Betting pool: The worst that could happen?

[rowiebowie]

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Turbo problems should have been the least of your worries.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Turbo problems should have been the least of your worries.

In almost four years of reading this and multiple other related forums, not once did I ever hear a tale of a Sprinter turbo hose COMING OFF.

Splitting? Of course - every day of the week and twice on Sundays. But they don't just fall off.

It reminded me dimly of that thread several years ago about the ground effects that fell off an Interstate because the piece was attached using only double-sided tape. I won't even try to dredge that one up.

[Jim Flower]

Don’t forget to try and spend a night in Meat Cove.

[LB_3]

Originally Posted by Jim Flower

Don’t forget to try and spend a night in Meat Cove.

We stopped in for their chowder and walked the beach but didn’t stay the night.

[Sebtown]

On our first long trip about 5 years ago everything was going smoothly until bam, we were in limp home mode. It was 108 degrees outside and we were on highway 5 south of Shasta Lake. Not being prepared with tools or knowledge we pressed on thinking we might make it home. We got to Fairfield where I spied a Mercedes Sprinter dealer just off the highway. We pulled in with me being convinced I had blown the turbo. As I was arranging a rental car to get home the mechanic came in to tell me the turbo hose had blown off the resonator! $90 and an hour later we were back on the road. I hope all this is now behind you and may the rest of your trip be uneventful.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Jim Flower

Don’t forget to try and spend a night in Meat Cove.

IMO, it's over-rated. Sure, there's the novelty of it being at the actual end of the road, but it's difficult to navigate, overrun with a crush of tourists, and always under-served.

There's also a localized karmic issue that tourists never see, with allegations (and some convictions) involving large-scale fraud, sex abuse, and other crimes committed by members of the settlement's extended family. Not libel - the info is readily available via internet search.

Anyway, it's all contrary to our values, and every time we go there, it casts a shadow on the experience. We went this year mostly because I wanted our guest to see the natural area surrounding it.

[RandyNH]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

IMO, it's over-rated. Sure, there's the novelty of it being at the actual end of the road, but it's difficult to navigate, overrun with a crush of tourists, and always under-served.

There's also a localized karmic issue that tourists never see, with allegations (and some convictions) involving large-scale fraud, sex abuse, and other crimes committed by members of the settlement's extended family. Not libel - the info is readily available via internet search.

Anyway, it's all contrary to our values, and every time we go there, it casts a shadow on the experience. We went this year mostly because I wanted our guest to see the natural area surrounding it.

That sounds like the same reason I won't go to pizzerias in DC

Edit: I did do the internet search as recommended.

[InterBlog]

Fourth on the road issue: door lock system spontaneously became twitchy last night after four years of flawless performance.

LB_3 noticed it first, and knowing my intolerance for imprecision and loose ends, he trouble-shot it extensively but achieved no resolution.

At first I thought maybe the issue was with his fob, but no, mine produced the same result. The truck refused to lock by signal, but could still be locked by turning the physical key in the slider handle.

I ran tests last night using the weird MB push button on the dash. Lock, unlock, lock, unlock, rinse repeat, try to work out whatever the bug is.

I cleared the problem at least temporarily. I suspect that the issue is with the slider, which periodically seems to stick half way between locked and unlocked. The latch mechanism is going bad in the known way of T1N Sprinters, and I think it’s affecting the signal. We knew it was not operating 100% but it’s a big job to take that door apart so we have not done it yet.

But if I had known it would start this new behavior, I would have bumped up the priority. It’s more serious an issue than it might first appear. Manual locking from the outside only gets us so far. If I cannot lock the truck using the fob, then I cannot lock myself inside it while boondocking at truck stops, Walmarts, and other unsavory places. That is a big problem.

[Tincampers]

Ours wasn’t working in a logical fashion. I could never figure out what locked what and when. I finally found the procedure to disable the automatic locking system. Works much better that way (for me).

[Lily&Me]

In my 06, we had replace both the sliding door and driver side door locking mechanisms, just worn out from age.

