2008 DODGE SPRINTER tow

203 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
3
When the selector lever is in position
D,
you can perform gearshifts yourself,
even on vehicles with automatic trans-
mission.
Downshifting
\1
Press the selector lever to the left to-
wards
D–
.
The automatic transmission restricts
the shift range (
\2
page 204) by one
gear. The automatic transmission
shifts to the next gear down, depend-
ing on the gear currently engaged.
If ASR is deactivated or ESP
®
has malfunctioned: only
move the selector lever to N
if the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
ê

Drive

The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically.
All 5 forward gears are avail-
able.
One-touch gearshifting
Warning
G
Do not downshift for additional engine
braking on a slippery surface. The drive
wheels may lose their grip and the vehicle
could skid.iThe automatic transmission does not
shift down if you press the selector
lever towards
D–
and the speed of
the vehicle is too high. The engine
could otherwise overrev.
nf_BA.book Page 203 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

204 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission
3
Upshifting
\1
Press the selector lever to the right
towards
D+
.
The automatic transmission extends
the shift range by one gear. The auto-
matic transmission shifts to the next
gear up, depending on the current
gearshift program.
Derestricting the shift range
\1
Press and hold the selector lever to-
wards
D+
until
D is shown once more
in the display.
The automatic transmission shifts
from the current shift range directly
to
D.
Selecting the ideal shift range
\1
Press and hold the selector lever
towards
D–
.
The automatic transmission will shift
to a range which allows easy acceler-
ation and deceleration. To do this,
the automatic transmission will shift
down one or more gears.When the selector lever is in position
D
you can restrict or derestrict the shift
range for the automatic transmission.
\1
Press the selector lever briefly to-
wards the right (
D+
) or left (
D–
).
The set shift range is shown in the
display.
Shift rangesiIf the maximum engine speed for the
shift range is reached and you de-
press the accelerator, the automatic
transmission will not upshift if the
shift range is restricted.
nf_BA.book Page 204 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

207 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
3
Trailer towing
\1
Run the engine in the moderate en-
gine speed range on steep uphill gra-
dients.
\1
Depending on the uphill or downhill
gradient, shift down to shift range
3
or
2 (\2
page 204), even if cruise
control* is switched on.
Working on the vehicleWarning
G
Apply the handbrake before working on
the vehicle and shift the automatic trans-
mission into parking positionP.
The vehicle could otherwise roll away.
nf_BA.book Page 207 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

255 Controls in detail
Driving systems
3
Front sensors
Rear sensors
Minimum distance
If an obstacle is within this range, all seg-
ments of the warning displays light up
and a warning tone sounds (the warning
for the front sounds different than the
warning for the rear). The distance may
no longer be displayed if you drive the
vehicle closer to the obstacle than the
minimum distance.
Center
about 39 in (100 cm)
Corners
about 26 in (65 cm)
Center
about 71 in (180 cm)
Corners
about 39 in (100 cm)
Center
about 12 in (30 cm)
Corners, front
about 10 in (25 cm)
Corners, rear
about 12 in (30 cm)
!
CAUTION
Pay particular attention to obstacles
above or below the sensors when
p a r k i n g , s u c h a s f l o w e r p o t s o r t r a i l e r
towbars.
Parktronic does not detect such ob-
jects in the immediate vicinity. You
could damage the vehicle or objects.
Parktronic can malfunction as a con-
sequence of:\4
ultrasonic sources such as a
truck’s compressed-air brakes,
an automatic car wash or a pneu-
matic drill
\4
attachments to the vehicle, e.g.
load-bearing implements or trail-
er couplings
\4
number plates (vehicle license
plates) that are not affixed flat
against the bumper
\4
dirty or icy sensors
nf_BA.book Page 255 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

258 Controls in detailDriving systems
3
Switching Parktronic on/off You can switch Parktronic on and off
manually.
The switch is located on the center con-
sole.1To switch Parktronic on/off
\1To switch off:
press upper part
1

of the switch.
The indicator lamp in the switch
comes on.
\1To switch on:
press upper part
1
of
the switch again.
The indicator lamp in the switch goes
out.
Trailer towingIf you attach a trailer, Parktronic is deac-
tivated for the rear area as soon as you
make the electrical connection between
your vehicle and the trailer.The rear view camera is a visual parking
aid. It displays the area behind your ve-
hicle on a separate monitor located on
the center console.
The rear view camera is activated when
you engage reverse gear.
The camera is located in the center of
the roof above the third brake lamp
(
\2
page 422). N54.25-2922-31Rear view camera*
nf_BA.book Page 258 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

285 Controls in detail
Transporting
3
\1
Check whether the lashing eye is
firmly in place.
\1To remove:
pull locking mechanism
1
upward and pull the lashing eye
through a recess towards the locking
mechanism and out of the load rail.
It is possible to mount a roof rack if your
vehicle is equipped with securing rails
on the roof.
1Securing railsSpecial mountings (sliding blocks) are
available as accessories. These are
available from any authorized Sprinter
Dealer.
Carrier systems
Warning
G
Handling and braking characteristics may
change when you have mounted carrier
systems on the vehicle. You could endan-
ger yourself and others.Observe the manufacturer’s installation
instructions. An incorrectly secured carri-
er system or load could:\4come loose\4fall offand thereby endanger yourself and
others.
Continued
nf_BA.book Page 285 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

286 Controls in detailTransporting
3
Only install roof racks that have been
approved or recommended for Sprinter
vehicles. These are available in any au-
thorized Sprinter Dealer.Observe the instructions in the “Opera-
tion” section (
\2
page 303).
Warning (Continued)
G
Observe the maximum roof loads
(\2page 630), the maximum axle load
and the maximum load-bearing capacity
of the roof rack.!
CAUTION
Make sure that:
the securing bolts for the roof
rack are tightened to a torque of
6.0 – 7.4 lb-ft (8 – 10 Nm) in the slid-
ing blocks provided
the bolts do not make contact with
the rails when tightened
the sliding blocks are not positioned
near the plastic caps
the sliding blocks have the correct
cross-section
the securing rails are free of dirt on
the inside
the securing bolts are retightened
evenly after approximately 300 miles
(500 km)
This will help to avoid damage to the
vehicle.
!
CAUTION
If you wish to retrofit securing rails,
have them installed at a qualified
specialist workshop which has the
necessary specialist knowledge and
tools to carry out the work required.
You could otherwise damage the ve-
hicle.
The manufacturer recommends that
you use an authorized Sprinter Deal-
er for this purpose.
Trailer towing
nf_BA.book Page 286 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

303 Operation
Driving tips
4
\3 Driving tipsFor information about driving in winter
and with snow chains, see “Winter driv-
ing” (
\2
page 404).
Transporting your vehicle by rail may be
subject to certain restrictions or require
special measures to be taken in some
countries due to varying tunnel heights
and loading standards.
You can obtain information at any
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
Trailer hitches*Only install a trailer hitch receiver ap-
proved for your vehicle. For information
on availability and installation, please
see your authorized Sprinter Dealer.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not de-
signed for use with clamp-type hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them.
To reduce the possibility of damage, re-
move the hitch ball adaptor from the re-
ceiver when not in use.
Rail transport
Trailer towingWarning
G
Failure to use proper equipment and driv-
ing technique can result in a loss of vehi-
cle control when towing a trailer.
Improper towing or failure to follow the in-
structions contained in this guide can re-
sult in serious injury.
Follow the guidelines below carefully to
assure safe trailer operation.
Ask your authorized Sprinter Dealer if you
require an explanation of information con-
tained in this guide.
nf_BA.book Page 303 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM