable and I wouldn't hesitate in recommending them, this was a mistake that one of their people made as they were not experienced at maneuvering a motorhome through a tight space with the showroom on one side and parked cars on the other. All I am doing is making a recommendation of how to prevent a dispute just in case of a mishap.

Just read on a facebook page that someone took their van in only to be told that their van had the issue and the part would take 3 weeks to arrive and the van could not be driven in the mean time. The egr could fracture and damage the alternator causing loss of battery voltage and potentially a loss of engine power. RHD vehicles could take 6 hours because of the steering rack / column are in the way. Someone replied that they have just got theirs back after a 3 week wait on the parts.

There is a delay on the new part running into the new year and there is also conflicting advice as to whether it is safe to drive the vehicle. I guess judging by the number of Ducato commercial vans out there and this being a busy time, they may be prioritising commercial fleets over campers.

Hi Folks,
The reason that there will be a 3 week delay is that Fiat are relocating their UK Warehouse at the moment and all parts have to now come from the main HUB in Italy.
The Italian Hub can`t handle the extra workload and at present are working 10-12 days behind on dispatch dates. The UK Warehouse isn`t going to be open until February at the earliest. Hope this clears this end of the issue up for you all.
Happy Christmas to you all
Peter Doherty
Parts Department

I,totally agree with you ntg.

Just a little update, I took my van in to Donnellys on the 3rd Jan for the recall and was told that I required the upgrade . I was told that this would take about 2 weeks for the parts to come in and i should not use it until the recall was complete.
It is now the 26th and not even a phone call,well I have news for them I will save them that phone call next week because I will be in there and for now I will be diplomatic and say no more.

Norman you are only wasting your time, we have had two vans in from just before Christmas and still no parts, the holiday period and the surge in demand is causing havoc

John .I presume since you are a commercial customer they supplied you with a temporary replacement , should the same not apply for any vehicle under warranty and with a recommend instruction not to be used.

How quick would the parts come in if motorhome owner was to sit in the garage reception at about 4.45 pm with his vehicle parked up in an ( inconvenient ) position, locked up safely, so as it could not be moved as recommended until the parts came in . and demand a replacement in order to go on about his way ?

I collected our MH today from a hab and gas check at a dealer today. It was the mechanic that I was talking to and during the conversation it came down about the erg pipe recall on fiat. Basically there is a supporting steel bracket welded to the steel pipe which is know to crack on the weld due to vibration. The replacement pipe has a heat resistant plastic clamp securing the pipe.
Malcolm

The parts are not coming in as quickly as Fiat have promised, at the end of last week they were expecting 20 units and only 6 came in. Something to keep in mind which our fleet maintenance guy reminded me of, there are a lot of ambulances sitting waiting on these parts, so who gets priority, the ambulance service or motorhomers!!

Well folks i am now happy to report that i have got my Fiat recall upgrade completed today although this did not happen without some pressure being applied. As reported in earlier post i took my van into Donnelly Mallusk on the 3rd Jan for its inspection and was told that i had to have the upgrade done.
I was told that it would take about two weeks for the parts to come in but after more than three weeks i had heard nothing so i went to Donnellys to be told that the parts for these recalls were coming through very slowly and that they could not give me any more info than that.
After another few calls i was getting very frustrated and asked for the Fiat Customer help line number which they gave to me,on my first call to Italy i was told that i would get a call back which would normally be within 48 hours but with the present high demand it might take a little longer, well after about a 100 hrs i still had heard nothing so i called them again.
After about four more calls and seeming to be getting nowhere other that the call handler taking down my concerns and trying to assure me that everything was been done that could be i informed them that i was now taking legal action as i had a motorhome 9 months old that i had been advised not to use.
The following day i got a call from Fiat Italy and i left them in no doubt about my intensions,i was asked to give them a further 48 hrs which i agreed to but got a call back within 24hrs to tell me that my parts were on their way to Donnelly Mallusk.
The following day Fiat Italy rang again to inform me that my parts were now at Donnelly Mallusk .
I took my Motorhome in yesterday at 2pm and lifted it today at 3pm but was really surprised to see the amount of motorhomes sitting there and was told that some of them were there since early Dec 2017.
Ok maybe some people do not use their Motorhomes at this time of year but for them that do i would say start putting the pressure on, if there is anyone that i can help i am willing to speak to you by private message .

Does anyone know who can do the recall work in Co Clare or somewhere nearby?
TIA