2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER MY12 Operator’s Manual

Batteries
G
Warning Risk of explosion.
Explosive oxyhydrogen is
produced when batteries
are being charged. Only
charge batteries in well-
ventilated areas.
Risk of explosion. Avoid
creating sparks. Avoid
naked flames and do not
smoke in
the
vicinity of the
battery. Battery acid is caustic.
Wear acid-proof protective
gloves. If skin or clothes
are splashed with acid,
neutralize the splashes
immediately with soapy
water or an acid
neutralizer, and then clean
the affected areas with
water.
Wear eye
protection. When
mixing water and acid, the
liquid can splash into your
eyes. Rinse acid splashes
to the eyes immediately
with clean water and
contact a doctor
immediately. Keep children at a safe
distance. Children are not
able to assess the dangers
posed by batteries and
acid.
When handling batteries,
observe the safety
precautions and special
protective measures
contained in these
Operating Instructions. 0040Environmental note Batteries contain pollutants. It is
against the law to dispose of them
with the household garbage. They
must be collected separately and
recycled to protect the
environment.
Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged batteries
to a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. an authorized Sprinter Dealer,
or to a special collection point for
old batteries.
In order for the batteries to achieve their
maximum possible service life, they must
always be sufficiently charged.
Have the battery charge checked more
frequently if you use the vehicle mainly for
short trips or if you leave it parked up for a
lengthy period.
If you intend to leave your vehicle parked up
for a long period, seek advice from an
authorized Sprinter Dealer or switch off the
electrical system using the battery isolating
switch (Y page 87).
Your vehicle may be equipped with two
batteries, depending on the equipment
version:
R a starter battery in the battery case in the
driver's footwell
R an additional battery in the engine
compartment
Have the batteries removed at a qualified
specialist workshop which

has the necessary
specialist knowledge and tools to carry out
the work required. We recommend that you
use an authorized Sprinter Dealer for this
purpose. Maintenance
175Operation Z

Disconnecting the battery
G
Warning
There is a risk of a short circuit if the positive
terminal of the
connected battery comes into
contact with any part of the vehicle. This could
cause the flammable gas mix to ignite. You
and others could be seriously injured.
R Do not place any metal objects or tools on
the batteries.
R When disconnecting the batteries, always
disconnect the negative terminal clamp
before the positive terminal clamp.
R When connecting the batteries, always
connect the positive terminal clamp before
the negative terminal clamp.
R Do not disconnect or connect the batteries
when the engine is running.
! Switch off the engine and remove the key
from the ignition lock before you loosen or
disconnect the terminal clamps. You may
otherwise destroy electronic components
such as the alternator.
Always disconnect the starter battery in the
battery case in the driver's footwell first.
! Always disconnect the battery in
the order described below. Never swap the
terminal clamps. You may otherwise
damage the vehicle electronics.
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
Disconnecting the starter battery
The starter battery is located in the battery
case in the driver's footwell. Removing/installing the floor covering in
the driver's footwell X
To remove: remove screws 008A
and take off
trim 0047.
X Remove floor covering 0046.
X To install: replace floor covering
0046 in the
driver's footwell. G
Warning
Free movement of the pedals must not be
impaired. This would

otherwise jeopardize the
operating and road safety of the vehicle.
Make sure that the floor covering is pushed
under the carrier of the accelerator pedal and
cannot slide between the carrier and the
accelerator pedal when you install it.
This would otherwise prevent you from
depressing the accelerator pedal completely,
thereby restricting your vehicle's
acceleration, e.g. during overtaking.
X Slide floor covering 0046 underneath the
carrier for the accelerator pedal and align
it at the

base of the driver's seat and at the
door sill.
Make sure that the floor covering does not
obstruct the accelerator pedal.
X Put trim 0047 in place and screw the screws
008A back in.176
Maintenance
Operation

Removing the battery cover in the driver's
footwell
X
Remove screws 0047 and slide cover 0046 in
the direction of the arrow.
The screws must protrude beyond the
recesses.
X Remove cover 0046 upwards. Starter battery in the driver's footwell
X
First loosen and remove the negative
terminal clamp so that it is no longer in
contact with the terminal.
X Remove the cover from the positive
terminal.
X Loosen the positive terminal clamp and fold
it up to the side together with the pre-fuse
box. Disconnecting the additional battery
Additional battery in the engine compartment
X
Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Open the hood (Y page 168).
X First loosen and remove the negative
terminal clamp so that it is no longer in
contact with the terminal.
X Remove the cover from the positive
terminal.
X Loosen and remove the positive terminal
clamp.
Removing the battery Starter battery
X
Disconnect the battery ( Y page 176).
X Pull breather hose with connector
bracket 0047 from connection 0046 on the
degassing cover. Maintenance
177Operation Z

