
229 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
DOT (D
epartment O
f T
ransportation)
A tire branding symbol which denotes that
the tire meets the requirements of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
GAWR (G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
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 indicated on the
certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
GTW (G
ross T
railer W
eight)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus
the weight of all cargo, equipment, luggage
etc. loaded on the trailer.GVW (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight)
The GVW comprises the weight of the vehi-
cle including fuel, tools, spare wheel, in-
stalled accessories, passengers and cargo
and, if applicable, trailer tongue load. The
GVW must never exceed the GVWR indicat-
ed on the certification label located on the
driver’s door B-pillar.
GVWR (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight R
ating)
This is the maximum permissible vehicle
weight of the fully loaded vehicle (weight of
the vehicle including all options, passen-
gers, fuel, and cargo and, if applicable,
trailer tongue load). It is indicated on the
certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
Kilopascal (kPa)
The metric unit for air pressure. There are
6.9kPa to 1psi; 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 op-
tions 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 de-
signed to seat, multiplied by 68 kilograms
(150 lbs).
Occupant distribution
The distribution of occupants in a vehicle
at their designated seating positions.

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.

279 Practical hints
What to do if ...
5
Warning!
G
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or the tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or the tire inflation pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitor-
ing System (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly underinflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significant-
ly underinflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehi-
cle’s handling and stopping ability. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
USA only:
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the
telltale will flash for approximately 1 minute
and then remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal-
function exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may not
be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of in-
compatible replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing
one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle
to ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue
to function properly.

359 *Technical data
Service products and capacities
6
Fuel requirements
Only use premium unleaded fuel:
\4The octane number (posted at the
pump) must be 91 min. It is an average
of both the Research (R) octane num-
ber and the Motor (M) octane number:
(R+M) / 2). This is also known as the
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Unleaded gasoline containing oxygenates
such as ethanol, IPA, IBA and TBA can be
used provided the ratio of any one of these
oxygenates to gasoline does not
exceed 10%; MTBE not to exceed 15%.
The ratio of methanol to gasoline must not
exceed 3% plus additional cosolvents.
Using mixtures of ethanol and methanol is
not allowed. Gasohol, which contains 10%
ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline, can be
used.
These blends must also meet all other fuel
requirements, such as resistance to spark
knock, boiling range, vapor pressure, etc.Fuels for diesel engines Fuel requirements
Only use commercially available vehicular
ULTRA-LOW SULFUR HIGHWAY DIESEL
FUEL (15 ppm SULFUR MAXIMUM).
DaimlerChrysler USA now approves the
use of B5 bio diesel (standard diesel with a
maximum of up to 5% Bio diesel content)
in the Sprinter CRD diesel engine.
Information on diesel quality can normally
be found on the fuel pump.
!
CAUTION
The following may lead to increased
wear or engine damage:
\4Using gasoline that does not meet
the specifications mentioned above
\4The use of non-approved special
additives
!
CAUTION
Marine diesel fuel, bio diesel fuel, heat-
ing 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 mal-
function or cause engine damage.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from
poor fuel quality or from blending spe-
cific fuel additives are not covered by
the Sprinter warranty.
!
CAUTION
As bio diesel can be refined from a vari-
ety of raw materials resulting in widely
varying properties, the only approved
bio diesel content is one that meets
ASTM D6751 specification. It must also
have the necessary oxidation stability
(min. 6h, proved with EN 14112 meth-
od) to prevent damages to the system
from deposits and/or corrosion.
If the B5 Bio diesel blend is not suffi-
ciently labeled to clearly indicate that it
meets the above standards, do not use
it.

361 *Technical data
Service products and capacities
6
At temperatures below 14 °F (–10 °C) a
certain quantity of fuel flow improver may
be added. These substances may only be
mixed within the vehicle’s fuel tank.
Engine power may drop according to the
proportion of fuel flow improver. For this
reason, keep the percentage of fuel flow
improver to the minimum necessitated by
the ambient temperature.
Adding kerosene to diesel fuel is not rec-
ommended even at low temperatures.
Do not blend other specific fuel additives
with diesel fuel except for fuel flow improv-
er. They only result in unnecessary cost,
and may be harmful to the engine opera-
tion.Flow improvers
The effectiveness of flow improvers cannot
be guaranteed with all fuels. Observe the
mixing ratio and comply with the handling
instructions given from the manufacturer.
!
CAUTION
Do not fill the tank with gasoline.
Do not mix diesel fuel with gasoline or
kerosene. The fuel system and engine
will otherwise be damaged, which is
not covered by the Sprinter warranty.
Warning
G
Under no circumstances should gasoline be
mixed with diesel fuel.
Due to the high pressure and high tempera-
ture in the injection system, there is a risk of
fire and explosion.
In addition, there is a risk of engine damage.
Always follow basic safety rules when work-
ing with any combustible material.

