2006 DODGE SPRINTER Owners Manual

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49
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AIRBAG AND BELT TENSIONERS
The vehicle is equipped with an airbag for the driver
and the front seat passenger as well as belt tensioners
for the driver and the front passenger. The system is
known as a Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). It
has been designed to work together with the seat belt
and to supplement.
SRS Malfunction Indicator Lamp
When the key is in position 2 in the ignition lock, the
malfunction indicator lamp1 will light up in the
instrument cluster for about 4 seconds as a function
check.Belt Tensioners
The belt tensioners are located on the three-point seat
belts of the driver’s and front passenger seats.
The belt tensioners will not operate unless the key has
been turned to position 1 or 2 in the ignition lock.
The airbag and / or belt tensioners are designed to only
trigger in certain frontal impacts as not all accidents
call for airbag and / or belt tensioner deployment.
WARNING!
Do not put anything on or around the front airbag
covers or attempt to manually open them. You
may damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags are not there to protect you.
These protective covers for the airbag cushions are
designed to open only when the airbags are inflat-
ing.
WARNING!
If the malfunction indicator lamp1 does not
light up when the key is in position 2 in the igni-
tion lock, if it flickers or lights up while the vehi-
cle is moving, there might be a problem in the
airbag system. There is then a danger that the air-
bag will not deploy in the event of an accident or
will deploy when it should not do so. Have the ve-
hicle inspected and repaired by an authorized
Sprinter Dealer without delay.

50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
Safety Precautions for the Airbag
WARNING!
Airbags can seriously injure or kill you, especially
if you are close to the airbag when it deploys.
Always wear your seat belt. Airbags do not
replace seat belts but instead supplement the
protection offered by seat belts. Wearing a seat
belt also makes it less likely that you will be out
of position and will not be injured or killed as the
airbag deploys.
Never place an infant seat which faces to the rear
on the front passenger seat. Children 12 years old
and under, and any child who cannot wear a seat
belt properly, must never ride in the front of this
vehicle.
The airbag does offer an additional degree of
protection, especially to belted occupants, but the
following precautions should still be taken to
prevent injuries when the airbag is inflating.
Do not position the seat closer than necessary to
the airbag inflation point.
WARNING!
Do not lean forward when the vehicle is in mo-
tion.
Do not lean on the doors from inside the vehicle.
Do not put your feet on the dashboard.
Only hold the steering wheel by the outer rim so
that the airbag can inflate unhindered.
No objects should be positioned on the airbag or
between the airbag and the vehicle’s occupants.
If children are traveling, they should always use
an appropriate child restraint system.
Do not touch any hot parts after the airbag has
inflated. Airbags which have triggered in an
accident must be replaced.
The center of the padded steering wheel must not
be covered by any materials or have any labels or
stickers attached to it, or else the airbag may not
function reliably.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51
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WARNING!
Do not attempt to manually open the front airbag
covers. You may damage the airbags and you
could be injured because the airbags may not
function as designed. These protective covers for
the airbag cushions are designed to open only
when the airbags are inflating.
Do not modify any components of the restraint
systems or their wiring.
Observe relevant safety precautions when
discarding off airbag units. Any authorized
Sprinter Dealer can provide information and
assistance.
Make sure to give any new owner of your vehicle
this Owner’s Manual so that the new owner will
be aware of all safety warnings.
WARNING!
If the instrument cluster indicates a malfunction
of the "SRS", as explained above, we strongly rec-
ommend that you visit an authorized Sprinter
Dealer immediately to have the system checked;
otherwise the "SRS" may not be activated when
needed in an accident, which could result in seri-
ous or fatal injury, or it might deploy unexpected-
ly and unnecessarily, which could also result in
injury or death.
The activation of the "SRS" temporarily releases a
small amount of dust from the airbag. This dust,
however, is neither injurious to your health, nor
does it indicate a fire in the vehicle. The dust
might cause some temporary breathing difficulty
for people with asthma or other breathing trouble.
To avoid this, you may wish to get out of the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have
any breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or door.
Given the considerable deployment speed and the
textile structure of the airbag, there is a risk of
abrasions and injuries due to airbag deployment.

