2008 DODGE SPRINTER Owners Manual

183 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
3
\3 Driving and parking
\1
Before each journey, check the vehi-
cle lighting and the general condition
of the vehicle.
\1
Observe the general driving tips at
the end of this section (
\2
page 194).
Warning
G
The movement of the pedals must not be
obstructed. 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 acci-
dent, which could result in injury to your-
self and others.
Continued
Warning (Continued)
G
If floor mats and carpets are used, make
sure that these are secured correctly and
cannot slip and that there is sufficient
pedal clearance.Do not place any objects in the driver’s
footwell.Store 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 83).
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184 Controls in detailDriving and parking
3
You will find information on:\4
regular checks (
\2
page 312)
\4
driving in winter (
\2
page 406)
\4
driving when towing a trailer
(\2
page 303)
\4
and other driving tips
in the “Operation” section
(
\2
page 301).
\1
Before starting the engine, make
sure that all vehicle occupants are
wearing their seat belt correctly
(\2
page 39) and the handbrake
(
\2
page 191) is applied.
Starting the engineWarning
G
Never run the engine in an enclosed
space. The exhaust fumes contain poi-
sonous carbon monoxide. Breathing in
exhaust fumes constitutes a health haz-
ard 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
intended protective function. In certain
circumstances, you could then be seri-
ously or even fatally injured. Make sure,
therefore, that all occupants – in particu-
lar, expectant mothers – wear their seat
belt correctly at all times.
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185 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
3
Automatic transmissionGearshift patternP Parking position (selector lever lock)R Reverse gearN NeutralD Drive position
\1
Make sure that the automatic trans-
mission is in parking position
P be-
fore starting the engine.
!
CAUTION
Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
iIf you depress the brake pedal when
starting the engine, pedal travel may
be short and the pedal resistance
may be high.
Pedal travel and resistance return to
normal when you depress the brake
pedal again while the engine is run-
ning.
iIt is also possible to start the engine
in neutral
N.
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186 Controls in detailDriving and parking
3
Starting the engine
Gasoline engine
\1
Turn the key to position
3 in the igni-
tion lock (
\2
page 111) and release it
immediately ("touch-start" function).
The engine starts automatically.
Diesel engine
\1
Switch on the ignition (
\2
page 111).
The
q
preglow indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster comes on.
\1
As soon as the
q
preglow indica-
tor lamp goes out, turn the key to po-
sition
3 in the ignition lock and
release it as soon as the engine is
running.
\1
Warm the engine up quickly.
\1
Do not run the engine at full speed
until it has reached operating tem-
perature.iYou can start the engine without pre-
glow when the engine is warm.After a cold start
Pulling awayWarning
G
Do not downshift for additional engine
braking on a slippery surface. The drive
wheels may lose their grip and the vehicle
could skid.!
CAUTION
Only drive at high speeds once the
engine has warmed up. This protects
the engine.
When driving on slippery surfaces,
avoid spinning the drive wheels
where possible as this could damage
the drive train.
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187 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
3
\1
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
The selector lever lock is released.
\1
Release the handbrake
(\2
page 191).
The7
indicator lamp in the in-
strument cluster goes out.
\1
Move the selector lever to position
D
or
R.
\1
Release the brake pedal.
\1
Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
You will find more information about se-
lector lever positions, shift ranges and
driving tips in the “Automatic transmis-
sion” section (
\2
page 201).
iOn vehicles with a reverse warning
feature*, an audible warning sounds
for other road users when reverse
gear is engaged (
\2
page 271).
iDepending on the vehicle's settings,
the vehicle automatically locks itself
centrally after it has driven off, at the
latest (
\2
page 106). The locking
knobs on the front doors and the
sliding door drop down.
You can open the doors from the in-
side at any time.
You can also switch off the automat-
ic door lock (
\2
page 106).
!
CAUTION
Only select reverse gear when the ve-
hicle is stationary, otherwise you
could damage the automatic trans-
mission.
iWait until the gear selection has
completed before pulling away.iAutomatic transmission upshifts are
made at higher engine speeds after a
cold start. This helps the catalytic
converter to reach its operating tem-
perature more quickly.
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188 Controls in detailDriving and parking
3
Do not accelerate to prevent your vehi-
cle from rolling backwards on an uphill
gradient. Instead, you should either use
the handbrake or depress the brake ped-
al. This prevents excessive wear on the
clutch.
Select a lower gear (shift range
3, 2 or
1)
(
\2
page 204) in good time on long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if
towing a trailer. This prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too rapidly.
It is best not to stop the vehicle immedi-
ately after the brakes have been subject-
ed to an extreme load; continue driving
for a short time instead. The brakes are
cooled down more quickly in the airflow.The first time the brakes are applied af-
ter a long period of driving in heavy rain
without braking, it is possible that:
\4
there will be a delayed braking
response
\4
you will need to depress the brake
pedal more firmly
You should therefore maintain a greater
distance from the vehicle in front.
BrakingWarning
G
There is no power assistance for the ser-
vice brake when the engine is not running.
You will need to use significantly more
force to brake and could therefore lose
control of the vehicle and cause an acci-
dent.
Never switch off the engine while driving.
Warning
G
Make sure that other road users are not
put at risk by your braking.
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189 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
3
Apply the brakes so that you can feel
their response after a journey on wet
roads, especially if the road has been
salted. The brake discs will be warmed,
dry more quickly and be protected
against corrosion.
If you make only moderate use of the
service brake, check from time to time
that it is fully functional. To do this,
brake more sharply at a higher vehicle
speed. The brake will grip better as a re-
sult.For safety reasons, the manufacturer
recommends that you only have brake
pads / linings installed on your vehicle
that have been approved for the Sprinter
Vehicle.
Brake pads /linings that have not been
approved for the Sprinter Vehicle could
affect your vehicle’s operating safety.
iIn exceptional cases, the handbrake
can be used for emergency braking if
the service brake fails (
\2
page 192).
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 removed.
Always apply the handbrake after parking
the vehicle.
Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. They could release the hand-
brake. This could lead to a serious or fatal
accident.
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190 Controls in detailDriving and parking
3
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 chock-
ing the front axle (\2page 521)
\4secure a loaded vehicle by, for exam-
ple, chocking the rear axle
(\2page 521)
!
CAUTION
Whenever you park the vehicle, al-
ways remove the key to prevent the
battery from excessively discharg-
ing.
For vehicles which are out of use for
extended periods and have a battery
isolating switch*, switch off the elec-
trical system (
\2
page 338).
Warning
G
Make sure that the exhaust system does
not come into contact with highly flamma-
ble materials, e.g. dry grass or gasoline.
The flammable material could otherwise
ignite and set vehicle components on fire.
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