Ducato Auto Box

[Dr Mick]

My Ducato has the Fiat auto box which takes a bit of getting used to on very steep hills. It hunts between first and second and lurches. Moving temporarily to manual sorts this. However, at one steep campsite I had to make a hill start and the vehicle just would not move off. The engine revs were insufficient to generate the power needed to start. I had to roll back and take a run up, when it then flew up the hill no problem. Fortunately I could reverse and there was no traffic. It concerns me that I could get stuck in an unsafe place in future. Anyone else had this problem please and if so, is there a driving or other solution?

1 year old, 5000 miles, 6 speeds

 

[Admin]

My Ducato has the Fiat auto box which takes a bit of getting used to on very steep hills. It hunts between first and second and lurches. Moving temporarily to manual sorts this. However, at one steep campsite I had to make a hill start and the vehicle just would not move off. The engine revs were insufficient to generate the power needed to start. I had to roll back and take a run up, when it then flew up the hill no problem. Fortunately I could reverse and there was no traffic. It concerns me that I could get stuck in an unsafe place in future. Anyone else had this problem please and if so, is there a driving or other solution?

Can I ask if you used the Heavy Load / Hill Assist system?



Press the button above then to engage hill start assist you have to stop on the hill (over 5%), then with the brake pedal down go into neutral and back into gear.

 

[Dr Mick]

Yes, I have this feature but I do not recall using it when I was stuck. I was in a bit of a panic at that point, wondering how to get out of my situation. From what you say, the hill start assist would have helped.

 

[Dr Mick]

Ps it’s a van conversion, 3.5 tonnes on the registration certificate. We were carrying bikes, water and fuel so probably,y quite heavy.