2007 DODGE SPRINTER engine

194 OperationEngine
4
Check assemblies regularly for leaks. In
the event of fluid loss (e.g. spots of oil un-
der the vehicle when it has been parked),
have the cause traced and rectified imme-
diately at an authorized Sprinter Dealer
which has the necessary specialist knowl-
edge and tools to carry out the work re-
quired.
The manufacturer recommends that you
use an authorized Sprinter Dealer for this
purpose. All work relevant to safety or on
safety-related systems must be carried out
at an authorized Sprinter Dealer.Vehicle assemblies

195 Operation
Battery
4
\3 BatteryYour vehicle may be equipped with two
batteries, depending on the equipment
version:
\4Starter battery in the battery recess in
the driver’s footwell
\4Auxiliary battery in the engine compart-
ment*Warning
G
A
Risk of explosion
When batteries are being charged,
explosive detonating gas is emit-
ted. Only charge batteries in well-
ventilated areas.
D
Risk of explosion
Because of the risk of explosion,
avoid creating sparks from fire,
open flames and smoking.
B
Battery acid is caustic.
Wear acid-proof protective gloves.
Neutralize splashes of acid on skin
or clothing immediately with soapy
water or acid neutralizer and clean
with water.
C
Keep out of the reach of children.
Children cannot appreciate the
dangers involved in handling bat-
teries and acid.
E
Wear eye protection.
When mixing water and acid, the
liquid can splash in your eyes.
Rinse out your eyes immediately
after acid splashes with clean wa-
ter, and consult a doctor immedi-
ately.
F
When handling batteries, observe
the safety precautions and special
protective measures contained in
these operating instructions.
Environmental note
H
Á

Batteries contain pollutants. Do
not dispose of old batteries with
the household garbage.
À

Dispose of batteries in an environ-
mentally responsible manner.
Take batteries to an authorized
Sprinter Dealer or a special collec-
tion point for old batteries.
Transport and store full batteries
in an upright position. When trans-
porting batteries, secure them so
that they do not tip over. Battery
acid can spill from the cell cap
vents and cause damage to the en-
vironment.

196 OperationBattery
4
The batteries must always be sufficiently
charged so that they achieve their intend-
ed service life.
Have the battery charge status checked
more frequently if you use the vehicle
mainly for short trips or if you leave it
parked up for a long period.
If you intend to leave your vehicle parked
up for a long period, seek advice from an
authorized Sprinter Dealer and switch off
the electrical system at the battery isolat-
ing switch (\2page 197).
You will find further information in the
“Practical hints” section (\2page 335).
!
CAUTION
Switch off the engine and wait for
approximately 20 seconds before you
loosen or disconnect the terminal
clamps. You could otherwise damage
electrical system components.
Care of batteries!
CAUTION
Dirty terminal clamps and battery sur-
faces cause leakage current, leading to
battery discharge. Always keep the ter-
minal clamps and battery surfaces
clean and dry. Lightly grease the termi-
nal clamps, particularly the undersides,
with acid-proof grease.
Cleaning agents containing fuel can
corrode the battery casing. Only clean
with commercially available cleaning
agents and clean the battery casing
with the cell caps screwed in.

197 Operation
Battery isolating switch*
4
You can disconnect the current to all your
vehicle’s consumers using the battery
isolating switch. This will prevent uncon-
trolled battery discharge caused by quies-
cent current consumption.The battery isolating switch is to the right
of the accelerator pedal in the driver’s foot-
well.
1Connector
2Slide\1Take the key out of the ignition lock
and wait for approx. 20 seconds.
\1Move red slide2 down in the direc-
tion of the arrow and disconnect
connector1 from the ground pin.
\1Clamp connector1 under the acceler-
ator pedal so that it cannot make con-
tact with the ground pin.
The consumers of the vehicle battery
are cut off from the electrical circuit.Warning
G
If the vehicle is equipped with an auxiliary
battery in the engine compartment, it is nec-
essary to disconnect both batteries when
working on the vehicle electrical system.
Only then is the electrical system fully dis-
connected from the power supply.iOnly disconnect the vehicle electrical
system from the power supply using
the battery isolating switch if the vehi-
cle is to be parked up for a long period
or when this is absolutely necessary.
After the power supply is switched on,
you must reset the electric sliding door
(\2page 57).
!
CAUTION
Make sure that the key is in position0
in the ignition lock and wait at least
20 seconds before disconnecting or
connecting the battery isolating
switch. You could otherwise damage
electrical system components.
Switching off the electrical system!
CAUTION
When you clamp the connector under
the accelerator pedal, make sure that
the connector does not become:
\4dirty
\4damaged
It may otherwise not be possible to re-
store the electrical connection when
the parts are reassembled.

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