When you have mounted M+S tires:
X
Check the tire pressure (Y page 255).
X Restart the tire pressure monitor
(Y page 258). G
Warning
If you use your spare wheel when M+S tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in
tire characteristics may very
well impair turning stability and that overall
driving stability may be reduced. Adapt your
driving style accordingly.
Have the spare wheel replaced by a regular
road wheel with an M+S tire at the nearest
authorized Sprinter Dealer. Snow chains
Snow chains increase traction on roads in
wintry conditions.
We recommend, for safety reasons, that you
only use class
U snow chains or traction aids
that conform to the SAE type U specification
and are approved for Sprinters. You can
obtain information about snow chains from
any authorized Sprinter Dealer.
R Only use snow chains when the road is
covered by a layer of snow. Do not exceed
the maximum permissible speed of 30 mph
(50 km/h). Remove the snow chains as
soon as possible once the road is no longer
covered with snow.
R The use of snow chains may be restricted
by local regulations. Observe the relevant
regulations when mounting snow chains.
! Check the snow chains for damage before
mounting them. Damaged or worn snow
chains may break, causing damage to
wheels, wheel arches or wheel suspension.
For this reason, you must use only snow
chains that are free of defects. Observe the
manufacturer's mounting instructions. If you intend to mount snow chains, please
bear the following points in mind:
R
You may not mount snow chains on all
wheel/tire combinations. When mounting
the snow chains, note the permissible tire
and snow chain dimensions.
R Mount snow chains only in pairs and only
to the rear wheels. Observe the
manufacturer's mounting instructions.
R Check the chain tension after driving
approximately 0.5 miles (1.0 km) .
i You can deactivate ASR when pulling
away with snow chains mounted.
(
Y page 49). This allows the wheels to spin
in a controlled manner, generating more
tractive force (friction effect). Tire pressure
Notes about tire pressure
G
Warning
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adversely
affect handling and fuel economy, and are
more likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate
tires. Overinflated tires can
adversely affect handling and ride comfort,
wear unevenly, increase stopping distance,
and result in sudden deflation (blowout)
because they are more likely to become
punctured or damaged by road debris,
potholes etc.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver's door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure. Tire pressure
255Wheels and tires Z
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver's door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading
the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
Check the tire pressure at least once a month.
Only check and correct tire pressures when
the tires are cold. Checking the tire pressure manually
In order to determine and adjust the tire
pressures, proceed as follows:
X Remove the valve cap of the tire you wish
to check.
X Press the
tire pressure gauge securely onto
the valve.
X Read the tire pressure and compare it with
the recommended value on the Tire and
Loading Information placard12
or on the tire
pressure plate on the B-pillar on the driver's
side of the vehicle.
X If necessary, increase the tire pressure to
the recommended value.
X If the tire pressure is too high, release air
by pressing down
the metal pin in the valve
using the tip of a pen, for example. Then,
check the tire pressure again using the tire
pressure gauge.
X Screw the valve cap onto the valve.
X Repeat the steps for the other tires. Tire pressure monitor
Important safety notes If a tire pressure monitor is installed, the
vehicle's wheels have sensors installed that
monitor the
tire
pressures in all four tires. The
tire pressure monitor warns you when the pressure drops in one or more of the tires. The
tire pressure monitor only functions if the
correct wheel electronics units are installed
in all wheels.
The tire pressure monitor has a yellow
0077
warning lamp in the instrument cluster for
indicating pressure loss/malfunctions (USA)
or pressure loss
(Canada). Depending on how
the warning lamp flashes or lights up, an
underinflated tire or a malfunction in the tire
pressure monitor is displayed:
R if the 0077 warning lamp is lit continuously,
the tire pressure on one or more tires is
significantly too low. The tire pressure
monitor is not malfunctioning.
R USA only: if the 0077 warning lamp flashes
for 60 seconds and then remains lit
constantly, the tire pressure monitor is
malfunctioning. G
Warning
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once a month
when cold and inflated to the inflation
pressure recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer on the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door B-
pillar or the
tire inflation pressure label on the
inside of the fuel filler flap. If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated
on the Tire and Loading Information placard
or the tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires are significantly underinflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly underinflated tire causes the tire
to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
12 Only for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 10,000 lbs(4536 kg).258
Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
Calling up tire pressure using the on-
board computer
Vehicles with steering wheel buttons
Using the steering wheel buttons
X
Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Press the 0059 or 0058 button repeatedly
until the standard display ( Y page 77) is
shown.
X Press the
0029 or 002D button repeatedly
until the current tire pressure for the
individual tires is displayed. If the vehicle has been parked for more than
20 minutes
or
you have not then driven faster
than 18 mph (30 km/h), you will see the
following message:
tire press. displayed after driving
for several minutes
i The tire pressure values indicated by the
on-board computer may differ from those
measured at a gas station using a pressure
gauge. The on-board computer will
generally give you a more exact value.
