40 SafetyOccupant safety
2
1Securing rings - LATCH type anchors
Warning
G
If the child restraint system has not been in-
stalled correctly on a suitable vehicle seat,
the child cannot be restrained in the event
of an accident or sudden braking and could
be seriously or fatally injured. You must
therefore observe the installation instruc-
tions issued by the child restraint system
manufacturer when installing a child re-
straint system.
On the rear bench seat, only use LATCH type
child restraint systems with ISOFIX child
seat mountings that have been recommend-
ed by the manufacturer.
An incorrectly installed child restraint sys-
tem could come loose and the child or other
vehicle occupants could be fatally injured.
You must therefore make sure that the child
restraint system is engaged in the securing
rings on the left and right-hand sides after it
has been installed.
Warning
G
If the child restraint system or its securing
system, for example the ISOFIX child seat
securing system, are damaged or have been
subjected to a load in an accident, the child
secured in it could suffer severe or fatal in-
juries in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or a sudden change of direction.
For this reason, have restraint systems and
their mountings checked immediately and
replaced if necessary at a qualified special-
ist workshop which has the necessary spe-
cialist knowledge and tools to carry out the
work required if they are damaged or have
been subjected to a load in an accident.
The manufacturer recommends that you use
an authorized Sprinter Dealer for this pur-
pose. In particular, work relevant to safety
or on safety-related systems must be car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
!
CAUTION
Take care not to trap the seat belt on
the middle seat when you install the
child restraint system.
Warning
G
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured by a child
restraint system. The children could:
\4injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
\4be seriously or even fatally injured by
prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold
53 Controls in detail
Opening and closing
3
Remote control with key1 To unlock the sliding doors and
rear doors and opens or closes the
electric sliding door*
2Œ Unlocking button
3‹ Locking button
4Release button for mechanical key
5Battery check lamp.As a precaution, both remote controls
should always be carried.
Checking the batteries
\1Press theŒ or‹ button for
longer than 2 seconds.
The battery check lamp 5 comes on
briefly to indicate that the remote con-
trol batteries are in order.
Change the batteries immediately if the
lamp does not light up briefly during
check (\2page 315).
Warning
G
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured by a child
restraint system.
The children could:
\4injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
\4unlock the door on vehicles with an elec-
tric sliding door by pressing the central
locking button, and then open the doors
and thereby injure other persons
\4get out of the vehicle and could either
injure themselves when doing so or they
could be injured by passing vehicles
\4be severely or even fatally injured by
prolonged exposure to intense heat
!Do not expose the key to high levels of
electromagnetic radiation, otherwise
this may interfere with the functions of
the key.
Protect the key from moisture to pre-
vent malfunctions.
iTo prevent theft, only use the remote
control in the immediate vicinity of the
vehicle.
In an emergency, the driver’s door and
rear door can also be unlocked manual-
ly using the key.iIf the batteries are checked within
signal range of the vehicle, pressing the
Œ or‹ button will lock or un-
lock the vehicle accordingly.
63 Controls in detail
Opening and closing
3
\1To close: make sure that the left-hand
rear door is closed.
\1Pull the right-hand rear door firmly
closed by the door handle.
\1To lock: slide catch2 to the right.
Only the rear door is locked.
The white marking is no longer visible.Using the central locking switch, you can
centrally lock or unlock from the inside ei-
ther the entire vehicle or the sliding doors
and rear doors only.The central locking switch is located on the
center console.
1To lock / unlock the entire vehicle
2To lock / unlock the sliding doors and
rear doorWarning
G
M a k e s u r e t h a t n o b o d y c a n b e c o m e t r a p p e d
as you close the rear door.
Locking and unlocking centrally
from the insideWarning
G
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured by a child
restraint system. The children could:
\4injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
\4be severely or even fatally injured by
prolonged exposure to intense heat
If the children open a door, they could:
\4cause injury to others as a result
\4get out of the vehicle and could either
injure themselves when doing so or they
could be injured by passing vehicles
\4sustain serious injuries if they were to
fall out of the vehicle, due in particular
to the height of the passenger compart-
ment from the ground
iIf the key is in position0 or no longer in
the ignition lock, the indicator lamp in
the central locking switch lights up for
5 seconds after it is pressed. It lights
up permanently if the key is in position
1 or2 in the ignition lock.
N54.25-2917-31
76 Controls in detailSteering wheel adjustment
3
\3 Steering wheel adjustment
The lever for adjusting the steering column
is under the steering wheel.
1Steering column fore-and-aft adjust-
ment
2Steering column height
3Lever\1Swing lever 3 down to the stop.
The steering wheel is unlocked.
\1Move the steering wheel to the desired
position.
\1Pull lever3 up to the stop.
The steering wheel is locked again.
Warning
G
Only adjust the steering wheel when the ve-
hicle is stationary. Only drive with the steer-
ing wheel locked in position.
An incorrectly secured steering wheel could
make it more difficult to steer the vehicle
safely, since the height and fore-and-aft ad-
justment could move out of position when
the steering wheel is turned. You could lose
control of the vehicle as a result, cause an
accident and injure yourself and others.Warning
G
Never leave children unsupervised in the ve-
hicle. They could become trapped if they try
to adjust the steering column.
N46.15-2032-31
110 Controls in detailDriving and parking
3
\3 Driving and parking
\1Before each journey, check the vehicle
lighting and the general condition of
the vehicle.
