2005 DODGE SPRINTER brakes

172 STARTING AND OPERATING
AUXILIARY DRIVE (OPTIONAL)1. Auxiliary drive
2. Ribbed V-belt (not part of factory package)
3. Tensioner pulley
4. Support
5. Unit (not part of factory package)
NOTE: When retrofitting a unit pay attention to the
running direction of the engine.
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.

STARTING AND OPERATING 175
5
Tire GripTire grip is greatly reduced on a wet or icy road. Speed
and driving style must therefore be adapted to suit
road conditions.
In winter, install M+S radial tires.
Below a tread depth of 1/8 inch (3 mm), tire grip
begins to decrease rapidly on wet roads.HydroplaningDepending on the depth of the water layer on the road,
hydroplaning may occur, even at low speeds and with
new tires. Reduce vehicle speed, avoid grooves in the
road, and apply brakes cautiously in the rain.
TIRE PRESSURES
WARNING!
If tire pressures are too low, there is a risk of the
tire’s tread deteriorating and sudden loss of pres-
sure due to the excessive temperature of the tire.
This has an adverse effect on road safety and in-
creases the risk of an accident.
The limiting speed for the tires (tires and tire
pressure) must not be exceeded. Exceeding the
permissible maximum speed causes tire damage,
which can lead to loss of control of the vehicle.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflating tires can
result in sudden deflation (blowout) because they
are more likely to become punctured or damaged by
road debris, potholes, etc. Follow recommended
inflation pressures.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the specified
vehicle capacity weight as indicated by the label on
the base of the driver’s seat. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a blowout,
which could cause an accident resulting in severe
personal injuries, death and property damage.

188 STARTING AND OPERATINGChecking Weights of Vehicle and TrailerTo assure that the tow vehicle and trailer are in
compliance with the maximum permissible weight
limits, and to know the actual weights, have the loaded
vehicle-trailer combination (tow vehicle including
driver, passengers and cargo, trailer fully loaded)
weighed on a commercial scale.
Check the vehicle’s front and rear Gross Axle Weight
(GAW), the GTW and TW. The values as measured
must not be exceeded, according to the weight listed
under “Vehicle and trailer weight and ratings”.Attaching a TrailerPlease observe maximum permitted trailer dimensions
(width and length).
Most states and all Canadian provinces require safety
chains between your tow vehicle and the trailer. The
chains should be crisscrossed under the trailer tongue.
They must be attached to the hitch receiver, and not to
the vehicle’s bumper or axle. Be sure to leave enough
slack in the chains to permit turning corners.
Most states and all Canadian provinces require a
separate brake system at various trailer weights.
WARNING!
Do not connect a trailer brake system (if trailer is
so equipped) directly to the vehicle’s hydraulic
brake system as your vehicle is equipped with an-
tilock brakes. If you do, neither the vehicle’s
brakes nor the trailer’s brakes will function prop-
erly. This could cause an accident resulting in
property damage, injury or death to you or others.
The provided vehicle electrical wiring harness for
trailer towing has a brake signal wire for hook-up
to a brake controller.
Most states and all Canadian provinces require a
break-away switch on trailers with a separate
brake system. The switch activates the trailer
brakes in the possible event that the trailer might
separate from the tow vehicle.
You should consider using a trailer sway control
system. For further information see your
authorized Sprinter Dealer.

STARTING AND OPERATING 189
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Towing a TrailerThere are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailer towing. Make
sure that your vehicle-trailer combination will be legal,
not only for where you reside, but also for where you
will be driving. A good source for this information can
be the police or local authorities.
Before you start driving with the trailer, check the
trailer hitch, break-away switch, safety chains,
electrical connections, lighting and tires. Also adjust
the mirrors to permit unobstructed view beyond rear
of trailer.
If the trailer has electric brakes, start your vehicle and
trailer moving slowly, and then apply only the trailer
brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are
working properly.
When towing a trailer, check occasionally to be sure
that the load is secure, and that lighting and trailer
brakes (if so equipped) are functioning properly.
Always secure items in the trailer to prevent load shifts
while driving. Take into consideration that when towing a trailer, the
handling characteristics are different and less stable
from those when operating the vehicle without a
trailer. It is important to avoid sudden maneuvers. The
vehicle and trailer combination is heavier, and
therefore is limited in acceleration and climbing ability,
and requires longer stopping distances. It is more
p r o n e t o r e a c t i n g t o s i d e w i n d g u s t s , a n d r e q u i r es m o r e
sensitive steering input.
In order to gain skill and an understanding of the
vehicle’s behavior, you should practice turning, stopping
and backing up in an area which is free from traffic.If possible, do not brake abruptly, but rather engage
the brake slightly at first to
permit the trailer to activate
its brake. Then increase the braking force.

190 STARTING AND OPERATING
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.

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 223
7
Brake fluidRefer to the "Recommended Fluids" chart later in this
section for recommended brake fluids.
In the course of its service life, the boiling point of the
brake fluid will fall due to the continuous absorption of
moisture from the atmosphere.
If the brakes are placed under heavy loads (e.g., on
steep hills) bubbles of steam can then form in the brake
system.
This will adversely affect the brakes' effectiveness.Engine Cooling SystemThe use of aluminum components in Sprinter engines
requires that anticorrosive/antifreeze specifically
formulated to protect aluminum parts be used. The
factory approved Service Products are suitable for
Sprinter engines and can be mixed with the original
anticorrosion/antifreeze filled in at factory.
Cooling system design and anticorrosion/antifreeze
agent used stipulate the replacement interval for the
coolant solution in your vehicle. Please observe the
replacement interval specified in the Service Booklet
for your vehicle.
Failure to use MB 325.0 an ticorrosion/antifreeze and/or
equivalent to DaimlerChrys ler material standard MS-
9769 and/or adhere to the specified replacement interval
may result in a significantly shortened service life.For coolant composition and water quality, contact
your authorized Sprinter Dealer.Engine CoolantThe coolant is a mixture of water and a corrosion
inhibitor/antifreeze additive. Within the cooling
system, the corrosion inhibitor/antifreeze ensures
 anti-corrosion protection
 antifreeze protection
 a higher boiling point.
The coolant added in the factory ensures adequate
antifreeze and anti-corrosion protection.
Refer to the "Recommended Fluids" chart for coolant
recommendations.
For reasons of anti-corrosion protection and to increase
the boiling point, the cool ant added to the cooling
system is designed for all year round operation – even
in countries with high prevailing temperatures.

MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 261
7
COMPONENT SERVICE INTERVAL PRODUCT NAME/PRODUCT NUMBER MB
SHEET
Air Conditioning
The air conditioning system of your vehicle contains R-134a, a refrigerant that does not deplete the ozone layer in the
upper atmosphere.
Refrigerant R-134a — Refrigerant R-134a 361.0 Automatic
Transmission Fluid once only at
80,000 mi
(128,000 km) Shell ATF 3403/M-115
MOPAR® Part No. 05127382AA, or equivalent
Fuchs/Shell ATF 3353 236.10
236.12
Brakes
Use brake fluid approved to DaimlerChr ysler standard MB 331.0 and/or DaimlerChrysler material standard MS-9971,
brake fluid certified to DOT 4 Plus standards, that also ma intains a minimum dry boiling point (ERBP) of 500°F (260°C),
a minimum wet boiling point (WERBP) of 356°F (180°C) and maximum viscosity of 1500 mm
2/s, conforming to FMVSS
116 and ISO 4925.
Brake Fluid 2 years Intac B026D Dry boiling point: 500°F (260°C )
Wet boiling point: 356°F (180°C),
MOPAR® MS-9971 Part No. 04549625AC, or equivalent 331.0
Engine Oil 12 months or 10,000 mi
(16,000 km) See "Approved Engine Oils"

278 INDEXASSYST Maintenance Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Automatic Lock Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145Accelerator Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Gear Selector Lever Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Maneuvering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Selector Lever Manually Unlocking. . . . . . . . . . . 150
Stopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Auxiliary Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Auxiliary Heat Exchanger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Auxiliary Heater Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Timer Auxiliary Heater (Water and Air Heater) 132
Tips for Coping with Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138BBatteries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227Charging the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Disconnecting the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Reconnecting the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Replacing Batteries in Remote Keyless Entry . . . . 22
Battery Charge Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Belt Tensioners
Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Belt Tensioners and Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Bleeding the Diesel Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Body Builder Guideline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Brake Assist System (BAS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Brake fluid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Brake Fluid Reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Brake Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Brake Pad Wear Indicator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Fluid Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Brake System, Anti-Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Service Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Bulbs Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Front Lamp Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
CCapacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Care of Vehicle