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Rapa Nui · 09-03-2014, 02:34 PM

Congrats, Protagonist. Glad the transmission issue is one no longer. Art

toskeysam · 09-03-2014, 03:53 PM

Glad to hear all is well now Protagonist. I understand the separation anxiety...😊 mine is about 700 miles away waiting for me to return.

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Protagonist · 09-04-2014, 05:14 AM

All is NOT well, actually. I drove my toad to Baton Rouge pick up my Interstate yesterday afternoon. One of the service department people pulled the Interstate around front and parked it while I closed out the paperwork. But it was in a poor position for me to hook up my toad, so I got in to move it. Anf guess what? It wouldn't start! Service manager comes out and tries to start it. He can't get it started, either. Pop open the fuse compartment… nope, not the fuse. Much crawling around by the service manager with a flashlight and a multimeter ensued, right there in the dealer's parking lot. Finally he says, "We'll have to do some more troubleshooting."

So the van is still at Mercedes Benz of Baton Rouge, and there's more anxiety in my separation anxiety.

But I had a braindrizzle (like a brainstorm, but smaller

), and since the van has 18,800 miles on it, I told them, "As long as you've got it for a few more days to fix this, go ahead and do the 20,000 mile service as well." I'd need the 20,000 mile service before the end of the year regardless, and doing it 1200 miles early means I don't have to do it during the holiday season. Plus the 20,000 mile service includes changing out the transmission fluid and filter (didn't even realize that there was a replaceable transmission fluid filter until I re-read p12 in the maintenance manual).

Oh, and with regard to the dipstick mentioned by 73shark, there is a dipstick tube, but it's capped. The dipstick itself doesn't come with the vehicle; it's considered a service tool, so the dealer has one that they use on all of their V-6 Sprinters.

toskeysam · 09-04-2014, 05:16 AM

😱😱😱

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J. Morgan · 09-04-2014, 07:50 AM

Everything through the computer makes everything so much easier!

These vehicles self diagnose!

Sorry for the sarcasm, needless complication is one of my pet peeves. It used to be that a person could take a test light and troubleshoot the start circuit in fifteen minutes....

avanti · 09-04-2014, 08:06 AM

Sorry tha the nightmare continues. Good call getting the 20K service done. But...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Plus the 20,000 mile service includes changing out the transmission fluid and filter (didn't even realize that there was a replaceable transmission fluid filter until I re-read p12 in the maintenance manual).

This is NOT correct. What the manual says is that you must replace the trans fluid and filter "every second maintenance service". There are two levels of service: "Oil Service Plus" and "Maintenance". They alternate. This is your first maintenance service, not your second one.

Now, you might want to get it done anyway, due to your towing debacle. But if you do, the tow company ought to be paying. Under normal circumstances, there is no way your Sprinter needs a transmission service at 20K miles.

avanti · 09-04-2014, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

It used to be that a person could take a test light and troubleshoot the start circuit in fifteen minutes....

Yes. And, it also used to be that people were thrilled to get 12 miles/gallon. ...and needed oil changes every 3,000 miles. ...and needed to clean and set points and every oil change. ...and set timing. ...and valves. ...and...

I'll take the computer, thank you.

J. Morgan · 09-04-2014, 08:18 AM

Computers are good for many things....

But IMHO running the engine start circuit through the computer is NOT one of them,,,,

Lily&Me · 09-04-2014, 09:17 AM

Sorry for your troubles, Protag, and that you're having to deal with this.

We have had no similar issues with ours, now 9+ years old for the Sprinter chassis. It wouldn't start one time, in January of this year, when we replaced the engine battery for the first time.

It has got to be a fluke of some sort, which is no comfort to you, I am sure.

Doug would say "sometimes stuff just breaks".

Keep us posted.

Maggie

Protagonist · 09-04-2014, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

It has got to be a fluke of some sort, which is no comfort to you, I am sure.

