Page 314 of 666
312 OperationDriving tips
4
You will find information about the
speed limit for your tires under “Tires
and wheels” in this section
(\2
page 383).
Check regularly, e.g. weekly or when re-
fueling:
\4
the vehicle lighting
\4
the condition of the tires
(\2
page 346) and the tire pressures
(
\2
page 361)
\4
the engine oil level (
\2
page 322)
\4
the brake fluid level (
\2
page 331)
\4
the fluid level in the windshield wash-
er system / headlamp cleaning sys-
tem reservoir (
\2
page 333)
\4
the contamination level of the rear
air-conditioning air cleaner
(\2
page 414)
Your vehicle is equipped with monolith-
ic-type catalytic converters, an impor-
tant element in conjunction with the
oxygen sensors to achieve substantial
control of the pollutants in the exhaust
emissions. Keep your vehicle in proper
operating condition by following our rec-
ommended maintenance instructions as
outlined in your Service Booklet.
Warning
G
Exceeding the permissible maximum
speed can cause tire damage, which
could lead to loss of control of the vehi-
cle.
As the driver, you must find out about the
maximum speed of the vehicle and the re-
sulting permissible maximum speed of
the tires (tire and tire pressure).
Never exceed the speed limit for your
tires under any circumstances
(\2page 383).
Regular checks
Catalytic converter (gasoline engine)
nf_BA.book Page 312 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 323 of 666
321 Operation
Engine compartment
4
\1
Lift the hood gently.
\1
Push back support strut
3
(
\2
page 319).
\1
Let the hood drop from a height of
approximately 05. ft (30 cm).
The hood engages audibly.
\1
Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If the hood can be raised slightly, it
is not properly engaged. Open it
again and allow it to drop from a
slightly greater height.
Warning
G
Make sure that the hood is securely en-
gaged before driving off. Do no continue
driving if the hood can no longer engage
after an accident, for example.
The hood could otherwise come loose
while the vehicle is in motion and endan-
ger you and/or others.
!
CAUTION
When you press the support strut
back, make sure that you do not
press it against the detent position
and cause it to bend.
!
CAUTION
Do not use your hands to push the
hood down. Doing so could damage
it.
nf_BA.book Page 321 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 339 of 666
337 Operation
Battery
4
The batteries must always be sufficiently
charged so that they achieve their in-
tended 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 isolating switch (
\2
page 338).You will find further information in the
“Practical hints” section (
\2
page 573).
!
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
surfaces cause leakage current, lead-
ing to battery discharge. Always keep
the terminal clamps and battery sur-
faces clean and dry. Lightly grease
the terminal clamps, particularly the
undersides, with acid-proof grease.
!
CAUTION
Cleaning agents containing fuel can
corrode the battery casing. Only
clean with commercially available
cleaning agents and clean the bat-
tery casing with the cell caps
screwed in.
nf_BA.book Page 337 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 352 of 666
350 OperationTires and wheels
4
1Treadwear Indicator (TWI)The Treadwear Indicator appears as a
solid band across the tread.
Storing tires
Cleaning tires
Warning
G
Although the applicable federal motor
safety laws consider a tire to be worn
when the Treadwear Indicators (TWI) be-
come visible at approximately
1/16in
(1.6 mm), we recommend that you do not
allow your tires to wear down to that lev-
el. As tread depth approaches
1/8in
(3 mm) for summer tires or
1/6in (4 mm)
for winter tires, the adhesion properties
on a wet road are sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction var-
ies widely.
!
CAUTION
Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light
as possible. Protect tires from con-
tact with oil, grease and gasoline/
diesel.
!
CAUTION
Never use a round nozzle to power
wash tires. The intense jet of water
can result in damage to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.
nf_BA.book Page 350 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 385 of 666
383 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
Tire size designation, load and speed
rating1Design standard
2Tire width
3Aspect ratio in %
4Radial tire code
5Rim diameter
6Tire load rating
7Tire speed rating
Tire sizes for Sprinter vehiclesDesign standard
Depending on the design standards
used, the tire size molded into the side
wall may have no letter or a letter
1
preceding the tire width or the tire load
rating designation.
Letter “LT” preceding the size designa-
tion:
Light Truck tire based on U.S. design
standards.
Letter “C” preceding the tire load desig-
nation:
Commercial vehicle tire based on Euro-
pean design standards.
iFor illustrative purposes only. The ac-
tual data on tires is specific to each
vehicle and may vary from the data
shown in the above illustration.
Sprinter Vehicle type
2500
LT 245/75 R 16 120/116 N
3500
LT 215/85 R 16 115/112 NLT 215/85 R 16 115/112 Q
nf_BA.book Page 383 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 408 of 666
406 OperationWinter driving
4
Drive with particular care on icy roads.
Avoid sudden acceleration, steering
movements and braking.
If it seems likely that the vehicle is about
to enter a skid or cannot be stopped at a
low speed:\4
Move the selector lever to position N.
\4
Try to maintain control of the vehicle
using light corrective steering.
Road salt may adversely affect braking
efficiency. It may therefore be necessary
to apply the brakes more forcefully in or-
der to achieve the same braking force as
normal.
iW h e n t h e y h a v e b e e n r e m o v e d , s t o r e
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 sur-
face due to the increased difference in
speed between the engine and the drive
wheels at this time.
Do not downshift for additional engine
braking on a slippery surface. Use the ser-
vice brake in accordance with road condi-
tions. Only downshift to a lower gear
when traveling at a low engine speed.
nf_BA.book Page 406 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 422 of 666
420 OperationCleaning and care of the vehicle
4
Steps Engine cleaning Light-alloy wheels*
Clean light-alloy wheels on a regular ba-
sis.
Warning
G
Dirty or iced-up steps and entrances cre-
ate a risk of slipping or falling.
Keep steps, entrances and footwear free
from dirt (e.g. mud, clay, snow and ice).
!
CAUTION
Do not allow water to enter the in-
take and ventilation openings.
When cleaning with high-pressure
water or steam cleaners, the spray
must not be aimed directly at electri-
cal components or at the end of elec-
trical lines.
Treat the engine with preservative
agents after cleaning. Protect the
belt drive system from the preserva-
tive when you do so.
!
CAUTION
Do not use any acidic or alkaline
cleaning agents. They can cause cor-
rosion of the wheel bolts (wheel
nuts) or the balancing weight retain-
ers.
nf_BA.book Page 420 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 425 of 666
423 Operation
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
4
Rear view camera\1
Clean the camera lens
1
using wa-
ter and a soft cloth only.Be careful not to apply wax to the cam-
era lens
1
when waxing the vehicle. If
necessary, remove the wax using sham-
poo with plenty of water.
If you clean the vehicle with a high-pres-
sure cleaner or steam cleaner, maintain
a minimum distance of 1.6 ft (50 cm) to
the rear view camera. To prevent dam-
age, do not aim directly at the rear view camera or at the microphone openings
on the underside of the rear view cam-
era.
Plastic trims
Light soiling
\1
Wipe plastic parts with a damp, lint-
free cloth (e.g. a micro-fiber cloth).
1 Camera lens
2 Microphone openings
!
CAUTION
D o n o t u s e d r y , c o a r s e o r h a r d c l o t h s
and aggressive cleaning agents. Do
not scrub or use high pressure. You
will otherwise scratch or damage the
lens or the camera.
!
CAUTION
Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths
and do not scrub. You will otherwise
scratch or damage the surfaces.
nf_BA.book Page 423 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
