Mercedes Sprinter AC Problem

[jcurtisis]

Please let me know if anyone else has experienced this:
I have a 2018 Navion (View), and have an intermittent problem with the Sprinter Van (“coach”, right?) AC. While driving with the AC on, it will often have an issue where the AC vent motor is “on” and we can hear it blowing, but very little Air is coming out the vents. The only thing that fixes it is when we pull over and turn the engine off, then re-start. While the air flow problem is manifesting itself, we’ve tried unsuccessfully to fix the air flow problem by: turning the vent on/off; shifting from recirculated to exterior air; changing air flow direction (i.e., from defrost position on the windows to the floor vents; opening and closing all vents on the dashboard. Having taken it into a M-B dealer once (on the road , while it was happening) they didn’t have anything to offer other than turn the engine off to reset the system.
It keeps happening, but before I try again with the dealer, please let me know if this sounds familiar to anyone else. Thanks!

[Winterbagoal]

Originally Posted by jcurtisis

and have an intermittent problem with the Sprinter Van (“coach”, right?) AC.

Wrong. dash air is "chassis".

Turn the temperature setting dial up to something nearer the upper end of the "blue/cool" range. I set ours to around 20C, and that's the fix. If you have your A/C on, and turn that dial counter-clockwise to the maximum cold temperature, this problem manifests itself. It's been discussed before - check Sprinter Source dot com for more info. Probably iRV2 as well, I've seen several similar threads in the last year or so.

It's also mentioned in the 2017 MB chassis manual.
Starting on page 99 "Optimum use of the air-conditioning system".
"Set the temperature to 72 F (22 C). Only
change the temperature in small increments."

Otherwise, the system (evaporator/condenser coils, I'm not a technician?) freeze up inside the dash. and the air flow is greatly reduced until it thaws out enough to start blowing again. Like when you pull over and shut off the engine.

On page 101, "Setting the temperature"
"Only change the temperature in small increments.
Start at the center position, or at 72 F (22 C)."

If you try this, setting the temperature to something that's closer to comfortable, instead of max cold, you should see an improvement.
If not, get it to the dealer, you may have another mechanical/electrical issue with the system.

[jcurtisis]

Ok- great! Appreciate the wisdom. Chassis = sprinter van; check.

[Winterbagoal]

No problem. It's a different animal (the Sprinters) from Europe. Sometimes moderating the setting a bit makes all the difference.

My Wrangler struggles to cool at max cool setting, but if I turn it back a couple of clicks towards center, it gets better.

[jcurtisis]

I’ll let you you know if this seems to do the trick. Next trip is in August.

[Old Crows]

You know, after owning two Sprinters (a '10 and a 14), I smugly thought I knew and understood how that dang Mercedes HVAC worked....... I did.... but didn't..... Thanks to "Bagel-Man", I was humbled to read the HVAC section in the manual...... DUH!!!!


Really never had a problem with the AC going off kilter. But, there have been times, early on, that with the fan speed low (1 or 2), it can get a bit wimpy. And it seems like the humidity increases. Keeping it on 3 and mid range seems to work better.


OK.... it is absolutely correct that the Sprinter AC is big enough to make ice cubes in the summer in Mongolian desert. That's a problem for us 'mericans because we have (usually) a lot of humidity nearly everywhere. You have to set the temps at a middle range (I use the tiny blue dot as my start point) and adjust one click up at a time. The other thing is that the fan speed must be set at least at level 3 (3 red lights) to force enough air over the coils to keep it from icing up. Also, use the RECIRC sparingly. Actually only to quick cool or keep out stinky when behind cattle trucks.....

Where the Crow went astray here is that fiddly center dial that directs the air flow.... I've always put the pointer between 9 and 6 o'clock. Puts some air down on the floor for the Dog-ohs who take station between the seats. That works...... However, reading the manual and looking at the photos of the dials.... it may be better to put the director's index between 3 and 6 o'clock. That puts more air out the dash vents and the floor. The more toward the 6 o'clock position = more floor air. If you put it between 6 and 9 o'clock, it puts more air on the windshield, rather than all out of the face vents.

I think we want max cool air out of the 4 'face' vents.... the vents on the top center of the dash also put out conditioned airl. But not ricocheting off the smoking hot windsheld. And, between 3 & 6 we also get floor air for the pups.

Next time I'm out we're going to reset the directors to between 3 and 6 o'clock to see how that works.

Yes, at one time the Crow, in a moment of sheer boredom calculated that with all the switches, buttons and rotating dials, there's at least 265 different combinations of settings. It's a German thing. Only a dozen are important.



NOT THAT ANYONE ASKED DEPARTMENT!!!


One of the issues in the Sprinter is that we have those wonderful,huge windshields and door glass. Fantastic view. But, in the sun and on a hot day, the cab becomes a green house. No matter how much cold you put in you end up broiling due to the insolation and radiation effects of the direct sun. The hot tip here is to consider putting heat resistant CERAMIC film on all the windows to knock off about 98% of that incoming radiation. 3M and Madico have nice products. Clear film on the windshield and very light tint on the door glass. DO NOT USE DARK FILMS.... that just makes the problem worse. Clear or very light tint.

[jcurtisis]

Old Crows: have you installed such a film on your RV?

[Old Crows]

Originally Posted by jcurtisis

Old Crows: have you installed such a film on your RV?

JC, Yes Sir.

On 2010 Class B and our 2014 View Profile. Worth every farthing you spend.

