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Subject Topic: Swift Challenger Dometic Fridge Problem
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PersonPixie_Hez
06/5/2018 at 5:12pm
 Location: Liverpool
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 560 View Pixie_Hez's Profile View Profile   Reply to Pixie_Hez Reply   Quote Pixie_Hez Quote  
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I just thought I would post about how we resolved the problem with our Dometic fridge in a 2018 Swift Challenger just in case anyone else has the same issue and is searching the net for a solution.

Our Dometic fridge kept switching itself off after about 20 minutes of us putting it on. For the first few times we just switched it on again but after a few occasions, it would not come on at all. We phoned our dealer's emergency helpline and a very helpful guy talked us through the following solution.

There is apparently a well known problem with the 2018 software in the Swift Command unit which communicates with the fridge that requires a software update to correct so, in the meantime, you need to disconnect the fridge from the Swift Command unit and control it by the buttons on the fridge itself rather than the buttons on the Swift Command Unit.

To do this you have to remove the lower fridge vent on the outside of the van. On the vent there is a white plastic button type thing on the left hand side. Slide this button upwards (it took quite a bit of pressure) and when it releases, the vent cover just hinges off. Behind the vent cover there are a load of wires. You need to look for a long black wire with a small box on the end which looks a bit like a telephone landline cable extension. In ours, this was coiled up and had a cable tie round it to keep it tidy. Another white cable which looks exactly like a telephone landline cable is connected into this box. Simply remove the white cable from the black box. This disconnects the fridge from the swift command unit. Then, on the power supply unit under the front seat press the system shut down button, wait for 30 seconds and switch it on again. The fridge should now work from the buttons on front of the fridge rather than from the swift command unit.

I hope this helps someone else stuck in the same situation as us on a bank holiday weekend with nowhere open to help!

-------------
Pixie


PersonSamP
06/5/2018 at 10:23pm
 Location: S Wales The Badland
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 530 View SamP's Profile View Profile   Reply to SamP Reply   Quote SamP Quote  
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Thanks for posting that.
I shall keep a copy of your post for when (when??) we finally get our new van.

It does raise the question why you had to contact the dealer.

If this is a "well known problem", the dealer (or Swift) should have been in touch with you - & not leave it up to you to discover the snag the hard way and make it your job to chase them.

Even better would have been for the dealer to isolate the fridge before you received the van.

Better still would be for Swift/Sargent to have fixed the software problem (and some others that seem to be causing false alarms).

Still, customers paying large amounts of money shouldn't expect too much in return.



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SamP


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Personblueexpo97
07/5/2018 at 6:38am
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How does your warranty stand after your tinkering and not done by a dealer?

Seems like a great get out clause to me.

-------------
XVI yes?

As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.


PersonPixie_Hez
07/5/2018 at 7:36am
 Location: Liverpool
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 560 View Pixie_Hez's Profile View Profile   Reply to Pixie_Hez Reply   Quote Pixie_Hez Quote  
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I assume that as it was the dealer who talked me through the procedure and all it was was the disconnecting of a cable, it shouldn't affect the warranty! I hope so anyway!

-------------
Pixie


PersonSamP
07/5/2018 at 10:36pm
 Location: S Wales The Badland
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 530 View SamP's Profile View Profile   Reply to SamP Reply   Quote SamP Quote  
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I've just added an item to my copy of Caravan Talk's

Checks when buying a Caravan

"Ask for (written) details of _all_ known snags and problems (hardware and software) - with information on how to deal with them."

Anything which isn't on that list, & later turns out to be a known snag, would then be a significant topic of 'discussion' with the dealer.



-------------
SamP


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PersonHelfinian
30/7/2018 at 7:37am
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We are on our long summer holiday in Italy and found this post via Google. With any luck you’ve saved us a whole heap of time and energy. Thankyou!


PersonPixie_Hez
30/7/2018 at 8:04am
 Location: Liverpool
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 560 View Pixie_Hez's Profile View Profile   Reply to Pixie_Hez Reply   Quote Pixie_Hez Quote  
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Let us know if this works for you Helfinian!

-------------
Pixie


PersonHelfinian
30/7/2018 at 9:19am
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It did. For 15 minutes.
We’ve had so many issues with this van, I’m really narked off with it now


PersonThe 2 Tops
30/7/2018 at 6:12pm
 Location: None Entered
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We feel the same about our 2012 Swift Challenger. Started getting problems when it was about 15 months old - it had to go back in for water ingress, but I have sorted out the other ongoing problems myself as they occur.
I sent a 3-page report to the chairman of Swift, pointing out the errors in design and workmanship. Got nothing more than a weak apology (as expected), although they never mentioned anything about infringing their warranty. Since most of our problems happened during our annual 6-week stay in France, DIY rectification was essential keep the van serviceable in the time remaining before heading for home.
Bertie.

