2006 SPRINTER 3500 Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

WE PURCHASED A 2006 DODGE SPRINTER 3500 AS A 2006 WINNEBAGO VIEW CLASS C MOTORHOME WITH 5010 MILES ON NOVEMBER 2006. WE WERE TRAVELING APRIL 2007 WHILE CROSSING THE JACKSONVILLE BRIDGE ON A1A, FL.. THE MOTORHOME WOULD NOT ADVANCED. IT LOST THE POWER. WE MADE IT TO THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE AT 20MPH. WE DO NOT KNOW HOW WE MADE IT. WE HAD TO INTERRUPT THE TRIP AND GO TO A DODGE DEALER AND THEY FOUND THE RESONATOR WAS THE PROBLEM A FEW DAYS AGO JAN. 2010 ON THE NORTH GEORGIA MOUNTAINS SCENIC HWY 348, BLAIRSVILLE, GA; WHEN WE GOT TO THE HIGHEST PEAK THE MOTORHOME WOULD NOT GO AT ALL. WE HAD TO BACK UP SLOWLY AT LEAST HALF A MILE TO FIND A SPOT OR SHOULDER TO TURN AROUND AND GO DOWNHILL. CAN YOU IMAGINE DRIVING BACKWARDS ON A NARROW TWO LANE ROAD ON A STEEP MOUNTAIN WITHOUT ANY KIND OF PROTECTION. THIS VEHICLE IS A HAZARD TO US AND OTHER MOTORISTS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION . A RECALL IS NEEDED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR

Mileage: 25,341

SUBJECT: TURBO RESONATOR FAILURE I TOOK DELIVERY OF A DODGE SPRINTER MODEL 3500 CHASSIS WHEN I PURCHASED A WINNEBAGO VIEW IN MARCH OF 2007. CURRENT MILEAGE: 15,422 I HAVE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OWNER'S MANUAL. ON 8/17/09, I HAD THE RESONATOR, PART NUMBER 14070001, AND THE ASSOCIATED AIR HOSE, PART NUMBER 14089002, REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE REPAIR WAS DONE BY FARRISH DODGE IN FAIRFAX, VA. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS IN 2007, THE REPAIR WAS DONE BY DOMINION DODGE IN ROANOKE, VA. THE SECOND FAILURE WAS IN 2008, THE REPAIR WAS DONE BY FREIGHTLINER OF HAGERSTOWN IN HAGERSTOWN, MD. IN EACH CASE, I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWED AND BEGAN TO HAVE NO POWER. I WAS TOLD THAT WHEN THE FAILURE OF THE RESONATOR IS DETECTED, THE ENGINE IS PUT INTO THE 'SAFE' MODE AT WHICH TIME THE VEHICLE CAN ONLY BE DRIVEN AT LOW SPEED FOR A SHORT DISTANCE. WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN AT FARRISH DODGE, HE INFORMED ME THAT THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY DODGE. HE DID SAY THAT THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON AND WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE IS AWARE THAT THERE IS AN AFTERMARKET ALL METAL RESONATOR AVAILABLE BUT COULD NOT BE SURE WHETHER THE INSTALLATION OF THIS WOULD VOID THE WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN DODGE INTENDS TO OFFER A SOLUTION TO THIS RECURRING PROBLEM. MY WARRANTY WILL CONTINUE TO COVER THIS REPAIR FOR TWO MORE YEARS, BUT AT THIS POINT, I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT THE PROBLEM WILL NOT CONTINUE TO RE-OCCUR FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AT WHICH TIME THE VEHICLE ESSENTIALLY COMES TO A NEAR STOP WITHOUT WARNING. IN ONE CASE I WAS ALMOST HIT IN THE REAR END BY A LARGE TRUCK. I HAVE APPROACHED DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH NO USEFUL HELP. *TR

Mileage: 15,422

MY 2006 SPRINTER MOTOR HOME (CAB BY GULFSTREAM) SUFFERED A RESONATOR FAILURE ON JUNE 26TH ON INTERSTATE 81N NEAR BRISTOL TN. IT HAS 18,500 MILES ON IT. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE RIGHT LANE AND, IN "LIMP HOME" MODE FOUND A SPRINTER REPAIR GARAGE AND A NEW RESONATOR WAS INSTALLED. I INTEND TO REPLACE THIS PLASTIC RESONATOR WITH AN ALUMINUM PART. THANKS. *TR

