Electrical/Alternator Weirdness

I have got some weird problems going on and need some help. I was driving my Sprinter when the AC stopped working, the radio cut out, all the dash lights came on, and the battery died. I trickle charge the battery over night and the van worked great for a couple weeks. I had both the battery and the alternator tested and they are both fine. Then a couple weeks after the first incidence it happened again. We tested the alternator and it came back not working. This time I got a battery jump. I was able drive a couple miles, then it started dying again. All the dash light come on, the car stops shifting, and the battery dies. I get one more jump to try to get home, the battery starts dying for the second time, then randomly the AC comes back on, the van shifts perfectly, and all is back to normal.

What is happening?? I took it to the "Sprinter mechanic", but after 2 months at the dealer and $1000 later. . . nothing is fixed. The check engine light isn't on and there has been one more incidence when AC shuts off, the radio cuts out, and all the dash lights came on. And again, randomly something kicked in and it is good again.

Any advice would help. I can't take it to the dealer again because they are incompetent so I am trying to find someone who can help me, but I want to have an idea when I go in because it may be like the last time when both the battery and alternator are testing fine.

One more issue. . . (bare with me). I have also noted that the automatic transmission occasionally it stops shifting. I gets to about 3rd then stops. I pull over, restart the engine and things are good again.

Any ideas???

Theyurt
You have a connection problem, you are the best person to find it because you are there when it happens. You must get a multimeter and learn how to use it. The wire that connects the alternator to the battery has lugs crimped on the ends of it, these crimps rely on pressure from the crimping prosses to make a reliable connection. If these crimps get hot they are softened and lose this tension. Without the tension they are intermitant. you can find the fault by measuring the voltage dropped over the wire, it should be about .2 volt or les with the motor running and the lights on. If it is ok look for a drop in between negative battery terminal and the car body. Good luck. Eric.

Eric: That is indeed excellent advice and what a comptent mechanice would/will do however...I have some experience with both electricity and multi meters and chasing those kinds of connections and voltage drops just isn't what my mind wraps itself around very easily. That can be (and for some is) a very daunting and intimidating process and yes, the only one that is ultimately going to work.

Ok now for the problem....... for those who have been hacking at this stuff forever; list your van year, the options and any other detail you can possibly think of including any work that has been done and see if it rings a bell with anyone. DETAILS!

How far are you from Pittsburgh? (the ultimate question isn't it?)

Larry

theyurt, can you give us some more information, please? What year Sprinter and your location - US, Canada, Aus, Europe,...
What kind of work did the dealer perform - was the alternator replaced, new battery?

One of the nice features of the Sprinter is that it will shut off any big loads as the battery voltage drops - that's why all your accessories shut down before it died. It's trying to conserve electricity and it sheds the big load items.
If you have a good battery and alternator, you'll have to find what's causing a big load to drain the battery. If your Sprinter is a T1N, you can try disconnecting fuses one at a time at the power distribution center at the battery (thanks to vic for the page) to see which circuit may be causing a drain. The glow plug module is a large load and has been known to fail on and causing a big drain.
Read this post for some insight: https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15911&highlight=battery+drain

Bruce

Thank you all for your quick responses. After my experience with the dealer you are helping to restore my faith in people and service!!! Sorry for the lack of info. First timer and still learning.

I live in Reno, NV. But will drive to find a good mechanic. My van is a 2004 Dodge Sprinter. Besides the normal stuff here is a list of things that have been replaced.

-Fuel rail: June 2007
-Alternator: Spring 2009
-Turbo Hose: July 2011
-Glow plugs and modulator: Sept 2011

Basically the electrical issues started about a week after I took it in to have the Turbo Hose replaced. The glow plugs and modulator were replaced because that was the dealers solution to my problem. The battery hasn't full died since getting the modulator replaced, but it has had an episode of auxillary failure, however randomly fixed itself.

Now, I live in this thing during the summer, so have added some stuff. Upgraded all the audio (radio, speakers, amp), I added a solar panel, charge controller, and marine batteries about 2 years ago. They don't run through the van battery or alternator.

Unfortunately I am not very electrical savy, but I am able to recruit my brother who knows a lot about cars. He is also following the thread.

THANKS!!!

If you've flattened the battery (especially if it's more that 4 years old) during these exercises, you may well have damaged it internally, such that it can't maintain much of a charge these days.

That can add to your symptoms.

A *good* "fully charged" battery (after a few hours of "off" time) should measure about 12.7 volts
(comparison: my "good, never flattened, but 6 years old" battery shows 12.3 volts in the morning)
When you're in the glow plug warm-up period, a not-too-weak battery may drop to 11.5 v or so.
If the battery drops below 10 v during the cranking phase, the ECM (and other bits) start declaring "low voltage!" errors.
Get the battery tested "under load" (any car parts store can do it) to assess its state of health.

