just went out ans started my bucket of bolts after it sitting for 3 days in this cold.....turned right over...people can say what they want about sprinters but mine has performed very well....
It gets old
- Thread starter layoutshooter
- Start date
They will most likely find a broken wire at a connector. The flickering side would lead me to believe that a wire is brushing up against a connector or other wire. Look for the area where your left and right sides come together. Your parking lights and clearance lamps are all on the same circuit. This will usually be a brown wire.
Yes there are checks and rechecks, and only those who are willing and able to meet the standards get to stay. (Some have been allowed to play but don't get to stay after they fall short.)
While contractors pay significant costs (financial and otherwise) to provide White Glove trucks and services, significant benefits (financial and otherwise) are also there to be realized.
From the FedEx web site:
"FedEx Custom Critical White Glove Services feature specially trained drivers and specialty equipment for the safe transport of your most sensitive shipments. These services include a full range of temperature-control offerings as well as a complete suite of Secure Transportation Solutions."
Specialty equipment.
Safe transport.
Sensitive shipments.
In one sense all expedited freight is about these three things. But it is different with White Glove.
Shippers sometimes put a load on a White Glove truck that can be worth enough to buy an entire expedite carrier and all trucks in its fleet.
We might carry something that has no street value but represents years and years and millions of dollars of research already put into the item we are hauling it to the next step in the project.
We might haul something such that if it got damaged, a major project involving hundreds of people, several companies and millions of dollars may collapse.
We might have freight on board that will spontaneously combust and burst into flames if a certain temperature range is not maintained; making frequent reefer checks seem quite sensible, don't you think?
We might haul something, like a piece of medical equipment to be used in surgery soon after it arrives, that literally is the difference between life or death for the patient who will live, partly because of the work we do.
We may even have something on board that is so meaningful to the shipper that he tells the driver (and means it), "If this does not make it, I will commit suicide." (It was a college professor's life's work that could not be replaced if destroyed).
Shippers trust their highly-valued freight to White Glove trucks for a reason. When they have something to ship that cannot be more important, White Glove is chosen precisely because of the "cowtoeing and checks and rechecks" -- and because of the drivers who are ready, willing and able to complete the checks and rechecks and provide the services that earn the shippers' trust help put them at ease.
That's trucking! It happens to all of us. It's part of the game.
It sure is my friend. These wiring issues tend to show up with winter road salt. Just the nature of the beast. Still not any fun.
golfournut
Veteran Expediter
I had an issue similar to yours. There is 1 wire that goes up to the marker lights. It was tied in with the license plate light. The connection was right behind the license plate. I was checking and checking with a probe, I happen to pull on that wire to get a spot to check, it just came out of the tape bundle. Pealed all the tape off, cleaned up everything, put in a 3 way connector and it worked. Got lucky in finding it.
All the wiring under the truck is in wire loom. So I started with the wires that weren't in the loom at the rear.
Also, another issue, I have a roll up door. I kept blowing fuses for the marker lights. Couldn't figure it out.
One day I was getting ready to get loaded, rolled the door up, the lights went out. Checked that 1 wire that runs up next to the door track. It had loom all the way to the top. Where the wire came out is where the problem was. It was chafing on the door track and wore thru the insulation and was grounding out. Wrapped it with some electrical tape, replaced the fuse and been working ever since.
Hope you get yours fixed.
All the wiring under the truck is in wire loom. So I started with the wires that weren't in the loom at the rear.
Also, another issue, I have a roll up door. I kept blowing fuses for the marker lights. Couldn't figure it out.
One day I was getting ready to get loaded, rolled the door up, the lights went out. Checked that 1 wire that runs up next to the door track. It had loom all the way to the top. Where the wire came out is where the problem was. It was chafing on the door track and wore thru the insulation and was grounding out. Wrapped it with some electrical tape, replaced the fuse and been working ever since.
Hope you get yours fixed.
Electrical problems just SO much fun, are they not? 
This is going to be tough I think. The guy last night was getting strange voltage readings all over the truck. I gotta believe that there is a short somewhere. Time will tell. Too far to go home so I sit waiting my turn to get into the shop.
This is going to be tough I think. The guy last night was getting strange voltage readings all over the truck. I gotta believe that there is a short somewhere. Time will tell. Too far to go home so I sit waiting my turn to get into the shop.