Mileage: 18,500

THIS COMPLAINT CONCERNS A 2006 DODGE SPRINTER 5 CYL DIESEL ENGINE FAILURE. I HAVE A 2007 WINNEBAGO VIEW RV ON A 2006 SPRINTER. ON AUG 29 2007 I WAS TRAVELING ON I90 IN WASHINGTON STATE JUST WEST OF THE SNOQUALMIE PASS SUMMIT WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. AT THAT TIME IT HAD 4539 MILE ON THE ODOMETER. WE COULD HAVE BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND OR STRANDED IN THE MOUNTAINS AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE SUGGEST THAT ANY REPAIR MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED BY A SPRINTER DEALERSHIP. THE NEAREST ON WAS OVER 100 MILE AWAY. THE PARTS THAT FAILED WERE THE 'TEMPERATURE SENSOR (PART # 486235AA TE 8037155 AND THE RESONATOR- TURBO PART # 513715AB) . THE SPRINTER SERVICE PERSONNEL IN AND OTHER SPRINTER OWNERS TELL ME THAT THE RESONATOR AND TEMPERATURE SENSOR FAILURE RATES ARE QUITE HIGH AND SUGGESTED THAT I PURCHASE A SENSOR REPLACEMENT TO CARRY WHEN TRAVELING. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS APPARENT DEFECT IN THE SPRINTER ENGINE. I SUGGEST A RECALL. *JB

Mileage: 4,539

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE SPRINTER 3500. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH UPHILL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TURBO RESONATOR HAD BURST. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE BODY STYLE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 6,887 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,725.

Mileage: 6,725

FAILURE OF GLUE HOLDING TOGETHER THE TURBO RESINATOR. CAUSED 1996 DODGE SPRINTER VAN TO GO INTO ENGINE MALFUNCTION MODE. VEHICLE SPEED DROPPED TO 40 MPH. I HAD TO DRIVE 120 MILES ON THE INTERSTATE TO GET TO A SERVICE FACILITY AT 40 MPH. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO STEEP UPHILL GRADES, OR THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWER AT A SPEED NOT ALLOWED ON THE INTERSTATE IN OKLAHOMA.*AK

Mileage: 11,500

(1) WITHOUT WARNING SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. HAD TO DRIVE A TOTAL OF OVER 200 MILES ON REDUCED POWER TO GET HOME. (2) 2006 DODGE SPRINTER CHASSIS MOTORHOME WITH MERCEDES BENZ 2.7L 5-CYL TURBO DIESEL ENGINE, TURBO RESONATOR SPLIT AT SEAM, CAUSING TURBO SHUTDOWN, AND MAXIMUM SPEED OF 30-40 MPH AND NO POWER ON ANY HILLS. FAILURE ON A HILL OR FREEWAY COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT! (3) DEALER HAS REPLACED RESONATOR TWICE AT NO CHARGE. WE'RE SEEKING A METAL REPLACEMENT PART THAT WON'T VOID THE WARRANTY.

Mileage: 11,000

TURBO RESONATOR FAILURE WHICH IMMEDIATELY REDUCES POWER AND SPEED MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CLIMB AN EXIT RAMP TO LEAVE THE HIGHWAY. *NM

Mileage: 20,000

I WAS DRIVING A 2006 ITASCA NAVION CLASS C RV WITH A DODGE-SPRINTER CHASSIS (BUILT ON JULY 2005) AND CRUISING AT 65 MPH, WHEN GOING UP A SLIGHT INCLINE, THE SPEED DROPPED DRASTICALLY TO 50 MPH, UNRESPONSIVE TO FURTHER ACCELERATOR PRESSURE. A REDUCED POWER MODE SUBSEQUENTLY ENSUED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IT WAS A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLES FOLLOWING BEHIND AND THE REDUCTION IN POWER MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO EXECUTE MANEUVERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE A LEAKING TURBO RESONATOR WAS FOUND CAUSING THE PROBLEM THE PART WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AND NORMAL FUNCTION WAS RESTORED. *NM

