2003 3500 Freightliner Sprinter Mech Issues

[fleetman1]

Hey Gents,

I'm a fleet manager for about 100 vans, close to 20 of which are Sprinters. We started buying them in 2003, and it's the 2003s that I've seen the most problems with.

I'm sure we've all expirienced the EGR Valve issues (I read one post about cleaning it out with carb cleaner and a wire brush ever oil change--side question: How many of you use this successfully?) but my main question is if any of you have noticed after crossing the 100k mark, increasingly costly repairs and specifically a mysterious loss of power/stalling issue which is intermittant and hard to diagnose. I have 3 2003s that do this and one 2004. It's a money sink in rental bills alone.

Any advice, input or even comiseration would be helpful.

Thanks,

Keith
Philadelphia, PA

 

[Mileater]

Just a comment. The more I read about Sprinters the more I wish GM would come out with a Sprinter like van with GM quality. Or maybe a Sprinter with a Cummins engine, that would be cool. I don't have any experience with MB engines but I'm leary since I know BMW engines are terrible. Good luck.

 

[talkinghorse43]

I have an '02 (same as '03) with 85k miles and have successfully (so far) cleaned the EGR every 30k miles. But, I do not idle any more than absolutely necessary (based on traffic conditions).

I have no personal experience with your main issue, but you might get some help if you post on the sprintervan group in yahoo.

 

[vipra]

I'm in a 2004 Sprinter, I've done 190,000 miles in 2 years, and the only part it's needed was a fuel filter. Three months after I bought it I got a recall notice about the EGR valve and they replaced that free, and I've never cleaned the EGR valve. I also haven't had the "increasingly costly repairs and specifically a mysterious loss of power/stalling issue after crossing the 100k mark" that you mentioned.
My recommendations are: do the maintenance listed in the maintenance manual at the given mileages, use synthetic oil, get an Espar heater so you don't have to idle, and drive gently.

 

[panthervanman]

keith,hi have them check the turbo relay swicth,after changing the egr vaule and all my injectors,thats what it ended up being.you have to take out the air filter box and it under there. it sticks open and you have to shut off the engine for a little while the brain resets.;-)