2005 Sprinter 3500

Defect. DAIMLER BUSES IS RECALLING 465 MY 2004-2008 SPRINTER 2500 AND 3500 BUSES EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE LIFTS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 403, "PLATFORM LIFT SYSTEMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES." THE ANTI-STOW INTERLOCK MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY AID USER. THE PRESSURE SENSING SWITCH THAT DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF WEIGHT ON THE PLATFORM WAS NOT ADJUSTED TO THE NECESSARY SENSITIVITY LEVEL. THE LIFT COULD STOW EVEN THOUGH SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IS STILL ON THE LIFT.

Risk. A LIFT OCCUPANT CAN BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT BEGIN TO STOW UNINTENTIONALLY.

Remedy. DAIMLER BUSES IS WORKING WITH RICON TO CORRECT THE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS (PLEASE SEE 07E097). OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-800-322-2884 OR DAIMLER BUSES AT 1-905-403-7807.

Defect. DAIMLER BUSES OF NORTH CAROLINA (DBNC) IS RECALLING 334 MY 2005-2006 SPRINTER 2500 AND MY 2003, 2005-2007 SPRINTER 3500 BUSES EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE BUSES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 404, "PLATFORM LIFT INSTALLATION IN MOTOR VEHICLES." THE THRESHOLD WARNING SYSTEM MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY AID USER IN A CERTAIN SPOT WITHIN THE DEFINED THRESHOLD AREA.

Risk. THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE UNINTENTIONALLY.

Remedy. DBNC IS WORKING WITH RICON TO CORRECT THE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS FREE OF CHARGE (PLEASE SEE 07E095). OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-818-267-3000 OR DBNC AT 1-905-403-7807.

TURBO RESONATOR FAILURE ON AN INCLINE ON FREEWAY WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VECHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE RESONATOR. *TR

WINDSHIELD WIPERS JUST STOPPED WORKING IN THE LOW SPEED MODE. THEY WILL WORK FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN JUST STOP. *JB

I OWN 3 SPRINTERS. ALL 3 HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE INJECTORS LEAKING. THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE DEALERSHIP. CHRYSLER REFUSED TO ADMIT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE SPRINTER 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS A NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVE SHAFT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE UNIVERSAL JOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 105,000.

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING 50-60 MPH. NO ACCELERATION DESPITE DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO FLOOR. VEHICLE TOWED 15 MILES TO AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE TURBO RESONATOR WAS REPLACED. *JB

THE TRUCK LOST POWER SUDDENLY AND THE SPEED REDUCED FROM 62 TO 35 TOTALLY OUT OF MY CONTROL. THIS OCCURRED ON I95 IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM WAS A FAILED TURBO RESONATOR. *NM

"TURBO RESONATOR" FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE CAUSING SEVERE LOSS OF POWER AND NEAR COLLISION. *JB VEHICLE IS WINNEBAGO VUW*GTB

PURCHASED A NEW '06 GULFSTREAM RV YESTERDAY. (BUILT ON A '05 DODGE/FREIGHTLINER SPRINTER 3500 CHASSIS) HAD 480 (DELIVERY) MILES ON IT. DRIVING HOME FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AT ~790 MILES ON ODOMETER, ENGINE SUDDENLY CUT MOMENTARILY, RPMS AND POWER FELL, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON, AND I WAS ON HWY 101 FOR ~30 MILES DOING 45 AS THE REST OF TRAFFIC MOVED AT TYPICAL 80 MPH (NO OTHER CHOICES BUT THE HIGHWAY). VERY DANGEROUS. THERE IS NO APPARENT PROBLEM. I WILL HAVE IT SERVICED TOMORROW. I SUSPECT THE WELL KNOWN TURBO RESONATOR CRACK WHICH I HAVE NOW READ ABOUT AND RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET. *JB