That could be. Just hard to trace. Too many wires/spices everywhere. I think it may be near the right tail light. That is where it was last time. I could not see anything that stood out. Time will tell. I think that this summer I might have the entire mess redone. Don't want to do it now unless I have no choice.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Splices seem to be hack jobs with a lot of these trucks. I have tried to repair a bunch on my truck but gave up and used the same old thing - sealed butt connectors. Even some of the "super duper $550k apartment on wheels" I've looked at used crappy splices.
The best work (and something I try to do with my other vehicles) is to use the right weatherproof connectors to make splices. Expensive but worth the price. If something goes wrong, unplug the connector, check to see if you have voltage on the connector then move on.
The best work (and something I try to do with my other vehicles) is to use the right weatherproof connectors to make splices. Expensive but worth the price. If something goes wrong, unplug the connector, check to see if you have voltage on the connector then move on.
I see that all the time on my truck. When I fix something my self I will either solder or use those heat shrink butt connector AND put a heat shrink "sleeve" over that. None of my repairs have ever caused a problem.
golfournut
Veteran Expediter
Electrical problems just SO much fun, are they not?
Have you added anything new to the truck where screws were used? One time I put up some trim in a boat. Then one day I turned something on that doesn't get used all the time and it did some strange stuff. Turns out I nicked a wire with one of the screws and was causing it to go to ground. Took me days to figure that one out because I checked the entire boat first instead of working back from things that have changed recently.
Atleast it isn't plumbing! I hate plumbing! lol
Nope, good thought though.
All of the Clink/reefer cables go in underneath the sleeper on the drivers side. Yes, underbelly, not my first choice but you get what you can get when buying used or repos.
The final cost, $304 bucks. There were two broken/rotted wires. One on the left tail light harness the other on one of the chicken lights. All legal again.
The final cost, $304 bucks. There were two broken/rotted wires. One on the left tail light harness the other on one of the chicken lights. All legal again.
shadow7663
Expert Expediter
In addition to using weather proof connectors and shrink tubing I ALWAYS put some die electric grease on a connection I repair. Just a little extra insurance.
Also be sure and seal up your little holes in wiring left behind by your test light probe. I use RTV silicon.
My front park lights and box marker lights all went out the other day after I repaired a bad wire to a front left park lamp......so I knew it was something I did, duh.
After much consternation and test lighting, I found a bulb socket pin grounding out on the pin next to it inside the socket (apparently caused by pulling the wire too tight when I reinstalled it). Then I broke the pin trying to straighten it. On a good load, at nite, it was time to break out the old roadside manufacturer hat. Made a new pin/bulb contact using one of those aluminum strap type box seals and tin snips. It took me 30 minutes to think of the idea, but hey, it worked, and still working today, or at least untill the next road salt venture.
On my M2, the box lights are connected to the "Forward Lighting Systems" Section 54.27 (unable to find a PDF on the front without the Freightliner Gestapo set up), but here is the M2 "Rear and Turn Signal Lighting Systems" 54.28; ww2.justanswer.com/.../2010-10-08_203757_m2rearlightingTSing.PDF
My front park lights and box marker lights all went out the other day after I repaired a bad wire to a front left park lamp......so I knew it was something I did, duh.
After much consternation and test lighting, I found a bulb socket pin grounding out on the pin next to it inside the socket (apparently caused by pulling the wire too tight when I reinstalled it). Then I broke the pin trying to straighten it. On a good load, at nite, it was time to break out the old roadside manufacturer hat. Made a new pin/bulb contact using one of those aluminum strap type box seals and tin snips. It took me 30 minutes to think of the idea, but hey, it worked, and still working today, or at least untill the next road salt venture.
On my M2, the box lights are connected to the "Forward Lighting Systems" Section 54.27 (unable to find a PDF on the front without the Freightliner Gestapo set up), but here is the M2 "Rear and Turn Signal Lighting Systems" 54.28; ww2.justanswer.com/.../2010-10-08_203757_m2rearlightingTSing.PDF
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
Gregg, my truck was ordered with it pre wired for the QC.All my wires are inside the cab,none under the body,so I don't have salt issues in the winter.I have had problems with the trucks that the QC otherwise called a C-Link,were installed in that great shop in Canton Oh called BJ'S.
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
When I do electric conections on my truck,I solder the conections,use grease and shrink rap the wires.Even with the precautions,I've had electrical shorts do to the stuff they use on the highways to melt the ice and snow