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The 2 Tops


PersonHelfinian
30/7/2018 at 8:07pm
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Days of a problem now. Been on the phone to the dealer and to Swift. It does it’s own thing! Just decides to turn off and then beeps at you over and over. It’s been doing it for 5 minutes just now and then suddenly stopped. Is it even switched on now? No bleeding idea! And we’ve got food in that fridge in 35 degrees of heat.
This is our annual holiday abroad and all we’ve done is try to sort out a bloody fridge. Like we don’t have enough stress at work for the rest of the year!
We are close to sending this van back. Been out in it 4 times only. Too many problems


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PersonSevenexile
30/7/2018 at 8:32pm
 Location: South Wales
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Is the fridge door black? Is it getting direct sunlight? Some models of dometic fridges have a temperature sensor in the door and if it heats above to I believe over 40c it sets and alarm off on the fridge? Once it cools down again then the alarm goes off.


PersonHelfinian
30/7/2018 at 9:20pm
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Yes it’s black but I don’t believe that’s the issue. It’s justvthis second started going off again and it’s well below 30 in there. Driving us bloody mad. How are we supposed to sleep through this?
It’s lasted an hour this time without sounding that bloody beeping alarm!
Ah, perhaps it might have stopped again now.
5 minutes and then it set itself again.
FFS I’m so angry about this.
It’s a known fault and yet Swift are happy to keep clogging their substandard vans with Barking apps that no one needs. I mean honestly, who needs to control their fridge and lighting from their phone?! If they even happen to have a signal!
Rant over. But I’m still p**sed off


PersonPixie_Hez
30/7/2018 at 10:13pm
 Location: Liverpool
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 560 View Pixie_Hez's Profile View Profile   Reply to Pixie_Hez Reply   Quote Pixie_Hez Quote  
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Dear Helfinian, sorry that this didn’t fix things for you! I know exactly how you feel about the van, we have had ours for 6 months now and have had so many warranty issues I have lost count. We are very seriously considering taking the financial hit and trading it in for a different make.

Our dealer is a long way away so every time we have to take it for warranty work it costs us a fortune in diesel and time off work.

I hope you get things sorted out. During our recent holiday in France the fridge worked on EHU but wouldn’t work when connected to the car. Thankfully all the sites we stayed on had campers freezers for freezing ice packs and we were able to freeze several bottles of water to keep the fridge cool when we were travelling.

One other thing has just popped into my mind. These fridges have a sensor to beep at you if it thinks the door has not been closed tight. We found that when I closed the fridge door it was fine but when my hubby closed it, it would beep to say the door wasn’t closed right. It was closed but we had to push it at the top and bottom to make sure the sensor registered that the door was closed. It’s worth a shot to see if that might help you!

-------------
Pixie


PersonBaileyjake
31/7/2018 at 1:25pm
 Location: West Midlands
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so this is progress? why is it necessary to have a fridge on a fieldbus network? and if it is necessary you would hope the manufacturers could actually make it work.

meanwhile my 2010 dometic fridge works fine....now that i fitted auxiliary heat exchanger fans

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First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara


PersonPixie_Hez
31/7/2018 at 6:50pm
 Location: Liverpool
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 560 View Pixie_Hez's Profile View Profile   Reply to Pixie_Hez Reply   Quote Pixie_Hez Quote  
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Quote: Originally posted by Baileyjake on 31/7/2018
so this is progress? why is it necessary to have a fridge on a fieldbus network? and if it is necessary you would hope the manufacturers could actually make it work


I agree entirely. There is absolutely no point to half the electronic gizmos on our new Swift. Our previous caravans had nice robust switches rather than computer controlled consoles and it was great. All this technological nonsense is just asking for trouble when it doesn’t work right.

I’m not a technophobe, indeed, I have a doctorate in educational technology, but I just can’t see the point to half of what is in our new caravan.

-------------
Pixie


PersonFEDUP25
via mobile 19/9/2019 at 3:30pm
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Swift really do need to take a long hard look at improving their production of their very expensive caravans. Just been chatting to fellow caravaners we are all angry at the lack of care and poor build quality. There’s no point in pushing out fancy looking vans if underneath The showy facade the caravans are riddled with avoidable faults. Shame on Swift I will never purchase another caravan from them. Unless those in the factory are held to account for their lack of care during the build. Poor quality control will eventually ruin Swift. Ten avoidable faults in my new 2018 caravan and counting. This is criminal.



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