Flarpswitch
Salem, Oregon
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Where is best possible place for the transmission to go out? When you are as far away from home as possible of course. Home is Oregon and now we're stranded in Florida. The engine and transmission has performed perfectly up to now (21,000+ miles). In a relativly short span of miles, several quarts of transmission oil leaked out. Not towing, nearly sea level, moderate temperatures and highway speeds. No warning lights and the only indication is the tachometer registering higer RPM than what is appropriate for the speed. Oil appears to be exiting the transmission via a vent near the electical connector on the housing. The chassis is a 2008 Sprinter 3500 (OM 642 engine and NAG1 transmission). I knew this trip has been going too smooth and having to spend a night parked behind a 24hr service station was the last thing I expected. Could not get the RV up on the heavy duty tow truck because of the steep angle. The driver had to put the front wheels up and remove the drive shaft. If we get the RV back on Monday, we will only have lost a week. I suspect that that won't be the end of the drama. Any one else have this problem with their Sprinter?
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Steve
'09 Navion iQ
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pompomgirl
Edmonds, WA
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Joined: 10/02/2011
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No, in 70,000+ miles, the only problems we had were with the turbo. Now, we can tell turbo stories!
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mm047
Green Valley, AZ
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Small leaks out of Sprinter tranny electrical connectors are so common that some owners keep spare connectors in their coach. Mine started leaking at 11k miles and was covered under warranty. The older model gizmo has a bad 0-ring. It has been corrector on new ones, so I'm told.
I've never read about a major disaster like you had with the tranny before this.
Mile M.
2008 Winnebago View 24J
2010 Mercury Mariner
Ready Brute Elite and Blue Ox
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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Joined: 01/17/2003
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I recall reading something, maybe on the B forum, about a Sprinter trans leak a couple of years back. But it may have been the issue 047's talking about. The 3/4 ton I-5 was in service for B's for several years before the cutaway became available. Sounds kind of serious. Good luck!
Jim, "Drink, drank, drunk."
'06 Tiger CX 'C Minus' on a Silverado 2500HD 4x4, 8.1 & Allison (aka 'Loafer's Glory') www.tigervehicles.com
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0001952119
Granbury
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Joined: 06/10/2011
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Krell: I will appreciate the outcome of your transmission repair. I also have a 2008 Sprinter chassis. Thank you in advance for any additional information.
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JDMopar
Asheville,NC
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NAG1's are very sensitive about the fluid level, so be sure to keep a check on it if you have one. They hate being overfilled as bad or worse than being low of fluid. I just sold one out of a 2006 Dodge Magnum that got totaled with 6000 miles on it. I about gave it away to get rid of it. Good luck with the repairs.
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Flarpswitch
Salem, Oregon
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The manual says the service interval is 60,000 miles. With no indicaton that there is a problem and no dipstick to check the level, what is left for the owner to do? The cap on the fill tube has a simple locking device I assume is to keep anyone but an authorized technician access. If there is an issue that requires shorter service intervals, then it is incumbent on the manufacturer to notify the owner. I was told that Chrysler/Dodge has a 70/30 percent policy on the transmission. That is if the cost of repair exceeds the cost of a new transmission, then a new/rebuilt unit will be installed.
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Flarpswitch
Salem, Oregon
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Last word from the repair shop is that the transmission needs a new pump and torque converter. The latter apparently got so hot the metal turned blue. Nonsense I say. Waiting for parts and maybe we can be on the road Saturday morning. So, in my considered opinion, something that should have taken 48 hours to resolve will have left us stranded for 10 days. Although the chassis was manufactured by Mercedes Benz, it is Chrysler that is responsible for it. Based on the service we got from a previous vehicle (Dodge) and this one, I can not recommend doing business with them ever. I suspect if I had towed the RV to the Mercedes Dealer up the block, I would be 1,000 mile down the road by now. The reason we did not go there in the first place was that they said we would have to jump through a bunch of hoops to have the warrenty cover the repair and since there was an authorized dealer down the block... well I was stuck.
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carringb
Corvallis, OR
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Joined: 07/28/2003
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Dodge dealers are not even obligated to support the Sprinter anymore. It is done at their discretion, and many have opted not to renew tech certification to work on them.
That said.... I doubt the MB shop would have had parts in stock either. Transmission parts are so numerous, they almost always need to be ordered in, especially less common vehicles (which I would consider the Sprinter to be, compared to the domestic brands).
Bryan
2000 Ford E350 DRW Wagon (14-pass all captains chairs)
V10 w/ Banks PowerPack, Diablo Predator, 4.56 LS, 300,000+ miles
Had: Weekend Warrior 41' FSW
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Flarpswitch
Salem, Oregon
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The NAG1 transmission is common enough and appears in a variety of vehicles. There is no excuse anyone can offer for an extended delay. The RV is sitting in a dealership in a metropolitan area an not in Lester's Auto Auction in Bughatch USA.
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