2005 DODGE SPRINTER Owners Manual

UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 137
4
NOTE: Only on vehicles with automatic heater
control/regulated air conditioner:
Before switching on the heater or entering the switch-
on time, the temperature control (1) must be set to
maximum heater output (as illustrated).
Set the air distribution control (3) as required between
Y and Z .AUXILIARY HEAT EXCHANGER IN LOAD
COMPARTMENT, ONLY WITH AUXILIARY HEATER
(OPTIONAL)
The auxiliary heat exchanger switch
is located on the right next to the
steering column. To switch on at blower speed 1:
Press the upper section, the left-hand indicator lamp in
the switch lights up.
To switch on at blower speed 2:
Press the lower section, the right-hand indicator lamp
in the switch lights up.
To switch off :
Press the switch to the middle position.
Operation is only possible when the key is turned to
position 2 in the ignition lock.
NOTE:
The auxiliary heat exchanger in the load
compartment should be switched off at coolant
temperatures below 176 °F (+80 °C) to quickly de-fog
and de-ice the windshield and front side windows.

138 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANELAUXILIARY HEATER – TIPS FOR COPING WITH
PROBLEMSNOTE: After three successive attempts to start the
heater, a malfunction will be recorded in the integrated
diagnostic system and no further operation on
auxiliary heater will be available (lock-out). The work
to annul the lock-out must be carried out at an
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
The heater either does not switch on or automatically
switches off:
 Insufficient fuel, fill up the fuel tank. Start up heater two times, until the fuel lines are filled.
 The auxiliary heater will automatically switch off if the fuel level is under about 4 US gal (15 l).
 The fuses in the fuse box are damaged. Electric fuses.
 The battery voltage is too low, an undervoltage protector switches off the heater if the battery
voltage falls below about 10 volts. The heater motor does not run
 The battery voltage is too low, check the battery.
Batteries.
 The fuses in the fuse box are damaged. Electric fuses.
 The heater motor is damaged.
Overheating The air channels are clogged. The heater can be restarted once the fault has been
repaired. When this is done, the heater should be
switched on and off.
 The heater will remain switched off after it has been overheated a number of times (about 10 times in
succession). Have the fault repaired by an
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
NOTE: Repairs should only be made by an authorized
Sprinter Dealer.

STARTING AND OPERATING
5
CONTENTS

Power Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141


Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Maximum Engine Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Constant RPMs (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143


Stopping the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144


Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Accelerator Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Stopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Maneuvering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Gear Selector Lever Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Gear Selection for Special Circumstances . . . . 148


Transmission Selector Lever, Manually
Unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Reversing Aid (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150


Loading the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Loading Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154


Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Service Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Brake Pad Wear Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Brake Indicator and Electronic Brake Force
Distribution (EBD) Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . 157
Parking Brake Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Driving Safety Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Indicator
Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) . . . 164
Acceleration Skid Control Indicator Lamp
(ASR) and Brake Assist System (BAS)
1
if equipped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Acceleration Skid Control (ASR) Warning
Lamp and Electronic Stability Program
(ESP)
1 – if equipped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Acceleration Skid Control (ASR) . . . . . . . . . . . 167

140 STARTING AND OPERATING

Deactivating the Acceleration Skid
Control (ASR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Brake Assist System (BAS)
(vehicle type 2500 only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Indicator Lamp Electronic Stability Program
(ESP) (type 2500 vehicles only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
(vehicle type 2500 only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171


Auxiliary Drive (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172


Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173


Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Tire Grip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Hydroplaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175


Tire Pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Tire Pressures of Loaded Vehicle in PSI (kPa) . . . 177
Vehicle type 2500 C/HC/SHC . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Vehicle type 3500 C/HC/SHC . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Comfort Tire Pressures in PSI (kPa) . . . . . . . . 178
Comfort Tire Pressures in PSI (kPa) . . . . . . . . 178


Snow Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179


Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Fuel Filter with Water Separator . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Diesel Fuels for Use at Very Low
Temperatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180


Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182


Programmed Top Speed (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . 182


Bleeding Diesel Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183


Draining Fuel Filter with Water Separator . . . . . 184
Bleeding the Diesel Fuel Syst em . . . . . . . . . . . 185


Permissible Roof Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186


Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Trailer Hitches (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Electrical Connections (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . 186
Vehicle and Trailer Weights and Ratings . . . . 187
Loading a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Checking Weights of Vehicle and Trailer . . . . 188
Attaching a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Towing a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Parking a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191


Emissions Control System (Catalytic Converter) 192


Inhalation of Exhaust Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192


Fording (Wading Capability) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192


Body Builder Guideline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
A Special Note Concerning Vehicle
Alteration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

STARTING AND OPERATING 141
5
POWER ASSISTANCE STARTING THE ENGINE
Battery charge warning lamp (1)
Engine oil level indicator lamp (2)
Preheater indicator lamp (3)
WARNING!
When the engine is not running, there is no power
assistance for the brake and steering system. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that a
considerably higher degree of effort is necessary
to brake and steer the vehicle.

142 STARTING AND OPERATING1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Automatic transmission, shift selector lever to "P" or "N" position, refer to "Automatic Transmission".
3. Do not depress the accelerator pedal.
4. Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition lock. The preheater indicator lamp q lights up.5. Turn the key clockwise to the stop as soon as the
preheater indicator lamp
q
goes out.
If the engine is at its normal operating temperature,
the preheater indicator lamp will only light up briefly.
Release the key as soon as the engine is running.
NOTE: The key must be returned to position 0 in the
ignition lock before repeating the starting procedure.
If the display Á lights up alternately with î in
the multi-function display, there is an immobilizer
malfunction or the key used has not been
programmed.
The : engine oil level warning lamp and the #
battery charge warning lamp must go out after the
engine is started.
If either lamp remains on, stop the engine at once and
have the cause traced and repaired by an authorized
Sprinter Dealer.
During the trip, check the displays and the warning/
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster at regular
intervals.Maximum Engine SpeedThe maximum engine speed for all vehicles is
4,200 rpm.

STARTING AND OPERATING 143
5
Constant RPMs (Optional)The switch for the Constant RPMs
is located on the center section of
the dashboard.
Constant RPMs increases the
engine-idling RPMs to a set
working-RPM level and maintains
this level regardless of work load.
It can only be used when the vehicle is stationary, the
parking brake is engaged and the gear selector level is
in position "P".
Constant RPMs indicator lamp
To switch it on:
 Press the top of the switch; the indicator lamp in the switch and the constant RPMs indicator lamp
will light up.
To switch off
 Press bottom of switch.

144 STARTING AND OPERATINGNOTE: The Constant RPMs will automatically switch
off when the parking brake is released, the vehicle is in
motion or the control unit detects a malfunction.
The Constant RPMs will also automatically switch off
when you depress the brake pedal. In this case it will
automatically switch on again as soon as you release
the brake pedal.
STOPPING THE ENGINEAfter having brought the vehicle to a stop:
1. Do not depress the accelerator pedal.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Turn the key back to position 0 in the ignition lock.
NOTE: When the engine is very hot, such as after
climbing a long steep slope, allow the engine to idle for
1 to 2 minutes so that it can return to its normal
operating temperature.