2008 Dodge Sprinter - Help

autostaretx

Erratic Member
Sure sounds like a battery being dragged into the mud by some heavy load.

There's an interlock for the shifter (must be in Park) and (for the NCV3) an electric motor that releases the steering column.
There may also be an interlock with the brake pedal.

Full service documentation:
http://www.diysprinter.co.uk/reference/2007-sprinter-service-information.pdf <-2007 MB service manual
http://www.diysprinter.co.uk/reference/2007-sprinter-wiring-information.pdf <- MB wiring diagram from above
http://www.diysprinter.co.uk/reference/2007_Wiring-sprinter-2500.pdf <-- 3rd party wiring diagrams

Hang a voltmeter on the battery (or dashboard 12v socket) and see what happens...

p.s. before Bobnoxious says it: **check all ground connections** (could be a bad connection from battery to frame ... verify the near-gas-pedal master disconnect is properly seated)

--dick
 

bernca

New member
Sure sounds like a battery being dragged into the mud by some heavy load.

There's an interlock for the shifter (must be in Park) and (for the NCV3) an electric motor that releases the steering column.
There may also be an interlock with the brake pedal.

Full service documentation:
http://www.diysprinter.co.uk/reference/2007-sprinter-service-information.pdf <-2007 MB service manual
http://www.diysprinter.co.uk/reference/2007-sprinter-wiring-information.pdf <- MB wiring diagram from above
http://www.diysprinter.co.uk/reference/2007_Wiring-sprinter-2500.pdf <-- 3rd party wiring diagrams

Hang a voltmeter on the battery (or dashboard 12v socket) and see what happens...

p.s. before Bobnoxious says it: **check all ground connections** (could be a bad connection from battery to frame ... verify the near-gas-pedal master disconnect is properly seated)

--dick
Recognize this sound? Charger says battery is full. Remote door locks work, lights work.
 

220817a

Independent & Self Reliant - From Chattanooga TN
Recognize this sound? Charger says battery is full. Remote door locks work, lights work.
It sure does sound like a stuck steering lock... Locate the steering lock underneath the dash and gently tap on it with something.
 

sprint2freedom

2008 NCV3 170ext
It sure does sound like a stuck steering lock... Locate the steering lock underneath the dash and gently tap on it with something.
After seeing the video, I'm changing my answer to the electronic steering lock. Do search for the keyword ESL or EIS and you'll find several threads about fixing it. Here's a recent one.

Giving it a gentle tap is probably a good way to test this hypothesis and maybe fix it temporarily, but be careful: if it starts working again eventually it may strand you somewhere again with locked steering.

A more permanent fix is to physically remove the lock while leaving the wiring to the lock connected, OR you can purchase an emulator, unplug the lock and plug its harness connector into the emulator instead. Either way you have to put the key in repeatedly while tapping on it until it unlocks first, then disconnect the lock so that it's in the unlocked position. It doesn't do you much good to disconnect it while it's still locked.

Your other options are taking it to a dealer to have them replace the mechanism (expensive), or cutting it open with a dremel to unlock it by hand. See the other threads for details.
 

Who8TheHam

New member
Thank you!
It’s the auto steering lock. There are threads on here to fix using a dremel tool and zip ties. It works but it is labor intensive. It used to happen to me (2007) a few times a month—especially if my steering wheel wasn’t exactly straight with no tension when the van is turned off. Basically, dust and metal fragments build up in the steering linkage under dash. Once that is cut open and cleaned, your problems will end. This is a huge problem with many vehicles and Mercedes is no different. A quick fix to get running fast is to ‘break Thur’ the lock by grabbing the steering wheel and violently jerking it back and forth s few times while juggling the key at the same time. Good luck.
 

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