2008 DODGE SPRINTER oil

328 OperationEngine compartment
4
3
Engine oil dipstick
\1
Check the engine oil level.
The oil level is correct if the oil is be-
tween the lower
min
and upper
max

marks on the dipstick.
\1
Add engine oil if necessary
(\2
page 328).
Adding engine oilFor specifications of engine oils see
"Service products and capacities"
(\2
page 604).
\1
Unscrew the cap on engine oil filler
neck
1
.
Make sure that you only fill the en-
gine oil as far as the upper
max

mark.
\1
Unscrew the cap on filler neck
1
. N18.00-2041-31
!
CAUTION
Have any excess engine oil drained
or siphoned off at an authorized
Sprinter Dealer. Otherwise, the en-
gine or catalytic converter could be
damaged.
The alternator is underneath the en-
gine oil filler neck. For this reason,
add the engine oil carefully. There is
a risk of damage to the alternator
from engine oil dripping down.
nf_BA.book Page 328 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

329 Operation
Engine compartment
4
The expansion tank is in the engine com-
partment. Only add coolant with the ve-
hicle standing on a level surface and
with the engine switched off. The cool-
ant temperature must have dropped be-
low 122 °F (50 °C).
1Coolant tank cap
2Brake fluid reservoir cap
3Windshield washer reservoir cap
Environmental note
H
Wh en addi n g o i l, ta ke c ar e n ot t o s pi ll a n y.
No engine oil must be allowed to enter
sewage systems, surface water, ground
water or soil.
You would otherwise be damaging the en-
vironment.
Dispose of engine oil in an environmental-
ly responsible manner. Comply with the
manufacturer’s instructions.
Coolant
N20.30-2063-31
nf_BA.book Page 329 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

330 OperationEngine compartment
4
\1
Slowly unscrew cap
1
counter-
clockwise to reduce excess pres-
sure.
\1
Continue turning the cap and remove
it.
\1
Add coolant as far as the MAX mark.
\1
Twist cap
1
back on.
For coolant specifications, see "Service
products and capacities" (
\2
page 604).
Warning
G
When opening the coolant expansion tank
there is a risk of scalding from hot coolant
spraying out. The cooling system and the
coolant expansion tank are pressurized
when the engine is at normal operating
temperature.
Wear gloves and eye protection. Only
open the coolant expansion tank when
the coolant temperature is less than
122 °F (50 °C).
Warning
G
Coolant contains glycol and is therefore
toxic. Do not swallow coolant. Consult a
doctor immediately if any coolant is swal-
lowed.
Do not allow coolant to come into contact
with your skin, eyes or clothing. In the
event of contact with the eyes, rinse them
thoroughly with clean water. Clean skin
and clothes immediately with soap and
water. Change out of soiled clothing with-
out delay.
!
CAUTION
Check the cooling and heating sys-
tems regularly for leaks. If a large
quantity of coolant is lost, have the
cause traced and rectified at an au-
thorized Sprinter Dealer.
nf_BA.book Page 330 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

333 Operation
Engine compartment
4
For specifications of brake fluid, see
"Service products and capacities"
(\2
page 616).The windshield washer reservoir is in the
engine compartment. It holds approx.
7.4 US qt (7.0 l).
On vehicles with a headlamp cleaning
system, this is also supplied from the
windshield washer reservoir.
1Coolant tank cap
2Brake fluid reservoir cap
3Windshield washer reservoir capAdd windshield washer fluid concentrate
to the water all year round.
Warning
G
If the boiling point of the brake fluid is too
low, vapor pockets may form in the brake
system when the brakes are applied hard
(e.g. when driving on long downhill
stretches). This has a detrimental effect
on braking efficiency, which could in-
crease the stopping distance. This in-
creases the risk of an accident.
Have the brake fluid replaced every
two years.
Windshield washer system/
headlamp cleaning system*
N20.30-2063-31
nf_BA.book Page 333 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

334 OperationEngine compartment
4
Adapt the mixing ratio to the outside
temperature. Use:\4
Summerwash to protect against
smearing at temperatures above
freezing.
\4
Winterwash when there is a risk of
frost so that the water does not
freeze onto the windshield.
\1
Mix the windshield washer fluid in a
container and in the specified pro-
portions.
\1
Remove cap
3
.
\1
Fill up the windshield washer fluid.
\1
Press cap
3
back on.
Check assemblies regularly for leaks. In
the event of fluid loss (e.g. spots of oil
under the vehicle when it has been
parked), have the cause traced and rec-
tified immediately 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 purpose. All work relevant to safety
or on safety-related systems must be
carried out at an authorized Sprinter
Dealer.
Warning
G
Windshield washer concentrate is highly
flammable. Fire, open flames and smok-
ing are prohibited when you are handling
windshield washer concentrate.
Vehicle assemblies
nf_BA.book Page 334 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

348 OperationTires and wheels
4
\4
bumps, bulges, cuts, cracks or splits
in the tread or side of the tire
\4
foreign objects between the tires
(on vehicles with twin tires)
Replace the tire if any of the above con-
ditions is found.
Also inspect the spare tire periodically
for condition and inflation. Spare tires
will age and become worn over time
even if never used, and thus should be
inspected and replaced when neces-
sary.
Tire damageTire damage can be caused
by:
\4
the vehicle’s operating conditions
\4
tire aging
\4
curbs
\4
foreign objects
\4
insufficient or excessive tire inflation
pressures
\4
weather and environmental influenc-
es
\4
contact with oil, grease, fuel, etc.
Warning
G
Driving over curbs or sharp-edged objects
can cause damage to the tire substruc-
ture which is not visible from the outside.
Damage to the tire substructure cannot
be detected until later and can cause the
tire to burst.
You could lose control of the
vehicle as a result, cause an accident and
injure yourself or others.
Avoid driving up against curbs or parking
the vehicle with part of the tire tread sur-
face on the curb.
nf_BA.book Page 348 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

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

394 OperationTires and wheels
4
Air pressureThe amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or
bars.Aspect ratioDimensional relationship between the
tire section height and the section width
expressed in percentage.
BarAnother metric unit for air pressure.
There are 14.5038 pounds per square
inch (psi) to 1 bar; there are
100 kilopascals (kPa) to 1 bar.BeadThe tire bead contains steel wires
wrapped by steel cords that hold the tire
onto the rim.Cold tire inflation pressureTire inflation pressure when your vehicle
has been sitting for at least 3 hours or
driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Curb weightThe weight of a motor vehicle with stan-
dard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if
so equipped, air conditioning and addi-
tional optional equipment, but without
passengers and cargo.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.
nf_BA.book Page 394 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM