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Vans & Minivans Dodge Sprinter Dodge Sprinter
1254 messages, Last post on Sep 28, 2009 at 1:33 PM
You are in the Dodge Sprinter Forum. Your Host is Karens
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Replying to: kenbaker (Jan 26, 2007 12:22 pm) just for that purpose, to illuminate road signs better |
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I'm a Fed Ex Home Delivery Contractor with the first Sprinter (158 Tall 2500) in our terminal (10/04). I fought a fierce fight to get it over the "bread truck" delivery vehicle. I'm very, very dissatisfied with the vehicle. I was never a fan of German vehicles (compared to my experience with Japanese engineering and reliability); owning and operating this van over the past 2 1/2 years has thoroughly convinced that this vehicle is nothing short of a nightmare! Overly complicaterd yet under engineered. Is this the price we Americans pay for WWII?? Still, I would like to join the discussion and add my two cents, learning from you while sharing from my experiences, in hopes of helping the uninitiated avoid the same pitfalls. Currently, my vehicle is in the shop since Tuesday, needing new glow plugs requiring removal of the head. At 144K!! It wouldnt start Tuesday for work; -8 that day. How can MB stay in business marketing a vehicle that has this many problems? It is so under-engineered... excessive tire wear, brakes, tie rods, ck engine light issues, EGR valves, preheater, serpentine belt tensioner, fuel lines bursting, batteries, turn signal assembly, wheel bearings, HVAC controller, front doors hyperextending and bending, rear doors wont stay shut, numerous parts not mentioned previously failing, bulbs burning out constantly, lack of adequate dealer servicing, parts on national backorder, severe traction issues on any loose/ slippery surface... the list goes on and on. Anyway, just wanted to throw my hat in the ring.
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Replying to: paulkfedex (Feb 09, 2007 8:11 pm)   
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Calling sprinterdoc Have you seen any problems with the rear lights going on and off. I go out to warm the van, dark out, and no tail lights. Other times just one on. But if you tap the lens it turns on. Makes you wonder when I hit small bumps if they are sending out morse codes. Thanks, Tom 
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Replying to: sprinterdoc (Feb 10, 2007 1:25 pm) 1) the turbo kicks in under acceleration, especially in left turns which we all take a bit faster than we should. After getting started rolling, fight the urge to surge through the turn (your tires will love you). 2) as a delivery van I have to assume that you run heavy at times and at others nearly empty? heavy loads require near max tire pressures to be correct (75+ lbs). When empty, the best pressures I have established are 65 rear and 55 front (not experienced any bad wear in 22,000 miles). 3) tell us about your load balancing routine... biggest weight in front, middle, rear? LIFO (last in first out), LILO (last in last out), load from rear deliver from side? Brakes I have no experience with replacing, but get the messages from around the boards that: 1) you should not use stock brakes for delivery (need ceramics I think they say) 2) may need rotors with evey brake change. If so, do your own... only a parts switch (no rotor turning required) and the rotors are not a part of the hub so they change out easily. 3) downshift to save brakes... change trans fluid at 80K and then every 60K (or every 60K including the first one). My brakes grumble and grind alot at times. I presume that this is when a new abrasive particle is uncovered in the brake pad matrix and it is smoothing itself down. At 22K miles I don't have worn out brakes, but I do have grumbling that would sound like it on my other van (GMC Safari) KenB  
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Replying to: 2000_valk (Feb 12, 2007 5:12 pm)
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Replying to: 2000_valk (Feb 13, 2007 5:44 pm) my two guesses and $0.02 are these: 1) you have a voltage control regulator that is marginal (probably part of the alternator, but I am not in the schematic now). Probably running on the high side of range. 2) turning on/off headlights while bouncing along greatly shortens their life (a couple of friends proved it once quite some time ago) but generally not as bad as you report experiencing. I just have 22K on my van, but no burn outs yet. What brand of replacement capsules do you buy? Never use the Taiwan/China versions if you don't have to. In the past I have had the best luck with Wagner and Sylvania or maybe GE (in that order). Anxious to know what brands last best. Everybody who has experience please chime in! Thanks, KenB
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