Sprinter start / reset after accident

cahaak

New member
Hi,

Well, my sprinter that was in an accident was been fully repaired (well - almost). Here is the link to the accidnet thread.

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8331&highlight=accident

Anyway, the shop finally has it all put back together with fluids and so on, but they can't get it started - When I say that, what I mean is that they can't get anything to happen when trying to start it. Battery is fine and so on. I'm guessing that there is something that needs to be reset in the computer system that will allow the van to start up again. After the original accident, the sprinter shut itself down. There were no airbags in the original accident, but it did get into the radiator and so on and coolant was lost there. All of that is fixed now. It has been some time since the original accident and there was no battery in the vehicle for a good portion of that time, but it is all back together now.
Van is a 2006 2500 140" passenger wagon.

Part of the issue is that the van has been fixed by a body shop, but they are not a Dodge dealer and are not really that familiar with Sprinters per se. The van could be towed down to a Dodge dealer, but before that happens, I'm looking for some guidance so we don't end up on a wild goose chase.

So, if you have some leads on what may need to be looked at and reset I would appreciate that. Complicating thngs is that the van is down in TX and I am up here in MN. So, if there is anybody in the Houston or just North of there area that could help me out, that would be even better.

Thanks once again for your help, Chris
 

sikwan

06 Tin Can
Anyway, the shop finally has it all put back together with fluids and so on, but they can't get it started - When I say that, what I mean is that they can't get anything to happen when trying to start it.
Chris, it might be hard for you to answer this question due to geographical reasons, but what does the last sentence in bold mean?

Does the gauge cluster come on?

Does the glow plug light come on for a few seconds and then go off?

Is the motor turning; ie, cranking, but not running?
 

cahaak

New member
No cranking or turning of any kind. Not sure about the instrument cluster, glow plugs and so on. Hopefully I will get more details tomorrow. If the ECU does need a reboot as indicated above, I'm assuming that a dealer with the appropriate Sprinter dianostic tools will need to do this - is that correct?

There is a Dodge dealer that handles Sprinters about 20 miles down the road that the van could be transported to, so that is an option. I was hoping that the "fix" might be something relatively simple that they could do at this body shop. They have regular scan tools, but not any Sprinter or MB specific ones.

Any more insight or guidance from folks who have experienced this issue before would be great.

Thanks, Chris
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
If ignition shows life after death but no crank start The codes have been lost which requires a reboot from your dealer.
However it may be a blown fuse relay etc:idunno:
First stage does ignition come on with dash board lights.
Do all lights go out !including glow plug lights ?
If so it may be contaminated fuel or FUEL lines were disconnected during repairs, the fuel pump needs to be re primed.
Likely something simple like a harness not connected but it will drive you nuts tracing it,but that's the repair shops problem not yours, apart from the inconvenience of it all
Richard
 

sikwan

06 Tin Can
No cranking or turning of any kind.
There is one Sprinter feature that annoys me and that is...if you shut off a running engine, you need to turn the key all the way to OFF, and then all the way to ON, before you could restart the engine. It will not start if the key was not turned to the OFF position.

I haven't look into tricking the system to stop doing that, so I'm no help. But, I think that is what you're experiencing.

Try asking them to stick a regular OBDII Scantool to see if they can retrieve any codes.

Other than reading the system using a generic scantool, you really have no choice but to send it to the closest dealership with the appropriate DRBIII tools.

Where is the van in TX and what dealership are they thinking of sending it to? Maybe someone here can give you another recommendation on where to send the van to.
 

cahaak

New member
The van is in Conroe - North of Houston. We would probably send it down to the Dodge Dealer in Spring TX for them to take a look at. Berry Dodge is down there too in Coriscana, but that is quite a ways North of Conroe. As soon as I have some more information, I'll post it here.