Mileage: 15,800

I PURCHASED A 2006 DODGE SPRINTER MOTOR HOME AND WITH ONLY 2,000 MILES THE ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE. LUCKILY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO GET OFF AT THE CLOSEST EXIT AND CALLED THE DAIMLER/CHRYSLER HOTLINE OBTAINED THE NAME OF THE NEAREST REPAIR DEALER. I EXPLAINED MY SITUATION TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY NEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND HAD THE PART AVAILABLE. THE PROBLEM WAS A CRACKED TURBO RESONATOR WHICH IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC AND REPLACED WITH A NEW UPDATED VERSION. THE REPAIRMAN SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND DAIMLER/CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF IT AND THAT THEY ARE NOW REPLACING THE PART WITH A MORE RELIABLE ONE. MY COMPLAINT IS IF I WERE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THE LOSS OF POWER COULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO HIT SOMEONE OR I COULD HAVE BEEN HIT. SPRINTERS ARE USED IN MANY APPLICATIONS INCLUDING AMBULANCES, AND AS OF THIS DATE DODGE HAS NOT ISSUED A WARNING OR RECALL ON THEIR WEB SITE. *JB

Mileage: 2,436

I PURCHASED AN ITASCA NAVION WHICH IS BUILT ON A 2006 DODGE SPRINTER 3500 CHASSIS. THE MERCEDES ENGINE, I FOUND OUT AFTER OURS FAILED, HAS A HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH THE TURBO RESONATOR OPENING UP, RESULTING IN THE ENGINE GOING INTO A "LIMP HOME MODE" WHERE THE VEHICLE OPERATES AT 200 RPM OR LESS. I WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUNG ON THE 101 HIGHWAY SOUTH OF SANTA BARBARA WHICH IS A HILLY 2 LANE HIGHWAY. DUE TO THE RPM RESTRICTION ON THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE WOULD DRAMATICALLY LOSE POWER AND SPEED ON THE SLIGHTEST INCLINE. IT WAS ON ONE SUCH INCLINE THAT I FOUND MYSELF WITH A LARGE 18 WHEELER BEARING DOWN ON ME IN THE #2 LANE. DUE TO THE SMALL INCLINE WE HAD JUST ENCOUNTERED, MY SPEED DROPPED TO BELOW 20 MPH. THERE WAS HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE #1 LANE, SO NEITHER THE 18 WHEELER NOR I COULD JUMP INTO THE #1 LANE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. RATHER THAN FORCING THE 18 WHEELER TO LOCK UP TO SLOW DOWN, I DOVE INTO A VERY NARROW SHOULDER WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE A STEEP DROPOFF. HAD THE SHOULD NOT BEEN WIDE ENOUGH, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE TO AVOID INJURY OR DEATH ON THIS INCIDENT. GREATLY SHAKEN, I WAS FORCED TO TAKE SIDE STREETS ALL THE WAY BACK TO MY HOME IN ALTADENA, CA. I HAD MY VEHICLE TAKEN TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, WHERE THE MECHANIC KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITHOUT LOOKING AT IT. THE PART WAS REPLACED WITH THE SAME NON-UPGRADED PART. FROM THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE SINCE THIS INCIDENT, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WELL KNOWN FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, AND I HAVE HEARD OF FAILURES ON THE REPLACEMENT UNITS AS WELL.

Mileage: 2,700

PART FAILED CAUSING INABILITY TO OPERATE AT SAFE SPEEDS ON HIGHWAY. PART IS CALLED "TURBO RESONATOR" AND HAS A REPUTATION AS A WEAK PART. SEVERAL OWNERS OF SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE HAVE HAD FAILURE. I SAVED THE DEFECTIVE PART. *NM

Mileage: 7,400

SECOND TURBO FAILURE LEADING TO LONG DRIVE IN LIMP HOME MODE. GPS MOVING AVERAGE SPEED OF 47 MPH. LOW SPEED OF 28 MPH. DISTANCE TO GET HOME THIS TIME 600+ MILES TOOK DEALER 15 DAYS TO REPAIR. FIRST REPAIR TOOK 10 DAYS. *JB

Mileage: 16,000