Common Questions from First-time Owners of new Galleria RVs
The following are some of the common questions asked by first-time owners of new Galleria RVs. It is not meant to discourage newbies from asking questions, rather, it is meant to provide a quick way to get answers to questions you may encounter with your new van. After all, we were all newbies at some point.
When posting questions, it would be helpful if you mention what Galleria model, RV year and chassis year your van is.
========================================================
RV
Q – The first trip in our new van, there were so many rattles that it sounded like it was going to fall apart.
A – When driving our new EV home, we stopped along the way to purchase stick-on felt pads for the bathroom doors and the cabinet doors. That made a difference, but there is still so much highway noise that it is difficult to talk to each other.
Q – Is there an operator manual that explains all the appliances in our new RV?
A – The manufacturer’s manuals are usually so general that they aren’t much help. One option is to Google all your appliance manufacturers and model numbers and download the PDF manuals. Every item on your new RV should be available on the web, including the Mercedes Sprinter manual for your specific year.
Q – Why does the Sprinter chassis’ year differ from our RV’s?
A – RV manufacturers purchase vans in bulk to be converted into RVs, and many of those vehicles may sit a year before being outfitted. A 2023 Galleria being constructed on a 2022 Sprinter is not out of the ordinary. The RV build date will appear on the title once it is issued by the state. When bringing it in for maintenance, the chassis year will be used when purchasing parts or service.
Q – There is no power on the inside 120-volt AC receptacles. Is there another breaker somewhere?
A – The most likely problem is with the ground fault interrupter (GFI) located outside on the passenger side of the van. The receptacles are all wired in series (daisy chained), with the first in line being a GFI. This will protect all the following receptacles on the circuit.
Q – How do I turn on the reading lights over the bed in our new van?
A – The power for the reading lights is controlled by the FireFly touch control panel. Once reading light power is turned on, you can turn them on/off at the light itself.
Q – I used to be able to turn on all the lights at once with the MASTER – ALL ON button on the FireFly touch panel. Why isn’t it working now?
A – The FireFly control panel can remember what lights were on/off when using the ALL ON. Like us, the memory sometimes falters. To reset them, hold ALL ON for several seconds, and they should all come on at one time.
Q – The 12-volt air conditioner doesn’t seem to be helping much in this 95+ degree weather.
A – Welcome to travel in a tin can. Coachmen vans are poorly insulated and are nearly impossible to cool in hot weather with the 12-volt DC air conditioners. There are several things you could do to get ahead of the heat:
– About 1/2 hour before arriving at your campsite, turn on the roof air and run it while you are driving.
– After arriving at the site, keep the engine AC and roof AC running at the same time while you setup camp.
– After you have set up camp, turn off the engine and open the hood to let the engine heat dissipate quickly.
– An external windshield cover will reflect the solar heat before it gets into the van.
– Many people hang a curtain behind the seats to reduce the interior air volume that needs to be cooled.
– To get air to the front, use a portable fan.
– Extend the awning if the sun is shining on that side of the van and find sites with shade trees.
If your 12-volt DC air conditioner is not able to keep your van cool, consider replacing it with one of the other options:
Truma Eco 120 VAC.
Dometic 120 VAC.
Premier Products (formally Gree) Eco-Cool 120-volt AC.
These options are direct replacements, and in many cases, your van may already have a spare 120 VAC wire preinstalled.
Owners who have upgraded to the Truma or Gree have been satisfied with their performance.
Q – We have the tank heater option, and there is one switch with no label. What is that for?
A – The unlabeled switch is probably the plumbing heat wrap installed around the exposed water pipes under the van.
Q – The tank level gauges don’t appear to be working or aren’t accurate. How do I know how full my tanks are?
A – Ya, that’s a huge problem for Coachmen. There’s not much to be done about it unless a tank just isn’t working at all. The newer sensors are ultrasonic and need to be submerged to work. If you think there is a problem, check for cut wires.
Q – I just filled the water tank, and the panel bar graph indicates it is now empty.
A – The tank sensors are kind of wacky (that’s the technical term). They are ultrasonic and need to have a top liquid surface to measure the depth. A full tank will show empty because it isn’t seeing the top surface. On the other end of the spectrum, when empty, the sensor isn’t submerged, so it can’t provide a reading and will show full. The FireFly control panel will show a line under the tank level bar graph to indicate it is confused.
Q – How do we get water from the fresh water tank in our new Galleria 24A? We filled the tank and are still not getting any water.
A – Unlike the other models, where the fresh water tank is mounted under the van, the 24A fresh water tank is inside, under the bed. You will need to remove the panel at the foot of the bed on the driver’s side. Behind the panel, there are a couple valves: one is the master ON/OFF that supplies water to the pump, and the other is the valve for draining the tank.
Q – The water pump is on even though the FireFly switch is turned off. How do I stop it from running?
A – Many of the newer vans have a second water pump switch in the back of the van. It overrides the FireFly switch and is very easily bumped when loading/unloading gear in the back.
Q – Does the bathroom sink empty into the gray tank or the black tank?
A – On most models, the bathroom sink empties into the black tank while the kitchen sink and shower empty into the gray tank.
Q – I have the water heater in our new van turned on, and I’m only getting warm water.
A – The coaches are shipped from the factory in the winterized configuration, and dealerships don’t bother prepping the vans for their new owner (even though they charged a dealer prep fee). The Truma cross-over valve is likely open and is mixing hot and cold. You will need to set all the valves in their proper positions for use.
Q – Why is the hot shower water so hard to adjust to a comfortable temperature?
A – There is a pressure reducer going into the Truma to protect it, and it causes the hot water to be at a lower pressure than the cold. It should regulate the pressure for the entire water system, not just the Truma. Some people have replaced the shower faucet with a two-knob faucet to get better control over the temperature.
Q – What is the Shower Miser and, how do I use it?
A – The purpose of the shower miser is to divert the cold water in the hot water pipe back into the fresh water tank. That way, you are not filling the gray tank while you wait for the hot water to get to the shower faucet. Once the Truma has heated the water (about 25–30 minutes on the propane setting), turn the miser to DIVERT for about 20 seconds and back to SHOWER, and you should have hot water ay the shower faucet.
Q – Why isn’t there hot water at the bathroom sink faucet? There is hot water at the kitchen faucet.
A – The bathroom sink is also connected to the Shower Miser. Set the Miser to SHOWER, and it will direct the hot water to the bathroom sink.
Q – Why does the hot shower water run out after only a few minutes?
A – The Truma water tank is only 2.6 gallons. Heating water in ECO mode only heats to 104 degrees. If you use the HOT setting, it will heat to 140 degrees, and when mixed with cold, you can get a slightly longer shower. Setting the water heater to BOOST will bring the water temperature up to 158 degrees and, when mixed with cooler water, will extend the shower time.
Q – How do I turn on the propane in our new van for the Truma heater?
A – There are three switches on the new Galleria RVs that need to be on. (Two switches used on the older Gallerias.) The first is outside at the tank inside a little box. Up is usually ON. This switch allows the propane technician to turn it off when refilling the propane tank. The second switch is on the 12-volt control panel on the inside cabinet. It must also be in the ON position. The third is a small switch on the Truma itself for a Truma technician to be able to turn off when servicing the system. You will need to remove a drawer or two to get access to the Truma, and a flashlight will help.
Q – Can I run the Truma heater without any water? I just winterized the van and drained the tank, and now I need heat.
A – Yes. The Truma can supply heat with or without water in the boiler.
Q – When we use the Truma for heat, it gets very hot under the bed. Can the vent under the bed be closed off?
A – The Truma has four outlets for heat, and only three are actually used. Closing off a second outlet would create additional backpressure and produce an error when operating the heater.
Q – When we are driving, the rear shade comes down on bumpy roads. Do the strings need to be tightened to keep it up?
A – Tightening the strings will not help and will only shorten their lives. There are several approaches. Some people have added a clamp to the side rails; others pull the screen door string under the shade and through the clothes hanger bars. (Yes, those two black things open up to provide additional hanging space for clothes. Some people use them to hold small fans.) Our solution was a piece of double-sided Velcro wrapped around the shade.
Q – Should we charge our lithium house battery to full charge when we put it into storage?
A – For long-term storage, Lithionics recommends storing the battery at 50–60% charge.
Q – There is an annoying beep coming from the passenger-rear area of the van. It is a short beep that happens every 30 seconds.
A – That is most likely the motion sensor for the awning. It uses 2 AA batteries that need to be replaced from time to time.
Q – Our generator runs but does not produce any power. Is there another breaker switch somewhere?
A – There is a main breaker on the generator. You will need to remove a cover to access it.
========================================================
Sprinter van:
Q – How tall is our van?
A – The tallest Galleria (4×4 is taller than a standard van) with an air conditioner is just under 10 feet. If you travel into Canada, the overpasses are metric, and the van weight is 3.05 meters. Adding a small printed label on the top of the windshield will keep the height information handy.
Q – How do I know how much my van weigh?
A – This should also be on a sticker on the driver’s door jamb. The weight shown is for an empty van. It is recommended that you weigh the van when you are fully loaded to make sure you are not exceeding the weight limit. You can weigh the van at truck stops (CAT SCALES). They will ask if this is the “first weigh.” Answer yes, unless you are reweighing.
Q – What diesel fuel should I use in our Sprinter?
A – Mercedes allows a maximum of 5% of its fuel to be biodiesel wherever feasible.
Q – What is the small switch under the driver’s left dash?
A – In early models, the chassis battery could drain down in storage or if you used the power sliding door a lot. The switch is like a jump battery, using power from the house battery to jump the chassis battery.
Hold the switch for a few seconds, start the engine, and release the switch. Newer models have an electronic module that automatically keeps the chassis battery charged from the house battery.
Q – Why does our speed limit sign display only go up to 55 mph when the speed limit is 75?
A – This malfunction comes and goes. Sometimes updating the maps fixes it, or if you have Mercedes-Me Connect, the van can download updates automatically. Ours works for some days, and others we’re back to 55. A mind of her own.
Q – What’s with that awful center speaker? It is really loud.
A – Ya, Mercedes messed up the installation. The speaker is a dual coil, and somehow the wires got swapped. Mercedes will fix it for free, or, if you are very handy, you can rewire it yourself. An early option was to disconnect the black connector.
Q – How do I turn off the annoying lane-keeping alarm?
A – Having a little trouble staying between the lines? Under the center MBUX screen, bottom row of buttons, second from the right with the little wheels, press it, then Lane Keeping is off. Much quicker than jumping through a bunch of screens.
Q – What is your favorite Sprinter feature?
A – Sprinter 2019+ Brake hold: foot still on the brake, give the brake pedal a quick, sharp, push down. The brakes will stay on until you press the accelerator.
Q – When driving on the highway, our front wheels feel out of balance around 65 mph. Does an alignment and balance fix this?
A – If you have the Coachmen aluminum wheels (as opposed to Mercedes OEM steel or Alcoa aluminum), they are extremely difficult to balance, and most people get rid of them. Also note: The spare is a steel wheel, and you must use different lug nuts if you have Coachmen aluminum rims. (Alcoa rims use the OEM nuts with a decorative cap over the nut.)
Q – Why are our front tires worn on the inside/outside? Does it need an alignment?
A – We have found many vans aligned by Mercedes have tire wear, usually on the inside. The best guess is that Mercedes aligns them to the specifications for an empty cargo van rather than an overloaded RV. Many people have also replaced the shocks and struts to handle the extra weight.
Q – Do I need an alignment when purchasing new tires?
A – If your old tires don’t show any unusual tire wear, you probably don’t need an alignment. Some tire companies will insist on an alignment if you want road hazard insurance.
Q – What tires do you recommend when replacing the original tires? They seem to wear out very fast.
A – By far, the most recommended tires are the Michelin Agilis Cross Climate tires.
Q – What is the tire pressure for my van?
A – The tire pressure is calculated by the weight of the vehicle. You should have a tire pressure label on the driver’s door jamb. The pressure printed on the tire sidewall is the maximum pressure for the tire, not what you should be filling it with.
Q – Where is the spare tire located, and is it on an aluminum rim or steel rim?
A – The spare is mounted under the van in the rear. It is mounted on a steel rim (as are the inner dually rims). The steel rims use a different set of lug nuts that should have been supplied by Coachmen. There will also be a different-size lug wrench. The jack is located under the passenger step.
Q – When storing the RV for the winter, how do we keep the chassis battery from draining?
A – The sprinter has a number of items that drain the chassis battery. A small trickle charger will keep it topped off. There are also solar trickle panels you could place in the windshield. Another option is to disconnect the chassis battery and it’s backup battery.
Q – Should we fully charge the lithium battery when storing it for the season?
A – Lithionics recommends storing the battery with about a 50% charge. When it is very cold, you should not charge the lithium battery. The chassis battery should be fully charged for storage.
Q – What is the best way to haul bikes? I’ve seen bike racks mounted to the back door and trailer hitches.
A – The rear door sheet metal and door hinges are not strong enough to support much weight. A swing-away hitch is a popular option since you can swing it out of the way to get access to the rear cargo area. They are strong enough to support e-bikes. (Warning: Swing it away at night so you have an emergency exit out the back doors.)
Q – When we have a hitch-mounted bike rack and bikes on the van, reverse gear doesn’t want to work.
A – Sprinter vans have ultrasonic sensors in the bumpers to warn of obstacles. When backing up, the sensors see the bikes and limit backing up. When reversing, the rear camera will display the picture, and in the upper left corner of the screen is a “P” icon. Pressing this will turn off the alarm and also allow you to backup.
Q – When we have a hitch-mounted bike rack and bikes on the van, reverse gear doesn’t want to work.
A – Sprinter vans have ultrasonic sensors in the bumpers to warn of obstacles. When backing up, the sensors see the bikes and limit backing up. When reversing, the rear camera will display the picture, and in the upper left corner of the screen is a “P” icon. Pressing this will turn off the alarm and also allow you to backup.
Q – When should I refill the DEF tank?
A – DEF is diesel exhaust fluid and should be refiled when the dash level indicator is at half full. At that level, you should be able to add a 2-1/2-gallon jug of DEF. It has all the same formula and a wide range of prices and can be purchased at automotive stores or Walmart. Most truck stops and some Rally gas stations have DEF pumps, which make it quick, and easy to fill the tank.