pre-heater light stays on... sometimes - Sprinter-Forum

roving sprinter · 07-17-2011, 06:36 PM

Cheers everyone,
I've just started noticing that the pre-heater light stays on after the engine starts in my 2003. I'm in FL so there's no issue with cold engine starts but nonetheless, I'm not sure why the light sometime stays on. The vehicle runs fine, no issues associated with light on but am wondering what's caused this to start happening. I looked in the owner's manual, not much about it in there. My concern is this; if the light stays on while I drive, does that mean that the glow plugs are also on while I'm driving and can this do any damage to engine? If I turn off the vehicle after driving it for a while and start it up again, the light usually stays off like it should.

Altered Sprinter · 07-17-2011, 11:20 PM

It basically means you have one single glow plug on it's way out. .
EDC /ECU Code is stored and active.
Richard

mean_in_green · 07-18-2011, 10:11 AM

It's not a serious issue in itself but be aware that it's rectification (if attributed to replacement of one or more glow plugs) has the potential for hideous expense. The glow plugs can become seized over time and break easily during attempted removal. If may or may not be possible to deal with this problem with the head on the engine.

Have the work done if the light bothers you. However there's no ill effect in use - I drove mine like that for at least three years.

roving sprinter · 07-18-2011, 12:26 PM

Thanks, that's great info. I was simply worried that the glow plug was remaining "on" constantly. I guess I'm not going to worry about replacing it since there's no winter to speak of here. I was thinking of getting one of those OBDII code readers so that I can at least be aware of what's going on when a light comes on in the instrument panel.

kitesurfer · 07-19-2011, 09:21 AM

I had exactly the same thing in my last sprinter. Drove through 2 winters and 2 trips to the alps and was still able to start the van in -15 degrees. Eventually had the gargae check the plugs and they were apparently fine.

KS

07-17-2011, 06:36 PM	#1
roving sprinter Join Date: May 2011 Location: St Petersburg Florida Posts: 41 Thanks: 9 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	pre-heater light stays on... sometimes Cheers everyone, I've just started noticing that the pre-heater light stays on after the engine starts in my 2003. I'm in FL so there's no issue with cold engine starts but nonetheless, I'm not sure why the light sometime stays on. The vehicle runs fine, no issues associated with light on but am wondering what's caused this to start happening. I looked in the owner's manual, not much about it in there. My concern is this; if the light stays on while I drive, does that mean that the glow plugs are also on while I'm driving and can this do any damage to engine? If I turn off the vehicle after driving it for a while and start it up again, the light usually stays off like it should.

07-17-2011, 11:20 PM	#2
Altered Sprinter Happy Little Vegemite Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hobart Tasmania Australia Posts: 14,858 Thanks: 1,095 Thanked 2,132 Times in 1,728 Posts	Re: pre-heater light stays on... sometimes It basically means you have one single glow plug on it's way out. . EDC /ECU Code is stored and active. Richard __________________ I get My Rocks off! In a Mercedes Sprinter AU..Tasmanian time AEST Hobart There is a peaceful solution.It's called a peace Revolution. No Shalam - No Shalom Now lets take back the - Sprinter-Forum. Of course I'm being totally biased. *Driving my life Away in a 313 Cdi Mercedes-Sprinter*

07-18-2011, 10:11 AM	#3
mean_in_green >1,800,000m in MB vans Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hotel Mercedes Posts: 2,579 Thanks: 21 Thanked 520 Times in 334 Posts	Re: pre-heater light stays on... sometimes It's not a serious issue in itself but be aware that it's rectification (if attributed to replacement of one or more glow plugs) has the potential for hideous expense. The glow plugs can become seized over time and break easily during attempted removal. If may or may not be possible to deal with this problem with the head on the engine. Have the work done if the light bothers you. However there's no ill effect in use - I drove mine like that for at least three years. __________________ Simon, aka MIG - 416CDI (An OM651 Euro5 Panzerwagen* that thinks it's a chocolate lime...)*

07-18-2011, 12:26 PM	#4
roving sprinter Join Date: May 2011 Location: St Petersburg Florida Posts: 41 Thanks: 9 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: pre-heater light stays on... sometimes Thanks, that's great info. I was simply worried that the glow plug was remaining "on" constantly. I guess I'm not going to worry about replacing it since there's no winter to speak of here. I was thinking of getting one of those OBDII code readers so that I can at least be aware of what's going on when a light comes on in the instrument panel.

07-19-2011, 09:21 AM	#5
kitesurfer Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 173 Thanks: 14 Thanked 58 Times in 31 Posts	Re: pre-heater light stays on... sometimes I had exactly the same thing in my last sprinter. Drove through 2 winters and 2 trips to the alps and was still able to start the van in -15 degrees. Eventually had the gargae check the plugs and they were apparently fine. KS __________________ When i'm not kitesurfing or surfing i'm making surfboards! KS

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