234 OperationWinter driving
4
\3 Winter drivingHave your vehicle winterproofed at the
onset of winter at an authorized Sprinter
Dealer. This service includes the following:
\4Oil change, if the current engine oil
used has not been approved for winter
use
\4The antifreeze / anti-corrosion concen-
tration in the coolant is checked
\4The addition of a concentrated clean-
ing agent to the water in the windshield
washer system
\4Battery check
\4A tire change
You will find information about diesel fuel
for use at low outside temperatures in the
“Technical data” section (\2page 360).
Please also observe the information about
winter driving (\2page 235).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 on the tire and loading information
placard, refer to "Tires and wheels"
(\2page 199). 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 side wall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and the Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. Use of
winter tires is the only way to achieve the
maximum effectiveness of the ABS, BAS,
ASR 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 ve-
hicle, you must place a notice to this effect
where it will be seen by the driver. Such no-
tices are available at your tire dealer or any
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
\1Reactivate the tire pressure monitor.
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.
Winter tires
Warning
G
Winter tires with a tread depth under 1/6 in
(4 mm) must be replaced. They are no long-
er suitable for winter operation.
235 Operation
Winter driving
4
Drive with particular care on icy roads.
Avoid sudden acceleration, steering move-
ments and braking.If it seems likely that the vehicle is about to
enter a skid or cannot be stopped at a low
speed:
\4Move the selector lever to position N.
\4Try to maintain control of the vehicle
using light corrective steering.
Road salt may adversely affect braking ef-
ficiency. It may therefore be necessary to
apply the brakes more forcefully in order to
achieve the same braking force as normal.
Apply the brakes regularly when making
longer journeys on gritted or salted roads.
This will have the effect of restoring the
brakes to their normal level of perfor-
mance.
When stopping the vehicle after traveling
on roads that have been salted, check that
the brakes are fully functional before pro-
ceeding further.
Warning
G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may im-
pair turning stability and overall driving sta-
bility may be reduced. Adapt your driving
style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized Sprinter Deal-
er.iWhen they have been removed, store
wheels and tires in a cool, dry, and if
possible dark place. Protect the tires
from oil, grease, and gasoline / diesel.
Driving in winterWarning
G
Downshifting to brake could cause the drive
wheels to lose grip on a slippery surface due
to the increased difference in speed be-
tween the engine and the drive wheels at
this time.
Do not downshift for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery surface. Use the service
brake in accordance with road conditions.
Only downshift to a lower gear when travel-
ing at a low engine speed.
237 Operation
Maintenance and servicing
4
\3 Maintenance and servicing
Mechanical elements and the lubricants
used for them must be carefully matched.
For this reason, only brands tested and ap-
proved by the manufacturer should be
used. Please contact your Sprinter Dealer
to obtain the necessary information. No lu-
bricant additives should be used.
The use of such additives could affect your
warranty rights. Information is available
from any authorized Sprinter Dealer.
For specifications of engine oils, coolant
and brake fluid, see "Service products and
capacities" (\2page 355) and contact your
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
Observe the information on spare parts in
the “Technical data” section
(\2page 352).
Warning
G
Before carrying out maintenance operations
and repairs, please make sure that you read
the relevant sections of the technical docu-
mentation, such as:
\4Operating instructions and workshop in-
formation
Familiarize yourself in advance in particular
with legal requirements, such as:
\4Safety at work and accident prevention
regulations.
You may otherwise fail to recognize dangers
and could injure yourself or others.
When working underneath the vehicle, you
must place the vehicle on stands with suffi-
cient load-bearing capacity.
Never use the vehicle jack instead. There is
a risk that the vehicle jack could give way
and the vehicle could drop, seriously injuring
yourself or others, or causing damage to
property.
The jack is only designed to raise the vehicle
for a short time.
Always have the maintenance work carried
out and checked at an authorized Sprinter
Dealer which has the necessary specialist
knowledge and tools to carry out the work
required.
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 an authorized Sprinter Dealer.
Service products
238 OperationMaintenance and servicing
4
ASSYST, the A
ctive S
ervice Syst
em, in-
forms you when the next service is due.
A service that is due is displayed about a
month or 1900 miles (3000 km) in ad-
vance. A message is then displayed while
the vehicle is in motion or the ignition is
switched on.
Service due date display
Vehicles with steering wheel buttons
The following messages may be displayed:
\49
Service A in .. days
\49
Service A in .. miles
(km)
\49
Service A due now
The letters
A or
B indicate the type of ser-
vice that is due.
Warning
G
If handled incorrectly, service products can
constitute a health risk for people and an en-
vironmental hazard.
Always observe relevant guidelines for han-
dling, storing and disposing of service prod-
ucts.
Active Service System (ASSYST)*!
CAUTION
Periods when the battery is disconnect-
ed will not be recorded by ASSYST. To
make sure that you have the vehicle
serviced at the correct time, you should
therefore subtract periods when the
battery is disconnected from the days
shown.
