
Verify compliance with weight limitations on
a weighbridge.
Trailer power supply
Your vehicle may be equipped with various
electrical fittings for trailer towing.
Depending on your trailer, you may need an
adapter to allow your trailer to be connected
to the vehicle. Information about your
vehicle's electrical equipment is available
from any authorized Sprinter Dealer.
!
Faulty wiring of the connector plug could
in certain circumstances cause other
electronic systems to
malfunction. For this
reason, we recommend having the wiring
of the connector plug performed at an
authorized Sprinter Dealer. Operation in winter
General notes
Have your vehicle winterized at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Sprinter Dealer, at the onset of winter.
This service includes the following:
R oil change, if the engine oil currently used
does not have adequate low temperature
characteristics or if these are no longer
sufficient due to aging
R the antifreeze/anticorrosion
concentration in the coolant is checked.
R the addition of a concentrated cleaning
agent to the water in the windshield
washer/headlamp cleaning system
R battery check
R a tire change
Prior to the
onset of winter, ensure that snow
chains are available in the vehicle.
Do not cover the surface of the radiator or the
radiator grill, even in winter. Doing so could
cause the engine diagnostics to record false
or incorrect data. Recording of engine
diagnostic data is legally prescribed and must therefore be correct, clear and
comprehensible at all times.
You
will find
information about diesel fuel for
use at low outside temperatures in the
"Operation" section ( Y page 154).
Please also observe the information about
winter driving (Y page 111).
You will find information about winter tires
and about driving with snow chains in the
"Wheel and tires" section (Y page 153). Service products
Fuel
G
Warning
Fuel is highly flammable. Fire, naked flames
and smoking as well as the use of auxiliary
heaters (sparks) are therefore prohibited
when handling fuel.
Switch off the
engine and the auxiliary heating
before refueling. G
Warning
Avoid any contact with fuels.
You can damage your health if your skin
comes into direct contact with fuel or if you
inhale fuel vapors.
! Filter the fuel
before transferring it to the
vehicle if you are refueling the vehicle from
barrels or containers.
This will prevent malfunctions in the fuel
system due to contaminated fuel.
! Refuel only with commercially available
vehicle diesel fuel, ULTRA-LOW SULFUR
DIESEL with a sulfur content no greater
than 15 ppm. Fuels such as fatty acid
methyl ester FAME (bio-diesel fuels),
marine diesel, heating oil etc. may not be
used as a diesel fuel mixture.
Refuel with B5 bio-diesel only if it fulfills the
requirements listed under "Fuel quality". Service products
153
Operation Z

from the windshield and the wiper blades to
prevent smearing.
Smears
impair the driver's
view, and their effect is made worse in
conditions where visibility is poor (e.g. glare,
mist, darkness, snow). You may therefore fail
to recognize dangers, or not recognize them
in time, and thereby cause an accident.
! Make sure that the automatic car wash is
suitable for the size of the vehicle.
Before washing the vehicle in an automatic
car wash, fold in the exterior mirrors and
remove the radio/telephone antenna.
Otherwise, the exterior mirror, antenna or
the vehicle itself could be damaged.
Make sure that the antenna is installed and
that the exterior mirrors are fully folded out
again when you leave the automatic car
wash.
! Make sure that the side windows are
completely closed, that the ventilation/
heating is switched off and that the
windshield wiper switch is set to 0.
Otherwise, the rain/light sensor could be
activated, triggering unintended wiper
movements. This can cause damage to the
vehicle.
After putting the vehicle through an
automatic car wash, wipe off wax from:
R the rear-view camera lens ( Y page 163)
R the windshield and the wiper blades. This
prevents smears and reduces wiping noise
which can be caused by residue on the
windshield. Cleaning the engine
! Water must not
enter intake or ventilation
openings. When cleaning with high
pressure water or steam cleaners, the
spray must not be aimed directly at
electrical components or the terminals of
electrical lines. Preserve the engine after the engine has
been cleaned.
Protect
the belt drive system
from exposure to the preservative agent. Alloy wheels
Clean the alloy wheels regularly.
! Do not use
any acidic or alkaline cleaning
agents. They can cause corrosion on the
wheel bolts (wheel nuts) or the retainer
springs for the wheel-balancing weights. After driving off-road or on
construction sites
G
Warning
Dirt on the vehicle can affect road and
operating safety.
It can specifically result in the following
dangers:
Stone impact. Stones trapped between the
tires can be thrown out while driving. This
could injure other
road users or damage other
vehicles (especially windscreens).
Risk of skidding. Dirt and mud on the tires/
on the road reduce the grip of the tires on the
road. This especially applies when the surface
is wet. The vehicle could then start to skid.
Risk of injury. Dirt and mud on the steps and
entrance can make the steps unsafe. This
could cause you to slip off the steps and be
injured.
For this reason, you should always clean your
vehicle carefully after driving off-road or on
construction sites before driving on public
roads. Observe the corresponding safety
notices in this chapter if you use a power
washer or an automatic car wash to clean your
vehicle.
X Clean the vehicle, paying special attention
to the following:
R
Lighting system
R Windows and exterior mirrors
R Access steps and entrances Cleaning and care
165
Operation Z

