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180 STARTING AND OPERATING
Regularly check the tires and rims for damage.
Dented or bent rims can cause tire inflation pressure
loss and damage to the tire beads.
If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire inflation
pressure and correct as required.
Do not allow your tires to wear down too far.
Adhesion properties on wet roads are sharply
reduced at tread depths under 1/8 in (3 mm) for
summer tires and 1/6 in (4 mm) for winter tires.
When replacing individual tires, you should mount
new tires on the front wheels first.
Tire Care and MaintenanceThe tire inflation pressure should be checked
regularly, i.e. at least each time you refuel the vehicle.
The preferred interval for checking the tire inflation
pressure, however, is before each trip.
For more information on checking tire inflation
pressure, refer to "Recommended Tire Inflation
Pressure".
Tire Inspection
Every time when checking the tire inflation pressure,
the tires should also be inspected for the following:
excessive treadwear, refer to "Tread Depth"
cord or fabric showing through the tire’s rubber
bumps, bulges, cuts, cracks or splits in the tread or
side of the tire
Replace the tire if any of the above conditions is found.
Also inspect the spare tire periodically for condition
and inflation. Spare tires will age and become worn
over time even if never used, and thus should be
inspected and replaced when necessary.
WARNING!
Regularly check the tires for damage. Damaged
tires can cause tire inflation pressure loss. As a re-
sult, you could lose control of your Sprinter vehi-
cle.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the tire
tread is badly worn, or if the tires have sustained
damage, replace them.
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5
Life of Tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon varying
factors including but not limited to:
driving style
tire inflation pressure
distance drivenTread Depth
Tread Wear Indicator (TWI) (1)
The treadwear indicator appears as a solid band across
the tread.
Do not allow tires to wear down too far. Adhesion
properties on wet roads are sharply reduced at tread
depths under 1/8 in (3 mm) for summer tires and 1/6
in (4 mm) for winter tires.
WARNING!
Tires and spare tire should be replaced after 6
years, regardless of the remaining tread.
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184 STARTING AND OPERATING
Specified tire inflation pressuresmust bemaintained.
This applies particularly if the tires are subjected to
high loads (e.g. high speeds, heavy loads, high ambient
temperatures).
WARNING!
Although the applicable federal motor vehicle
safety laws consider a tire to be worn when the
treadwear indicators (TWI) become visible at ap-
proximately 1/16 in (1.6 mm), do not allow your
tires to wear down to that level. As tread depth ap-
proaches 1/8 in (3 mm) for summer tires or 1/6 in (4
mm) for winter tires, the adhesion properties on a
wet road are sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road surface
(conditions), the tire traction varies widely.
WARNING!
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects the
ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You may lose
control of the vehicle. Continued driving with a
flat tire or driving at high speed with a flat tire
will cause excessive heat build-up and possibly a
fire.
WARNING!
Even when permitted by law, never operate a ve-
hicle at speeds greater than themaximum speed
rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum speed for which tires are
rated can lead to sudden tire failure, causing loss
of vehicle control and possibly resulting in an
accident and/or serious injury and possible death,
for you and for others.
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186 STARTING AND OPERATING
Recommended Tire Inflation Pressure
The tire inflation pressure (including the spare wheel)
should be checked regularly and adjusted as well asinspecting for signs of tire wear or visible damage. Use
a good quality pocket-type gauge to check tire inflation
pressure.
Do not make a visual judgement when determining
proper inflation. Radial tires may look properly
inflated even when they are underinflated.
The tire inflation pressure should be checked
regularly, i.e. at least each time you refuel the vehicle,
and should only be adjusted on cold tires. The
preferred interval for checking the tire inflation
pressure, however, is before each trip.
The tires can be considered cold if the vehicle has been
parked for at least 3 hours or driven less than 1 mile
(1.6 km) at an ambient temperature of approximately
68 °F (20 °C).
Follow recommended cold tire inflation pressures
listed on Tire and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar.
Keeping the tires properly inflated provides the best
handling, tread life and riding comfort.
The pressure difference between the tires on a single
axle should not exceed 1.5 psi (10 kPa).
WARNING!
Avoid spinning of one drive wheel. This may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain which is
not covered by the Warranty.
WARNING!
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adversely
affect handling and fuel economy, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires can
adversely affect handling and ride comfort, wear
unevenly, increase stopping distance, and result
in sudden deflation (blowout) because they are
more likely to become punctured or damaged by
road debris, potholes etc.
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5
For more information, refer to "Important Notes on
Tire Inflation Pressure".
