2006 DODGE SPRINTER Owners Manual

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Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped by steel
cords that hold the tire onto the rim.
Cold Tire Inflation Pressure
Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle has been
sitting for at least 3 hours or d r i v e n n o m o r e t h a n 1 m i l e
(1.6 km).
Curb Weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with standard
equipment including the maximum capacity of fuel,
oil, and coolant, and, if so equipped, air conditioning
and additional optional equipment, but without
passengers and cargo.
DOT (Department of Transportation)
A tire branding symbol which denotes the tire meets
requirements of the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible axle weight.
The gross vehicle weight on each axle must never
exceed the GAWR for the front and rear axle indicatedon the Certification Label located below the driver’s
seat on an outward facing position of the mounting
pillar.
GTW (Gross Trailer Weight)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus the weight of
all cargo, equipment, luggage etc. loaded on the trailer.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
The GVW comprises the weight of the vehicle
including fuel, tools, spare wheel, installed accessories,
passengers and cargo and, if applicable, trailer tongue
load. The GWV must never exceed the GWVR
indicated on the Certification Label located below the
driver’s seat on an outward facing position of the
mounting pillar.
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
This is themaximum permissible vehicle weight of the
fully loaded vehicle (weight of the vehicle including all
options, passengers, fuel, and cargo and, if applicable,
trailer tongue load). It is indicated on the Certification
Label located below the driver’s seat on an outward
facing position of the mounting pillar.

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Kilopascal (kPa)
Themetric unit for air pressure. There are 6.9 kPa to 1
psi; another metric unit for air pressure is bars. There
are 100 kilopascals (kPa) to 1 bar.
Maximum Load Rating
The maximum load in kilograms and pounds that can
be carried by the tire.
Maximum Loaded Vehicle Weight
The sum of curb weight, accessory weight, vehicle
capacity weight and production options weight.
Maximum Tire Inflation Pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that
should ever be put in the tire under normal driving
conditions.
Normal Occupant Weight
The number of occupants the vehicle is designed to
seat, multiplied by 68 kilograms (150 lbs).
Occupant Distribution
The distribution of occupants in a vehicle at their
designated seating positions.Production Options Weight
The combined weight of those installed regular
production options weighing over 5 lbs (2.3 kilograms)
in excess of those standard items which they replace,
not previously considered in curb weight or accessory
weight, including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers,
roof rack, heavy duty battery, and special trim.
PSI (Pounds per Square Inch)
A standard unit of measure for air pressure. Another
metric unit for air pressure is bars or kilopascal (kPa).
Recommended Tire Inflation Pressure
Recommended tire inflation pressure listed on Tire
and Loading Information placard on the driver’s door
B-pillar for normal driving conditions. Provides best
handling, tread life and riding comfort.
Rim
A metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly
upon which the tire beads are seated.
Sidewall
The portion of a tire between the tread and the bead.

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TIN (Tire Identification Number)
Unique identifier which facilitates efforts by tire
manufacturers to notify purchasers in recall situations
or other safety matters concerning tires and gives
purchases the means to easily identify such tires. The
TIN is comprised of "Manufacturer’s identification
mark", "Tire size", "Tire type code" and "Date of
manufacture".
Tire Load Rating
Numerical code associated with the maximum load a
tire can support.
Tire Ply Composition and Material used
This indicates the number of plies or the number of
layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire tread and
sidewall. Tire manufacturers also must indicate the ply
materials in the tire and sidewall, which include steel,
nylon, polyester, and others.
Tire Speed Rating
Part of tire designation; indicates the speed range for
which a tire is approved.Traction
Force exerted by the vehicle on the road via the tires.
The amount of grip provided.
Tread
The portion of a tire that comes into contact with the
road.
Treadwear Indicators
Narrow bands, sometimes called "wear bars" that
show across the tread of a tire when only 1/16 in (1.6
mm) of tread remains.
TWR (Tongue Weight Rating)
Maximum permissible weight on trailer tongue.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
A tire information system that provides consumers
with ratings for a tire’s traction, temperature and
treadwear.
Ratings are determined by tire manufacturers using
government testing procedures. The ratings are
molded into the sidewall of the tire.

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Vehicle Capacity Weight
Rated cargo and luggage load plus 68 kilograms (150
lbs) times the vehicle’s designated seating capacity.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire
Load on an individual tire that is determined by
distributing to each axle its share of the maximum
loaded vehicle weight and dividing it by two.
Rotating Tires
Tires on the front and rear axles of vehicles operate at
different loads and perform different steering, driving
and braking functions. For these reasons, they wear at
unequal rates, and develop irregular wear patterns.
These effects can be reduced by timely rotation of tires.
The benefits of rotation are especially worthwhile with
aggressive tread designs such as those on On/Off
Road type tires. Rotation will increase tread life, help tomaintain mud, snow, and wet traction levels, and
contribute to a smooth, quiet ride.
If applicable to your vehicle's tire configuration, tires
can be rotated according to the tire manufacturer’s
recommended intervals in the tire manufacturer’s
warranty pamphlet located in your vehicle literature
portfolio. If none is available, tires should be rotated
every 10000 miles (16000 km), or sooner if necessary,
according to the degree of tire wear.
The same rotation (spinning) direction must be
maintained when fitted, see "Direction of Rotation".
Rotate tires before the characteristic tire wear pattern
becomes visible (shoulder wear on front tires and
treadcenter wear on rear tires).
The reasons for any rapid or unusual wear should be
corrected prior to rotation being performed.
Thoroughly clean the mounting face of wheels and
brake disks, i.e. the inner side of the wheels/tires,
during each rotation. Check for and ensure proper tire
inflation pressure, refer to "Recommended Tire
Inflation Pressure".
WARNING!
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the tires are of
the same dimension.