Thanks, Chris
 

talkinghorse43

Well-known member
Might be the airbag control module (ACM). I believe someone else posted about engine start problems after an accident even though no airbag deployment. Anyway, from the '03 service manual:

"The ACM also provides a hard wired electrical
crash signal output following a supplemental
restraint deployment event. This output is used to
signal other electronic modules in the vehicle to provide
their enhanced accident response features,
which include automatically disabling the engine
from running and unlocking all of the doors. However,
these responses are each dependent upon the
circuits, components, and modules controlling these
features remaining intact from collateral damage
incurred during the vehicle impact."
 

sikwan

06 Tin Can
https://maps.google.com/maps/place?...cal_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBAQqgUwAA

Take the reviews with a grain of salt, good and bad. I wouldn't know what to do if I was in your position. :idunno:

Another option is...

ALEX RODRIGUEZ
500 GULF FREEWAY SOUTH
LEAGUE CITY, TX 77573

Phone: (281) 554-9100
Fax: (281) 554-9190

This is an MB dealership. I don't know if they are up to speed since January 1st. I'm worried that they are probably not.



Let me see our list and post them...

HELFMAN DODGE INC 7720 KATY FREEWAY HOUSTON TX 77024 713-533-6100 43.9mi

ALLEN SAMUELS DODGE 21777 KATY FREEWAY KATY TX 77450 281-599-3500 57.8mi

NORTHWEST DODGE 19616 NORTHWEST FWY HOUSTON TX 77065 832-912-2500 43.3mi

SPRING CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE, INC. 21027 I H 45 SPRING TX 77388 281-651-3600 18.4mi

(Freightliner) Thomas Bus Gulf Coast GP, Inc. 8806 Mississippi Houston TX 77029 (713) 672-4115 47.6mi

NOTE: The distances are approximate and were taken from Conroe, TX.

Looks like you're right on about Spring being the closest. Checking the reviews, they are all about the same. Only the ones that received bad service post.

I guess if I had to choose it was be to save money on the tow and hope for the best at Spring.
 

Scott_Mc

Sprintering Since Aug/02
The van is in Conroe - North of Houston.... As soon as I have some more information, I'll post it here....
Chris, I'm glad to see you'll be getting the van back, and I hope all went reasonably well with the logistics of the repair as well as a quality of the repair by the shop performing the work.
I'd be interested to know if there was any info displayed on the dash such as "Start Fault" I think too it's a cpu issue where the immobilizer is in command.

Seek, I'm pretty sure your issue with the ignition is mechanical, in the cylinder itself. I don't like it either.
 

Farm Bus

New member
Chris, glad to hear this is finally wrapping up. What an ordeal . . almost over.

Crazy idea: if you can make good contact with a dealer and find that it's a simple reset via the DRBIII, could you save money by having the mechanic drive over with the DRBIII, rather than tow the Sprinter? Just a thought . . . depends on who you get as a mechanic/dealer I suppose.

Good luck! Won't it be great when you can actually have your van???:bounce:

Brian
 

cahaak

New member
Well, here is the update. When the key is place in the ignition and turned, all of the dash lights flash, but there is no turn over of the starter at all. I talked to the local to the van Dodge dealer that services sprinters and they indicated that it is likely the van is not recognizing the key at this point. They can't go to the van (can't allow DRBIII system out of the shop) and they are set up for the DRBIII to plug in and then communicate via wireless to their actual computer. So, it looks like the van will have to make the trip. Hopefully is is just as simple as the key not being recognized as this would be an easy fix. I can't physically pick up the van for about 3 weeks yet, so there is not a big rush, but I want to get it taken care of and I have the original owner lined up to take it out for a test drive (did I mention that he was great to deal with!).

Hopefully this will all work out well and in the end simply be a great story to tell down the road.

Thanks for all the help, Chris
 

Farm Bus

New member
Chris, thanks for the update. I'm in the middle of extracting a winery license from the careless bureaucracy of the State of Michigan :bash: :yell: and when I need to cheer up, I'll just think of your problems with your Sprinter!

Anyway, if the key turns, it seems to me that it's the right key, but that something electronic needs to be reset. :2cents: Glad you're not in a hurry, and that you've got good help from the previous owner. Keep us posted.

Brian
 

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