2006 Sprinter Transmission Issues/ P0715 Keeps Being Thrown

james_fedele

New member
I have a 2006 Mercedes Sprinter with around 140xxx miles. A month ago I had an incident with the transmission in which the transmission started marking horrible grinding and clunking noises. When I tried to accelerate from the stop light I was at the whole van shuttered and wouldn't allow me to get out of first gear; in fact I couldn't go more than 3 miles an hour. I also could only choose to go into reverse or drive once. If I tried to switch from drive to reverse, or vice versa, nothing would happen in the gear that I would switch into. If I wanted to switch into a different gear, I would have to restart the vehicle. Ex - If I was in drive, I could drive up to 3 MPH in drive, but if I tired to switch to reverse, I would get nothing; just engine revving. I also experienced the trans popping out of gear while driving. This is much different that the 2nd gear limp mode that I have experience in the past. I pulled off at the nearest parking lot and parked the vehicle. The check engine light was on with P0715(Input Turbine Speed Sensor and P0730 (General Code) being shown.
I towed the vehicle home, dropped the pan, and found a mass amount of small metal shavings. The trans fluid was riddled with microscopic metal shavings as well. I decided to clean the valve body, which houses the speed sensors, as well as install a new filter, gasket, and fluid, just for giggles and grins. Since then, I have reset the codes and driven the sprinter about 25 miles. It is stuck in second gear limp mode now and keeps throwing the Speed sensor code (P0715) every time I start the vehicle. It sounds great when I drive it, no grinding or shuttering like before. and goes into reverse and drive just fine. I can switch into multiple gears without having to restart the vehicle. I know I am not getting in enough drive time for the drive cycles to actuate, so I am confused as to why the codes keep popping up every time I start the vehicle. Do I need a MERCEDES compatible scanner to reset the computer fully? Or is there another way around this? Do I need a new trans? Any help is appreciated.
 

jrod5150

Well-known member
If you didn't replace the conductor plate then most likely you still have a bad speed sensor. Need to fix the problem first then Yes as I recently learned from testing you will need a scan tool capable of communicating with the Tcm to clear the codes to get you out of limp
 

Patrick of M

2005 T1N 2500 (NA spec)
Get a proper scanner, clear the codes and see. I once cleared a TCM and drove 3000 + miles (mostly highway) before it popped up again ( during stop and go city stuff) . Eventually i changed the conductor plate.
In your case the limp mode may be left over from prior to you cleaning the valve body and the conductor plate. The debris in the transmission may have caused the sensor malfunction/limp mode and if you could clear it might not come back if you're lucky.
To Be Clear. Once the van has decided a transmission problem has happened enough/or is severe enough it will lock in the LHM and only a proper scanner (more then just a cheap OBDII ) will clear the LHM.
 
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