Hi

WE purchased a new AVAN Applause campervan, FIAT DUCATO with factory fit swivel seats (before you ask yes FIAT fitted seats and AVAN imports vehicles directly). The seats rock at the slightest bump or when braking. Just had the van back to FIAT and they say that's how they are nothing can be adjusted etc to stop rocky unfortunately they say it's what comes with swivel seats.

Hence my question goes anyone else have the same experience with their swivel seats in their campervan or motorhome? Would really like to hear of other people's experiences with their swivel seats regardless of brand.

And does anyone have any ideas on how to stop the rocking?

I have a back injury so the rocking isnt something I can't tolerate. Van is only 5 months old and just love it except travelling in it! 

Hope someone can suggest someone who maybe able to fix it, as would hate to part with the van just because of the seat motion.

Safe travels

MDE

Hi MDE,

We have had our 2nd hand Mercedes Sprinter Campervan for over 3 years and both swivel front seats work perfectly & lock firmly into place whether in driving positions or the 2 swiveled positions available to each seat. I don't know if they are original or aftermarket fitted but I would think your late model Fiat should have top quality fittings  so something must be wrong with the installation & adjustments.

David 

My 2011 built Fiat  Ducato ( with a 2012 Birdsville motorhome) has travelled 59k kms and my wife and I use the swivel seats all the time. 

We have no rocking in them, so I disagree that the ' rocking is how they are'. That suggestion is completely wrong. 

I would contact Fiat direct and complain to them. The warantee is now 5 years for new Fiats, 3 years for older ones and either well covers your 5 months old vehicle.

If you get no satisfaction I suggest contacting consumer affairs and informing them of the problem. A rocking drivers seat is dangerous as well as being bad for your back.

The issue is definitely one that should not go unchallenged.

Stay safe.

Colin

Our 2008 fiat sunliner has the same seats and has no movement at all when locked in position try a different fiat dealer 

Dragonfly1

Hi MDE again,

Just a thought-How close are you to a new motorhome dealership or a hire company?-Have a look at another Fiat with swivel seats yourself & compare.

David

Good idea David. We are going to caravan and camping show in March so hoping someone will have some ideas then if we have not had any joy with FIAT.

Hi again,

I presume you also tried the seats at different settings ie: up/down, forward/back to see if there is any improvement.

David

Hi again,

I don't know how to post links but have a look at www.vantracks.co.uk & put seat swivels in their search & select Fiat Ducato  & have a read of their blurb.

Says in one part- swivel plates sandwich has a special lubricating wear plate thereby making the swivel virtually maintenance free & then in their fitting instructions say IMPORTANT:check once check twice all fittings nuts & bolts are secured.  For them to highlight important seems to be an indication that this can be easily overlooked when installing.

David 

M D E  You do have a problem it is not quite right seats in any vehicle should not have any movement. So there is a Fault. try contacting other dealerships and make suttle inquires and then if not happy  you may need to take some more serious action. our seats swivel and lock as required maybe try the seat ajuster all the way forward then turn. cheers 

Hello MDE
I have a 2006 Fiat Ducato which came with one swivel seat on the passenger side. I removed the swivel part of the seat, as the seat was too high off the floor for my wife Bev.

There was nothing wrong with the swivel.
As all the other posters have said, there should be no noticable movement in a swivel chair

I have just been inside my shed to check how the swivel part works

I can confirm that:-

1. The swivel part is just an add on between the original seat and the original seat base, approximately 65 mm high
2. It is removable by removing eight x 8 mm nuts and bolts, using a 13 mm spanner. To reattaching the seat back to the base without the swivel part, use four of those bolts
3. The swivel part is just a threaded pipe type stepped stem
4. The swivel has no bearings, but works by incorporating two plastic type friction washers, tensioned by a large nut
5. They need a 50 mm spanner or, (in motorhome builders speak) an 18 inch shifting spanner, to tension the big nut, which they probably do not have.

Someone will have to remove the big nut with a 50 mm spanner or socket, inspect the plastic type washers, in case they have now worn down uneven, when assembling they need to put some nut locktight on the thread, and then tighten the nut until it is suitable to allow the chair to swivel without any sort of play between the nut and washers.

I would assume that it is a Fiat and not a motorhome builders problem, as it would be a normal Fiat commercial vehicle seat

I would suggest that if you take it to any Fiat agent, they would fix it immediately as a safety issue.

I do not know where you are.
If you are anywhere near Bunbury WA, I would certainly help you out, as I have some large tools

Edit after thinking my thoughts
If the rocking is similar to the chair trying to throw you through the windscreen, or through the door, then it is definately the swivel part which is damaged or loose.

If the rocking is similar to the chair trying to move you forward and sideways in an arc, it could be the runners on the floor, which allows the seat to move backwards and forwards being faulty.

The floor runners may have been misaligned since new, broken, or simply a piece of carpet or underlay is stuck into some notches of one runner. If one runner is locked in, and the other runner is still able to move, then this would definitely be moving you backwards and forwards, but in an arc.

Now knowing the friendliness of some of the regular forum members, I know that we are all waiting to find out that this problem will be solved. No one likes to see a person with a bad back suffering unnecessary, while being jarred in a loose seat. We hope to hear good news soon

-- Edited by Tony Bev on Wednesday 2nd of March 2016 02:35:54 AM

MDE wrote:

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Thanks Tony, I was starting to wonder if it was something other than the swivel part of seat. Can I send your comments to FIAT to ask if they have considered this?
Unfortunately I am not able to follow up with it this week having an enforced holiday in hospital. But I will be like dog hunting for a bone next week! We are in Baldivis so if we have no joy with FIAT a trip to Bunbury would be great.
I will let you all know when and how we have resolved this issue.
MDE
Markus and Delphine

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Hi MDE

Markus and Delphine

Yes you can certainly use my comments to show to anyone. Your Fiat agent is actually somewhere close to you. They are called Purley Commercial, and whatever is wrong with the seat, will in my opinion be a Fiat problem, which will be repaired under warranty, if the vehicle is only five months old.

At your very worst scenario, you are most welcome to visit me in Bunbury, and I shall help you to the best of my ability. I would drive up to have a look, as you are not far away, but unfortunately I also have a small medical issue, and prefer not to travel at this period in time.

I actually joined this fantastic forum, to help me rev up, and get travelling again

I sincerely hope that your enforced holiday in hospital will see you come out smiling, and like myself, once again start trudging along contently.

Edit to say that I have just been back into the shed, and saw the light, (it is now daylight), and now see things differently

I correct the fact that the bolts which hold the swivel to the base and the chair actually have tamperproof torx heads, and that you also require a TORX T-40H tool to remove these bolts.

I have that tool, as I removed the swivel

MDE wrote:

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Hi All

We had our swivel seats inspected today by our mechanic in Baldivis. He immediately identified the rocking in the seats by joust touching them by hand. He said it must be like being in a boat when driving.

He said FIAT was correct there was nothing that can be adjusted! It's a serious design fault and the plates of the swivel are flexing due to use of flimsy material!

He concluded his inspection by saying "It's such a design issue (swivel seats) that eventually maybe not this year or next year but one day from the flexing of those plates they will crack and eventually the seats will fall backwards or even go thru the windscreen"!

We have taken a video of the initial inspection and sent his comments to FIAT for their immediate action.

Will keep you up to date on the outcome.

Regards
Delphine and Markus

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Hello MDE (Delphine and Markus)

It is good to find out that you now know exactly what the problem is.

The newer model seats must obviously be very different than the old ones.

As you have seen on this topic, we the people with older models, do not have swivel seat problems. 

Good luck with your hospital holiday next week. I can recommend the Saint John of Gods in Subiaco

Hi Tony

Just been searching the web for the different models of swivel seats for Ducato and it appears from the pictures that the wrong model may have been fitted... but I could be wrong as FIAT has not supplied us with the details of the make and model fitted to out Van. So its bit of a waiting game now as we have sent off mechanics report etc to FIAT for their action.

Got out of hospital yesterday, was SCGH and the staff were wonderful there.