Some Home Depot or Lowes.....some tinted shops have a simple demo so you can see how effective it is. Simple heat lamp with two sliding pieces of glass. One is not filmed. The other is. Your hand is the measuring device. You put one of the glass demos between the light/heat source and your hand. Technology comes from space shuttle heat shields.

Crow tips:

Do not use metalized film. Use only ceramic type. Metal will/may block RF energy reception in your cell phone, GPS, WiFi. (Faraday Cage effect).

Some shops have patterns and/or CAD/CAM equipment to custom cut the sheets of film exactly for perfect fit.


Does not apply to plastic or LEXAN windows.

Will not work on complex curved surface like a HECKI skylight.

Use lightest tints. Clear on WS. Very light in door glass. Keeps cops at bay and helps with night vision. Dark tints like dark glass increases the heat load inside the van/RV. Glass is a fantastic conductor of heat (like old Corningware pots). It conducts thermal energy and solar energy to the interior. (Black surface is always hotter than white...)

Film is used in buildings to prevent shattering of windows. It adds an an anti-penitration/ shatter ability.

Clean only with a soft cloth with water. About 3 drops of dish soap to gallon. NO AMMONIA!

[jcurtisis]

Old Crows: Thanks for the detail. I assume this in on the inside of the windows; assume a bit of work is needed to get the window really clean before installation. Did you have any issues with bubbles during installation?

[Old Crows]

Originally Posted by jcurtisis

Old Crows: Thanks for the detail. I assume this in on the inside of the windows; assume a bit of work is needed to get the window really clean before installation. Did you have any issues with bubbles during installation?

JC, I had both installed by professional installers. It's rather pricey material and they can do it in a few hours.... depends on how much glass you cover. Sorry, I don't recall the exact costs but to do all the windows in the View Profile (9 I think..) it was on the high side of $600???



A good tint/film shop will get it installed with no bubbles or wrinkles. Also, check if they can 'cut' the film to a pattern by computer. The windshield and door glass was done by CAD/CAM cutter using a pattern for the Sprinter windows. They fit EXACTLY to the windows. On the door glass there's about 2mm of glass showing where it goes up into the window seal. If I didn't tell you.... you wouldn't know it was there. Same with the windshield.... you have to be about 18" from it inside or out to see the small cut out on the lower left corner for the state inspection sticker. All you see is the very fine edge of the material outlining the cut out.



Coach windows have to be hand made...



They will clean the windows before application. I don't know what they used.



Takes about 5 days for the stuff to dry and become 'permanent'. They recommend not putting windows up and down during the cure time. (Easy to do in Texas since the AC runs all the time.)


Yes.... goes on the inside of the glass.



I've suggested the solar film to a couple friends with RVs. One has a WBGO View and the other a Forest River Forester. They applied it to their coaches and they really like the results.



I've offered the comparison that without the solar film, you are sitting the the cockpit of a B-36 Peacemaker (the one with 6 turnin' and 4 burnin') at 40,000+ feet. It's like a greenhouse on steroids. The solar heating and radiation cooks you like a side of beef. It is fatiguing and heat exhausting.



**** As engine fires occurred with the B-36's radial engines, some crews humorously changed the aircraft's slogan from "six turning, four burning" into "two turning, two burning, two smoking, two choking, and two more unaccounted for."


https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media...o27idl8jpg.jpg



https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...e5uJrUNQraUeQe


Virtual tour.... (note the 6 throttle levers in the console between the seats... and the four 'jet' throttles in the overhead!!!)



Cold War Gallery Cockpits

[irogjk]

Common problem, warranty issue, needs replacement Control Unit for AC system part # 906-906-43-00 operating unit; happened to us in 2018 Winnie View too

[Winterbagoal]

Originally Posted by irogjk

Common problem, warranty issue, needs replacement Control Unit for AC system part # 906-906-43-00 operating unit; happened to us in 2018 Winnie View too

Most, if not all, of the places that supply MB parts online suggest that part number is "discontinued".

[irogjk]

My invoice from yesterday for identical issue has that part #. They must have supply of these parts at the MB dealer.

[Winterbagoal]

Originally Posted by irogjk

My invoice from yesterday for identical issue has that part #. They must have supply of these parts at the MB dealer.

Anything is possible. Maybe it's not a common problem in your locale, so they have some dealer stock left.

Let us know if it fixes the problem.

Any additional related info would be useful.

[Old Crows]

Originally Posted by irogjk

My invoice from yesterday for identical issue has that part #. They must have supply of these parts at the MB dealer.

?????


And did that replacement part FIX the problem????

[Winterbagoal]

Originally Posted by Old Crows

?????


And did that replacement part FIX the problem????

I too am curious as to the efficacy of the aforementioned discontinued part.

[luvlabs]

Unfortunately, mechanics replace parts willy nilly to "fix" problems when it's a really an operator problem. We just came back from a 3700 mile trip, most of it in high humidity land, and the Sprinter AC worked like a champ. Always on fresh air (except around Dalhart, TX), 74 degrees and fan speed of 2 or 3.

[jcurtisis]

I also adjusted my temp setting to 72 from 60 (where I kept experiencing the problem) and drove up the 5 in the CA Central Valley and: lo and behold! No problem!

[Winterbagoal]

Originally Posted by jcurtisis

I also adjusted my temp setting to 72 from 60 (where I kept experiencing the problem) and drove up the 5 in the CA Central Valley and: lo and behold! No problem!

'yer welcome.

[Old Crows]

Originally Posted by jcurtisis

I also adjusted my temp setting to 72 from 60 (where I kept experiencing the problem) and drove up the 5 in the CA Central Valley and: lo and behold! No problem!

Yeaaaaaa Buddy!!!!