Pudsey Bear
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I was responding to a post on facts when I noticed this thread about a breakdown in France and wondered if some or any of it is true or not or even made any sense the poster was only on the forum for two days in 2023 and hasn't been back.
If I can save another motorhome the heartache I've just been through this will be worth it.
I was travelling through France in a Elddis motorhome on a Peugeot Boxer chassis and pulled into a motorway services. When I got back to the van the ignition was dead. After being towed off, I was jump started and drove to a Peugeot Garage who investigated and fitted a new battery. The next day as I drove to a campsite near my ferry port, I stopped in a lay-by to check my route and once again the dashboard was dead and there was no ignition. I then had to be towed to depot and jump started. The following morning I drove to another Peugeot dealers. They investigated the issue and said there was no problem. On the day of my ferry, I stopped at a supermarket and everything was dead when I tried to start it. After 4 hours I found someone to jump start me then drove straight to the ferry and left the engine running for 2 hours so I could board.
I got the motorhome home then took it to my home garage who immediately worked out the problem. THE BATTERY CONTROL UNIT, ATTACHED TO THE POSITIVE TERMINAL WAS INTERMITTENTLY STOPPING THE BATTERY FROM STARTING.
Because the French main dealers were incompetent and because the French police insist that you have to use their recovery companies, even if you have breakdown insurance, it was an expensive experience. Approximately 500 euros for recovery and 300 plus euros for diagnostics and a new battery I didn't need. (The old one was less than 2 years old.)
If I can save another motorhome the heartache I've just been through this will be worth it.
I was travelling through France in a Elddis motorhome on a Peugeot Boxer chassis and pulled into a motorway services. When I got back to the van the ignition was dead. After being towed off, I was jump started and drove to a Peugeot Garage who investigated and fitted a new battery. The next day as I drove to a campsite near my ferry port, I stopped in a lay-by to check my route and once again the dashboard was dead and there was no ignition. I then had to be towed to depot and jump started. The following morning I drove to another Peugeot dealers. They investigated the issue and said there was no problem. On the day of my ferry, I stopped at a supermarket and everything was dead when I tried to start it. After 4 hours I found someone to jump start me then drove straight to the ferry and left the engine running for 2 hours so I could board.
I got the motorhome home then took it to my home garage who immediately worked out the problem. THE BATTERY CONTROL UNIT, ATTACHED TO THE POSITIVE TERMINAL WAS INTERMITTENTLY STOPPING THE BATTERY FROM STARTING.
Because the French main dealers were incompetent and because the French police insist that you have to use their recovery companies, even if you have breakdown insurance, it was an expensive experience. Approximately 500 euros for recovery and 300 plus euros for diagnostics and a new battery I didn't need. (The old one was less than 2 years old.)
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