52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
PEDALS
The freedom of movement of the pedals must not be
impaired in any way, such as by floormats.ENGINE BREAK-IN SPECIFICATIONS
The first 1,000 miles (about 1,500 km)
The more cautiously you treat your vehicle during the
break-in period, the more satisfied you will be with its
performance later on. Therefore, drive your vehicle
during the first 1,000 miles (1,500 km) at moderate
vehicle and engine speed.
Avoid depressing the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point (kickdown). Do not manually shift
down.
Avoid accelerating by kickdown. It is not
recommended to brake the vehicle by manually
shifting to a lower gear. We recommend that you select
positions "3", "2" or "1" only at moderate speeds (for
hill driving).
After 1,000 miles (about 1,500 km) you can gradually
increase road and engine speeds to normal driving and
requirements.
WARNING!
Do not lay any objects in the driver’s footwell. Be
careful that floor mats or carpets in the driver’s
footwell have sufficient clearance for the pedals.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers the
objects could get caught between the pedals. You
could then no longer brake or accelerate. This
could cause an accident which could in turn lead
to injuries.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53
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Engine Oil Consumption
When the engine has passed the break-in period, oil
consumption may reach 0.5 % of the fuel consumption
recorded in actual operating circumstances. In isolated
cases and in arduous operating conditions, oil
consumption may increase to 1 % of the fuel
consumption recorded in actual operating
circumstances.
Engine oil consumption depends on the driving style
adopted and the operating conditions. It can only be
judged after the engine has passed the break-in period.SAFETY TIPS
 Check the vehicle’s lights and the general condition
of the vehicle before each trip.
 Keep tires at the recommended tire inflation
pressure.
 All occupants should fasten their seat belts before
each trip.
 Driving in an environmentally responsible manner
will reduce noise, fuel consumption and exhaust
emissions.
 Allow the engine to warm up under low load use.
 Avoid unnecessarily hard acceleration, driving with
the throttle fully open, and carrying loads not
specifically needed on the journey.
 Stop the engine during lengthy waiting periods, for
example at traffic lights.
 Remove ancillary parts, such as wind deflectors and
roof racks, as soon as they are no longer needed.

54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
INHALATION OF EXHAUST GAS TIE DOWN RINGS (OPTIONAL)
Tie Down Rings (1)
The rings (1) are used to attach the load with the help
of tension belts. Place the tension belt around the load,
secure it on the rings (1) and tie it down.
WARNING!
When driving or parking the vehicle, make sure
that its exhause system does not come into contact
with flamable material (such as dry leaves) as
these materials my otherwise catch fire.
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your
health. All exhaust gas contains carbon monoxide
and inhaling it can cause unconsciousness and
lead to death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas (such as a
garage) which are not properly ventilated. If you
think that exhaust gas fumes are entering the
vehicle while driving, have the cause determined
and corrected immediately. If you must drive
under these conditions, drive only with at least
one window fully open.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55
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NOTE: Use neither elastic fastening straps nor nets
when lashing down the load. These are only intended
as anti-slip protection for lighter loads.
The means used to tie down the load must not be run
over sharp edges or corners. Sharp edges or corners
should be given protective padding. Observe the
operating instructions for the material used to tie down
the material. Spread the load evenly between the
anchorages. If using a tensioning device, do not
overstress the lashing rings.
WARNING!
If you tension the tensioning belts between the
sidewalls, the maximum permissible load for the
lashing rings could be exceeded if the brakes are
applied suddenly or in the event of an accident.
The load would no longer be secured, which could
result in serious injuries caused by the load slip-
ping.
For this reason, do not tension a tensioning belt
between the side walls.
Observe the loading guidelines.