Just got to be philosophical about these things. The main comfort to be had in all of this is:
1 - The first time it wouldn't start, it was parked at home, not somewhere on the road. I wasn't stranded anywhere.
2 - The second time it wouldn't start, it was already at the dealer. I'd have been royally pissed if I'd been able to get it home only to find that it had to go back to the dealer. At least this way I didn't need another tow.
3 - I got a brand-new chassis battery out of the deal, free of charge.
4 - Fountainbleu State Park was every bit as rainy the whole Labor Day weekend as were New Orleans and Baton Rouge, so if I had to cancel a trip for van repairs, that was the best trip to cancel.

As they say, count your blessings.

Panama Red · 09-04-2014, 10:08 AM

Computer controls have really taken most of the hassle out of cars/trucks/motor homes... Until something odd like this happens. Remember the days of having to give instructions to start your car? "Pump the gas pedal twice to the floor, then halfway down, full choke until it fires, then let off the gas, push in the choke, and crank her up..." Usually followed by, "Now you've flooded it!"

I've got an old MG Midget that has manual choke, two barrel Mikuni, and a point distributor, and after it sits a couple of weeks you always have to burnish the points to get it to fire. You really have to know your stuff to run that thing...

Hope they get your starting issue ironed out shortly.

-Red

surfpod · 09-04-2014, 10:11 AM

Good path to take, Protagonist. It will be worked out. I'm learning a lot from this discussion. Best of luck to a speedy recovery. Chris

Ron_CA · 09-04-2014, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protagonist

All is NOT well, actually. I drove my toad to Baton Rouge pick up my Interstate yesterday afternoon. One of the service department people pulled the Interstate around front and parked it while I closed out the paperwork. But it was in a poor position for me to hook up my toad, so I got in to move it. Anf guess what? It wouldn't start! Service manager comes out and tries to start it. He can't get it started, either. Pop open the fuse compartment… nope, not the fuse. Much crawling around by the service manager with a flashlight and a multimeter ensued, right there in the dealer's parking lot. Finally he says, "We'll have to do some more troubleshooting."

So the van is still at Mercedes Benz of Baton Rouge, and there's more anxiety in my separation anxiety.

But I had a braindrizzle (like a brainstorm, but smaller

), and since the van has 18,800 miles on it, I told them, "As long as you've got it for a few more days to fix this, go ahead and do the 20,000 mile service as well." I'd need the 20,000 mile service before the end of the year regardless, and doing it 1200 miles early means I don't have to do it during the holiday season. Plus the 20,000 mile service includes changing out the transmission fluid and filter (didn't even realize that there was a replaceable transmission fluid filter until I re-read p12 in the maintenance manual).

Oh, and with regard to the dipstick mentioned by 73shark, there is a dipstick tube, but it's capped. The dipstick itself doesn't come with the vehicle; it's considered a service tool, so the dealer has one that they use on all of their V-6 Sprinters.

Glad you came to that conclusion. Should have been a no brainer

Protagonist · 09-04-2014, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron_CA

Glad you came to that conclusion. Should have been a no brainer

Problem is, no-brainers are a misnomer… gotta have a brain to make a no-brainer decision! Which kind of lets me out, since I ain't got one…

Ron_CA · 09-04-2014, 12:04 PM

Me either.

I have come to the conclusion that everything happens for a reason.

Most of the time, that reason is "Because I'm Stupid"

Lily&Me · 09-04-2014, 01:12 PM

Good attitude, Protag.

Be watching to see what develops.

Maggie

Boxster1971 · 09-04-2014, 01:42 PM

You have a good attitude on this issue. These problems can be frustrating, been there before myself.
Best of luck for a speedy solution. Looking forward to hearing the happy ending.

- - Mike
2013 AS Interstate on 2012 MB Sprinter

avanti · 09-04-2014, 01:54 PM

It would be very interesting to know whether the problem turns out to be 100% Sprinter-related, or whether AS design and/or workmanship was contributory. Hope the relevant details are made available to you.

xrvr · 09-04-2014, 01:55 PM

Starter shorted out and blows fuse? Jim

avanti · 09-04-2014, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

Starter shorted out and blows fuse? Jim

Yes, indeed:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Oh, and the reason why the fuse blew on mine, one of the wires was chafing on a piece of metal (he didn't say which or where) and rubbed off the insulation. Wire replaced and properly sheathed in a plastic tube to prevent future chafing.

"...chafing on a piece of metal"

Whose metal?