1 Recommended cold tire inflation pressures
NOTE: Data shown on placard are for illustration
purposes only. Tire 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.The Tire and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar lists the recommended cold tire
inflation pressures for all load conditions up to the
maximum permissible weight limits (GAWR). The tire
inflation pressures listed apply to the tires installed as
original equipment.
Important Notes on Tire Inflation Pressure
Tire temperature and tire inflation pressure are also
increased while driving, depending on the driving
speed and the tire load.
Tire inflation pressure changes by approximately 1.5
psi (10 kPa) per 18 °F (10 °C) of air temperature change.
WARNING!
If the tire inflation pressure drops repeatedly:
Check the tires for punctures from foreign
objects.
Check to see whether air is leaking from the
valves or from around the rim.
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188 STARTING AND OPERATING
Keep this in mind when checking tire inflation
pressure where the temperature is different from the
outside temperature.
For example:
If inside temperature is 68 °F (20 °C) and the outside
temperature is 32 °F (0 °C) then the cold tire inflation
pressure should be increased by 3 psi (0.2 bar), which
equals 1.5 psi (0.1 bar) for every 18 °F (10 °C) for this
outside temperature condition.
Check tire pressures more often if subject to a wide
range of outdoor temperatures, as tire pressures vary
with temperature changes.Checking Tire Inflation Pressure
The tire inflation pressure should be checked
regularly, i.e. at least each time you refuel the vehicle.
The preferred interval for checking the tire inflation
pressure, however, is before each trip.
Inflation pressures specified on the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door B-pillar are
always cold tire inflation pressures. Check and adjust
the tire inflation pressure when the tires are cold. Cold
tire inflation pressure is defined as the tire pressure
after the vehicle has been parked for at least 3 hours or
driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) at an ambient
temperature of approximately 68 °F (20 °C).
The cold tire inflation pressure must not exceed the
maximum tire inflation pressure molded into the tire
side wall, refer to "Tire Labeling".
If you check the tire inflation pressure when the tires
are warm (the vehicle has been driven for several miles
or sitting less than 3 hours), the reading will be higher
than the cold reading. This is normal. Do not let air out
to match the specified cold tire inflation pressure.
Otherwise, the tire will be underinflated.
WARNING!
Tire pressure may increase during operation.
Never reduce this normal pressure build up or
your tire pressure will be too low.
Underinflated tires wear excessively and/or
unevenly, adversely affect handling and fuel
economy, and are more likely to fail from being
overheated.
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5
Follow the steps below to achieve correct tire inflation
pressure:
Remove the cap from the valve on one tire. Firmly press a tire gauge onto the valve.
Read tire inflation pressure on tire gauge and check
against the recommended tire inflation pressure on
the Tire and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar. If necessary, add air to
achieve the recommended tire inflation pressure.
NOTE: If you have overfilled the tire, release tire
inflation pressure by pushing the metal stem of the
valve with e.g. a tip of a pen. Then recheck the tire
inflation pressure with the tire gauge.
Install the valve cap.
Repeat this procedure for each tire.
WARNING!
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adversely
affect handling and fuel economy, and are more
likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires can
adversely affect handling and ride comfort, wear
unevenly, increase stopping distance, and result
in sudden deflation (blowout) because they are
more likely to become punctured or damaged by
road debris, potholes etc.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire and
Loading Information placard on the driver’s door
B-pillar. Overloading the tires can overheat them,
possibly causing a blowout.
WARNING!
After inspecting or adjusting the tire inflation
pressure always reinstall the valve cap if
equipped.
This will prevent moisture and dirt from entering
the valve stem, which could damage the valve
stem.
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190 STARTING AND OPERATING
Potential Problems associated with Underinflated
and Overinflated Tires
Proper tire inflation pressure is essential to the safe and
satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Three primary
areas are affected by improper tire inflation pressure:
1. Safety
WARNING!
Improperly inflated tires are dangerous and can
cause accidents.
Underinflation increases tire flexing and can
result in tire failure.
Overinflation reduces a tire’s ability to
cushionshock. Objects on the road and chuck
holes can cause damage that results in tire
failure.
Unequal tire inflation pressures can cause
steering problems.You could lose control of
your vehicle.
Overinflated or underinflated tires can
affectvehicle handling and can fail suddenly,
resulting in loss of vehicle control.
Unequal tire pressures from one side of the
vehicle to the other can cause the vehicle to drift
to the right or left. Always drive with each tire
inflated to the recommended cold tire inflation
pressure.