54 Plate Mercedes Sprinter Tipper 311 Ignition/electrical issue?

[Sal]

Been having a couple of problems with the Sprinter since Saturday. It's booked in to the garage for next Monday but if anyone can suggest anything I can be checking myself in the mean time that'd be great

 

This is to the best of my recollection. I'll keep it as brief as possible:

 

Saturday: Started the engine after it had been sat about 2hrs, pulled away and the indicators stopped working briefly then carried on as normal.

 

Sunday: Similar situation except windscreen wipers also stopped and the was a whirring/buzzing from the steering column (?) and all the needles on the dash dropped to the bottom. I restarted, and it was then fine.

 

Monday: Gave it the day off and hoped it would miraculously fix itself

 

Today: Engine cut out as I started it up at the garage after fuelling, again as I left the mechanics and after stopping at a customers house for around an hour where it cut out twice and all the lights on the display lit up and flickered a few times.

 

Once driving I seem to have no further problems and it doesn't happen every time I start it up (it seems to be when it's sat for a short period of time but I don't know if this is coincidence). I hope this isn't too vague/rambling but if anyone has any ideas?

[robbo 110]

under the steering column is a fuse box, the main feed wire to the fuse box is held on with a 10 mm nut, check this wire is tight & making good contact....... disconnect the battery before you tighten/check it thou!!!

[Pooch0151]

Robbo 110 is spot on have ad one the same tom:thumbup:

[Sal]

Thats great, thank you. Will give it a try in the morning.

[Paul Smith]

Mine now has the glow plug light permanently on with the ignition!

[Sal]

Yeah, I have an SRS warning light that is always on (it came on the day after the MOT after I shoved a lot of very wet kit behind the passenger seat, which I now understand is where the sensor lives) but apparently is a problem with the sensor (I had hoped that disconnecting the battery would reset but I'm just going to add it to the list at the garage on Monday as it's beyond anything I can do to it). It doesn't have a problem often thankfully, but when it does, it's seems to be with the sensors rather than the thing they're meant to be er, sensing (?)

 

I finally got round to checking that nut yesterday (was working for someone else in their truck Weds so mine could stay at home) and it seemed plenty tight enough/good connection. It started first time with no problem and the engine stayed running. I put the indicators on and they made the briefest of 'buzzes' (it sounds like a clockwork car) that you wouldn't have noticed unless you were listening for it. I think I will still need to take it in and wait and see what the garage says now but thank you for the suggestions!

[Sal]

A quick update:

 

The garage are stumped as the problem hasn't happened whilst they've had it in, and the diagnostic test came back with no suggestions other than 'no communication' (although they reset the error code on the SRS light so thats gone out now ).

They checked the connections and although I've not yet had the issue with the indicators, the engine cuts out a couple of seconds after starting and the ASR/BAS (traction control?) light comes on.

They said they could make an educated guess based on the information I've given them but that I could just be throwing money at it and to wait until it actually breaks down completely:001_huh:

It was suggested by another garage that I may need to replace the fuse box/panel (which if memory serves isn't that expensive by Mercedes standards , comes as an entire unit and the mechanic seemed happy enough that I could fit this myself) and this perhaps would tie in with earlier suggestions about a loose connection (?).

Bit lost as it only seems to happen on a warm start and is fine once it actually gets going. Should make for an interesting drive to the APF. If all else fails I could try having it exorcised

[Sal]

Just in case anyone ever has a similar experience, it turned out to be the ignition switch, and a reasonably cheap repair.

Sadly it was overall an expensive exercise, which took 3 garages and close to £800 (not including missed days) to figure out the problem, but it's good to have everything back in working order and I have found a great local electrical chap for the future.

Now, with getting a cover made for the back, a few decals and some new tyres, I'll be good to go!

 

Thanks again - Sal

[Paul Smith]

How was the ignition switch causing this?