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218 STARTING AND OPERATING
Tire and Loading Information placard
Seating capacity (1)
Load limit information (2)
NOTE: Data shown on placard are for illustration
purposes only. Load limit data and seating data are
specific to each vehicle and may vary from data shown
in the illustration.
Refer to placard on vehicle for actual data specific to
your vehicle.Seating Capacity
The seating capacity (2) gives you important
information on the number of occupants that can be in
the vehicle.
Observe front and rear seating capacity.
Never let more people ride in the vehicle than there are
designated seating positions and seat belts available.
Be sure everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly
restrained with a separate seat belt.
Load Limit Information
Locate the statement "The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX
kilograms or XXX lbs." (1) on the Tire and Loading
Information placard. The combined weight of all
occupants, cargo/luggage and trailer tongue load (if
applicable) should never exceed the weight referenced
in that statement.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
The following steps have been developed as required
of all manufacturers under Title 49, Code of U.S.
Federal Regulations, Part 575 pursuant to the "National
Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966".
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STARTING AND OPERATING 219
5
Step 1
Locate the statement "The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s placard.
Step 2
Determine the combined weight of the driver
andpassengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
Step 3
Subtract the combined weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kilograms or XXX lbs.
Step 4
The resulting figure equals the available amount of
cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if the
"XXX" amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five
150 lbs. passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400 – 750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs.)
Step 5
Determine the combined weight of luggage and
cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That weight may
not safely exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in step 4.Step 6 (if applicable)
If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from
your trailer will be transferred to your vehicle.
Refer to "Trailer Tongue Load" to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.
The following table shows examples on how to
calculate total load, cargo load and towing capacities
with varying seating configurations and number and
size of occupants.
The following examples use a load limit of 1500 lbs.
NOTE: This is for illustration purposes only. Make
sure you are using the actual load limit for your vehicle
stated on the vehicle’s Tire and Loading Information
placard.
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220 STARTING AND OPERATING
The higher the weight of all occupants, the less cargo
and luggage load capacity is available.
For more information, refer to "Trailer Tongue Load".
ExampleCombined
weight limit of
occupants and
cargo from
placardNumber of
occupants
(driver and
passengers)Seating
configurationOccupants weightCombined
weight of all
occupantsAvailable cargo/luggage
and trailer tongue weight
(total load limit from
placard minus combined
weight of all occupants)
1 1500 lbs 5 front: 2
rear: 3Occupant 1: 150 lbs
Occupant 2: 180 lbs
Occupant 3: 160 lbs
Occupant 4: 140 lbs
Occupant 5: 120 lbs.750 lbs 1500 lbs – 750 lbs = 750 lbs
2 1500 lbs 3 front: 1
rear: 2Occupant 1: 200 lbs
Occupant 2: 190 lbs
Occupant 3: 150 lbs 540 lbs 1500 lbs – 540 lbs = 960 lbs
3 1500 lbs 1 front: 1 Occupant 1: 150 lbs 150 lbs 1500 lbs – 150 lbs = 1350 lbs
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STARTING AND OPERATING 223
5
Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) is the maximum
permissible trailer weight to be towed:
5,000 lbs. (2,260 kgs)
Trailer Tongue Weight Rating (TWR) is the maximum
permissible weight of the trailer tongue: 500 lbs. (225 kgs)
limit for Sprinter approved hitch receiver.
NOTE: The GVWR and GAWR of your vehicle is
indicated on the Certification Label.
Trailer Tongue Load
The tongue load (tongue weight at the hitch ball) of any
trailer is an important weight tomeasure because it
affects the load you can carry in your vehicle. If a trailer
is towed, the tongue load must be added to the weight
of all occupants riding and any cargo you are carrying
in the vehicle to prevent exceeding your Sprinter tow
vehicle’s rear GAWR. The tongue load typically is
between 10 % and 15 % of the trailer weight and
everything loaded in it.
For example, if the trailer tongue load equals 140 lbs.
and the determined available cargo/luggage and
trailer tongue weight equals 750 lbs., the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is 610 lbs.
(750 – 140 = 610 lbs.)Loading a Trailer
When loading a trailer, you should observe that
neither the permissible GTW, nor the GVWR are
exceeded.
Maximum permissible values are listed on the safety
compliance certification labels for the vehicle and for
the trailer to be towed. The lowest value listed must be
selected when determining how the vehicle and trailer
are loaded.
Load the trailer in such a manner that it has a tongue
weight (TW) between 10% and 15% of the GTW.
The tongue weight at the hitch ball must be added to
the GVW to prevent exceeding your Sprinter tow
vehicle’s rear GAWR.
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234 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CHANGING THE TIRE
If you get a flat tire while driving, gradually decrease your
speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly and slowly move to
a safe place on the side of the road. The pressure of the
spare wheel always has to be checked regularly (at least
after every tenth time at the filling station).
WARNING!
Fitting other wheel sizes to the vehicle will change
the vehicle’s handling characteristics andmay lead
to an accident resulting in death, severe personal
injuries and property damage.
Only certain tires meeting the tire size/load/speed
rating specifications contained in the Tire
Pressure Tables are certified to conform to
FMVSS 110 for the Sprinter vehicle at this time.
Please check your side walls of your originally
equipped tires for specific makes/sizes, and speed
load ratings when you need to replace your tires.
To prevent accidents resulting in possible death,
sever injury or property damage, use only the correct
tire and wheel sizes with load ratings approved for
your vehicle for your tire replacement.
WARNING!
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking up the
vehicle at the jack take-up brackets built into ei-
ther side of the vehicle. To help avoid personal in-
jury, use the jack only to lift the vehicle during a
wheel change. Never get beneath the vehicle
while it is supported by the jack only.
Keep hands and feet away from the area under the
lifted vehicle. Always firmly set parking brake
and block wheels before raising vehicle with jack.
Do not disengage parking brake while the vehicle
is raised.
Always use the jack on a level surface.
Do not change wheels on either steep uphill or
downhill grades. Be sure that the jack arm end is
fully seated in the jack take-up bracket. The
vehicle may begin to move and fall from the jack
which could cause serious or fatal personal injury
and property damage.
Always lower the vehicle onto sufficient capacity
jack stands before working under the vehicle.
Page 243 of 330

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 243
6NOTE: The optional light alloy wheels are supplied
with 5 short wheel lug bolts enclosed for the steel spare
wheel in the vehicle tool kit.
Before fitting the spare wheel, clean rust and dirt off
the contact surfaces of the wheel and the wheel hub,
and from the wheel bolts.
Note the specified wheel and tire size, tire load
capacity and speed code.
Do not change the tire’s direction of rotation.
Do not damage, grease or oil wheel bolts or their
threads.
WARNING!
Different wheel bolts are required for pressed
steel and light-alloy wheels.
Incorrect wheel lug bolts for the wheels could
work loose, thereby causing you to lose control of
the vehicle. This could cause an accident resulting
in severe personal injuries and and property
damage.
WARNING!
Incorrect mounting bolts or improperly tightened
mounting bolts can cause the wheel to come off.
To avoid the risk of serious or fatal injuries or ve-
hicle damage, please bear the following points in
mind:
Always replace wheel bolts that are damaged or
rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts
If a wheel hub thread is damaged, you must not
drive the vehicle. Consult a qualified specialist
workshop.
Only use genuine DaimlerChrysler wheel bolts
specified for your vehicle’s rims.