2008 DODGE SPRINTER towing

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.
nf_BA.book Page 184 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

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.
nf_BA.book Page 188 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

201 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
3
\3 Automatic transmissionP Parking position (selector lever lock)R Reverse gearN NeutralD Drive positionThe automatic transmission adapts to
your individual driving style by continu-
ously adjusting its shift points. These
shift point adjustments take into ac-
count the current operating and driving
conditions.
If the operating or driving conditions
change, the automatic transmission re-
acts by adjusting the gearshift program.The individual gears are selected auto-
matically. The gear selected depends
on:
\4
the selector lever position in shift
ranges
D, 4, 3, 2 and
1 (\2
page 204)
\4
the position of the accelerator pedal
(\2
page 205)
\4
the road speed
\4
resistance (load, uphill gradient,
trailer towing)
Gearshift pattern
Gearshift procedure
nf_BA.book Page 201 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

202 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission
3
The selector lever position engaged or
the current shift range is shown in the
display. Display on vehicles with steer-
ing wheel buttons* (
\2
page 151) and on
vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(
\2
page 147).
When the selector lever is in position
D,
you can influence the gearshifts made
by the automatic transmission by:
\4
restricting the shift range
\4
changing gear yourself
Selector lever positionsì

Parking lock

Prevents the parked vehicle
from rolling away. Only move
the selector lever to
P when
the vehicle is stationary.
You can only remove the key
when the selector lever is in
position
P. The selector lever
is locked in position
P when
the key is removed.
í

Reverse gear

Only move the selector lever
to
R when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
ë

NeutralNo power is transmitted from
the engine to the drive
wheels. Releasing the brakes
will allow you to move the ve-
hicle freely, e.g. by pushing or
towing.Do not move the selector le-
ver to
N while the vehicle is in
motion. The automatic trans-
mission could otherwise be
damaged.
nf_BA.book Page 202 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

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

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