Electrical ghost

With Key and or Key out - randomly it acts like the key comes on and all of the dash lights light up (and electronics under the hood start to hum) and then go off (beep beep), this is repeated intermittently. sometimes shows “start error“.


Otherwise cranks and runs normally.

2006, 130,000 miles, long and tall,
Gulf Stream RV



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Last edited:

autostaretx

Erratic Member
Do you have the Remote Key Entry (i.e. buttons on fob) option?

(Start Err logic differs with yes/no on that)

--dick
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
From the looks of it, i'd suspect two three many areas:
(a) problems in the tail/brake lights area (did you change bulbs recently? Add a trailer socket?)
There are weird circumstances where shorting out, or merely mis-seating tail bulbs can power up some of the engine circuits.

(b) loose/shorted bus bars in Fuse Box 1 (under the steering wheel).... did that area get wet recently?

(c) flaky (intermittent) ignition switch

(d) wiring harness damage ... normally i'd start by looking at the bend behind the fuel filter, but that doesn't usually cause the panel to light up on its own

The "Start Error" showed up because the Sprinter thought is was being asked to run, but it didn't sense the key in the ignition slot.


--dick
 
From the looks of it, i'd suspect two three many areas:
(a) problems in the tail/brake lights area (did you change bulbs recently? Add a trailer socket?)
There are weird circumstances where shorting out, or merely mis-seating tail bulbs can power up some of the engine circuits.

(b) loose/shorted bus bars in Fuse Box 1 (under the steering wheel).... did that area get wet recently?

(c) flaky (intermittent) ignition switch

(d) wiring harness damage ... normally i'd start by looking at the bend behind the fuel filter, but that doesn't usually cause the panel to light up on its own

The "Start Error" showed up because the Sprinter thought is was being asked to run, but it didn't sense the key in the ignition slot.


--dick


Thanks Dick for your thoughtful diagnosis. I think I found the culprit. A GPS tracker supplied by the RV rental company Outdoorsy/their partner. Not sure why it took almost a week to start showing the symptoms, but since I took it out last night I have not seen the issue return.




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