X
Use the pump lever to lever the spare wheel
beyond the rear
of the spare wheel bracket.
X Carefully remove the spare wheel from the
bracket. G
Warning
When the spare wheel is removed, the center
of gravity changes
due to the heavy weight of
the wheel. The spare wheel could slip off or
tip and cause injury to yourself or others. Pull
the spare wheel out carefully. Take care not
to trap your fingers when lifting out the spare
wheel.
Cab chassis X
Loosen fender nuts 008A manually and then
remove them.
X Loosen nuts 0047 as far as the thread end.
X Slightly raise spare wheel bracket 0088 and
unhook left-hand safety catch 0046.
X Assemble the pump lever for the jack and
slide it
into
sleeve on the right-hand side of
spare wheel bracket 0088.
X Raise spare wheel bracket 0088 with the
pump lever and unhook right-hand safety
catch 0046.
X Slowly lower spare wheel bracket 0088 down
to the ground.
X Lift spare
wheel bracket 0088 slightly and
pull
the pump lever out of sleeve. X
Use the pump lever to lever the spare wheel
beyond the rear
of the spare wheel bracket.
X Carefully remove the spare wheel from the
bracket. G
Warning
When the spare wheel is removed, the center
of gravity changes
due to the heavy weight of
the wheel. The spare wheel could slip off or
tip and cause injury to yourself or others. Pull
the spare wheel out carefully. Take care not
to trap your fingers when lifting out the spare
wheel. 186
Where will I find...?
Practical advice

Jump-starting connection point left of the air filter
X
Then, use other positive terminal
clamp 0046 of the jumper cable to turn the
red protective cap of the jump-starting
connection point clockwise and slide it
back and connect positive terminal
clamp 0046 to positive terminal 0086 of the
jump-starting connection point.
i Do not connect the jumper cable to the
additional battery in the engine
compartment. The
additional
battery is not
suitable for jump-starting operations.
X Run the donor vehicle's engine at idling
speed.
X First, connect the negative terminal clamps
of the jumper cable to negative terminal
008A of the donor battery and then to earth
contact 0088 of your own vehicle.
X Start the engine.
i You can
now
switch electrical consumers
back on but do not switch on the lights.
X First, disconnect the negative terminal
clamps of the jumper cable from earth
contact 0088 and then
from negative terminal
008A of the donor battery.
X First disconnect the positive terminal
clamps of the jumper cable from positive
terminal 0086 of the jump-starting
connection point and then from positive
terminal 0047 of the donor battery.
The red protective cap springs back to its
initial position when positive terminal
clamp 0046 is removed from the jump-
starting connection point. X
Place the cover on positive terminal 0047 of
the donor battery.
i You can now switch the lights on.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Sprinter Dealer. Tow-starting
You cannot tow-start
your vehicle as it has an
automatic transmission. Towing
General notes G
Warning
Tow the vehicle using a rigid towing bar if:
R the engine is not running.
R the voltage supply
or the vehicle's electrical
system is malfunctioning.
There is no power assistance for the steering
and braking when the engine is not running.
You must then use significantly greater force
to steer the vehicle and brake.
Do not tow the vehicle if the key cannot
be turned in the ignition lock. The steering is
then locked and it will not be possible to steer
the vehicle.
When towing another vehicle, its weight
should not be greater than the permissible
gross weight of your vehicle.
Comply with national regulations when
towing.
It is preferable to have the vehicle
transported on a transporter or trailer instead
of towing it. When towing the vehicle, use a
rigid towing bar.
! Only secure the tow cable or tow bar to
the towing eyes. You could otherwise
damage the vehicle.
i Before towing, deactivate the automatic
locking while driving function (Y page 55). 248
Jump starting, tow-starting and towing away
Practical advice