The service indicator does not provide
information about the engine oil level.
The service indicator should not, there-
fore, be confused with theP engine
oil level display.
iThe service due date is displayed in
days or kilometers, depending on the
total distance driven.
The time between the individual service
due dates depends on your style of
driving. You can increase this by:
\4driving with care and at a moderate
engine speed
\4avoiding short journeys where the
engine does not reach the operat-
ing temperature
256 Practical hintsWhat to do if ...
5
Automatic transmissionWarning
G
Always have maintenance work carried out
at an authorized Sprinter Dealer which has
the necessary specialist knowledge and
tools to carry out the work required.
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 carried out
at an authorized Sprinter Dealer. There is a
risk of an accident and injury if this work is
carried out incorrectly.
Problem
Possible cause / result
Suggested solutions
The transmission no longer changes gear
correctly.
The transmission is losing oil.
\1Have the transmission checked im-
mediately at
an authorized Sprinter Deal-
er
.
The acceleration ability is deteriorating.
The transmission does not shift.
The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into second gear or
reverse gear.
\1Stop the vehicle.
\1Move the selector lever to positionP.
\1Switch off the engine.
\1Wait at least 10 seconds before re-
starting the engine.
\1Move the selector lever to positionD
or R.
\1In positionD, the transmission shifts
into second gear; in positionR, the
transmission shifts into the reverse
gear.
\1Have the transmission checked im-
mediately at
an authorized Sprinter Deal-
er
.
274 Practical hintsWhat to do if ...
5
:
The yellow engine oil level warning
lamp flashes after the engine is
started or while the vehicle is in
motion.
The engine oil level has dropped to the min-
imum level. If the engine oil level falls any
further, the indicator lamp will light up con-
tinuously.
\1Check the engine oil level and add en-
gine oil at the nearest refueling sta-
tion (\2page 190).
\1If there is visible oil loss from the
engine, have the fault rectified imme-
diately at an authorized Sprinter Deal-
er.
:
The yellow engine oil level warning
lamp lights up, the
-2.0 l
engine
oil level message appears in the
display and the warning buzzer
sounds after the engine is started
or while the vehicle is in motion.
There is insufficient or no oil in the engine.
There is a risk of engine damage.
\1Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so.
\1Switch off the engine.
\1Check the engine oil level using the
dipstick (\2page 190).
\1If the oil level is correct, have the mal-
function rectified immediately at an
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
\1If there is insufficient or no oil in the
engine, have the vehicle towed to an
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
Problem
Possible cause / result
Suggested solutions
275 Practical hints
What to do if ...
5
:
The yellow engine oil level warning
lamp lights up, the
HI
engine oil
level message appears in the dis-
play and the warning buzzer
sounds after the engine is started
or while the vehicle is in motion.
The engine oil level has exceeded the maxi-
mum level.
\1Check the engine oil level and have
any excess oil siphoned off at the
nearest refueling station
(\2page 190).
The engine or the catalytic converter
could be damaged.
\1If the oil level is correct, have the mal-
function rectified as soon as possible
at an authorized Sprinter Dealer.
:
The yellow engine oil level warning
lamp lights up repeatedly while
the vehicle is in motion.
The engine oil level indicator is malfunction-
ing.
\1Have the vehicle checked immediate-
ly at an authorized Sprinter Dealer.
/
The yellow coolant level warning
lamp lights up while the engine is
running.
The coolant level is too low.
Never run the engine if the coolant level is
too low.
The engine could overheat and be dam-
aged.
\1Stop at the earliest opportunity.
\1Switch off the engine to cool down.
\1Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant as necessary (\2page 191).
\1If you are having to add coolant fre-
quently, have the cooling system
checked at an authorized Sprinter
Dealer.
Problem
Possible cause / result
Suggested solutions
282 Practical hintsDisplay messages
5
Display messages
Possible cause / result
Possible solution
N
There is insufficient or no oil in the engine.
There is a risk of engine damage.
\1Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so.
\1Switch off the engine.
\1Check the engine oil level using the
dipstick (\2page 189).
\1If the oil level is correct, have the
malfunction rectified immediately at
an authorized Sprinter Dealer.
\1If there is insufficient or no oil in the
engine, have the vehicle towed to an
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
NOThe message is displayed for 30 seconds.TPMSThe message is also displayed after
30 seconds.
The TPMS is malfunctioning.
\1Have the TPMS checked at an autho-
rized Sprinter Dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
The tire pressure monitor is not receiving
signals from one or more wheels because:
\4a wheel was replaced with the spare
wheel, which is not equipped with a
wheel electronics unit
\4the maximum temperature in one of the
wheel electronics units has been ex-
ceeded
\4one of the wheel electronics units is mal-
functioning
\1Have wheels with wheel electronics
units mounted at an authorized
Sprinter Dealer.