A bad glow plug controller module can certainly flatten a battery (there was a recent thread with that happening... including the module melting a hole in its plastic cover).

good luck... chasing something like this can just be a long slog...
--dick

autostaretx said:

If you've flattened the battery (especially if it's more that 4 years old) during these exercises, you may well have damaged it internally, such that it can't maintain much of a charge these days.

That can add to your symptoms.

Click to expand...

It seems that our Sprinters are picky about the battery being in good condition. Doktor A has warned against jump starting and old batteries possibly being related to SKREEM and other module problems.

autostaretx said:

...
(there was a recent thread with that happening... including the module melting a hole in its plastic cover).

Click to expand...

FWIW. That was a module which had been DIY modified just prior to that meltdown failure. I don't recall ever seeing even one other post revealing such a failure?

autostaretx said:

good luck... chasing something like this can just be a long slog...
--dick

Click to expand...

Yes it can be. vic

I recently joined this forum to gain as well as offer technical info. I have one Freightliner Sprinter 3500 in the fleet of armored cars I service. After replacing the alternator a 2nd time due to dead battery I found a toasted harness between alternator/starter/battery. Check the harness where two wires are bonded together at the starter...mine was burnt up introducing resistance. Engine running I measured 14.2volts at B+ terminal on back of new Bosch alternator. But only 12.8volts at the battery...voltage drop due to burnt harness! I found the harness at local MB dealer about $89. So now I have a new Bosch reman 180Amp alternator, new harness & new Interstate battery. Measure 14.2 volts all over now...seems like dead battery issue cured. Forgot to mention small single wire connector on back of alternator it supplys 12v to excite alternator fields without it the alternator will not have output.

Aqua Puttana said:

FWIW. That was a module which had been DIY modified just prior to that meltdown failure. I don't recall ever seeing even one other post revealing such a failure?

Click to expand...

One was reported years ago in the yahoo forum.

This is a bad ground cable. Remove and trash it and add 2 cables to motor and frame at battery.
If place hand on the post it hot as hell. My 2006 as thing had 1 yr now found it by jumper to motor to ground post. Started right up . Before turn key dash light dimmed no stater at all. Like a ghost set few hour it start. I be driving it just die. power on then off. 1st sign radio cut off stations but running light still on. I have posting on youtube.com got to update it with the fix. Got a cable at autozone added to motor to battery . Then change the cable holder to brass from Harbor Freight. I did get the MFG cable $ 15.00 but do not want same thing again i take it back. Bad design holding the wire. The old owner had transmission replaced 4 times. Never as good as now. Was shifting very hard 2nd to 3th. now work great. Had limp mode 2-4 time a day all in one time a day. or 2-3 days. I was getting sick of this truck.

You can only rule out an item as serviceable if it has been changed and
the fault persists... battery and alternator faults go hand in hand with one another.

3 choices

1. the battery internally shorting, one cell when hot or under load
2. the diodes in the alternator shorting out under load
3. the lead between the alternator & battery has high resistance,
usually the wire pulls away from the lug looks intact but isn't.

There are two ways to fault find, most people only use number one...

1. Replace a part which may be faulty, which is a 50/50 bet

2. Take suspect faulty part and install it in a known serviceable
unit that way if the fault transposes you have got it.

A colleague of mine who knows nothing about electricity quoted me one day
"80% of electrical faults are a bad earth" and he could be right.

I have a 2006 dodge sprinter. Just got it a couple weeks ago. The other day a couple miles from the warehouse it the tranny just went into neutral. Pulled over restarted it and started driving... 100ft down the road went into neutral again. Later that day I went to tow it back home and decided to see if it will drive.. it did for 5 miles or so then same thing. Check engine is on. Have a few codes. Incorrect gear ratio, input/turbine sensor a circuit, lost communications with vehicles dynamic control module, output speed sensor circuit, vehicle speed sensor a.. also the battery light was flashing on and off. Will a bad alternator or ground cause these problems? And help on what to look for would be great!

Vosoba said:

I have a 2006 dodge sprinter. Just got it a couple weeks ago. The other day a couple miles from the warehouse it the tranny just went into neutral. Pulled over restarted it and started driving... 100ft down the road went into neutral again. Later that day I went to tow it back home and decided to see if it will drive.. it did for 5 miles or so then same thing. Check engine is on. Have a few codes. Incorrect gear ratio, input/turbine sensor a circuit, lost communications with vehicles dynamic control module, output speed sensor circuit, vehicle speed sensor a.. also the battery light was flashing on and off. Will a bad alternator or ground cause these problems? And help on what to look for would be great!

Click to expand...

I would start by reading this recent write up then checking your TCM under the drivers seat...

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=76233

Keith.