Page 129 of 666
127 Controls in detail
Steering wheel adjustment
3
\3 Steering wheel adjustment
The lever for adjusting the steering col-
umn is under the steering wheel.
Warning
G
Only adjust the steering wheel when the
vehicle is stationary. Only drive with the
steering wheel locked in position.
An incorrectly secured steering wheel
could make it more difficult to steer the
vehicle safely, since the height and fore-
and-aft adjustment could move out of po-
sition when the steering wheel is turned.
You could lose control of the vehicle as a
result, cause an accident and injure your-
self and others.
Warning
G
Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. They could become trapped if
they try to adjust the steering column.
nf_BA.book Page 127 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 185 of 666
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).
nf_BA.book Page 183 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 192 of 666
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.
nf_BA.book Page 190 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 195 of 666
193 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
3
Stopping the engine\1
Apply handbrake (
\2
page 191).
\1
Move selector lever to
P.
\1
Turn key to position
0 (\2
page 111)
in the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
\1
Secure the vehicle at the front axle if
unloaded and at the rear axle if load-
ed, e.g. using a chock (
\2
page 521).
Warning
G
The wheels on the rear axle could lock if
the handbrake lever is applied too abrupt-
ly. The vehicle could then start to skid.
Make sure that you apply the handbrake
lever carefully to ensure that braking ap-
plication is moderated.
!
CAUTION
If the coolant temperature is raised,
e.g. following driving in mountainous
terrain, run the engine at idling speed
for a further 1 or 2 minutes before
you switch off the engine. This allows
the coolant temperature to return to
normal again.
iWhen parking on steep uphill or
downhill gradients, turn the front
wheels towards the curb.
iYou can only remove the key from
the ignition lock when the selector le-
ver is in position
P.
nf_BA.book Page 193 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 208 of 666
206 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission
3
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.\1
Depress the accelerator pedal be-
yond the pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to
the next gear down, depending on
the engine speed.
\1
Release the accelerator pedal as
soon as the desired speed has been
reached.
The automatic transmission shifts up
again.
StoppingIf you are only stopping briefly:\1
leave the selector lever in the drive
position
\1
secure the vehicle against rolling
away using the brake pedal
ManeuveringManeuvering in a tight space:\1
Control the speed by braking carefully.
\1
Accelerate only slightly and avoid
jolting.iFor rapid maneuvering (e.g. to rock
the vehicle out of snow or slush), you
can shift back and forth between
drive position
D and reverse gear
R
at low speeds without applying the
brakes.
nf_BA.book Page 206 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 278 of 666
276 Controls in detailTransporting
3
\3 TransportingLoading guidelinesWarning
G
Secure and position a load as described in
the loading guidelines. Otherwise, the
load could slide or be thrown around in
the event of strong braking maneuvers,
sudden changes of direction or poor road
conditions, thereby injuring you or others.
The same applies to dismantled seats if
left inside the vehicle.Please note that loads increase the risk of
injury during an accident even if you com-
ply with all loading guidelines.Observe the notes in the "Securing a load"
section (\2page 280).
Warning
G
Do not exceed the vehicle's permissible
gross weight or the permissible axle loads
when loading the vehicle or carrying addi-
tional passengers. If you exceed the vehicle's permissible
axle loads or the maximum permissible
gross weight when transporting items or
carrying passengers, tire stability and
driving safety are reduced. The vehicle's
driving and steering characteristics would
be greatly altered. Braking and stopping
distances would be significantly longer.
Continued
Warning (Continued)
G
Your vehicle's driving, steering and brak-
ing characteristics change as the vehi-
cle's gross weight increases or its center
of gravity is raised.Always ensure that loads are distributed
correctly and adapt your driving style in
accordance with the load.
nf_BA.book Page 276 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 279 of 666
277 Controls in detail
Transporting
3
For more information about the maxi-
mum roof load and roof carrier systems,
please refer to the "Technical data" sec-
tion (
\2
page 599).
Before loading
\1
Check the tire pressures and correct
them if necessary (
\2
page 365).
\1
Clean the load compartment floor.
The load compartment floor must be
dry, cleanly swept and free of oil and
dust to reduce the risk of the load
slipping.
\1
If necessary, place anti-slip mats on
the load compartment floor.
Warning
G
After an accident, have a damaged load
compartment floor or damaged load sur-
face, the lashing eyes and lashing materi-
als inspected by a specialist workshop
having the necessary technical expertise
and tools to carry out the required work. The manufacturer recommends that you
use an authorized Sprinter Dealer for this
purpose. In particular, work relevant to
safety or on safety-related systems must
be carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop.
!
CAUTION
If you are using a roof carrier system,
observe the maximum roof load and
maximum load-bearing capacity of
the roof carrier system.
!
CAUTION
As soon as the anti-slip mats start to
show signs of permanent deforma-
tion, squashed areas or tears/holes,
they are unsuitable for securing loads
and must be replaced.
nf_BA.book Page 277 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
Page 280 of 666
278 Controls in detailTransporting
3
During loading
\1
Observe the maximum permissible
axle loads and permissible gross
weight for the vehicle.
\1
Observe the notes on load distribu-
tion (
\2
page 279).
\1
Secure the load (
\2
page 280). All
country-specific legal requirements
must be observed.
Checks after loading
\1Securing a load:
before each jour-
ney and at regular intervals during
longer journeys, check whether the
load is properly secured and take ad-
ditional securing measures, if neces-
sary.
\1Doors:
close the sliding doors and
rear doors.
\1Tire pressure:
adjust the tire pres-
sure in accordance with the vehicle's
load (
\2
page 365).
\1Driving characteristics:
adapt your
driving style to the load.
!
CAUTION
In passenger vans with the maximum
number of seats, the maximum pay-
load would cause the permissible
rear axle load to be exceeded.
iBear in mind that your vehicle's un-
laden weight is increased by the in-
stallation of optional equipment and
accessories.
Warning
G
Make sure that the sliding doors and rear
doors are always closed when the engine
is running.
Otherwise, exhaust fumes could enter the
vehicle interior and poison you.
nf_BA.book Page 278 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM
