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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
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CONTENTS
Engine Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Sprinter Original Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Service Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Disposal of Service Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Emission Related Component Warranty
Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Regular Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218Windshield Washer System Fluid Reservoir . 219Air Filter Restriction Indicator (Optional) . . . 219Engine Oils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220Engine Oil Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221Ribbed V-Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222Hydraulic Brake System, Clutch
Mechanism Fluid Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223Checking Coolant Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Winter Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227Disconnecting the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227Reconnecting the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228Charging the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Replacing Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230Appearance Care and Corrosion Protection . 231Power Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Automatic Car Wash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233Tar Stains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233Paintwork, Painted Body Components . . . . . . 233Engine Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233Vehicle Washing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234Ornamental Moldings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Page 218 of 288
218 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLEDisposal of Service ProductsDispose of service products and of parts which come
into contact with them (e.g. filters) in an
environmentally responsible manner. Comply with
applicable bars and regulations.EMISSION RELATED COMPONENT WARRANTY
STATEMENTThe Manufacturer warrants to the original and each
subsequent owner of a Sprinter heavy-duty on
highway diesel engine that:
(1) the engine was designed, built and equipped so as
to conform at the time of sale with the applicable
regulations adopted by the Federal Environmental
Protection Agency, and
(2) the emission control system of such engine is free
from defects in materials and workmanship which
would cause it not to conform with those regulations
for a period of use of five years or 100 000 miles or
3 000 hours of engine operation, whichever occurs
first.
REGULAR CHECKSThe following checks should be performed at regular
intervals (for example once a week or each time the
vehicle is refueled):
Windshield cleaner system – fluid reservoir.
Air strainer, in vehicles with an air strainer element maintenance indicator (optional equipment).
Engine oil level.
Checking ribbed V-belt.
Hydraulic brake system, clutch mechanism fluid level.
Coolant level.
Tire and spare wheel condition and pressures of the same. For more information, refer to "Wheels and
Tires".
Vehicle lighting.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 221
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Engine Oil Level1. Oil dipstick
2. Oil filler neck Check the engine oil level at regular intervals with the
vehicle standing on a level surface.
Check engine oil level about 5 minutes after
stopping the engine, which should have reached its
regular operating temperature. The normal
operating temperature should have been reached
and maintained for some time.
Wipe the dipstick clean with a lint-free cloth before checking.
The engine oil level must be between the
lower (MIN) and upper (MAX) marks on
the dipstick.
Add engine oil only up to the MAX mark.
Excess oil must be drained or siphoned off.
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222 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLERibbed V-BeltThe ribbed V-belt drives the accessories, such as
generator, coolant pump and hydraulic steering pump.
The ribbed V-belt is automatically kept tensioned.
Check the state of the ribbed V-belt regularly, such as
at every engine oil level check.
The belt must not be damaged, worn, oiled or glazed.
There must be no cracks in the belt running surface.
Replace damaged belts.
Hydraulic Brake System, Clutch Mechanism Fluid
Level1. Brake fluid reservoir
Brake fluid level must be between the MIN and MAX
marks in the reservoir (1).
If the brake fluid is below the MIN mark, there may be
a fault in the hydraulic system. Have the system
checked as soon as possible by an authorized Sprinter
Dealer.
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226 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE
If the engine is already at its regular operating
temperature:
Add coolant until the coolant level is about 0.6 inch
(1.5 cm) above the base area which is visible
through the filler opening.
Replace and tighten the radiator cap.
If a large quantity of coolant has been lost, or if smaller
amounts are lost at regular intervals, have the engine
cooling system examined by an authorized Sprinter
Dealer.
For coolant composition and water quality, contact
your Sprinter Dealer.
WINTER OPERATIONHave your vehicle winterized by an authorized
Sprinter Dealer before the onset of winter.
Have the engine oil changed, if the engine oil filled is not approved for winter use.
Coolant: antifreeze/anti-corrosion concentration in the coolant checked.
Windshield washer system: add winter concentrate to the washer fluid.
Battery: the battery will lose capacity as temperatures drop. Only a well-charged battery will
ensure reliable engine starting even at low outside
temperatures.
Tires: fit M+S radial tires, taking note of the maximum permissible speed of the tires fitted.
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MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 231
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Appearance Care and Corrosion ProtectionIn operation, your vehicle is subjected to varying
external influences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the underbody and
cause lasting damage.
Such damage is caused not only by extreme and
varying climatic conditions, but also by air pollution,
road salt, tar, gravel and stone chipping. Grease and
oil, fuel, coolant, brake flui d, bird droppings, insects, tree resins etc. should be removed immediately to
avoid paint damage. Frequent washing reduces and/
or eliminates the aggressiveness and potency of the
above adverse influences.
More frequent washings are necessary to deal with
unfavorable conditions; for example operation near the
ocean, in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust emissions),
or during the winter months.
You should check your vehicle from time to time for
stone chipping or other damage. Any damage should
be repaired as soon as possible to prevent the start of
corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underside of the vehicle.
A prerequisite for a thorough check is a washing of the
underbody followed by a thorough inspection.
Damaged areas need to be undercoated again.
Your vehicle has been treated at the factory with a wax-
base rustproofing in the body cavities which will last
for the lifetime of the vehicle. Post-production
treatment is neither necessary nor recommended by
DaimlerChrysler Corporation.
WARNING!
Many cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are poisonous, others are flammable. Always
keep cleaning products sealed and out of the
reach of children. Always follow the instructions
on the particular container. Always open your ve-
hicle’s doors or windows when cleaning the in-
side.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not designed
for cleaning your vehicle. Do not use fuel as a
cleaning agent. Fuel is flammable and constitutes
a health hazard.
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MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES
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Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Maintenance - Without ASSYST Maintenance
Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265Maintenance Intervals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Maintenance - With ASSYST Maintenance
Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Regular Check-Ups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Special Maintenance Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 267Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267Dust Filter for Heating/Ventilation
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Engine Oil Change and Filter Replacement . . . . 267Once a Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Scope of Work for Maintenance service . . . . . . . 268Oil Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268Additional Maintenance Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270Additional Maintenance Work After ... Years . . . 270
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264 MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES
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INTRODUCTIONThis is intended as a guide to the service requirements
of your vehicle.
It contains all necessary instructions concerning
service intervals and oper ations which have to be
carried out.
Scope and frequency of maintenance work primarily
depend on the vehicle's operating conditions.
In the interest of maintaining the vehicle's operating
safety, the specified work should be performed
regularly and in good time.
Our vehicles are subject to ongoing development.
Technical progress may also affect the scope of service
work performed.
"Daily vehicle checks" before starting a journey are the
responsibility of the driver.
WARRANTYThe Sprinter Dealer network is at your disposal for
maintenance work. Each of these workshops has the
equipment and tools, the specially trained, skilled and
experienced personnel and receives regular technical
instruction from DaimlerChrysler Corporation to
ensure that your vehicle is inspected and maintained
thoroughly and in accordance with the latest
procedures.
Please follow the instructions given in this Owner’s
Manual and ensure that they are observed, even if you
hand the vehicle over to a third party for use or care. By
not observing these instructions you may void your
warranty rights.
If the specified oil and maintenance services are not
carried out regularly or at the time intervals specified,
a decision as to the validity of a warranty claim can
only be made after Daimle rChrysler Corporation has
investigated your claim.
