Cruisers Forum

Main Forum => Tips and Tricks => Topic started by: Dmcswain on August 05, 2013, 05:22:41 pm

Title: Sprinter Starting Problem
Post by: Dmcswain on August 05, 2013, 05:22:41 pm
We were in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park several weeks ago dry camping.  After two nights we were ready to leave.  When I tried to start my Mercedes Sprinter I got nothing.  No click, no hum, no nothing!  I tried starting it using my towed vehicle battery to boost the Mercedes battery and still got nothing.  I knew I was in trouble because I didn’t even have a cell phone signal in the park.

I drove six miles to find a signal.  I decided to call Mercedes Customer Service first because the vehicle was still under warranty.  If the problem was a warranty issue they would pay to have it towed to the nearest Mercedes dealer.
The woman who answered was very helpful.  I described the problem and she said it was most likely a blown fuse for the starter solenoid.  It was an issue known to occur in that model year.  The Sprinter came from the factory with a 20 amp solenoid fuse.  The permanent solution was to replace it with a 25 amp fuse.
 
Customer Service was correct.  The fuse had blown and fortunately I had a spare fuse.  I replaced the fuse and the engine started as I hoped. 
Many thanks to Mercedes Customer Service.  They saved us from a very inconvenient delay.