2022 Melbourne starting issues

[Gabbyk]

2022 Mercedes Sprinter, diesel (Jayco Melbourne 24L)
-22° C, Wouldn’t start.
There is no block heater to plug in on this RV.
Read the manual, boosted it with good cables. Didn’t work.
Tested the battery, tested good but we bought a brand new “smart” battery just in case. Still wouldn’t start, sounded like a blank spot in the starter. Checked the fuses and relays we could find ourselves and what we found were ok. Had to get the beast TOWED to Mercedes in Winnipeg Manitoba.
Starter is fried on 2022 unit!
Apparently 3 fuses keep blowing under load.
They can’t figure out what’s wrong to keep blowing ( 2x 30 amp) fuses. Starter is on order from god knows where, because they don’t expect one soon. We may not get anywhere this winter.
Anyone else have cold weather start AND electrical issues? Advice on starting these Mercedes Sprinter diesel engines in cold weather?

[craigav]

When you say it wouldn't start and prior to the starter being fried diagnosis, did the engine turn over with the starter and just not start, or did the starter never turn the engine over? ~CA

[Gabbyk]

The starter would not engage at all. A click is all we got, that’s why we 1st tried boosting/jumping, then replace the battery

[craigav]

Originally Posted by Gabbyk

The starter would not engage at all. A click is all we got, that’s why we 1st tried boosting/jumping, then replace the battery

There are a few different possibilities, hopefully the Mercedes people can give you more details with their hands on testing and inspection. I suspect that the engine was too cold to turn over, could be the fuel gelled and injector pump couldn't easily turn and the engine was "froze" (stuck, being that the power needed to spin the engine was more than the starter cold provide). If the engine couldn't or doesn't spin over (for any reason, except perhaps a low or dead battery) then you shouldn't try to start the engine more than a second or two as applying power to a starter motor that isn't moving will destroy the starter very quickly.

I personally wouldn't recommend a diesel RV if you plan to use it during very cold temps. Just curious if you were using #1 diesel with some anti-gel additives? Also, if you plan to use the Mercedes in very cold conditions, I would add an engine heater to help prevent issues like you encountered. ~CA