367 *Technical data
Rims and tires
6
\3 Rims and tires
!
CAUTION
Only use tires which have been tested
and approved for your Sprinter vehicle
by the vehicle manufacturer. Tires ap-
proved by the vehicle manufacturer are
developed to provide the best possible
performance in conjunction with the
driving safety systems on your Sprinter
vehicle such as ABS, BAS, ASR or ESP
®.
Using tires other than those approved
by the vehicle manufacturer may result
in damage that is not covered by the
Sprinter warranty.
Using tires other than those approved
by the vehicle manufacturer can have
detrimental effects, such as
\4poor handling characteristics
\4increased noise
\4increased fuel consumption
Moreover, tires and rims not approved
by the vehicle manufacturer may, un-
der load, exhibit dimensional variations
and different tire deformation charac-
teristics that could cause them to come
into contact with the vehicle body or
axle parts. Damage to the tires or the
vehicle may be the result.
Warning
G
Loose wheel nuts or bolts could cause the
vehicle to lose a wheel while it is in motion.
This would jeopardize the operating and
road safety of the vehicle. You could lose
control of the vehicle as a result, cause an
accident an injure yourself or others.
If a wheel was replaced or new wheel nuts
are used, the wheel bolts or wheel nuts must
be retightened to the specified tightening
torque after 30 miles (50 km).
If new or repainted wheels are mounted, the
wheel bolts or wheel nuts must be retight-
ened again to the specified tightening
torque after approximately 600 to 3000
miles (about 1000 to 5000 km).
iFurther information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized Sprinter
Dealer. A placard with the recommend-
ed tire inflation pressures is located on
\4the driver’s door B-pillar for vehi-
cles with a gross weight capacity
less than 10,000 lbs (4500 kg)
(\2page 375)
\4on a label below the driver’s seat on
an outward facing position of the
mounting pillar for vehicles with a
gross weight capacity above
10,000 lbs (4500 kg) (\2page 375)
The tire inflation pressure should be
checked regularly and should only be
adjusted on cold tires.

369 *Technical data
Tire inflation pressure
6
\3 Tire inflation pressureFor vehicles with a gross weight capacity
above 10,000 lbs (4500 kg) only.
For vehicles with a gross weight capacity
less than 10,000 lbs (4500 kg) observe the
recommended cold tire inflation pressures
listed on the tire and loading information
placard on the driver’s door B-pillar
(\2page 210).
Observe the information on recommended
tyre inflation pressure in the “Operation”
section (\2page 210).
The following table lists the recommended
cold tire inflation pressures for all load
conditions up to the maximum permissible
weight limits (GAWR). The tire inflation
pressures listed apply to the tires installed
as original equipment.
Set the correct tyre pressure before load-
ing the vehicle. If the vehicle has been
loaded, check the tyre pressures and cor-
rect them if necessary.The tires can be considered cold if the ve-
hicle has been parked for at least 3 hours
or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) at an
ambient temperature of approximately
68 °F (20 °C).
Keeping the tires properly inflated pro-
vides the best handling, tread life and
riding comfort.
Tire temperature and tire inflation pressure
are also increased while driving, depending
on the driving speed and the tire load.
Tire inflation pressure changes by approxi-
mately 1.5 psi (0.1 bar) per 18 °F (10 °C)
of air temperature change. Keep this in
mind when checking tire inflation pressure
where the temperature is different from
the outside temperature.
iIn addition to the following table the
recommended cold tire inflation pres-
sures are listed on a label below the
driver’s seat on an outward facing posi-
tion of the mounting pillar.
Warning
G
Follow recommended tire inflation pres-
sures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adverse-
ly affect handling and fuel economy, and are
more likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can adversely affect handling and ride com-
fort, wear unevenly, increase stopping dis-
tance, and result in sudden deflation
(blowout) because they are more likely to
become punctured or damaged by road de-
bris, potholes etc.

383 Index
seats
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
windshield
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Heater booster function
. . . . . . . . 137
Heater booster system
. . . . . . . . . 138
Heating
rear window
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
seat
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
windshield
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
, 134
High-beam headlamps
. . . . . . . 77
, 307
changing bulbs
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
High-pressure cleaners
. . . . . . . . . 242
Hood
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Hydroplaning
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
I
Identification lamps
. . . . . . . . . . . . 311
changing bulbs
. . . . . . . . . . . 311
, 313
Ignition lock
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Indicator
vehicles with steering wheel buttons
Service due date
. . . . . . . . . . . . 238
vehicles without steering wheel buttons
service due date . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Indicator and warning lamps
brake system
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269braking
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
–??
engine oil level
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
seat belt
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
seat belt reminder
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
SRS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
water separator
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Indicator lamp
ABS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
ASR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
, 269
, 270
BAS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
, 269
, 270
battery charge
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
brake pad/lining wear
. . . . . . . . . . 273
coolant
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
engine diagnostic
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
ESP
® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
, 269
, 272
handbrake
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
operating speed governor (ADR)
. . 154
poly-V-belt
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
preglow
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
, 276
reserve warning indicator (fuel)
. . . 276
windshield washer/headlamp cleaning
system washer fluid level
. . . . . . . . 280
Inflation pressure
see Tires, Inflation pressures
Information regarding electronic
recording devices
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Instrument cluster . . . . . . . . . . . 14
, 84
lighting
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85speedometer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
tachometer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
vehicles with steering wheel buttons
selecting the language
. . . . . . . . 100
setting the status line . . . . . . . . . 100
Instrument lighting
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Interior lighting
changing bulbs
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
front
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Interior lighting, rear
. . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Interior motion sensor . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Intermittent wipe
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
ISOFIX child seat securing system
. 39
TopTether
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
J
Jack
jacking points
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
preparing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
storage location
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Jump-starting
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
connection point
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Jump-starting connection point
. . 340
I
J