Page 163 of 272

STARTING AND OPERATING 163
5
STEERINGWhen the engine is not running, there is no power
assistance for the steering. Greater force will be
required to steer the vehicle.WHEELS AND TIRESCheck tires regularly for even tread wear, tread depth
(note legal requirements) and signs of external
damage.
Only use wheels and tires of the same size, make and
pattern.
Do not install tires that are not approved for the size
and type of wheel installed or the vehicle itself. Only
use those wheel sizes which were delivered to you by
your authorized Sprinter Dealer.
Use only wheels and tires which have been tested and
approved by the vehicle manufacturer.
Break in new tires at moderate speeds for a distance of
about 65 miles (about 100 km).
WARNING!
ESP cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded.
The ESP cannot prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed in turns,
following another vehicle too closely, or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful
driver can prevent accidents.
The capabilities of an ESP equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the user’s safety
or the safety of others.If the vehicle is to be towed away with the front
wheels clear of the ground, or if the brakes are to be
tested on a brake dynamometer, do not put the key
in position 2 in the ignition lock because the ESP
would engage the brakes to stabilize the vehicle.If the ESP function is used for a prolonged period
of time, the rear axle brakes may fail due to
overheating.
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Page 181 of 272

STARTING AND OPERATING 181
5
WARNING!
Take into consideration that when towing a trail-
er, the handling characteristics are different and
less stable from those when operating the vehicle
without a trailer.
It is important to avoid sudden maneuvers.
Sudden maneuvers may lead to loss of control
over the vehicle-trailer combination. This could
cause an accident resulting in property damage or
injury to you or others.
CAUTION!
If the transmission hunts between gears on
inclines, manually shift to a lower gear (select
"4",
"3", "2" or
"1"). A lower gear and reduction of
speed reduces the chance of engine overloading
and / or overheating.
When going down a long hill, shift into a lower
gear and use the engine’s braking effect. Avoid
riding the brakes, thus overheating the vehicle
and trailer brakes.
If the engine coolant rises to an extremely high
temperature (coolant temperature needle
approaching the red zone) when the air
conditioner is on, turn off the air conditioner.
Engine coolant heat can be additionally vented by
opening the windows, switching the climate
control fan speed to high and setting the
temperature control to the maximum hot position.
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Page 214 of 272

214 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
Open the hood.
At first, only turn the radiator cap to the first detent
to release the pressure from the cooling system.
Only then should the radiator cap be removed
completely.
To add coolant:
If the engine is cold:
Add coolant until the coolant level reaches the base
area which is visible through the filler opening (area
moistened).
If the engine is already at its regular operating
temperature:
Add coolant until the coolant level is about 0.6 inch
WARNING!
In order to avoid any possibly serious burns:
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant
temperature gauge indicates that the engine is
overheated, do not open the hood. Move away
from the vehicle and do not open the hood until
the engine has cooled. If necessary, call the fire
department.
Do not remove pressure cap on coolant reservoir
if engine temperature is above 194 °F (+90 ×C).
Allow engine to cool down before removing cap.
The coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and is
under pressure.
Using a rag, slowly open cap approximately 1/2
turn to relieve excess pressure. If opened
immediately, scalding hot fluid and steam will
be blown out under pressure.
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which may
burn if it comes into contact with hot engine
parts.
Check coolant level only with the engine
switched off and the key in position 0 in the
ignition lock.
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Page 269 of 272

INDEX 269
10
Overheating (Air Heater) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Overheating (Water Heater) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131PPassenger Compartment Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Alarm Pushbutton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Switching off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Permissible Roof Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Programmed Top Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173RRear Cargo Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Rear Seat Bench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Removal and Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Regular Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Relay Assignment, Standard Equipment . . . . . . . . . 230
Remote Keyless Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Replacing Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Removing a Wheel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Replacing Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Reporting safety Defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Reserve Fuel Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Residual Engine Heat Utilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Residual Engine Heat Utilization (REST). . . . . . . . . 115
Restraints, Occupant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Retrofitting Seat Mounting Cups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Ribbed V-Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Roof Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
RPMs, Constant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
SSafety Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Seat Belt Warning Lamp and Airbag Malfunction . . 38
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Belt Tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Fastening and Removing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Height Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Seat Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
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