Page 38 of 272
38 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEH ICLESeat Belt Warning Lamp and A irbag MalfunctionWhen the key is in position 2 in the ignition lock, the
warning lamp < lights up for about 6 seconds; this
takes place whether or not the driver’s seat belt is
fastened.
The warning lamp< must go out after about
6seconds.
If the warning lamp< flashes after about 6 seconds,
the malfunction indicator lamp1 is defective.
The fault should be repaired as soon as possible by an
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
NOTE: When the key is turned to position 2 in the
ignition lock, a warning buzzer sounds for about
6 seconds if the driver’s safety belt is not pressed into
the belt buckle. The buzzer stops as soon as the safety
belt is fastened. Press the safety belt into the belt
buckle.
Fastening and RemovingBelt tongue (1)
Belt buckle (2)
Release button (3)
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39
2
Fastening Seat Belts
1. Pull the seat belt over the body. The seat belt must
not be twisted or you could be injured.
2. Press the tongue into the buckle and make sure that
it is heard to engage.
3. The seat belt must be tight across the body. Check
this immediately after fastening the seat belt, and at
regular intervals during the trip.
If necessary, tension the lap belt by pulling the
shoulder strap up in front of the body.Removing Seat Belts
1. Press the release button in the belt buckle.
2. Guide the seat belt back to its rest position.
Seat Belt Warning System
When the key is turned to position 2 in the ignition
lock, a warning buzzer sounds for about 6 seconds if
the driver’s safety belt is not pressed into the belt
buckle. The buzzer stops as soon as the safety belt is
fastened. Press the safety belt into the belt buckle.
WARNING!
A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk of
internal injury in a collision. The belt forces won’t
be at the strong hip and pelvic bones, but across
your abdomen. Always wear the lap part as low as
possible and keep it snug.A twisted belt cannot do it’s job as well. In a
collision it could even cut into you. Be sure the belt
is straight. If you cannot straighten a belt in your
vehicle, take it to your dealer and have it fixed.
WARNING!
A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in a collision
and leave you with no protection. Inspect the belt
system periodically, checking for cuts, frays, or
loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced im-
mediately. Do not disassemble or modify the sys-
tem. Seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a
collision if they have been damaged (bent retrac-
tor, torn webbing, etc.).
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40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEH ICLEBelt Height AdjustmentBelt height adjustment button 4
Do not adjust the belt height while the vehicle is
moving.
To lower:
Press the button and move the belt sash guide down.
To raise:
Move the belt sash guide up.
The shoulder strap must pass between the neck and the
shoulder.
A IRBA G A ND BELT TENSIONERSThe vehicle is equipped with an airbag for the driver
and the front seat passenger as well as belt tensioners
for the driver and the front passenger. The system is
known as a Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). It
has been designed to work together with the seat belt
and to supplement.SRS Malfunction Indicator LampWhen the key is in position 2 in the ignition lock, the
malfunction indicator lamp1 will light up in the
instrument cluster for about 4 seconds as a function
check.
WARNING!
Do not put anything on or around the front airbag
covers or attempt to manually open them. You
may damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags are not there to protect you.
These protective covers for the airbag cushions are
designed to open only when the airbags are inflat-
ing.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 41
2
Driver’s A irbagThe driver’s airbag is located within the padded center
of the steering wheel.
WARNING!
If the malfunction indicator lamp1 does not
light up when the key is in position 2 in the igni-
tion lock, if it flickers or lights up while the vehi-
cle is moving, there might be a problem in the
airbag system. There is then a danger that the air-
bag will not deploy in the event of an accident or
will deploy when it should not do so. Have the ve-
hicle inspected and repaired by an authorized
Sprinter Dealer without delay.
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42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEH ICLE
Front Seat Passenger A irbag
(not in conjunction with folding seat in partition
wall)The airbag is located behind the lining section of the
dashboard.
WARNING!
To reduce the risk of injury when the front airbag
inflates, it is very important for the driver to al-
ways be in a properly seated position and to wear
the seat belt. Since the airbag inflates with consid-
erable speed and force, a proper seating position
with hands on the steering wheel will help to
keep you in a safe distance from the airbag. Keep
hands on the outside of the steering wheel rim.
Placing hands and arms inside the rim can in-
crease the risk and the potential severity of hand /
arm injury when the driver front airbag inflates.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43
2
Belt TensionersThe belt tensioners are located on the three-point seat
belts of the driver’s and front passenger seats.
The belt tensioners will not operate unless the key has
been turned to position 1 or 2 in the ignition lock.
The airbag and / or belt tensioners are designed to only
trigger in certain frontal impacts as not all accidents
call for airbag and / or belt tensioner deployment.
WARNING!
To reduce the risk of injury when the front airbag
inflates, it is very important for the passenger to
always be in a properly seated position and to
wear the seat belt. Since the airbag inflates with
considerable speed and force, a proper seating po-
sition will help to keep you in a safe distance from
the airbag.
Do not place any pieces on the top of the
mounting lid above the airbag. If the airbag is
activated the pieces could be thrown into the
passenger compartment. This could result in
severe personal injuries and death.
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44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEH ICLESafety Precautions for the A irbag
WARNING!
Airbags can seriously injure or kill you, especially
if you are close to the airbag when it deploys.
Always wear your seat belt. Airbags do not
replace seat belts but instead supplement the
protection offered by seat belts. Wearing a seat
belt also makes it less likely that you will be out
of position and will not be injured or killed as the
airbag deploys.
Never place an infant seat which faces to the rear
on the front passenger seat. Children 12 years old
and under, and any child who cannot wear a seat
belt properly, must never ride in the front of this
vehicle.
The airbag does offer an additional degree of
protection, especially to belted occupants, but the
following precautions should still be taken to
prevent injuries when the airbag is inflating.
Do not position the seat closer than necessary to
the airbag inflation point.
Do not lean forward when the vehicle is in
motion.
Only hold the steering wheel by the outer rim so
that the airbag can inflate unhindered.
No objects should be positioned on the airbag or
between the airbag and the vehicle’s occupants.
If children are traveling, they should always use
an appropriate child restraint system.
Do not touch any hot parts after the airbag has
inflated. Airbags which have triggered in an
accident must be replaced.
The center of the padded steering wheel must not
be covered by any materials or have any labels or
stickers attached to it, or else the airbag may not
function reliably.
Do not modify any components of the restraint
systems or their wiring.
Observe relevant safety precautions when
discarding off airbag units. Any authorized
Sprinter Dealer can provide information and
assistance.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 45
2
Make sure to give any new owner of your vehicle
this Owner’s Manual so that the new owner will
be aware of all safety warnings.
If the instrument cluster indicates a malfunction
of the "SRS", as explained above, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized Sprinter
Dealer immediately to have the system checked;
otherwise the "SRS" may not be activated when
needed in an accident, which could result in
serious or fatal injury, or it might deploy
unexpectedly and unnecessarily, which could also
result in injury or death.
The activation of the "SRS" temporarily releases a
small amount of dust from the airbag. This dust,
however, is neither injurious to your health, nor
does it indicate a fire in the vehicle. The dust
might cause some temporary breathing difficulty
for people with asthma or other breathing trouble.
To avoid this, you may wish to get out of the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have
any breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or door.
Given the considerable deployment speed and the
textile structure of the airbag, there is a risk of
abrasions and injuries due to airbag deployment.
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