My Sprinter from 2000 will sometimes while driving suddenly lose power, limiting the speed on level ground to aroung 90 kph. This may happen once every few months. I can usually correct this by stopping and restarting the engine. It sometimes requires several resets, and the last time it MAY have been triggered by a bump in the road?
The Mercedes service agent has not been able to find the problem.
Can anyone help here?
Before we start having wild guesses why don't we get a little bit more information
What type of sprinter have you got ? Is it fitted with a OM601/2 or a Cdi 611/612 engine ? How many Klms ?
When did you last service the vehicle ? Was it at a MB dealer ? Original parts fitted ?
if the van loses power and goes to limp home mode there are loads of things can cause it.
believe it or not the most common cause ive found is brake light bulbs whiskering ie element breaking up. which may be the reason it happened on a bump in the road.
also had the brake light switches causing limp home, both easy to do and cheap?
battwell.... what a rediculous state of affairs !
"limp home mode " for bulb failure
why doesn't the bulb failure light just come
on instead.... ???
MB is putting you and other motorists at risk
and wasting our time and money... very unhappy.
yet more stupid technology !
If the Mercedes service agent has not been able to find the problem. Then, it might be the fuel pump not working properly, and you might not be able to start your Sprinter when the fuel pump gone.
I had this prob with my 316cdi 2002 a few years back, took to a dealer and had a vacum valve/sensor replaced, it was somthing to do with the turbo boost pressure, didnt pay to much attention as it was under warrenty. However the valve/sensor was behind the os headlamp mounted on the inner wing!!
I have a Freightliner 2002 with 2.7L CDI (OM612) and it is contantly in Limp Mode, but no Check Engine Light. I have replaced the Fuel Filter and the Hard Fuel Line to the Lift Pump. Checked for Boost and we are getting ~0.85 bar on 2nd gear on load uphill, using AutoEnginuity 5.2 Scantool. Tried using a Snapon MT2500 with MB cartridge with support for W901-905 and OM612 engine and the scantool cannot communicate.
Driving on "D" uphill will bog so bad, so I have to manually shift. On the flats, it will upshift at 2200 rpm. I have checked for plugged intake manifold, and smoke tested the Intercooler. Looking for Turbo Resonator leaks but I could not find this item. Tried unplugging the Mass Air Flow Meter and it ran same, and still no Check Engine Light.
Other than power loss (about 25%), it drives smooth. I also checked the tranny fluid level and it is fine (and resealed).
this is very intresting as ive got exactly the same problem with my 208cdi , it looses power but if i turn it off and then bump it back up its fine again , did 300 miles the other day and it dident play up once , then just poped up the town and it happend 5 times , ive replaced all the bulbs, brake light switch, fuel fillter,checked all conections, got my head spinning
2000 Sprinter sudden power loss 
Sprinter Limp Mode - Always 
Linear Mode