X
Loosen the bolts holding retainer 008A, which
prevents the battery from moving around. X
Pull retainer 008A upwards and slide the
battery out of
its anchorage in the direction
of travel.
X Fold the bar upwards and remove the
battery from the battery case.
Additional battery in the engine
compartment
X Disconnect the battery ( Y page 177).
X Loosen the bolts holding the retainer that
prevents the battery from moving around.
X Remove the battery holder and take out the
battery.
Charging the battery G
Warning
Only charge the battery in a well-ventilated
area. As the battery is being charged, gases
can escape and generate minor explosions,
which can injure

you and others or may cause damage to the paintwork or acid corrosion on
the vehicle.
There is a risk of acid burns during the
charging process due to the gases which
escape from the battery. Do not, therefore,
lean over the battery while it is being
recharged.
X Recharge the removed battery. Observe
the notes in the operating instructions for
your battery charger.
X Follow the above steps in the reverse order
to install the battery again.
! Only charge the installed battery with a
battery charger that has been tested and
approved by the distributor named on the
inside front cover. This device allows the
battery to be

charged when it is installed in
the vehicle. The vehicle's electronics
system may otherwise be damaged.
i It is also possible to charge the starter
battery using the jump-starting connection
point in the engine compartment
(Y page 247).
Reconnecting the battery !
Always connect the battery in the order
described below. Never

mix up the terminal
clamp disconnection/connection order
and never mix up the terminal clamps. You
may otherwise damage the vehicle
electronics.
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Connect the positive terminal clamp.
X Attach the cover to the positive terminal.
X Connect the negative terminal clamp.
i After the battery has been reconnected,
you must reset the side windows
(Y page 61). 178
Maintenance
Operation

Battery care
!
Please always observe the following
notes:
R dirty battery clamps
and battery surfaces
cause leak currents, which lead to the
batteries discharging. Always keep the
battery terminals and battery surfaces
clean and dry. Grease the battery
terminals, particularly the terminal
undersides, with a light coating of acid-
resistant grease.
R cleaning agents containing fuel corrode
the battery housing. Only clean the
battery housing with commercially
available cleaning agents.
R only clean the batteries when the caps
are screwed on. Dirt may otherwise enter
the battery cells and damage the battery.
R the breathers in the caps and the cell
ventilation tubes must be open.
Otherwise, gas cannot escape. Unscrew
blocked breathers and clean them with a
suitable tool such as a piece of wire. If
you do not unscrew the caps for cleaning,
there is a risk of short circuit.
R regularly check the battery terminals and
the fastening of the negative cable to the
chassis to ensure that they are firmly
seated.
R if batteries are not being used, you
should charge them once a month. Maintenance
179
Operation Z

180

Vehicle equipment ............................
182
Where will I find...? ........................... 182
Troubleshooting ................................ 187
Engine ................................................ 221
Wheels and tires ............................... 221
Electrical system .............................. 233
Batteries for the remote control .....245
Automatic transmission ................... 246
Jump starting, tow-starting and
towing away ...................................... 247 181Practical 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. Where will I find...?
Vehicle tool kit and emergency
equipment
The jack and the vehicle tool kit are located
in the co-driver's footwell. G
Warning
To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries
and to avoid damage to the vehicle, observe
the following:
R the jack is

designed only to raise the vehicle
for a short time, e.g. while a wheel is being
changed.
It is not designed to enable work to be
carried out underneath the vehicle.
R the jack must be placed on a firm, level
surface.
R never change a wheel on uphill or downhill
gradients.
R never lie under the raised vehicle.
R make sure that no persons are present in
the vehicle when the vehicle is raised.
R never start the engine when the vehicle is
raised. R
make sure that the distance between the
underside
of the

tires and the ground does
not exceed 1.2 in(30 mm).
R if you intend to work under the vehicle,
place the vehicle on stands. X
To unlock: turn quick-release fastener
0046
counter-clockwise or clockwise 004B.
X Remove the cover.
X To lock: press quick-release lock
0046 down
until it engages. X
If necessary, use tool 5
008A for the DEF tank
fuel filler cap to remove the fixture.
X Remove vehicle tool kit 0087.
X Pull up quick-release lever 0088 and unhook
the retaining strap of jack 0086.
X Lift jack 0086 upwards out of the holder.
i When stowing away the jack, place it in
the holder as shown in the illustration.
Make sure that the retaining strap of the
jack is hooked in and tensioned.
5 Chassis only.182
Where will I find...?
Practical advice