Sorry you’re having so many on the road troubles, IB, but think what you’re learning and sharing with the rest of us.

Chin up.

Maggie

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Tincampers

Ours wasn’t working in a logical fashion. I could never figure out what locked what and when. I finally found the procedure to disable the automatic locking system. Works much better that way (for me).

If you do that, how do you lock yourself in for the night? There are none of the old-style manual buttons that can be pushed from the inside to achieve it.

[bugsbunny]

For the sticky slider, we lubricated not only the obvious parts by the front door (which didn't really help much with the sticking), but also the ones at the back aft latch (both on door and body - you really have to stick your head in there between the door and body to see the one on the body). This is the one that really made the difference in opening. Been working flawlessly now for 3 months - it got hung up all the time before. You likely found this part of the latching system, but others may not have so just thought I would comment - we missed it the first time.

When we get ready to lock up for the night, we will often push the handle on the slider door - instead of fob, and all doors will lock from the inside. I have gone to wearing my key around my neck for the night locking, as the door will re-lock itself after a few seconds after I have locked it via the slider latch (I believe for my Sprinter, this is part of the settings on the cargo switches/fob and not a flaw of any kind). This auto re-lock clears (I think) once I start using the fob (now that i think of it - I have to do the experiment to see all the different ways to clear the auto lock).

Perhaps a loose wire or cold solder joint in the door circuit? Lots of driving there on bumpy roads

Thanks so much for documenting everything - it continues to help our community

Best,

Katy

[Lotus54]

You can push the lock button on the dash and it should lock. But I’ve never really remembered the logic of the system.

My slider door sometimes unlocks with the fob, sometimes just the other doors door. I just reach in from the passenger door - push the lock in, then pull it out and it unlocks.

I would first try cleaning the connections that go between the door and the body. Some toward the front, some toward the rear.

Of course the fob could have a low battery- even both low wouldn’t be out of the question. But that ‘should’ lock the other doors. (I think).

Mark

Edit:
I just checked, and if you push IN on the front door handle (inside) it will lock also. Well, assuming the central locking still works, which it appears since it will lock/unlock with the key in the door.

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by Lotus54

I would first try cleaning the connections that go between the door and the body. Some toward the front, some toward the rear.
Mark

The door lock connections pass through a cable into the door, so there are no connections to clean. A lot of folks don't realize that the cable exists, because it is hidden.

I have to press the unlock button on my remote twice in fairly rapid succession to unlock the sliding door. Sometimes, it takes the 3rd depression. I just click the button until I hear the clunk when it unlocks.

[Tincampers]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

If you do that, how do you lock yourself in for the night? There are none of the old-style manual buttons that can be pushed from the inside to achieve it.

Easy, you push the top of the lock button and all doors lock. Or use the fob. I prefer to do my own thinking rather than what some engineer thought would be best with regard to door locking.

[Sebtown]

I lock us in at night by pushing the sliding door handle "in". This procedure locks all the doors. Sometimes when I use just my fob the slider does not lock!

[InterBlog]

Four years for us and I’m still learning new things. Do we own our Interstates? Because sometimes it feels more like we are married to them.

[Lotus54]

Originally Posted by Pahaska

The door lock connections pass through a cable into the door, so there are no connections to clean. A lot of folks don't realize that the cable exists, because it is hidden.

On the T1N there are most certainly a bunch of ‘spring pin’ connections- looking I see no cable anywhere and I can’t see where it could be hidden.
I’m sure you are correct on the newer vehicles.

mark

[InterBlog]

Fifth on-the-road issue:

Something to do with a glow plug circuit. Hopefully just the plug itself and not something more complex. So far it’s still starting, but we have not let the engine go cold since the warning came on.

It’s a holiday weekend. Chances of having no mechanical failures trend toward zero on a holiday weekend.

[rowiebowie]

Best of luck. And T1N's are supposed to be the "reliable" Sprinters.