April 1st started like any other day. After some morning yoga, I was ready to tackle my list of mundane chores: the laundromat, grocery shopping, and a trip to the post office. Hopping into my trusty 2018 Mercedes Sprinter Van, I started the engine and pulled away from my usual curbside parking spot, ready to get these errands done. Little did I know, my day was about to take an unexpected turn.
Less than a hundred feet from my parking spot, the Sprinter van began to sputter, quickly losing power and stalling. Initially, I wasn’t too concerned. I tried restarting the engine, and after a moment of hesitation, it turned over and started. However, my relief was short-lived. Just as before, within another hundred feet, the sputtering returned, and the van became reluctant to move forward. It was clear something was wrong with my 2018 Mercedes Sprinter van.
Fortunately, this happened on a quiet suburban residential street. My main concern was avoiding a complete breakdown in the middle of the road, potentially causing a traffic issue. I managed to guide the sputtering van over to the curb, parked it, and kept the engine running, hoping it might resolve itself.
The sputtering persisted, and as it continued, I decided to call the nearest Mercedes-Benz service center. I explained the situation to the service department, and they immediately suggested bringing the van in for inspection. I hesitated for a moment, still hoping the issue might be temporary. Then, as if on cue, the sputtering stopped, and the engine seemed to be humming normally again. For a brief moment, I almost convinced myself that everything was fine and this was just a minor hiccup. However, just as I was starting to feel optimistic, the engine completely stalled once more, leaving no room for doubt – my 2018 Mercedes Sprinter van was not going anywhere without help.
Reaching for my AAA card, I initiated the roadside assistance process. This was only the second time I’d needed to use AAA since embracing van life, and I must say, their streamlined process is impressive. (The first time, in a moment of panic, I accidentally locked my dog inside the van – a truly terrifying experience!).
AAA’s online tool estimated that the tow truck would arrive within just five minutes. The incredibly prompt service caught me slightly off guard, and I quickly scrambled to prepare the van for towing. I secured everything inside to prevent items from shifting during transport and gathered essentials I might need for a couple of days, anticipating the van being at the service center for some time.
One crucial step was removing one of our galley drawers entirely from the van. One of the push-button latches had become unreliable, and the last thing I wanted was for the drawer to fly open during towing or while being handled at the service center.
Finally, I emptied the perishable food from our Dometic cooler and used the Goal Zero App to switch off the 110-volt, USB, and 12-volt plugs. Our van’s electrical system is powered by a Goal Zero Yeti 6000x.
I decided against completely powering down the Goal Zero, as the battery was at a healthy 63% charge, and nothing was actively drawing power. My thinking was that the solar panels could continue charging the battery while the van was at Mercedes, especially considering it would likely be parked outdoors for at least part of the time. If, for some unforeseen reason, the van was stuck at the service center for more than a couple of days, I could always return and fully power it down. Hopefully, that wouldn’t be necessary!
Just as I was finishing my preparations, a flatbed tow truck pulled up in front of the van – remarkably, within just ten minutes of my call.
The tow truck driver, efficient and professional, hoped he might be able to start the van and drive it onto the flatbed. We had a brief glimmer of hope when he managed to coax the engine to start. Unfortunately, our optimism was short-lived; the van stalled again as soon as he attempted to accelerate up the ramp of the flatbed. Undeterred, and with some persistence, he skillfully winched the van onto the flatbed, securing my 2018 Mercedes Sprinter van for its journey to the Mercedes service center.
Shortly after the van arrived at Mercedes, a service advisor called me. Imagine my frustration when he informed me that the van started without any hesitation and was running perfectly smoothly.
I explained to him that the van had been sitting idle for three days, which shouldn’t be an unreasonable amount of time for a vehicle like a Mercedes Sprinter van. Could this period of inactivity be related to the issue? I also suggested the possibility of a fuel filter problem, as the van was likely approaching its next service interval. After a busy winter season, I suspected some build-up of grime in the system.
The van hadn’t displayed any warning lights on the dashboard or thrown any error codes, which complicated the diagnosis. The Mercedes service team would proceed with their diagnostic process, which alone carried a $299 charge. I was still unsure whether my warranty would cover any potential repairs or parts. Immediately after hanging up, I began searching my inbox for any email coupons from Mercedes-Benz, hoping to soften the financial blow of this unexpected repair.
While I waited for a status update from the service center, I couldn’t help but recall a previous towing experience with a Sprinter van. In fact, I had written an article about the first time our 2019 Winnebago Revel, built on a 2018 Mercedes Sprinter chassis – the very same model now causing me trouble – had to be towed. That earlier article even included some helpful tips for anyone facing roadside assistance situations with their Sprinter van.
Here’s a slightly less-than-fun photo from the second time our Revel / Sprinter required towing services:
April 2nd Update: Mercedes Sprinter Van Diagnosis Continues
One of the truly excellent aspects of Mercedes-Benz service is the direct line of communication you have with your dedicated service advisor while your vehicle is in their shop. Upon the initial check-in of your van, you receive a text message, providing an easy way to reply with questions or initiate a phone call for updates.
This morning, I had both a text message exchange and a phone call with my service advisor, Jesse. Surprisingly, they still hadn’t been able to replicate the sputtering and stalling issue even once! The 2018 Mercedes Sprinter van was seemingly behaving perfectly at the service center.
Jesse, understandably, had a few questions for me as they were somewhat baffled by the situation. He inquired about the parking conditions – was the van parked on an incline? No, it was on a level street. When was the last time I had filled up the fuel tank? About five days prior. And then he asked about the fuel tank itself – when had we replaced the original fuel tank with this 47-gallon fuel tank replacement? I explained that the van conversion, completed by Van America in November 2022, included the installation of the larger capacity fuel tank.
Jesse mentioned that van owners who leave their Sprinter vans sitting for extended periods might occasionally encounter similar issues, but my situation seemed somewhat unusual given the recent usage of the van.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t offer any particularly insightful answers to his questions. However, their current plan is to let the van sit overnight once again and attempt to replicate the rough idle and stalling issue one more time in the morning. If they are still unable to reproduce the problem, their next step is to proceed with replacing the EGR valve. Since the van is still under warranty, this option is covered, so they figured it was worth trying.
Apparently, replacing the EGR valve has resolved similar issues in other Mercedes Sprinter vans exhibiting nearly identical symptoms. The theory is that carbon buildup can clog the EGR valve, leading to the kind of sputtering and stalling my van experienced. I suppose I’ll find out tomorrow if this is indeed the solution for my 2018 Mercedes Sprinter van!