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Rotation pattern for single and dual rear wheels
Single Rear Wheels:
 Rotate the tires by axle. Never change the direction
of rotation of your tires. Make sure that on one axle
just one type of tire (same size, type construction,
load and speed rating) is used.
Dual Rear Wheels:
 Rotate front tires by axle and the outer rear tire side
to side if there is no approved direction of rotation.
The tires used on dual wheel assemblies should be
WARNING!
In order to avoid loosing a wheel and in order to re-
duce the risk of fatal or serious injuries or vehicle
damage, please follow these safety instructions:
 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 wheel bolts approved from the
vehicle manufacturer and specified for your
vehicle’s rims. Check tightness of wheel bolts or
nuts regularly and retighten with a torque wrench,
if necessary. Tighten wheel bolts or nuts in a cross-
pattern sequence. After changing a wheel, the
wheel bolts or nuts must be tightened once the
vehicle has been driven for about 30 miles (50 km).
If new or repainted wheels are fitted, the wheel
bolts or nuts must be retightened again after about
600 to 3000 miles (about 1000 to 5000 km).

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matched for wear to prevent overloading one tire in
a set.
 To check if tires are even, lay a straight edge across
all four tires.
The straight edge should touch all the tires.Alignment and Balance
Poor suspension alignment may result in:
 Fast tire wear
 Uneven tire wear, such as feathering and one-sided
wear
 Vehicle pull to right or left
Tires may also cause the vehicle to pull to the left or
right.
Alignment will not correct this condition. See an
authorized Sprinter Dealer for proper diagnosis.
Improper alignment will not cause vehicle vibration.
Vibration may be a result of tire and wheel out-of-
balance.
Proper balancing will reduce vibration and avoid tire
cupping and spotty wear.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures below 45°F
(7°C) and whenever wintry road conditions prevail.
Winter tires should be of the same size and type
construction as the summer tires. Winter tires should
also be operated as printed at the Tire and Loading
WARNING!
3500 Dual Rear Tires have only one approved di-
rection of rotation. This is to accomodate the asy-
metrical design (tread pattern) of the ON/OFF
road tire and the use of Outline White Letter
(OWL) tires.
When replacing a flat tire, the spare tire may have
to be remounted on the rim or installed at a
different location tomaintain the correct
placement of the tire on the wheel relative to the
tire/wheel position on the vehicle. For example, if
the spare is used to replace an outer rear tire it will
have to remounted on the rim so that the wheel is
dished inward. That way the tread design of
asymmetrical tires and the white writing of the
OWL tires will maintain proper position.

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Information placard, refer to "Tires and Wheels". Not
all M+S rated radial-ply tires provide special winter
performance. Make sure the tires you use show M+S
and the mountain/snowflake marking.on the tire
sidewall. These tires meet specific snow traction
performance requirements of the Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the Rubber
Association of Canada (RAC) and have been designed
specifically for use in snow conditions. Use of winter
tires is the only way to achieve the maximum
effectiveness of the ABS and ESP
® in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure all winter tires mounted
are of the same make and have the same tread design.
Always observe the speed rating of the winter tires
installed on your vehicle. If the maximum speed for
which your tires are rated is below the speed rating of
your vehicle, you must place a notice to this effectwhere it will be seen by the driver. Such notices are
available at your tire dealer or any authorized Sprinter
Dealer.
While studded tires improve performance on ice, skid
and traction capability on wet or dry surfaces may be
poorer than that of non-studded tires. Some states
prohibit studded tires; therefore, local laws should be
checked before using these tire types.
SNOW CHAINS
Use "Class U" chains , or other traction aids that meet
SAE Type "U" specifications.
WARNING!
Winter tires with a tread depth under 1/6 in (4 mm)
must be replaced. They are no longer suitable for
winter operation.
WARNING!
If you use your spare tire when winter tires are fit-
ted on the other wheels, be aware that the differ-
ence in tire characteristics may very well impair
turning stability and that overall driving stability
may be reduced. Adapt your driving style accord-
ingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter tire at
the nearest authorized Sprinter Dealer.

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NOTE: Chains must be the proper size for the vehicle,
as recommended by the chain manufacturer.
Snow chains should only be driven on snow-covered
roads at speeds not to exceed 30 mph (50 km/h).
Remove chains as soon as possible when driving on
roads without snow.
NOTE: When driving with snow chains, you may wish
to deactivate the ASR before setting the vehicle in
motion. This will improve the vehicle’s traction.Please observe the following guidelines when using
snow chains:
 Snow chains should only be used on rear wheels. In
vehicles with dual rear wheels, they should be
mounted on the exterior wheels. Follow the
manufacturer’s mounting instructions.
 Only use snow chains that are approved by the
vehicle manufacturer. For approved snow chains,
please contact your authorized Sprinter Dealer.
 Use of snow chains may be prohibited depending
on location. Always check local and state laws
before installing snow chains.
WARNING!
Use snow chains on rear wheels only.
Some tire sizes do not leave adequate clearance for
snowchains. To help avoid serious damage to
your vehicle or tires, use of snow chains is not
permissible with the spare wheel.