LEAVING THE TOWN OF LAKESIDE, OR MADE LEFT TURN ONTO THE 101 HWY WITH TRAFFIC NOT VISIBLE DUE TO A CURVE BOTH WAYS, ACCELERATED TO GET UP TO FREEWAY SPEED FOR SAFETY. FOUND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF THIRD GEAR. DROVE 4-5 MILES BEFORE I COULD TURN OFF THE FREEWAY. I PARKED HEADED DOWNHILL, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND OPENED THE HOOD. I THEN WENT INTO THE STORE TO USE PHONE; HAD NO LUCK FINDING SERVICE. I FELT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO MY DESTINATION IN THIRD GEAR SO GAVE IT A TRY. WHEN I PUT THE HOOD DOWN THE SUPPORT WAS SO WEAK IT BENT AND I HAD TO HAMMER IT OUT OF THE WAY TO CLOSE THE HOOD. I FOUND SOMETHING MIGHT HAVE RESET ITSELF AS IT SHIFTED NORMALLY ONCE I RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THIS HAPPENED TWICE MORE IN THE YEAR 2005. THE FIX EACH TIME WAS TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART. NO RED LIGHT . JUNE 23, 06 BEFORE I TRAVELED OUT OF STATE WENT TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP STARTING FIASCO WITH THREE DEALERSHIPS (SUPPOSEDLY AUTHORIZED AND CERTIFIED TO WORK ON THIS VEHICLE) COULDN'T GET IT FIXED UNTIL MERCEDES BENZ MECHANIC WAS BROUGHT IN AND IT WAS DONE WITHIN THE MORNING OF THAT DAY. TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES; THE GEAR SHIFT WAS REPLACED AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED UNNECESSARILY AT LESS THAN 8K MILES . THE REPAIR DONE IS UNCLEAR TO ME; BUT, SUPPOSEDLY THE CULPRIT IS THE RESONATOR. IT WAS REMARKED IN EMAIL TO [email protected] BY CHRYSLERDAIMLER REP, IT WAS THE FAULT OF WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES INSTALLATION OF A SIRIUS RADIO ON THE PRODUCTION LINE;

VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER ON FREEWAY, CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER TRACED PROBLEM TO TURBO RESONATOR FAILURE, A WELL-KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH DODGE SPRINTER VANS. *NM

TURBO RESONATOR IN 2005 DODGE SPRINTER DEVELOPED A LEAK, PROMPTING "LIMP HOME MODE." "LIMP HOME MODE" REDUCED SPEED SIGNIFICANTLY--35 MPH ON HIGHWAY--WHICH IS UNSAFE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS A CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK. THE CRACK IS LOCATED WHERE THE OVERFLOW AND FUEL TANK CONNECT. WHILE FUELING THE VEHICLE, FUEL SPILLAGE OCCURS. FUEL IS ALSO LEAKING WHILE ENTERING CURVES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THE CRACK HOWEVER, NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRS.

2005 DODGE SPRINTER REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AFTER FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT- DEALER SAID FAULTY VALUE STEMS. DAMAGED REAR RIM AND HAD TO BUY TWO NEW TIRES AND RIM. ALMOST SAME OCCURANCE HAPPEN TO TWO OTHER SPRINTERS IN OUR FLEET. ALSO, WE HAVE TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS EVERY 12,000 MILES. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ROTORS ON THREE SPRINTERS DUE TO ROTORS SEPERATED FROM HUB. ONE 04 SPRINTER LOSES POWER FOR UNKNOWN REASON, AFTER STOP AND RESTART, POWER RETURNS-- DEALER IS CLUELESS. *NM

DT: CONTACT OWNED A 2005 DODGE SPRINTER 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THIS MOSTLY OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, AND IT HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT TIMES. ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO REPAIR VEHICLE, BUT IT WAS FOR DIFFERENT ISSUES. BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT THEY THOUGHT THE AUTO SERVICE DEPARTMENT FIXED THE VEHICLE, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. CONTACT'S WAS CONCERNED THAT THIS VEHICLE TRANSPORTED HIGH SCHOOL CHILDREN AND DID NOT WANT TO SEE IT STALL INTERMITTENTLY. *AK WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF LIGHTS ON THE DASH, ABS LIGHT AND THE TRACK LIGHT ON THE DASH STAYS ON. CLOCKSPRING SENSOR AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKE MODULE REPLACED. STALL OUTS CAUSED BY ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION LOCK VOLTAGE TOO HIGH. ACCELERATOR PEDAL REPLACED. *TT