\1Observe the general driving tips at the
end of this section (\2page 116).
You will find information on:
\4regular checks (\2page 181)
\4driving in winter (\2page 235)
\4driving when towing a trailer
(\2page 175)
\4and other driving tips
in the “Operation” section (\2page 173).
Warning
G
T h e m o v e m e n t o f t h e p e d a l s m u s t n o t b e o b -
structed. The vehicle’s operating and road
safety are otherwise jeopardized.
Objects could fall and get caught between
the pedals if you accelerate or brake sud-
denly. You will no longer be able to brake or
accelerate. You could cause an accident,
which could result in injury to yourself and
others.
\4If floor mats and carpets are used, make
sure that these are secured correctly
and cannot slip and that there is suffi-
cient pedal clearance.
\4Do not place any objects in the driver’s
footwell.
\4Store and secure all loose objects so
they cannot get into the driver’s footwell
while the vehicle is in motion.
Warning
G
The doors could open of their own accord
while the vehicle is in motion if they are not
fully closed. For this reason, please make
sure that all the doors are properly closed
and locked before driving off (\2page 52).
Starting the engineWarning
G
Never run the engine in an enclosed space.
The exhaust fumes contain poisonous car-
bon monoxide. Breathing in exhaust fumes
constitutes a health hazard and can lead to
loss of consciousness and death.Warning
G
A seat belt that is worn incorrectly or not at
all, or that is not correctly engaged in the
seat belt buckle, cannot perform its intend-
ed protective function. In certain circum-
stances, you could then be seriously or even
fatally injured. Make sure, therefore, that all
occupants – in particular, expectant moth-
ers – wear their seat belt correctly at all
times.
114 Controls in detailDriving and parking
3
ParkingWarning
G
Only remove the key from the ignition lock
when the vehicle is stationary, since it is not
possible to steer the vehicle with the key re-
moved.
Always apply the handbrake after parking
the vehicle.
Never leave children unsupervised in the ve-
hicle. They could release the handbrake.
This could lead to a serious or fatal accident.
Warning
G
Always switch off the engine and apply the
handbrake before leaving the vehicle.
The vehicle could roll away if it is not
secured.
On uphill or downhill gradients steeper than
15%:
\4apply the handbrake
\4secure an unloaded vehicle by chocking
the front axle (\2page 303)
\4secure a loaded vehicle by, for example,
chocking the rear axle (\2page 303)!
CAUTION
Whenever you park the vehicle, always
remove the key to prevent the battery
from excessively discharging.
For vehicles which are out of use for ex-
tended periods and have a battery iso-
lating switch*, switch off the electrical
system (\2page 197).
Warning
G
Make sure that the exhaust system does not
come into contact with highly flammable
materials, e.g. dry grass or gasoline. The
flammable material could otherwise ignite
and set vehicle components on fire.Warning
G
Regulations in some countries require the
parking lamps to be switched on to illumi-
nate the vehicle for other road users if
parked on a public road at night. In built-up
areas, night reflectors can also be used.
Observe legal requirements.
116 Controls in detailDriving and parking
3
Stopping the engine
\1Apply handbrake (\2page 115).
\1Move selector lever to P.
\1Turn key to position 0 (\2page 67) in
the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.\1Secure the vehicle at the front axle if
unloaded and at the rear axle if loaded,
e.g. using a chock (\2page 303).
Drinking and drivingSteering
!
CAUTION
If the coolant temperature is raised,
e.g. following driving in mountainous
terrain, run the engine at idling speed
for a further 1 or 2 minutes before you
switch off the engine. This allows the
coolant temperature to return to nor-
mal again.
iWhen parking on steep uphill or down-
hill gradients, turn the front wheels to-
wards the curb.iYou can only remove the key from the
ignition lock when the selector lever is
in positionP.
General driving tipsWarning
G
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs
and driving are very dangerous combina-
tions. Even a small amount of alcohol or
drugs can affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgment. The possibility of a serious or
even fatal accident is sharply increased
when you drink or take drugs and drive.
Never drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive after drinking or taking
drugs.
Warning
G
There is no power-steering assistance when
the engine is not running.
You will need to use significantly more force
to steer and could therefore lose control of
the vehicle and cause an accident.
Never switch off the engine while driving.!
CAUTION
Do not hold the steering wheel in its
end positions for longer than neces-
sary (e.g. when turning or maneuver-
ing).
The hydraulic pump can be damaged
by the increased temperature of the
hydraulic fluid.
124 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission
3
Stopping
If you are only stopping briefly:
\1leave the selector lever in the drive po-
sition
\1secure the vehicle against rolling away
using the brake pedal
Maneuvering
Maneuvering in a tight space:
\1Control the speed by braking carefully.
\1Accelerate only slightly and avoid jolt-
ing.Trailer towing
\1Run the engine in the moderate engine
speed range on steep uphill gradients.
\1Depending on the uphill or downhill
gradient, shift down to shift range3 or
2 (\2page 123), even if cruise control*
is switched on.
Working on the vehicle
iFor rapid maneuvering (e.g. to rock the
vehicle out of snow or slush), you can
shift back and forth between drive
positionD and reverse gearR at low
speeds without applying the brakes.
Warning
G
Apply the handbrake before working on the
vehicle and shift the automatic transmission
into parking positionP.
The vehicle could otherwise roll away.