bigal Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Hi to you all, This site was recommended to me last year whilst in France but this is my first contribution. We have a CI Cipro on Sprinter with Sprintshift gearbox and 2.7 ltr diesel engine, we have been to Poland three times and also toured in France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg, on the way there and back, since first buying it new in Feb. 06. I must say it drives like a dream but I have had a problem with the gearbox refusing to come out of 1st. gear if left parked with the handbrake off in order to swivel the driver's seat. I have just cleared it again on my drive at home. The fuel consumption figures have varied between 23.5 and 29.8mpg depending on the usage. I trust that this may be of interest to someone and look forward to making good use of these forums in the future, Best Wishes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
takeaflight Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 "I have just cleared it again on my drive at home" Hi I am not sure I follow, how did you clear the problem ? and are you saying the fault only occurs when you leave off the handbrake ? Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Decorator Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Yes thanks for that, I've not met that situation but can understand it could be a snag. If we are forced to adopt something like that with the seat swivelled I've chocked the wheels or made sure of the van being level. Perhaps it depends upon how much stress is put on the mechanism when parked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
takeaflight Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Sorry bigal, I miss understood, I thought you had a faulty gearbox :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 It is an Electronically controlled gearbox, i suspect 'reset ECU' is carried out to clear the 'Screw-up' Mercedes need to do a Software upgrade. Ray *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan k Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 We've had our Sprintshift for nearly 2 years, tho the van is a 55 reg and I always have parked in the drive at home with the van left in 1st gear with the handbrake off to stop seizing of the handbrake. However last summer in Italy in the huge car park at Assissi, I inadvertantly left the van in gear when we went into the village and church. When we returned about 5 hours later, the gearbox wouldn't go back into neutral. It will only start in neutral, and after an hour or so of messing about, going thro the return to neutral sequence, I gave up and rang the RAC. 90 mins later at about 7pm a little Italian mechanic in greasy overalls turned up and rolled his eyes as I mimed the problem. I them demonstrated and of course it immediately went into neutral and started. So I'm not allowed to stop the engine unless it is in neutral, my co driver/ asst navigator won't allow it. But even when I've forgotten it has always gone back into neutral apart from that one instance. But its an issue I suppose with any computerised gearbox alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 I don't think its a problem with all computerised gearboxes. The automated manual gearbox on my Mk6 Transit (which is not dissimilar to the Sprintshift) was often left in gear as I live on a very steep slope (a 19" raise between the front and rear wheels) and needed to apply the handbrake and leave the vehicle in gear to prevent the thing from rolling into my garage door. I didn't have handbrake seizure either even after I once left the vehicle for five months without using it due to serious illness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Sprintshift was an early example of the 'robotised' manual gearbox and received some serious slagging-off in the press for its unwieldy/uncouth gear-changing functionality. Like Ford's automated-manual Transit transmission it was eventually discontinued, replaced in the case of Mercedes Sprinters by a conventional torque-converter auto-box and, in the Ford Transit's case by nothing. I vaguely remember reading a comment that some 50% of Sprintshift-equipped 'commercial' Sprinters had suffered problems with the automated transmission system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Decorator Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Our driveway is sloping, I always leave the system in reverse and use angled blocks also, plus the handbrake. I've made a note of the possible problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigal Posted March 11, 2010 Author Share Posted March 11, 2010 Hi Alan, ours is also 55 reg. and the first time this fault occurred we were in Scotland. I eventually contacted the RAC and got a visit from a mechanic from Peterhead. He showed very little interest and pointed out that a large cover was fitted under the gearbox which he could not crawl under and release so advised us to get transported home. We were parked on a friends farm and after standing overnight waiting for the breakdown truck I found that the fault had cleared itself and drove home to East Yorkshire without any problem. This was about 6 months ago. This time it seems to have been caused by a large solenoid located on the n/side of the gearbox, sticking, which I cleared by tapping it with a hammer shaft whilst my wife operated the controls. I first put the vehicle on blocks to gain some ground clearance and removed the four captive nuts securing the cover underneath to gain access to the gearbox area. incidentally, my name is also Alan, wonder if that's relevant? (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan k Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 My comment (an issue with any computerised gearbox) refers to well known issue of computers not always doing what you expect and no physical linkage to pull, thump etc. I find the sprintshift excellent if a little clunky at times especially at low speed but an absolute boon when on twisty minor roads. Since that one incident its performed fautlessly, will I now regret saying that? I don't think alans have a particular problem with mechanical stuff but It might be an age thing :$ cheers alan :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.