Tire pressure loss warning system Vehicles without steering wheel buttons
The 0077 tire pressure warning lamp in the
instrument cluster comes on if the pressure
of one or more tires drops significantly.
i
USA only:
If the 0077 tire pressure warning lamp
flashes for just 60 seconds and then is lit
permanently, the tire pressure monitor is
malfunctioning (Y page 196). If a malfunction of the tire pressure monitor
is recognized, the 0077 tire pressure
warning lamp
shows
this at the latest after
ten minutes.
Vehicles with steering wheel buttons
A message is displayed and the 0077 tire
pressure warning lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on if the pressure of one or
more tires drops significantly.
The tire pressure is shown in two red
rectangles. The pressure of the tire
concerned is shown in one of the rectangles
(Y page 199). A warning tone also sounds.
i USA only:
If the 0077 tire pressure warning lamp
flashes for just 60 seconds and then is lit
permanently, the tire pressure monitor is
malfunctioning (Y page 196).
If a malfunction of the tire pressure monitor
is recognized, the 0077 tire pressure
warning lamp shows this at the latest after
ten minutes.
Reactivating the tire pressure monitor In most cases, the tire pressure monitor
detects the new reference values
automatically, e.g. after you have:
R
changed the tire pressure
R changed wheels or tires
R installed new wheels or tires
If you wish to define new reference values
manually:
X Refer to the table on the tire data labels
(Y page 256) to make sure that the
pressure of all four tires is set correctly.
Observe the notes on tire pressures in the
"Tires and wheels" section ( Y page 280).260
Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
Vehicles without steering wheel buttons
X
Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Press the 007B menu button on the
instrument cluster repeatedly until the
following message is displayed:
+CAL- TPMS
X Press the 0069 button on the instrument
cluster.
The following message is displayed:
OK TPMS
The tire pressure monitor activation
process has begun. The tire pressures
measured for the individual wheels are
stored as the new reference values,
provided that the tire pressure monitor
considers them to be plausible.
If you wish to cancel the activation process:
X Press the 006A button or the 007B menu button
on the instrument cluster.
The activation process is canceled
automatically if 30 seconds elapse with no
input.
Vehicles with steering wheel buttons
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Press the 0059 or 0058 button on the
steering wheel repeatedly until the
standard display (Y
page 77) appears.
X Press the 0029 or 002D button on the
steering wheel repeatedly
until the current
pressure of the individual tires is displayed,
or the display shows the following
message:
tire press. displayed after
driving for several minutes
X Press the 0048 reset button on the
instrument cluster.
The following message is displayed:
Monitor current tire pressure?
X Press the 005A button on the steering
wheel.
The following message is displayed: tire press. monitor reactivated
The tire pressure monitor activation
process has begun. The tire pressures
measured for the individual wheels are
stored as the new reference values,
provided that the tire pressure monitor
considers them to be plausible.
If you wish to cancel the activation process:
X Press the 005B button on the steering
wheel. Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
G
Warning!
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
B-pillar on the driver's side or on the vehicle
identification plate on the driver seat frame.
Overloading the tires can overheat them,
possibly causing a blowout. Overloading the
tires can also result in handling or steering
problems, or brake failure. The Tire and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar
The following instruction labels on your
vehicle show the maximum possible load.
(1) Only for vehicles with a gross vehicle
weight rating of less than
10,000 lbs(4536 kg): Loading the vehicle
261
Wheels and tires Z
Example 1 Example 2 Example 3
Step 3 Permissible cargo
and trailer load/
noseweight
(maximum gross
vehicle weight
rating
from the Tire and
Loading Information
placard minus the
gross weight of all
occupants) 1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
750 lbs
(340
kg)
= 750 lbs
(340 kg) 1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
540 lbs
(245
kg)
= 960 lbs
(435 kg) 1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
150 lbs
(68
kg) =
1350 lbs
(612 kg) The greater the combined weight of the occupants, the lower the maximum luggage load.
Further information can be found under "Towing a trailer" (
Y page 152). Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total cargo
carefully, you should still make sure that the
gross vehicle weight
rating and the gross axle
weight rating are not exceeded. Details about
this can be found on the vehicle identification
plate on the driver seat frame of your vehicle
(Y page 277).
Gross vehicle weight: the gross weight of
the vehicle, all passengers, cargo and trailer
load/noseweight (if applicable) must not
exceed the permissible gross vehicle weight.
Gross axle weight rating: the maximum
permissible load that can be carried by one
axle (front or rear axle).
To ensure that your vehicle does not exceed
the maximum permissible values (gross
vehicle weight and maximum gross axle
weight rating), have your loaded vehicle
(including driver, occupants, cargo, and full
trailer load if applicable) weighed on a
suitable vehicle weighbridge. Trailer load/noseweight
The trailer load/noseweight
affects the gross
weight of the vehicle. If a trailer is attached,
the trailer load/noseweight is included in the
load along with occupants and luggage. The trailer load/noseweight is usually
approximately 10%
of
the gross weight of the
trailer and its cargo. Maximum tire load
G
Warning!
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
B-pillar on the driver's side or on the vehicle
identification plate on the driver seat frame.
Overloading the tires can overheat them,
possibly causing a blowout. Overloading the
tires can also result in handling or steering
problems, or brake failure. Maximum tire load
265
Wheels and tires Z
Tire code:
tire code 0088 specifies the tire type.
"R" represents radial tires. "D" represents
diagonal tires, "B" represents diagonal radial
tires.
Rim diameter: rim diameter 0086 is the
diameter of the bead seat, not the diameter
of the rim flange. The rim diameter is
specified in inches (in).
Load bearing index: load bearing index 0087
is a numerical code which specifies the
maximum load-bearing capacity of a tire. G
Warning
The tire load rating must always be at least
half of the GAWR of your vehicle. Otherwise,
sudden tire failure may be the result which
could cause an
accident and/or serious injury
to you or others.
Always replace rims and tires with rims and
tires having the same specifications
(designation, manufacturer and type) as
shown on the original part. G
Warning
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver's door B-pillar . Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading
the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
Example:
The load bearing index 120 is equivalent to a
maximum load of 3042 lbs (1380 kg) that the
tire can carry. If two load-bearing capacity
indices are specified (as shown above), the
first number states the load-bearing capacity
for single tires, the second number the load-
bearing capacity for twin tires. For further
information on the maximum tire load in
kilograms and pounds, see ( Y page 265).
Speed index: speed index 006E specifies the
approved maximum speed of the tire. G
Warning
Even when permitted by law, never operate a
vehicle at speeds greater than the maximum
speed rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum
speed for which tires
are rated can lead to sudden tire failure,
causing loss of vehicle control and possibly
resulting in an accident and/or serious
personal injury and possible death, for you
and for others.
Regardless of the speed index always observe
the speed limits. Drive carefully and adapt
your driving style to the traffic conditions. Index Speed rating
F up to 50 mph (80 km/h)
G up to 56 mph (90 km/h)
J up to 62 mph (100 km/h)
K up to 68 mph (110 km/h)
L up to 74 mph (120 km/h)
M up to 80 mph (130 km/h)
N up to 87 mph (140 km/h)
P up to 93 mph (150 km/h)
Q up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
R above 106 mph (170 km/h)
i
Not all tires that have the M+S
identification offer the driving
characteristics of winter tires. Winter tires
have, in addition
to the M+S identification,
the 004D snow flake symbol on the tire
sidewall. Tires with this identification fulfill
the requirements of the Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the
Rubber Association of Canada (RAC)
regarding the tire traction on snow and
have been especially developed for driving
on snow.
More information on reading the tire data can
be obtained at any qualified specialist Tire labeling
267
Wheels and tires Z
Load rails
The maximum tensile loads of the lashing
points in the cargo compartment are:
Lashing point Permissible
nominal tensile
load
Load rails on cargo
floor 1124.0 lbf
(5000 N) Lower load rail on
sidewall 562.0 lbf
(2500 N) Upper load rail on
sidewall 337.0 lbf
(1500 N) The values specified apply only to loads
placed on
the
floor of the cargo compartment
if:
R the load is secured to 2 lashing points on
the rail and
R the distance to the next load securing point
on the same rail is approx. 3 ft (1 m).
Roof carrier G
Warning
If you have installed a roof carrier, the
vehicle’s handling, steering and braking
characteristics may change
due to the higher
center of gravity. This is the case particularly
if the roof carrier is laden. Adapt your driving
style according to the vehicle load.
Observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions. An incorrectly secured roof
carrier and/or load could come loose, fall off
and thereby endanger you or others.
Observe the maximum roof load and
maximum roof carrier load. Loads transported
on the roof must always be secured with
particular care.
Do not allow the load, including passengers,
to exceed the permissible gross vehicle
weight or the gross axle weight rating for your
vehicle. Maximum roof load and minimum number of
pairs of
roof
carrier supports on vehicles with: Maximum
roof load Minimum
number of
pairs of
supports
Standard
roof 660 lbs
(300 kg) 6
High roof 330 lbs
(150 kg) 3
The data is valid for a load distributed evenly
over the entire roof area.
!
The weight of
any load carried on the roof,
including the roof carrier, must not exceed
the maximum permissible roof load.
The roof carrier supports must be mounted
at equal distances.
We recommend that you have a stabilizer
bar installed to the front axle.
Reduce the load on shorter roof carriers
proportionately. The maximum load per pair
of roof carrier supports is 110 lbs(50 kg).
! For safety reasons, we recommend that
you only use roof carrier systems which
have been tested and approved for
Sprinters. This will help to avoid damage.
Loading directions and other information
concerning load distribution and load
securing can be found in the "Operation"
section ( Y page 144). Trailer tow hitch
i We recommend that
trailer tow hitches be
retrofitted at an authorized Sprinter Dealer
i Only use a trailer tow hitch which has
been tested and specially approved by the
distributor named on the inside of the front
cover for your vehicle.
The permitted weight and load values, which
must not be exceeded, can be found in your 284
Operating data
Technical data