Vehicle equipment
i Diese Betriebsanleitung beschreibt alle
Modelle, Serien- und
Sonderausstattungen
Ihres Fahrzeugs, die zum Zeitpunkt des
Redaktionsschlusses dieser
Betriebsanleitung erhältlich waren.
Länderspezifische Abweichungen sind
möglich. Beachten Sie, dass Ihr Fahrzeug
nicht mit allen beschriebenen Funktionen
ausgestattet sein könnte. Dies betrifft auch
sicherheitsrelevante Systeme und
Funktionen. Important safety notes
Contact an authorized Sprinter Dealer if you
require information on tested and
recommended tires and wheels for summer
and winter driving.
Advice on purchasing and
caring for tires is also available there. G
Warning
Replace rims or tires with the same
designation, manufacturer and
type as shown
on the original part. For further information,
contact an authorized Sprinter Dealer. If
incorrectly sized rims and tires are mounted,
the wheel brakes or suspension components
can be damaged. Also, the operating
clearance of the wheels and the tires may no
longer be correct. G
Warning!
Worn, old
tires can cause accidents. If the tire
tread is worn to minimum tread depth, or if
the tires have sustained damage, replace
them.
When replacing rims, only use genuine
Sprinter wheel bolts specified for the
particular rim type.
Failure to do so can result
in the bolts loosening and possibly an
accident.
Retreaded tires are not tested or
recommended by the dealer named on the
inside cover page, since previous damage cannot always
be recognized on retreads. The
operating safety of the vehicle cannot be
assured when such tires are used. G
Warning!
Only for vehicles without a tire pressure
monitor:
For safety reasons, we recommend that you
only use tire valves manufactured by
Schrader. These have been tested for use on
your vehicle.
Use only tire valves of type:
R TR 600 for the vehicle types 2500
R TR 418 for the vehicle types 3500
Using other tire inflation valves or valves
made by other manufacturers can result in
tire pressure loss and thereby impair the
operating safety of the vehicle.
! Do not screw additional weights (check
valves, etc.) onto the tire valves. The
electronic components could thus be
damaged. G
Warning
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or
you suspect that possible
damage to your vehicle has occurred, you
should turn on the hazard warning lamps,
carefully slow down, and drive with caution to
an area which is a safe distance from the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle appears
unsafe, have the vehicle towed to the nearest
authorized Sprinter Dealer for repairs. G
Warning
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
might lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a
flat tire or driving at high speed
with a flat tire will cause excessive heat build-
up and possibly a fire. 252
Important safety notes
Wheels and tires

A table of recommended tire pressures can
be found on the Tire & Loading Information
placard
11
or the tire pressure plate on the
B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle
(Y page 256).
Use a tire pressure gauge intended for this
purpose. The outer
appearance of a tire does
not permit any reliable conclusion about the
tire pressure. On vehicles equipped with the
electronic tire pressure monitor, the tire
pressure can be checked using the on-board
computer. G
Warning!
If the tire pressure drops repeatedly:
R check the tires for foreign objects
R check whether the
wheel is losing air or the
valve is leaking
R make sure that only a valve cap approved
by the dealer listed on the inside of the
cover page is on the tire valve
Underinflated tires have a negative effect on
vehicle safety, which could lead you to cause
an accident.
Correct the tire pressure only when the tires
are cold. Tires are cold when the vehicle has
been parked for at least three hours or has
been driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km). Tire
temperature changes depending on the
ambient temperature, driving speed and tire
load. If the tire temperature changes by
18 ‡ (10 †), the tire pressure changes by
approximately 10 kPa (0.1 bar/1.5 psi). Take
this into consideration if you are checking tire
pressure when the tires are warm, and
correct the tire pressure only if it is too low
for current operating conditions. If you check
the tire pressure when the tires are warm, it
results in a higher value than when the tires
are cold. This is normal. Do not under any
circumstances release the air in order to
adjust the pressure to the prescribed value
for cold tires. Tire pressure would then be too
low. Take note of the recommended tire pressure
data for cold tires on the Tire & Loading
Information placard
11
or the tire pressure
plate on the
B-pillar on the driver's side of the
vehicle.
i The data shown on the following tire data
labels are examples. Tire pressure data are
vehicle-specific and may deviate from the
data illustrated here. The tire pressure data
applicable to your vehicle can be found on
the Tire & Loading Information placard or
tire pressure plate of your vehicle. Tire & Loading Information placard
11 Tire pressure plate
You will find recommended tire pressure
specifications
0046 for cold
tires and for a fully
loaded vehicle on the Tire & Loading
Information placard or on the tire pressure
plate. The tire pressure specifications apply
to the factory-mounted tires.
11 Only for vehicles with a gross weight of less than 10,000 lbs (4536 kg).256
Tire pressure
Wheels and tires

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

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