Regards

Delphine and Markus 

MDE wrote:

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Hi Tony

Just been searching the web for the different models of swivel seats for Ducato and it appears from the pictures that the wrong model may have been fitted... but I could be wrong as FIAT has not supplied us with the details of the make and model fitted to out Van. So its bit of a waiting game now as we have sent off mechanics report etc to FIAT for their action.

Got out of hospital yesterday, was SCGH and the staff were wonderful there.

Regards

Delphine and Markus 

-- Edited by MDE on Saturday 5th of March 2016 12:01:53 AM

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Hello Delphine and Markus

A bit off topic, but you must have had the same room as me. My opinion of the staff are the same as yours

dorian wrote:

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If FIAT doesn't do the right thing by you, then there may be a solution in the aftermarket:

www.rainbow-conversions.co.uk/swivels.htm

---

Hello Dorian

That was a very good find, and I am sure that it will be of interest to all future buyers of a 2015 Fiat Ducato, and I for one, thank you for taking the time to find this information

MDE I will point out that dorian has given you some ammunition

 It confirms that there are two types of swivels for your model vehicle, which I have highlighted

Quote from dorian find

FASP Seat Swivel Base Plate Turntable - Fiat Ducato / Boxer / Relay 2007+ Driver Side

FASP seat swivels are designed and manufactured in two different ways in order to suit the various seats of new vehicles. The 1300 style is made with sections of welded steel which gives a very strong and heavy finish. The 1305 is a much lighter design as the thinner sheet of steel is pressed in order to give strength. The 1305 also uses ball bearings to aid a smooth swivel action. There are various level of approvals that can be gained for swivels. The swivel plate has original seat fixation points (for each model).

Unquote from durian find

I can confirm by looking at the pictures on that site that the swivel in my shed, will not fit your seat.

My swivel, (which is not on that site), has a fulcrum point  central to the base, while yours is offset to the rear and drivers side. Unfortunately this means that you cannot borrow my base, while you get your own sorted.

Thanks Dorian and Tony

i have attached the video (mechanical inspection) and snapshot of the different types of swivel available for pre 2007 & +2007 Which we sent to Fiat yesterday.

Our looks like the pre 2007 model though we have not had the seats off to look properly though you can clearly see the big centre hole. 

Really appreciate you assistance and will pass on the info you have provided in our application to FIAT to replace these swivel fittings.

Regards

Delphine and Markus

MDE wrote:

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Thanks Dorian and Tony

i have attached the video (mechanical inspection) and snapshot of the different types of swivel available for pre 2007 & +2007 Which we sent to Fiat yesterday.

Our looks like the pre 2007 model though we have not had the seats off to look properly though you can clearly see the big centre hole. 

Really appreciate you assistance and will pass on the info you have provided in our application to FIAT to replace these swivel fittings.

Regards

Delphine and Markus

 

---

Hello Delphine and Markus

I stand corrected and thought, (if i had half a brain, I would be dangerous), when I first glanced at my swivel in the shed, at night time, I thought that the fulcrum point was in the centre.

My swivel looks similar to the one in your last picture, except that mine has reinforcement plates welded into it.

My seat base looks more robust than the one in your first picture. It is made from bent 28 mm pipe, with a reinforcement gusset, in the lower, rear corner.

To help you out, as you have a bad back, if the problem is the swivel, and not the base (the video did not turn up) you can borrow my swivel, (if it fits), until you get your own sorted

I hope that my two pictures get through

Edit to try and attach a Win 7 page with two photos a second time but not clickable for some reason

Edit a third time to remove attachment and try to upload two pictures

Note to Cindy as I am not yet familiar with PM and such

Cindy I have received my Grey Nomads sticker, thanks for that, also as I am not always on the net, you have my permision to give MDE my home telephone number and address

MDE if/when you need to contact me then direct Cindy to this post and ask for my telephone number

-- Edited by Tony Bev on Saturday 5th of March 2016 04:38:46 PM

UPDATE :)
Hi All
Just been advised that FIAT will be replacing both swivel bases under warranty!
Thank you all for your advise, offers and input much appreciated.
Regards
Delphine and Markus