2006 DODGE SPRINTER heating

158 STARTING AND OPERATING
Protect sharp edges with padding.
 Check the tire pressures after loading the vehicle.
For passenger vans:
 Do not stack loads higher than the upper edge of the
backrests.
 Always place the load against the backrests of the
seat benches.
 Whenever possible, transport loads behind seats
that are not occupied.
 Distribute the load in such a way that the
permissible axle loads are not exceeded when the
vehicle is equipped with the maximum number of
seats. Loading the luggage compartment up to the
maximum payload would cause the permissible
rear axle load to be exceeded.BRAKES
Service Brake
WARNING!
When the engine is not running, the brake and
steering systems are without power assistance.
Under these circumstances, a much greater effort
is necessary to stop or steer the vehicle.
After driving in heavy rain for some time without
applying the brakes or through water deep
enough to wet brake components, the first
braking action may be somewhat reduced and
increased pedal pressure may be necessary. Be
sure to maintain a safe distance from vehicles in
front.
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will cause
excessive and premature wear of the brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their effectiveness.
It may not be possible to stop the vehicle in
sufficient time to avoid an accident.

170 STARTING AND OPERATING
Acceleration Skid Control (ASR)
ASR makes it possible to pull away and accelerate on a
slippery surface. A spinning wheel is braked and its
tractive power is transferred to the wheel with full
grip.
The acceleration skid control (ASR) improves driving
stability at all speeds only on vehicles of the chassis
and cargo/passenger vans type 3500 C/HC/SHC
(without ESP
®).
The engine’s torque is limited to improve driving
stability. When this is happening, the warning
lampv in the speedometer flashes.
If the road surface is not capable of providing traction,
bearing in mind the tires, load and grade, it may not be
possible to pull away even with ASR.
If wheels with tires of a different size than those offered
by an authorized Sprinter Dealer are used, the correct
operation of the ASR cannot be guaranteed.
WARNING!
ASR cannot prevent the natural laws of physics
from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase the
traction afforded.
The ASR 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 ASR 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 ASR function is used for a prolonged period
of time, the rear axle brakes may fail due to
overheating.
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 pull the
key in position 2 in the ignition lock, because the
drive wheels could lock.

STARTING AND OPERATING 171
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Deactivating the Acceleration Skid Control (ASR)
See Section 4, Understanding Your Instrument Panel,
for switch locations.
When driving with snow chains, in
deep snow, or on sand or gravel, it
can be beneficial to deactivate the
acceleration skid control (ASR).
The engine’s torque is then no longer
limited and the drive wheels are free
to spin, which can help them cut into
loose surfaces.
The ASR can only be shut off with the engine running.
If the engine is shut off with the ASR deactivated, the
ASR is automatically re-activated after the engine is
started again.Vehicle Type 2500 only:
If there is a danger of skidding, and/or starting at a
speed of 38 mph (60 km/h) ESP
® activates ASR
automatically.
WARNING!
On a slippery road surface if both drive wheels
start to spin there is a risk of skidding. Adapt your
speed and driving style to the prevailing road,
traffic and weather conditions.
P54.25-0294-20
WARNING!
Vehicle type 2500 only:
Even when ASR is deactivated, ESP
® remains
active and regulates braking to improve stability
as necessary. The warning lampv flashes in
the speedometer.
The danger of your vehicle’s brake system
overheating and being damaged is increased
during long, demanding application of the
brakes. Furthermore, an overheated brake system
could result in a longer stopping distance.
Thus, only deactivate ASR if it is absolutely
necessary.

STARTING AND OPERATING 175
5
AUXILIARY DRIVE (OPTIONAL)
Auxiliary drive (1)
Ribbed V-belt (not part of factory package) (2)
Tensioner pulley (3)
Support (4)
Unit (not part of factory package) (5)
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 209
5
To avoid damage to your vehicle, tires or chains,
observe the following precautions:
 Because of limited chain clearance between tires and
other suspension components, it is important that
only chains in good condition are used. Broken
chains can cause serious vehicle damage. Stop the
vehicle immediately if noise occurs that could
suggest chain breakage. Remove the damaged parts
of the chain before further use.
 Install chains as tightly as possible and then
retighten after driving about 1/2 mile (0.8 km).
 Do not exceed 30 mph (50 km/h).
 Drive cautiously and avoid severe turns and large
bumps, especially with a loaded vehicle.
 Do not install tire chains on front wheels.
 Do not drive for a prolonged period on dry
pavement.
 Observe the tire chain manufacturer’s instructions
on method of installation, operating speed, and
conditions for usage. Always use the lower
suggested operating speed of the chain
manufacturer if different than the speed
recommended by the manufacturer.FUEL REQUIREMENTS
Use only commercially available vehicular diesel fuels
No. 2 or No. 1 (ASTM D 975 No. 2-D or No. 1-D).
NOTE: Because of its better quality the manufacturer
recommends the use of commercially available
vehicular diesel fuel No. 2.
For information on cold weather operation, contact
your authorized Sprinter Dealer.
WARNING!
Marine diesel fuel, Bio diesel fuel, heating oil or
the like must not be used.
Do not blend diesel fuel with marine diesel fuel,
Bio diesel fuel or heating oil.
The use of such non-approved fuels or blending
diesel fuel may result in malfunction or cause
engine damage. Damage or malfunctions
resulting from poor fuel quality or from blending
specific fuel additives are not covered by the
Sprinter Warranty.

226 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.

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES
CONTENTS
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Q Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Q Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Q Maintenance - Without ASSYST
Maintenance Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
…Maintenance Intervals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Q Maintenance - With ASSYST
Maintenance Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Q Regular Check-Ups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Q Special Maintenance Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 307
…Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
…Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
…Dust Filter for Heating/Ventilation
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Q Engine Oil Change and Filter Replacement . . . . 307
…Once a Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Q Scope of Work for Maintenance service . . . . . . . 308
…Oil Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
…Additional Maintenance Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
…Additional Maintenance Work After ... Years 310

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES 307
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SPECIAL MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
If bodies built by manufacturers other than
DaimlerChrysler Corporation are fitted to the vehicle, the
maintenance requirements and lubrication intervals
specified by the body manufacturer must be adhered to,
in addition to all standard maintenance requirements.
Brake Fluid
Only use brake fluids approved by the manufacturer
(DOT 4 plus). Information about brake fluids is
available from your Sprinter Dealer.
Coolant
Have the corrosion inhibitor/antifreeze concentration
in the coolant checked before the onset of winter (once
a year in countries with high prevailing temperatures).
Have the coolant renewed every fifteen years or
100,000 miles.
Dust Filter for Heating/Ventilation Replacement
The dust filter and the tailgate interior filter are
renewed during routine maintenance service.
However, if operating conditions are dusty, these
filters should be renewed more frequently.ENGINE OIL CHANGE AND FILTER
REPLACEMENT
In a minimum, change the engine oil and oil filter once
a year - even if the vehicle mileage per year is extremly
low. For standard oil service schedules, please see the
chapter oil service and maintenance service.
Once a Year
Select the viscosity of the engine oil (SAE classes)
according to the outside air temperature.
Only use engine oil approved by DaimlerChrysler
Corporation if following the ASSYST system
guidelines.
Information is available from your Sprinter Dealer.
If the fuel used has a sulphur content exceeding 0.05 %
by weight, the service intervals should be split in half.
If the sulphur content of the fuel used is between 0.3%
and 0.8% by weight, the service intervals should be
split in half (i.e. every 5,000 miles instead of every
10,000 miles).